A pilot made an emergency landing on Highway 61 in Duluth Saturday. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wfD4Aj
ICYMI… Sports Take Bonus Newsletter sent this morning jumps into playoff week for the Wolves, Wild and Frost -- and catches you up on other hot (and unexpected) topics. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4naLp4b
Tonight at 5PM on WCCO Radio – Minnesota Hospitals in Critical Condition a special Fluence Forum with conversations from across the state about how leaders are trying to tackle our latest health care crisis. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/WCCOLive2
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
WAYMO IS READY FOR MINNESOTA: With 13x fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans, Waymo is already making roads safer in major U.S. cities where we operate — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. We are ready to bring these safety benefits to Minnesota, and look forward to working with the state legislature to pass a law that allows us to provide rides in the state. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/waymo (SPONSORED: Waymo)
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/4f617v4
Sunday Take was all about the playoffs as sports historian Dan Whenesota and sports take’s Howard Sinker discussed why things feel different in Minnesota. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4w6ZraL
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Follow the 2026 Minnesota elections up close with the Fluence Election Tracker.
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A BUSY START TO THE WEEK…
DOWNTOWN MPLS: Via Cozen O’Connor, VERBATIM: “Cozen O’Connor, a leading international law firm, today announced the execution of a new lease in downtown Minneapolis. The Minneapolis office, which includes over 80 lawyers, will occupy two full floors of the Wells Fargo Center beginning May 1, 2027. The new space provides the opportunity for further expansion as the firm plans for long-term growth, serving both local and international clients, and solidifies its commitment to downtown. Cozen O’Connor has already started space planning and design, with construction expected to begin later this summer.”
From Minneapolis Downtown Council president Adam Duininck, QUOTE: “To have a reputable international law firm say ‘yes’ to long-term growth in downtown is really a testament to the upward momentum we are experiencing right now. We are all working together to strengthen downtown’s identity as a place where people want to come to work, and I am so grateful that Cozen O’Connor has signed on for the long haul.”
From Minneapolis Regional Chamber president Mike Logan, QUOTE: “The team at Cozen O’Connor brings a client-centered, cutting-edge approach which seamlessly uplifts the vitality of downtown and our entire region. We are honored to have the firm continue their award-winning practice downtown and look forward to ribbon-cutting day.”
TODAY: Via SEIU MN, VERBATIM: “The unions and community groups who are the new owners will be joined by elected officials and architects to celebrate the construction groundbreaking of the Rise Up Center, a new training center in the former Uptown YWCA.”
TODAY: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Groundbreaking is Monday north of downtown Minneapolis for an 8,000 seat concert venue . . . The Upper Harbor Amphitheater project has been discussed for more than a decade.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4cQry6Q
REAL ESTATE: Via Realtor.com, VERBATIM: “Last month, Minneapolis inventory jumped sharply, list prices dipped, and yet homes still sold faster than most of the country. The market is shifting — sellers face more competition, but demand hasn’t disappeared. If you’re buying or selling right now, this is a market that rewards preparation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wdk0Te
ECONOMY: Via Investing, VERBATIM: “Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said Sunday that the prolonged Iran conflict increases risks of elevated inflation and economic harm, constraining the central bank’s ability to offer clear guidance on interest rate policy. Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, Kashkari said he remains focused on the Iran war’s effects on inflation and economic demand during the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20% of global oil and gas supplies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cTEdEw
MORE: Via CBS News, the interview. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4tUOEz6
DNR: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says they’re launching a modernized electronic licensing system and mobile app that will allow hunters, anglers, and boaters to purchase, store, and display licenses digitally. This new system replaces the previous 25-year-old platform. It enables linking family accounts and permits electronic harvest registration. It won’t be ready for the fishing opener, but it’s expected to roll out this summer.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4d2AODD
FRAUD: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Several anti-fraud bills have been introduced in both the House and the Senate, but due to a 67-67 tie between Democrats and Republicans in the House, many of the bills have failed to make it out of committee. A package of anti-fraud reforms proposed by Governor Tim Walz to transform the Department of Human Services and improve oversight of Medicaid programs remains in limbo. But with less than three weeks to go, some proposals are inching forward.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tPgPiL
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)
OPERATION METRO SURGE
SURVEY: Via MPR, a University of Minnesota survey of school principals regarding the impact of Operation Metro Surge. VERBATIM: “Hundreds of school leaders — at least one in five — responded to the survey, which was conducted in mid-March. More than 80 percent said the surge negatively impacted their students’ ability to learn. About 75 percent said the surge led to thousands of students missing school with some 1,400 dropping out or unenrolling.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4url83Y
MORE: Via UofM, the survey. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tSLkVg
PARADE: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “After a remarkably difficult winter, the 51st Mayday parade in south Minneapolis was especially poignant. The festival of puppets, music and protest art has long highlighted immigrant communities and decried U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This year, anti-ICE sentiment was omnipresent, though accompanied by Mayday’s typical celebratory energy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wqurD9
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 LOCALS
ADDRESSES: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins can find almost any house in Inver Grove Heights without a phone or GPS, which once made his daughter think he was ‘some kind of savant.’ He’s not — he just knows the system that much of Dakota County has used to name streets since the 1960s. The big picture: Once you learn the alphanumerical criss-cross, you can navigate huge swaths of the south metro — and see how the suburbs grew.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d0MWF5
DATA CENTER: MPR reports on the incentives for communities to approve data centers and those who oppose them. VERBATIM: “That split-screen is playing out in Hermantown, about eight miles outside Duluth, where the city council is poised on Monday to vote on a plan offering an estimated $70 million tax abatement to Google. The company says it will invest up to $2 billion on a massive proposed data center complex in a rural corner of the small northeastern Minnesota town. In return, Google is offering to pay to extend utilities and infrastructure to the project site as well as tens of millions of dollars to the city and local school district. The vote is less than a week after about 50 people from a local grassroots group gathered outside Hermantown city hall to announce a lawsuit against the city to block the project.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42N55kY
GRANDMAS RIDE ATVs TOO! Check out Donna’s story - a powerful reminder that ATV riding is about more than trails...it’s about people, community, and connection. Donna’s message reflects what so many riders across Minnesota believe: responsible riding, strong local economies, and protecting access for future generations all go hand in hand. Check out Donna’s story: https://fluence-media.co/4tDeK9r Thank you, Donna, for sharing your story and helping put a face to what “I Ride” truly means. (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
NEXTGEN
NETFLIX: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Students from across the Northwest Metro may soon find themselves in the national spotlight. Code Ninjas in Plymouth recently hosted a casting event for a new Netflix series called ‘Schooled,’ giving local youth an opportunity to showcase their science and technology skills on a bigger stage. The competition series will be hosted by a former NASA engineer and pits children interested in STEM against real-life engineering challenges.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wdfpAw
MPS: Via My North News, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis School Board got great news Tuesday when the board’s Finance Committee learned that an additional $10 million in revenue will be available to the district both this year and next year. The Minneapolis School Board had been budgeting for a $50 million deficit and cuts had been planned including reductions in school counselors, social workers, library specialists and adult education teachers. School officials said the windfall will be aimed at restoring some of those cuts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n8jGRj
FLINT HILLS FAMILY FESTIVAL: Kick off the summer in downtown Saint Paul with the Flint Hills Family Festival May 29-30, one of the largest and longest-standing events of its kind. The Festival offers free fun for people of all ages in Rice Park and Landmark Plaza, with performances and activities that provide something for everyone, along with world-class shows inside the Ordway for just $8! Now in its 26th year, this year’s Festival lineup includes Cirque Mechanics: TILT!, NOOMA: an opera for babies, and Click Clack Moo! More than one million people have experienced the Festival, including hundreds of thousands of students who have visited on field trips during the Festival’s School Days. Join us this year! LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Family Festival (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
MOVE: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Retired KARE 11 anchor and meteorologist Belinda Jensen is joining Kowalski’s as a brand ambassador. Jensen made her final regular appearance on the station Thursday night after 33 years, though she was back on the air for her final show as the anchor of ‘KARE 11 Saturday.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RjvCDW
THEATER: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “In January, the Jungle Theater in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood of Minneapolis announced the cancellation of its remaining season, reporting financial troubles. The board and directors Christina Baldwin and Rachel Murch-D’Olimpio have been using the uncertain period to reimagine what their theater could be. This week, nearly four months after the initial announcement, the Jungle shared in a statement that its building is for sale in an effort to ease its financial burden and rethink how resources are spent on ‘artists, audiences, and the work itself’ instead of property taxes and maintenance. The theater sees a silver-lining in the change.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w9DIPx
GLOBAL TRADE BOLSTERS AG ECONOMIES: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Each year, Minnesota’s exports of corn, ethanol, corn-fed meat, and dried distillers grains (DDGS) alone support over 11,500 jobs and add billions to the state’s economy. They also help ensure that consumers around the world have access to affordable protein and dairy products. In May, during World Trade Month, Minnesota Corn celebrates that important role trade plays in all our lives—in the U.S. and abroad. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dqEqB1 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
WHAT’S NEXT?
TODAY: Via Fergus Falls-based Otter Tail, VERBATIM: “Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR) will issue a news release announcing first quarter 2026 financial results after the stock market closes on Monday, May 4, 2026, and will host a live conference call and webcast on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CT to discuss the corporation’s financial and operating performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vwjtv3
TODAY: Via Eden Prairie-based Tennant, VERBATIM: “Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC) today announced that the company will report its first quarter 2026 financial results after the market closes on Monday, May 4, 2026, with a conference call to follow at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time/9 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42kqVfv
TODAY: Via Golden Valley-based Inspire, VERBATIM: “Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: INSP) (Inspire) will release financial results for the first quarter 2026 after the close of trading on Monday, May 4.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mfH92I
WEDNESDAY: Via Hopkins-based Digi, VERBATIM: “Digi International Inc. (NASDAQ: DGII) will release its financial results for the second fiscal quarter 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, after market close, at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sDyMQc
WEDNESDAY: Via Minneapolis-based Sezzle, VERBATIM: “Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL) // Purpose-driven digital payment platform, Sezzle, will release its first quarter 2026 results after the market close on May 6, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48AYGwA
WEDNESDAY: Via Minneapolis-based Deluxe, VERBATIM: “Deluxe (NYSE: DLX), a trusted Payments and Data company, will report first quarter 2026 financial results pre-market on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OV59Mg
WEDNESDAY: Via Minneapolis-based Clearfield, VERBATIM: “Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced that it will release results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, ended March 31, 2025, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, after the close of the market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41Qqr0A
WEDNESDAY: Via Minnetonka-based DiaMedica, VERBATIM: “DiaMedica Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: DMAC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and acute ischemic stroke (AIS), today announced that its first quarter 2026 financial results will be released after the markets close on Wednesday, May 6th.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Cz27h
NEXT WEEK: Via Eden Prairie-based NVE, VERBATIM: “NVE Corporation (Nasdaq: NVEC) announced that it plans to release its financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 after the close of the Nasdaq Regular Market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RbeP60
THURSDAY: Via Minnetonka-based Stratasys, VERBATIM: “Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS) will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, on Thursday, May 7, 2026. The Company plans to hold the conference call to discuss its first quarter 2026 financial results on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u3bHaD
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MOTHER’S DAY: Via Minnesota Monthly, Jason DeRusha’s Mother’s Day brunch picks. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/42cdkHi
BDAYS: Minneapolis writer David Brauer, MADA’s Scott Lambert, fmr. Rep. Tom Tillberry
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