Minnesota’s less Lutheran than it used to be. PEW: https://fluence-media.co/4irOWrf
Satirical news site The Onion has a report about Governor Walz and Tupperware. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/41s7f8R
Southern Minnesota is under a blizzard warning. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4h54qjD
Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R-09) was on Sunday Take to discuss the upcoming state budget forecast, federal funding and impacts on the Health and Human Services budget. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ipEyjL
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
RESPONSIBLEGAMING: Legal sports betting platforms offer responsible game tools that offshore and illegal sports betting don’t offer. In fact, age verification is not required with most offshore providers. Learn more about why legalized sports betting is more responsible. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4kgJoS4 (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
TARGET: Via The Street, VERBATIM: “Target Corp. posted better-than-expected fiscal-fourth-quarter earnings Tuesday, but warned customers that price increases from tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump will likely arrive in coming days. Target (TGT) said adjusted earnings for the three months ended Feb. 3 were $2.41 a share, a 20% decrease from the year-earlier period but firmly ahead of Wall Street's consensus forecast of $2.26 a share. Group revenue fell 3% to $30.92 billion, just ahead of analysts' consensus estimate of $30.82 billion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ikazcK
MORE: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Target forecast full-year comparable sales below estimates on Tuesday after a discount-driven holiday quarter results beat, and said uncertainty around tariffs as well as consumer spending would weigh on first-quarter profits. The company joined bellwether Walmart, as well as electronics retailer Best Buy in raising caution about their expectations for the year as sticky inflation and tariffs on imports proposed and implemented by President Donald Trump temper demand.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QKeBQ8
PRODUCE: Via CNBC, VERBATIM: “Shoppers will likely see produce prices increase in the coming days due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexican imports, Target CEO Brian Cornell said Tuesday . . . Cornell said Target relies heavily on Mexican produce during the winter months, and the tariffs could force the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables as soon as this week.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3XtQEjL
BEST BUY: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Best Buy Co. (BBY) on Tuesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $117 million. The Richfield, Minnesota-based company said it had net income of 54 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $2.58 per share. The results topped Wall Street expectations . . . The consumer electronics retailer posted revenue of $13.95 billion in the period, which also topped Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43nYv6g
MORE: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Best Buy said U.S. consumers are likely to face higher prices as vendors throughout its supply chain work through the impact of the latest set of tariffs, a scenario that may crimp demand for electronics. ‘While Best Buy only directly imports 2% to 3% of our overall assortment, we expect our vendors across our entire assortment will pass along some level of tariff costs to retailers, making price increases for American consumers highly likely,’ said Chief Executive Corie Barry. China and Mexico are the top two sources for products the consumer-electronics store chain relies on.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41o8wO6
CANADA: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Canada’s province of Ontario will slap a 25% export tax on electricity it sends to 1.5 million homes in Minnesota, Michigan and New York, in retaliation for President Trump’s tariffs, said Doug Ford, Ontario’s leader. Ford added that he will direct the province’s energy producers to shut down the exports entirely if Trump moves ahead with even more tariffs on April 2. He said he would direct his minister of energy to redirect energy from an Ontario nuclear reactor to local manufacturers instead.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F54EtX
MARKETS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Stock markets opened lower on Tuesday, reflecting mounting investor concerns about the global economy, after President Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, and Beijing and Ottawa announced swift retaliation. The escalating trade war added to global uncertainty that was compounded by the Trump administration’s decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41Ex9Hr
NEXT WEEK: From Clay Masters via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota House seat that gummed up the Legislature’s start simply by sitting empty gets filled a week from Tuesday in a special election that carries high stakes for where the session goes from here . . . The result will determine whether Republicans hang on to control of the House and gain a 68th vote, which is the threshold to pass bills. Or it could leave the major political parties tied, which would force an unusual amount of cooperation to get anything done this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FeEfcV
TRAFFIC STOPS: From Kyle Stokes via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis Police Department officers pulled over 82% fewer drivers for breaking traffic laws last year than they did at their pre-pandemic peak, an Axios analysis has found. Why it matters: While the steep drop-off comes as traffic stop reforms have rolled out in recent years, the numbers also raise questions about how a short-staffed MPD can enforce road safety as the city struggles to curb traffic crashes and fatalities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kryPvi
WILD ABOUT READING: More than 500 Minnesota classrooms and 15,000 students are 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, Rookie; 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
LAYOFFS: From Mathew Holding Eagle III via MPR, VERBATIM: “As the Trump administration continues laying off thousands of employees in an effort to downsize the federal workforce, some of the people hardest hit have been military veterans. That includes Minnesotans. On Feb. 25, Amity ‘Joy’ Marver, a 20-year military veteran who is 90 percent disabled following several deployments overseas, was fired from her job at the Veterans Benefit Administration near Ft. Snelling. Marver was notified of the decision through a Post-it note after being unable to access her email during an early morning shift.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ionIS3
FEAR: Via North News, VERBATIM: “Susanna went to church on a Sunday morning in mid-February, expecting to see a sanctuary full of friends. The pews were mostly empty. ‘It’s always full, but people are afraid,’ said the 64-year-old Northsider, who, like many at her church, is an undocumented resident. ‘I went to the Mercado Central on the weekend, and it was empty. The whole community is in a panic.’ As President Donald Trump signs orders to create his conception of a ‘Great America,’ many communities targeted by his initiatives retreat to the shadows. Immigrant families are fearful of ICE raids. LGBTQ+ people feel gut-punched by a government bent on eliminating their rights and erasing their identities. Even some schools and non-profits have declined to speak publicly, afraid of calling attention to the vulnerable people they serve and potentially losing the federal funds that feed, house, and educate their communities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41nkdoi
SIGNS: From Lev Gringauz via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, rainbow lawn signs inscribed with a heart and the message ‘All Are Welcome Here’ began blanketing neighborhoods in Minnesota. ‘It is snowing, the lawns are frozen,’ recalled Jaime Chismar, 48, the St. Louis Park-based freelance graphic designer behind the signs. ‘There is nowhere to put a lawn sign. [But] we sold a ton’ . . . But almost a decade later, with Trump once again back in office, it’s a different kind of moment. Democrats are divided and voters are exhausted. Several weeks into Trump’s second term, there doesn’t seem to be a new rallying cry. Meanwhile, All Are Welcome Here, Chismar’s graphic design project that grew out of those initial lawn signs, is going on hiatus.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ipExME
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
FEED FRAUD: From Matt Sepic via MPR, VERBATIM: “In text messages that Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock wrote to others charged in an alleged $250 million conspiracy to defraud taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs, she discussed scorched-earth tactics for dealing with critics of her nonprofit. In one message to Feeding Our Future employee Hadith Ahmed from February 2021 that Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Bobier showed to jurors on Monday, Bock discussed how to respond to a complaint from meal distribution site operator Anab Awad about a lack of payment . . . Referring to her then-attorney, Rhyddid Watkins, Bock wrote, ‘He wants to send her [Awad] a subpoena. He’s going to call her in the morning. She’s going to be terrified.’ Added Bock in three subsequent texts to Ahmed, ‘She is the only problem you guys are having so she needs to be handled. It’s on. We may have become the mob.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hdwm4N
DULUTH: From Marisa Ornat via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Duluth is looking for a new sustainability officer after Mindy Granley left her role in February of this year. However, city spokespeople say they are adjusting the job description and plan to post the position soon. The vacancy has residents wondering who they plan to replace her with and when.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3XnrKSU
SUN COUNTRY: From International Brotherhood of Teamsters via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “Flight attendants for Sun Country Airlines represented by Teamsters Local 120 have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with the ultra-low-cost carrier. The five-year agreement, which immediately raises wages and improves benefits, followed a credible strike threat by more than 700 flight attendants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4brS97N
LISTENING, LEARNING AND REDEFINING INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS - “We want to build partnerships with Indigenous Nations. We continue to listen to and learn from Indigenous leaders and communities, and that’s informing how we engage communities in B.C. and across North America,” said CEO Greg Ebel of Enbridge’s approach to be the “first-choice partner” for Indigenous Nation interested in pursuing energy infrastructure opportunities. READ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3Yht20R (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
RECYCLING: Via Project Optimist, VERBATIM: “Minnesota has one of the highest recycling rates in the country, but officials hope to make further progress thanks to an Extended Producer Responsibility law for packaging and paper products passed in May 2024. The state’s recycling rate has plateaued ‘despite ambitious goals and state financial support of local programs,’ said John Gilkeson, principal planner for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). However, Gilkeson thinks the EPR law will bring in ‘new money, new fresh eyes’ on Minnesota’s waste management needs and infrastructure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i1lbO9
ANN KIM: From Carson Hartzog via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Pizzas and Korean-inspired flavor pairings found in James Beard award-winning chef Ann Kim’s restaurants will be available in Target’s frozen food sections starting Sunday. The rollout is part of Target’s Good & Gather Collabs, a partnership with various chefs to expand global cuisine offerings, something the retailer found to be in high demand among customers. The series will be introduced Tuesday at the Minneapolis-based retailer’s Investors Day in New York City.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XpZ3EN
CARIBOU: From Dan Niepow via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “John Butcher has been at the helm of Caribou Coffee over an eventful seven years. Under his tenure, the Brooklyn Center-based coffee chain launched a new domestic franchising program and underwent several complex corporate maneuvers by its foreign ownership group. Now, Butcher, 49, is set to step down as CEO and president, Caribou announced Monday. The change takes effect March 14 officially, though Butcher will continue on in an advisory role through the end of May.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QGmeXJ
MORE: From Caribou via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “Caribou Coffee, a leading specialty coffee retailer, today announced that Scott Kennedy, Caribou Coffee's Chief Financial Officer and a veteran retail industry executive, has been named as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kennedy will leverage his leadership experience and deep understanding of Caribou Coffee's operations to lead the Company while continuing to serve in his role as Chief Financial Officer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41D3fn8
MARCH22: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “Metro Transit is gearing up for the grand opening of the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on March 22, 2025. This milestone event will mark the region’s sixth BRT line, providing fast, frequent service between downtown St. Paul and Woodbury.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QK8ECM
APRIL10: Citizens League will honor Peter Bell, former Metropolitan Council Chair and Sharon McMahon, at the 2025 Civic Celebration. The annual Civic Celebration is an inspiring evening, gathering hundreds of Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, parties and ideologies to celebrate our state’s enduring civic culture, leadership, and commitment to public service. REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/41txP1p (SPONSORED: Citizens League)
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
SURVEY: Via Modern Ag Alliance, VERBATIM: “Modern Ag Alliance’s inaugural sentiment survey confirms that Minnesotans strongly support maintaining farmers’ access to critical crop protection products like glyphosate. This support extends across party lines, with majorities of Republicans and Democrats siding with farmers on nearly every question asked. Trial lawyers, who are driving American agriculture toward a crisis by attacking farmers’ tools, have extremely low levels of trust among Minnesotans. Meanwhile, farmers enjoy high levels of public trust.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4boBhyG
WATER: From Mark Dorenkamp via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association is engaged with legislators on water regulations. President Darin Johnson says concerns over the state’s public water inventory carried over from last year’s legislative session.” JOHNSON: “That did not quite end where we wanted it to, and we’re just really looking for regulatory certainty on it. Because with the maps the way they are for the state of Minnesota, it does open up some potential lawsuits for our farmers in the state of Minnesota.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3D4x1rB
THIS MONTH: From UMN Nutrient Management via X, VERBATIM: “Join us March 13 in Rochester. Topics include: - How N behaves in the environment and how it gets into water - The dynamics of groundwater recharge in SE MN - BMPs for both commercial fertilizer and manure, based on local research - On-farm N mgmt research results in SE MN” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4ilIvpk
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XCEL: From Xcel Energy via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: XEL) announced today that Timothy O’Connor, executive vice president, chief operations officer, will retire from the company this summer after nearly two decades of service.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Xnt9c8
MARCH29: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis is once again the battleground for some of the nation’s top breakdancers as the Red Bull BC One Cypher returns on Saturday, March 29. The energy will be electric as B-boys and B-girls from across the country battle for their shot at the national finals in Denver.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hZm1L6
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MIA: From Madison Bloomquist via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Mia’s latest traveling exhibit showcases deeply meaningful bits of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz’s personal collection—and celebrates Black artists throughout modern history.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43lggmo
DRACULA: From Sheila Regan via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “When Dracula makes his big move to London from Transylvania in Bram Stroker’s famous novel, he brings with him 50 boxes of earth. In the rules Stroker sets up, vampires must sleep in coffins filled with earth from their homeland. New York-based playwright Ankita Raturi uses the image of dirt-filled coffins for her new play, ‘Fifty Boxes of Earth,’ presented by Theater Mu and directed by KT Shorb. The show had its world premiere last weekend at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Dg48Zr
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