Joey Chestnut can eat a lot of hot dogs, but is he ready for the “Land of 10,000 Calories?” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/450I1zV
Sunday Take featured Scott Jensen discussing his campaign for governor and an analysis of what Sen. Nicole Mitchell’s conviction means for Minnesota politics. PODCAST: http://fluence-media.co/46l8J8P
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
CANNABIS: Fluence Advisory is hosting a virtual forum featuring an interview with Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management Director Eric Taubel and other industry experts on Monday, July 28th. The event is in partnership with Stinson and Sota Cann.
Other panels included:
· Municipal and Tribal Governments featuring Aarik Robertson of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures and Kevin Morelli of the City of Anoka Moderated by Will Blauvelt of Stinson
· Cannabis Industry Update featuring Josh Wilken-Simon of Legacy Cannabis, Shaun Tetreault of Kind Bud, and Mark Matejcek of Kria Botanicals Moderated by Carol Moss of Hellmuth & Johnson
· THC Beverages Rapid Growth featuring Elizabeth Anderson Schmidt of Flying Cloud THC and Fat Pants Brewing, and Glenn McElfresh of Plift Beverages Moderated by Bruce Nustad of the Minnesota Retailers
REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/CannabisForum
CANNABIS: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “In the last month, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management has granted final approval to five retailers to begin selling cannabis, the first such businesses not operated by one of the state’s 11 tribal nations. By the end of the year Minnesota could see up to 150 marijuana businesses not owned by the tribes, according to Eric Taubel, interim director of the Office of Cannabis Management. Taubel said in an interview that if a cannabis shop is slow to get off the ground, the weed entrepreneur can no longer blame a cumbersome state licensing process.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f6ONZH
UNIONS: On social media Thursday night, Governor Tim Walz posted support for unions, saying “I’ll always stand up for their collective bargaining rights, safe working conditions, apprenticeship programs, fair wages, and affordable health care.” MAPE president Megan Dayton responded. DAYTON: “You’re spending millions to force public workers back into offices without bargaining. You’re threatening out-of-state employees with termination. You’ve stripped our flexibility and sent a message of deep disrespect. Now, after weeks of backlash and organizing, you want to talk about how much you value unions? Your timing isn’t subtle and your hypocrisy is gross. You’re not fooling anyone. We’re organized, we’re angry, and we’re done pretending your empty praise means anything.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4faErIr
HOUSING: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Homeless encampments were cropping up across the Twin Cities in summer 2020 when Minnesota debuted a pioneering new program that uses Medicaid dollars to help people find and keep housing. Five years later, the Housing Stabilization Services benefit once heralded as ‘groundbreaking’ is the latest Minnesota program to be mired in claims of fraud. Scammers have reportedly targeted dollars state leaders hoped would be life-changing for vulnerable people in what an FBI agent described as a “massive scheme” to defraud the government. What went wrong?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f6UZkp
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
NEXT WEEK: Via Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, VERBATIM: “This panel discussion and luncheon will focus on tech trends in government, highlighting how our region's public IT leaders are pioneering innovative solutions for critical functions such as public safety, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and communication.” DETAILS/AGENDA: https://fluence-media.co/4mcibjl
CANADA: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Earlier this month, Minnesota's Republican Congressional delegation demanded the Canadian government deploy new technology and share its plans for mitigating wildfires and smoke. ‘Canada must take stronger action to manage its forests,’ U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber wrote on X. The letter didn't go over well in Canada. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew called the letter's congressional authors ‘ambulance chasers.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3INtfoJ
BLOOMINGTON: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Typically, when your city is set to build a $100 million multi-use community health and wellness center, it’s something you would be excited about. But for those who live across the street from where the city of Bloomington is planning to tear down the current community center and replace it with this much larger one, this plan is anything but a welcome sight.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3GWmxwk
DISASTER LOANS: Via SBA, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the Aug. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain, hail, and high winds occurring April 17-Sept. 15, 2024. The disaster declaration covers the Minnesota counties of Big Stone, Grant, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin, Richland County in North Dakota as well as Roberts County in South Dakota.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3IJ8YRr
ROCHESTER: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “The city of Rochester has acquired three grants that will allow for about 3,000 trees to be planted. The grants total around $2 million with two of them coming from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Jeff Haberman is Rochester’s City Forester and said the Shade Tree Bonding Grant helped plant 820 trees in the spring of 2025 in southeast and northwest Rochester. The city still has a few hundred trees left to plant.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46xIE6J
PRODUCING THE FUELS THAT HELP KEEP MINNESOTA MOVING: Flint Hills Resources, one of the Midwest’s leading producers of transportation fuels is hiring! With openings in IT, accounting, engineering, operations, procurement and asset management, Flint Hills Resources’ goal is to match talented individuals with their passions and interests to truly shine. APPLY TODAY: Flint Hills jobs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
BEER: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Invictus Brewing has announced it has sold its building in Blaine, and is now looking to relocate. The brewery confirmed the move on Thursday, saying ‘we have sold the real estate that we built and have been in since we opened in 2018.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kWpAlQ
TOURISM: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Gov. Tim Walz is reminding Canadian travelers the state is open for business amid a sharp drop in visitors from north of the border. The big picture: Canadians have been avoiding the U.S. amid tensions between their government and the Trump administration. By the numbers: Year-to-date, 28% fewer Canadian residents have crossed the U.S. border by car than by this point in 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4590gmV
BROOKLYN PARK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Firefighting comes with a host of physical dangers — and according to Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Shawn Conway — some can be found in outdated fire stations. For instance, in poorly ventilated garage bays, firefighters are often inhaling diesel fumes, leading to higher rates of cancer. According to Conway, fixing those safety issues is a top priority as Brooklyn Park looks to rebuild its Central Fire Station.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3TXOqH7
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
MINNEAPOLIS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “An amphitheater in north Minneapolis on the shores of the Mississippi River is closer to becoming a reality. It took more than ten years of work before Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was able to sign-off on the $300 million project on the Upper Harbor Terminal site on the city's north side.” QUOTE: "We've been working on it with a whole lot of partners for the better part of a decade, and great things take time," Mayor Frey explains. "Great things take a whole lot of community engagement, and there are people that have been to countless meetings to make sure that the north side wasn't just involved, but they were co-creators in this vision." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3H2SbYY
HOUSING: MPR profiles a newlywed couple who bought a home with the help of a new program in Rochester. VERBATIM: “Bardwell Owen is referring to a new city program that effectively covers closing costs for some home buyers. It’s part of a raft of new city and county programs meant to incentivize builders to construct new homes to be sold in what they call the ‘missing middle’ price range. These are homes that are affordable to middle income earners. It’s a price point that’s hard to find in the Rochester market. The city has also adopted more flexible zoning rules to encourage multi-family housing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3ILVq7B
PLYMOUTH: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The city of Edina saw numerous housing teardowns several years ago. Could the city of Plymouth be next? Plymouth City Manager Dave Callister believes so. ‘I do think we’re going to see in the residential area, we’re going to see some teardowns,’ said Callister during a presentation Tuesday on city finances.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45d86fw
CROW WING CTY: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan has announced his retirement. Ryan, who has served in that role for more than 30 years, told the Crow Wing County Board on Tuesday that he plans to retire on September 12th.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46ojpUh
TOMORROW: Via Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, VERBATIM: “On Saturday, July 26th at 12:00pm, immigrant rights advocates will hold a protest at Chicago and Lake in Minneapolis. At this protest, immigrant rights advocates will protest the creation of the immigrant detention camp Alligator Alcatraz. The group will be calling for an end to the kidnappings of our immigrant neighbors, whether in Florida or Minnesota.”
TOMORROW: Via SEIU MN, VERBATIM: “On Saturday, July 26, at 2pm in Minneapolis, SEIU members in Minnesota will join thousands of working families across all 50 states in a powerful national day of action to demand care—not cuts. Across the country, the “Families First” mobilization brings together workers, parents, immigrants, patients, and allies to expose a $4.5 trillion theft from working people, designed to slash healthcare, education, food aid, disaster relief, and immigrant protections—while handing massive tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.”
DIAMEDICA: Via Minnetonka-based DiaMedica, VERBATIM: “DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: DMAC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and acute ischemic stroke, today announced the closing of its previously announced $30.1 million private placement of common shares to accredited investors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mgRgmS
RETAIL: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “If you are among the camp of people who consider fashion as art, then browsing the pristine interior of Ellie Belle’s first location in Eden Prairie will feel a bit like wandering through the Louvre. Designer couture, handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, and even handmade wedding gowns gleam from the racks as if they were timeless works of art—Givenchy, Chanel, Versace, you name it. And the one thing they all have in common? Their value is unmatched.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45d3yFY
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
DULUTH: Via Eater, VERBATIM: “Over decades, Duluth’s food scene has been shaped by its waterfront setting, working-class roots, and a growing community of chefs, brewers, and bakers. From smoked fish and aquavit to homemade pasta and breads, here’s where to eat and drink in Duluth.” LIST/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3CYxjNp
ZOO: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Twenty minutes prior to a performance of the Minnesota Zoo’s new Royal Credit Union Sea Lion Discovery show, music begins to play over the PA in the Discovery Bay stadium and its backstage pool habitat area, which, save the low, loud groans, barks, and grunts of its five resident sea lions and one resident seal echoing through the space, is usually dead quiet.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IMmAv9
BDAYS: golfer and communications veteran Kevin Smith, lobbyist Theresa Kuvaas, researcher Mark Drake, sports broadcaster Anthony LaPanta SAT: investment guy John Skahan. SUN: Rep. Keith Allen, MBP Communication pro Sarah Barten, Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart, retired radio guy Tim Pugmire, academic Myron Orfield, UCare’s Joel Ulland, lobbyist Stephen Rubis
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