The Iowa State Fair brought in more than 1.1 million visitors this year – the third most in its history. The highest came last year. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mpKxaA
THE state fair begins Thursday.
U.S. consumers are starting to lose faith in their go-to brands. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/4mOy0xa
A federal judge late yesterday dismissed part of an immigrants rights lawsuit over the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center. AP: https://fluence-media.co/3HFtHoP
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4mIzJ74
Sunday Take featured Molly Coleman discussing her election to the St. Paul City Council and Rep. Kaohly Her sharing why she’s running for St. Paul mayor. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3UBcf7Y
Sunday Take will be live at the Fair both Sunday mornings. This Sunday a bipartisan conversation with Rep. Keith Allen and Sen. Doron Clark. Join me live at 9AM at WCCO Radio at the Fair.
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.
TIKTOK: This morning, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a lawsuit against TikTok, arguing the social media platform is designed to keep young people’s attention for long periods of time, comparing it tactics used by tobacco companies and strip clubs. Ellison said he’s “not trying to shut them down, but insisting they clean up their act.”
MORE: Via a news release from the AG’s office, VERBATIM: “This lawsuit follows the Attorney General’s federal lawsuit filed against Meta in October 2023 for similar violations through its design of Instagram and Facebook. Attorney General Ellison will prove in court that TikTok has prioritized profit over wellbeing at virtually every turn. Today’s Complaint, filed in Hennepin County District Court, shows how TikTok ensnares young users in cycles of excessive use through app design features that prey on young people’s neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities. The filing details the company’s strategic decision to squeeze time, attention, data, and even money out of young users by maximizing their time spent on TikTok.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oK2UbF
MORE: Via WCCO-TV, this morning’s news conference. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47AoAkj
NOTE: The Attorney General’s Office has a TikTok account. Just yesterday, the office used the platform to warn about text message scams. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4mTuxO2
MEDIA: Via Variety, VERBATIM: “In a deal to combine two major players in the local TV station biz, Nexstar Media Group said it reached an agreement to buy [KARE-TV owner] Tegna in a transaction valued at $6.2 billion . . . Nexstar has just over 200 owned or partner stations and Tegna has 64 stations across the U.S. Upon closing of the Tegna deal, Nexstar and its partners will have 265 full-power television stations in 44 states and Washington, D.C., covering 132 of the country’s 210 television markets covering 80% of U.S. TV households, the companies said. The combined company will have stations in nine of the top 10 markets, and in 41 of the top 50.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45EPlBx
BEST BUY: Via CNBC, VERBATIM: “Best Buy is launching a third-party marketplace, as it tries to bulk up the variety of merchandise it offers and reverse slower sales. Starting on Tuesday, shoppers who go to Best Buy’s website and app will see products and brands that weren’t available there before, including more tech-related accessories like custom video game controllers and some nontech items including seasonal decor and sports collectibles. The company’s online marketplace riffs off those of other retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, by relying on third-party sellers to stock, sell and ship inventory and taking a cut of their sales in the form of a commission.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41c3gxK
MEDTRONIC: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Medtronic is making changes to its board after Elliott Investment Management became one of its largest shareholders. The activist investor and the medical-device maker have been holding friendly talks around how to boost the company’s valuation and build on ongoing plans to focus on core assets. Medtronic announced Tuesday that veteran med-tech executives John Groetelaars and Bill Jellison are joining its board as independent directors, confirming an earlier report by The Wall Street Journal. It also detailed the formation of new special committees focused on growth and operations that will include the new directors and be helmed by Medtronic Chief Executive Officer Geoff Martha.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mi8D73
EARNINGS: Via Benzinga, VERBATIM: “Medtronic reported strong first-quarter 2026 results, with sales hitting $8.58 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $8.38 billion. This marks an 8.4% increase year-over-year, with organic growth of 4.8%. Adjusted earnings of $1.26 per share also beat expectations of $1.23.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mPwk6y
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)
EAGAN: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “One by one, people who live near a battery recycler in Eagan told state officials how they might have protected themselves if they had known the plant was spreading toxic lead in their neighborhood . . . The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency claims Gopher Resource broke national standards for lead in the air over January, February and March. The agency did not send out mailers to neighbors about the issue until early July. A spokesman for the agency wrote in an email it takes weeks to confirm data showing that a site is breaking lead rules, which are calculated on a three-month average.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jo5aoX
MINING: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “United Steelworkers presidents in northeastern Minnesota are on the offense, calling out some media for some of its reporting on the taconite industry.” QUOTE: “We, the United Steelworkers mining locals across Northern Minnesota, are putting the state’s media on notice: stop the inaccurate, misleading, and reckless reporting about the taconite mining industry,” a letter signed by all six United Steelworkers (USW) presidents said. “These false narratives jeopardize our jobs, harm our communities, and mislead the public about an industry that has been the backbone of Minnesota’s economy for generations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/474Awee
CANNABIS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The City of Silver Bay, a town of 1,800 residents, adopted an ordinance on Jan. 21 that states the city ‘will not issue a registration or license to any retail cannabis business, temporary cannabis event or other cannabis business’ . . . Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) says the law is clear that local governments cannot prohibit the establishment or operation of a licensed cannabis business. Municipalities can limit the number of retail locations for certain types of licenses to the statutory requirement of one registration per 12,500 residents, and ‘enact reasonable restrictions on a business’s location and hours of operation.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3UAW7U0
IMMIGRATION: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Sitting outside adjacent stalls in the Kandiyohi County Fairgrounds’ horse barn on a steamy recent morning, a man and a woman embodied how immigration politics hits differently in this west-central Minnesota county of 44,000 people. The two shared many concerns: about big-city crime in their rural area, about an uncertain future for kids and grandkids, about how mass deportation could hurt the tight labor market here. Where they diverged was the topic dividing much of America during President Donald Trump’s second term: immigration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lvjXLP
RESCUE: Via WPBN/WGTU, VERBATIM: “U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City rescued four children stranded on a rock near the Black Beach Trailhead in Silver Bay, Minnesota, according to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City. The Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes said they received a request for helicopter assistance around 9 p.m., Sunday August 17 from Lake County, Minnesota, reporting that the children were unable to safely leave the rock due to ‘hazardous conditions.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Jnzzne
PRODUCING THE FUELS THAT HELP KEEP MINNESOTA MOVING: Flint Hills Resources, one of the Midwest’s leading producers of transportation fuels is hiring! With openings in IT, accounting, engineering, operations, procurement and asset management, Flint Hills Resources’ goal is to match talented individuals with their passions and interests to truly shine. APPLY TODAY: Flint Hills jobs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
ROCHESTER PD: Via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “The newest class of recruits for the Rochester Police Department is currently going through their academy, and for the first time in the department’s history, the class is mostly female. The department said this new class of recruits is passionate about their service to the community, and reflects the community and its values as a whole.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mTAxq2
AI: Via Forum, VERBATIM: “A data center builder is widening its North Dakota footprint to include a small town in Cass County, where it is slated to break ground on a $3 billion facility as part of a movement to make the state the ‘epicenter’ for the development of artificial intelligence. The campus will be the first hyperscale AI data center development in Cass County. According to a Monday, Aug. 18, release from Applied Digital — a corporation with a handful of pricey tech projects popping up around the state — the groundbreaking for a 280-megawatt data center just outside Harwood is set for September. Harwood is around four miles north of Fargo and is home to fewer than 800 people.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HxQGlW
SWEET MARTHAS: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Back in 1979, Martha Rossini started selling chocolate chip cookies at the State Fair out of one 9-by-11-foot booth. Now, 46 years later, Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar has three locations at the fair, and her cookies are the biggest seller during the 12-day event—with 3 million sold a day, she more than doubles up the second-place Pronto Pup.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lA9mPN
DULUTH: Via KQDS-TV, VERBATIM: “Duluth Parks and Recreation have now shared some concept plans with the Park Point community as they continue steps towards improving the point’s recreation area. This comes after both climate patterns and time have worn down the rec area over the past years. Three concept plans were laid out, all of which are intended to support items such as safe water access and building a landscape that is able to be resilient in many different weather conditions.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oDYtPT
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)
ST CLOUD: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Residents in one of the state’s largest cities could see their first property tax rate hike in 20 years. Monday night, St. Cloud mayor Jake Anderson made one of his first major pitches to the city council as he hopes to change the city’s longstanding budget philosophy — his goal is to reach a 4.49% tax rate increase in the 2026 budget. ‘It’s a difficult thing to do as a first-year mayor,’ Anderson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45EWOAz
FAIR PARKING: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “For the first time, Falcon Heights will charge drivers to park on certain city streets during the Minnesota State Fair. The new paid parking plan, which was approved by the Falcon Heights City Council in May, will affect approximately a dozen streets and 1,000 parking spots near the fairgrounds.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3JpFJ6i
DONATIONS: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Imagine paying to donate a truckload of items, only to find out they were trashed. That's what happened to one local family. For months, Matt and Mary Cullum say they carefully decided what to donate, from furniture to gently used baby clothes. WCCO Investigates uncovered what happened and what you can do following a pick-up . . . The Cullums paid $1,500 for the pick-up. About an hour and a half later, Mary started to regret donating some sentimental items. By then, it was too late. ‘And that's when he told me it was all gone. He said it's all at the dump,’ Matt said.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mtzLQK
ACQUISITION: Via news release from Hopkins-based Digi, VERBATIM: “Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq: DGII), a leading global provider of business and mission-critical Internet of Things (IoT) products, services and solutions, today announced its acquisition of Jolt Software, Inc., a leading solutions provider to the convenience store and food and beverage industries, for approximately $145.5 million in cash, net of Jolt’s cash and otherwise subject to customary adjustments. The acquisition marks a significant milestone for Digi’s SmartSense business in advancing operational intelligence and compliance automation across foodservice, grocery, convenience, healthcare and other verticals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JEpOBa
RED COW: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The North Loop Red Cow will temporarily close Sept. 2 for a five-week renovation with a little help from their friends at MartinPatrick3. Luke Shimp opened the burger-centered restaurant (208 N. 1st Av.) a decade ago and said it was time for a change.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JlU1VK
CHILANGO: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Chef Jorge Guzmán is departing Chilango, the Mexican restaurant he opened on the ground floor of the Beach Club Residences near Bde Maka Ska in 2024. Per a press release, Guzmán is moving on to ‘pursue a new chapter outside of the Minneapolis restaurant scene.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lvlQbn
THIS WEEK: Via KQDS-TV, VERBATIM: “The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center is hosting a series of listening sessions this week to gather input throughout the Northland regarding future organizational priorities. Two years ago, the DECC decided to work towards a clearer public purpose.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45ANkqc
TOMORROW: Target will report its second quarter earnings.
GOLF: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Based on the influx of local emerging golf apparel and accessories brands, you could say Minnesota’s roster shoots well above par. Some are on a mission to create playful, unique design solutions for a game that prioritizes rigid dress rules. Others? To prove quality doesn’t have to cost a fortune, with cost-effective goods that allow you to focus on the game and not what you wear to play it. We’ve rounded up the backyard brands redefining the apparel and accessories game and driving innovation for products for people who think outside the tee box.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4lyC5V2
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
CROP ART: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota State Fair has been producing viral moments for 166 years and counting. Whether it’s the life-size butter sculpture of Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 or last year’s deep-fried ranch dressing, we can always count on the fair to provide a topical distraction from summer’s impending doom. But in recent years, one fair activity has out-memed them all: the crop art exhibit. Two years ago, a record 238 elaborately designed, painstakingly crafted pieces of seedy assemblage were submitted to the annual competition, in turn inspiring a deluge of social media tweets, Instagrams, and TikToks. Last year, the record was shattered once again, with more than 350 submitted pieces.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lyDsmE
BDAYS: business leader Scott Burns, House DFL comms pro Ted Modrich, Farmer’s Union President Gary Wertish, organizer Eric Haugee, DFL operative Sally Miller, health care leader Ghita Worcester
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