PLEASANT TEMPS AHEAD
New data out this morning shows the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July – the Down Jones consensus forecast predicted a 83,000 job gain. CNBC: https://fluence-media.co/3U27ffr
39% of Americans say couples should be legally married if they have a child together – that’s a 10 percentage point increase from 2020. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/4wd9XME
The jackpot in tomorrow’s Powerball drawing is up to $856 million.
Tomorrow’s Primary Primer will focus on what to watch on Tuesday – for paid subscribers.
Sunday Take will preview the primary at 9AM on WCCO Radio.
Blois
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Sunday Take featured a Farmfest preview and Republican Adam Schwarze discussing his U.S. Senate campaign. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3TyEK93
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DIVIDE: If you didn’t think the divide in the DFL is real, see the mail in the SD46 Senate primary between Sen. Ron Latz and challenger Lynette Dumalag.
The race has a postcard-sized illustration of the larger argument inside Minnesota’s DFL Party — experience and progressive pragmatism versus a more woke and activist-driven politics.
The mailboxes and doors of SD46 voters are filling up with more than candidate contrasts. They’re getting a proxy fight over what kind of DFL wins elections, sets the agenda and governs.
Latz has long occupied the pragmatic lane of the Senate DFL, particularly on public safety and Israel. His opponents see those positions as evidence that the district — and the party — have moved beyond him. Latz’s allies see the challenge as another attempt to push out a Democrat willing to break with the party’s activist left.
WHY IT MATTERS: This isn’t just about one Senate seat. The same fault lines running through Democrats nationally and the DFL in Minnesota are now playing out precinct by precinct. SD46 is a reminder that in heavily Democratic districts, the most consequential political fight isn’t always DFL vs. GOP — it’s increasingly DFL vs. DSA.
WATCH: Tuesday’s result won’t settle the DFL’s ideological debate, but it will tell us something about which side has the voters — not just the loudest voices.
NOTE: We can’t find any public filings for the group “SD46 Residents for Change” it may be because we’re in the 14-day window of filing but not disclosing before the primary.
BACK TO SCHOOL
SURVEY: Via Mall of America, VERBATIM: “A new consumer survey commissioned by the nation’s largest Mall found that 97% of shoppers plan to either shop exclusively in-stores or combine in-store and online shopping this season, while more than half (54%) plan to do their shopping at malls . . . Nearly half (45%) of shoppers say finding the best value and deals is their top priority while back to school shopping, reinforcing last year’s survey findings when 51% of consumers identified themselves as savers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xwZjl3
DULUTH SCHOOLS: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Duluth School Board voted 7-0 Thursday to place an operating referendum on the November ballot, asking residents to approve a property tax increase to support the district. The vote comes after the district cut nearly $12 million from its budget over the past three years after two previous referendums failed in 2023 and 2024. Voters will face two questions on the November ballot.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4yYPCgR
HCMC: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s largest safety-net hospital was rapidly burning through its cash reserves when its leaders proposed a painful rescue plan in late 2023. It called for HCMC, in downtown Minneapolis, to eliminate about 350 jobs and cut benefits while hiring more nurses and other direct-care employees. Program cuts were on the table, as well, including one proposal to shift home health care services to an outside community group. But after a bitter debate largely behind closed doors, the final budget passed that year included only a small fraction of the proposed cuts to jobs, benefits and programs — and left big questions about HCMC’s future.”
READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q3riWL
JOBS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Revol Greens, which grows lettuce and other greens near Owatonna, may lay off nearly a hundred employees and close its massive greenhouse in October if it can’t find a buyer for the company or an infusion of funding. The lettuce grower told state regulators Wednesday that it would be forced to close its Medford facility about an hour south of the Twin Cites and layoff approximately 89 employees if the site or company does not secure funding or get bought out before Oct. 4. The Minnesota company, which grows its lettuce in a climate-controlled, 10-acre greenhouse, opened in 2017 and has an additional greenhouse in Texas.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4z8lj7u
MORE: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “The announcement comes after ongoing Cyclospora outbreaks in 15 states, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Those outbreaks have been linked to lettuce at Taco Bell locations and lettuce sold by Taylor Farms de Mexico.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45Lbf6D
MOUNTAIN IRON: via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Nearly 100 people were permanently laid off from a solar panel manufacturing facility in Mountain Iron. The State Rapid Response Team received a Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) email from Heliene, USA, Inc., regarding the layoff of approximately 93 employees. … The layoffs were due to ‘unforeseen business circumstances.’ They occurred Wednesday, Aug. 5, but the company says the employees will receive pay until Oct. 4.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4c4JmtS
BLANCHE: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The day his son’s killer was sentenced to life in prison, J. Carroll Hortman blasted Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche in the courtroom for, in his view, failing their family. Now, Hortman and two of his children are pushing to stop Blanche from formally taking on the role of the country’s top cop. Blanche was the final decision-maker when it came to the federal case against Vance Boelter, the man who attempted to kill Sen. John Hoffman, his wife Yvette and their daughter Hope before assassinating Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45cGqaU
(DISCLOSURE: Fluence provides media support for the Hoffman family)
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)
IMMIGRATION ISSUES
APPLETON: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The announcement this week that the long vacant Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, will become the newest Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center sent shockwaves through the small towns in the region. The private prison company CoreCivic announced this week that it signed a five year contract for ICE to use the facility for immigrant detention. News that the privately-owned prison will reopen as an ICE detention center has divided some community members. Supporters see reopening the former private prison as an economic boon for a struggling town. Opponents believe an ICE detention center is morally reprehensible, and a drain on community resources.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cskKeK
NEW RULE: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Legal experts in Minnesota say a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule will put more asylum seekers into deportation proceedings without an interview. The rule adopted this past week will allow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to forward certain asylum applications directly to federal immigration courts. The change impacts affirmative asylum seekers, who have applied for asylum with USCIS, compared to defensive asylum seekers who are already facing removal proceedings in court.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TIUu9F
VISAS: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Years ago, Rosa watched from inside the car as men robbed her husband at gunpoint, shortly after they’d arrived in Minnesota from Guatemala. The couple had a pending asylum case, but once they reported the crime to the police, they were eligible for a U visa, which provides a path to legal permanent residency for victims of and witnesses to serious crimes — and, in some cases, their immediate family members. At her request, the Reformer is using Rosa’s first name to protect her from government retribution. Rosa is among dozens of people who were detained by immigration authorities during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, despite having permission to live and work in the United States because they were victims of a crime and reported it to the police.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RZTbCH
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)
PUBLIC SAFETY
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Six of the Duluth Police Department’s nine automated license plate reader cameras have been stolen or damaged since June. The cameras, made by Flock Safety, had recently been credited with helping reduce auto thefts in the city. The devices were positioned at intersections across Duluth. The thefts are part of a broader trend of Flock camera thefts reported nationally.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4yV6c0S
MOORHEAD: Via Valley News Live, VERBATIM: “Moorhead police are asking the public for video and credible tips as they continue investigating the theft of a trailer belonging to the Veterans Honor Flight of North Dakota and Minnesota, loaded with an estimated $30,000 worth of property. The Moorhead Police Department says it received a delayed report of the stolen trailer around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4. The trailer was reported taken from the 300 block of 30th Street North, with comments indicating it disappeared outside the American Legion in Moorhead. Investigators now believe the theft happened late Sunday, Aug. 2, or in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 3.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q0kKsd
BWCAW: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Top Minnesota officials are preparing to wind down the state’s peacetime emergency response to the Boundary Waters wildfires as crews continue to make steady progress on containing the blazes. Why it matters: The move signals that the devastating blazes that upended northeastern Minnesota’s tourism season and blanketed the state in smoke are coming under control.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ROb1Zm
BUSINESSES: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Dozens of business owners in Northern Minnesota are asking Governor Walz to help, after losing significant income during the closure of the BWCA during the wildfires. Dave Seaton owns Hungry Jack Outfitters in Grand Marais, along the Gunflint Trail, where the skies are clear and the sun was shining Thursday. Still many are wary about making the trip up there, even with the wilderness mostly open now.” SEATON: “The businesses that are that rely on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area took a pretty big hit.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4z8bPZW
BLUE LINE: via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “The fate of the $3.5 billion Blue Line Extension light rail project took on new urgency at a special meeting. … A committee made up of local elected officials, appointed members of the Metropolitan Council and community members is now scrambling for solutions to a budget gap of about $200 million. The gap has to be resolved before managers can apply for federal funding worth more than $750 million. The shortfall of local funding comes even after the project made tens of millions of dollars in cuts.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45PpyXO
COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS: Flint Hills Resources is celebrating summer with thousands of Minnesotans at local festivals and parades. Look for Flint Hills employees – along with their families and friends – as they show their hometown pride at many local celebrations, including Rosemount Leprechaun Days, Hastings Rivertown Days, Inver Grove Heights Days and Saint Paul’s Lowertown Sounds. For decades, Flint Hills Resources has supported programs, organizations and events that improve our quality of life in our communities. LEARN MORE: Community Partnerships (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
RENTALS: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Duluth City Council is considering changes to its short-term vacation rental licenses following a one-year moratorium put in place last fall. The moratorium was established to study how short-term rentals are affecting the city’s housing shortage. The discussion comes in response to the conversion of single-family homes into vacation rentals, concentrated in areas including Park Point, the UMD campus neighborhood and West Duluth.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bzpPl8
ACQUISITION: Via CNBC, VERBATIM: “Shares in EasyJet rose about 3.1% in afternoon trade in London on Thursday after the [Minneapolis-based] U.S. private equity firm Castlelake said it had pulled the plug on plans to buy the U.K. budget airline, clearing the path for rival bidder Apollo Global Management.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hUw1Im
SEZZLE: Via Zacks, VERBATIM: “[Minneapolis-based] Sezzle Inc. (SEZL) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.13 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.95 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.69 per share a year ago . . . Sezzle Inc., which belongs to the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, posted revenues of $149.68 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.88%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $98.7 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wWO2u8
MORE: Via Investing, VERBATIM: “Sezzle stock is plunging 24.3% in pre-open trading today, reaching $135.10, after the company’s Q2 2026 earnings report — released after market close on Thursday — ignited a wave of selling despite a headline beat on both revenue and profit . . . The problem was forward-looking: management guided for revenue growth to slow to roughly 30% in the second half of 2026, and flagged that its revenue yield would normalize to 11.4% from the elevated levels seen in Q2 — a reset that spooked investors who had bid the stock up sharply in anticipation of sustained momentum.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3UjQhJy
SUI: Via Stock Titan, VERBATIM: “[Wayzata-based] Sui Group Holdings Limited reported financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2026. For the quarter, total revenues were $363 thousand, driven mainly by $327 thousand of SUI staking revenue and $36 thousand of digital lending interest income, compared with $948 thousand a year earlier. The company recorded a quarterly net loss of $18,907 thousand, versus net income of $677 thousand in Q2 2025, reflecting $18,910 thousand of realized losses on digital assets.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ggSVse
MORE EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, reports from Minnesota-based companies:
NOG: “Northern Oil and Gas Inc. (NOG) on Thursday reported second-quarter net income of $236.6 million. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of $2.19 per share . . . The results exceeded Wall Street expectations . . . The independent oil and gas company posted revenue of $745.2 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $670.8 million, which also beat Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wG7VFL
CVRX: “CVRx Inc. (CVRX) on Thursday reported a loss of $14 million in its second quarter. The Minneapolis-based company said it had a loss of 53 cents per share. The results missed Wall Street expectations . . . The medical device company posted revenue of $15.7 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wf89mj
SUSHI: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “When I last spoke with sushi chef Baaska Tegshbileg of Sushi by Baaska, just over a year ago, he was riding high on a wave of pop-ups around the Cities, bringing his signature, glittering sushi platters to diners at Steady Pour, Bar Brava, and Picnic Linden Hills. He told me then that his dream was to open his own restaurant, a small spot that would serve modern Japanese fare, and the freshest of fish. Time flies, and beloved restaurants close (looking at you, Zen Box Izakaya), and exciting new ones sprout up to take their place. How lucky are we that in just a year’s time, Tegshbileg is bringing a spark of new life to the Mill District’s legacy space for Japanese cuisine?” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wfPRBv
WHAT’S NEXT?
THIS WEEKEND: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “‘Banana Ball’ boogies onto Target Field this weekend, as the Savannah Bananas and Loco Beach Coconuts face off in front of local fans. Why it matters: Have you seen the viral clips? These guys are so fun. For the uninitiated, the traveling exhibition league combines America’s favorite pastime with wacky antics and performances.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3U3GJCt
TOMORROW: The Northwoods Art & Book Festival in Hackensack. Via Lakeland PBS, WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4z2lVeL
THIS MONTH: Via Bloomington-based Donaldson, VERBATIM: “Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE: DCI), a leading worldwide provider of innovative filtration products and solutions, will webcast its fourth quarter 2026 earnings conference call on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. CT.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w9hIDf
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
EDINA: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The Standard Vintage Market will return Saturday, September 12, for its third edition—and its largest yet—taking over the east end of the Edina shopping center with more than 20 vintage vendors, local makers, and a lineup of experiences. Founded in fall 2025 by Carrie Martinson of Olio Vintage and Jahna Peloquin of Rosella Vintage, The Standard was conceived as a more edited take on the traditional vintage market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4z4mTXK
BDAYS: Winthrop’s Tom Hanson, Schwarze staffer Zavier Bicott, lobbyist Dan Pollock, Star Tribune’s Erin Adler, K102’s Chris Carr, farmer Richard “Swede” Syverson
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