A domestic incident led to an officer-involved shooting near Albert Lea. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45PdK9g
The Twin Cities ranks 14th – roughly the middle of the pack – on WalletHub’s list of cities with the biggest inflation problems. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3znuM0n
From stacks of papers to stacks of snacks – a photographer documented the Legislature’s late-night special session. PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/3Hv6JAC
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3SPe5Bj
All four legislative leaders — Speaker Lisa Demuth, Rep. Melissa Hortman, Sen. Erin Murphy and Sen. Mark Johnson — were guests on Sunday Take to discuss the latest developments in the Capitol. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3HLdCxv
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
ICE CREAM: Via Bloomberg, VERBATIM: “General Mills Inc. (GIS) is considering selling its Häagen-Dazs ice-cream stores in China, according to people familiar with the situation, as the US food company faces challenges with sales in the country. Minnesota-based General Mills is working with an adviser on the potential disposal — a process that could begin this year, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. It may seek several hundred million dollars for the assets, the people said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FKZLH8
MORE: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “General Mills has been undergoing a restructuring and said last month that it would record a charge of about $70 million in its current quarter. The restructuring efforts, estimated at around $130 million, are expected to be completed by the end of its fiscal year 2028. Packaged food companies including McCormick, General Mills and Conagra Brands have faced slowing demand as sticky inflation has compelled budget-conscious customers to hunt for value even for essential items such as groceries.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43CaDQK
PROPERTY TAX: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans shouldn’t be too surprised when the budget cuts being made at the capitols in St. Paul and Washington, D.C., result in increases on their property tax bills. County and city leaders face an uncertain long-term budget outlook and will soon need to make tough choices about how much to raise taxes or what services to cut. Property taxes are the only way local governments can raise revenue without the backing of the Legislature.” QUOTE: “We’ve got a budget storm coming,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde, who noted that crafting next year’s budget will be challenging and program cuts may be needed. “I feel like this is going to be an ugly budget season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TjBCdH
TAX CREDITS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Clean energy tax credits would shrink drastically in a sweeping tax cut and spending bill that was passed last month by the U.S. House and is now before the Senate. In Minnesota, those incentives have spurred new solar and wind projects and created thousands of jobs in clean energy development and manufacturing. The Trump administration’s so-called ‘big, beautiful bill’ is sparking fears that rapidly phasing out those credits could severely curtail Minnesota's burgeoning clean energy sector.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Hv8UUO
LOS ANGELES: Via news release from the Attorney General’s office, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in releasing the following statement condemning the Trump administration for unlawfully deploying the California National Guard against protestors in California, without coordination with state leadership.” QUOTE: “As the chief legal officers of our states, we are proud to help protect our communities and oppose violence in any form. We support Attorney General Bonta in his challenge to the Trump administration’s illegal conduct. We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk — including those of our law-enforcement officers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ThLkgH
2020: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “As he responded to scrutiny about his administration's response to civil unrest in California, President Donald Trump resurrected a lie about his actions during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis as he took a swipe at Gov. Tim Walz . . . When asked Tuesday about the decision to send in the National Guard, President Trump repeated a lie about his actions during the protests and riots that broke out in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, falsely claiming that it was he – and not Gov. Tim Walz – who called in the National Guard to quell the unrest.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45f0yKI
ENDORSEMENT: Via news release from the Craig campaign, VERBATIM: “Today, United States Senator Andy Kim endorsed Angie Craig in her campaign for U.S. Senate. Kim served with Craig in the U.S. House and worked closely with her to take on the status quo in Washington.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HCIyA1
CUTS: Via Minnesota Budget Project, VERBATIM: “Today, more than 100 Minnesota-based organizations—including many of the state’s largest healthcare providers and community nonprofits—sent the attached letter urging Minnesota’s Congressional delegation to vote against the largest cuts to Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and housing supports in history. These cuts appear in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ which is advancing quickly through Congress, and in the President’s proposed federal budget. The proposals would dismantle basic support systems that millions rely on to stay healthy, housed, and nourished —undermining the stability of families and communities across Minnesota.”
MEDIA: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The organization known as Indivisible first started as a Google Docs guide to help organize local rallies to protest President Donald Trump’s agenda. Now, local groups use the Indivisible name to organize nationwide, and one such group in Bemidji is stepping up its rallies as well. On Tuesday, Indivisible Bemidji held a protest in response to President Trump’s executive order calling for the elimination of federal funding to PBS and NPR. The group protested outside of the Lakeland PBS office and then marched along the old Paul Bunyan Trail to Highway 197.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/43XQPpZ
MANUFACTURING: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Graco shocked Minneapolis when the manufacturer announced plans to leave the city’s northeast riverfront last month, but it was no surprise where the company’s new headquarters would be. The northwest suburbs. Specifically, Rogers or Dayton, as Graco has already set down roots on that edge of the Twin Cities metro area. And the company will have plenty of neighbors, as millions of square feet of new manufacturing and warehousing space has come online in recent years. With ample land, nearby workers and crucial transportation links, this growing corner of the metro has become a manufacturing magnet.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HBoGgU
PRODUCING THE FUELS THAT HELP KEEP MINNESOTA MOVING: Flint Hills Resources, one of the Midwest’s leading producers of transportation fuels is hiring! With openings in IT, accounting, engineering, operations, procurement and asset management, Flint Hills Resources’ goal is to match talented individuals with their passions and interests to truly shine. APPLY TODAY: Flint Hills jobs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
LAKE ST: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The Lake Street Safety Center is showcasing its community resources to the public. Their open house event comes seven months after the hub opened with offerings including a range of crucial services for the neighborhood. Those include K-12 school enrollment assistance, support for crime victims and housing aid. The center also provides help with substance use disorder recovery, and makes things like overdose medication and fentanyl test strips readily available.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43FM19Q
INFRASTRUCTURE: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “After bipartisan legislative leaders publicly pronounced an infrastructure bill dead for the year, they resurrected it during closed-door negotiations and shepherded the $700 million deal through the Legislature during a one-day special session Monday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jKVRvM
MORE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A request from the city of Maple Grove made the cut for this year’s bill, which will help pay for the Maple Grove Community Center renovation and expansion project.” QUOTE: “It was in, and then it was out, then it was in,” said Chuck Stifter, Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Director. “And the special session yesterday really buttoned up the bill that is in front of the governor now. We do feel comfortable, hopeful at least, that governor will sign it.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/43GQ8m1
BRAINERD: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “At their monthly meeting on Monday, Brainerd School Board members discussed a potential referendum on an operating levy for the district, but a motion to hold one this fall failed in a split vote. Brainerd School board members issued a survey to the community this past spring requesting feedback for or against an operating levy. After seeing 51% in favor of a levy, the school board then debated whether or not the community should have the opportunity to vote on the matter later this year.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3SOmkNZ
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)
TOURISM: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (MACVB) has officially reintroduced itself as the Minnesota Tourism Association (MNTA)—a name change that marks a bold new era for the organization and the more than 70 destinations it serves across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SOhUqn
WISCONSIN: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “For the third consecutive year more visitors are traveling to Wisconsin than ever before. According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, statewide more than 114 million people visited the state last year with just under $26 billion in economic impact. That number is up from $25 billion in 2023. Bayfield County reported the highest growth out of ten counties in northwest Wisconsin since 2016.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4kLZv9Z
SEMINARY: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Luther Seminary's campus in St. Paul, which has operated for 120 years, will be vacated after the 2026-2027 school year, seminary leaders have announced. In a statement Tuesday, Luther Seminary President Robin Steinke said the seminary will be seeking a new space in the Twin Cities area and ‘shifting to a more nimble model’ as 70% of its current students choose online education.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZZaTqB
CHARTER SCHOOL: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Sejong Academy, a Korean immersion charter school in Maplewood that has become a haven for the Karen community, is an only-in-Minnesota story. The state has both the highest concentration of Korean adoptees — and the largest Karen community — in the U.S. Sejong Academy’s founders originally imagined that the school would help Korean adoptees learn about the country where they were born. But from the beginning, the majority of students were Karen — a refugee community that fled Myanmar.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43XPa3K
GOLDEN VALLEY: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A Golden Valley strip mall that was first built in 1953 will soon get a fresh look. Earlier this month, Paster Properties purchased the Golden Valley Shopping Center along Highway 55 for $17.5 million. City leaders and longtime tenants say they’re excited for what lies ahead. ‘This property is crucial to the success of Golden Valley’s town center,’ said Emily Goellner, Golden Valley’s community and economic development director.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4dYOj7r
THIS WEEKEND: Via RiverCenter, VERBATIM: “Calling all woodturning enthusiasts, artists, professionals, collectors, vendors, and anyone looking to learn more about the woodturning craft! Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of creativity, inspiration, and skill-sharing at the AAW International Woodturning Symposium, the premier event for woodturners from around the globe.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jIYKx2
MANKATO: Via KEYC-TV, VERBATIM: “Monday’s Mankato City Council meeting was adjourned early as public backlash stalled discussions on a series of technology upgrades to Mankato Public Safety that included additional surveillance cameras with AI capabilities. The changes have been discussed by the council for several months, and Monday was supposed to be a final passing of the resolution. But an organized effort on social media filled the chamber with opposition, and the crowd got raucous before, during and after the meeting.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Tl4UbU
DULUTH: Via KQDS-TV, VERBATIM: “The Duluth Planning Commission makes changes to ease requirements of ‘Special Use Permits’ for new childcare facilities. At Tuesday’s meeting, the Duluth Planning Commission voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance changing the zoning definitions of certain childcare facilities. The changes will make it easier for some facilities to operate in residential-zoned areas without a ‘Special Use Permit.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4k4Axlf
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
RETAIL: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “The city of Paris has long been known as the epitome of fashion excellence—the beating heart from which fashion and design trends flow outward, eventually stretching all the way to our North Star State. But they do not reach us on their own. From 50th & France’s curated sensory boutique SENTI to North Loop’s eclectic home goods shop J. Atelier, the Twin Cities harbors an abundance of businesses that gather inspiration from the innate romanticism of French culture.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/43XNOGc
STEAK: Via Eater, VERBATIM: “Say the word ‘steakhouse’ and many familiar images come to mind: massive cuts of beef, hearty sides of baked potato and grilled asparagus, a dimly lit dining room with a large wooden bar. Fortunately, the Twin Cities have more than a few classics to choose from and a few newer spots on the scene, too.” LIST/MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3fIMwJI
BDAYS: car guy Billy Grant, DFL operative Alana Petersen, GOP activist AK Kamara, realtor Mark Hronski, PR guy Jeff Grayson
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.
about morning take- Founded in 2010, morning take has grown to become the leading Minnesota morning newsletter on politics and news of the day. Published by Fluence Media since 2012 the mission is to "make you smarter" before breakfast.
Copyright © 2025 Lunch Take, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Golden Valley, MN 55427