Snow’s headed our way in the coming days. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/41dRAuA
Someone stole the statue of F. Scott Fitzgerald from outside a St. Paul school he attended. READ: https://fluence-media.co/40Yd6lO
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/418fOGJ
A conversation with Minneapolis candidate for Mayor DeWayne Davis on Sunday Take. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4179dfz
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
2026: From Ryan Faircloth via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The 2026 campaign for Minnesota governor will start to take shape over the next several months as Gov. Tim Walz weighs whether to seek a third term and several Republicans consider challenging him. Walz has said he will decide whether to seek a historic third consecutive term by this summer, after the 2025 legislative session is over. The DFL governor raised his national profile while running for vice president last year and is sitting on more than $1 million in campaign funds, which could give him an early advantage if he runs again. Several Republicans, including Walz’s 2022 opponent, are considering campaigns for the governor’s mansion. Meanwhile, two prominent Minnesota Republicans in Congress have ruled out a run.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hvHKdB
RAMSEY CTY: From Imani Cruzen via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “With approximately 88% of the votes, Garrison McMurtrey is the winner of Tuesday’s special election for Ramsey County District 3 commissioner, with all precincts reporting according to county officials. The results are unofficial until after canvassing Friday. With a total of 2,206 votes, McMurtrey had a lead over Joshua Bau, who received 298 votes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3COkzMf
PANS: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “A fight over nonstick pans has moved to the front burner in Minnesota. The state last month became the first to ban the sale of cookware containing the so-called ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS. The move is part of a wider effort across the country to crack down on the synthetic compounds, some of which have been linked to cancer, liver damage and fertility issues. The ban has thinned the variety of cookware available in Minnesota stores and surprised some consumers. Sara Bohjanen, whose dishwashing stints had inspired her and her fiancé to put a nonstick pot on their wedding registry, switched to a stainless steel model after learning their first choice could no longer be sold in the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42R37kO
BROOKLYN PARK: From Corey Bork via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The city of Brooklyn Park is responding to concerns about the city’s role in potential federal immigration action. Brooklyn Park city officials stressed on Monday night that it’s not the role of city police to conduct immigration enforcement. Under the city’s policy, police only inquire about someone’s immigration status if that person committed a violent crime or other significant offense, officials said.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4aTLQcV
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
INFRASTRUCTURE: From Madison McVan via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Republicans in Congress are considering eliminating a tax break that lowers the cost of public infrastructure projects across the country in an effort to free up money for their chief policy priority: extending 2017 tax cuts that were a windfall for the wealthy. If incorporated into Republicans’ tax bill, the move would raise the cost of borrowing for state and local governments, school districts and nonprofits, including hospitals like Mayo Clinic. Matt Fabian, partner at the research firm Municipal Market Analytics, said if governments want to get ahead of potential cost increases for infrastructure projects, they should borrow the money now.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hq6Zhf
MINNEAPOLIS: From Kyle Stokes via Axios, VERBATIM: “Emily Koski was the Minneapolis City Council's only regular swing vote last year, dividing her support evenly between Mayor Jacob Frey's allies and his left-wing critics on the 102 closest votes — but most other council members rarely sided with Frey. Why it matters: Three years after Minneapolis residents voted to give more powers to their mayor, a coalition of Frey's critics showed it can muster the votes to block the mayor's agenda and make policy without him. That's according to an Axios analysis of more than 3,000 council actions last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hPOwue
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)
ELECTRIC: From Dan Kraker via MPR, VERBATIM: “In Dakota County, south of the Twin Cities, about 44,000 farm and homeowners have signed up for a program that allows their local electric cooperative to control their air conditioners — a seemingly small act that can have an outsized impact on the energy distribution system . . . Rural cooperatives around Minnesota have employed similar programs for decades for electric heating. Historically they’ve done it to save money, and to maintain reliability when demand for electricity is peaking . . . But more recently, experts also see virtual power plants as playing an important role in the shift from fossil fuels to a carbon-free energy system.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CR1sRN
POPULATION: From Corey Bork via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Twin Cities northwest suburbs are expected to get a lot bigger, according to new population estimates from the Metropolitan Council. Maple Grove is expected to grow the most in the northwest suburbs, adding nearly 20,000 people from 2020 to 2050. The nine cities in the CCX News viewing area are expected to add more than 60,000 people, larger than the current population of the city of Minnetonka.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hxS1Wr
MORE: Via Metropolitan Council, long range population forecasts for all area regions. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/42NBSI0
APPLE VALLEY: From Dan Netter via Finance & Commerce, VERBATIM: “Apple Valley could see an influx of construction on the Fischer Sand and Aggregate mining site if a prominent data center developer gets the green light from the city, according to planning documents. Excelsior-based Oppidan Investment Co. has pitched a technology park campus for the former mining site that would involve the building of 860,000 square feet of property spread across primarily seven buildings, including five data centers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aZ4Syl
“IT’S OUR PEOPLE’S LIVES THEY SAVE” - The Cass Lake Fire Department, located on the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation in northern Minnesota, serves an area of 400 square miles, three counties, the city of Cass Lake and the Reservation. A foundational Enbridge donation has helped the department begin plans for building a new fire hall to replace its current home base, which the fire department has outgrown. “Our top needs are health and safety—having a decontamination hot zone, and another is training capacity,” says Robert, the chief of Cass Lake FD. Adds Diane, an Enbridge Tribal liaison and a Leech Lake Band member: “We want to see what the needs are out in the communities, and the fire department here is so important to everyone’s safety and well-being . . . it’s our people’s lives they save.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RfodC9 (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
RETAIL: From Kevin Miller via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The last retail building tied to the former Brookdale Mall in Brooklyn Center has been bought out by a developer. Located adjacent to Shingle Creek Crossing shopping center alongside Highway 100, the building has sat vacant since Sears closed in 2018.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jV1dpu
FITNESS: From Binta Kanteh via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “As a teen growing up in Maryland and New York, Fatma Sheekh played soccer and tennis. Later on, her uncle introduced her to the art of boxing. Working out as a young adult gave her ‘consistency and clarity,’ she says . . . Sheekh’s journey back into fitness led her to launch the Hawa Women’s Health Club in 2024. The club rents space at three local gyms and offers a range of classes, from boxing to strength training to barre. Hawa is one of a growing number of Twin Cities fitness clubs that cater to Muslim women by offering women-only spaces where they can work out without having to maintain a hijab, along with opportunities to build friendships and connections.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42QDzo0
LIFE TIME: From Adam Platt via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “On St. Patrick’s Day 2020, Bahram Akradi, founder, chairman, and CEO of Life Time, sat in his corner office surveying the company’s Chanhassen campus. The parking lots were empty, the adjacent fitness club shuttered by state order. Life Time’s multiple office buildings were devoid of life as well. Akradi had faced trials before—a 2008 margin call, an activist investor in 2015. But Covid was ambiguous, of indeterminate scope and duration. A panic gripped the country, and there was no clarity on when people would be willing to congregate again. ‘I’ve been through four or five times where the probability of not making it might have been 90-plus percent,’ Akradi explained on a cold day this past January from behind a large round table in that same office.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jS24r5
REGIS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Regis Corp. (RGS) on Wednesday reported earnings of $7.6 million in its fiscal second quarter . . . The owner of hair salon chains Supercuts and MasterCuts posted revenue of $46.7 million in the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EN1w5u
ELECTROMED: Via Tip Ranks, VERBATIM: “Electromed, Inc., headquartered in New Prague, Minnesota, is a prominent player in the MedTech industry, specializing in airway clearance technologies with products like the SmartVest Airway Clearance System aimed at patients with respiratory complications. In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Electromed reported record financial performance, showcasing a significant increase in both revenue and earnings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gCtIWi
FEB 25: Via Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “Our Regional Outreach team recently surveyed firms across the Ninth District to better understand how businesses are faring in the current economy and to gauge their near-term outlook. Join Regional Outreach Director Ron Wirtz for this free webinar to learn about results from a January survey of firms from across the Ninth District.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3CKMLzK
FEB 26: Via Minnesota Chamber, VERBATIM: “The 2025 Workforce Summit: National Outlook, Minnesota Focus, hosted by the Minnesota Chamber Foundation, will bring together top immigration and workforce experts to discuss the essential contributions of New Americans to Minnesota’s economy. Speakers will also provide insights into the national immigration policy landscape and strategies for businesses to attract and retain talent. Additional sessions will explore the role of technology, including generative AI, in workforce development.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/40SwZe1
FEB 26&27: From T Kaldahl via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Scientists are inviting the community to learn more about mercury levels in the St. Louis River. It’s part of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agencies' (MPCA) efforts to reduce metal levels in the watershed. There are two upcoming public forums for residents to learn how much mercury is present and what work is being done to reduce it.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3WWVQMP
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
MEDICAID: Via Protect Our Care, VERBATIM: “Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new report detailing how Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations. In recent weeks, Republican lawmakers have reignited their call for cuts to Medicaid, which would have a devastating impact on millions of families across the nation. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, providing health care to more than 70 million Americans. Cuts to the program would mean ripping away health care from millions of families who count on it, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, workers whose employers don’t provide health insurance, and people with disabilities. The consequences of any cuts to Medicaid would touch nearly every household in America.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WV5Rdc REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4gF5kDj
MED RESEARCH: From Christopher Ingraham via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Minnesota and 21 other states have sued the National Institutes of Health over the Trump administration’s steep cuts to grants that fund medical research in the United States. If those cuts are implemented, ‘cutting edge work to cure and treat human disease will grind to a halt,’ the attorneys general write.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4k5pBF8
MORE: Via University of Minnesota, from Shashank Priya, Vice President for Research and Innovation, QUOTE: “As you are aware, the University has a negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with the federal government, which specifies agreed-upon F&A reimbursement rates through June 2028. Despite this, the position of the NIH, via the Guide Notice, is that it has the authority under federal regulations to deviate from negotiated rates for all grants by communicating the new rate and justifications for the deviations from negotiated rates. We understand and fully appreciate the profound impact of this notice – for you, our University of Minnesota research community and our state. The University is fully engaged in response. A team of University leadership convened early today to chart a course forward and shape a response.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aXPx0Z
WEATHER: From Marisa Ornat via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Second Harvest Northland made changes for programs this week due to inclement weather. According to officials, the following programs are canceled on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and Wednesday, Feb. 12 this week. They are rescheduled for later dates.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3QdaOud
SUPER BOWL: From David Schuman via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota nonprofit was in the spotlight Sunday during the Super Bowl. Can Do Canines from New Hope was featured in a second-half commercial for Google. ‘Blow my mind, that is a good way to put it,’ said Jeff Johnson, Can Do Canines' executive director. The ad showed how the nonprofit uses Google's AI software.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/419wTjH
PUPPY: From Tommy Wiita via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota dog named Foxtrot was awarded the ‘Most Valuable Puppy’ award on Sunday in this year's Puppy Bowl. The collie is from Pet Haven of Minnesota, a nonprofit rescue that's based in Minneapolis. The pup helped secure Team Fluff's 68-66 nailbiter against Team Ruff.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hSIER6
MORE: From Pet Haven via Facebook, a photo of Foxtrot at the event. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3WTewNa
FLAGS: From John Lauritsen via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Last Memorial Day, wet weather destroyed thousands of flags at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Now, a nonprofit group is trying to replace them, with their work essentially beginning Monday.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4aXa1Hj
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ACQUISITION: From Michigan-based Service Express via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “Service Express, a global data center and infrastructure solutions provider, today announced the acquisition of Top Gun Technology, a data center maintenance provider based in the Greater Minneapolis Area.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42UpTsk
GRAVIE: From Maddie Robinson via Minne Inno, VERBATIM: “Gravie, a Minneapolis-based employer health care-benefits company, has named Steve Wolin its new CEO. Wolin was previously chief operating officer at Oscar Health, another health insurance company based in New York. He is succeeding Gravie Co-founder Abir Sen, who will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3X0F8fw
TOTAL EXPERT: Via Minneapolis-based Total Expert, VERBATIM: “Total Expert, the FinServ leader in customer engagement software, today announced Pete Karns as the company’s new chief product officer. The strategic hiring expands Total Expert’s executive team as the company prioritizes delivering enhanced solutions to modern financial institutions with quality, purpose-built products in 2025 and beyond.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40V9st9
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
COMEDY: From Madeline Cisneros via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “First dates are nerve-wracking. Now add comedians and a live audience to the mix. Maybe that’s just what you need to let loose and make a genuine connection. Local comedian Frankie Runquist decided to lean into the mayhem of dating with her show Funny Bachelors. The event combines comedy and live blind dating to create a deliciously funny night full of surprises.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b454N6
BDAYS: sports marketer Maggie Romens, Axios boss Jim VandeHei, Sub 70 founder Jason Hiland
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