The New York Times this morning reports President Trump secretly signed a directive to use military force against some Latin American drug cartels. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3J4vq7L
51% of U.S. adults say companies should take public stances on current issues – a 13-point increase from a year ago. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/4myz87N
How’s quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s playing? Vikings fans will find out tomorrow. AXIOS: https://fluence-media.co/3UPgSey
Not all submissions get chosen for the State Fair’s Fine Arts Competition. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3UVPMCw
Sunday Take included an interview with OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel on the State of Cannabis in Minnesota and a discussion about the need for quality candidates in the 2026 elections. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3U9jDaz
Blois
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Fluence Advisory hosted a cannabis forum on the “State of Cannabis in Minnesota including an interview with Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management Eric Taubel.
WNBA: Via Sports Illustrated, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve is not one to bite her tongue. In fact, Reeve famously proclaimed her team had the WNBA Finals stolen from them following last year's Game 5 loss to the New York Liberty. But while controversial calls are a part of sports, something that has happened recently on WNBA courts has been far more unexpected—a recent trend that has seen lime green dildos tossed on to the hardwood. This trend is something Reeve is none too pleased about. The Lynx coach pulled reporters aside on Thursday and delivered a blunt message about the series of incidents.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ozfIBR
MORE: From the Star Tribune’s Shelby Swanson via X, Reeve’s comments to reporters. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mwE8tJ
ROAD WORK: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “At the beginning of the year, Stanley's Northeast Bar Room announced that it was at risk of closing due to a road construction proposal, but the Minneapolis business now says it's been spared as a result of an outpouring of support from the community. In February, Stanley's sounded an alarm, warning regulars that the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) was considering acquiring its building through eminent domain as part of a University Avenue construction project. On Thursday, the bar shared that it's not going anywhere.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lh6dEo
CYBERATTACK: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Almost two weeks after a cyberattack targeted St. Paul’s internal network, Minnesota House Republicans are seeking more clarity on the scope and impact of the incident. Both the city and Ramsey County are in states of emergency while cybersecurity professionals work to determine what data was accessed and who was responsible for the attack. In the meantime, many city systems have been operating using workarounds or shut down entirely . . . House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and three other Republican state lawmakers signed a letter to St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter on Thursday asking whether systems extending beyond the city could be compromised.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3J4watr
SOLVENTUM: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “[Maplewood-based] Medical device maker Solventum raised full-year adjusted profit forecast on Thursday, driven by strong sales of its wound care and surgical sterilization products alongside lower expenses. Medical device makers have benefited from a surge in demand as more people, particularly older Americans, seek health care services and surgical procedures.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oqn9uL
MORE: Via Associated Press, “Solventum Corp. (SOLV) on Thursday reported second-quarter earnings of $90 million . . . The results exceeded Wall Street expectations . . . The health care company posted revenue of $2.16 billion in the period, also exceeding Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3J4z5lT
EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, more quarterly reports from Minnesota-based companies:
JAMF: “Jamf Holding Corp. (JAMF) on Thursday reported a loss of $20.9 million in its second quarter. On a per-share basis, the Minneapolis-based company said it had a loss of 16 cents . . . The results beat Wall Street expectations . . . The company posted revenue of $176.5 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46OFyv4
ANI: “ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ANIP) on Friday reported second-quarter net income of $8.5 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier. The Baudette, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 36 cents per share . . . The results beat Wall Street expectations . . . The drugmaker posted revenue of $211.4 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lfKbSj
SURMODICS: “SurModics Inc. (SRDX) on Friday reported a loss of $5.3 million in its fiscal third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 37 cents . . . The drug delivery technology company posted revenue of $29.6 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4myGxEc
CANTERBURY: Via Gaming America, VERBATIM: “Canterbury Park Holding Corporation has released its second-quarter financial and business results. The company also published its results for the first half of 2025. For Q2, Canterbury Park reported nearly $15.7m in net revenue, down $0.5m when compared to results posted one year ago, or a difference of 3.3%. Operating expenses reached $15.2m in Q2. Canterbury Park also reported a net loss for the quarter, amounting to $327,000, the equivalent of 0.06 per diluted share.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40VQ6VB
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)
ICE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Antonia Aguilar Maldonado, a 25-year-old Salvadoran woman, remains in ICE detention in Minnesota more than two weeks after she was arrested by federal agents in St. Paul while on her way to work. Aguilar Maldonado, who lives in Lake Elmo, entered the U.S. without legal status as a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor in 2016. Now, she is the mother of two U.S. citizen children, including a 22-month-old nursing toddler. Her legal team says she was detained without warning, shortly after leaving her children on her way to work as a self-employed painter.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lkUQeH
34B: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The DFL primary for Minnesota House District 34B’s special election is coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Three Democrats — Christian Eriksen, Xp Lee and Erickson Saye — are vying for that spot. CCX News spoke with each of them to learn their priorities. The House District 34B seat is open after late state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home in June. They all have different priorities, but all three expressed that they hope to continue Hortman’s legacy.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/40VZoAQ
MINNEAPOLIS: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “In February, Meet Minneapolis—the city’s convention and visitors bureau—unveiled a 10-year master plan. ‘Destination Minneapolis’ imagines the future in bold epithets: Minneapolis will become the nation’s No. 1 city for women’s sports. It will own its status as a ‘catalyst of the modern-day civil rights movement.’ Those are among six ‘big ideas’ meant to ‘uniquely position Minneapolis as a premier destination.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47jNkNE
NEXT WEEK: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “A weeklong celebration of Black-owned businesses, cultural pride, and community resilience returns to Lake Street this August with the 6th Annual Black Entrepreneur State Fair (BESF). Held Aug. 10–16, 2025, at 920 E. Lake Street, the fair invites Minnesotans to discover and support a thriving network of Black entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators—many of whom have built their businesses despite systemic barriers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3J0T6Kh
U OF M: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “The union representing more than 1,400 service workers across the University of Minnesota’s five campuses filed an intent to strike on Thursday as negotiations stall over wages and health care costs. Teamsters Local 320 said 97% of cooks, groundskeepers, truck drivers, custodians and other unionized service workers voted to authorize a strike last month and could walk off the job as soon as Aug. 20, raising the prospect of major disruptions to campus operations as students return for the fall semester.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HrcMGt
POLICE IMPERSONATION: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “[Sen. Warren Limmer] is a ranking minority member on the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Under existing law, impersonating a peace officer is a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor. Per state statute, it can only be charged as a felony if the perpetrator is caught impersonating an officer two or more times within five years. Limmer says it’s time for a harsher penalty.” LIMMER: “I think it’s time that the legislature must address this issue,” he said. “And a felony is the least we can do in classifying it, especially if that individual commits a crime.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4opAOCm
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)
ROBOCALLS: Via news release from the Attorney General’s office, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Ellison launched Operation Robocall Roundup, a multistate effort by the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country. Attorney General Ellison and 50 bipartisan attorneys general are sending warning letters to 37 voice providers demanding that they act now to stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4opsjaq
FOOD SHELVES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Hunger relief organizations are working to de-stigmatize visits to the local food shelf: making them feel like nothing more than a trip to the grocery store. Several Minnesota food shelves are implementing shopper-choice models, which provide visitors access to fresh, nutritious food options while emphasizing dignity. But deep federal budget cuts make the future of these programs uncertain.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41siZZA
PARK: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “Government and community leaders, philanthropic supporters and neighborhood residents last month joined the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Minneapolis Parks Foundation (MPF) at North Commons Park to commemorate the start of construction on the largest-ever investment in a Minneapolis neighborhood park. The 25.7-acre North Minneapolis park at 18th & James Ave. N has served as a flagship neighborhood park for the Minneapolis park system since it was built in 1907.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ot03DY
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)
STATE FAIR: Pre-fair discount tickets are now on sale. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4ll3Al8
BREAKFAST: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “One of the Twin Cities' best breakfast burritos now has a permanent address. State of play: Scramblin' Egg, the former food truck that won Bloomington's ‘Shark Tank’-style startup competition last year, moved into its new brick-and-mortar home at 7828 Portland Ave. South in late June.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3H3iK0l
COFFEE: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Over the past decade, Vietnamese coffee has become a global trend with social media influencers posting how-to guides for turning a Starbucks drink into a Vietnamese coffee dupe. Specialty Vietnamese coffee shops have spread from Hanoi to Europe to Orange County, California, to New York City. Now the Twin Cities are catching up, with new Vietnamese coffee shops ‘popping up like dandelions over here,’ Nguyen said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45FrWkG
RETAIL: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “On Aug. 6, New Jersey-based luxury bedding company Boll & Branch opened its first Minnesota location at Galleria Edina, inviting shoppers and longtime lovers of the brand to come experience its buttery soft, 100% organic cotton bedding. Known for its focus on ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility, the brand has become a reputable force in the realm of luxury design, eventually leading to partnerships with top-name fashion designers at events including the Met Gala and New York Fashion Week.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4otbdIR
SUNDAY: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “In 2021, the anticipation to explore the new Loop Trail with the reopened Lift Bridge was immense, especially since it was in the midst of COVID-19. The Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club was only expecting about 100 riders at the first Bridge the Valley Bike Rally, but nearly 400 showed up. The community participation in the bike rally has been growing ever since, and it's back on Sunday, Aug. 10.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4osgG2s
NEXT WEEK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Maple Grove, which is also known as the Restaurant Capital of Minnesota, is kicking off its second annual Restaurant Week on Sunday, Aug. 10.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4m6Befl
NEXT MONTH: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “A bright, new attraction is coming to the Mall of America. Super Neon — an interactive landscape of shifting neon light experiences that capitalizes on trendy, Instagram-ready light displays — will make its global debut at the Bloomington megamall on Sept. 12.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3HhO5wk
ACQUISITION: Via news release from Minneapolis-based Datasite, VERBATIM: “Datasite, the global SaaS provider of AI-powered workflow collaboration and automation solutions for M&A, investment and strategic projects, today announced its acquisition of Sourcescrub, a California-based provider of deal-sourcing data and workflows, from Francisco Partners.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mCOY1y
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FLOATING VILLAGE: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Imagine my joy as the proud owner of a brand-new camera when I stumbled upon a small village floating on the river like a calm, reflective dream. I had been driving around some back roads near Winona when a modest sign caught my eye: Minnesota City Boat Club. I had no idea when I pulled into the gravel driveway that I was about to enter a peaceful oasis unlike any I’d ever seen.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/458iPc9
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