What’s the perfect hold music for people looking to renew their license tabs? The state would like your input. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NdEAkH
The price of gas is expected to go up again this week – could we see $4 a gallon? READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sDkaRe
Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. FluenceElectionTracker.com
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4rea3kx
Sunday Take discussed the state of Minnesota’s workforce with MN Chamber’s Sean O’Neil and Doug Loon, UMN Pres. Rebecca Cunningham, MSU Chancellor Scott Olson and UST Pres. Rob Vischer. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bxGdmo
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MONDAY NEWS
SENATE: From The Advocate via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Gay civil rights icon Jim Obergefell, whose fight for the right to marry reshaped American law and society, has endorsed Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig in her bid for the U.S. Senate, tying one of the most consequential LGBTQ+ court victories in history to a political contest over the future of those rights.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/3OWT7Sh
JOBS: Via USA Today Network, VERBATIM: “Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Minnesota rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 3,792 in the week ending February 28, up from 3,623 the week before, the Labor Department said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NrMMOg
DRIVER’S ED: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “A new bill could require Minnesotans under 21 to complete driver’s education before they can obtain a license. Currently, state law mandates 30 hours of driver’s education for those 17 and under, but the new proposal by State Rep. Andrew Myers would require every new driver to take driver’s education before getting behind the wheel.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4saMAlu
SHROOMS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota could soon legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms on a small scale, as lawmakers point to emerging research that suggests the psychedelic drug could help treat intractable mental illnesses. A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing to create a pilot program allowing for therapeutic use of the drug in supervised settings. The proposal comes as legislators and researchers nationwide have expressed growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OUFHq0
POT: Via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The mayor of Forest Lake and his brother plan to expand the family’s longtime floral business into a new kind of horticulture: cannabis. Blake and Kelly Roberts, the third-generation owners of Lakes Floral Gift & Garden, last year received a preliminary state license and city approval to open what is expected to be the city’s first cannabis dispensary.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rTQVcM
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)
OUTSIDE IMPACTS
DHS: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “The Wall Street Journal found that the Department of Homeland Security, created in 2002 to protect Americans, has turned its force against citizens. Of the 279 people accused by officials on X of attacking federal officers in the past year, 181 were U.S. citizens, the Journal found. Close to half of those Americans were never charged with assault. None have been convicted at trial. Yet names, mug shots and other identifying details posted by the government put a bull’s-eye on them. They had to explain the accusations to family, friends and employers. In a few cases, their home and workplace addresses were leaked online, drawing death threats.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4szBqGW
ECONOMY: Via Fortune, VERBATIM: “If President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota was like a military campaign, then a new report from the Minneapolis Fed reads like a battle-damage assessment . . . One contact from a landscaping firm said it had caused workers to either stay home or leave the area. ‘We are hiring now to replace these workers or get more reliable alternatives, but there are not any people to hire,’ the person told the Minneapolis Fed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3N7nMfe
VOTING: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “State officials and legal experts are sounding the alarm over efforts by the Trump administration that they say could make it harder for Minnesotans to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Those efforts could include using immigration status to determine voter eligibility and deploying federal agents to polling places, legal experts said at a state Senate hearing on Thursday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bga3KU
ROCHESTER: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Twin Cities may not be the most expensive area to live in Minnesota. Or at least, that’s according to recent data looking at the cost of necessities like housing and childcare. The Economic Policy Institute published its new Family Budget Calculator this month. According to the calculator — which looks at factors including housing, food, childcare, transportation, health care and taxes — a family of two adults and two children would need to make $138,018 in the Rochester metro area to live a ‘modest but adequate lifestyle.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4liBMPP
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability—providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS
HCMC: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Rep. Ned Carroll, DFL-Plymouth, says the proposal to extend and repurpose the Twins ballpark tax to help fund Hennepin County Medical Center will help support hospitals across the state.” QUOTE: “[HCMC] trains over 70 percent of our doctors in the state and it’s a statewide asset,” said Carroll. “It is critically important.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bfQO4o
ARENA: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the Minnesota Wild announced a framework deal Tuesday that includes more than $360 million in public money for $600 million in renovations to the arena, the St. Paul RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium . . . Hockey fans at the state tournament Saturday shared mixed feelings about the use of public dollars. Sara Powell came from Hibbing with her husband and son for the tournament. She wants to see more state funding in northern Minnesota, particularly schools.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rgsdlL
GOLDEN VALLEY: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A major makeover is coming to the heart of Golden Valley. The city’s library could be a part of it. As part of the city’s ‘Building Forward’ initiative, city leaders plan to redesign Golden Valley’s civic campus, which includes city hall and the public safety building. Golden Valley has partnered with Hennepin County to explore the possibility of adding a new library into the mix.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4sy6hUc
ATV TRAILS SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIES ACROSS GREATER MINNESOTA: Minnesota’s ATV system connects riders to rural communities — supporting local lodging, restaurants, fuel stations, and small businesses. Trail investment is not just recreation policy — it’s economic development. Watch how riders describe the economic impact of responsible trail access. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4kZDS70 (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
STATE DECISIONS
DATA CENTERS: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “As communities’ concerns grow over rising electricity prices and the environmental effects of data centers, some local and state officials want to halt development of the facilities. Lawmakers in at least 11 states — Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin — have introduced legislation this session that would temporarily ban data centers, according to Good Jobs First, a watchdog group that focuses on economic development incentives.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OYbOoL
PAID LEAVE: Via National Partnership for Women & Families, VERBATIM: “As states embrace paid leave, workers and families are seeing real changes in their lives. New National Partnership analysis finds that nationwide, nearly one-third of all private-sector workers in the labor force (32 percent) are eligible for paid leave under one of the 14 state programs that have been enacted.”
“These programs – which cover 93 percent of workers in these 14 states – have made 46.2 million workers across the country eligible for paid family and medical leave through their state program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40Xrz1G
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs, and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy – and the team dog, Paulie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: Wild About Reading (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
TRAIN: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The success of Amtrak’s Borealis route to Chicago has passenger rail advocates thinking about expansion. They’re proposing a similar route from St. Paul to Kansas City, because at the moment, riders have to travel east to Chicago and then catch a different train westbound. Brian Nelson with All Aboard Minnesota says that this proposed route would eliminate unnecessary travel.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40EScst
PLYMOUTH: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “An online gardening retailer in Plymouth could soon offer in-store sales if it receives city approval. Grow Supplies MN, which has offices at 10730 Hwy. 55, is looking to expand operations to include on-site retail sales of gardening supplies, hardware and specialty items for indoor gardening.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40kx5LO
UPTOWN: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Who said the music died in Uptown? In December, The Brownstone Jazz Club soft-opened right next to Isles Bun and Coffee. It’s the latest in a series of new music venues revitalizing the neighborhood, alongside Green Room, the revamped Uptown Theater, and the Granada Theater.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rp02Bk
MOVE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “At a time when some retailers are closing their doors, an Osseo wedding dress store is preparing to expand. Bridal Aisle Boutique is getting ready for its own ‘big day’ with plans to relocate into a larger, well-known Maple Grove location east of I-94 and south of Maple Grove Parkway that used to be The Woods gift shop.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bxsoV7
NEW PRESIDENT: Via Minneapolis-based Imagine, VERBATIM: “Imagine, a trusted partner to the world’s most successful brands, is excited to announce that John Stakel has been appointed President of Imagine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ugvJPO
WHAT’S NEXT?
THURSDAY: Via Minneapolis-based Sleep Number, VERBATIM: “Sleep Number Corporation (Nasdaq: SNBR) will release its fiscal fourth quarter and full year results through January 3, 2026, before market open on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Management will host its regularly scheduled conference call to discuss the company’s results at 8:30 a.m. EDT (7:30 a.m. CDT; 5:30 a.m. PDT).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46FHg0X
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BOOK: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “Dean Lappi, born and raised in Virginia, began writing short stories when he was 12 and continued writing stories through his college years, he said in an email interview. The Virginia native wrote his first novel when he was 40, the first book of The Aleph Null Chronicles. His latest books, written in 2025, are Deepstone and Holiday Hodgepodge. Lappi, 57, is an author of five novels and a book of holiday-inspired short stories.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rn3Jr9
BDAYS: librarian Deb Rash, retired meteorologist Mike Lynch, WCCO host Denny Long, food leader Kevin Wencel, Rep. Nathan Coulter, commissioner Karla Brigham, and someone who sends you a lot of emails.
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