40% of U.S. adults say the current level of immigration is too high. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/3RvAAub
Is a Russian forward the key to the Wild’s future success? READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ciKR6w
Melisa López Franzen was on Sunday Take to discuss her upcoming Senate run, her plans if she wins, the political landscape of Minnesota and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iOf4x5
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
RESPONSIBLEGAMING: Legal sports betting platforms offer responsible game tools that offshore and illegal sports betting don’t offer. In fact, age verification is not required with most offshore providers. Learn more about why legalized sports betting is more responsible. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4kgJoS4 (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
GOLF: MPR’s politics reporters highlighted a bill that would exempt professional golf tournament tickets from sales tax. VERBATIM: “There are major events in coming years for men’s and women’s golf at Hazeltine National in Chaska. That includes a 2029 Ryder Cup and a 2026 KMPG Women’s PGA Championship.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42mvdCV BILL: https://fluence-media.co/3XKuU3e
CHINA: Via paywalled story from The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Blackstone will allow the Minnesota State Board of Investment to opt out of China investments made by its latest Asia-Pacific buyout fund, according to documents prepared for a March meeting of the public pension fund manager. China has historically accounted for less than 5% of the investments made by Blackstone’s Asia-Pacific private-equity funds. But to the extent that Blackstone Capital Partners Asia III invests in the country, Minnesota can hold back its capital, according to the documents.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4l87BKC
SCHOOLS: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “The Department of Education warned state education commissioners Thursday that federal financial assistance for their K-12 schools may be at risk unless they confirm they're complying with ‘antidiscrimination obligations,’ including getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The Education Department said it has sent letters to state commissioners overseeing K-12 state education agencies giving them 10 days to sign and return a certification attesting their compliance with federal civil rights law.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FSH5ol
MORE: Via U.S. Department of Education, the certification state education agencies are being asked to sign. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4ch9KQl
MORE: Via teachers union AFT, from its president Randi Weingarten. QUOTE: “In the middle of a school year, the president is trying to bully the very same school districts that he insisted, just a few weeks ago, should be in charge of education. He’s wielding a cudgel of billions in federal aid to tens of millions of children, of all races and ethnicities, to force educators to kowtow to his politics and ideology.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42qdWsy
SEX ED: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Lawmakers last year ordered an update to state standards for health education in schools, including sex education. The topic, though, remains uncomfortable for many, and getting an agreement on new standards is proving to be a challenge. Here’s what to know about the state of sex education in schools and why change won’t be easy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41WBPZB
CRIME: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt says her office’s special investigative units are putting a dent in violent crime and drug smuggling, but they need a funding boost to continue . . . Witt was testifying in support of a bill sponsored by Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove). The bill would allocate $3.5 million to violent crime enforcement teams.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3R2y12F
TARIFFS: Axios looks at how new tariffs imposed this week could impact consumers, politics, and businesses in Minnesota. VERBATIM: “The state and its top industries rely heavily on items produced by Canada, China and Mexico, while exporting more than $26 billion in state-produced goods to other nations. Case in point: Everything from the oil refined into gas that we pump into our cars to the oats baked into General Mills' Cheerios, per the Strib, and piglets populating our major pork-producing industry all come from Canada. Medical devices and machinery lead the list of our top exports.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42vjyCL
MORE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “All told, [Plymouth-based] The Tile Shop sources materials from 30 countries — although they’ve grown their U.S. purchases considerably over the last two years. With new tariffs imposed this week by the Trump administration, [CEO Cab Lolmaugh] says there will be an impact.” LOLMAUGH: “Tariffs were imposed on every import from every country, so what you have to do is look at your current inventory levels because those were purchased a while ago at a different price,” he said. “How long can you sustain your pricing to fit your margin model or support your business?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RG3iZn
MINING: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “President Trump’s auto tariffs imposing a 25% tax on foreign cars went into effect Thursday, but a turn toward domestic manufacturing may not increase the productivity of the idle mines on the Iron Range. ‘As the auto industry goes, quite often the steel industry is impacted,’ said Iron Range historian and columnist, Aaron Brown. ‘Cleveland Cliffs actually has quite a corner on American steel production.’ The idled mines on the Iron Range, Hibtac and Minorca Mine, are owned by Cliffs. However, Brown said it may still not be enough to generate the demand to reopen the mines sooner.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4lcYyZ7
ICYMI… morning take had comprehensive coverage of the tariffs including responses from the Governor, legislators, and farmers. Catch up at The Daily Agenda. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4jkPIGY
MEASLES: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “A measles outbreak in Texas that resulted in the death of a child has health officials across the nation on high alert as cases of the highly infectious disease grow. As of Tuesday, Texas health officials reported that 422 cases had been identified across the state since January, including the death of that one unvaccinated school-aged child. There also have been outbreaks in Minnesota in recent years, and the state Department of Health reported last week that the state’s first case of measles this year was diagnosed in a resident who had traveled to Washington D.C. State health officials and health professionals say they’re ready to respond to this latest outbreak.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QX3SSt
FYI: Stay up to date with all things health – from outbreaks to Minnesota’s medtech industry – follow health take at The Daily Agenda. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/43DRT3z
REBATES: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The city of Plymouth is offering a chance for residents to get paid back for making their homes more energy efficient. Those energy efficiency improvement projects could be a new solar or wind installation, new appliances or installing an electric vehicle charging station. It’s only for Plymouth residents, and the money people get back depends on the project and income level.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3G5IEzm
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)
MEDIA: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A friendly voice with a Scottish accent that’s been familiar to Twin Cities radio listeners for decades is departing the airwaves. Longtime reporter and editor Euan Kerr is retiring after nearly 40 years at MPR News. His last day is Friday.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4jas5R2
QUINCEAÑERAS: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Delilah Star Bustos Segura, accompanied by her mother and sister, stopped by several booths at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington on Sunday to admire a chocolate fountain, a mirrored photo booth and sparkling tiaras. But what most interested Bustos Segura was the runway walk featuring Minnesota’s hottest quinceañera dresses. ‘The dress,’ she said, smiling. ‘I want it my way, how I’ve always imagined it since I was a little girl.’ Bustos Segura, 14, was among scores of teen girls and their family members attending this year’s Minnesota Quinceañera Expo, which showcased small businesses that cater to quinceañera parties.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iULEgv
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)
DAYCARE: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “What costs more, a year at the University of Minnesota or one at a daycare? Unsurprising to many Twin Cities families, it’s daycare—specifically center-based infant child care. According to the Office on the Economic Status of Women, in 2024 it cost around $20,165 compared to $15,148 at the U. (And the cost is climbing: Recent data from the Economic Policy Institute shows that the average annual cost of infant care in Minnesota is $22,569, making Minnesota the third most expensive state for infant care.) Many new parents experience sticker shock when they try to find child care. How did it end up costing so much?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/427qODq
NEXTGEN: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Lake Superior College (LSC) celebrated the arrival of its Integrated Manufacturing Programs to the main campus. ‘We spent the first semester and a half without a shop, so it’s really nice to get in, run some machines and stuff, make some chips and you know, go to school for what I wanted to go to school for,’ said Franklin Stark, a first-year student at LSC. Stark’s new shop classroom is part of a $13 million expansion to the Trades Building. The building expansion is funded by legislative bonds and the school, following the closure of LSC’s Downtown campus.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42mKfIR
“IT’S OUR PEOPLE’S LIVES THEY SAVE” - The Cass Lake Fire Department, located on the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation in northern Minnesota, serves an area of 400 square miles, three counties, the city of Cass Lake and the Reservation. A foundational Enbridge donation has helped the department begin plans for building a new fire hall to replace its current home base, which the fire department has outgrown. “Our top needs are health and safety—having a decontamination hot zone, and another is training capacity,” says Robert, the chief of Cass Lake FD. Adds Diane, an Enbridge Tribal liaison and a Leech Lake Band member: “We want to see what the needs are out in the communities, and the fire department here is so important to everyone’s safety and well-being . . . it’s our people’s lives they save.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RfodC9 (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
FIRST AVE: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “It’s a big year for First Avenue, and Haven Watch Co. is getting in on the action. To celebrate the Minneapolis music venue’s 55th anniversary, the Midwest-based watch brand is releasing the Haven x First Ave watch in a limited run of 55, the newest addition to their Legendary Independent Venue Edition Series.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4cC6sHD
DQ: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “It looks like the state’s oldest Dairy Queen will turn the lights back on, but under a new name and different recipes. Restaurateur Tim Hughes, who was born and raised in Roseville, said he’s inked a deal to take over the small 1947 structure with a walk-up window, outdoor seating and neon lights along Lexington Avenue, north of Larpenteur Avenue. With that comes both good news and perhaps bad news for fans of the longstanding spot: It will be an ice cream shop, but not a Dairy Queen as Hughes had hoped.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XJCcUX
RETAIL: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “As we shed our winter skins, we turn to fresh manicures, fresh chops, and, above all, fresh wardrobes to revive us after a long season of parka weather. Luckily, the Twin Cities is prepped to accommodate your spring overhauls this year, with a variety of new and opening-soon stores sweeping across its many malls and shopping districts.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4i37Io7
TODAY: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “It’s deadline day No. 1 at the Legislature. Lawmakers have until 5 p.m. to get their policy bills through committees in both chambers or they’ll likely fall away for this legislative session. It’s the first funnel of the legislative session that’ll help turn focus to what can make it through both chambers and reach the governor’s desk. The next deadline is next Friday when budget bills face the same hurdle. There are paths around the deadlines and a reminder that bills are fair game for a full biennium, so nothing’s really dead until after the next legislative session.”
MONDAY: via a NAMI MN advisory, VERBATIM: “The Mental Health Legislative Network, a coalition of over 40 organizations dedicated to improving the mental health system, will hold a press conference on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. … We are [concerned] the governor’s budget proposal does not address [mental health] needs, and the budget targets for both the House and Senate make it difficult to address them as well.”
APRIL10: Citizens League will honor Peter Bell, former Metropolitan Council Chair and Sharon McMahon, at the 2025 Civic Celebration. The annual Civic Celebration is an inspiring evening, gathering hundreds of Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, parties and ideologies to celebrate our state’s enduring civic culture, leadership, and commitment to public service. REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/41txP1p(SPONSORED: Citizens League)
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
MOSQUITOS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Not the news you want to hear. But the latest buzz we are being told is that the upcoming mosquito season could be the worst we've seen in years. While summer is still a ways away, Minnesota's skeeter season is going to be bad according to Alex Carlson with Metropolitan Mosquito Control District.” QUOTE: "The biggest factor that will affect this summer is actually a lot of the rain that we had last summer," says Carlson. "There's one species that we have that overwinters as larvae, so they actually hatched the fall the year before. And so we did surveillance from those last fall and we found much higher numbers than we've seen in at least five years, and we're predicting it's going to be about four times higher than last year." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4lhlK8s
BREAKTHROUGH: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “When Vicki Tennant came to Mayo Clinic for answers about her heart condition, she never expected to be at the center of a medical breakthrough. But her case led Mayo Clinic researchers to identify a previously undetectable genetic phenomenon. Most genetic diseases are linked to protein-coding regions, which is also where standard testing has been focused. The discovery based on Tennant's case, published in Circulation: Heart Failure, was that disease-causing variants can hide in areas of DNA that don't make proteins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i0vwZM
Subscribe to other Fluence newsletters: https://fluence-media.co/TheDailyAgenda
SCHOOLS: From Minnesota Department of Education via Facebook, VERBATIM: “We're working on creating statewide Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Health for our public schools. Your voice matters in shaping these standards! A committee of diverse Minnesotans, including parents, teachers, administrators, and community members, is leading this effort and they completed Draft 1. Make your mark by providing thoughtful, respectful, and actionable feedback during the public comment period through April 9, 2025.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4jD1JaX MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4jllP9j
LIFECORE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Lifecore Biomedical, Inc. (LFCR) on Thursday reported a loss of $14.8 million in its fiscal third quarter. The Chaska, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 47 cents per share . . . The agricultural and food packaging products company posted revenue of $35.2 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hYnb8P
GRACO: From Minneapolis-based Graco via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “Graco Inc. (NYSE: GGG) announced today that it will release its First Quarter 2025 earnings after the New York Stock Exchange closes on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42FbONJ
XCEL: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “On Thursday, April 24, 2025, Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) will host a conference call to review first quarter 2025 financial results. The earnings report will be released prior to the market open on the same date.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i2RGL4
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
EASTER: April 20th is Easter – MplsStPaul has local restaurant options. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3Ges6CB
BDAYS: Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson, Scott County’s Lisa Kohner. SAT: public affairs pro Mike Zipko, entrepreneur Casey Putschoegl, KSTP’s Ken Barlow, fmr. Speaker Dee Long, real estate guy Tim Peterson. SUN: advocate Jacob Milner, event pro Jeannette Cleland
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