Consumer spending started off the year slow – high-income households gave it a boost in February. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/420bk4j
Spending in Minnesota got a boost from reality TV. MPR: https://fluence-media.co/4kUstoF
The Midwest and South were test grounds for Taco Bell’s new menu items. AXIOS: https://fluence-media.co/4kT9Kd5
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4kTsw45
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)
SD6: From Josh Gazelka for Senate via Facebook, VERBATIM: “I’m incredibly humbled to share that I have been endorsed by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association!!” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4j1KEXT
THURSDAY: Via email from the Melisa López Franzen campaign. VERBATIM: “Members of the press are invited to join Melisa López Franzen as she officially launches her campaign for the U.S. Senate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bYTiUG
THIS WEEK: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “In a Minnesota legislative session full of drama, lawmakers are craving something normal. Can’t we just fight over ideas and the budget? That seems to be the sentiment among top leaders and Capitol veterans. They’re in for another reset Monday following a week when Justin Eichorn resigned his Senate seat under intense pressure . . . It was the latest twist in a session that’s seen its fair share of them. The Legislature is (once more) down a member until a special election can fill the open Senate seat.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kPZlyV
JUVENILE JUSTICE: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “Restorative justice programs are an increasingly used option in the criminal justice system that allow juveniles convicted of a crime to forgo paying a court-ordered fine if they participate in a local restorative process . . . Rep. Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton) says that to be effective, these conferences must permit offenders to share honest information without fear the information could be used against them. She sponsors HF104 that would establish the same privileged confidentiality rules that exist between attorneys and their clients to conversations taking place in restorative justice conferences.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kVMhbe
GARBAGE: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is warning residents could go without garbage service in just a few days. St. Paul's new primary garbage hauler FCC Environmental is set to take over on April 1, but the St. Paul City Council has voted to block the company from moving into its new truck yard. It's located along Randolph Avenue, several blocks east from West Seventh Street. City Council President President Rebecca Noecker says the decision comes after concerns were raised from neighborhood groups.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hFvk1V
SCHUMER: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “When Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet held a town hall in Golden, Colo., on Wednesday, he expected to hear from people enraged by what’s happening in Washington. But the name on his angry constituents’ lips wasn’t necessarily Donald Trump. For some, it was the head of the Senate Democrats, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York . . . The exchange vividly illustrated the blowback Schumer has taken over his decision to supply Democratic votes to keep the government open a week ago, and the damage it has done to his standing with his fellow Democrats . . . In Eau Claire, Wis., on Tuesday, 68-year-old local resident Janet Thimke said she had been moved to attend an event hosted by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz by her anger at Schumer, whose actions ‘appalled’ her.” THIMKE: “I have been quite disappointed in the response,” Thimke said. “The Democratic leaders have to get their act together much more correctly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hEAET9
BOUNDARY WATERS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Leaders of the Minnesota environmental protection group Save the Boundary Waters are sounding the alarm over a new executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The order fast-tracks domestic mining on federal lands, something the group's Executive Director Ingrid Lyons calls dangerous.” LYONS: "We're talking about landscapes like the Grand Canyon, we're talking about landscapes like Yellowstone," says Lyons. "If mineral deposits are found there, which there are mineral deposits there, this order calls on those landscapes to be prioritized for mineral extraction as opposed to recreation, as opposed to other extractive industries like timber." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hIKVOi
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)
NICOLLET MALL: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Last October, the City of Minneapolis unveiled its Downtown Action Plan, a comprehensive agenda to create a flourishing downtown. The report is a svelte 18 pages but contains detailed strategies for increasing downtown visitors and reimagining building and street use. The vision, as Mayor of Minneapolis Jacob Frey puts it, is to celebrate ‘the main street of Minnesota and the gateway to the entire western half of the country.’ The main street that Frey refers to is Nicollet Mall. If the action plan is carried out to completion, Nicollet Mall (or just Nicollet as it would be known) will be fully pedestrianized and primed for all-hours activities and events. We spoke with several members of the Downtown Action Council about why this plan just might be the ticket to our western gateway.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kUkAj0
CRIME FUND: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “Since 1984, the federal government has had a crime victims fund seeded with money from fines and penalties from federal convictions. Dollars are doled out to states to support community organizations providing services to victims of crime. But that money is wildly inconsistent, says Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview). She said the amount available for distribution peaked in 2018 at $3.85 billion, and decreased to $1.2 billion in 2024. To combat that federal instability and to help a growing number of crime victims, Moller sponsors HF1082, which would create a Minnesota victims of crime account.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iZfWyz
SCOUTS: From Christina Palladino via X, VERBATIM: “Girl Scout Day at the Capitol! Had a great time taking some girls in our troop to a fun day exploring the Capitol, meeting some local lawmakers and learning all about our government! The girls had a blast! Thanks @girlscouts for organizing such a fun day!” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4isW2Mp
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)
NEXTGEN: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Video games are always popular with a young crowd — and that’s especially true at Sonnesyn Elementary in New Hope, where students build their own games from scratch. ‘They start coding in about first grade,’ said Matt Schneider, media specialist at the school. ‘They learn how computers make decisions based on what we tell them to do.’ By fifth grade, they’ve gathered a wide-ranging set of skills.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/420S32H
FOOD HALL: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on plans to build a food hall on the first floor of LaSalle Plaza in downtown Minneapolis. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kYU5ck
BEER: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “One of Minnesota’s most well-known breweries will be ceasing operations at the end of March. After 12 years of business, Dangerous Man Brewing announced Friday that it would cease its brewing operations completely at the end of the month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hIUFIm
BRINGING SAFETY TO “THE NEXT LEVEL” - As part of Enbridge’s work on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota, Enbridge has brought in family-owned and Indigenous-owned Northern Lights Family Outfitters to fully outfit project workers right on the job site with personal protective equipment (PPE) from its 48-foot mobile trailer. “Enbridge really brings safety to the next level,” says Patti, a project liaison for Enbridge and the Fond du Lac Band. “It’s really helpful to have a mobile unit, especially for this kind of work. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3OQYmjn (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
MINNEAPOLIS: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “South Lyndale Avenue's reconstruction is still two years away, but anxiety is already running high for businesses on the Minneapolis corridor. Why it matters: A major disruption like this could prompt more business closures that would add to the growing number of vacancies. In fact, the threat of two years or more of construction already has. What they're saying: Lago Tacos, after 10 years near the Lake Street intersection, will close in May, when its lease ends.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bWYYyu
GOLF: Via Burl Oaks in Minnetrista, VERBATIM: “The 18-hole course at Burl Oaks is about to tee off on a breathtaking, cutting-edge transformation, led by the renowned Golf Course Architect, Jay Blasi. With the addition of a 9-hole short course, golf will be partially open during the entire construction period, and all 27 holes are expected to fully open in the summer of 2027.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iYpIAY
RETAIL: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Elizabeth Foster’s longtime love of books inspired her to open Inkwell Booksellers Company, a bookstore and coffee shop, in Northeast Minneapolis with intentions to support and foster community. The former administrative professional started planning her dream store two years ago and was able to find a retail space fairly quickly, falling in love with the first place she saw and starting to create her dream of being around books all day.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bF0iGc
WEDNESDAY: From St. Paul-based H.B. Fuller via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE: FUL) announced plans to report its financial results for the three-month fiscal period ended March 1, 2025, in a press release issued after the market close on March 26, 2025. The Company will hold an investor conference call on March 27, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. CT (10:30 a.m. ET) to discuss its financial results.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DQToRr
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)
From Friday’s Fluence newsletters:
LOANS: Via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “Legislation to expand federal loan limits for ag producers has been reintroduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. Minnesota Congressman Brad Finstad says the Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement, or PACE Act, addresses concerns about the increasing cost of farming.” FINSTAD: “And some of our traditional farm programs that USDA offers haven’t kept up with the times, so specifically it takes a look at the Guaranteed Ownership Loans, increasing the limits for that. Increasing the Guaranteed Operating Loans, the Direct Operating Loans, and then also the Direct Ownership Loans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4l2m3nF
TURKEYS: Via Agweek, VERBATIM: “Dealing with the two different viruses harming turkey production is their top concern, but turkey growers and processors told Minnesota's U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith that there are a wide range of other worries for the industry. The two Democrats, who are members of the Senate’s Agricultural Committee, hosted a roundtable session Tuesday with turkey industry representatives at the Fahlun Farms turkey barns south of Willmar. The start of the spring waterfowl migration makes the potential spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza a top concern, participants said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4irmC8G
RFK JR: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official, has an unorthodox idea for tackling the bird flu bedeviling U.S. poultry farms. Let the virus rip. Instead of culling birds when the infection is discovered, farmers ‘should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flock so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it,’ Mr. Kennedy said recently on Fox News. He has repeated the idea in other interviews on the channel. Mr. Kennedy does not have jurisdiction over farms. But Brooke Rollins, the agriculture secretary, also has voiced support for the notion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iJuEcL
IMMIGRANTS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Two dozen national flags fly in Zak Amin’s classroom. As an English Learner teacher at Moorhead High School, Amin wants his students to feel seen, so these flags reflect the homelands of students who’ve come to this western Minnesota border city from all over the world. There’s symbolism at play here, especially during such an uncertain time for immigrants in America. As they become increasingly Americanized, Amin wants students to feel welcome in his classroom and in this community, a swing county in the sea of red that is western Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ioFRQc
3,700 MILES: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “A trio of men dubbed the ‘3 Old Guys’ completed their journey from Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Newfoundland, Canada earlier this month, traveling the entire way on their snowmobiles.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bHOliX
Subscribe to other Fluence newsletters: https://fluence-media.co/TheDailyAgenda
NEXT WEEK: From Plymouth-based Celcuity via Globe Newswire, VERBATIM: “Celcuity Inc. (Nasdaq: CELC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pursuing development of targeted therapies for oncology, today announced that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 after the market closes on Monday, March 31, 2025. Management will host a webcast/teleconference the same day at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results and provide a corporate update.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bVXrsp
AMERICAN DREAM: Via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “GOBankingRates determined you need a household income of about $153,000 in Minneapolis to afford the ‘American Dream.’ That's the ninth-highest salary needed to achieve the ‘American Dream’ of the 50 major cities GOBankingRates looked at in its study.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hEXrhI
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
TATTOOS: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Still sporting a tattoo that declares eternal love for your ex? Or an outdated tattoo from the ’90s? You’re not alone. One in four Americans regrets having at least one of their tattoos, according to the Pew Research Center. And where there’s regret, there’s a business opportunity. Cleo Skin and Laser is a new skin care clinic offering laser facials and hair removal, but former Life Time executive Amber McMillan started it with tattoo removal in mind.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kUE2w1
BDAYS: reporter Kevin Duchschere, Dept of Ag’s Anna Gedstad, lobbyist Daron Van Helden, Mounds View Mustang Jacquie Emmer
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