Americans’ trust in mass media hit a new low – 28%. A year ago it was 31%. It was 40% five years ago. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/46whxsa
The new Drought Monitor out this morning shows 3% of the state is now in formal drought status – 35% is abnormally dry or worse, up from 21% a week ago. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3PP2Kzy
A guy cleaning out a garage in Medina found 50 sticks of dynamite leading to the temporary evacuation of the neighborhood. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/3VIYipd
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Tom Hauser in for Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3KPc3Aa
Sunday Take featured an extensive recap of the latest Minneapolis mayoral debate and what it could mean for the city’s future. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4q4IZ8j
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:
Sign-up for paid TheDailyAgenda and you’ll receive a morning take mug.
Earlier this year we launched a premium subscription option. Now we’re adding content for premium subscribers.
A monthly insight-filled briefing memo on Minnesota and Midwest issue and political dynamics.
Access to our Fluence Forum audio and videio assets.
A free morning take mug if you sign-up this week.
Fluence Advisory hosted a cannabis forum on the “State of Cannabis in Minnesota including an interview with Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management Eric Taubel.
GRANDMA’S: Via WDIO-TV, VERBATIM: “The 2026 Grandma’s Marathon has sold out in record time. Registrations opened at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday and, within 12 hours, 9,500 people secured their spot. This beats the previous record by 876 hours.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pQjqaH
TARGET: Via Barron’s, VERBATIM: “Target’s lackluster performance has drawn the attention of an activist investor who says the retailer should keep outgoing CEO Brian Cornell from leading its board of directors. Under Target’s current succession plan, Cornell will become board chair after stepping down as chief executive in February. Michael Fiddelke, Target’s chief operating officer, will succeed him as CEO, the company said in late August. The Accountability Board, an activist investor group focused on environmental, social, and governance issues, wants Target to change the plan. The firm has filed a shareholder proposal that would require Target’s board chair to be an independent director, meaning that the person hasn’t been an executive at the company in the past three years.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/431c4qZ
MORE: Via WWD, from the investor group’s proposal, QUOTE: “With sustained challenges in both performance and reputation, it’s a tough time for Target — to put it mildly,” the proposal states. “Sales growth has been inconsistent, there have been declines in foot traffic, and controversies abound. As an August 2025 New York Times article observed, ‘Target’s stock has lost more than a fifth of its value over the past two years, while Walmart’s has nearly doubled in price.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nrxvK9
TODAY: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “As the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) prepares to launch Paid Leave on January 1, you are invited to an informational briefing about the program today and what Minnesotans need to know. This session will provide an introductory overview of the program as you cover Paid Leave leading up to, and after, its launch. DEED leadership will walk through qualifications and benefits for Minnesota workers, expectations and resources for Minnesota employers and tools for all Minnesotans to use as they engage with the program.”
THC: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota hemp and cannabis businesses are warning state regulators that new rules set to take effect next year could devastate local companies, shutter breweries and pull popular THC-infused products off shelves. About 60 industry representatives gathered on Wednesday to meet with Office of Cannabis Management officials and press for changes, following a Sept. 23 letter in which a coalition of manufacturers, distributors and retailers urged OCM Director Eric Taubel to delay enforcement of the new law for six months.” QUOTE: “This could be an existential risk to many Minnesota businesses, including craft breweries and retailers that rely on these products,” said Glenn McElfresh, co-founder of the Plift hemp-infused beverage brand. “We’ve really got to find a solution in the coming weeks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ILqsNk
(DISCLOSURE: Plift Beverages is a client of Fluence Advisory)
GEN MILLS: Via USA Today, VERBATIM: “General Mills said it will close three facilities in Missouri as part of an effort to improve the company’s supply chain. The Minnesota-based company will shutter a pizza crust manufacturing facility in St. Charles, Missouri, and two pet food plants in Joplin, Missouri, under an initiative to ‘increase the competitiveness of our supply chain,’ according to a report filing on Sept. 25.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IRbncW
SHUTDOWN: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota is ready, at least in the short term, to survive the current federal government shutdown. That was the message Thursday from Governor Tim Walz and his state budget director, who say they’ve been laying out plans to continue operations without federal funding for weeks in anticipation of a budget agreement stalling out.” QUOTE: “We’ve been working for about four weeks in the preparations for this,” Walz told reporters from the State Capitol. “There is a playbook, if you will, on how things start to roll back, what furloughs look like, what the impact is at this early stage.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pMbE1v
MORE: During the news conference, Walz pointed to the bipartisan agreement reached in last year’s legislative session as something that should be happening in Washington, DC – working together rather than picking fights. Journalist Aaron Rupar shared the clip via X, WALZ: “My god, we’ve got the White House threatening investigations and jail time because an escalator stopped? Walk up the damn stairs!” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pSmF1e
MORE: Via CSPAN, the full news conference. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mRI87X
FED WORKERS: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “The constant denigration of the federal workforce had already lowered morale; now, a shutdown is making things worse — and federal employees are afraid to speak out, said Ruark Hotopp, national vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees for the district including Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Federal workers in Minnesota do everything from data collection and processing of funding applications to park maintenance and management of the electrical grid.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42kM61v
HISTORY: Via KTTC-TV, a look at the history of federal government shutdowns. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46Ne07P
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)
MPLS MAYOR: Omar Fateh, a candidate for mayor of Minneapolis, has been ordered to pay a $500 civil penalty. The Minnesota Court of Administrative Hearings ruled he violated the Minnesota Fair Campaign Practices Act by distributing campaign materials that said he was endorsed by the DFL after the party rescinded its endorsement. RULING: https://fluence-media.co/3IveyXU
RENT: Via RentCafe, from a recently-released Market Insights report, VERBATIM: “Renting has become much more challenging in several markets compared to a year ago, and the Suburban Twin Cities has emerged as this summer’s top trending rental market. Its RCI score jumped 5.8 points — from 78.5 last summer to 84.3 now.
Here, lease renewals have climbed to 68% from 66.3% last summer, while fewer new apartments are being built. That has pushed occupancy to 94.8%, slightly higher than last year’s 94.3%. Apartments here are now renting three days faster, averaging just 34 days on the market. Competition has also heated up with 12 renters chasing each available unit, as compared to 10 last summer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mJXcEs
SUN COUNTRY: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Sun Country, ‘the disciplined airline,’ may not be a great marketing slogan, but the approach is working for the MSP-based carrier as its peers lose altitude. The recent disclosure that so-called ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit would leave the market Dec. 1—as part of an extended draw-down of operations post-bankruptcy—was not good news for consumers hoping to fly cheaply to Detroit or Atlanta. Yet it was a seeming vindication of the strategy Sun Country has maintained.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nwr7RM
SUPCT: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A case combining a fight over a new gun restriction with a challenge to megabills in the Minnesota Legislature is rumbling toward a showdown in the state Supreme Court sooner or later. It has a big bearing on a firearms modification restriction struck down this summer by a lower court and, more broadly, the practice of lumping many items into massive bills. In pushing for a review, state attorneys are looking to leapfrog the Court of Appeals to have the Minnesota Supreme Court weigh in on whether legislation piled with many different topics can stand.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nIq4OE
FEED FRAUD: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Prosecutors are asking a judge to jail a defendant in the next Feeding Our Future trial for allegedly trying to stop a cooperator from testifying. Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud is the second defendant in the sprawling case accused of witness tampering. Mohamud, 35, is one of 76 people charged with defrauding federally-funded child nutrition programs out of hundreds of millions of dollars during COVID.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pSOUx0
GRANTS: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Lawmakers awarded nearly $20 million to nonprofit organizations around the state since 2024 that do not appear to be registered with the state attorney general’s office, according to a review by 5 INVESTIGATES. Most nonprofits that solicit donations in Minnesota, like having a donate button on their website, are required to have an active registration with the AG’s office so the public can see their financial health. But the review found that at least 24 organizations that have received or are set to receive millions in taxpayer money were not registered.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pS9LjO
SNAP: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The bonding bill passed by congress this summer raises the age for work requirements, a move that could force seniors to prove they are working at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits. This was a key point of discussion during a meeting between The Minnesota Senate and emergency food leaders, where Senator Erin Maye Quade pressed Second Harvest Heartland‘s Robin Manthie for more details. Manthie clarified that previously Minnesotans 54 and older didn’t need to prove they were working, now residents under 65 need to show proof of work or prove they are unable to work.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48bh2oL
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A bright new art installation at a Central Hillside bus shelter underscores the critical role public transportation plays in residents’ lives, even as the Duluth Transit Authority faces potential service cuts due to a significant funding shortfall. The colorful artwork at the corner of Sixth Avenue East and Third Street, created by artist Tiffany Fenner, represents the stories and lives of bus riders in a neighborhood where nearly half the residents lack personal transportation. ‘45% of the Hillsiders are without transportation, and so public transportation is a lifeline for many of those folks,’ said Fenner.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/432mFSz
70 YEARS OF STRONG JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery is Minnesota’s largest and most active work site, driving economic impact for local communities. The refinery is busy with plumbers and pipefitters, carpenters and electricians, engineers and environmental scientists, software and IT specialists - more than 1,000 full-time employees and at times more than 3,000 contractors working on-site on any given day. LEARN MORE: Careers at Pine Bend (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
NAT GAS: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A pending regulatory decision over how gas companies recoup the cost of connecting new buildings to natural gas lines could foreshadow a much larger, looming question about the future of gas in Minnesota. Natural gas is the primary fuel used to heat buildings in Minnesota. It’s also a potent greenhouse gas. When burned, it emits fewer emissions than coal, but widespread leaks from drilling sites, pipelines and appliances result in pollution that traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Since 2021, Minnesota utility companies and regulators have been discussing how gas companies will comply with Minnesota’s goal of achieving net-zero climate emissions by 2050.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IEUp1A
TAYLOR SWIFT: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “As Taylor Swift fans prepare for her 12th studio album release, Emagine Willow Creek is one of the theaters getting a boost by hosting her three-day release party. Last month, Swift announced ‘The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” a theatrical event accompanying her new album “The Life of a Showgirl.’ The movie is being shown in theaters worldwide, from just October 3-5. ‘I can understand why people are excited about it. I mean, as soon as the announcement came out, we saw people buying tickets immediately and filling up showtimes,’ said Tim Holly, director of creative and alt programming at Emagine Entertainment.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WhSIKr
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)
BLOOMINGTON: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Normandale Lake Office Park is in a state of distress due to a complicated maneuver by an out-of-town investor whose tactics have raised eyebrows elsewhere. The latest: The 8500 tower near the I-494/Highway 100 interchange — one of five buildings in the complex — sold last week for just $4 million, a jaw-dropping price because the 467,000-square-foot building is 75% leased and just three years ago sold in a larger deal that valued it around $100 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42kK1Tf
MOVE: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Owamni, chef Sean Sherman’s James Beard-winning Indigenous restaurant, is moving to the Guthrie Theater’s big ground-floor restaurant space. Vacant since the pandemic, it was built once upon a time for chef Tim McKee as Sea Change, and what a splashy, lovely space it was. Why the move? Well, ask yourself: Is Owamni the same as Sea Salt? For a long time, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has treated the two as if they were the same.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nVP6tn
MORE: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “It’s something owner Sean Sherman says is both bittersweet and wonderful, allowing him to hire around 60 more employees to serve the after-theater crowd.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KS1xYU
MAPLE GROVE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The newest edition to Osseo Area Schools, an elementary school in northwest Maple Grove, now has a name: Aspen Ridge Elementary School. The school district invited the community to help name the new school on Arbor Ridge Parkway. In a school board meeting in late September, Community Relations Director Kay Villella shared that 1,298 community members participated in the feedback session.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3IEVzds
TARGET: Via Target, VERBATIM: “Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today announced an all-new collection inspired by Universal Pictures’ ‘Wicked: For Good.’ The assortment features nearly 200 new products, with nearly half the assortment exclusive to Target and priced under $20.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ntBcPn
OCT 9: Via Fluence Advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Business Partnership has curated a museum-like exhibit for HQElevate 2025’s ‘A Night at the Museum,’ where artifacts and from over 50 Minnesota businesses tell the remarkable stories behind the state’s economic success. WHAT: One night. One exhibition. One chance to see the innovations, stories, and visionaries that make Minnesota America’s Headquarters Economy, all displayed like the masterpieces they truly are.”
OCT 14: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Transportation is inviting the public to attend an open house this month to learn about the upcoming Highway 200 Laporte construction project.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3KB8iyd
OCT 16: Via U.S. Bank, VERBATIM: “U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) will release its third quarter 2025 earnings results before the market opens on Thursday October 16, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46QCwF4
THIS MONTH: Via MplsStPaul, a Halloween events guide. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3IBljr7
MORE: Here’s Minnesota Monthly’s list. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3Irc8tl
CLEARFIELD: Via Minneapolis-based Clearfield, VERBATIM: “Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced a series of executive leadership changes designed to support the company’s next phase of growth and strengthen its sales and marketing organization.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48bn3Sn
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
PEACE: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The exterior walls of First Avenue, filled with white stars, are a Minnesota landmark. They tell a significant piece of the story of music in the Twin Cities. The names inside those stars include legends like Prince, storied local performers like Soul Asylum and Slim Dunlap, and, simply, Conrad. Unlike most names on the wall, Conrad Sverkerson was an employee. He was the stage manager for First Avenue Productions and had been a recognizable face at the venue for nearly four decades. Sverkerson died of lung cancer at age 66 on Tuesday, Sept. 30.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46Kg4NK
BDAYS: event guy Scott Mayer
Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
Fluence Media curates, produces and distributes specialized media products to thought leadership audiences across the Midwest and about the region. Our publications cover, politics, public policy, health care, agriculture, business, real estate, sports and more. Visit www.fluence-media.com to learn more.
about morning take- Founded in 2010, morning take has grown to become the leading Minnesota morning newsletter on politics and news of the day. Published by Fluence Media since 2012 the mission is to "make you smarter" before breakfast.
Copyright © 2025 Lunch Take, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Golden Valley, MN 55427