PEOPLE AND POLITICS
From Farmfest this morning:
Read on for news from the debate in the race for governor.
A major demographic shift is ahead – an undersupply of young workers is predicted by 2040. Signs are already evident in the Dakotas. STATELINE: https://fluence-media.co/3RthetB
46 democrats voted for the Laken Riley Act – Rep. Angie Craig isn’t the only one facing backlash. THE 19TH: https://fluence-media.co/4broGfA
In Michigan, this morning, progressive Abdul El-Sayed was declared winner in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4wIN1Gf
Minnesota Monthly’s flirting with controversy – comparing the virtues of the Uptown Art Fair to those of the Minnesota State Fair. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4cosq1B
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Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3TEGFJg
Sunday Take featured a Farmfest preview and Republican Adam Schwarze discussing his U.S. Senate campaign. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3TyEK93
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ECONOMIC INDICATORS
BOATING: Minnesota saw $1.3 billion in recreational boating sales in 2025 – the sixth highest total in the nation. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3RJTDVz
MOVIES: Indie Wire calls Minneapolis the “best home base for documentary filmmakers” and points to Operation Metro Surge and the murder of George Floyd as a couple of reasons why. QUOTE: “That combination of events, which demand sustained documentation and institutions committed to exhibiting nonfiction work, makes Minneapolis especially compelling for documentarians. Add relatively affordable living and MSP Film’s year-round commitment to indie cinema, and you’ll find the time, community, and support to stay close to America’s real stories.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pYCLqN
CONCERT TIX: This from a WCCO-Radio story about tonight’s Noah Kahan show at Target Field, VERBATIM: “While the size of Wednesday’s crowd won’t be surprising to most who’ve kept tabs on Kahan’s rapid ascent in the music industry, the price some fans are paying for tickets may.” QUOTE: “It’s insane,” said Ticket King president Mike Nowakowski. “For a concert at a venue this large, to see just the entry-level price at over $400 per ticket, that’s unheard of.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bwvx7v
TRAVEL: Via MarketBeat, from a report on earnings at Allegiant Travel which acquired Minnesota-based Sun Country, QUOTE: “[Allegiant CEO Greg] Anderson said Sun Country has faced elevated pilot attrition among junior Minneapolis-St. Paul-based pilots, largely because of increased hiring by the largest carrier in the Twin Cities. Allegiant is reducing off-peak Minneapolis-St. Paul capacity during the second half of 2026 in response to attrition and higher fuel prices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xs0oKZ
GOV DEBATE: From Alpha News via YouTube, candidates for governor Senator Amy Klobuchar, Speaker Lisa Demuth, Mike Lindell, and Kendall Qualls make their case to voters this morning at Minnesota Farmfest. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wMKUkO
MORE: A few moments from the debate via social media:
LINDELL: From Heartland Signal via X, VERBATIM: “GOP MN gubernatorial candidate Mike Lindell (R) says he will crack down on protesters in Minneapolis since it has ‘some of the strictest protest laws in the nation.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RLMp3p
KLOBUCHAR: From Alpha News via X, VERBATIM: “Boos and jeers erupt at Farmfest as Amy Klobuchar says she has ‘long believed in and supported funding for order at the border’ and has ‘worked well with law enforcement.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hRC1S5
DEMUTH: From Heartland Signal via X, VERBATIM: “GOP MN gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth (R) blames Obamacare for rising health care costs in Minnesota. ‘Obamacare passed at a federal level, and it has made our health insurance, our health coverage, very unaffordable in the state.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RKmk4J
ENCAMPMENT: Via Star Tribune, reporting from this morning’s clearing out of the homeless encampment in St. Paul’s Pig’s Eye Park. VERBATIM: “Large sections of the encampment were empty by 8:30 a.m., leaving clusters of vacant tents, broken bicycles, empty propane tanks and piles of clothes and blankets. In some areas, the ground was covered with shards of glass smashed into the soil.” UPDATES: https://fluence-media.co/3SaGIw1
CHIPOTLE: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Chipotle has pulled jalapeños from some Minnesota restaurants. In a statement on Tuesday, the burrito chain says the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is investigating a Salmonella outbreak that may affect ‘several food service retailers’ in the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yZR6r0
ST PAUL: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “[Chris Madel,] the attorney for St. Paul’s police chief is calling St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her ‘odd’ at best, and even ‘unhinged’ in a wide-ranging interview with WCCO’s Chad Hartman Tuesday.” MADEL: “I mean, the doctored memes, there’s doctored photos that has been reported, the putting your face over things, the orgasming in the gym, the complimenting women’s breasts, the other stuff that I’m aware of that hasn’t come out yet.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4fR3hxp
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Early voting is underway in Duluth ahead of Minnesota’s primary election and already city officials say they expect a high turnout this year . . . Duluth City Clerk Alyssa Denhan said the office has seen consistent traffic since early voting began. So far, more than 850 voters having passed through the City Clerk’s office as of Tuesday morning.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TCAyW0
SD3: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “I spent three days in late July in the third district, driving from Knife River to Ely to Babbitt back to Ely to Biwabik, and spent time with [Babbitt Mayor Andrea] Zupancich and [Sen. Grant] Hauschild. Their race, one of a handful that might dictate which party controls the Minnesota Senate next year, is a sequel to the 2022 race for the then-open seat. Hauschild won 50.8% to 49.2%. If money tells all, Hauschild will win again.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wB2Hes
U.S. SENATE: Via news release from the Craig campaign, VERBATIM: “Today, Anie Craig, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, released a new digital ad, ‘Not So Nice’, the latest of her state-wide campaign. Craig’s closing digital ad highlights the millions of dollars in corporate cash Flanagan accepted as chair of the Democratic Lt. [Governors] Association, including from Big Oil, Big Pharma and CoreCivic, an ICE detention center contractor.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Tv2Vp1
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)
PUBLIC SAFETY
APPLETON PRISON: Via news release this morning from CoreCivic, VERBATIM: “CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) (CoreCivic or the Company) announced today that it has completed the sales of its 1,600-bed Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota and its 1,033-bed Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth, Kansas to the United States of America and its assigns, by and through the Department of Homeland Security for an aggregate gross sales price of $734.0 million, including $495.6 million for the Prairie Correctional Facility and $238.4 million for the Midwest Regional Reception Center . . . The Company currently expects to continue to operate the Prairie Correctional Facility and Midwest Regional Reception Center under the existing management contracts with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), although the terms of the management contracts may be modified to reflect the change in ownership.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4c1nZJY
NOTE: CoreCivic announced Tuesday morning plans to reopen the Appleton facility and to begin taking in ICE prisoners “in the fourth quarter of 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wsOaAV
WILDFIRES: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “Leading up to this year’s fire season, federal officials with the U.S. Forest Service and the Interior Department directed their wildfire crews to use a “full suppression” strategy and attack wildfires urgently. Following a hot, dry winter that left much of the West parched, federal land managers said it was imperative to contain fires quickly before they get out of control. But following several dangerous incidents, including the deaths of four federal firefighters in Colorado in June, some longtime wildland fire leaders are questioning that strategy . . . Federal policies that sought to extinguish all fires quickly over much of the past century are now understood by foresters to be a major contributor to the current wildfire crisis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xq7AqY
CAMERAS: From Winona PD via Facebook, VERBATIM: “On 08/01/26, the Winona Police Department discovered that all eight of our city’s Flock cameras were missing. That evening, an officer noted that there’d been no recent activity on the cameras. Officers subsequently checked the various locations where the Flock cameras were placed and found that the poles were cut down near the base. Officers located the poles nearby in the weeds, but the cameras had been removed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ckOE4u
NOTE: Tuesday’s morning take included news of other jurisdictions dealing with Flock cameras being stolen or vandalized. ICYMI: https://fluence-media.co/4xedYRS
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)
INFRASTRUCTURE
CYBERATTACKS: CCX Media checked in with the City of Plymouth a week after its water system was hit. VERBATIM: “It was about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, July 27. Fourteen lift stations that control wastewater had just gone offline. Plymouth public works crews quickly realized something was up. ‘Then we knew this was a little unprecedented,’ said Michael Thompson, Plymouth’s director of public works. Besides the lift stations, communication systems that monitor water pressure at two towers were no longer sending back readings. Thompson said it was ‘all hands on deck’ to minimize any issues.” QUOTE: “With critical infrastructure, you always want safeguards, you want to plan for the unexpected,” said Thompson. “So in a case like this, understanding it was a cyberattack, we air-gapped our systems, so basically disconnected everything from the public-facing action, and just went to a full manual operation.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fDzhGF
URBAN EXPLORERS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis police and fire officials say a fall that left an 18-year-old with life-threatening injuries this week highlights the dangers of so-called ‘urban exploring.’ The victim fell an estimated 20 stories at a decommissioned grain elevator Monday night. Police said the victim was part of a group of teens and young adults who were trespassing at the former Checkerboard grain elevator near 38th and Hiawatha in south Minneapolis at about 8:30 p.m.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gbP0wO
TOMORROW: From the City of Zumbrota via Facebook, VERBATIM: “On Thursday, August 6, the City’s old water tower will be taken down. On Thursday, August 6, the City’s old water tower will be taken down.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bqgfRG
COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS: Flint Hills Resources is celebrating summer with thousands of Minnesotans at local festivals and parades. Look for Flint Hills employees – along with their families and friends – as they show their hometown pride at many local celebrations, including Rosemount Leprechaun Days, Hastings Rivertown Days, Inver Grove Heights Days and Saint Paul’s Lowertown Sounds. For decades, Flint Hills Resources has supported programs, organizations and events that improve our quality of life in our communities. LEARN MORE: Community Partnerships (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
ACQUISITION: Via Minnetonka-based Electro-Sensors, VERBATIM: “Electro-Sensors, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of industrial machine monitoring sensors, hazard monitoring systems and predictive maintenance technologies, today announced the successful completion of its acquisition by steute Technologies, a portfolio company of Battery Ventures.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Sf1BWP
RETAIL: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports wellness and activewear brand Alo plans to open a store at Southdale – there’s already an Alo at nearby Galleria. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fRvnsm
RETAIL: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Outdoor recreation giant L.L. Bean has officially expanded its footprint in the Twin Cities metro, opening its second Minnesota retail store at The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove. The retailer celebrated its grand opening on July 31, welcoming early shoppers with interactive games and special discounts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w8oqJK
5 FESTIVALS: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s African communities will come together this summer for five festivals celebrating the African diaspora through music, food, fashion and cultural traditions. Each festival offers a different way for African and Afro-diaspora communities to celebrate their heritage, preserve cultural traditions and connect with one another.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fE4KIP
WHAT’S NEXT?
TODAY: Via news release from Rep. Morrison, VERBATIM: “U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) will join Minnesotan biomedical researchers to raise the alarm and highlight serious concerns about the Trump Administration’s proposed rule that would upend medical research in the United States as we know it. The Trump Administration has proposed a new sweeping rule that would shift power to political appointees to choose which studies and trials are awarded federal grant funding — instead of the apolitical peer review process that has been in place for decades and allowed for breakthroughs in science and medicine like cancer treatment, Alzheimer’s research, HIV treatment and prevention, and countless others.”
TOMORROW: The Minnesota Fringe Festival begins. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/45cT2ie
THIS WEEKEND: Duluth Trails Fest – a weekend of biking and running – begins Friday. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4yYk4HD
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
STATE FAIR: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “With weeks before the 2026 Minnesota State Fair starts, one Grandstand concert is already sold out. No tickets are available for the TLC and Salt-N-Pepa concert with En Vogue. The Sept. 5 show is part of their ‘IT’S ICONIC’ national tour.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fXsNkN
BDAYS: media guy Jason Matheson, lobbyist Ward Einess, and GOP insider Jennifer DeJournett, EGF attorney Skylar Johnson
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