lunch take | Wild Owner Won't Move Team to Minneapolis + Minnesota Counties Partner with ICE
9.26.25
Half of Americans surveyed say society would benefit from a return to traditional gender roles – though more men than women say that. THE 19TH: https://fluence-media.co/4nJ4ARm
The Great Gatsby is 100 years old this year. MplsStPaul on the book, the author, and the ties to St. Paul. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3VCqauX
Did you spot Drew Barrymore at the Minnesota State Fair? SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3IJOOXJ
After 40+ years in the legislature, Sen. Ann Rest is retiring at the end of her current term. On Sunday Take, an exit interview reflecting on her time in office and the shifts she’s seen over the years. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gvKcki
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.
MPLS MAYOR: Mayoral candidates Jacob Frey, Omar Fateh, Dewayne Davis, Jazz Hampton, and Brenda Short squared off in a debate this morning. It was sponsored by the Citizens League and moderated by TPT’s Mary Lahammer and Fluence Media’s Blois Olson.
MORE: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “It was Frey and Fateh in the spotlight, the incumbent mayor touting successes in public safety and downtown revitilzation, and the challenger critical from the opening statements. ‘It’s the same bullying tactics, not only with our residents, but with our city council members, and community, and has resulted in two terms of failure,’ said Fateh. Frey stood by his accomplishments, and bristled when Fateh suggested the Minneapolis city council has been fair to him. ‘We need a civility in political discourse,’ said Frey. ‘We need to be able to talk to each other with respect.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3IhWG2D
AD: From the Star Tribune’s Deena Winter via X, Mayor Jacob Frey’s first reelection ad. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3IHP6hE
SURVEY: Via Minneapolis-based Allianz, VERBATIM: “Generation Xers are worried about inflation and market volatility as they approach retirement, according to the 2025 Q3 Quarterly Market Perceptions Study from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. Just 19% of Gen Xers think it is a good time to invest in the market right now. This is down from 30% last quarter. It is also the lowest among generations, compared to 39% of Gen Z, 36% of millennials, and 29% of boomers thinking it is a good time to invest right now. Overall, 30% of Americans say it is a good time to invest in the market right now.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KnGwVU
SURVEY: Via Minneapolis-based Ameriprise, VERBATIM: “Two-thirds (65%) of parents believe they’ll have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, yet over a third (36%) worry that supporting adult children financially could impact their plans, according to new research released by Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nJ5iye
WILD: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold dismissed moving his team into the new, privately financed arena the Timberwolves and Lynx‘s owners have floated. What he said: ‘We are going to stay in St. Paul and they’re going to stay in Minneapolis. Pretty hard to negotiate from that point,’ Leipold told reporters Thursday night. Why it matters: The comments show Leipold’s commitment to downtown St. Paul, even as the Wild’s pitch for public money to upgrade the recently renamed Grand Casino Arena has failed to gain traction.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46G1YNi
LIST: We count 19 Minnesota companies on Forbes’ list of the “best employers for company culture.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4pIXChe
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)
TEST SCORES: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “A Reformer analysis of test scores from 2019 to 2025 found that less than one out of every seven Minnesota school districts have returned to pre-pandemic proficiency rates in either subject since students were pushed into online learning in March 2020. The districts that did recover fully serve only 5% of students in the state and are mostly smaller districts. Among the 120 districts with at least 1,000 students, just five districts have returned to or surpassed their 2019 proficiency rates in 2025 in either subject.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/482Rw50
HISTORY: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “The City of Minneapolis seeks to get three historical sites for Black culture recognized by the National Register of Historic Places for their importance over time. The three sites are the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, the oldest Black-owned newspaper in Minnesota, the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, a 100-year-old beacon of community empowerment, and the former home of Harry Davis, Sr., the civil rights advocate and first Black candidate for Minneapolis mayor in 1971.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/481L9Pp
BELTRAMI CTY: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Last week on September 16, the Beltrami County Board voted 4-1 to set the preliminary budget and levy for 2026. That included cutting 42% of community service funding, including money that goes to the Beltrami County Historical Society and its History Center in Bemidji. ‘It was a tough meeting,’ said Emily Thabes, Beltrami County Historical Society Executive Director. ‘The lack of questions and the speed to which they went to a vote afterward, it seemed like their minds were pretty made up for the most part, which was unfortunate.’ Beltrami County has allocated $7,500 toward the History Center annually for many years. While $7,500 is a very small part of the over $100 million county budget, that amount is significant to the History Center.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46yIGuJ
TWINS: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “As baseball’s regular season wraps up on Sunday, the Twins will return to Minneapolis having missed the playoffs four of the past five years. Why it matters: This year’s team will finish with its worst record since 2016. Things could get even worse this winter. Here’s what we’re watching.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Vyk66P
ICE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump’s push for mass deportations could mean more money for Minnesota counties that partner with federal immigration officials. Sherburne, Kandiyohi and Freeborn counties all have long-standing contracts to hold detainees for federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Those agreements provide millions of dollars annually to help cover the costs of jail operations and renovations. Since Trump took office again, seven rural Minnesota counties, including two with jail contracts, have signed agreements to partner with ICE. The deals include incentives like salary reimbursements and bonuses for departments that help arrest immigrants and ‘defend the homeland.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Q8Bvg
WORKFORCE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The White House has issued an order requiring a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions — a significant increase from the few thousand dollars some employers currently pay . . . In Minnesota, places like Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota and major tech firms rely on H-1B workers to fill roles like doctors, medical researchers and software engineers. According to federal government data, 541 Minnesota companies over several years have petitioned the program through the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. Loan Huynh, immigration attorney with Fredrikson and Byron in Minneapolis, says the steep new cost could shut many employers out of the program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nRRLVc
POWER OUTAGE: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A Golden Valley food shelf is dealing with a costly loss after a power outage forced it to toss thousands of dollars worth of perishable food. Power went out early Saturday, Sept. 20, at PRISM after lightning struck a nearby power line. Electricity wasn’t restored until 12 hours later. To add insult to injury, the food-shelf’s walk-in refrigerator blew a breaker once power came back on and needed professional repairs. The result: nearly 2,700 pounds of refrigerated milk, cheese and deli items were thrown away.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4njWcrL
70 YEARS OF STRONG JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery is Minnesota’s largest and most active work site, driving economic impact for local communities. The refinery is busy with plumbers and pipefitters, carpenters and electricians, engineers and environmental scientists, software and IT specialists - more than 1,000 full-time employees and at times more than 3,000 contractors working on-site on any given day. LEARN MORE: Careers at Pine Bend (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
TREATMENT: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “The closure of the inpatient chemical dependency unit at Mercy Hospital-Unity Campus could lead to layoffs and fewer treatment options for patients. Community members and Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) members testified during a public hearing Thursday evening hosted by the Minnesota Department of Health. Allina plans to close the unit in February, citing a decline in demand and a significant change in the ability to get authorization for payment for the inpatient treatment.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3KfloRQ
PROTECTION ORDERS: Via Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, VERBATIM: “Extreme Risk Protection Orders, also known as ‘Red Flag’ orders, remove guns from people in crisis while the county pursues early mental health interventions. Hennepin County officials are highlighting a growing use of such orders (ERPOs) and expanded mental health access in an effort to prevent gun violence and intervene in crises before they escalate. Hennepin currently leads Minnesota in ERPO implementation, with 50 petitions filed in 2025, nearly double the 29 filed in all of 2024.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VC3xXG
MNLEG: Via WDIO-TV, VERBATIM: “Rep. Cal Warwas was able to show Rep. Anquam Mahamoud what makes his district so special this week, during the Minnesota Legislative Exchange. Warwas is a Republican from Clinton Township, and Mahamoud is a Democrat from Minneapolis. She described these moments as meaningful.” MAHAMOUD: “People have been very welcoming. We went and checked out the mines. It was mind blowing, nothing that I would have expected. It’s been a great experience, learning about the history.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4nQ2xv2
BONDING: Via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “Area businesses and officials presented project proposals to the Minnesota House bonding committee at SCSU’s Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Thursday, Sept. 25, as part of the committee’s Northwest Infrastructure Tour. The committee learned about SCSU campus renovation projects, efforts to revitalize St. Cloud’s downtown, plans for the Ledge Ampitheater in Waite Park and more.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46zLJBu
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)
RETAIL: Via Eden Prairie Local News, VERBATIM: “Eden Prairie Center announced today the addition of seven new tenants open now or coming soon. The new tenants are PRVDR, Umi’s for Men, Wings Credit Union, Reborn Salon, Phenix Salon Suites, U.S. Army Career Center, and Spirit Halloween.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nkTja5
ELECTRIC: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A hearing that took place on Thursday in St. Paul will determine the future of Minnesota Power and the services offered to its electric customers in northeast Minnesota. Since the proposed acquisition of ALLETE, parent company to Minnesota Power, was first announced in May 2024, many concerns have been raised about private equity firms purchasing the utility. That debate continued to play out at the hearing on Thursday.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3VC6qYw
PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Via KQDS-TV, VERBATIM: “Planned Parenthood of the North Central States (PPNCS) has stated that they have no plans to stop abortion care in Minnesota . . . This comes after Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced that it will pause abortion care next week in the face of federal Medicaid funding cuts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IKKMyh
MDA: Via MDA, VERBATIM: “Dr. Scott Wagnild has been installed as president of the Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) for the 2025-2026 term at the Association’s Leadership Conference in Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46mYgt8
TONIGHT: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “As we slowly lose daylight, things promise to get spookier at a local pumpkin patch. ‘Dehn’s at Dark’ in Dayton opens on Friday, Sept. 26. The attraction is something new this year at Dehn’s Pumpkins.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3VC4iQo
THIS WEEKEND: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Fulton Brewing‘s Oktoberfest returns both Friday and Saturday at their production site in northeast. New this year, the festival will incorporate its annual Gran Fondo bike ride into Saturday’s Oktoberfest celebration. The bike ride takes cyclists on 100, 50, or 24 mile routes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gMkbgW
TOMORROW: Via KTTC-TV, VERBATIM: “The Historic Downtown Albert Lea invites visitors and residents to its second Shop Sip-n-Stroll of the year on Saturday, September 27. The fall event, in partnership with the Albert Lea Convention and Visitor Bureau, gives the community a chance to support local businesses along 7th Street and Broadway Avenue.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/46zOxOV
SUNDAY: Via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “Polish off your best stein and pair of lederhosen, because Oktoberfest is coming to Rochester on Saturday, September 27th.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46oxKQ5
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