32% of Americans are “exhausted” with politics. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/3UQQHVu
The new Drought Monitor released this morning and reflecting data as of Tuesday shows a slight improvement with 79% of the state now in drought – that’s down from 84% a week ago. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
Alex Jones’ Infowars has a new owner – The Onion. READ: https://fluence-media.co/48Si0nV
A new TPT documentary looks at the Twin Cities broadcast news rivalries from the 60s to the 80s. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fO9fxs
Today’s 6:20 morning take on WCCO Radio with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hPxVaY
Sign-up for Sports Take a weekly preview of the week ahead published on Thursdays. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/SportsTakeSignUp
Leaders Melissa Hortman and Lisa Demuth on Sunday Take. READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3ABO3Mf
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
JOBS: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “Minnesota's unemployment rate remained at 3.4% in October and for the fourth consecutive month the state's labor force participation rate held steady at 67.7%, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The national unemployment rate also remained steady at 4.1% and Minnesota continues to rank among the top states for labor force participation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3O9xGtB
GENERAL MILLS: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “General Mills said on Thursday it would buy Whitebridge Pet Brands' North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business in a transaction valued at $1.45 billion to broaden its portfolio and strengthen its pet food business. The company is buying the pet business from a European private investment firm NXMH, which will retain Whitebridge Pet Brands' European operations.
General Mills said the deal would help it focus on its core brands such as Cocoa Puffs and Cheerios along with its pet food business to drive steady sales growth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YMlT9C
MEDIA: From Naasir Akailvi via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Wild, Timberwolves and Lynx will have a new streaming home. Diamond Sports Group, which operates FanDuel Sports Network (formerly known as Bally Sports Network), and Prime Video reached a deal that will allow the streamer to air live games on its app.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YOR6cf
IMMIGRATION: From Katelyn Vue and Joey Peters via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “In his second term in the White House, president-elect Donald Trump will likely take a similar approach to immigration as his first, this time with a clearer playbook and more levers of power under his control. It’s hard to know exactly what will happen until he takes office in January, according to local immigration experts. They worry about the potential impact on Minnesota’s immigrant communities — from undocumented immigrants to asylum-seekers to those on work or student visas to green-card holders.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hQiQpi
MORE: From Madison McVan via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “A Trump presidency will likely bring an end to any hopes of Temporary Protected Status for Ecuador. It could also mean that hundreds of thousands of people protected from deportation by TPS and similar programs — including so-called Dreamers here under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — could see their protections expire in 2025 if Trump and his incoming Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem opt not to continue the programs. And some Minnesota Latinos fear Trump’s claims that immigrants are criminals and mentally ill will foster increased racism and harassment from neighbors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Z6dRK4
RED SHIFT: From Cynthia Tu via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Vice President Kamala Harris won Minnesota with 51.1% of the popular vote in last Tuesday’s presidential election, leading President-elect Donald Trump by 4.2 percentage points. Minnesota has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate consistently since the 1976 election. However, Minnesota, along with the majority of the nation, saw a red shift at the top of the 2024 ballot. In Minnesota, Trump decreased the vote margin from a 7.1 percentage point Democratic lead in 2020 to 4.2 points. This is the closest vote margin the Republican party has seen in Minnesota since 2016.” READ/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/40MeBoN
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
RACE: From Tonya Jackson Hampton via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “Minnesota is celebrated as one of the best places to live in the United States . . . Beneath this veneer, however, lies a troubling reality known as the ‘Minnesota Paradox.’ The Minnesota Paradox ‘highlights the stark racial disparities that persist, particularly affecting the Black community,’ says Samuel Myers, Jr., director of the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.” MYERS: “While many residents enjoy opportunities for success and well-being, systemic issues continue to create significant challenges for Black Minnesotans in both educational and economic spheres.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eqbDcQ
MINNEAPOLIS: From Kyle Stokes via Axios, VERBATIM: “Labor union allies believe they'll score a big win for the city's most vulnerable workers on Thursday when the Minneapolis City Council votes on creating a labor standards board. The big picture: The proposal has sparked backlash from Minneapolis' most influential industry groups, who say the board foreshadows a wave of new regulatory burdens on the city's businesses. How it works: If created, the city would empower a board of 15 appointees — five employers, five employees, and five ‘community stakeholders’ — to advise the council on labor regulations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4frTXyD
ST PAUL: From Liz Fedor via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “The First National Bank Building, once a prestige office location in the Upper Midwest, is the most compatible property for conversion to housing in downtown St. Paul. That’s the conclusion of a new study released Wednesday by the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, which hired architectural and design firm Gensler to assess which office buildings could readily be renovated for housing. The Downtown Alliance provided Gensler with 20 properties to examine at a time when vacancy rates are high, and St. Paul’s urban core has been hurt by the pandemic’s work-from-home trend.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fLoAyZ
BRINGING SAFETY TO “THE NEXT LEVEL” - As part of Enbridge’s work on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota, Enbridge has brought in family-owned and Indigenous-owned Northern Lights Family Outfitters to fully outfit project workers right on the job site with personal protective equipment (PPE) from its 48-foot mobile trailer. “Enbridge really brings safety to the next level,” says Patti, a project liaison for Enbridge and the Fond du Lac Band. “It’s really helpful to have a mobile unit, especially for this kind of work. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3OQYmjn (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
NEXT WEEK: From Joe Nelson via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “November 18-22 is winter weather awareness week in Minnesota and what better timing for it considering the National Weather Service could be issuing winter weather alerts in the middle of the week. Nothing is set in stone, but there are strong signals for wintry weather.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fP6tZ5
LIST: US Bancorp, Ameriprise Financial, UnitedHealth Group, SPS Commerce, General Mills, and Fastenal all made Forbes’ best companies list. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3OcUhFq
HISTORY: From Cari Spencer via MPR, VERBATIM: “It was a Friday night in 1964, recalls Greg McMoore. A line of men stretched out the Young Brothers barbershop on Fourth Avenue in south Minneapolis. McMoore was just a kid then, but he could tell they were there for more than just haircuts. He remembers seeing a group head to the backroom and begging his father to let him sneak a glimpse. ‘It was all in fun,’ he reminisced with a laugh. ‘They were back there cooking soul food, playing cards and having a good time in the backroom.’ Now 71, McMoore carries vibrant memories of the southside with him each day — scenes from when it was a bustling and tight-knit middle class African American community. His brain is such a warehouse of southside knowledge he was recruited to help preserve the city’s African American history.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48NZ360
DULUTH: From Ryan Hayes via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The organization ‘Downtown Duluth’ is looking for funding to help support its outreach specialist position. The initiative helps cultivate a positive relationship between businesses and those facing homelessness and addiction in the city. The position was created on the heels of the pandemic in 2022.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/40Ht3yo
DIGI: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Digi International Inc. (DGII) on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $11.9 million. The Hopkins, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 32 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 52 cents per share. The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 50 cents per share. The provider of communication adapters posted revenue of $105.1 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Z3yoia
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TODAY: From Dustin Nelson via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Dayton's Holiday Market is back for its fourth season, opening on Thursday, Nov. 14 in downtown Minneapolis. More than 100 vendors will participate in this year's market at 700 Nicollet Mall, bringing holiday shopping back to the place where, well, holiday shopping used to happen.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3UNTm24
NEXT WEEK: From Isabella Wattenberg via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The New Eyes Festival is produced by Theater Mu, the St. Paul-based theater company that focuses on telling Asian American stories. It’s the theater’s oldest tradition–its inaugural production after being founded in 1993. The play-reading setup might sound simple: the only setup is putting music stands on stage to hold the scripts. But the process for selecting the plays to present is anything but.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3O81zdH
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
HARVEST: Via Successful Farming, VERBATIM: “According to the USDA Crop Progress report for the week ending Nov. 10, the country’s corn harvest progress reached 95% across top growing states. That’s 11 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. With only 5% of the crop unharvested, farmers in the top 18 states have just 3.9 million more acres of corn to harvest.” READ/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/4fG69vm
PAYMENTS: Via farm management analyst Kent Thiesse, VERBATIM: “With the advent of much lower corn and soybean market prices during 2024, together with reduced corn and soybean yields in some areas, many farmers and ag lenders are now wondering what the impact might be on potential farm program payments for corn and soybeans for the 2024 crop year. These payments would not be made until after October 1, 2025; however, it may be beneficial for 2025 cash flow planning purposes to make estimates regarding the potential 2024 farm program payments. Many crop producers in the Midwest were enrolled in the Ag Risk Coverage (ARC-CO) farm program choice on their corn and soybean base acres for the 2024 crop year. There will likely be a wide variation in the potential for 2024 ARC-CO payments from county-to-county, depending on where final 2024 county average yields for corn and soybeans end up.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Z2xFhj
TURKEYS: From Evan Berg via KIMT-TV, VERBATIM: “John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation says it has been an honor to raise the National Thanksgiving Turkey flock on his family farm ahead of President Joe Biden's 2024 Thanksgiving pardon. The flock of 44 birds has been narrowed down to 29 potential candidates, only two of which will be selected for the holiday tradition based on how they can handle crowds and the media attention required.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/40IbTk3
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DULUTH: From Hayley Raatsi via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The City of Duluth is searching for a new city administrator. This comes as David Montgomery plans to retire again. Montgomery previously served as the city administrator for nine years first under former Mayor Don Ness and then Mayor Emily Larson. He accepted the job under Mayor Roger Reinert on an interim basis during Reinert’s first year in office.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fJVcZU
OSSEO: From Corey Bork via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Osseo City Council has approved the hire of an assistant city administrator. The approval, however, didn’t come without passionate discussion at the Nov. 12 council meeting. In a 4-1 vote, the city council approved the hire of Alicia Vickerman, who served on the city council before resigning in July. Tuesday’s meeting included accusations of cronyism. Osseo City Council Member John Hall brought up qualifications for the job and whether the city would pay for her schooling.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3AI7kf0
KOSE: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “With an increased focus on growth as well as a continued emphasis on exceptional client relations, KOSE, an award-winning, Minneapolis-based, digital-first media agency, announces the promotion of Joe King to the role of President.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YPqVC5
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
LE BURGER: From Stephanie March via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “DECEPTIVELY simple. Like a disco wolf in sandwich clothing. That, in a plain wrapper, is Le Burger. Le Burger 4304 is the new fast-casual eatery from Jonathan Gans and Josh Hoyt, opening this Thursday in Linden Hills. Le Burger is what happens when two foodist humans sitting around at their restaurant job start gabbing about how they should one day open a Frenchy burger joint, AND THEY DO IT.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4fszYjm
MINARI: From Jason DeRusha via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “As I walked down 13th Ave. NE to the entrance of the former Erté supper club, the block glowed with a sexy hue of red. Giant sidewalk-to-rooftop windows exposed a bustling dining room, packed to the gills. Minari is here. Opening night on Friday, Nov. 15 is already booked up. Anticipation is always high for a restaurant that’s part of the Daniel del Prado empire, among the likes of Porzana, Martina, and Rosalia.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4fLr5RT
PEACE: From Corey Bork via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Brooklyn Center’s first full-time fire chief, Ron Boman, died on Nov. 2. Boman served Brooklyn Center for 39 years, 31 of those as fire chief.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3O6BY4K
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BDAYS: Axois’ Nick Halter, Ramsey County Attorney spox Dennis Gerhardstein, entrepreneur Angie Bastian
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