One of Joe Schmit’s former coworkers surprised him Wednesday, stopping by to wish him well as he retires after nearly 40 years at KSTP-TV. PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/44ithhi
The new Drought Monitor is out this morning, and for the first time in a long while, it shows significant improvement – though a fifth of the state is still considered in drought. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3EPgEzM
On Saturday we launched our first premium publication. The Fluence Brief, they will be released 3-4 times a month and dive deeper into the business, economic and political dynamics of the Midwest. First one is gratis, but then we’ll have a fee. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cQw43r
COMING LATER: Maybe the hottest Sports Take ever. The Wolves take care of business and take out the Lakers. Can the Wild do the same to Vegas? J.J. McCarthy describes himself in three words that aren't what you'd expect from a football player. And former Strib horse racing expert Jay Lietzau tells you who's going to win Saturday's Kentucky Derby. His $10 win bet would bring a triple-digit return -- and Jay has a few other ways to bet a little and maybe win a lot. Watch for Sports Take later today. SIGNUP: https://fluence-media.co/sportstake
KSTP’s Tom Hauser was on Sunday Take to discuss how Minnesota politics and media have changed since morning take began 15 years ago. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4jvVJRy
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
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)
CHARTERS: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority seemed on Wednesday to be on the verge of taking a transformative step—a step that would for the first time allow overtly religious schools to be fully funded by the taxpayers. Oklahoma, like 45 other states, has charter schools that allow for more flexibility and innovation in education. But under both the federal charter school law and similar state laws, charter schools are public schools that are funded by the state, closely supervised by the state, and most importantly for Wednesday's case, by law the schools must be non-sectarian.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Gukgb9
MORE: From attorney and former Minnesota state senator Ember Reichgott Junge via Facebook, VERBATIM: “I never imagined that I would ever be in the United States Supreme Court, but that is where I was this morning to hear my amicus brief and others being argued to keep charter public schools public. I fear that this court will make charter schools religious, which is completely contrary to the first-in-nation chartering legislation I authored as a state senator in 1991. The most difficult part for me is that chartering became the vehicle in a much bigger strategy developed over several years to allow taxpayer funding of religious schools.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4jXPeqf
ST PAUL: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Similar to the past it sought to recreate, soon the Apostle Supper Club in St. Paul will vanish. ‘This was never just a restaurant. It was a dream — more than 20 years in the making. A space inspired by faith and filled with the music, laughter, and memories of countless meals shared together,’ said owner and Chef Brian Ingram, in a Facebook post about the restaurant's closure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YZWaLx
MORE: On Facebook, Ingraham described St. Paul’s downtown core as “in crisis.” He cited business closures, safety concerns, and uncertainty over the future of the Minnesota Wild. QUOTE: “When a city’s most beloved team might leave its iconic arena — a venue just steps from our doors — it sends a chilling signal about the uncertainty of downtown’s future. It’s that kind of instability that led us to exercise the out clause in our lease. We simply couldn’t continue to invest in a space when the future feels this fragile . . . We didn’t come here to quit. We came here to build something beautiful.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/44kjRlk
NORTH LOOP: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Bad timing, no parking, too much competition? Hard to know what did in North Loop Galley, which will serve its final meals on Saturday, May 10. CEO Chad Ellingboe pointed to COVID-19 as a factor as well.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lMMtdc
RENT: Via news release from Rentec Direct reporting a 31% increase in rent payments nationwide over the past five years. QUOTE: “Minnesota stands out as the only state to see a significant rent decline—a 34% drop, likely tied to land use reform.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YS3PLN
TARIFFS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Senate Republicans narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution Wednesday that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YZYSAH
MORE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Atlas Games tried to make its board games in the U.S. in the 1990s, but it was not economically feasible. The Duluth company and many of its peers in the industry turned to China and built a sustainable economic model, one that is now threatened by President Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. ‘Our whole industry is reeling because we don’t know, everything might change on a dime,’ said Atlas Games owner John Nephew said. ‘It’s been a whirlwind of chaos and awfulness.’ Under the current tariff plan, the companies could lose money. If they switch back to U.S. manufacturers, they know they will.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cU2sCc
ICYMI… morning take shared news that a toy store in St. Paul joined a federal lawsuit over the tariffs. Read about it at TheDailyAgenda. Here’s a direct link to morning take. LINK: https://fluence-media.co/3S4y66F
FREIGHT: Via news release from Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, VERBATIM: “During the first three months of the year, U.S. truck freight volume was down 5.8% while spending was off 2.5% compared to the fourth quarter, according to the latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. Performance varied widely among regions, with Southwest volume down 21.2% quarterly while Northeast shipments increased 3.6%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lVgmrR
C.H. ROBINSON: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Global freight forwarder C.H. Robinson's first-quarter profit beat Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, helped by new business gains in its global forwarding segment and improved margins in North American surface transportation business . . . President Donald Trump's tariffs, however, have created market uncertainty and a lack of clarity, causing many of C.H. Robinson's customers to adopt a wait-and-see approach until the impact of the tariffs on consumer spending and global demand becomes clear.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iDfFk5
POLL: Via Morning Consult, VERBATIM: “Less than a quarter of U.S. adults in 2025 say corporations or their CEOs should play an active role in communicating their position on political, societal or cultural issues.”
“But as we found in 2024, there’s more support for this type of engagement when the issues up for debate are directly related to businesses’ bottom lines. The typical generational and partisan trends persist in this framing, with left-leaning or younger U.S. adults significantly less likely to oppose any corporate involvement in these issues than their older or Republican counterparts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Sk6lg
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)
TOPLESS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the conviction of a woman who exposed her breasts in a Rochester parking lot in 2021. Olmsted County prosecutors charged Eloisa R. Plancarte with a misdemeanor after Rochester police responded to a complaint about a woman walking around topless near a gas station . . . But the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the term ‘lewdly’ as used in the state’s indecent exposure statute ‘refers to conduct of a sexual nature,’ and that Plancarte had not acted in a sexual manner.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44PkpzP
HEAD START: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump’s proposed budget is expected to eliminate Head Start, the federal program that provides free or low-cost child care to low-income families. Head Start serves 12,000 children in Minnesota, mostly in rural areas, said Kraig Gratke, executive director of the Minnesota Head Start Association. Republicans and Democrats alike have supported Head Start. In 2024, Minnesota U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber and dozens of his Republican colleagues wrote a letter to congressional budget leaders urging them to prioritize funding for Head Start.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jClqjq
HOTEL: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Ever since her husband died far too young in a car accident in 2008, Kelly Olsen’s life goal has been to encourage people to slow down, take a breath, and appreciate the little moments with their loved ones. After all, she knows, those moments aren’t guaranteed. Her passion for prioritizing peace, combined with her background in real estate development, recently led her to her perfect role: developing, designing, and opening the Shoreline Hotel and Cabana Anna’s restaurant right on the shores of Lake Minnetonka.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/430EiSd
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)
PIZZA & BEER: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Another Twin Cities brewery is leaning into the classic combo of pizza and beer. What's happening: Indeed Brewing rolls out a new partnership Thursday with Pizzeria Lola, with an on-site trailer dishing up pies from award-winning chef Ann Kim's popular south Minneapolis restaurant all summer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44MzamX
BEMIDJI: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “After Northern Township issued their notice of intent to incorporate into a city, the Bemidji City Council quickly passed a resolution asking Northern Township to rescind that notice and have the city re-enter wastewater negotiations with the township. At their latest board meeting on Monday, Northern Township announced they will be sending their own letter in response to the city’s resolution. The letter outlines the history of discussions between the city and township regarding annexation, as well as the reasons why the township ‘must decline further negotiations predicated on annexation.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3SdZYF8
CRASHES: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “It may sound like a broken record, but it seems many of still aren't getting the message. ‘We have a problem with speed on our roads, and we need to get that under control.’ That's Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson who says the state is providing extra overtime funding through Labor Day to help troopers, cops and deputies from more than 300 agencies crack down on speeders.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3EAuGW6
SHAKEUP: Via news release from Minneapolis-based Sleep Number, VERBATIM: “Sleep Number Corporation (Nasdaq: SNBR) today announced a series of changes to its Executive Leadership Team, reporting into Linda Findley, President and CEO, aimed to grow and support its near- and long-term strategy. These changes are part of the company’s organizational redesign, creating a more streamlined decision-making process to deliver on efficiency and increased accountability.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4m1otDq
MOVE: Via news release from Minneapolis-based Calabrio, VERBATIM: “Calabrio, the workforce performance company, has appointed Frank Ciccone as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), effective immediately. Ciccone will lead Calabrio's global Sales, Partners and Alliances, and Solutions Engineering groups. Ciccone has over 15 years of experience in customer experience (CX) driving growth, innovation, and transformation across Fortune 1000 and private equity-backed organizations. His appointment is an important step in Calabrio's mission to reignite business momentum in the dynamic contact center market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RFV83v
RENVILLE CTY: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The school board of a rural district in southwest Minnesota voted this week to search for a new superintendent after revelations of a potential $900,000 budget shortfall and alleged financial irregularities. The decision came during a tense meeting [this week] where the school board of the Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian (BOLD) school district voted 3-2 to initiate the search process. Some members of the school board said the community had lost faith in Superintendent Jim Menton, who in March told the board that the district was working with police after allegedly discovering numerous financial irregularities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43aYrpK
OAK PARK HGTS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A state fund created to help cities that are losing a power plant is helping Oak Park Heights pay for design work on a potential future water treatment facility to remove PFAS from the city’s two wells. In 2028, Oak Park Heights will lose its largest taxpayer when Xcel Energy shutters the Allen S. King power plant. The plant, which employs 77 people, provided 27 percent of the city’s tax base — or about $1.5 million — in 2024. … [DEED] this week awarded Oak Park Heights a second Community Energy Transition grant, this one for $374,800, to help pay for plans for the facility.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jXVvm3
BLOOMINGTON: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A new memorial in Bloomington will honor all those who have served our nation. This week, the city approved a veterans memorial to be built in Harrison Park. The design represents all military branches and uses symbolic dog tags honoring veterans. The memorial will feature walking paths and digital storytelling elements, with space for community gatherings and quiet remembrance. The nonprofit Bloomington Remembers Veterans is working with the city to help fundraise for the project.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4k1EeZh
TODAY: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “Former Rochester City Council member Molly Dennis will be appearing in court Thursday morning for her ongoing federal discrimination lawsuit against Mayor Kim Norton and the city. Dennis will be appearing for a pretrial hearing.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42Dlvxf
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
PAYMENTS: Via USDA, VERBATIM: “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced a second round of payments coming this week for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible producers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Gwj32V
FFA: Via Minnesota FFA, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s 96th State FFA Convention began [Monday] at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis with the theme Stand as One. The opening session featured FFA Hall of Fame and Honorary State FFA Degree recognition, and state officer retiring addresses. The session, sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, was preceded by Career Development Events and a reception for FFA alumni and supporters.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cW7XAt
TEACHERS: “More than 20 Minnesota FFA students pledged to become ag teachers during the Minnesota FFA Convention Tuesday. Twenty-two Minnesota FFA members signed with nine universities and technical colleges during a ceremony to demonstrate the students’ intention to join the ranks of teachers who have instructed, coached, and mentored them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cV9l6h
ST PAUL: “For the first time an urban chapter has been named the Premier FFA Chapter in Minnesota. Highland Park Senior High ag teacher and FFA advisor Harley Brown says the St. Paul school launched its FFA chapter ten years ago and has grown into one of the top chapters in the state.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3EFjBmB
Subscribe to other Fluence newsletters: https://fluence-media.co/TheDailyAgenda
EARNINGS: It’s been a busy morning tracking all the Minnesota companies reporting earnings. Via Associated Press:
API: “APi Group Corporation (APG) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $35 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier. On a per-share basis, the New Brighton, Minnesota-based company said it had net income of 11 cents . . . The results surpassed Wall Street expectations . . . The company posted revenue of $1.72 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YUWlrw
DELUXE: “Deluxe Corp. (DLX) on Wednesday reported earnings of $14 million in its first quarter. The Minneapolis-based company said it had net income of 31 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 75 cents per share. The payments and data company posted revenue of $536.5 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44dP8q5
SLEEP NUMBER: “Sleep Number Corp. (SNBR) on Wednesday reported a loss of $8.6 million in its first quarter. On a per-share basis, the Minneapolis-based company said it had a loss of 38 cents. The results fell short of Wall Street expectations . . . The seller of beds, mattresses and bedding products posted revenue of $393.3 million in the period, which beat Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42UlsvH
TENNANT: “Tennant Co. (TNC) on Wednesday reported profit of $13.1 million in its first quarter. On a per-share basis, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 69 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and amortization costs, were $1.12 per share. The maker of products for cleaning floors, parking lots and hospitals posted revenue of $290 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44RwiVY
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
OLE CUP: Via Minne Inno, VERBATIM: “St. Olaf College’s annual student entrepreneurial pitch competition, Ole Cup, awarded first place and a $10,000 prize to a student’s company, called Leafy Goods, that makes leaf-based compostable plates that are touted ‘as gentle on our planet as a leaf falling to the ground.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42WbwBQ
BDAYS: insurance leader Shalin Johnson, Politifact’s Louis Jacobsen, attorney Heidi Silton, organizer Katie Humprhey, veterans advocate John Baker
Fluence Media curates, produces and distributes specialized media products to thought leadership audiences across the Midwest and about the region. Our publications cover, politics, public policy, health care, agriculture, business, real estate, sports and more. Visit www.fluence-media.com to learn more.
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