45% say the nation has made progress in dealing with illegal drugs – up from a record-low 24% in 2023. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/3JHhdOx
Minnesota Reformer talked with voters in both Minneapolis and St. Paul Tuesday. QUOTES: https://fluence-media.co/43hPMBI
Minnesota Monthly checked out the fall colors along the Minnesota River. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4nEZoxB
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qDzrkF
Sunday Take previewed Speaker Lisa Demuth’s campaign for governor, the Minneapolis mayoral race, and school board elections with Kyrstin Schuette. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3WACTik
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.
MINNEAPOLIS
MAYOR: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Jacob Frey has won reelection as Minneapolis mayor, holding off a challenge from Minnesota Sen. Omar Fateh and 13 other candidates to win a third term. Frey won 41.76% of the first-choice votes Tuesday, 10 percentage points more than Fateh. However, because neither candidate received at least 50% of the total vote, tabulation moved to a second round on Wednesday morning. After two rounds of tabulation, Frey had 73,723 votes (50.03%) compared to Fateh’s 65,377 (44.37%).” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4nDf6JC
COUNCIL: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “When it comes to the Minneapolis City Council, nine of the 10 members running for reelection held onto their seats, and a few seats flipped in favor of the more moderate sect aligned with Frey. Wards 5, 7, 8 and 11 will elect new city council members to four-year terms.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/494rzT8
TURNOUT: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Turnout was strong for this municipal election. Two hours before the polls closed Tuesday, city officials estimated more than 116,000 voters cast ballots either early or on Election Day. The record for turnout during a municipal election is 145,337, set during the 2021 election.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49IsI2K
ECONOMY
POLL: Via news release from Enterprise Minnesota, VERBATIM: “Enterprise Minnesota’s annual State of Manufacturing survey this year reveals that Minnesota manufacturers have deep concern about the state’s business climate, paid family medical leave, and uncertainty about federal tariffs. While manufacturers sense that the economy is rebounding and contributing to a more positive trajectory for their companies, concerns about government overreach dull their optimism.”
“Manufacturers have been generally sour about the state’s business climate in each of the surveys conducted over the last five years. Their attitude improved slightly over last year with 53% stating that Minnesota is a worse place to do business compared to 56% in 2024. Yet the overall trend is not positive.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hSDjdO
GAMBLING
ONLINE GAMING: Via news release from the Attorney General’s office, VERBATM: “Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that he has sent letters to 14 operators of illegal gambling websites, directing them to stop offering online gambling in Minnesota because they may violate Minnesota consumer-protection laws that prohibit deceptive, fraudulent, unfair or unconscionable practices. These websites include social sweepstakes casinos that use virtual coins to play casino games for cash and prizes, as well as websites offering sports betting, poker, and other types of gambling, all of which are prohibited under Minnesota’s laws (Minn. St. 609.755-609.76).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4otbtau
(DISCLOSURE: Sports Betting Alliance is a Fluence client)
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)
ST PAUL
CARTER: From Mayor Melvin Carter via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Congratulations to Rep. Kaohly Her for winning election as Saint Paul’s next mayor! While we may not agree on everything, we all have a much greater set of challenges that mus can only be faced together; my team and I stand ready to help set Rep. Her up to hit the ground running.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47o22TE
HER: Rep. Kaohly Her quoted by Axios, QUOTE: “Nobody believed in us. No one had the political courage to stand up ... because they were afraid of not being able to win.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47qSQOo
MORE: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Her, who came to the United States as a three-year-old refugee from Laos following the Vietnam War, campaigned on competency amid a city-wide malaise, underscored by the closure of downtown’s only grocery store and another in the Midway, which has struggled from a lack of development despite the presence of the professional soccer stadium. A rent control initiative passed with Carter’s backing in 2021 has been deemed such a failure that the City Council earlier this year exempted units built after 2004 — at Carter’s urging. High office vacancy rates and a resulting collapse in commercial property values have resulted in steep property tax increases on homeowners.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qKJIf4
RESPONSE: Via St. Paul Area Chamber, from president and CEO B Kyle, KYLE: “Voters have chosen new leadership at a defining moment for Saint Paul. The city faces critical decisions about how to grow its economy, revitalize downtown, strengthen public safety, and ensure that residents and employers can thrive. The Chamber congratulates Mayor-elect Her and is confident her administration will address these challenges effectively. We look forward to partnering with Mayor-elect Her and her administration to advance shared priorities — building a stronger tax base, expanding housing options, supporting small and large employers, and investing in safe, reliable infrastructure. Together, we can position Saint Paul as a vibrant capital city where people want to work, live, play, and invest.”
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)
MINNESOTA COMPANIES
EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, from Minnesota-based companies:
TECHNE: “Techne Corp. (TECH) on Wednesday reported fiscal first-quarter earnings of $38.2 million. On a per-share basis, the Minneapolis-based company said it had profit of 24 cents . . . The results matched Wall Street expectations . . . The maker of medical testing and diagnostic products posted revenue of $286.6 million in the period, falling short of Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JJ9Ztk
TILE SHOP: “Tile Shop Holdings Inc. (TTSH) on Tuesday reported a loss of $1.6 million in its third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Plymouth, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 4 cents. The stone tile retailer posted revenue of $83.1 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WC4pvV
SLEEP NUMBER: “Sleep Number Corp. (SNBR) on Wednesday reported a loss of $39.8 million in its third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Minneapolis-based company said it had a loss of $1.73 . . . The seller of beds, mattresses and bedding products posted revenue of $342.9 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43br8Td
MORE SLEEP NUMBER: Via Furniture Today, VERBATIM: “The company said it had amended its bank agreement through 2027 to support its ongoing turnaround strategy. Linda Findley, president and CEO, said the financing agreement along with cost reductions this year, will allow Sleep Number to invest in growth in the new year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jy5xxG
AROUND THE STATE
ELECTIONS: Via Bring Me The News, updates on races in the Twin Cities and in Greater Minnesota. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/47XRWcf
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The voters of Duluth voted ‘yes’ to pass the Tenant Right to Repair in Residential Rental Property Ordinance on Tuesday.
Out of 34 precincts, 68.89% of voters voted yes on the ordinance. Question 1 on the ballot — known as the Right to Repair ordinance — allows tenants to arrange and pay for certain minor repairs if a landlord doesn’t respond to a maintenance request within two weeks.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/43PCDjp
LIBRARIES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Beltrami County Board is proposing a roughly 40 percent cut in funding for the Bemidji and Blackduck libraries, which are part of the Kitchigami Regional Library System. Library supporters protested the cuts Tuesday — some dressed as their favorite literary figures, such as Little Red Riding Hood, or even as actual books, like Robin Wall Kimmerer’s ‘Braiding Sweetgrass.’ If the Beltrami County Board’s cuts go through, the Bemidji library would have to go from being open six days a week to only four. And it would have to cut about four positions from its staff of nine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49CQvkJ
HWY 371: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Nearly 400 people from across the Brainerd Lakes Area filled the Forestview Middle School auditorium on Monday night to learn about the potential changes coming to Highway 371 in Baxter as a part of MnDOT’s Corridor of Commerce program. Residents who spoke at the meeting were overwhelmingly against the project.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47pkhbh
40 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited (DU) are celebrating 40 years of partnership, a longevity landmark that makes Flint Hills one of DU’s longest-standing corporate partners. Working together over the past four decades, Flint Hills and DU have contributed to conserving more than 250,000 acres of wildlife habitat and natural areas in Minnesota and over 900,000 acres across North America. LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
SHUTDOWN
FED WORKERS: via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “The federal government shutdown is being felt by nearly 600 Transportation Security Administration employees at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents the workers. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted once again on a spending bill but couldn’t break the stalemate to reopen the government. … TSA officers are still coming to the airport to make sure travelers get to their destinations, according to the union, [but] federal workers are days away from missing their second paycheck during the government shutdown. … Sharif Mehanna, secretary of AFGE Local 899, [said] ‘Our morale is low. We are concerned we are going to see staffing shortages because folks need to bring money home.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47Yz7pm
TRIBES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The uncertainty created by a partial loss of SNAP benefits due to the federal shutdown has brought the need for healthy food access into sharper focus for Twin Cities Native communities. … Last year, the Division of Indian Work saw more than 8,000 visits to its food shelf, [but] the number of people seeking food support from the organization has increased over the past six months. … The food shelf is set to increase the number of hours it’s open Monday through Friday, and the number of times people can visit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47qam5o
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)
HEALTH
BIRTHS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Newly released data shows that Minnesota is continuing to lose hospital-based labor and delivery services. … Nearly one in eight Minnesotans lives in a county with no hospital-based obstetrics services. … In 2010, 456,000 Minnesotans, 9 percent of the state’s population, lived in counties with no hospital-based obstetrics services. By 2023, 13 years later, that number had increased to 707,000 Minnesotans, or 12 percent of the state’s population. And that’s likely an undercount of where it is today, as the data only goes up to 2023.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XdUjS0
MEDICARE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Fairview and UnitedHealthcare have reached a contract that will allow Medicare Advantage patients covered by the nation’s largest health insurer to keep seeing their doctors at one of Minnesota’s most prominent networks of hospitals and clinics. The one-year deal…comes nearly two weeks after Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services began alerting patients about a contract impasse that could have blocked access to the health system. … About 653,000 Minnesotans use Medicare Advantage plans offered by half a dozen different private health insurers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JjetXL
BUSINESS
ACQUISITION: Via news release from Minneapolis-based Daikin, VERBATIM: “Daikin Applied Americas today announced the acquisition of Chilldyne, an experienced leader in negative pressure liquid cooling systems for high-performance and AI data centers. The acquisition complements Daikin Applied’s existing data center solutions portfolio, furthering its commitment to sustainable, high-efficiency cooling technologies and bolstering its mission to deliver end-to-end cooling solutions that meet the mission-critical demands of hyperscale and next-generation AI data centers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qKVwhd
AHEAD
NEXT WEEK: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “November is Native American Heritage Month, and thanks to a new cookbook by James Beard Award-winning Oglala Lakota chef, restaurateur, activist, and author Sean Sherman, you can celebrate by learning about Indigenous foodways and practicing decolonization in your own kitchen. Hitting shelves Nov. 11, ‘Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America’ includes more than 100 ancestral and modern recipes that Sherman presents with photos and stories demonstrating the links between the natural environments, traditions, and histories of Indigenous peoples across North America.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47WEPIh
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BAKERIES: Via Eater, VERBATIM: “Some of the metro’s best bakeries are family-run spots that have been churning out egg tarts, chocolate croissants, and conchas for decades. In recent years, a crop of artisanal bakeries and patisseries have added serious talent to the Mill City scene.” LIST/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3WF44Zu
BDAYS: Rep. Walter Hudson, rockstar Jason Branby, MinnPost’s Elizabeth Dunbar, DFL insider Ron Harris, Private Business leader Jim Schultz, reporter Mary Divine, Park Board member Meg Forney
Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
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