48% of voters oppose the tariffs on Canada and Mexico – 38% approve. MORNING CONSULT: https://fluence-media.co/4ktwiAK
11 federal offices in Minnesota are on the DOGE chopping block. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/41xNXyW
MnDOT’s live traffic map shows a lot of red across southern Minnesota this morning. Dashcams show what plow drivers are seeing. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3hSgnAz
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3F3p2vn
Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R-09) was on Sunday Take to discuss the upcoming state budget forecast, federal funding and impacts on the Health and Human Services budget. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ipEyjL
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
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)
NATIONAL GUARD: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “Due to the heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions across the state, Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency on Wednesday and authorized the Minnesota National Guard to provide support for emergency storm operations.” QUOTE: “Minnesota is no stranger to winter weather, but conditions can quickly become unpredictable and dangerous,” said Governor Walz. “As we work to alleviate the dangerous road conditions, the National Guard is stepping up to provide life-saving support.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QIISPh
MORE: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “According to his office, members of the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office have asked for help – including equipment and personnel – to help rescue stranded motorists.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4haYUMD
TRANSIT: From Metro Transit via Facebook, VERBATIM: “All Metro Transit Bus Service Suspended Until Further Notice: 6:15 AM Update: Bus service including Metro micro remains suspended. Metro Mobility and Transit Link services are also suspended. Light rail and Northstar are currently operating as regular.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4h4Y6sw
POWER: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “Xcel Energy crews are working to assess damage and safely restore power to customers as quickly as possible after a winter storm swept across Minnesota last night and into this morning. Electric outages are currently affecting about 6,600 customers across the state, with the majority of them in the Twin Cities metro.”
MORE: Via Xcel, the map of current outages. MAP: https://fluence-media.co/3OUSzqs
TRUMP: ICYMI… morning take had comprehensive coverage of and Minnesota reaction to Tuesday night’s address by President Trump to a joint session of Congress. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4kujjyP
MORE: Via news release this morning from Rep. Pete Stauber, QUOTE: “After President Trump’s powerful speech tonight, one thing is clear: the renewal of the American Dream is underway. President Trump has accomplished more in one month in office than most Presidents accomplish in four years, and there were plenty of achievements to celebrate tonight. Whether it's securing the border, stopping the flow of fentanyl into our country, saving women’s sports, cutting government waste, and restoring peace around the globe – I am grateful for all that the President has done so far to get this country back on track.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h9Xemt
MINING: From Clay Masters via MPR, VERBATIM: “A light snow falls at Cast Outdoor Adventures as David Hicks introduces his dogs to customers visiting from the Twin Cities. They’re here to experience the pristine wilderness of northern Minnesota in a way like no other: on a dogsled . . . some of President Donald Trump’s early actions back in office would rescind ‘undue burdens’ on U.S. mines. It has brought attention back to a long-running mining debate near the BWCA.” QUOTE: “If you were a fan of the former administration, now you’re not going to be a fan of this administration or vice versa,” Hicks said. “It just pits everybody against each other.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4btEv43
HOUSING: From MHP via X, VERBATIM: “The Yes to Homes! coalition is currently hosting a press conference at the Capitol in St. Paul. The legislation would promote the creation of diverse home types, and streamline local processes and reduce barriers and accelerate building . . . Speaking: Rep. @SpencerIgoMN ‘People from all generations want to be homeowners and cannot find them ... We need all the options possible for all Minnesotans’ . . . Sen. Lindsey Port: ‘Everyone in minnesota is spending more on housing and less on education, food, and healthcare.’” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/4hfpofM
MORE: Via YouTube, this morning’s news conference, WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ha02A1
MN HOUSE: From Peter Callaghan via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “The issue was paid family and medical leave, but on Monday it stood in as a metaphor for the 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature. At least for the period that will end on St. Patrick’s Day when the House most likely will return to a 67-67 tie. Until then, House Republicans have an odd partisan advantage. With a 67-66 majority, they can pass bills out of committee and bring them to the floor for final passage. But they don’t have the constitutional majority of 68 votes to pass them, and for all but the least controversial bills, they haven’t.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41I80Mj
CRAGUN’S: From Christine Schuster via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake, Minnesota's third largest resort, is under contract to be sold to a local investment group after 85 years in the Cragun family. Leisure Hotels and Resorts, which is led by Brainerd Lakes resident Jamie Tatge, announced the deal Tuesday, stating its believed to be the largest resort transaction in Minnesota history.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XvyLRv
MAYO: From Christopher Snowbeck via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic set a new record for operating profit last year as the Rochester-based health system continued seeing growth in patient visits for outpatient and hospital care. In 2022, Mayo was like many health systems in struggling to find enough workers to fully staff its operations. Those problems dissipated significantly in 2023 and were almost completely gone last year, Chief Financial Officer Dennis Dahlen said in an interview. On Wednesday, the not-for-profit health system reported financial results that include double-digit growth since 2022 in patient visits to outpatient care centers and Mayo hospitals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QIhxwz
WILD ABOUT READING: More than 500 Minnesota classrooms and 15,000 students are participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs, and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy – and the team dog, Rookie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: Wild About Reading SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources
VOLUNTEERS: Via news release from Rep. Angie Craig, VERBATIM: “Last week, Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02) and Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) reintroduced the bipartisan Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act to lower costs for volunteer drivers by increasing the charitable mileage reimbursement rate. The bill would quintuple the reimbursement rate from its current rate, 14 cents per mile, to 70 cents per mile. This represents a massive jump for volunteers at organizations like Meals on Wheels and Feeding America, where the reimbursement rate has remained stagnant at $0.14 per mile since 1997.”
CANNABIS: From Nathan Bowe via Detroit Lakes Tribune, VERBATIM: “Tim Rohloff and Rose Diemert of rural Waubun plan to use computer-controlled and precisely dosed hydroponic cultivation to grow cannabis in a 5,000-square-foot facility in Shell Lake Township. The Becker County Board on Tuesday granted Rohloff and Diemert their request for a conditional use permit ‘for the cultivation, manufacture and wholesale of cannabis’ . . . Rohloff said they expect to produce about 800 pounds of cannabis per year in the enclosed, indoor cultivation facility.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ipxALA
DEBT: Via Morning Consult, VERBATIM: “Buy now, pay later loans are an attractive option for consumers: These short term loans allow shoppers to extend their cash flow over a defined period, typically for no interest. As credit card interest rates have risen in recent years, BNPL options have become even more attractive. In December 2024, 12.6% of U.S. adults reported having outstanding BNPL debt, per Morning Consult’s economic data. Retailers have made these options widely available to shoppers, and the share of respondents who report using BNPL providers Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm has risen more than 13 percentage points since April of 2020, when Morning Consult began tracking.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41GtpoV
TARGET: From Nick Halter via Axios, VERBATIM: “Target's 2024 was gloomy. This year could be worse. Why it matters: The Minneapolis-based retailer warned during its fourth-quarter earnings call that the Trump administration's new tariffs, as well as slipping consumer confidence, will cut into sales and profits. By the numbers: Its share price fell by 3% Tuesday and is now down about 25% from a year ago.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41n3BNr
MORE: From Dan Niepow via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Uncertainty around the future of trade with the United States’ two closest neighbors hung over Tuesday’s meeting.” QUOTE: “We’re expecting some outsized profit pressures in this year’s first quarter compared with the rest of the year,” said Target executive VP and CFO Jim Lee. “These include tariff uncertainty, expected start-up costs from a ramp-up in new stores and remodel projects, and the timing of certain SG&A and tax expenses within the year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43iPQBW
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.-Elect Kari Rehauer
Rep.-Elect Wayne Johnson
Rep. Elect Julie Greene
Rep. Elect Keith Allen
Rep. Elect Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
AI: Via University of Minnesota, VERBATIM: “How do AI-generated ad slogans compare to those created by professionals? New University of Minnesota research suggests that the pros tend to connect better with consumers, but AI tools may perform just as well by adopting certain strategies . . . Joe Redden, a professor of marketing in the Carlson School of Management, tested this in new research published in the Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising. Redden conducted two studies in which he prompted AI to create multiple alternative taglines for 10 different ads for well-known brands that ran in national magazines. Then, he edited versions of the original ad and had 6,000 consumers rate these newly created ads for likeability and brand purchase intent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F7nvEz
BLOOMINGTON: From Dan Netter via Finance & Commerce, VERBATIM: “A prominent Twin Cities-based megachurch has acquired the Bethany Global University campus in Bloomington for $8 million, according to a certificate of real estate value that was released late last week. The 16-building, 32-acre campus was vacated by the private Christian college earlier this year and has subsequently been bought by Substance Church, an evangelical, nondenominational megachurch that has three locations in the metro, according to its website.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43mHuco
STRATASYS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Stratasys Ltd. (SSYS) on Wednesday reported a loss of $41.9 million in its fourth quarter. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 59 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and amortization costs, were 12 cents per share. The maker of 3D printers posted revenue of $150.4 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QOg2gl
MORE: Via Stock Story, VERBATIM: “3D printing company Stratasys (NASDAQ:SSYS) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q4 CY2024, but sales fell by 3.8% year on year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Dg8UWU
‘I GOT INTO THIS INDUSTRY TO HELP PEOPLE’ - Taylor, a first-generation descendant of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, is a member of Enbridge’s Tribal engagement team in Wisconsin. She loves getting out into Tribal communities to educate people on Enbridge’s purpose and to help them understand opportunities in the trades. Taylor enjoys her role at Enbridge, where she feels valued and appreciated as a member of the team. She believes Enbridge will continue to make an impact with Indigenous communities through the company’s Indigenous Peoples Policy. Taylor’s dedication to helping others and her commitment to her heritage drive her every day, and her work at Enbridge is a testament to the company’s commitment to social responsibility. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3P3wqK9 (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
NORTH LOOP: From Stephanie March via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Opening in the lower level space that used to house Stalk and Spade in the Duffy Building, Cafe Yoto is the work of chef Yo Hasegawa, who has been working with James Beard–nominated chef Shigeyuki Furukawa at Kado No Mise for the past seven years. The two held popular casual Monday Cafe popups at the restaurant together, featuring Hasegawa's favorite food: thick and chewy udon noodles. So when it came time for him to leave and open his own spot, he knew what direction he wanted to go: fat and fast.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4io2Iek
COOKBOOK: From Macy Harder via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Did you know that Gavin Kaysen, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind Spoon and Stable, Demi, Mara Restaurant and Bar, and Bellecour Bakery at Cooks of Crocus Hill is also a self-published author? In his first cookbook, ‘At Home,’ Kaysen answers a simple question: “What do you cook at home?” The book features over 100 recipes for the home cook, from quick weeknight staples to more complex weekend projects.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3F7tAkw
BOOKS: From Chris Hewitt via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “If you’re looking for a copy of a Neil Gaiman novel, don’t bother checking at Avant Garden Books & Coffee in Anoka. The store has removed Gaiman from its shelves. Gaiman is one of several authors who have been in the news recently for reasons other than their writing . . . These and other cases can create a dilemma for readers and booksellers: What to do about art we admire that is created by people we don’t? Most bookstores leave it in the hands of patrons.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i1HvXZ
TODAY: Via AFSCME, VERBATIM: “Senator Scott Dibble, chair of the MN Senate Transportation Committee, will join AFSCME Council 5 union members and leaders who are employed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to spotlight the issues and costly outsourcing and privatization of critical projects at the department and the need to invest in the workers who perform these critical tasks.”
TOMORROW: From Corey Bork via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “CCX Media has something to celebrate this week. Thursday marks the 35th anniversary of John Jacobson on the mic here at our nonprofit. Jacobson has won numerous awards for broadcast excellence and is a community pillar on the high school sports scene.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i2nd0s
MARCH18: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the community to attend a March 18 public meeting to learn about the recommended ideas to improve Highway 61 from I-94 to Lower Afton Road in St. Paul.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R66tcV
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)
JULY: From Bill Strande via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “The Mall of America will host the Twin Cities debut of Panda Fest — one of the largest traveling outdoor Asian food festivals in the country.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QOcmv3
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
UOFM: From Michael Nolan via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration’s recent changes to science funding policies — part of a wave of funding cuts across a number of federal agencies — could initially undercut research activities at the University of Minnesota by $130 million, but nationwide freezes to grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may cost the school billions in research funding over the coming years. Earlier this month, the university responded to the Trump administration’s announced limits on indirect cost recoveries from federal research grants issued by the NIH. Indirect cost recoveries are portions of research grants that an institution can spend on non-research costs that both literally and figuratively keep the lights on.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43jKyGa
WATER: Via Minnesota Department of Health, VERBATIM: “A new, interactive map created by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will show families how much lead, if any, has been detected in the drinking water at all public and charter schools and at licensed child care centers . . . Since 2017, Minnesota law has required public and charter schools to test for lead in drinking water every five years and to make their test results available to the public. As of July 1, 2024, a new law required licensed child care centers to begin testing drinking water for lead as well, and for both schools and child care centers to report their test results to MDH.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QLsMnK MAP: https://fluence-media.co/43tnTqW
STUDENTS: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “As mental health diagnoses rise at the University of Minnesota (UMN), many students report long wait times and unresponsive care from campus counseling services, prompting some to seek therapy outside the university . . . A 2024 Boynton Health survey found that 30.2% of students utilize emergency or crisis mental health services, while most rely on non-emergency care. The survey also reported that 26.1% of students received a mental health diagnosis in the past year, and nearly 60% said their mental health affected their academic performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Dqlt1K
MNCM: Via Healthcare Innovation, VERBATIM: “Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Minnesota Community Measurement (MNCM) is a data-driven organization focusing on clinical quality, cost, and utilization measurement. Liz Cinqueonce, M.B.A., the nonprofit organization’s president and CEO, recently spoke with Healthcare Innovation about its new Common Health Information Reporting Partnership (CHIRP) and other initiatives.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43miIct
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MEDIA: From Twin Cities PBS via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “Twin Cities PBS (TPT) is thrilled to announce the return of ‘Stage,’ its award-winning local music series, for a fourth season.” SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4kv5YXh
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
LATE NIGHT: Via MplsStPaul, dining guide for night owls. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4imrqvB
BDAYS: baseball guy Mike Veeck, Prior Lake Mayor Kirt Briggs, labor advocate Kris Fredson, gun advocate Bryan Strawser,food guy Matthew Anderson
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