The new Drought Monitor out this morning shows the situation continues to get worse – 48% of the state is now in formal drought status, up from 38% a week earlier. It reflects data as of Tuesday. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
Tributes to David La Vaque, Gophers financials explained and the wildest part of WNBA All-Star Weekend are featured in today’s second anniversary Sports Take. Out later today.
Via KARE-TV, new Minnesota laws taking effect August 1. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fTJAW7
Fluence Advisory has released its Insights memo on “The Next Legislature”. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aNNSMV
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Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. FluenceElectionTracker.com
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4fuQr8a
Sunday Take featured DFLers Matt Little, Sen. Matt Klein and Rep. Kaela Berg for the CD2 DFL primary debate. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4yssTcu
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THURSDAY FEED
BOELTER: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Vance Boelter, the man who admitted in court to shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, was sentenced to two life terms in prison followed by 40 years Thursday morning. The judge said it was ‘the longest sentence I have imposed after hearing thousands of cases over the years, but it is well deserved.’ Boelter, who turns 59 Thursday, pleaded guilty to six federal charges against him in June. As part of his plea, he confessed to killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark and wounding Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in a shooting that also targeted their daughter Hope.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fPt9Lk
MORE: Via Courthouse News, VERBATIM: “In court filings leading up to Thursday’s hearing, federal prosecutors characterized Boelter’s acts as an ‘assault on democracy’ designed to forcibly alter Minnesota’s state government.” QUOTE: “Boelter’s crimes are among the most serious ever committed in the District of Minnesota,” prosecutors said in a sentencing recommendation. “He shattered the lives of his victims. He terrified Minnesota’s public servants. He threatened police and pointed a gun at an officer. He viciously attacked the organs of Minnesota’s representative government.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wlJDAX
(DISCLOSURE: Fluence provides media support to the Hoffman family)
MINING: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Residents filled a gymnasium at the Emily City Hall Tuesday night to hear more about a potential underground mine in their community. The small city surrounded by lakes in northern Crow Wing County, northeast of Brainerd, sits on what’s been described as the largest deposit of manganese in North America . . . At the town hall meeting, they peppered representatives of North Star Manganese and parent company Electric Metals with questions about the mine’s potential impacts on their quiet lake-dotted community of lakes and cabins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45ksxaw
MANUFACTURING: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports Burnsville-based Northern Tool + Equipment is moving its manufacturing operations from Mexico to Faribault with plans to double its workforce there. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vM7AjF
DRONES: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “A message to amateur drone operators from those fighting northeastern Minnesota wildfires. ‘If you fly in the fire area, we can’t.’ That’s the blunt message from John Fish, Air Operations branch director in Ely, Minnesota. Catching a glimpse of the area can be neat to see, but it can create a significant hazard.” QUOTE: “It could actually bring down an aircraft, and that’s obviously something that’s not acceptable,” says Fish. “Also, it can actually cause us to set down the firefighting aircrafts. I certainly wouldn’t want to be the person causing the firefighting effort to be paused or put on hold, and people lose property or God forbid lives.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4fQgjMV
ASH: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “As wildfire smoke begins to lift from northern Minnesota, scientists and water managers are keeping a close eye on how several days of smoke and falling ash could affect nearby drinking water sources.” QUOTE: “Most advanced treatment systems could likely handle the impacts of smoke deposition on these lakes,” said Chris Filstrup, a lakes and streams scientist at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. “But I think there’s more concern for smoke exposure in rural areas where maybe there isn’t an advanced treatment system, and what those impacts might look like.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4whJWMS
E-MOTOS: Via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “The Champlin Police Department issued a public warning after a near accident involving an electric motorcycle (e-moto) on Tuesday morning . . . According to police, two children riding together on an electric motorcycle, also referred to as an e-moto, illegally crossed in front of oncoming traffic on Highway 169 and 114 Avenue.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fr4T2h
GOVERNOR: Minnesota Reformer asked GOP-endorsed candidate for governor Kendall Qualls about this week’s survey results (as seen in morning take). VERBATIM: “A new KSTP/Survey USA poll shows Qualls, who garnered the support of over 1,000 Republican delegates at the spring convention, at a mere 11% among surveyed voters. Qualls in an interview with the Reformer dismissed the results as not ‘real,’ so he’s not concerned . . . During a Reformer interview, he laid out his plans for tax and spending cuts, a close relationship with law enforcement and rolling back trans rights. He talked about Trump’s endorsement of Lindell, and why he posted on his personal Facebook page a photoshopped picture of his wife in a Slingshot next to a floating pair of arms.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yAPiVf
ST PAUL: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “In preparation for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget process, the Saint Paul City Council has announced a comprehensive series of Ward Budget Engagement Events scheduled to take place across the city. The initiative is designed to ensure that community feedback directly informs the city’s upcoming financial decisions and municipal investments.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TR7ycT
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)
CRIME & PUNISHMENT
HOUSING FRAUD: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Three men have admitted in Minnesota federal court to stealing millions in taxpayer dollars from a social services program aimed at helping vulnerable people secure housing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x23gxS
FEED FRAUD: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “The latest person charged in the Feeding Our Future scandal allegedly claimed to have served 1.6 million meals to children through three different sites across the Twin Cities. Mohamoud Warsame claimed to operate three sites that served hundreds of thousands of meals to children through the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the pandemic in 2021.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wj6xJf
BRIBERY: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “A convicted fraudster was sentenced to 10 years for juror bribery on Wednesday on top of the 28 years he is already serving for his role in the sprawling Feeding Our Future case. Abdiaziz Shafii Farah and four others are accused of delivering a bag with $120,000 in cash to a juror’s home while the trial was ongoing. The juror was promised that more money would come if she helped bring a not guilty verdict.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RT7MzE
AI COPS: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “From health care to education, artificial intelligence is rapidly changing our world. Now, that same technology is being used by the Brooklyn Park Police Department. Officers are harnessing the power of AI to break down language barriers and get real-time assistance when they are on patrol . . . The department rolled out new, advanced body cameras that don’t just record video. They assist officers through artificial intelligence.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4vJkgYs
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)
AROUND THE STATE
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The controversial Lester Park Golf Course continues to be an issue in Duluth and now a lawsuit is making the issue even more challenging. A petition to put the issue to a vote on the November ballot is now moving through the courts as city leaders address the topic ahead of their meeting Thursday night. Michael Bernstein, director of ‘Our Park Our Vote’ has filed a lawsuit against the city of Duluth, the city council and the city clerk, claiming petition signatures were left out to prevent a public vote on the future of the former Lester Park Golf Course.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ba2RRs
HIGHER ED: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Martin Luther College in New Ulm is looking to reinstate its licensure status. In late June, the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board voted to discontinue eligibility for MLC. The college is still accredited, and the decision only impacts freshman and new transfer students training in teacher education programs. MLC lost its eligibility because it failed to provide enough documented evidence and consistent assessments needed to prove specific teacher education programs continued to meet state-mandated academic standards.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44Jg14o
COUNTY FAIRS: Via UofM, VERBATIM: “County fairs have long been a place where neighbors come together to celebrate community. They also offer a unique opportunity to engage directly with residents, showcase programs and foster deeper connections. Starting July 25, 2026, the University of Minnesota will have a booth at various county fairs this summer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4weYA7F
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
GRACO: Via Stock Story, VERBATIM: “[Minneapolis-based] Fluid and coating equipment company Graco (NYSE:GGG) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q2 CY2026 as sales rose 3.3% year on year to $590.6 million. Its GAAP profit of $0.87 per share was 6.8% above analysts’ consensus estimates.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hrKJpV
NVE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “NVE Corp. (NVEC) on Wednesday reported earnings of $6.4 million in its fiscal first quarter. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of $1.32 per share. The nanotechnology company posted revenue of $11 million in the period.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3Rag5ad
NEW CEO: Via Bloomington-based Toro, VERBATIM: “The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC), a leading global provider of solutions for the outdoor environment, today announced a leadership transition as part of its long-term, succession planning process. On July 21, 2026, the company’s board of directors elected president and chief operating officer Edric C. Funk to the position of president and chief executive officer, effective November 1, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vPN81t
WHAT’S NEXT?
TONIGHT: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “The magic of live performance is heading outdoors this summer as Stillwater’s Zephyr Theatre mounts an imaginative open-air staging of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit,’ running July 23 through Aug. 2, 2026, across the picturesque grassy lawns of Aamodt’s Apple Farm and Saint Croix Vineyard.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fQl2hG
THIS WEEKEND: The Minnesota Pottery Festival begins Saturday morning in Hutchinson. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3OwISRT
NEXT MONTH: Via Minneapolis-based Deluxe, VERBATIM: “Deluxe (NYSE: DLX), a trusted Payments and Data company, will report second quarter 2026 financial results after market close on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tg0Qgu
NEXT MONTH: Via Brooklyn Park-based Clearfield, VERBATIM: “Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), a leader in fiber connectivity solutions for broadband, data center and network infrastructure environments, today announced that it will release results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, ended June 30, 2026, on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, after the close of the market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wfdeMb
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HISTORY: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “On this date 175 years ago, two Dakota tribes signed the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, settling their debts by handing over much of the land that would become Minnesota. Why it matters: The 1851 treaty is the great double-cross that set Minnesota on its course to statehood.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hsZ9pT
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