lunch take | Collin Peterson's Senate Endorsement, Rapidan Dam Replacement Cheaper than Expected
9.10.25
Trust in business use of AI is increasing, but most still believe it will be a job killer. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/41L06Bt
A big change is coming for Houston White’s coffee shop in north Minneapolis – it’s about to become a bistro. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4ntRmbo
Edina is the 18th wealthiest suburb in the Midwest according to GoBankingRates. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4nmOJYu
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4giM0NI
A teacher, and a police officer. A DFLer and a Republican. On Sunday Take, a discussion with GOP Rep. Jeff Witte and DFL Sen. Steve Cwodzinski on how the state should move forward after the Annunciation Church mass shooting. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/3V1bEg9
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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.
SENATE: Via news release from the Craig campaign, VERBATIM: “Today, Former United States Representative Collin Peterson endorsed Angie Craig in her campaign for U.S. Senate. This endorsement comes a day after Craig was endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) PAC.” PETERSON: "Minnesota needs Democrats like Angie Craig—leaders who aren’t afraid to go anywhere or talk to anyone. I’m proud to endorse Angie for the U.S. Senate because she’s the only candidate in this race who can deliver the results Minnesotans urgently need. Angie stands up for what’s right and brings the kind of principled leadership we need in the Senate." READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gls4tu
SD46: St. Louis Park city council member Lynette Dumalag has filed a committee to challenge Sen. Ron Latz. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/45WuUBE
MORE: Dumalag announced last month via Facebook that she will not seek reelection to her council seat. POST: https://fluence-media.co/48cd8f3
24A: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “Byron scientist and former school board member, Heather Holmes, announced her bid for Minnesota House District 24A Tuesday night. Holmes will run in hopes of representing parts of Olmsted and Dodge Counties. The seat is currently held by Republican Duane Quam. Holmes previously ran for the seat in 2024 but lost.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46aTltW
NEXT WEEK: The Senate Gun Violence Prevention Working Group will hold its first meetings next Monday and Wednesday. This morning, chairs Sen. Ron Latz and Sen. Zaynab Mohamed announced the list of members: DFL Senators Liz Boldon, Mary Kunesh, Heather Gustafson, and Bonnie Westlin; Republican Senators Jeff Howe, Eric Lucero, Kari Heintzeman, Rich Draheim, and Andrew Mathews.
DOWNTOWN MPLS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday was bustling and bright red. Hundreds of Target employees — donning signature red apparel for the annual all-company meeting — swarmed the streets and skyways. Their return marked the symbolic end of the work-from-home era for many of the retailers’ employees and scores of other Twin Cities workers. Downtown Minneapolis’ civic boosters and businesses have long pined for this moment.” QUOTE: “It is an exciting week,” said Adam Duininck, CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. “I’m really excited to see more red shirts and Target employees downtown.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nnxUNb
BLUE EARTH CTY: Via Mankato Free Press, VERBATIM: “The good news coming out of Tuesday’s Blue Earth County board meeting? It will cost far less than thought to remove the Rapidan Dam. The bad news? It’s going to cost more to replace the nearby bridge. In the months following the 2024 summer flooding which saw the failure of the dam, Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges originally quoted the cost of the dam removal at around $88 million and the bridge replacement at $18 million. Now, after doing some more research into the project, Thilges says the costs will be around $35 million and $27 million respectively.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42jt8bl
TRANSIT: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Metro Transit is reporting a decrease in violent crime on its lines compared to the previous year. While transit ridership is down by 7 percent, calls for Metro Transit police service are significantly up. In quarter two, leaders reported over 17,000 calls for service; a 73 percent increase compared to 2024’s quarter two report. But interim Metro Transit Police Chief Joe Dotseth said more calls are a good thing.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gf0z4F
BIKES: From Ely Police Department via Facebook, VERBATIM: “The Ely Police Department has received multiple reports this year of front tires coming off children’s bicycles while being ridden, resulting in injuries. Based on the circumstances, these incidents may not be accidental but the result of someone intentionally tampering with the bikes.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/3V7ICeT
US ATTY: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Attorney Daniel Rosen had sailed through a relatively smooth process to become Minnesota’s next U.S. Attorney, but the final steps of his confirmation could be held up indefinitely in the U.S. Senate by recent opposition from top Democrats. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have blocked Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, in attempts to confirm Rosen and nine other U.S. attorney nominees unanimously in the Senate. Confirming U.S. attorneys was once a relatively quick and bipartisan process in the Senate, but Democrats point to what they view as precedent set by Vice President JD Vance as the basis for their objection.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41NdKE3
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)
COVID: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesota pharmacists and healthcare providers have broad latitude to dispense COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of shifting guidance from the federal authorities, public health experts say. That was true even before Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order Monday meant to reassure Minnesotans that state officials are working with providers, pharmacies and insurers to protect access to the vaccine.” QUOTE: “I don’t think that [the order], as written, expands what pharmacists are able to do in the state of Minnesota,” said Ann Philbrick, a professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. “I do think that it provides a little bit of clarity, as well as maybe some recognition to the issues that are currently playing out in today’s society.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47CMkoe
BECKER: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “An expanse of pine trees grows behind a chain-link fence, close to a highway that divides Becker’s industrial zone from its houses and schools. The hundreds of acres were supposed to host a multibillion-dollar Amazon data center, big enough to stanch the economic pain from the impending retirement of Xcel Energy’s massive coal plant. For now, the land will remain vacant. In May, the Seattle-based tech giant abruptly halted its plans during a fight over state regulations, making the project the latest promising business venture to flame out in Becker.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47CotVG
MAPLE GROVE: Via news release from BAE, VERBATIM: “BAE Systems (LON: BA) officially opened a 247,000-square-foot engineering and product development facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota today. The new site serves as a critical innovation hub focused on engineering and product development for the U.S. military and its allies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IhlkAd
ENERGY: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The proposed sale of a public utility in northeast Minnesota to a private equity firm has ignited a fierce debate over how to pay for the transition to carbon-free electricity, while also scrambling traditional alliances among clean energy groups and state departments. Allete, the parent company of Duluth-based Minnesota Power, has agreed to sell the utility for $6.2 billion to Global Infrastructure Partners — a subsidiary of the private equity firm BlackRock, which is the largest asset manager in the world. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board would purchase a minority stake in the utility.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3V6WFkP
MORRIS: Via Brookings Institution, VERBATIM: “Morris, Minnesota, has set aside traditional partisan debates to invest in clean energy and innovative conservation opportunities that can help the town remain economically secure and build long-term community wealth. The Morris Model has become a shining example of how consistent relationship building can foster strong collaboration and partnerships among rural partners with diverse interests, including the city, county, school district, local university, and various institutions and community organizations.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45XdcOr
CROOKSTON: Via Grand Forks Herald, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Crookston is on track to have its highest enrollment year in history, according to university projections. The campus’ growth over the years has shown an upward trend in steady enrollment increases, according to UMC data . . . The school's enrollment peaked during 2014-2015 at just under 1,880 students, the release said, and is projected to pass that number in 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4p82XOK
AITKIN: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Aitkin School District residents will have a two-question referendum on this November’s ballot, and one question involves potentially building a new elementary school to replace the aging Rippleside Elementary.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3JX1L0M
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS: The Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount is a landmark like no other – the tall columns and bright lights can be seen from miles away. Generations of workers have helped operate, maintain and transform the refinery, making it one of the nation’s most innovative and efficient energy facilities of its kind. This year, Flint Hills Resources celebrates 70 years of dedicated employees at the Pine Bend refinery who have produced the fuels that help move us forward. LEARN MORE: About the Pine Bend refinery (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
RETAIL: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “If it feels like Rosedale Center has been quietly upping its game in recent years, you’re not imagining things. The centrally located shopping destination—perched conveniently between Minneapolis and St. Paul—is in the midst of a renaissance of sorts, chasing the rampant evolution of suburban competitors like Ridgedale and Southdale Center. Its latest announcement of retail additions proves no different. This year, six new tenants will join the 1.1-million-square-foot center.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47xLjxC
AIRPORT: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) says it has ‘substantially completed’ its decade-long revamp of Terminal 1's arrivals and departures areas at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The $600 million Operational Improvements Program has turned the pre-security ticketing lobby and other spaces from ‘1960s-era design and infrastructure,’ as MAC puts it, to a more modern and spacious hall with advanced ticketing processes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48cwgJZ
MAYO: Via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “With construction beginning on two new buildings for Mayo Clinic’s ‘Bold. Forward. Unbound.’ initiative, the healthcare giant held a neighborhood meeting on Tuesday, September 9, to answer questions people have on how it will impact them. Sitting in the heart of downtown Rochester, the construction is likely to impact many in the Med City beyond just patients and staff, but none more so than Calvary Episcopal Church.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gqRm9K
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)
ACQUISITION: Via news release from HOC, VERBATIM: “HOC, a leading provider of enterprise software and consulting solutions, today announced the acquisition of MidDel Consulting, a Minneapolis-based firm recognized for its deep expertise in energy trading and technology.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42jrRkz
ACQUISITION: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “South Dakota’s Furniture Mart USA announced last week it has finalized its previously reported acquisition of Becker Furniture stores in the Twin Cities and Furniture Superstore in Rochester. By the end of 2025, the Sioux Falls-based company expects to have a total of 70 stores across four states, and Minnesota will be the home of nearly half of them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gfugCG
NE MPLS: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Here are three things you've likely never found woven together at the heart of a restaurant: cinnamon rolls, sports, and a word-of-mouth social club that runs not on prestige or wealth but rather openness, creativity, and a willingness to break bread (or Cooper Burgers, more likely) with people who won't be strangers for long. That's the ethos of Kizzo, chef Kamal Mohamed's new fast casual-ish, neighborhood sports bar and brunch spot that's replacing his former restaurant Stepchld in Northeast Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VIAilS
HOCKEY GEAR: Via news release from ororo, VERBATIM: “ororo, the most trusted heated apparel brand on the market rooted in bringing premium, timeless, and cost-effective heated gear, is celebrating five years of being partnered with the Minnesota Wild National Hockey League (NHL) team as the organization's Official Heated Apparel Partner. Over the past five years, ororo has supported Minnesota Wild staff and fans by keeping them toasty with reliable and innovative heated apparel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IdwlTb
TODAY: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The woman who bought the guns that her romantic partner used to kill three first responders in Burnsville last year faces sentencing Wednesday. Ashley Dyrdahl pleaded guilty in January to federal charges of purchasing guns for Shannon Gooden, who was ineligible to have firearms because of an assault conviction.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gjHYED
SEP18-OCT12: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “This fall, the History Theatre lifts the curtain on the extraordinary life of Minneapolis jazz great Doris Hines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4phJZFq
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
GAMES: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “Reyn Guyer Games has chosen Minneapolis-based Maccabee as its new public relations agency. Founded by legendary game inventor Reyn Guyer — creator of iconic games Nerf and Twister.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ValX1m
BDAYS: Mayor Frey’s COS Grace Waltz, operative Mike Miller
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