Newly-signed Vikings quarterback Kyler Murrary apparently already has a favorite burger in town. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NBG9sT
RIP Chuck Norris.
Fluence Advisory is seeking candidates for a new position. JOB: https://fluence-media.co/4duXaiK
Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. FluenceElectionTracker.com
Sunday Take featured Sen. Ron Latz and a check in on the legislative session – lots of noise, few signals and a feeling that in a closely divided legislature isn’t listening to the data, but only to the loudest voices. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3P87zXL
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
ACQUISITION: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Ecolab said on Friday it would acquire CoolIT Systems from KKR for about $4.75 billion in cash, as the water solutions firm seeks to capitalize on surging demand for liquid cooling in artificial intelligence-driven data centers. Shares of the water management company were down 1% in premarket trading. Technology companies have been ramping up spending on AI infrastructure, driving a shift from traditional air cooling to more efficient liquid-based systems capable of handling higher chip densities and power loads.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cYqu19
SUPPLY CHAIN: Via St. Paul-based H.B. Fuller, VERBATIM: “H.B. Fuller (NYSE: FUL), the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, today announced a global price adjustment across all product lines, reflecting its commitment to ensuring reliable supply and consistent service to customers in a dynamic global materials environment. In recent weeks, the petrochemical industry has experienced broad‑based constraints affecting availability and raw material costs across the value chain. In response, H.B. Fuller has taken decisive steps to safeguard continuity for customers and uphold its high standards of product quality, service, and performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Pv7IVd
AI: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A 13-year-old in Colorado, a 14-year-old in Florida and a 16-year-old in California: all three of them died by suicide since 2023 after prolonged and troubling conversations with artificial intelligence chatbots. Now in Minnesota, lawmakers are considering whether to make companion-style AI illegal for people under age 18. If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in the U.S. amid a wake of legislation aimed at regulating the industry. The Minnesota proposal targets just companion AI. That’s the type of chatbot that simulates human conversations and can be designed to mirror a unique persona.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cVkJBj
HOMEOWNERSHIP: Via Realtor.com, VERBATIM: “HF2123, a bill sponsored by Rep. Samakab Hussein (DFL-St. Paul), was moved to be amended in March, and if so, would mandate that landlords owning 10 or more units provide tenants the choice to have their on-time rent payments reported to credit bureaus. A key factor in securing a mortgage is a solid credit score, which is typically one of the first pieces of information a lender examines when considering a person’s eligibility. Should the bill pass, advocates insist that it will open the door for more Minnesotans to make the transition to homeownership and start building equity for the next generation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bCVQYL
COYOTES: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “University of Minnesota researchers have found that local coyote populations are leveling off after years of moving into Minneapolis and St. Paul. Wildlife researcher Geoffrey Miller says there are hundreds of coyotes estimated to be living in the metro currently, and that this shift in habitat has changed things like their hunting behaviors in a major way. The biggest shift, he says, is it has made them more nocturnal creatures.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4uG2BSn
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)
WORKFORCE MATTERS
MAPLE GROVE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Nurses picketed North Memorial Health – Maple Grove Hospital on March 19, saying they are unhappy with the status of their contract negotiations. According to a spokesperson for the Minnesota Nurses Association, Maple Grove Hospital nurses unionized in January 2025. Contract negotiations have ongoing ever since.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bHpZX3
MINING: Via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “As the deadline approaches, the U.S. Senate has yet to take up the resolution that would reverse a 20-year mining ban on federal land within the same watershed as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The resolution, introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Hermantown, nullifies a Biden administration-era moratorium on mining across 225,504 acres of the Superior National Forest. It passed the House in January. Environmental groups expected the Republican-controlled Senate to quickly follow suit, warning twice in February that the vote was imminent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Nr1dCl
DIOCESE: Via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “For 40 years, Mary Cheryl Opatz built her future around a promise. The longtime math teacher and principal at what is now All Saints Academy accepted lower pay than many public school educators, choosing instead to work in Catholic education where she could openly embody her beliefs — and rely on a pension offered through the Diocese of St. Cloud . . . That promise was shaken Oct. 17, 2025, when a letter arrived informing about 1,400 current and former church employees that the pension plan is underfunded and could face cuts as high as 42%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PAnBK5
CHÁVEZ: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minnesota officials are reckoning with local ties to César Chávez in light of explosive new sexual abuse allegations against the late labor leader. Why it matters: Chávez’s role as a central figure in the fight for farmworker rights prompted local officials to name schools, streets and holidays in his honor. That legacy is now in question following accusations from several minors and women, including fellow civil rights icon Dolores Huerta. Driving the news: Top state lawmakers from both parties said Thursday that they’ll act to repeal a state law designating the labor leader’s March 31 birthday as César Chávez Day.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bBg31c
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)
DC + MN
DNA: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “In statements made as part of lawsuits against the Trump administration’s handling of immigration enforcement, NPR found several people who said they were arrested while protesting ICE and then had officers take or try to take what appeared to be a sample of their DNA.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4t2N51j
NUMBERS: Via a The New York Times analysis of ICE arrest data. VERBATIM: “The administration’s high-profile operation in Minnesota this year, in which two U.S. citizens were killed, resulted in a steep increase in arrests there: ICE’s St. Paul field office arrested more than 5,000 people from mid-December through March 10. But four other field offices arrested more people during this same time period, led by the Miami area — with nearly 10,000 arrests — followed by the field offices in Dallas, Atlanta and San Antonio.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sXVBi3
MILITARY ATTORNEYS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Paul E. Johnson is one of the many people who documented and protested the immigration agents who descended on Minnesota this winter. On Jan. 22, he spotted federal agents in his north Minneapolis neighborhood. After pulling into a parking lot to observe them, Johnson said that masked men boxed him in and pulled him from his vehicle . . . Kevin Riach, Johnson’s defense attorney, said the government’s case against his client is invalid for many reasons, including the fact that [Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hakes-Rodriguez] is an Army lawyer. Riach argues that military attorneys have no business prosecuting civilians, and said that the federal government has expanded its militarization of law enforcement from the streets into the courtroom.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40JEpkc
TAX IMPLICATIONS: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “In recent months, thousands of Minnesotans have given millions of dollars to their neighbors who were afraid to leave their homes because of draconian federal immigration enforcement that also swept up legal immigrants and citizens . . . With tax season nearing its peak, Minnesota financial experts are educating people about the tax implications of giving and receiving money directly. (As opposed to charitable giving to churches and 501(c)3 nonprofit groups, which are not gifts and are governed by different tax law, i.e., are tax deductible.)” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uF17rh
OFFICER HONORED: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Northland Congressman Pete Stauber honored Cody Siebert on the U.S. House floor recently, speaking about the Iron Range police officer’s life. Sergeant Cody Siebert was an East Range police officer who died February 27, about 24 hours after being diagnosed with a brain infection.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3PNAsZo
SOTU: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Charges will not be filed against Minnesota resident Aliya Rahman for her arrest at the State of the Union last month in Washington, D.C., an attorney for Rahman said Thursday. Rahman, who attended the Feb. 24 State of the Union as a guest of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, was removed from the chambers during the address and arrested.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4sGz35P
YOUR NEIGHBORS RIDE ATVs: From the Twin Cities to the Iron Range, thousands of Minnesotans own and ride ATVs. They are families, veterans, teachers and small business owners who rely on Minnesota’s trail system for recreation, tourism, and economic activity. ATV riders aren’t just “up north” — they live in the Twin Cities metro area. And they care deeply about maintaining safe, well-managed trails. As the legislature considers trail policy, funding, and land-use decisions this session, ask them to support Minnesota’s ATV community and the outdoor opportunities they value. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4td9sRR (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
AROUND MINNESOTA
CANNABIS: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on plans by Redux Cannabis to open a dispensary and cultivation facility in Blaine. READ: https://fluence-media.co/40JR8Du
INSURANCE: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Home insurance rates in Minnesota increased 34% in 2025, the largest increase of any state, according to a report released Wednesday by insurance comparison website Insurify. The increase of nearly $900 has brought the state’s average annual premium to $3,530 at the end of 2025. The upside: a better financial year for Minnesota home insurers in 2024 could mean that homeowners see a smaller rate hike in 2026. Insurify, which projected a 15% increase in 2025 that ended up being much higher, projects an optimistic 4% increase in 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rN4pX4
MORE: Via Insurify, from the report:
VERBATIM: “Florida is unlikely to lose its position as the most expensive state for home insurance, with the average annual premium nearing $8,500 by the end of 2026, Insurify projects. Midwest and Great Plains states have shown more upward movement lately, as they’re highly exposed to convective storm effects, such as hail, heavy rains, and high winds, including tornadoes.” REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4cZnstu
(DISCLOSURE: Insurance Federation of Minnesota is a Fluence client)
SPPS: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Students in Saint Paul Public Schools are being introduced to saving for college early through a city program that automatically creates college savings accounts and pairs them with early classroom lessons. The effort is tied to CollegeBound Saint Paul, which launched in 2020. The program creates college savings accounts for eligible children living in St. Paul born in 2020 or after, and provides an initial deposit of $50.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bxQ8XZ
BEMIDJI: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Bemidji Public Library announced that it will now be closed 3 days out of the week following $170,000 worth of funding cuts from Beltrami County.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4rK2vpY
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
UPTOWN: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “On Thursday evening, concerned Uptown residents packed a soon-to-be Mexican restaurant in the northeast corner of the Seven Points mall, on Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue, to describe streets still marked by drug use, empty storefronts, and—a recent development—businesses hurt by Operation Metro Surge and its dampening effect on traffic. ‘It feels like the streets have been left unmonitored, and the burden has fallen on small businesses to figure it out,’ said Marsha Magdalene, owner of Shop My Closet, a consignment retailer that opened in Seven Points last summer. Pointing to Operation Metro Surge, Magdalene said her store’s sales have dropped 70% this month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bRquil
FRENCH MEADOW: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “In 1985, baker and restaurateur Lynn Gordon opened her bakery French Meadow on Lyndale Avenue in south Minneapolis . . . In September last year, she sold the Lyndale location to longtime customer Marlene Leiva. I caught up with Leiva on the phone about her plans for the historic spot.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lD0yKy
AIRPORT: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Sweeping changes are coming to Terminal 1 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) . . . The MAC plans to issue a request for proposals this summer, looking to fill more than 45 food, beverage, and retail spaces. The last redevelopment of Terminal 1 concessions took place in 2017, when 35 spaces were filled.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41gGbcG
WHAT’S NEXT?
TOMORROW: Train Fest at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3NiuxuO
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
LIBRARY: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “An underappreciated service offered by the Hennepin County Library will be going away this spring. The library system will stop offering free subscriptions to the Kanopy streaming service on May 11. Kanopy offers a wide array of shows and movies, including many new releases. Cardholders received a free subscription to the service through the library.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rNkFqN
OPERA: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Opera is back with a new season of timeless music and storytelling drawn from the past three centuries. Featuring stories new and old, the company’s 64th season looks to legacy and the future while demonstrating what it means to be human.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bp8pYY
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 © 2026 Lunch Take, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Golden Valley, MN 55427