The FBI searched a Washington Post reporter’s home this morning. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pzQK4n
Quinnipiac finds that 53% of U.S. voters, including 59% of Independents, think the ICE agent who shot Renee Good was not justified, and 82% said they watched footage of the incident. DATA: https://fluence-media.co/3Zbcn05
A CBS reporter says 800 Customs and Border Protection agents are in the Twin Cities – that’s in addition to the 2,000 from ICE. TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4qWpv5l
A New York Times newsletter described Minneapolis as “on a knife’s edge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jZ3uRb
From MPR, an interview with an activist documenting ICE flights out of MSP. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Nlw171
In September, 33% of adults wanted the U.S. to take a less active role in global affairs. This month, it’s 45%.
POLL: https://fluence-media.co/3Ngf9Pb
A charter school in Richfield plans remote learning next week “in light of community events.” BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4qlnJKT
If the news gets to be too much today, head over to Minnesota Monthly to check out reader-submitted photos showing the beauty of our state in winter. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3LfpjyZ
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bzdLRF
In a must listen, Legislative Auditor Judy Randall joined Sunday Take to discuss fraud in state programs. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3YTziND
The Fluence Forum - The State of Energy is Jan. 21.
Health Care will remain a top issue into 2026, the State of Health Care Fluence Forum panels from last week are now available in podcast form. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/FluenceForumPodcast
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
NEW THIS MORNING
FRAUD: Via news release from the Attorney General, VERBATIM: “Today, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) has charged Mohamed Abdirashid Omarxeyd with eight counts of felony theft by false representation for using his Minneapolis-based agency, Guardian Home Health Services, to bilk the Minnesota Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program out of over $3 million. Guardian fraudulently billed the Medicaid program for personal care assistant services, companion care services, homemaking services, respite care services, individualized home supports, and comprehensive community support services. Some of these services have been designated as high-risk provider types by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49mXCgT
IN COURT: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “A federal judge declined to halt federal immigration operations in Minnesota on Wednesday morning but still could at a later date. During a court hearing regarding Minnesota’s lawsuit over the influx of federal immigration agents in the state, Judge Katherine Menendez said there wasn’t enough time to assess the merits of the request and fully evaluate the federal government’s position by Wednesday morning.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pJwBsT
YESTERDAY: From POLITICO reporter Kyle Cheney reporting from Tuesday’s hearing via X, VERBATIM: “In federal court in MN, DOJ is struggling to articulate why a person following an ICE vehicle — so long as they are obeying traffic laws — can be stopped for ‘reasonable suspicion’ of a crime. Judge Menendez sharply questioning that contention.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/49Bw0n4
AIRPORT: Via Fox9, VERBATIM: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will spend three weeks at MSP Airport, checking and verifying documents of both customers and employees, an airport employee said. The employee shared a memo that details the plans, which include patrolling jet bridges.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4qWSeXK
HOSPITALS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Health care workers in the Twin Cities report that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are entering hospitals with detained individuals, sometimes with warrants and sometimes without, and they are frequently present during patient care. Their presence is terrifying medical staff and raising concerns about patient care, according to five nurses at HCMC hospital in Minneapolis who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs.” QUOTE: “A part of me wants to go on the news with my face and scream this at the top of my lungs,” an HCMC nurse said. “But I am very much right in the middle of this.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qiaOcF
ST LOUIS PARK: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “One woman who didn’t provide her real name, spoke to WCCO’s Adam Carter on Tuesday telling the story about the video she took of a stop on Friday, near Knollwood Mall on Highway 7 in St. Louis Park. For the purposes of anonymity, WCCO agreed to call her ‘Abigail.’ That led to an agent approaching her vehicle and warning her, ‘have y’all not learned from the past couple of days.’ He then takes her phone.” WATCH/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qSZBPM
LIGHTS & SIRENS: Via WIRED, VERBATIM: “More than two dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles on the ground in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area ‘currently lack the necessary emergency lights and sirens’ required to be ‘compliant with law enforcement requirements,’ according to a contract justification published in a federal register on Tuesday. The document justifies ICE paying Whelen Engineering Company, a Connecticut-based firm specializing in ‘emergency warning and lighting technology,’ $47,330.49 for 31 ‘ATLAS1’ kits—seemingly a typo of ATLAS, the name of the product sold by Whelen—which the company’s website describes as an ‘Adaptable Travel Light and Siren Kit.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49kE5gW
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)
COMMERCE
FED: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Neel T. Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, said the Trump administration’s actions against the central bank in the past year were ‘really about monetary policy,’ as he came to the defense of Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, in the wake of a criminal investigation led by the Justice Department.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49wuWkg
DATA CENTER: Via Cloud Capital, VERBATIM: “Cloud Capital, a leading global data center investment management firm, together with Arcapita Group Holdings Limited, the global alternative investment firm and joint venture partner, announced today the acquisition of a 21-megawatt (MW) data center located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with plans to expand its capacity to 31 MW.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LLqnKX
RESTAURANTS: Via Pioneer Press, restaurants in the St. Paul area that are closing or reducing hours due to concerns over ICE activity. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aZoche
SHIPPING: Via Fox21, VERBATIM: “With Minnesota experiencing a seemingly normal winter season this year, it’s been a busy stretch of time for the members aboard the SPAR. ‘We started to hear what how much trouble boats were having coming in and out of Duluth and the Great Lakes district, our Coast Guard headquarters had us turn around and get right back up here,’ said Lt. Cmdr. Don Rudnickas, ice pilot and analyst, USCG SPAR. However, Lt. Cmdr. Rudnickas said it’s nothing they haven’t seen before.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3NiNoFC
VICTORIA: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on plans to build a 46-room hotel in downtown Victoria. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jFOQhb
ACQUISITION: Via Minneapolis-based WSB, VERBATIM: “WSB LLC, one of the nation’s fastest growing infrastructure engineering and consulting firms, today announced the acquisition of NEO Virtus Engineering, a specialized engineering consulting firm with deep expertise in photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage system design.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49m9cst
ACQUISITION: Via Charter Impact, VERBATIM: “Charter Impact, a national provider of financial and operational middle and back-office services for charter schools and mission-driven organizations, has acquired EdFinMN, a Minnesota-based back-office firm serving charter schools, districts, and education support organizations across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Lq6r09
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)
THE MINNESOTA DELEGATION
EMMER/WALZ: Via right-leaning Just the News, VERBATIM: “House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told Just the News on Tuesday that Minnesota state employees are providing evidence that could lead to the federal prosecution of Gov. Tim Walz, offering sworn whistleblower testimony confirming the Democratic governor failed to act after they warned about massive taxpayer fraud involving the state’s Somali immigrant population. ‘That my friend should be enough for criminal charges. The man should be in cuffs,’ Emmer said during a wide-ranging interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pIi94m
MORE: Also via Just the News, an interview with Rep. Pete Stauber revisiting the “suitcases full of cash” story from a few years ago. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49AytxN
NOEM: Rep. Kelly Morrison announced her support for impeaching Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem, meaning all four Democrats in Minnesota’s House delegation support Noem’s removal. MORRISON: “It has become irrefutable that Secretary Noem has compromised public safety, violated the due process of American citizens, and directed unconstitutional actions. … Secretary Noem’s ICE agents have used increasingly aggressive, excessive, and lethal force – even against United States citizens.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3YEeJo4
WILDLIFE NEWS
WOLF: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Grayson, a stark white arctic wolf that greeted visitors for years at the International Wolf Center in Ely, died suddenly over the weekend. The beloved wolf became something of an ambassador for the center, drawing viewers and fans from across the globe who either saw him in person or followed a live feed of him and his five packmates in their enclosure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qno53S
WALLEYE: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced a new proposal that would drop the statewide walleye limit to 4. DNR Fisheries Manager Brian Nerbonne said this proposal has been in the works for nearly a decade. The current limit of 6 has been in place in Minnesota since 1956.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45UGnRF
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)
AROUND MINNESOTA
SOLWAY: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “An engineered wood manufacturer located near Bemidji has been fined by the Minnesota Pollution Controlled Agency. MPCA investigators say West Fraser paid a fine of $15,775 for air permit violations.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4sFuc4V
HOUSING: Via MoneyWise, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have inadvertently become a real-world laboratory for two competing approaches to the modern housing crisis. Separated only by the Mississippi River, their divergent housing policies since 2021 have created what economists call a ‘natural experiment’ to examine the question: is the best fix for spiraling housing costs rent control or zoning reform?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jJsA6j
GRANTS: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced more than $17.3 million for workforce grants that are expected to serve more than 3,500 Minnesotans. The 59 organizations receiving Pathways to Prosperity program grant awards support economically disadvantaged adults, providing workforce development and training opportunities that increase career awareness, basic skills education and training, and more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45Uw9Rh
BROOKLYN CENTER: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Following the decision last month to part ways with former City Manager Reggie Edwards in a 3-2 vote, the Brooklyn Center City Council approved an interim city manager at its meeting Jan. 12. The city council appointed Daren Nyquist as interim city manager. Nyquist was previously the city’s deputy city manager.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qfJxYo
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)
SCHOOLS
CHAMPLIN: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “About 150 students from Jackson Middle School in Champlin staged a walkout Tuesday morning to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations happening throughout the Twin Cities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sGNrLq
HIBBING: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Hibbing School Board has appointed a member of the district’s administrative team to serve as acting superintendent. Carrie McDonald, the district Director of Teaching and Learning was appointed to the position at a special meeting held Friday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jCiFiO
WHAT’S NEXT?
TOMORROW: Via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “A press conference and City Council Meeting advancing the demand for Governor Walz to implement an eviction moratorium. With federal agents in the streets, many workers can’t safely go to work and earn rent. No worker should have to choose between keeping a roof over their head and risking being kidnapped by ICE on the way to work. Without an eviction moratorium, thousands of vulnerable families are facing eviction as soon as February 1st.”
NEXT WEEK: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Minnesota faith leaders, supported by community groups and unions, called for an economic blackout in response to the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pEDrjd
NEXT MONTH: Former FBI Director James Comey will speak at a Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/49wQDk8
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
RETAIL: Via Target, VERBATIM: “Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today announced Jeremiah Brent Home, a new and exclusive bedding collection designed in collaboration with acclaimed Architectural Digest AD100 interior designer, author and Netflix’s Queer Eye home expert Jeremiah Brent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NIrHPg
BDAYS: Rep. Wayne Johnson, event pro Char Mason, fmr. Sen. Roger Chamerlain, fundraiser Berrett Gall, Como Park leader Erica Prosser
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