The Pentagon announced it’s sending an aircraft carrier and its strike group to the waters off South America – a major escalation of military power in the region. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4o7sqXT
New inflation numbers out this morning – delayed a week by the government shutdown – were better than surveyed economists expected. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4oAr3AG
President Trump says he’s ending trade negotiations with Canada because of an ad featuring Ronald Reagan talking about tariffs.
Is that a cougar or the neighbor’s housecat? The mystery creature was spotted on cameras in Inver Grove Heights. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/49jZozv
Tune-in to Sunday Take, at 9AM on WCCO Radio – for a conversation on the political events and theatre of the weekend. READ: https://fluence-media.co/47s6SxT
Last weekend’s Sunday Take featured property owner Jim Rubin and Star Tribune columnist Eric Roper discussing the recent ups and downs of Minneapolis from two perspectives. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/4qf2085
Blois
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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.
NOEM: Via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “Today, Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis City leaders are standing up for the city’s immigrant and refugee communities – making one thing clear: Minneapolis will not back down from its values – no matter what actions the Trump administration may take. Ahead of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit this afternoon, Mayor Frey recorded a direct message to community members reiterating the city’s ongoing commitment to keeping neighborhoods safe, ensuring residents are informed about their rights and what to do if they encounter immigration law enforcement, and supporting every neighbor who calls Minneapolis home – regardless of immigration status.” FREY: “Minneapolis doesn’t flinch when it comes to our values,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “We stand with our immigrant neighbors — not just in words, but in the laws we’ve passed, the policies we enforce, and the way we show up for each other every day.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3JrbcFG
CUTS: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Amid one of the longest government shutdowns in U.S. history, Phil Musa, owner of Handz-On Barber and Beauty in Brooklyn Park, recently broke some difficult news to his three daughters. ‘My wife, we have had a sit-down discussion that our family has no health care,’ he said. ‘My wife, who has not had a visit to the hospital in over a year. Recently, I went to the dentist and had to pay out of pocket. With rent it has been hard. I had to use money to pay for my visits, my health visits and not put food on the table.’ U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat who represents Minnesota’s Third Congressional District, hosted a press conference in Musa’s barber shop on Thursday Oct. 23. Musa was one of several business owners and community members who spoke about concerns related to federal cuts to health care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o3wjNh
DISASTERS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump approved major disaster declarations for Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe late Wednesday, while denying requests from Vermont, Illinois and Maryland and leaving other states still waiting for answers. The decisions fell mostly along party lines, with Trump touting on social media Wednesday that he had ‘won BIG’ in Alaska in the last three presidential elections and that it was his ‘honor’ to deliver for the ‘incredible Patriots’ of Missouri, a state he also won three times.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JoBngd
UAE: Via news release from Woodbury-based Purpose Brands, VERBATIM: “Purpose Brands LLC is pleased to announce the grand opening of the first Anytime Fitness club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Franchising rights for the Anytime Fitness brand in Dubai are held by Purple Fitness LLC, with the flagship club opening November 1 in the heart of the Arjan community, Al Barsha South 3, Dubai.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3JqPjX2
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)
SHUTDOWN: Minnesotan Annette Meeks was deputy chief of staff to Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich during the government shutdowns of 1995. She talked about that experience this week on NPR’s On Point, MEEKS: “It had never happened, and we never thought it would. And then once it was upon you, there’s no game plan on how you handle a situation like this, that is so high stakes and is comprehensive in terms of capturing the average American’s attention of, what do you mean? The government shut down? People just expect their government to work and it wasn’t.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Jou7Rv
JAIL: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “After months of discussion, the Beltrami County Board has voted to demolish the current jail facility in downtown Bemidji once the new jail is completed in the city’s industrial park. The Board of Commissioners had been debating between three options over the past few weeks. The option to demolish the current jail was the cheapest one and has an estimated cost of just over $6 million.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4qvNPLW
BUCKET TRUCK: Via Xcel, VERBATIM: “On a crisp autumn morning in Waconia, Minnesota, Laketown Elementary buzzed with excitement as fifth-grader Grant Scotting kept his eyes trained on the parking lot. A birthday surprise for Scotting was in the works — and soon it rolled up: a shiny Xcel Energy bucket truck. Scotting, who has special needs and is nonverbal, is known for his love of Xcel Energy. His enthusiasm for the local energy company ranges from reporting outages on his family’s iPad to eagerly opening each monthly bill.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oq7uei (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
TODAY: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “The University of St. Thomas‘ new on-campus arena opens today with a doubleheader of men’s and women’s hockey games. Why it matters: Anderson Arena’s debut is another milestone for the Twin Cities’ newest NCAA Division I program — an evolution that’s as much about the school’s academic ambitions as its athletic goals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JbYnPx
THIS WEEKEND: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Anyone needing to travel through the downtown area of St. Paul, Minnesota, on Interstate 94 this weekend will need to find an alternate route as work on the John Ireland Bridge project continues.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47lm5Rh
TARGET: Via Zacks, more on Target’s plan to eliminate 1,800 corporate positions which was first reported in morning take. VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis-based retailer aims to streamline decision-making, create a leaner operating structure and prioritize critical projects to rebuild customer loyalty. The timing of the layoffs, just before the holiday shopping season, signals Target’s push to fast-track its turnaround and strengthen competitiveness ahead of the busiest retail period. For a brand long known for affordable style and convenient shopping, Target’s recent performance signals operational challenges. Despite past investments in supply-chain improvements and owned-brand development, TGT has yet to regain steady sales growth. The company has struggled to maintain momentum in an increasingly competitive retail landscape.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47jJGlh
IMMIGRATION: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “The election of President Donald Trump to a second term — and his empowerment by a Republican-controlled Congress and conservative Supreme Court majority — has ushered in a new immigration crackdown that is instilling heightened fear in immigrant communities, causing most to retreat from the public eye. But it’s also motivating a new wave of advocates to get involved in organizing and protecting their immigrant neighbors, who are helping meet the surge in demand for ‘know your rights’ trainings, which inform immigrants and allies of their constitutional rights. In church basements, libraries and community centers around the state, immigrants are gathering to prepare for their lives to be upended at a moments’ notice.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jchadw
PROTESTS: Via The Daily Yonder, VERBATIM: “Hundreds lined up outside a Kwik Trip in Cokato (population 2,782), along a Main Street in Hutchinson (population 14,599), and atop a county highway pass in Glencoe (population 5,744) . . . Unlike protests in urban areas that went blue in 2024, these three Minnesota protests took place in counties that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024. Counterprotesters were present at each rally but did not dampen the spirits of protesters, who took the opposition in stride. Responding to a middle finger and a ‘F*** you’ from a car passing the Cokato protest, one protester yelled back, ‘Love you too!’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42QUpT6
70-YEAR LEGACY OF CONTINUOUS TRANSFORMATION. Innovation has been synonymous with the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery since it was established 70 years ago. Today, Pine Bend operates with cutting-edge leak detection technologies, the largest solar installation of its kind, a community-driven water-recycling system, and numerous other advancements. These innovations have allowed Pine Bend to produce more of the fuels and other products we all need, while continually finding ways to use fewer resources and minimize emissions. LEARN MORE: Environmental, Health, and Safety at Pine Bend refinery (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
ACQUISITION: Via Twin Cities Business, more information on an acquisition first reported in Tuesday’s lunch take, VERBATIM: “Atomic Data announced Monday it’s acquiring Venue Wireless, a tiny, Texas-based IT company that specializes in sports and entertainment venues. That’s because Atomic, the Minneapolis-based IT services firm, wants to answer growing demand for tech support at large venues. ‘There’s a certain level of skillset that you need to help a company run really solid IT,’ CEO Chris Heim tells TCB. ‘But when you think about a stadium—it’s that plus.’ The acquisition brings in technical aptitude for scaling up, he says, enhancing company solutions for connectivity, security, and automation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qhowgm
RETAIL: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “When Steve Schreader was searching for an urban spot for his retail concept, he stumbled upon a 5,000-square-foot second-floor space in the North Loop, but he would only sign the lease under one condition: Could he fit a canoe through the doorway and stairwell? He did what any outdoorsman would do: He went home, strapped his canoe on the top of his car, and gave it a test run—and the rest is history.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3L7a7mP
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)
CHILD CARE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Child care deserts throughout greater Minnesota are at a crisis level. According to the Center for Rural Policy and Development, as the state’s population continues to grow, the problem is only getting worse. Although pockets of rural Minnesota are the hardest hit, the Twin Cities area also struggles. Marnie Werner, the vice president of research at the rural policy center, said licensing for child care providers breaks down into two types. There are centers, which operate out of some type of facility, and then there is in-home or family licensed day care. She said when she began researching child care about 10 years ago, the child care capacity in the Twin Cities was broken down between about 75 percent centers and 25 percent family-run operations. But in rural Minnesota it was the opposite with about 70 percent family-run care and 30 percent center-based care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JmEcyb
(DISCLOSURE: Center for Rural Policy and Development is a Fluence sponsor)
SELF-DRIVING: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “GoMARTI, or Minnesota Advanced Rural Transit Innovation, is shifting things into high gear to reach more of Itasca County. They started in 2022 in Grand Rapids. Now, they’ve added 70 new stops in neighboring communities, including Cohasset, Deer River, Ball Club, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4njGXOE
PROVATION: Via news release from Minneapolis-based Provation, VERBATIM: “Provation proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Lukasz Kowalczyk as Executive Medical Director. A nationally recognized gastroenterologist and health tech innovator, Dr. Kowalczyk brings a powerful combination of clinical expertise, entrepreneurial vision, and AI leadership to Provation’s vision to be the global leader in innovative solutions that maximize healthcare quality and productivity.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nFcQSl
TODAY: Via SEIU, VERBATIM: “Friday, October 24th, at 12:45 p.m., Allina doctors, physicians’ assistants, and nurse practitioners who are members of Doctors Council - SEIU will announce their filing of a 10-day notice for an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike, which the 600-member union believe would be the largest strike of [its] kind in the history of the United States.”
TOMORROW: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Saturday marks the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Take Back Day marking the 29th time the event has been held giving Americans a way to safely and anonymously dispose of medications at thousands of collection sites across the country.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4nnFjMi
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
DEALS: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Let’s be honest: Dining out has gotten… spicy. And not always in a good way. But there’s still magic to be found on a menu—whether you’re planning a dreamy date night, grabbing a cheap weekday lunch, or feeding a table full of hungry humans. From $8 iconic burgers and pasta-for-two specials to family platters that actually feed four (and then some), these Twin Cities spots deliver big flavor without the big bill.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47G08xy
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