How windy was it yesterday?
That’s the movie screen at the SkyVu Drive-In just west of Warren in Marshall County. From the SkyVu Facebook post: “Screw you Mother Nature.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4uK7dWC
A Sauk Center police officer spotted an apartment building fire late Monday night and helped evacuate all the residents – no injuries to report. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49InvXW
The City of Minneapolis is considering deploying drones to help first responders. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4u7f40u
The Minnesota Judicial Branch is warning of a scam – texts demanding payment for unpaid traffic violations. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4uKJMN0
In Friday’s lunch take, we shared news of a cyberattack impacting the UofM and other institutions across the country. The company that runs the attacked system has cut a deal with the hackers. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4txGJqm
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Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4u4fyEN
Sunday Take featured Republican Senate candidate Michele Tafoya discussing her campaign, the war in Iran and what the GOP can do to win statewide. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3R09IG0
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MIDWEEK SITREP
TODAY: Via Minnesota House GOP, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Oversight Committee is scheduled to adopt its Majority Report, summarizing the work of the Committee over the 2025-2026 Legislative Session. The report addresses the different vectors of fraud the Committee held hearings on over the past two years, providing the Majority’s findings and recommendations for future action.” QUOTE: “This report will serve as an important roadmap for the public and future Legislatures to understand the genesis of the staggering amount of fraud in the State of Minnesota.” said State Representative Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove), Chair of the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Oversight Committee. “The report outlines the ‘anatomy of fraud’ and the failure of the Walz Administration to take action.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wqMo4l
TODAY: Via Minnesota House, bills to be considered today:
HF 4074 (Lillie) - Retirement bill
HF 5074 (Frederick) - Claims bill
HF 3067 (Jordan) - Paraprofessional qualifications defined
SF 4282 (Youakim) - Forecast adjustments made to prekindergarten through grade 12 education programs, and money appropriated
TOMORROW: The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee will hold a news conference, saying Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell hasn’t addressed issues at Faribault Correctional Facility. VERBATIM: “Despite promises that he was organizing meetings and beginning an investigation into Faribault staff’s failures to follow MNDOC policies, Commissioner Schnell has not reached out to us with updates as he promised. These are life threatening conditions that inmates are being exposed to and the MNDOC has a responsibility to address them with urgency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42ziQDX
TAXES: Via Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence, VERBATIM: “Last night the ‘tax policies discussion group’ reconvened to try again to make some informal progress on no-cost, non-controversial items for a tax bill. Whether it reflected a change a heart, the prospects of a brutal weekend, leadership orders, or a combination of all three, the group made headway dispensing with a number of items on a list prepared by the Department of Revenue to ‘speed things up’ in the words of Commissioner Marquart. No motions or votes for adoption were taken, but concurrence was essentially interpreted by the absence of any objection.”
BWCA: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Senate voted Monday to strip funding from a program that takes kids on canoe adventures in the Boundary Waters. The group Friends of the Boundary Waters brings around 200 kids per year on a trip to the BWCA. It’s funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill. What’s typically automatic became a point of contention Monday due to the ongoing fight over copper-nickel mining.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42zeKM5
CHINA: Via MPR/AP, VERBATIM: “Prominent U.S. executives from Big Tech and Wall Street to agriculture and aerospace are joining President Donald Trump on his trip to China this week, according to a White House official. That includes Brian Sikes, chairman and CEO of Minnesota-based food and agricultural giant Cargill . . . Sikes has served as CEO of Cargill since 2023 and was elected as board chairman in 2024. He’s been with the company for 35 years. Cargill has more than 155,000 employees in 70 countries, including more than 5,000 employees in China.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R3JtOR
We’ll take a deeper dive into the agriculture implications of the trip later today in ag take.
TEST SCORES: The New York Times reports on new data showing nearly every state, including Minnesota, have seen reading scores drop from 2015 to 2025 – Minnesota’s 2025 test scores were lower than the national average in 2015. Math scores have also suffered. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nmvzmQ
GUNS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey will sign a new gun control ordinance into law on Wednesday, despite state preemption laws banning local municipalities from doing so. All 13 members of the city council voted in favor of the measure last week. It includes a ban on assault style weapons, large capacity magazines, ghost guns, and a restriction on firearms in certain areas. St. Paul passed a similar ordinance last year.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4tHlH96
TODAY: From civil rights attorney and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Friends, If you found the joke about George Floyd during @kevinhart4real’s @netflix roast to be racist and insensitive, please join Minneapolis civil rights leaders and residents for a press conference calling for accountability TODAY at 3:00pm.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4ujcip9
MORE: Via TMZ, the joke. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4dGe9yo
SENATE: From MinnPost, a look at the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s endorsement of Michele Tafoy in Minnesota’s Senate race. VERBATIM: “The endorsement by NRSC Chairman Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., made just after Tafoya announced her candidacy in January, has rankled some Minnesota Republicans. Why? Because there were other Republicans vying for Smith’s seat . . . Yet the national Republican Party, which is battling to prevent a Democratic takeover of the U.S. Senate in November’s midterm election, placed its bet on Tafoya. That has disgruntled some of the 2,500 Republican delegates who will vote to endorse the GOP Senate candidates in Duluth at the end of the month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wyDlhV
GAS TAXES: GOP candidate for governor Kendall Qualls this morning called for suspension of state and federal gas taxes. QUALLS: “A temporary gas tax suspension would provide fast, direct relief without creating another complicated government program that is vulnerable to red tape and fraud. Working people should not be punished simply for driving to work, taking their kids to school, or running their business. Minnesotans need relief, and they need it now.”
PARENTAL LEAVE: The Minneapolis Fed reports on a study of parents who had kids between 2005 and 2019. VERBATIM: “While 90 percent of U.S. workers had access to job-protected, unpaid leave by 2019, the share of parents who took leave was lower, Timpe and his colleagues find. New parents work a lot. Fathers take less than one week of leave, on average, in the month before and six months after baby arrives. Mothers take more, around 7.2 weeks, but this is less than the amount benefits allow. About 89 percent of those who were employed before birth were back at work within five months.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4d9F2L3
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)
STARTUPS
GROCERIES: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Like many recent business school graduates, Ahmed Ali was looking for a start-up idea that catered to an unmet need. He found it in his Muslim and Somali community in Minnesota. Ali, 23, was born in South Africa and raised in northeast Minneapolis. After graduating last year from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, he brainstormed with his friend Badraddin Abdi, 25, about what service they could offer to the community that raised them — especially the mothers. Last September, Ali and Abdi co-founded Bundle Halal, the first grocery delivery service in the state that specifically caters to those seeking halal-certified meat and staples.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RjdREU
ED TECH: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “School’s almost out, but several Minnesota startups in the education technology (ed tech) space are already preparing for the next school year. They’ve developed technology meant to make life a little easier for those teachers—and, in many cases, for parents. As ed tech entrepreneur Josh Thelemann observes about teachers (and which also could apply to parents), ‘They’re doing work before they get to school, they’re doing work after school, they’re doing work on the weekends.’ His company and other ed tech startups want to ‘take some of those things off their plates.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4deFYfO
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 CITIES
IGH: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “On Monday evening, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, hit pause on a proposed data center. The city joins Eagan and other communities in the state trying to get ahead of the artificial intelligence boom. In a split 3-2 vote, the City Council approved the one-year moratorium on data centers while officials study the potential long-term impacts.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4nt6xmc
ROBBINSDALE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “With a federal deadline to reduce PFAS concentrations in drinking water approaching in 2029, authorities in Robbinsdale are taking a closer look at the city’s wells. According to Richard McCoy, public works director for Robbinsdale, there are ‘very small’ concentrations of PFAS in the city’s water — but those still exceed the incoming federal standards.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49No42L
PLAYGROUND: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis is looking to up its game with kids, exploring the idea of building an indoor playground somewhere downtown . . . The city has collected over 1,200 responses to a survey asking parents for their thoughts on the idea. Mayor Jacob Frey first raised the idea of a skyway-connected playground at a MinnPost event two years ago, comparing his vision to Edina’s Edinborough Park.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u4kVDR
GRANDMAS RIDE ATVs TOO! Check out Donna’s story - a powerful reminder that ATV riding is about more than trails...it’s about people, community, and connection. Donna’s message reflects what so many riders across Minnesota believe: responsible riding, strong local economies, and protecting access for future generations all go hand in hand. Check out Donna’s story: https://fluence-media.co/4tDeK9r Thank you, Donna, for sharing your story and helping put a face to what “I Ride” truly means. (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
COMMERCE
MEDIA: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Twin Cities radio legend Dave Ryan is retiring after 33 years on the air at KDWB. The host announced during his morning show on Wednesday that his last day at the station will be May 22. A station representative confirmed Ryan’s retirement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/435PDk8
ORCHESTRA: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Orchestra welcomed 2026 with its annual ‘Nordic Soundscapes Festival’ in January. With music by Jean Sibelius and Hans Abrahamsen, the festival was a bright spot of warmth during winter. Lurking in the shadows, however, was the news that the Minnesota Orchestra was in a $4.2 million deficit from its previous fiscal year. ‘We have very high fixed costs because we have a full-time orchestra,’ said Isaac Thompson, who took over as the orchestra’s CEO and president in October 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nwgyzc
RETRO LOOK: Via Sun Country, VERBATIM: “Sun Country Airlines has unveiled a special retro aircraft livery celebrating the airline’s origins and honoring the people and communities who have shaped its 43-year journey. This is only Sun Country’s second special livery. The special livery, inspired by Sun Country’s 1994 design, honors the airline’s Minnesota roots and the generations of employees and customers who helped shape its story.” READ/SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4nrB5Vu
DQ: Via KEYC-TV, VERBATIM: “For decades, Dairy Queen on Mankato’s west side has been more than a place to grab a Blizzard. It’s been a community gathering spot, a first job for dozens of young workers, and a family legacy built on loyalty. Now, that legacy is changing hands. Owner JoRae Galli Storm has announced the sale of Dairy Queen West to husband-and-wife team Chris Kunst and Chantal Heetland — a transition she says felt ‘meant to be.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4udTvvq
REGIS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Regis Corp. (RGS) on Wednesday reported net income of $735,000 in its fiscal third quarter. The Minneapolis-based company said it had profit of 26 cents per share . . . The owner of hair salon chains Supercuts and MasterCuts posted revenue of $52.4 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dHoOsw
NEW CISO: Via Minneapolis-based Entrust, VERBATIM: “Entrust, a global leader in identity-centric security solutions, today announced the appointment of Adam Dimopoulos as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u1OTIG
FLINT HILLS FAMILY FESTIVAL: Kick off the summer in downtown Saint Paul with the Flint Hills Family Festival May 29-30, one of the largest and longest-standing events of its kind. The Festival offers free fun for people of all ages in Rice Park and Landmark Plaza, with performances and activities that provide something for everyone, along with world-class shows inside the Ordway for just $8! Now in its 26th year, this year’s Festival lineup includes Cirque Mechanics: TILT!, NOOMA: an opera for babies, and Click Clack Moo! More than one million people have experienced the Festival, including hundreds of thousands of students who have visited on field trips during the Festival’s School Days. Join us this year! LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Family Festival (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
AROUND MN
MN FLAG: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “MPR News used AI tools LocalLens and ChatGPT to identify cities and towns across Minnesota where city councils discussed the state flag or local news outlets covered debates around the flag and then verified each instance. It’s possible there are more areas debating the flag than are covered in this story. As of May 12, at least 16 cities in the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota have voted to fly the old flag. Of those, 13 cities made that call since the start of this year. Additionally, Melrose and Pequot Lakes previously decided to fly the old flag without taking official action.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eDZXqG
SNF: Via WDIO-TV, VERBATIM: “Most forest roads in Superior National Forest have reopened after spring storm washouts. Forest Road 313-Shoe Lake Road in the Gunflint Ranger District in Grand Marais is closed from the intersection of the Arrowhead Trail (Cook County 16) west to Loft Lake carry-down access.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wstE4r
BEMIDJI: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Traffic on the west side of Highway 197 in Bemidji is already starting to become congested as the Minnesota Department of Transportation begins its portion of the corridor project. Starting on the west side of the highway, and by the end of this summer, a new roundabout will be ready on the access road to Menards. By the end of the summer of 2027, two additional roundabouts will be added to the intersections of Middle School Drive and Hannah Avenue.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4uKoTkW
GLOBAL TRADE BOLSTERS AG ECONOMIES: Via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Each year, Minnesota’s exports of corn, ethanol, corn-fed meat, and dried distillers grains (DDGS) alone support over 11,500 jobs and add billions to the state’s economy. They also help ensure that consumers around the world have access to affordable protein and dairy products. In May, during World Trade Month, Minnesota Corn celebrates that important role trade plays in all our lives—in the U.S. and abroad. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dqEqB1 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
WHAT’S NEXT?
TOMORROW: Via UofM CFANS, VERBATIM: “Ninety-six high school students and their mentors from 36 schools across the state will participate in the annual Minnesota Youth Institute (MNYI), hosted at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in St. Paul by the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). The MNYI, in partnership with the World Food Prize Foundation, is a program that challenges Minnesota high schoolers to identify solutions to global hunger issues, and provides them a platform to share their ideas with experts in science, policy, business, and more.”
TOMORROW: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Northlanders can see parts of the world without leaving the Twin Ports as an adventure-filled film festival returns to Duluth. The Paddling Film Festival stops in Duluth Thursday, hosted by North Shore SUP.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42sVeAT
NEXT WEEK: Via Minneapolis Fed, VERBATIM: “Research and policy experts from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Economic Innovation Group, Hired, and Upjohn Institute will explore the design, implementation, and impact of policies that encourage employers to hire.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ukwtms
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
SUNDAY: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The second annual Indigenous Art Fair is coming to the Bloomington Civic Plaza on Sunday, May 17. The art fair is organized by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department in conjunction with the Bloomington Public Schools American Indian Education Program. Last year’s inaugural fair drew more than 1,700 visitors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R5gEl6
BDAYS: attorney Jeff O’Brien, Minneapolis leader Don Samuels, fmr. state demographer Tom Giillaspy, and radio guy Brian Oake, veteran lobbyist John Regal
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