A third of consumers would blame U.S. companies if prices go up because of tariffs. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/3WMJKG1
A vintage motorcycle made in St. Paul sold at auction for more than a million dollars. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4aM9SGE
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aLb4Ki
Sunday Take discusses Capitol security, what the Democrats need to do to win and further analysis of Ken Martin’s DNC chair election featuring TPT Almanac’s Mary Lahammer. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4jJBIHy
Donate to WCCO Radio’s Annual End Hunger Together Radiothon today. GIVE: https://fluence-media.co/2ndHarvestGive
Blois
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RECALL: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Republican leaders on Tuesday announced recall petitions for every single House DFL member as Democrats boycott the Minnesota capitol for a third straight week. According to Republicans, a recall process is officially underway, saying they’re collecting signatures across the state as House Democrats collect salaries despite not showing up for work. They are working to collect 25 signatures per seat. The GOP says they anticipate filing the petitions by next Monday. The Supreme Court would then need to decide if there are grounds for a recall — thousands of signatures would then be needed.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WOAgKd
ANTISEMITISM: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration is doubling down on its scrutiny of universities by launching investigations into whether top medical schools, including Harvard University’s, adequately protected Jewish students. Four top medical schools—in addition to confronting the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars of research grants if they don’t comply with White House diversity orders—now face investigations from civil rights attorneys at the Department of Health and Human Services . . . The Education Department’s civil rights division also on Monday launched antisemitism investigations into Columbia, Northwestern and Portland State universities, as well as the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WMt7tI
GOLDEN VALLEY: From Babs Santos via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “Golden Valley police are pushing for a felony charge against a Robbinsdale Area Schools assistant principal who they accuse of interfering with a police investigation. The backstory: Last November at Robbinsdale Academy-Highview, a school bathroom fight between two female students left one with a concussion and in need of stitches. At the scene, officers say they were met with resistance by a school leader who was critical of their response.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Csw5No
CANNABIS: Via OCM, VERBATIM: “Today, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced it will accept applications for cannabis business licenses beginning February 18 and ending March 14. During this license cycle, OCM will accept applications both from verified social equity applicants and from any applicant seeking to participate in general licensing in the following license types: microbusiness, mezzobusiness, cultivator, manufacturer, retailer, wholesaler, transporter, testing facility, delivery service, and medical cannabis combination business.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Cy1nT1
WILD ABOUT READING: More than 500 Minnesota classrooms and 15,000 students are 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, Rookie; 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
SCHOOLS: From Kyle Stokes via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minnesota schools are trying to reassure parents and prepare staff after the Trump administration reversed a long-standing policy discouraging immigration enforcement in schools and other ‘sensitive’ places. Why it matters: Educators fear the mere possibility of an on-campus immigration raid could lead some students to skip school. Under a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, schools have been legally required to enroll children regardless of their immigration status.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hKVq3N
TARIFFS: From Ana Radelat via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Although they’ve been paused for 30 days, President Donald Trump’s tariff threats showed how dependent Minnesota is on trade with Canada and Mexico. According to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, about half of Minnesota’s exports went to those two countries and China in 2021, up from about one-third in 2002. And the chamber said trade between Minnesota and Canada grew about 39% from 2019 to 2021. Those Minnesota exports would suffer if the nations Trump has threatened with tariffs follow through with their own threats to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aI3yjv
MORE: From T Kaldahl via Northern News Now, reaction from Enbridge Energy to the prospect of a trade war with Canada. QUOTE: “The U.S. and Canada share a highly integrated energy system and markets that benefit each other’s consumers and industry. By working together, we provide more affordable and reliable energy for everyone. Instead of a trade war, we should be working to advance North America as an energy powerhouse. For the sake of our customers and consumers, and industry on both sides of the border, we need to encourage a resolution.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42CjjXd
(DISCLOSURE: Enbridge is a sponsor of Fluence)
MORE: From Peter Passi via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “U.S. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., defends Trump’s use of a tariff threat to prompt movement in negotiations. ‘We have already seen President Trump effectively use tariffs as a tool to extract policy wins for the American people,’ said Stauber, a Hermantown resident who represents the 8th Congressional District . . . The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative issued a letter ‘to the growing chorus of American and Canadian leaders who oppose the prospect of a harmful trade war between our two countries.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WOpOCt
MORE: Via Minnesota Senate, from Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development Committee Chair Aric Putnam, PUTNAM: “The only thing Trump tariffs will do is add even more stress to our farmers, make it even harder for them to succeed economically, and introduce even more uncertainty to their volatile businesses. Mexico, Canada, and China make up more than half of Minnesota’s multibillion-dollar agricultural export market. We have seen the impact of Trump’s trade disputes before, farmers lose and trading relationships are broken forever. I will hold a committee hearing February 17th to listen to the farmer’s voice, to hear from our friends in agriculture about how federal interactions will impact farms and rural communities. I urge President Trump to actually listen to our farmers and consider the harm tariffs will cause to Minnesotans and our agricultural economy.”
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
TARGET: Via Newsweek, VERBATIM: “Target shareholders are suing the company for failing to predict the backlash to its diversity program. Newsweek sought email comment from Target on Tuesday. The case stems from a major consumer backlash against Target's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative and feeds into a wider debate about diversity policies. Target displayed pro-LGBT items in May, 2023, and removed any reference to Target's toys being for boys or girls. This led to a conservative backlash and consumer boycott.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gtUH6i
MORE: From Allison Kaplan via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Following Target Corp.’s rollback of some DEI initiatives, Black founder Houston White shared a statement over the weekend about how the retail giant has helped his brand, which includes a clothing collection, haircare line, and packaged coffee sold in Target stores around the country. ‘I can’t speak to decisions that they’ve made on a corporate level, because it’s out of my line of sight. I CAN speak to decisions they’ve made with me that have impacted my enterprise and my community in many positive ways over the years,’ White said in a social media post and video on LinkedIn and Instagram.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4102WSU
SURVEY: Via ACSI, VERBATIM: “The retail sector continues to face a shifting and dynamic environment, with some brands thriving amid economic pressures while others struggle to maintain customer satisfaction, both in-store and online. Amid this dichotomy, overall customer satisfaction with the sector inches up 0.4% to a score of 78.3 (out of 100), according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40IDiRs
VITAL PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT FUELS THE FUTURE OF THIS WISCONSIN TRIBE - In 2017, one of the “glaring needs” for the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, in northwest Wisconsin, was an expanded wastewater treatment facility. “It was at capacity. We were not able to expand any of our businesses or facilities,” says Jason, the LCO Band’s Emergency Management Coordinator. With the support of Enbridge and several other partners, the LCO Band quadrupled its wastewater treatment capacity—allowing for creation of a new preschool, fire hall, 40-unit apartment complex, police headquarters and, still to come, health clinic and new residential community. “I’m very grateful for the partnership we’ve developed with Enbridge,” says Jason. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49v4mHc (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
SUN COUNTRY: Via Guru Focus, VERBATIM: “Sun Country Airlines Holdings Inc (SNCY, Financial) achieved a total operating revenue of $260.4 million for Q4 2024, marking the highest fourth-quarter revenue on record and a 6.1% increase from the previous year. This figure surpassed the analyst estimate of $257.34 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CDaBx8
CHILD CARE: From Delane Cleveland via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Families in Crystal now have a new option when it comes to child care and early education. Crystal city leaders joined officials from New Horizon Academy on Monday morning to celebrate the grand opening of New Horizon’s 103rd location.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hJamzv
CHEFS: From Madeline Cisneros via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis restaurant Spoon and Stable is bringing back its Synergy Series, inviting five chefs from all over the country to share their experiences, and of course delicious food. At each event, participants will sit in on a conversation with the visiting chef(s) to hear personal stories and philosophies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gI6VbH
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
FARM BILL: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A central Minnesota farmer is frustrated Congress has not passed a new farm bill since 2018. Roy Schneider operates a diversified crop and livestock farm near Foley. ‘It is a little frustrating to see that we’re just not getting the job complete, I’m disappointed. But I’ve seen enough politics (to) understand that there’s a bit of a challenge with that.’ As a strip-till farmer, he tells Brownfield the farm bill provides critical resources that make it possible to try various conservation practices.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aNbn7G
WOLVES: From Larry Lee via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A Wisconsin Congressman is again trying to remove wolves from the Endangered Species List. Seventh District Republican Tom Tiffany tells Brownfield he introduced the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, which is almost identical to the Trust the Science Act from last session.” TIFFANY: “The reason it’s so important is we could get it in statute and it does not allow for judicial review, so some coastal judge who doesn’t know much about wildlife can’t stop wolf management in the states.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40Yo9g1
FOOD SCIENCE: Form Brooks Johnson via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “With so many major food companies headquartered in Minnesota, it’s no surprise the state has three times the concentration of food scientists and technologists as the national average. That must make for some great dinner parties. ‘All of my friends in Minneapolis work in food in some way or another, and everyone is an amazing cook,’ said Cassee Cain, a senior R&D process engineer at Cargill. ‘The potlucks are incredible, because everybody understands the reactions that need to take place so the food tastes good.’ Yet outside those circles, there remains an aura of mystery around food science, especially as social media overflows with misinformation about food and health that can lead to hostility toward the industry.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gs0F7A
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SEMICONDUCTORS: From 3M via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “3M is expanding its commitment to the semiconductor industry by joining the US-JOINT Consortium, a strategic partnership of 12 leading semiconductor suppliers. The consortium drives research and development in next-generation semiconductor advanced packaging and back-end processing technologies anchored by a new cutting-edge facility in Silicon Valley.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XaxwqX
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BOWLING: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “Every Monday night throughout the winter months, Memory Lanes turns into a battleground for ad pros, production studios, music houses, and freelancers, hitting the lanes for competition, camaraderie, and a few well-earned drinks. For over 30 years, Ad League Bowling has been more than just a game. It’s where creative minds connect, unwind, and let loose.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hIB0bE
VALENTINE’S DAY: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Whether you’re riding solo, having a friend day, or celebrating with the love of your life, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Here are some events for whatever your heart desires.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4jGSlnj
BDAYS: activist Carin Mrotz, lobbyist Jennifer O’Rourke, Pickleball pro Chad Flynn
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.
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