PRIMARY EVE
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is tracking a slight risk of severe storms tonight in the southwest corner of the state. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4za9H3I
Several organizations are working to document the impact of Operation Metro Surge and they’re looking for the public’s help. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4weLCGp
ZIP codes in Duluth and St. Paul made Realtor.com’s list of the “hottest” in America. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4g3wYLZ
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Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4wSUv9H
Sunday Take featured a deep dive into the August primaries, the highs and lows of each candidate and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gm1n9B
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MONDAY FEED
LIST: Minnesota is the 8th best state to live in according to WalletHub – we scored high for education and health – not so much for economy and safety. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3bZMxr1
SALMONELLA: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Sunday that the peppers in question made their way into grocery stores. The recalled peppers and associated products were distributed by Taylor Fresh Foods and have “best if used by” dates up to Aug. 16, 2026. While the full report from the FDA and CDC says impacted retailers include Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, and Trader Joe’s, the only chain that received the products in Minnesota is Walmart.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q8IqKY
MAGNETS: Minneapolis-based Niron is a big recipient of federal funding first reported in morning take. VERBATIM: “Niron Magnetics, the company commercializing the world’s first rare-earth-free Iron Nitride permanent magnets, today announced a conditional commitment from the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) for a direct loan of up to $150 million with a 20-year term to support construction and equipment for the company’s advanced manufacturing plant in Sartell, Minnesota. The financing would accelerate domestic production of Niron’s proprietary Iron Nitride permanent magnets, which do not require rare earth materials, and would expand domestic production of advanced permanent magnets.” READ: NIRON RELEASE | PENTAGON RELEASE
MORE: GlobalData reports the Niron funding is part of a $2 billion federal boost to domestic mining. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4zgnRR1
REACTION: From Rep. Pete Stauber via Facebook, VERBATIM: “This is a huge win for domestic manufacturing and our national security. $150M for Niron Magnetics to build a plant right here in Minnesota, producing 1,500 tons of rare earth-free magnets per year using American iron, nitrogen, and union labor. Securing our supply chain starts at home!” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4wfhV89
MORE: From Rep. Tom Emmer via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Niron Magnetics is helping Minnesota lead the way in manufacturing to support our national security. Today’s announcement will help Niron create over 100 high-quality jobs in Sartell, helping Minnesota’s economy grow and thrive. It’s great to see companies in our own backyard powering our economy and supporting our military.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4wWSqts
DULUTH: Via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “The city of Duluth may propose banning short-term vacation rentals in single-family homes. In a Thursday evening presentation to the Duluth City Council, Duluth Fire Department Deputy Chief Jon Otis said single-family homes, often quite old, are not commercial properties and are not safe for transient use. The move would also keep more housing stock from turning into vacation rentals made available through companies like Airbnb and Vrbo, Otis said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q7AedT
MPD: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “As Minneapolis leaders start the city’s budgeting process for 2027, Mayor Jacob Frey said he’s taking a close look at the police department after it overspent by millions of dollars in the past two years. But Frey said the answer isn’t spending less money — it’s budgeting for the spending. The police department anticipates coming in $23 million over budget this year, after similar overspending in 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4z6PU54
SURVEYS: Via Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans, VERBATIM: “The Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans released the first findings today from the 2025 Minnesota LGBTQIA2S+ Community Needs Assessment. The Summary Report presents results from the most extensive study of LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans to date. The report includes findings from the adult and parent/caregiver surveys, which were conducted between March and December 2025 and received 7,304 responses combined. The assessment is the first comprehensive LGBTQIA2S+ study conducted by the State of Minnesota since 1995, and to our knowledge, the largest state-run LGBTQIA2S+ needs assessment in the country.” REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4g0DGlR
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)
2026 PRIMARIES
TODAY: Via MIRAC, VERBATIM: “TODAY on Monday, August 10, at 5:30 p.m., the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) will lead a ‘Know Before You Vote: Demand a Sanctuary State’ rally outside the Downtown offices of Senator Amy Klobuchar (701 4th Ave. S., Minneapolis). MIRAC has asked all Minnesota gubernatorial candidates to respond to their Sanctuary State demands, which include banning collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE, keeping ICE out of sensitive locations and off state property, outlawing secret police, defending protestors against political repression, providing legal and financial support for ICE victims, prosecuting agents who have violated the law, and implementing an eviction moratorium (see end of this release for full demands).”
SENATE: Via Jewish Insider, VERBATIM: “In an echo of Michigan, the bitter Democratic primary for an open Senate seat in battleground Minnesota this week is pitting a moderate House member with a long-standing pro-Israel record, Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), against an outspoken progressive, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, whose attack lines have frequently centered on AIPAC, which spent over $30 million in its unsuccessful effort to help [Michigan Senate candidate Rep. Haley] Stevens . . . But unlike Michigan, where [Abdul] El-Sayed claimed the nomination by less than one point after polls had suggested a double-digit blowout, the Minnesota matchup has been seen as neck-and-neck, the outcome of which is hard to predict, experts say. Recent independent surveys have shown a statistical dead heat in the final weeks of the primary, with each candidate garnering around 40% of the vote.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xwIqXF
MORE: Via news release from the Craig campaign, VERBATIM: “Following a new report that Lt. Governor Flanagan wrote an AIPAC position paper, Congresswoman Angie Craig called out Flanagan’s record of hypocrisy. According to Jewish Insider, Flanagan submitted the paper to AIPAC. This comes after the Star Tribune reported that Flanagan met with AIPAC more than once during her Senate campaign. Flanagan’s biggest backer, the Democratic Lt. Governor’s Association’s PAC has been closely linked to AIPAC. Her current criticisms contradict what she was doing just a year ago as a Senate candidate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wcC3aJ
NATIONAL COVERAGE: The New York Times frames Minnesota’s U.S. Senate DFL primary as a race between moderate and left and The Wall Street Journal on how fraud is impacting the 2026 primaries in Minnesota. READ: NYTIMES | WSJ
RACES TO WATCH: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Competitive primaries for U.S. Senate and governor have dominated the headlines and airwaves in the leadup to Minnesota’s Aug. 11 primaries. But voters across the state will weigh in on a slew of other consequential races Tuesday. Why it matters: The outcomes of these lower-profile contests could shape everything from criminal justice in Hennepin County to who wields power at the State Capitol.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qcEvwO
NOTE: morning take highlighted six legislative primaries worth watching considering the mood of anti-incumbents. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3TE8qlk
LOGISTICS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Polls open at 7 a.m. and are open until 8 p.m. or as long as voters in line by the time polls are supposed to close. Minnesota has an open primary, which means voters don’t have to be a strict partisan to participate. But for a ballot to count, only vote in one party’s primaries on a single ballot.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4bEV923
CONTEXT: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The primaries come a week after Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s divisive and costly U.S. Senate primary. El-Sayed’s victory has energized the left while stoking fears among Democratic Party leaders that the shift to the left, particularly in battleground states like Michigan and Wisconsin, will make it more difficult to win in November.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g3tQjd
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)
WATER MATTERS
LAKE LEVELS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Recent weeks of below-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures have caused water levels in many lakes to fall, frustrating property owners and cutting into boating, fishing and swimming during the height of summer. Lake levels around the state are low, but the steepest drops are in northeast and north-central Minnesota. Some lakes in Cass and Hubbard counties are up to 4 feet lower than 2020.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RUHihq
NOTE: The next weekly Drought Monitor is out Thursday – watch for it here. Last week’s showed 70% of the state in drought, 34% severe drought. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3zN8TDo
BEACHES: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Officials with the Minneapolis Park Board say they had to close six beaches at lakes in the city for various reasons. Three of those closed beaches are at Cedar Lake, which is affected by blue algae . . . The other beaches that are closed are at Lake Bde Maka Ska Park, and Lake Hiawatha. Those closures are because of elevated e-coli levels.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wjq6QK
COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS: Flint Hills Resources is celebrating summer with thousands of Minnesotans at local festivals and parades. Look for Flint Hills employees – along with their families and friends – as they show their hometown pride at many local celebrations, including Rosemount Leprechaun Days, Hastings Rivertown Days, Inver Grove Heights Days and Saint Paul’s Lowertown Sounds. For decades, Flint Hills Resources has supported programs, organizations and events that improve our quality of life in our communities. LEARN MORE: Community Partnerships (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
MINNEAPOLIS: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Eat Street recently gained a brunch spot by day/sober bar by evening called Wishi Co., located at the former 8 Street Nourish location. Vincent Vo, one of the cafe’s owners, says he wanted to bring a sober bar option to the area after the rise in popularity of mocktails following the pandemic.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fRdifC
WATERFRONT: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “From lakeside patios to riverfront restaurants, eat by the water in the metro or at spots just a quick drive away.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4bGIATX
MOVIES: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “When ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ swung into movie theaters in late July, it didn’t just perform—it made history. Leaping past all previous estimates, the web-slinger generated a massive $360 million in its opening weekend, taking the crown for the largest domestic box office debut of all time.” QUOTE: “The tracking leading up to the weekend was underestimating what we were about to see,” said Tim Holly, the director of creative for Emagine Entertainment, which runs Plymouth’s Emagine Willow Creek. “We were kind of blown away by the response—just selling out show after show after show.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4go7vOB
MEDIA: Via RSN, VERBATIM: “REAL Shows Network (RSN), the national TV platform dedicated to elevating real estate and lifestyle storytelling, has added Lake Superior Living, a new locally hosted series in Duluth, MN, to its lineup. The Duluth real estate and lifestyle TV series is hosted by local real estate leader Alicia Lokke and produced by RSN’s Emmy-nominated, Telly Award-winning team.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S6maVg
EXCELSIOR: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “On Excelsior’s Water Street, Serifina 2 has settled into its niche: a boutique built on the idea that nothing is quite finished until it’s personalized. Owner Kelly Harrington is no stranger to the concept. The jewelry designer behind Love Kelly Harrington and former co-owner of Clubhouse 366 first introduced Serifina as a monogram shop at 50th & France. That version, which closed in 2012, skewed more classic and traditional.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TMFsQk
WHAT’S NEXT?
WEDNESDAY: Via Park Dental, VERBATIM: “Park Dental Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: PARK), a leading dental resource organization, today announced that it will report its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 after market close on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vKm5Vk
THURSDAY: Via Minnetonka-based Stratasys, VERBATIM: “Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS) will release financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, on Thursday, August 13, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yUtMuW
SATURDAY: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Northeast Minneapolis brewery Bauhaus Brew Labs taproom, closed at the end of June, will host its grand reopening on Saturday, Aug. 15. This reopening comes after Bauhaus was acquired by ABV Technology, a St. Paul company that primarily focuses on making non-alcoholic beer, wine, and cider.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45mGNQf
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
GUTHRIE: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “On Sunday, August 30, the iconic Twin Cities institution will host a free Open House: 20 Years on the River, a free, family-friendly event celebrating 20 years in its landmark riverfront facility in the historic Mill District.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4weWmEv
BDAYS: Flint Hills’ Jake Reint, lobbyist Charlie Carlson, House DFLer Mike Molzahn, Fairview’s Natasha Orrick
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