Americans plan to spend an average of $1,007 on gifts this holiday season. GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/3L9axJA
The New York Times asked a handful of voters to weigh in on the White House ballroom project. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ocOdxn
Demi Lovato will play Target Center in May. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3JvOqfI
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3X3OZAw
MIRAC member Montana Hirsch shared thoughts on immigration, activism and more for Sunday Take. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3L9llHx
Blois
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Fluence Advisory hosted a cannabis forum on the “State of Cannabis in Minnesota including an interview with Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management Eric Taubel.
ECONOMY: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans across the income spectrum said they are changing their spending, saving and investing habits in response to persistent inflation that has weighed on the U.S. economy since 2021. In a delayed inflation report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said last week that September’s inflation rate rose to 3%, a small uptick from the previous month’s 2.9% and a better-than-expected figure. But the report, potentially the last piece of national inflation data we will see until the government shutdown ends, shows that inflation, while not meaningfully accelerating, also isn’t getting significantly better. Wages have risen faster than inflation since mid-2023, but households have yet to regain the purchasing power they lost after years of prices outpacing wage growth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nne83Z
EARNINGS: Via Associated Press, from Minnesota-based companies:
UNITEDHEALTH: “UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) on Tuesday reported third-quarter earnings of $2.35 billion. On a per-share basis, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of $2.59 . . . The results exceeded Wall Street expectations . . . The largest U.S. health insurer posted revenue of $113.16 billion in the period, which did not meet Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nn8RJL
ECOLAB: “Ecolab Inc. (ECL) on Tuesday reported third-quarter earnings of $585 million. The Saint Paul, Minnesota-based company said it had net income of $2.05 per share . . . The results exceeded Wall Street expectations . . . The cleaning, food-safety and pest-control services company posted revenue of $4.17 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ofX5Cn
POLARIS: “Polaris Inc. (PII) on Tuesday reported a loss of $15.8 million in its third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Medina, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 28 cents . . . The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 37 cents per share. The snowmobile and ATV maker posted revenue of $1.84 billion in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3L9KYIl
TWO HARBORS: “Two Harbors Investments Corp. (TWO) on Monday reported a loss of $127.9 million in its third quarter. On a per-share basis, the St. Louis Park, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of $1.36 . . . The real estate investment trust that invests in mortgage-backed securities posted revenue of $93.6 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jqidqi
BEST BUY: Via barchart, VERBATIM: “The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings results soon. Ahead of this event, analysts expect Best Buy to report an adjusted EPS of $1.30, up 3.2% from $1.26 in the year-ago quarter.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47Lu3o7
TARGET: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Even casual shoppers notice something’s off. On a recent visit to a local Target in St. Paul, I was struck by some half-empty shelves and it didn’t appear that there were many employees on the floor. It’s anecdotal, yes — but the impression mirrors a growing perception that the Target experience simply isn’t what it used to be.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nn1dPL
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)
ROBBINSDALE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Robbinsdale Area School District has begun the process to close some of its schools, with families getting their first look last week at two possible scenarios. ‘Moves have to be made,’ said Robbinsdale Superintendent Teri Staloch at the Oct. 20 board meeting. ‘If we want to continue to be sustainable as a district, and you all know it, I know it, and our community knows it, it doesn’t make it easier at all.’ Staloch emphasized that no decisions have been made. But district staff members have put forward two options as a starting point.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4odyiik
HEAD START: Via States Newsroom, VERBATIM: “Funding for scores of Head Start programs hung in the balance as the government shutdown continued Monday without an end in sight. Unless a deal is reached to end the ongoing funding lapse that began Oct. 1, more than 65,000 children in 140 local Head Start programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico will not get their federal grant funding come Nov. 1, according to the National Head Start Association. The federal government spent about $12.3 billion on the program in fiscal 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/434aOn7
MORE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delivers annual funding to individual Head Start providers in one lump sum, and four programs in Minnesota are due to get their operating grants for the next 12 months on Nov. 1.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WoRMnV
MORE: According to the National Head Start Association, Minnesota received $139,627,117 in fiscal year 2024 to fund 10,622 seats. FACT SHEET: https://fluence-media.co/4ohajPa
BUCKET TRUCK: Via Xcel, VERBATIM: “On a crisp autumn morning in Waconia, Minnesota, Laketown Elementary buzzed with excitement as fifth-grader Grant Scotting kept his eyes trained on the parking lot. A birthday surprise for Scotting was in the works — and soon it rolled up: a shiny Xcel Energy bucket truck. Scotting, who has special needs and is nonverbal, is known for his love of Xcel Energy. His enthusiasm for the local energy company ranges from reporting outages on his family’s iPad to eagerly opening each monthly bill.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oq7uei (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
REAL ESTATE: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has selected 15 projects for special recognition. Announcements of these winning projects were made Sept. 24 during the 42nd Annual Awards of Excellence event at the Metropolitan Ballroom in Golden Valley. Eight of the 15 awards were won by suburban projects.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nqnCeK
HELIUM: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “Pulsar Helium Inc., is looking both in and beyond northeastern Minnesota for potential helium production. The international helium and development company has signed a non-binding term sheet to acquire 100 percent of Hybrid Hydrogen Inc., according to Pulsar Helium.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47y83fm
MORE: Via gasworld, VERBATIM: “Hybrid Hydrogen’s primary asset is a lease agreement covering approximately 6,742 acres of mineral rights in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula targeting non-hydrocarbon gases. This strategic acquisition would mark Pulsar’s first entry into Michigan, a jurisdiction with a well-established gas regulatory framework now being applied to helium exploration, and forms part of the company’s broader initiative to expand its Upper Midwest footprint.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47urTIa
NEXT WEEK: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Voters across Minnesota will decide Nov. 4 whether to raise property taxes to raise tens to hundreds of millions of dollars for their local schools. The big picture: Budget pressures are prompting a growing number of districts to ask homeowners to chip in more for everything from building upgrades to classroom costs. By the numbers: Seventy school districts across the state have put a combined 96 funding measures worth well over $1 billion on local ballots.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47uoFo6
MORE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “In one week, voters in suburban Woodbury and rural Wright County will decide a pair of state Senate special elections that will determine which party has a majority heading into 2026. A lawmaker’s death and another’s burglary conviction over the summer left the seats vacant. The contests in two distinct districts will restore the Senate to its full complement for the first time in months. And they offer up a preview for high-stakes campaigns in 2026 when all 201 legislative seats are on the ballot.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WrXAwM
DULUTH: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A Duluth City Council meeting turned tense Monday night when former city staffer Chad Ronchetti publicly called out sitting councilor Wendy Durrwachter over a social media post he says crossed the line. Ronchetti, who previously served as Duluth’s Director of Planning and Economic Development and now holds the same role with the City of Hermantown, spoke during public comment Monday to address Durrwachter’s recent Facebook post. The post criticizes his involvement in Hermantown’s controversial data center project.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WM86iN
40 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited (DU) are celebrating 40 years of partnership, a longevity landmark that makes Flint Hills one of DU’s longest-standing corporate partners. Working together over the past four decades, Flint Hills and DU have contributed to conserving more than 250,000 acres of wildlife habitat and natural areas in Minnesota and over 900,000 acres across North America. LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
MPLS: Via Insight News, VERBATIM: “As Minneapolis nears the 2025 municipal election on November 4, the race for Ward 5 City Council has become one of the city’s most closely watched contests; and for good reason. Ward 5, which stretches across much of North Minneapolis, has long been seen as an indicator of the city’s broader political and social shifts. The community, rich with history and resilience, has endured decades of disinvestment, redlining, and inequity. But as election season intensifies, the conversation is no longer just about what was lost but rather, it’s about what can be rebuilt.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ovymdv
MPD: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “The City of Minneapolis announcing its Office of Police Conduct Review has cleared a backlog of complaints dating back to May of 2024. 234 cases have now been cleared in what they city called its historic backlog of complaints against Minneapolis Police officers. The number of cases has grown since 2020, when the city faced staffing challenges making matters worse after the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, unrest and riots that took place across the city.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/47r26Rd
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)
FIRST FREEZE: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Fall’s first freeze arrived Friday, ending one of the longest growing seasons in the Twin Cities’ recorded history. By the numbers: 199 days passed between spring’s last sub-freezing temp (on April 8) and Friday’s 30-degree low.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48RmBJo
WALLEYE: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resource has announced walleye regulations on Upper Red Lake for this winter. Beginning November 15, 2025 and going through February 22, 2026, the lake will have a four-fish possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 in. allowed.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oMtYGJ
RECYCLING: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A major regional recycling plant in the Twin Cities has finished a $23 million renovation to increase its capacity, as the state aims to recycle more and throw away less . . . Improvements include new AI sorting technology, in place of some hand-sorting. Separating out different materials is a crucial step in the process — sort wrong, and waste can end up sent to the landfill. And, sorting needs to move fast. The WM plant in Minneapolis processes dozens of tons of recycling per day, hauled in from Minnesota, the Dakotas, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47JJmh4
GOLF COURSE: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The long-debated future of the Lester Park Golf Course took a major step forward Monday night. In a unanimous vote, the Duluth City Council approved the Lester Park Land Use Study, which includes transferring the property to the Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA) — a move aimed at paving the way for redevelopment.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3LdqT3O
RETAIL: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Designer toy brand Pop Mart quietly opened its Mall of America store Monday – or as quietly as the mega-popular, highly-anticipated brand could. The Chinese company, which is now reportedly worth more than Hasbro, Mattel and Sanrio combined, became a global sensation with Labubu dolls – the toothy, furry creatures created by artist Kasing Lung that are both a viral collectible and fashion accessory.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47qoOJg
FRIDAY: Via news release from Duluth-based ALLETE, VERBATIM: “ALLETE Inc. (NYSE:ALE) will announce its financial results for the third quarter before the stock markets open on Friday, October 31, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oEyK8X
NEXT WEEK: Via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Itasca Waters will continue its online Practical Water Wisdom Series at noon on Thursday, Nov. 6. The series runs for an hour beginning at noon, typically on the first Thursday of each month. The webinars are free, open to all and include an interactive Q&A session. The presentation will feature Sarah Kingsbury, senior aquatic invasive species biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Nova Scotia. Kingsbury specializes in projects that support the management of invasive species.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48MGdOJ
ACQUISITION: Via news release from North Mankato-based Taylor, VERBATIM: “Taylor Corporation today announced the acquisition of Gooten, Inc., a leading print on demand technology and fulfillment provider. The Gooten technology platform, OrderMesh, along with Gooten’s growing fulfillment network will now be combined with Taylor’s national manufacturing footprint and global technology development expertise. This transaction will allow both companies to dramatically accelerate their print on demand market position.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ofWDnE
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HALLOWEEN: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Adam Turman, the visionary artist celebrated for capturing Minnesota nostalgia, has long added his signature style to his annual neighborhood Halloween installation. What started as a small personal project has exploded into a full community tradition, with 12 households now participating.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4qL5G1A
BDAYS: ag leader Carolyn Olson, Shoreview stalwart Sandy Martin
Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
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