Leave the office early to avoid traffic, and get the fire ready for a night at home. Help your local restaurant by ordering in tonight…rumor has it “affordability” is an issue.
WCCO-Radio is calling the upcoming storm “sloppy” and “complex.” FORECAST: https://fluence-media.co/4aEtoXw
Health Take today will have polling on the ACA suddenly becoming popular – read and send your thoughts. Early morning calls from a few GOPers on the Governor’s race and Sen. Jim Abeler’s letter to the President.
Next week a Fluence Forum on The State of Health Care…REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/StateofHealthCare
Looking ahead to two rock legends in Minnesota….
Bob Dylan added a Rochester date to his upcoming tour. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/44RBqsn
Rod Stewart will play the State Fair next year – Richard Marx will open. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3XKM14x
In a wide-ranging interview with Politico out this morning, President Trump described Europe as “decaying” nations led by “weak” people and gave the U.S. economy a grade of “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oGCd6A
TMRW: Full analysis on the GOP race for Governor, including what to expect from Saturdays Straw Poll and more in the next MNSider for premium subscribers.
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3KPqdli
More on the GOP field today at 3:35 on WCCO Radio with a DriveTime Take with Jason DeRusha.
This week’s Sunday Take covered civility, immigration, and Republican Ron Schutz’s campaign for attorney general. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4iEm5B2
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.
POT: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Legalization hasn’t ended marijuana prosecutions. Minnesota prosecutors have brought more than 3,500 charges and won more than 1,200 misdemeanor convictions against people with cannabis in their cars since legalization, according to a Minnesota Reformer analysis. Additionally, prosecutors have filed nearly 500 charges against people for consuming cannabis in vehicles, either as passengers or drivers. That’s due to an important but unadvertised caveat: all cannabis products — including flower, vape pens, wax and edibles — must be in the trunk (or trunk area in the case of SUVs) unless they’re sealed in their original, labeled packaging from a dispensary.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4s3367R
From Morning Consult:
IMMIGRATION IN MINNESOTA
Recent ICE activity in Minnesota, along with the President’s rhetoric on Somali immigrants and Governor Walz, have garnered much attention from right-leaning media. A sampling of headlines:
THE FEDERALIST: “American Taxpayers Are Paying Somalis Millions To Not Assimilate” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/44CJiy3
THE FREE PRESS: “Minnesota Vice: How Corruption Took Hold In My State” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/490Y3gn
DAILY CALLER: “Minnesota Democrats Attempted To Derail GOP Lawmaker Discussing Somali Scandal Months Before Story Blew Up” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3YdsYzY
AUGSBURG: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Augsburg University leaders say a student was detained in a campus parking lot on Saturday after being followed in their car back to campus by ICE agents. Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow said the ICE agents were on campus property illegally when they didn’t produce a warrant when asked by faculty who came on scene . . . After other Augsburg students and staff gathered in the area during the arrest, Pribbenow said eventually 10 to 12 federal agents showed up. He said they pulled weapons and started to threaten students and staff with arrest.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4oOPGJD
LOCAL RESPONSES: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Local officials in the Twin Cities and beyond aren’t just criticizing ICE raids; they’re trying to make things harder for federal law enforcement, while being careful not to go over the line. Why it matters: The law forbids local leaders from impeding or interfering with federal officers. But Minneapolis and other cities are finding ways to push back on unwanted immigration enforcement by the Trump administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aC5L1I
ST PAUL: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A community group against police brutality wants the St. Paul City Council to address a recent federal operation in which St. Paul police fired less-lethal munitions into a crowd of protesters. Members of Communities United Against Police Brutality said they expected council members to address the Nov. 25 incident at last week’s meeting, but that did not happen.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pQ2RuO
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)
IN THE CITIES
HOMES: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “A nationwide rise in the number of homes losing value over the past year has reached the Twin Cities, according to a new Zillow report. Over half of Twin Cities homes lost value year-over-year in October, according to Zillow. That’s about on par with the U.S. average. … [But] since most homeowners bought before a surge in prices in the early 2020s, the median home value in October was 67% higher than when the property was last sold.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iLfYuL
BUSES: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Metro Transit once again expanded the coverage of its bus system in the Twin Cities. On Saturday, the transportation company opened the region’s eighth bus rapid transit (BRT) line, the third of three opening this year: the Metro E Line. The route runs through a 13-mile corridor along major destinations like the University of Minnesota, downtown Minneapolis, Uptown, and the Southdale area in Edina.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iLlqOc
DOWNTOWN: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Another business in a Madison Equities building may leave downtown St. Paul. … Joe Thornton and his colleagues in the Lowertown offices of the marketing firm AIMCLEAR [are] holding out for air conditioning. In fact, he’s been praying for a fix to his downtown office building’s rooftop air conditioning unit for nearly eight months — long enough that the higher-ups in his St. Paul and Duluth-based company have begun scouting out potential new homes for their marketing business. … The [building] hasn’t had a working rooftop HVAC unit since at least May.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rLK1Xu
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)
MONEY MATTERS
MN BUDGET: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s latest economic outlook forecasts a jarring shift in the state’s finances: a healthy surplus over the next two years, and a nearly $3 billion shortfall soon after. The swing comes from two forces moving in opposite directions. Spending, particularly on health and human services, is accelerating, while revenue is projected to slow significantly by the end of the decade. MinnPost asked local economists for their thoughts on what’s driving those trends and how concerned the state should be about the projected budget imbalance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iIbi94
PROPERTY TAXES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Property taxes are going up next year all across Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Revenue projects county boards will be raising property tax levies by more than 8 percent on average. The Blue Earth County Board is among them and is scheduled to vote next week on a proposed tax levy increase of 8.5 percent. ‘I’m in my 38th year (in county government). We haven’t seen these kinds of increases in levies across the state, in a very long time,’ said Blue Earth County Administrator Bob Meyer.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/48MXaa1
POLITICAL MOVES
SOS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon will try next year for a fourth term in charge of an office that oversees elections and business registrations. The DFLer declared his 2026 intentions Tuesday. He told MPR News in an interview that threats and challenges to elections are too great for him to step away.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a6GigK
SD53: Via news release from the Cummings campaign, VERBATIM: “Paul Cumings, current school board member, former state agency official and current legislative aide announced today he will run for the Minnesota State Senate in District 53.”
Note: SD53 incumbent Matt Klein is running for Congress in District 2, a seat currently held by Angie Craig who is running for Senate.
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE: Flint Hills Resources was just awarded the 2025 Large Business of the Year award from the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce at their annual Business Excellence Awards celebration. The award celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesses that exemplify the thriving and growing spirit of Dakota County. The businesses honored make an impact and contribute to the continued success of our community. LEARN MORE: About the Pine Bend refinery. (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
MINNESOTA CONNECTED
TRADE MISSION: Via DEED, from Commissioner Matt Varilek, a recap of the recent trade mission to Germany and Switzerland. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pKMEYl
SETTLEMENT: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York said on Monday that it was raising at least $300 million as it moved to negotiate a settlement that would benefit roughly 1,300 people who have said they were sexually abused as minors by its priests and lay staff members. The archdiocese said it had agreed with representatives of the accusers on a mediator and had begun to raise money by cutting costs and selling assets, including its headquarters and other real estate. Jeff Anderson, a [St. Paul] lawyer who represents 300 people who have filed abuse claims against the archdiocese, said on Monday that the archdiocese had taken ‘a step in the right direction,’ but cautioned that the matter was far from settled.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48uUBL2
TARGET: Via news release from Target, VERBATIM: “Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) today announced the official opening of its newly transformed Target SoHo — a one-of-a-kind concept store where everyday shopping meets play, discovery and style. Located in the heart of New York City at 600 Broadway, Target SoHo marks a bold new chapter in Target’s commitment to style and design, bringing the brand’s DNA to life in an immersive, experiential format that’s as shoppable as it is inspiring.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3YiI9YA
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)
MORE NEWS
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council on Monday signaled approval for giving Mayor Jacob Frey a raise of over $46,000 next year, and themselves raises in two years. … A final vote by the council could come as soon as Tuesday; the salary increases would go to the mayor for approval. The raises are recommended by the city clerk’s office. … Frey makes nearly $13,000 less annually than the St. Paul mayor, who is paid $153,579, even though Minneapolis has about 120,000 more residents.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YdsRV1
PRIOR LAKE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “A mosque in Prior Lake was severely damaged in a fire early Monday morning. As state and federal officials investigate the cause, Twin Cities Muslim leaders are declining to speculate whether the fire was an accident or set intentionally. … No one was inside the mosque at the time of the fire. … At a news conference Monday, Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said he’s waiting for more answers from the investigation before drawing any conclusions.” HUSSEIN: “This mosque, they have not faced any particular threats or anything of that nature, so we’re going to hold off until we let law enforcement tell us.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3MpejPK
WHAT’S NEXT?
TOMORROW: Via Delta Air Lines, VERBATIM: “Leaders from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and Delta Air Lines are gathering to celebrate and mark the completion of the MSP Airport Modernization Program – a $242 million makeover of nearly all Terminal 1 concourses at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). It was the single largest interior renovation of passenger gate areas and concourses in Terminal 1 since it opened in 1962. MAC and Delta Air Lines executives will highlight major design features and improvements that have created a brighter, more modern gateway to elevate MSP’s passenger experience, improve operations, and accommodate rising travel demands.”
(DISCLOSURE: Delta is a Fluence Advisory client)
FRIDAY: Via Minneapolis Fed, VERBATIM: “Twice a year, regional economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis survey construction firms to gauge the sector’s performance and overall outlook. Are current and backlogged projects up or down? Are labor needs being satisfied? What do contacts expect in the months ahead? Join Regional Outreach Director Erick Garcia Luna to discuss these and other results from the fall survey of construction firms across the Ninth District.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4oK7y8v
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
MAPLE GROVE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A popular gift shop in Maple Grove is shuttering its doors after 40 years of business. The Woods Gifts, located at 15825 95th Ave. N., will close by late January.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a1nek3
BDAYS: GOP Senate leader Mark Johnson, DJ Spinlove Paul Spangrud, MV Superfan Bill Conlin and belated to Klobuchar whisperer Justin Buoen
Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
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