At the Saints stadium, you’ll find a menu item dubbed “The Land of 10,000 Calories.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4l8j3FY
Canadians’ fear of losing their jobs in a trade war with the U.S. is fading. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4c7fiNf
The President’s approval rating hit 47% – a new low this term. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/41Qdtkf
RIP Minnesota-native self-help author Melody Beattie. WSJ: https://fluence-media.co/4iI2bUZ
Wall Street Journal reporter John McCormick was on Sunday Take to discuss Gov. Tim Walz’s national town hall tour, the future of the Democratic Party and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iBTrjs
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:
RESPONSIBLEGAMING: Legal sports betting platforms offer responsible game tools that offshore and illegal sports betting don’t offer. In fact, age verification is not required with most offshore providers. Learn more about why legalized sports betting is more responsible. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4kgJoS4 (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
BUDGET: Via Minnesota Senate, VERBATIM: “On Friday, the Senate DFL majority released committee budget targets for the 2025 legislative session. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL- St. Paul) released the following statement.” MURPHY: “Our committees are working in earnest to finalize a budget that protects historic gains and the generational investments in education, healthcare, and affordability for family budgets the Senate DFL has championed. The decisions we make this session will help to prepare us for the uncertainty and chaos Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Congress are creating for Minnesotans as they take from the rest of us and give to the ultra wealthy.” NUMBERS: https://fluence-media.co/4j1pVDk
DOGE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “This legislative session, the name of a government outsider-turned-dominant figure has increasingly come up inside Minnesota’s Capitol: Elon Musk. The billionaire is a prominent adviser to President Donald Trump, particularly around his efforts to dramatically slim the federal government. That’s made him a frequent punching bag for Democrats, including in the state Legislature. Meanwhile, Republicans are borrowing a bit from Musk’s playbook, suggesting Minnesota inject more of his cost-cutting philosophy into the state’s budget work.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4llSq0G
PROPERTIES: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports the GSA’s list of federal properties to sell has been republished – none of the Minnesota buildings on the previously-withdrawn list are on the new one. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iLIXxV
GRANTS: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Following a court order from a federal judge in Maryland, the U.S. Department of Education reinstated teacher training grants this week to the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas . . . Three federal grants to the two universities total nearly $12 million. They fund training for more than 500 teachers throughout the state, many in special education. Minnesota, like many states, has been struggling with a special education teacher shortage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iLfO67
CAR INSURANCE: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “A new bill being considered in the House would offer a state run car insurance program to keep cost low for good drivers. Lawmakers argue that uninsured driving rates in Minnesota could be brought down through more affordable coverage for people with a clean driving record.” QUOTE: "For many families and individuals, car insurance premiums can be an insurmountable financial," DFL House Representative Athena Hollins explains. "And one that cannot be avoided as it is the only form of insurance that's required by the state. A state sponsored option would make this essential coverage more accessible." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/42k3DHj
MORE: ICYMI… earlier this week, morning take shared another story on the proposal that included an interview with Insurance Federation of Minnesota CEO Aaron Cocking. COCKING: "Subsidized rates for one group of policyholders will lead to higher premiums for other insured drivers. That's not good policy and it's surely not good for the 90% of drivers who have insurance now." WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3Y2WQPQ
(DISCLOSURE: Insurance Federation of Minnesota is a Fluence client)
BUDGET: Via GRAY, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently proposed a new budget for the state, one that would trim roughly $1.5 billion dollars off the state’s projected deficit in FY28-29 . . . Education is one key area that could see some spending cuts under the plan. Walz is proposing, among other things, to eliminate state spending on private education and reduce spending on special education transportation. State expenditures on the special education transportation reimbursement program have steadily been growing . . . Republicans were clearly opposed to the cuts. Both sides seem to acknowledge the need to trim spending, but the GOP believes cuts in education can largely be avoided.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41QePLV
SD6: Via WDIO-TV, VERBATIM: “Denise Slipy of Crow Wing County became the latest candidate to throw their hat in the ring for the newly vacant Minnesota Senate District 6 seat on Thursday, March 27th. By announcing her candidacy, Slipy is now one of 9 candidates and the second DLF-er to announce their run.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RtOnkU
MPD: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis Police Department is seeing a surge in the number of experienced officers joining the force. The need for more officers in Minneapolis is drastic, losing hundreds following the murder of George Floyd — the fewer officers has led to longer 911 response times, officer burnout, to less focus on investigations with investigators needing to be on patrol. But progress to rebuild is being made — the department reports gaining 38 officers last year, including 22 ‘lateral hires,’ which are officers that join from a different agency. That nearly two dozen is more than four times the number the year before.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3DU0yVe
ARMORED TRUCKS: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Plymouth police will be getting new armored assistance to protect first responders and others in the line of fire. The city council this week approved the acceptance of a $150,000 federal grant that will allow the Plymouth Police Department to purchase two heavily fortified Ford F-350 trucks. ‘These vehicles are specifically designed to protect public safety staff or civilians or anybody that’s inside these vehicles,’ said Plymouth Public Safety Director Erik Fadden. The push for the armored trucks comes after an alarming rise in shootings at police.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3DKXydR
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)
FEED FRAUD: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A Twin Cities nonprofit investigated alongside Feeding Our Future is fighting to resume its participation in a taxpayer-funded food program. On the same day that a jury convicted Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock in the major meal fraud scheme, an attorney for Partners in Quality Care was in another courthouse asking a panel of judges to reinstate the group. Of the 70 people charged in the Feeding Our Future case, none worked directly for Partners in Quality Care, which is also known as Partners in Nutrition. But federal investigators say in court filings that PIQC operated in a similarly fraudulent way.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iRHxlE
LOANS: Via CRED IQ, VERBATIM: “Across the top 50 MSAs, our team calculated the CRED iQ Distress Rate for each market (which combines delinquent and/or specially serviced loans). Minneapolis logged the highest level of distress with 49.7% of their loans in distress, followed by Providence (45.4%), Rochester (35.7%), Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton(32.9%) and Chicago (28.9%) – rounding out the top 5 MSAs with the highest levels of distress. To provide perspective, the overall distress rate for all loans across every market was 10.8% as of February.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4281mh4
TRASH: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “With five days left before St Paul is slated to fully launch its first single-carrier municipal waste pickup, it remains to be seen if City Council action blocking FCC Environmental’s use and development of land at 540 Randolph Ave. will plunge the city ‘into crisis’ or not, as the mayor claimed a week ago. The zoning dispute heated up when the City Council approved an appeal by the neighborhood group West Seventh/Fort Road Federation, effectively blocking the proposed solid waste truck dispatch center and maintenance facility planned for the site.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FECvu2
STATE FAIR: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Falcon Heights is considering a plan that would require drivers to pay to park on some city streets during the Minnesota State Fair. On Wednesday, the Falcon Heights City Council took the first step to move the idea forward by approving a measure to modify city ordinance to allow for e-meters.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/440H63y
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)
SIGNALGATE: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Much of official Washington wants answers about senior Trump administration officials discussing an imminent military attack in an unsecured text group. One player isn’t figuring prominently in the discussions: the Justice Department. Since the revelation of the text group Monday, department officials have given no indication of plans to play a role in investigating Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal with other senior Trump administration officials to discuss strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. And Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday gave the most explicit sign to date that her department will sit on the sidelines.” QUOTE: “I’m not surprised that no one is going to get arrested for this. But what I would expect is a very thorough counterintelligence investigation” to understand the scale of the harm, said Alan Rozenshtein, a University of Minnesota law professor and a former official in the Justice Department’s national-security division. “The fact there’s no indication that this will happen, when any other administration would have already done it, is another data point that the Trump administration is just not a rule-of-law administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j8oHq3
MORE: ICYMI… morning take shared news that CD5 Rep. Ilhan Omar is privately pushing impeachment against Hegseth and two others involved. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4j7UFm3
TARIFFS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “One of the most influential economists in the country says just the thought of tariffs - whether they actually happen or not - is doing a number on the American psyche. Not exactly what you want to hear from the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Neel Kashkari. ‘It's conceivable that the hit to confidence could be a bigger effect than the tariffs themselves. So that's makes me nervous,’ says Kashkari, speaking to the Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce this week.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4c8okcJ
HWY252: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “For years the Minnesota Department of Transportation has worked on a plan to turn Highway 252 into a freeway. The highway is currently a busy expressway with stoplights that contribute to congestion and an inordinate number of crashes. MnDOT is currently conducting an environmental study, which will continue through next year. That includes monthly meetings with the community. At its most recent meeting on Thursday, MnDOT met with Brooklyn Center neighbors to exchange thoughts about the upcoming Highway 252 project. Many attendees voiced frustration over the plans.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3QRqZxC
LISTENING, LEARNING AND REDEFINING INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS - “We want to build partnerships with Indigenous Nations. We continue to listen to and learn from Indigenous leaders and communities, and that’s informing how we engage communities in B.C. and across North America,” said CEO Greg Ebel of Enbridge’s approach to be the “first-choice partner” for Indigenous Nation interested in pursuing energy infrastructure opportunities. READ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3Yht20R (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
WARNING: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “A collision of weather conditions has triggered a Red Flag Warning for parts of southwest Minnesota Friday afternoon. Red Flag Warnings are issued when conditions come together to create enhanced risk of wildfires, and Friday will see warm temps, strong winds and low humidity.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4l86oTu
SCAMS: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Several weeks ago, a ‘grandparent’ scam made its way through the Bemidji area. Since then, Beltrami County has seen a massive upsurge of scam calls, texts, and emails. On Thursday evening, local law enforcement officers held a presentation at the Beltrami County Board Room to warn people about these dangers.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hShA44
WOMEN’S SPORTS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Women's sports has seen a massive surge lately and interest is at an all-time high with the women's NCAA Tournament garnering record ratings last year and keeping pace again this year. That's a huge benefit for a place like A Bar Of Their Own which located off 22nd and Franklin in the south Minneapolis Seward neighborhood. They cater solely to women's athletics and expecting a lot of interest with the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight occurring this weekend according to bar Owner Jillian Hiscock.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4kY8EN8
TWO HARBORS: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Minnehaha Elementary School hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday as renovations to their school are nearing completion. The project broke ground in 2023, and the district says they are in the final stages of construction. The school added a new classroom, library, playground, music room, made additions to the cafeteria and more.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4l3l72h
NEXT WEEK: Via HOA Leadership Network, VERBATIM: “Major legislation that seeks to ‘reform HOAs’ (HF1268 and SF1750) is working through the Minnesota House and Senate. The bills are bad for HOAs, bad for HOA Boards, bad for property managers and bad for the prospect of acquiring future board leaders. Make your common sense voices heard! Attend HOA Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, April 2 at 10:30 a.m. to participate in this peaceful and positive assembly by HOA leaders across the metro area.” SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/3RoFF7D
APRIL10: Citizens League will honor Peter Bell, former Metropolitan Council Chair and Sharon McMahon, at the 2025 Civic Celebration. The annual Civic Celebration is an inspiring evening, gathering hundreds of Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, parties and ideologies to celebrate our state’s enduring civic culture, leadership, and commitment to public service. REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/41txP1p (SPONSORED: Citizens League)
NEXT MONTH: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the community to attend an April 10 public meeting to learn more about the 2026 construction project for Highway 55/Hiawatha Avenue and 46th Street East and 45th Street East in Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FXnqnd
NEXT MONTH: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “Art lovers, mark your calendars. The Schmidt Spring Art Crawl returns April 25–27, 2025, bringing together creativity, culture, and community in one of Saint Paul’s most iconic spaces. This free, three-day event is a must-visit for anyone looking to connect with local artists and explore the vibrant West 7th Arts District.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DSdif3
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
LAYOFFS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it was laying off 10,000 employees at the Health and Human Services Department as part of a broad reorganization that reflects the priorities of the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the White House’s drive to shrink the government. The layoffs are a drastic reduction in personnel for the health department, which had employed about 82,000 people and touches the lives of every American through its oversight of medical care, food and drugs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DLlm1c
UNITEDHEALTH: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “UnitedHealth Group has removed most mentions of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies from its website, TechCrunch reported on Wednesday. It was not clear whether the health insurer pulled down the pages to represent a shift in terminology or an actual change in its policies, the report said. ‘We comply with existing and emerging laws while striving to support what is best for the communities we serve.’ UnitedHealth told Reuters in a statement, without giving additional details. According to TechCrunch's report, multiple pages of the UnitedHealth website dedicated to DEI now redirect to a ‘page not found’ error when compared to archived copies of the site.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y6f178
NEURO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic Laboratories and Amprion, a global leader advancing diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders through seed amplification testing, today announced a collaboration to expand access to Amprion's SAAmplify–αSYN (CSF) test across the United States. The test (test ID ASYNC) is available today for clients of Mayo Clinic Laboratories through the collaboration that combines the expertise of both organizations to enhance patient care and improve diagnostic accuracy for neurodegenerative diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iK7Lqb
NEXTGEN: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A new program at Hennepin Technical College is connecting students with real-world job opportunities in health care, IT and manufacturing. Dubbed HTC Works, it’s an apprenticeship program that can lead to a full-time job opportunity. ‘The idea is that they’ll get a sustainable wage, but not only that sustainable wage, but also full sets of benefits so that, the idea is they’ll be fully supported throughout their college and their academic training opportunities,’ said Jason Jones with Hennepin Tech.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hMFXju
Subscribe to other Fluence newsletters: https://fluence-media.co/TheDailyAgenda
ACQUISITION: From Minnesota-based Wealth Enhancement via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “Wealth Enhancement, a national independent wealth management firm dedicated to enriching clients' lives, has announced the acquisition of XO Wealth Management, an independent RIA in Dallas, Texas. The team of three advisors and three support staff oversees more than $516 million in client assets.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DYl9ry
FASTENAL: From Winona-based Fastenal via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “Fastenal Company (Nasdaq:FAST) announced the date and time for its conference call to review 2025 first quarter results, as well as current operations. The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. central time.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QSzcBO
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
THIS WEEKEND: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A Minneapolis dance festival puts improvisation center stage — not as a rehearsal technique, but as the performance itself. One of those performers is Taylor West, who’s exploring what it means to create movement in the moment.” QUOTE: “I took improvisation class or classes in college and have learned about the technique of improvisation,” West said. “I’ve been in processes with choreographers where they asked dancers to improvise a little bit.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iMhmg9
BDAYS: college student Jack Olson, comms pro Ellen Anderson, politico Janna Hottinger, Rep. Patty Mueller. SAT: Dominium’s Paula Prahl. SUN: DFL insider Laura Bishop
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