The National Police Association this morning asked the DOJ to intervene in Hennepin County’s prosecution of an ICE agent who drew his weapon during an encounter with a protester in Minneapolis. READ: https://fluence-media.co/42QPCQZ
The Haskell’s on Lake Minnetonka in Excelsior caught fire overnight. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42iKXag
82% of retirees say they’re financially comfortable. Only 45% of those not yet retired expect the same. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/4tkXCoh
52% say they’re likely to vote for a Democrat for congress in November – 42% say Republican. 74% are very or somewhat enthusiastic about voting. MARIST: https://fluence-media.co/4d2Cn4o
75% say children born in the U.S. to parents on work visas should get citizenship. When the parents are in the country illegally, Americans are evenly split on granting citizenship. AP/NORC: https://fluence-media.co/4tgnUIg
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WAYMO IS READY FOR MINNESOTA: With 13x fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans, Waymo is already making roads safer in major U.S. cities where we operate — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. We are ready to bring these safety benefits to Minnesota, and look forward to working with the state legislature to pass a law that allows us to provide rides in the state. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/waymo (SPONSORED: Waymo)
Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. FluenceElectionTracker.com
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4f61eqB
Sunday Take was all about the playoffs as sports historian Dan Whenesota and sports take’s Howard Sinker discussed why things feel different in Minnesota. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4w6ZraL
Blois
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Follow the 2026 Minnesota elections up close with the Fluence Election Tracker.
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THE MOOD OF MN
The Minnesota Chamber this morning released results of a statewide poll it says shows “growing financial stress among Minnesotans, increasing pessimism about the state’s economy and rising concern that taxpayers are not getting the same value for what they pay in state taxes and costs that they have in recent years.”
A few slides from the poll results:
See all the poll slides HERE: https://fluence-media.co/42S1SRc
Read the poll memo HERE: https://fluence-media.co/4f1RkpV
BIZ PRIORITIES: Via Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, VERBATIM: “Cutting costs remains finance leaders’ top priority, but growth has moved sharply higher on the agenda, according to the latest U.S. Bank CFO Insights Report. The results of this research are based on a survey conducted between March 19 and April 14 of 1,000 senior finance leaders. The respondents work at U.S. businesses with at least $100 million in annual revenue, and 30% work for a business that generates at least $2 billion. The survey finds that 39% ranked cost cutting as their top priority (up from 33% in mid-2024), while revenue growth rose from seventh to second (31%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f59d7l
ONE MORE SURVEY: Via Hometap, from a survey of small business owners, QUOTE: “78% of respondents say they are concerned about the current economic environment. On trade policy, 55% of millennials say tariffs have caused them to scale back investments, compared to 48% of Gen X and just 34% of baby boomers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tVQr6U
PREDICTION MARKETS: Via Semafor, VERBATIM: “As the Commodity Futures Trading Commission takes a growing number of states to court over prediction markets, Chair Mike Selig is monitoring Minnesota and other states that advance legislation that would ban or regulate them, a person familiar with his thinking told Semafor. Selig, who has so far filed lawsuits against five states that tried to crack down, praised a district judge’s Tuesday decision to block Arizona from suing Kalshi as ‘reaffirm[ing] what we all know: the CFTC has full jurisdiction.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48Jrwev
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)
SCHOOLS
MPS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “As Minneapolis school district leaders grapple once again with a budget deficit in the tens of millions of dollars, attention is expected to swing, at last, to its glut of underused school buildings. Twenty-nine schools, more than half of the district’s building portfolio, sit at less than 70% capacity, leading to calls to ‘right-size’ the school system to give more students access to expansive course offerings. The district also has six buildings that are vacant or not being used for district programming.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wsT0zg
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Duluth Public School District is being forced to make changes after finding that one of their facilities is not in compliance with state guidelines. Duluth Public Schools Area Learning Center in downtown Duluth was found to be out of compliance with multiple state statutes after an in-depth review by the Minnesota Department of Education. That includes the institution’s four-day school week, student attendance, staff licensure and more.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4tlsDsi
ROBBINSDALE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Robbinsdale Area School Board could ask voters to approve a bond request of between $450 million and $515 million this November. If approved, the funds would be used to update existing school buildings and create a single high school. It comes as the district continues to navigate financial struggles due to declining enrollment, aging buildings and an accounting error that previously left the district with a $21 million deficit.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4evRPZk
STATEWIDE: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota legislature rarely agrees on anything. But the Minnesota House of Representatives has unanimously agreed on a bill that proposes a funding increase to school districts across the state. The Minnesota House on Tuesday approved legislation authored by Rep. Spencer Igo, R-District 07A, that would increase distributions from the Permanent School Fund to every one of the 329 public school districts and 181 charter schools and academies in Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4te4xiV
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)
THE CITIES
TOMORROW: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council is expected to ban assault weapons in the city during its Thursday meeting . . . The bill approved by the council would ban certain semi-automatic weapons defined in state law that are commonly known as assault weapons. It includes AK- and AR- variants. The bill would also ban large capacity magazines, binary triggers and ghost guns.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RncpBm
LRT: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “As the Green Line extension to the southwest metro nears completion, Metro Transit is beginning a campaign to get people to ride the trains. Why it matters: Metro Transit is still struggling to win back passengers after the pandemic, as train ridership fell 14% last year and remains well below 2019 levels.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OMwJeR
METRO SURGE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “During the height of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, federal prosecutors charged three dozen people, mostly protesters, with assaulting ICE and Border Patrol agents. The alleged conduct is serious. But the government has dismissed more than a third of the cases after the allegations failed to stand up to scrutiny. Prosecutors are continuing to pursue others, including one case where a judge called the Justice Department’s actions ‘perplexing.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4upxJ7A
NEW HOPE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A former industrial site in New Hope contains a pollutant that poses risk to human health and the environment, according to investigators with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The site, located at 7516 42nd Ave. N., New Hope. used to be occupied by Electronic Industries, a former circuit board manufacturer and metal plating operation. The MPCA said the site tested for elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) in soil, soil vapor and groundwater.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QRvg7y
UPTOWN: Via Southwest Voices, VERBATIM: “The Uptown Art Fair will make its highly anticipated return in 2026, reimagined as ‘Art on the Isles,’ a scenic new setting along Lake of the Isles Parkway, marking a major milestone in the ongoing revitalization of Uptown, according to new Uptown Association Executive Director Stefani Pennaz. After a two-year hiatus, the event returns to Uptown Aug. 7-9, 2026, once again welcoming nationally recognized, juried artists alongside a full weekend of community programming, live entertainment, and local business participation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PmNai4
GRANDMAS RIDE ATVs TOO! Check out Donna’s story - a powerful reminder that ATV riding is about more than trails...it’s about people, community, and connection. Donna’s message reflects what so many riders across Minnesota believe: responsible riding, strong local economies, and protecting access for future generations all go hand in hand. Check out Donna’s story: https://fluence-media.co/4tDeK9r Thank you, Donna, for sharing your story and helping put a face to what “I Ride” truly means. (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
EARNINGS SEASON
BIO-TECHNE: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “[Minneapolis-based] Biotech firm Bio-Techne on Wednesday missed Wall Street estimates for third-quarter revenue, as cuts to U.S. academic funding weighed on demand for its drug-development products . . . Bio-Techne’s quarterly sales came in at $311.4 million, below analysts’ expectations of $317.1 million, according to data compiled by LSEG. Uncertainty due to cuts to U.S. academic funding as well as concerns related to President Donald Trump‘s tariffs have been weighing on the company’s clients.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d97qvt
DELUXE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Deluxe Corp. (DLX) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $35.8 million. The Minneapolis-based company said it had net income of 77 cents per share . . . The results topped Wall Street expectations . . . The payments and data company posted revenue of $538.1 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d9iNDA
SOLVENTUM: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Solventum Corp. (SOLV) on Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings of $13 million. On a per-share basis, the Maplewood, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 7 cents . . . The results surpassed Wall Street expectations . . . The health care company posted revenue of $2.01 billion in the period, which also topped Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tTbneJ
FLINT HILLS FAMILY FESTIVAL: Kick off the summer in downtown Saint Paul with the Flint Hills Family Festival May 29-30, one of the largest and longest-standing events of its kind. The Festival offers free fun for people of all ages in Rice Park and Landmark Plaza, with performances and activities that provide something for everyone, along with world-class shows inside the Ordway for just $8! Now in its 26th year, this year’s Festival lineup includes Cirque Mechanics: TILT!, NOOMA: an opera for babies, and Click Clack Moo! More than one million people have experienced the Festival, including hundreds of thousands of students who have visited on field trips during the Festival’s School Days. Join us this year! LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Family Festival (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
MINING: Via WPXI-TV, VERBATIM: “United States Steel Corp. will invest $1.9 billion at its Arkansas factory to produce direct reduced iron in what the company said will be the first facility of its kind in the United States. Direct reduced iron, whose pellets are gathered and processed at U.S. Steel’s Minnesota mines, is a premium and pure form of iron that takes the place of scrap steel in the electric arc furnace method of steelmaking. The process makes for more efficient steelmaking at its state-of-the-art Big River Steel Works plant in Osceola, Arkansas.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dsvzOR
H.B. FULLER: Via St. Paul-based H.B. Fuller, VERBATIM: “H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE: FUL), the world’s largest pureplay adhesives provider, today announced the establishment of a new Aerospace Manufacturing Center of Excellence—a purpose-built, certified manufacturing and innovation facility designed to accelerate growth across the aviation, space, and defense markets . . . Located in Charlotte, N.C., and expected to open in early 2027, the Aerospace Manufacturing Center of Excellence will consolidate specialized manufacturing, packaging, testing, and quality operations into a single, tightly controlled site engineered specifically to meet stringent aerospace requirements.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uy78W1
DOWNTOWN MPLS: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Linda Cao and Peter Bian—the couple behind Saturday Dumpling Co., which has grown from a pop-up to two brick-and-mortar locations plus a food hall stand in the past few years—are opening a barbecue restaurant in the former Izzy’s Ice Cream space in downtown Minneapolis. Jujube (pronounced ‘joo-joo-bee’), was born of an ‘East-meets-South’ vision, which will meld Texas barbecue traditions with East Asian flavors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48IHntG
GLOBAL TRADE BOLSTERS AG ECONOMIES: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Each year, Minnesota’s exports of corn, ethanol, corn-fed meat, and dried distillers grains (DDGS) alone support over 11,500 jobs and add billions to the state’s economy. They also help ensure that consumers around the world have access to affordable protein and dairy products. In May, during World Trade Month, Minnesota Corn celebrates that important role trade plays in all our lives—in the U.S. and abroad. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dqEqB1 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
WHAT’S NEXT?
NEXT WEEK: Via Minneapolis-based Regis, VERBATIM: “Regis Corporation (NasdaqGM:RGS), a leader in the haircare industry, will issue financial results for the third fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026, before the market opens on May 13, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48MROwh
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
THIS SUMMER: Via ASI, VERBATIM: “The American Swedish Institute museum and cultural center announce its summer 2026 schedule, including a surreal photography exhibition Eyes as Big as Plates, the region’s largest Midsommar celebration, a traditional Swedish Crayfish dinner, and more than 100 programs for all ages.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4drPYnb
BDAYS: lobbyist Cap O’Rourke, New Hope Mayor John Elder
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