In the market for a brownstone? How many Magic: The Gathering cards do you have? SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4bKA991
The national average for gas hit $3.96 Monday – up a quarter from a week earlier. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3O0LBWn
The police chief in Fargo is apologizing after AI software and fake IDS led to a Tennessee woman being jailed for five months. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uPkKNx
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/4bw7k1o
Sunday Take featured GOP Rep. Jon Koznick and DFL Sen. Scott Dibble discussing transportation in Minnesota. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4t1X5aP
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WEDNESDAY FEED
SURVEY: A survey on behalf of the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences found 89% of U.S. teens see a critical role for higher education in solving major challenges. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/47lAWMq
JOBS: Via The Wall Street Journal, a new analysis judging employers on three criteria. Only 22 companies earned top scores on all three – among them: Mayo Clinic. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4bzfg24
LIST: C.H. Robinson, Colle McVoy, and Medtronic all made Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4t2QDjV
DATA CENTERS: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A coalition of Minnesotans opposed to the development of data centers has a wishlist for the current legislative session with a hierarchy of priorities. Banning local officials from signing non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, would be nice, they say. Ditto for requiring public hearings and disclosures prior to the approval of data center permits. What the group wants above all, though, is a moratorium on proposed projects in Hermantown, Pine Island, Monticello, Farmington, North Mankato and other cities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/487xwx3
SCHOOLS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Schools that are required to provide American Indian language and culture classes are falling short, according to a recent statewide report. The law requires districts where at least 5 percent of students are American Indian — or where 100 or more Native students are enrolled — to offer language and culture classes. The Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network’s American Indian Language Instruction Report found districts across the state would need to hire more than 150 American Indian language teachers just to reach compliance — and that still wouldn’t meet the needs of Native students enrolled in public schools statewide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sALHTN
MORE: Via MIIN, from the report, QUOTE: “If we assume that each language teacher is able to teach four language classes per day and that the ideal teacher-to-student ratio is 1:25 per class (for a total ratio of 1:100 American Indian language teachers to American Indian students), Minnesota would need to add at least an additional 157 American Indian language teachers, and 89 school districts would need to add American Indian language classes to meet legislative requirements for American Indian students in Minnesota. Even more American Indian language teachers would be needed to provide access to language instruction for all American Indian students in Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rZ9NXd
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)
PEOPLE
TODAY: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Senate will vote on Wednesday on a proposal to let legislators bring their children into the chamber during floor sessions. Why it matters: Long days and late-night votes present logistical challenges for the growing cohort of lawmakers who balance parenting with policymaking. The schedule can be especially tough for new moms who serve in St. Paul. State of play: Young children have become a more common sight in the House, which changed its rules to allow family on the floor over a decade ago.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d4N5sT
SOMALIS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has been fast-tracking the legal proceedings of Somali immigrants, effectively denying them the right to a fair hearing and potentially expediting their removal from the United States, two Minnesota-based legal providers alleged in a federal lawsuit on Tuesday. The lawsuit claims that since late January, the Justice Department has placed Somali nationals on a separate docket and scheduled hearings with little notice, making it difficult for lawyers to represent their clients. The filing was made in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NLHYUa
DFLERS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “State Rep. Brad Tabke had been following what he believed to be immigration agents driving through his southwest suburban district in early January when the SUV suddenly pulled into his neighborhood . . . Records reviewed by the Minnesota Star Tribune show that immigration enforcement agents ran Tabke’s license plate number about 30 minutes before video shows the SUV driving to his home on Jan. 3. The same thing happened again in February . . . Tabke is one of several Democratic lawmakers who said they were targeted or harassed during the Trump administration’s monthslong immigration crackdown in the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47nMFdz
GROUP HOMES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Largely funded by taxpayer money, group homes help thousands of Minnesotans with mental, cognitive or physical disabilities live as independently as possible. But the industry’s rapid growth in recent years has led to problems that are leaving vulnerable people in danger and local governments struggling with the consequences. Since 2020, more than 900 houses in Minnesota have been transformed into group homes, an increase of 20 percent. Much of that growth has been concentrated in the northwestern suburbs of Minneapolis, including Brooklyn Center, Crystal and New Hope. But Brooklyn Park is the epicenter of Minnesota’s group home boom. Some 300 group homes are licensed to operate there, more than any other city in the state, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, the state’s largest cities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d5cylW
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)
HEADWINDS
BEMIDJI: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A plan by the Bemidji school board to shutter one of the district’s elementary schools drew pointed criticism at a crowded public hearing on Tuesday night. The board says the proposed closure of J.W. Smith Elementary School is necessary to address a projected budget deficit of about $4 million for the next school year. But the cost-saving plan, announced several weeks ago, has sparked concerns, especially from tribal nations. J.W. Smith Elementary has the highest population of Indigenous learners in the district.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47keK5n
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Duluth Public Schools is recommending about $4.2 million in budget reductions for the 2026-27 school year after months of analysis and community engagement to address a gap in the district’s general fund. Superintendent John Magas said the district, like others across Minnesota, is facing mounting financial pressure from a 15% increase in insurance premiums, rising costs for specialized student services and inflation that has outpaced state and federal funding.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4dHuSBJ
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “After ICE agents descended on the Twin Cities starting in December, a Hispanic business enclave on East Lake Street became a ghost town. Darkened store fronts outnumbered open ones, and orange-vested volunteers wearing whistles patrolled the sidewalks. Nearly six weeks after federal officials said they were ending ‘Operation Metro Surge,’ most shops and taquerias are back—but many of their customers aren’t.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40U2PYl
THEATER: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal talked with the leader of Children’s Theater Company about the impact of immigration enforcement – the theater had just come back from the pandemic when Operation Metro Surge dealt it another setback. Q&A: https://fluence-media.co/4sxUuFN
PROTEST SONGS: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “To be sure, in the wake of the ICE OUT wars of the winter of ’26, much has been said about the Twin Cities and what fuels it politically, organizationally, and spiritually. But what has gone largely ignored by the visiting pundits and press is the organic organizing hub that is the local music scene. Musicians are natural on-the-ground organizers — of gigs, protests, compilation albums, and other helpful happenings, and here especially they’re ever-ready to throw the switch at a moment’s notice and book a gig, do a benefit, make a scene, gather, and lift broken hearts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3NN6oMV
YOUR NEIGHBORS RIDE ATVs: From the Twin Cities to the Iron Range, thousands of Minnesotans own and ride ATVs. They are families, veterans, teachers and small business owners who rely on Minnesota’s trail system for recreation, tourism, and economic activity. ATV riders aren’t just “up north” — they live in the Twin Cities metro area. And they care deeply about maintaining safe, well-managed trails. As the legislature considers trail policy, funding, and land-use decisions this session, ask them to support Minnesota’s ATV community and the outdoor opportunities they value. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4td9sRR (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
COMMERCE
HOTEL: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “More than 100 years ago, the Red River Milling Company opened a new flour mill in Fergus Falls on the same spot where its old mill had burned down nine months before. The new mill was built to last, and it did: It survived the F5 cyclone that flattened the rest of Fergus Falls in 1919, then lasted 70 more years of operation, then withstood nearly 40 years of vacancy after that. In October last year, it opened as a hotel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/489cwWK
ACQUISITION: Via Just Drinks, VERBATIM: “Bansk Group is set to add US-based wellness shots maker So Good So You to its portfolio of consumer brands. In a statement yesterday (24 March), the private investment firm said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Minnesota-based So Good So You.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4syb1JS
MORE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Co-founder Eric Hall said the company pulled in more than $100 million in revenue in 2025, and the company has reported sales grew fivefold in the past four years. It recently moved manufacturing to a facility in Inver Grove Heights that has already doubled the company’s production capacity to about 2 million of the shots a week and counting.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lQWG8P
NEW NAME: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Irish Fair of Minnesota is changing. Starting in 2026, the long-running St. Paul gathering will become The Twin Cities Irish Fest.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lQ2X4A
EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO) on Wednesday reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $4.8 million. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 17 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 27 cents per share. The results topped Wall Street expectations . . . The recreational vehicle maker posted revenue of $657.4 million in the period, which also beat Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40XXeAi
HABITAT RESTORATION: Flint Hills Resources has earned Tandem Global WHC Gold Certification for habitat restoration at its Cottage Grove fuel terminal. The certification comes after two years of work in partnership with Friends of the Mississippi River to implement a restoration and monitoring plan to re-establish the 6.5-acre site’s natural prairie and savannah. Flint Hills has held gold certification for its work done with community partners over the past 25 years to restore more than 200 acres of the Pine Bend Bluffs, a critical natural area along the Mississippi River that is adjacent to Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. This makes two Flint Hills gold certified sites in Minnesota and the first two gold-certified sites ever in the Twin Cities. LEARN MORE: Environmental Stewardship (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
SIDE GIGS
ACTING: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “A new program in Minneapolis will offer valuable training and resources to a new generation of aspiring film and television actors—paying forward the wisdom of a seasoned pro. Los Angeles-based actor and Eden Prairie native Adam Bartley will launch his In the Lab workshops in early May, focusing on creating professional demo reels for auditioning actors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rW5Out
FIREFIGHTERS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Randall Gillette is 65 years old, but he says he feels much younger. Maybe even 30. He works part time for the city of Pemberton, a tiny town near Mankato. Recently, Gillette took on an even bigger responsibility: volunteer firefighter . . . Pemberton, population 229, needs more volunteer firefighters like Gillette or risks having to shutter its fire department due to a lack of volunteers. It’s part of a nationwide pattern: While call volume for emergencies has increased, there’s been a big drop in the number of people trained and willing to respond to them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PFedov
BIKE TRAIL: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “After an astonishing seven-year closure, two of Minneapolis’ most popular bike trails are finally open. Why it matters: The Kenilworth and North Cedar Lake trails provide an easy link to downtown from St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Southwest Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41rw4BX
BROOKLYN PARK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Fans of the show ‘American Ninja Warrior’ will soon get a training facility geared toward families and children in Brooklyn Park. The Brooklyn Park City Council has approved a conditional use permit for Ninjas United to operate a 2,450-square-foot facility at 8400 Wyoming Ave. N.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4t2yRNO
WHAT’S NEXT?
TOMORROW: Tickets go on sale for the TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue show at the Minnesota State Fair.
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HITCHCOCK: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Cue ‘Funeral March of a Marionette,’ because it’s once again Alfred Hitchcock season. The Heights Theater and Trylon Cinema are again teaming up for the 2026 Hitchcock Film Festival, pulling together seven films from the legendary director. That’s two more than the fest had last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41tgVQA
BDAYS: community leader Mike Opat, fmr. Rep. Rod Hamilton, Mpls. Foundation’s Sara Dietrich, professor Greg Vendergrift
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