Freezing rain made for icy roads, leading to many closures across southern Minnesota. Bring Me The News has a good overview. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Ncot6o
Think the roads look fine? Here’s the view from a plow cam on US 59 near Slayton this morning:
Looks fine, but it’s not – MnDOT had just closed the highway because it was too dangerous for travel.
Keep an eye on MnDOT’s road conditions map HERE: https://fluence-media.co/4b1kDXC
88% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas – that includes 77% of non-Christians. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/4qoiAl3
From Morning Consult, a look back at media consumption in 2025. One of the key takeaways: “political crises blare.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3Y1CYMQ
RIP 2nd Wind founder and TV commercial star Dick Enrico.
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Rena Sarginopolous. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3LfOrW2
Sunday Take featured Rep. Kelly Morrison discussing her first year in Congress and her priorities for 2026. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/49463vT
Health Care will remain a top issue into 2026, the State of Health Care Fluence Forum panels from last week are now available in podcast form. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/FluenceForumPodcast
Last night in MNSider Fluence Brief – What does President Trump saying “Mike Lindell deserves to be Governor” mean to the GOP race. READ: https://fluence-media.co/48R7fnM
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com ? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
FIRST…
SCHNELL: From the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association this morning, announcing a “no confidence” vote regarding Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell. VERBATIM: “The non-partisan, elected sheriffs of Minnesota met to discuss the ongoing issues and operational challenges related to their interactions with the State of Minnesota’s Department of Corrections (DOC), Jail Inspection and Enforcement Unit, and specifically with the DOC’s leadership. The DOC is responsible for the inspection and licensing of Minnesota Jails as has been the practice for decades. However, in recent years the DOC has begun a pattern of interpreting the law and taking enforcement actions based on whim rather than rule.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b4vNLf
LEGISLATIVE PUSHBACK…
GUSTAFSON: Via statement from Sen. Heather Gustafson, QUOTE: “It has been 228 days since the Minnesota Senate passed my bipartisan, independent Office of Inspector General bill. I appreciate Governor Walz’s recent efforts to establish an Office of Inspector General Coordinating Council, and this is a fair step while this legislature is not in session, but coordination is not a substitute for independence. Minnesotans want permanent oversight regardless of who occupies the governor’s office. To rebuild public trust, independent oversight must be written into law. The Senate has done the work. Once we return to session it’s time for Speaker Demuth to pass the independent Office of Inspector General and for Governor Walz to sign it into law.”
WHY?: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota leaders are set to introduce and share more about the new committee tasked with cutting fraud out of state programs. Gov. Tim Walz created the Office of Inspector General Coordinating Council (OIGCC) through executive action in September to help state agencies collaborate and share information in the fight to stop fraud. Per his order, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans will chair the council, which will also include representatives from each state agency’s inspector general’s office and members of the BCA’s financial crimes unit, Minnesota Management and Budget’s accountability team, and the Minnesota Department of Administration grants management group.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4saiijp
TENSION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Tensions have been simmering for months between the governor, who is defending his leadership as he runs for re-election, and the prosecutor who has made himself the face of the investigation into state-run programs. … Federal officials are visibly frustrated with the state’s failure to protect taxpayer funds, [but] state officials are seemingly frustrated that federal prosecutors won’t share details about suspected fraudsters that would allow them to block additional payments to bad actors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qgHFy5
BIG CITIES…
ST PAUL: Via Axios this morning, a pair of stories about those moving into and out of the mayor’s office:
HER: “Mayor-elect Kaohly Her has been on a whirlwind tour of St. Paul in recent weeks, popping in almost everywhere — schools, libraries, rec centers and even a construction site — as she prepares to take office next month. Why it matters: Her stunned two-term incumbent Melvin Carter by arguing his administration had become disengaged and unresponsive. Now, Her is working to connect with key constituencies she said Carter increasingly ignored.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qs31Jb
CARTER: “Outgoing St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter isn’t ruling out a future bid for elected office — but ‘doubts’ he’ll be running ‘anytime soon,’ he told Axios in an exit interview . . . Why Carter thinks he lost: For starters, July’s crippling cyberattack prevented Carter from pivoting into campaign mode by August, as he said he originally planned . . . Carter also acknowledged Her’s central argument — that his administration was disengaged, unresponsive, and beset by malaise — was ‘successful.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4anoVbI
OVER IN MPLS: Retiring Minneapolis City Council member Andrea Jenkins describes her time in office as “tumultuous” in an interview with MPR and why she’s looking forward to focusing on writing, poetry, and family. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4p5D9S0
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)
COMMERCE
LIST: Cargill tops Forbes’ list of “America’s Top Private Companies.” We spotted six more from Minnesota on the list. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3YFFEjf
SOUTH DAKOTA: Via South Dakota Searchlight, what happened after Minnesota founded CJ Schwan’s was recruited to South Dakota. VERBATIM: “Steve Westra was South Dakota’s commissioner of economic development four years ago when the office first agreed to provide financial assistance for a CJ Schwan’s company project. After leaving state government, he’s now a vice president for the company, which has benefited from state grant and loan approvals totaling $69 million. All the while, the chairman of the state board that approved some of the aid, Jeff Erickson, has also been a member of the CJ Schwan’s board of directors. The state funding is helping CJ Schwan’s with the construction of a $550 million food production plant in Sioux Falls that will have an estimated 600 employees.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MNTTzY
SPINOFF: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “MiniMed Group, a subsidiary of Medtronic, is looking to spin itself off as an independent company via an initial public offering. The company, which makes medical technology for diabetes patients, filed to go public with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. It did not say how many shares it would offer or at what price.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49oCpms
RETAIL: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “In this holiday shopping season, small businesses are doing what they can to bring in customers. ‘It’s hard competing with big box stores,’ said Connie Sauer, owner of Mainstream Boutique in Golden Valley. ‘It is, for sure, hard.’ Mainstream Boutique is a small women’s clothing store. It has locations all over the U.S., but Sauer bought the Golden Valley franchise along with her daughter, Alaina, in 2019.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3LaUn2C
FINANCE: Via Minnesota-based Wealth Enhancement, VERBATIM: “Wealth Enhancement, a national independent wealth management firm dedicated to enriching clients’ lives, announced it will acquire Dent Wealth Advisors, an independent RIA in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/494PmAt
MANUFACTURING: Via Winona-based Fastenal, VERBATIM: “Fastenal Company (Nasdaq: FAST) announced today that Daniel L. Florness communicated to the Board of Directors on December 19, 2025 his decision to step out of his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fastenal on July 16, 2026. On December 19, 2025, Fastenal’s Board appointed Jeffery M. Watts, Fastenal’s current President and Chief Sales Officer, to succeed Mr. Florness as Fastenal’s CEO effective as of July 16, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jfWjng
BANKING: Via Oakdale-based Platinum, VERBATIM: “Platinum Bank announced today that Nicole Sever has been selected as President, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Sever, who currently serves as the bank’s Chief Sales Officer, will succeed David Faust. Faust, having served over nine years as President and CEO, grew the organization from $150 to $710 million in assets.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MHqMhT
IT: Via Eden Prairie-based FORTÉ, VERBATIM: “FORTÉ, formerly AVI Systems, today announced that Josh Braun has been promoted to Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective immediately. Braun becomes FORTÉ’s first-ever CIO, reflecting the company’s increasing emphasis on technology, security, and infrastructure as essential drivers of growth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qhqKeN
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)
CHILLY STUFF
SNOW BIZ: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “When your business is dependent on the snow, the more of it the better. That’s the case for Heinen Motorsports in Osseo, where cash registers got a big boost from early winter snowfall. Sales associate Jordan Deutscher said his store has sold 60 snowmobiles so far this season, a 50 percent increase from this time last year when snow wasn’t as plentiful.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/493R4Ci
ENVIRONMENT
LANDFILL: Via MPCA, VERBATIM: “Operators of a Shakopee-area landfill are proposing a change to begin accepting municipal solid waste (MSW). Dem-Con proposes to convert approximately 2.2 million cubic yards of permitted construction and demolition (C&D) space near Shakopee so it can accept municipal solid waste over an 81-acre area. Converting this area into an MSW landfill of this size requires the project to go through the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is preparing a draft EIS for the proposed landfill conversion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MMftF6
WATER: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “With jars of well water in hand and concerns about what might be inside them, residents from across southern Minnesota gathered in Fairmont this month to answer a question many private well owners hadn’t ever bothered to ask: Is our water safe? . . . Recent research from Mayo Clinic shows a significant reliance on well water use in the Midwest and unanimous support for the need for further well water testing information and resources for patients and their clinicians.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4apdXm3
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE: Flint Hills Resources was just awarded the 2025 Large Business of the Year award from the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce at their annual Business Excellence Awards celebration. The award celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesses that exemplify the thriving and growing spirit of Dakota County. The businesses honored make an impact and contribute to the continued success of our community. LEARN MORE: About the Pine Bend refinery. (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
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)
ICE IN MN
PARKING LOTS: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “The City of Saint Paul has issued a formal cease-and-desist letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to stop the unauthorized use of city-owned parking lots for federal immigration enforcement operations. City officials said federal agents used parking lots at parks and recreation centers on two occasions to stage vehicles and personnel without the city’s consent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qmMgz1
MOSQUES: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Dozens of worshippers piled into Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Cedar-Riverside on a recent Friday afternoon like they do at the end of every week. Imam Asad Zaman said he’s seen no discernable decrease in attendance at his mosque, Al-Rahman in Bloomington, where Somali congregants make up about a third of the attendance. But there have been unsettling signs that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric criticizing Somali Minnesotans is impacting mosques across the Twin Cities: The first Friday of the federal enforcement, organizations like the Immigrant Defense Network put out calls for citizen witnesses to show up at mosques because community members were reporting a heightened sense of fear.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48P7Kyy
WHAT’S NEXT?
WED/THURS: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Thankfully, many people are getting a couple of days off on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. However, there are still lots of businesses open, including gas stations and some retailers that have special hours to help with your last-minute shopping.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4pbtx8H
NEXT WEEK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The long-awaited finale to the hit Netflix show ‘Stranger Things’ is happening later this month and die-hard fans will have the opportunity to watch it on the big screen. Emagine Willow Creek in Plymouth is one of eight movie theaters in the Twin Cities that will welcome fans on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to watch the two-hour finale.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j5tUzW
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
KID-FRIENDLY: Via Eater, VERBATIM: “The Twin Cities are full of restaurants (and breweries) serving delicious food for both adults and kids. Some places even provide spaces for children to play in between bites of mac and cheese, chicken tenders, or slices of pizza. These nine spots are ideal family-friendly spaces for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.” LIST/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/4sauLUe
BDAYS: teacher Mark Wesfpfahl, PA guy Pat Rosenstiel and belated to fmr. SOS Mark Ritchie, media guy Kyle Shiely, labor comms guy Chris Shields, journalist Julio Ojeda-Zapata, DFL fundraiser Kristen McMullen, big thinker Erin Dady, Star Tribune’s Briana Bierschbach, DPS spox Howie Padilla, lobbyist Amy Walstein, MN Hospital’s Lou Ann Olson
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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