Officials in Olmsted County are trying to figure out why some outdoor warning sirens sounded a little after 10:00 last night. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZCYPuL
Minnesota has the 32nd lowest effective real-estate tax rate and the 36th lowest effective vehicle tax rate according to WalletHub. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4alv3kl
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/4rh0hix
Sunday Take featured Rep. Michelle Fischbach and Fluence sponsor Minnesota Corn’s Richard Syverson discussing E15, Congress and Homeland Security. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ayBI9H
Blois
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MINNESOTA POLITICS
SECURITY: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “After the murders of state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband last summer, members of Congress received a boost in the amount of money they can use for security. That amount was increased again last summer. Now, U.S. House members have access to $140,000 each year to pay for personal security details, security systems on their homes and other forms of protection. But with escalating threats and increased dangers of physical attacks, that’s not enough money for some lawmakers, including Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd District, and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-5th District. So these Minnesota lawmakers, and others, are tapping their campaign accounts in efforts to bolster their safety.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4c0Ick8
RENT STRIKE: Via Twin Cities Tenants, VERBATIM: “Today labor and tenant unions in Minneapolis and St. Paul announced a March 1 rent strike drive, calling on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to immediately declare an eviction moratorium, and the state legislature to establish a $50 million rent relief fund . . . Following decisions by their executive teams, these unions are actively organizing their membership towards the March 1 rent strike. Take Action Minnesota has committed 1,500 of their members, mostly parents and teachers, to take the strike pledge, and Unidos Minnesota is moving the pledge to its 8,000 members.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46SE1Di
SESSION BEGINS: DFL caucus leader Rep. Zack Stephenson talked about the beginning of the legislative session this morning on WCCO-Radio. He talked about returning after the loss of Melissa Hortman, the increased security at the capitol, efforts to combat fraud and what he says was a setback for that effort. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qGLOvi
From MNHouseInfo via YouTube, a look at this state capitol building on this first day of the session:
BONDING: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Sen. Susan Pha (DFL-Brooklyn Park) outlined her priorities for the upcoming legislative session in an interview with CCX News this week. Sen. Pha focused on bonding support for local projects across her district . . . Pha highlighted one bonding bill hopeful in each of her three cities, which includes Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center and Osseo.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4aACK4P
EDUCATION: Via Ed Allies, VERBATIM: “It feels like we say this every year, but the 2026 legislative session is shaping up to be a doozy. Several dynamics at play, including a major election year, a non-budget year with a deficit on the horizon, and more national attention on Minnesota than potentially ever before, are making this year one to watch. No matter what the legislative or electoral dynamics, however, the major issues facing our education system remain. From the attendance crisis to persistent gaps in academic opportunity and achievement, the need to take bold action for kids is as urgent as ever.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MzuABO
SD11: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A former Kettle River city councilor is running for Minnesota State Senate. Monique Doward announced her campaign on Monday for District 11, which includes parts of Carlton, Kanabec, Pine, Chisago and St. Louis counties . . . This sets up an August primary on the DFL side, as Willow River School Board Chair Mary Carlson is also running for District 11.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aCXid9
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)
MN + DC
BUS TO DC: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Salah Mohamed was 21 the first time he visited Washington D.C. It was 2003, and he arrived on a bus full of Minnesotans traveling to the nation’s capital to protest the Iraq War. The second time was last week, when he sat across the table from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to plead for accountability for the behavior of immigration agents in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge . . . The Rochester imam joined dozens of other Minnesotans in D.C. to call for the end of Operation Metro Surge, the defunding of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, justice for the people killed and abused by federal agents and help for small businesses impacted by the surge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46WOP3k
ICE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The idea of abolishing ICE, which surfaced during Trump’s first term, is again gaining steam among progressives in response to the aggressive tactics used by agents in Minneapolis. But Democrats are far from united on whether ICE should be abolished. Concerns about border security helped deliver Trump a second term, and some worry Republicans could try to tie all Democrats to the slogan much as they did with ‘defund the police.’ ‘The Republicans have been able to weaponize these kinds of slogans before and make it seem like all Democrats think that there should not be any immigration enforcement,’ said Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president of the centrist think tank Third Way.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qFgJYQ
AGENT SHOOTINGS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration’s rush to declare Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti at fault for instigating violence was quickly undercut by a barrage of viral videos. But a New York Times review of the other shootings found that similar claims by officials fell apart more quietly when the cases went to court. In four of the shootings where prosecutors brought assault or other charges, including against Mr. Brown, the cases fizzled after evidence emerged that contradicted the administration’s initial description of events. The charges were either dismissed or prosecutors dropped the case. Charges against six other people who were shot at by immigration agents are pending. Five of the defendants have denied aspects of the D.H.S. accusations or presented differing accounts in court. Two cases are going to trial in April.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40ddmgK
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 AFTERMATH
CHURCH PROTESTS: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “When Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Todd Gollihare introduced a bill last year to strengthen state law protecting places of worship from protesters, it stalled. This year, his church protest bill sailed through the legislature. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed it into law three days after Gollihare reintroduced it. In recent weeks, Republican and Democratic lawmakers in states including Alabama, Idaho, Ohio and South Dakota have pushed legislation (none has passed yet) that would increase the penalties for disrupting religious services at houses of worship in the wake of a widely publicized incident last month at a Minnesota church.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40g64sG
BUSINESS IMPACTS: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “A day before the session starts, some Minneapolis business leaders held a meeting Monday and discussed plans to ask the state for help. ‘The hospitality industry has been the heaviest hit,’ said Adam Duininck, the President and CEO of Minneapolis Downtown Council. He says some restaurants and hotels are reporting a more than 50% drop in revenue, and others have closed altogether. He also described convention cancellations and workforce shortages due to the months-long federal immigration activity.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ajR7Mc
MN GOP: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Republicans have defended their decision to welcome social media influencers, including the MAGA-aligned content creator Nick Shirley, into the state to highlight the issue of fraud in Minnesota’s child care programs.
What followed was a weeks-long federal immigration enforcement surge that led to upheaval in and around Minneapolis, thousands of arrests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens . . . GOP candidates in the state could face repercussions ahead of the midterm elections.” QUOTE: “Immigration definitely overshadows fraud,” said Kathryn Pearson, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. “It has backfired on Minnesota Republicans, I think, in several ways.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qzZecd
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students 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, Paulie; 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 Pine Bend refinery)
MONEY & BUSINESS
PRIVATE EQUITY: Twin Cities Business looks at the recent closure and bankruptcy of Minnesota Rusco and why private equity firms are so interested in home services businesses. READ: https://fluence-media.co/46xfDav
DRIVE-THROUGHS: Via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “No, St. Paul’s drive-through eateries and pharmacies aren’t going away anytime soon, but a compromise proposal before the St. Paul City Council this month would further regulate them. The compromise comes more than a year after a proposed ban on new drive-throughs was put on hold. The Capital City’s many drive-throughs have been the subject of discussion and consternation for years, with the issue coming to a head between about 2017 and 2022 when a notorious Starbucks drive-through off Snelling Avenue was blamed for heavy traffic backups into Marshall Avenue’s driving and bicycle lanes alike.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bZFafY
ENERGY BILLS: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “Hibbing Public Utilities customers will not see higher energy bills following Winter Storm Fern, despite extreme volatility in national natural gas and electricity markets during the late-January cold snap. Winter Storm Fern refers to the expansive winter storm that brought catastrophic ice, snow, and cold weather across a vast stretch of the United States from January 23—27.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tHgb7i
EARNINGS: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Medtronic surpassed Wall Street expectations for third-quarter profit and revenue on Tuesday, buoyed by strong demand for its heart devices. But shares of the company were down 2.9% in premarket trading after it maintained its fiscal 2026 adjusted per share profit forecast at $5.62 to $5.66.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kLUBe8
EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Otter Tail Corp. (OTTR) on Monday reported profit of $51.8 million in its fourth quarter. The Fergus Falls, Minnesota-based company said it had net income of $1.23 per share. The power company and manufacturer posted revenue of $308.1 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4as0Cri
GUIDANCE: Via Investing, VERBATIM: “[New Brighton-based] APi Group Corporation (NYSE:APG) shares were down 0.6%, in-line with the S&P 500’s decline of 0.6%, Tuesday morning after the company provided an update on its expected 2025 performance and initial guidance for 2026 that largely aligned with Wall Street expectations. The company announced 2026 revenue guidance of $8.40 billion to $8.60 billion, compared to analyst estimates of $8.47 billion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rPQhww
ACQUISITION: Via Massachusetts-based Vanguard, VERBATIM: “Vanguard Renewables, a national leader in organics recycling and renewable energy production, today announced the acquisition of E-Z Recycling, a Minnesota-based food and beverage waste recycling company.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cvcxHx
PROMOTION: Via St. Paul-based Securian, VERBATIM: “Securian Financial today announced that Kent Peterson has been promoted to senior vice president for Institutional Retirement Solutions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Od5Z6z
WHAT’S NEXT?
TODAY: Ramadan begins this evening. Via Sahan Journal, a list of events. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4kBrqKo
TOMORROW: Via Save the Boundary Waters, VERBATIM: “Save the Boundary Waters will host a press conference featuring U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Ron Monson, National Board Chair of Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, Jason Zabokrtsky, owner and operator of Ely Outfitting Company and member of the Boundary Waters Business Coalition, State Senator Steve Cwodzinski, State Representative Liish Kozlowski, and State Representative Alex Falconer, ahead of the U.S. Senate vote on HJ Res 140, which aims to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke Public Land Order 7917.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rxZHgg
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
THEATER: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “There is a specific, haunting frequency to a Tennessee Williams play, a vibration that sits somewhere between a sob and a prayer. At Theater Latté Da, currently inhabiting the intimate confines of The Ritz Theater, that frequency has been tuned to a piercing clarity. By popular demand, this luminous production has been extended through March 8, and if you have even a passing interest in the alchemy of Twin Cities theater, you simply cannot miss it.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aTgwwq
BDAYS: Rep. Mike Howard, health care pro Megan Koepke, media prof Scott Libin, Anoka County’s Julie Braastad, critic Ross Raihala, liquor store guy Phil Colich, attorney David Gollin
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