Wild at Washington. Wolves host Boston
Sports Take and our other tip sheets are all back today.
Watch Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell’s news conference yesterday. VIKINGS: https://fluence-media.co/41T2Xcn
2024 was the warmest year on record for the Twin Cities and St. Cloud. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4a2w4vL
Gov. Tim Walz has ordered flags at half-staff until Jan. 29 to honor former Pres. Jimmy Carter following his passing. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/49ZYC97
Minnesota officials from both parties shared reactions to the death of Jimmy Carter this weekend. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4j1t9HE
A veteran from Texas with an ISIS flag in his truck killed at least 15 people in New Orleans yesterday. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism. AP: https://fluence-media.co/4gtxQbL
APM Research finds 21% of American adults agree that political and social institutions should “all burn.” POLL: https://fluence-media.co/3BQUawV
morning take 2025 is dedicated to our beloved pup Maverick, who for 7.5 years woke up most days to go outside when I did to compose this tip sheet. His early morning dedication earned him the nick name #morningMaverick on social channels. Thank you to everyone for your notes and support.
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
From Sunday Take, a review and preview of the legislature and Governor with MinnPost’s Peter Callaghan. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4gAJ3aE
MNGOP: New MN GOP Chair Alex Plechash takes office today. It is expected that GOP operative Jennifer DeJournett will be named executive director. Plechash has been using Republican Noah Ruoen for communications. There are signs the transition between outgoing Chair David Hann and the Plechash administration have not been smooth.
ORGANZING: The MN Senate is a tie, and until the SD60 special election is decided, the tie may mean that the Senate can’t organize. Just as Secretary of State Simon presides over the House, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan would preside over the Senate, however until there is a President and leaders elected – only by members of the Senate can vote – there may be a stalemate. Add to it, the odds that Sen. Nicole Mitchell goes to trial and there is a chance that there is literally nothing that gets done in the Senate in January and into early February. Add to the Senate the memory, especially for Republicans, of the chaos and antics at the end of last session.
MORE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The Senate vacancy means the chamber is tied 33 to 33. … Adding yet another layer of uncertainty in the state Senate is DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell's trial for a felony burglary charge scheduled for the end of January. She pleaded not guilty and has repeatedly denied the allegations. Her arrest and subsequent ethics complaints against her by Republicans in the chamber upended the last few weeks of the 2024 session.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/40eNu57
MITCHELL: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “State Sen. Nicole Mitchell [was] in court Tuesday in Detroit Lakes for a settlement conference. It’s Mitchell’s first appearance in court. … No settlement was reached in court on Tuesday, and Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz moved the case forward to a jury trial, with jury selection set to begin on Jan. 27. Fritz is considering media requests for cameras to be in the courtroom.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3W3I6iF
HD40B: via news release from David Gottfried’s release, VERBATIM: “David Gottfried proudly accepted the DFL endorsement for the Minnesota House District 40B special election at the endorsing convention held on New Year’s Day. This unexpected opportunity arose due to unique circumstances, but Gottfried expressed gratitude and readiness to serve his community in this vital moment. GOTTFRIED: “When I ran earlier this year, I made a commitment to abide by the DFL endorsement process, and when we came up short, I put my full support behind our endorsed candidate,” said Gottfried. “While none of us planned to be here again, I am deeply honored to receive the DFL endorsement. Our district deserves a representative who is rooted in the community and ready to work tirelessly for all of us.”
SPECIAL ELECTIONS: via Office of the Governor, VERBATIM: “Governor Tim Walz today issued a writ of special election to fill a vacancy in House District 40B in Ramsey County following the resignation of Representative-elect Curtis Johnson. … Walz [also] issued a writ of special election to fill a vacancy in Senate District 60 in Hennepin County following the passing of Senator Kari Dziedzic.” Both special elections will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 28 with primaries happening two weeks earlier on Tuesday, Jan. 14 — the day the 2025 legislative session begins. HD40B: https://fluence-media.co/41SixF9 SD60: https://fluence-media.co/4h0bOgO
MORE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Republicans criticized Gov. Tim Walz for requiring such a short turnaround for candidates to decide on a run and file before the end of the day. … A Walz spokesperson said the unusual situation called for the quick timeline, suggesting people living in the affected districts shouldn’t have to go without representation for an extended period of time at the start of a legislative session.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VYD9rq
RESPONSE: via a GOP Chair-elect Alex Plechash statement, PLECHASH: “I am deeply concerned about Governor [Tim] Walz's handling of recent special elections. … In House District 40B, [Walz] called a special election for a seat that is not yet vacant. Now, we see a rushed filing deadline for another special election in Senate District 60, forcing candidates to decide whether to run for a Minnesota Senate seat in just 24 hours — and during the holidays. This process undermines transparency and fairness, limiting opportunities for the best candidates to step forward.”
MORE: On social media, GOP Sen. Andrew Mathews pointed out that the special election to replace former Rep. Kurt Daudt, who stepped down on Feb. 11, 2024, took place on March 19, 2024. MATHEWS: “Potential candidates had over a month to prepare and build support. Very different from how the current vacancies are being conducted.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/3W0mhAF
CANDIDATES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Both [special] elections will have crowded fields at the outset. Thirteen candidates filed for the Senate seat. The Democrats who filed are: Doron Clark, Peter Wagenius, Iris Grace Altamirano, Mohamed Jama, Monica Meyer, Joshua Preston, Amal Karim, Emilio César Rodríguez, Clay Morgan and Harold Melcher. The Republicans who filed are: Jonathan Kraemer, Abigail Wolters and Christopher Robin Zimmerman. … For the House seat, DFLers who filed and are headed to a Jan. 14 primary are: Mark Pitman, John Doan, David Gottfried, Jasmine Carey and Kaying Thao. Republican Paul Wikstrom, who was his party’s nominee in November, again filed to run. … Candidates have until Thursday evening to pull their names from consideration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3VYD9rq
MORE: A Star Tribune report includes additional biographical details on some of the candidates who filed to run for special elections. VERBATIM: “[Doron] Clark chaired the Senate District 60 DFL for two years, works in Medtronic’s ethics department and coaches track and cross country at Yinghua Academy. … [Peter] Wagenius, 54, is the son of longtime former state Rep. Jean Wagenius. He’s the legislative and political director for Sierra Club Minnesota. … [John] Doan, 50, is a Shoreview City Council member who served on the city’s Planning Commission as well as nearly three years on the Metropolitan Council.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a2sBgJ
MN HOUSE: via AP News, VERBATIM: “Republicans will start the year with at least a temporary majority in the Minnesota House after Democrat Curtis Johnson decided not to appeal a judge’s [eligibility] decision. … That means Republicans will have a slim 67-66 majority. … Democrats should be able to stop Republicans from [passing] laws, but the GOP could still push its agenda. Republicans will have working control of committees to advance bills to the floor, which could force Democrats from swing districts to face tough decisions on bills. And Republicans could try to launch investigations they have been seeking for a long time into the Walz Administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3DAMy25
MORE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth, who is in line to become House speaker, said she is pleased by the decision to end the legal dispute…[but] Demuth raised questions about the quick turnaround for an election. She said state law appears to be clear that no election could be scheduled until the House convenes and the seat is declared empty. … [However], a spokesperson with the Secretary of State's office tells MPR News that Johnson's [resignation] letter sufficiently creates an imminent vacancy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3W02MIg LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/402n5WG
INSIDE: DFL sources say that there is a rift about Rep. Curtis Johnson’s candidacy that dates to the summer when his residency issue was first raised. It may also reveal some of the factions and signs of the divide within the House caucus and between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Gov. Walz. Multiple sources point out that Johnson was the hand selected choice of outgoing Rep. Jaime Becker Finn, a founding member of the House POCI caucus and an ally of Lt. Gov Flanagan. Finn steadfastly supported Johnson, and some operatives are upset that Johnson’s residency was defended as long as it was. The idea that the Johnson residency issue is costing the House DFL the Speakership after the judges ruling could heighten the tenson within the House DFL Caucus going into a very tenuous session.
54A: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Scott County election officials on Tuesday said no one voted more than once in a highly contested Shakopee-area House race, one day after two Republican legislators, [Reps. Pam Altendorf and Tom Murphy], claimed 30 people cast duplicate votes. … Scott County officials said the two legislators may have misunderstood the difference between voter history reports and the official voter record. … The race has stakes for the closely divided Minnesota House, with Republicans set to have a one-vote majority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a85jWY
CONGRESS: Representatives in the U.S. House will be sworn in tomorrow, including Minnesota’s only new member of congress: Rep.-elect Kelly Morrison (D-3rd), who was interviewed by MPR News to discuss her expectations for 2025. MORRISON: “I went to DC for ‘freshman orientation,’ as they call it, and all of the newly elected Republicans and Democrats stayed in a hotel together. … It was a great opportunity to learn about how it all works, but also to get to know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. And honestly, it left me feeling more optimistic than when I arrived. It was just another reminder that we have more in common than we don't.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4a349vB
MOVE: Representative-elect Kelly Morrison (D-3rd) has named her campaign manager Megan Hondl as her Chief of Staff, while Liz Smalley will be her Communications Director starting tomorrow.
MPD: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The city of Minneapolis has reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to secure a long-awaited federal consent decree mandating sweeping police reforms. … City Council members are expected to review the document during a closed session with the city attorney’s office on Monday morning. Afterward, elected officials will be asked to vote on it during a special public meeting called by Mayor Jacob Frey. If approved, the lengthy legal agreement will be filed in federal court.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41YFgzu
NEW ORLEANS: via CNN, VERBATIM: “At least 10 people were killed and 35 injured when a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early on Wednesday morning. The FBI is investigating it as an ‘act of terrorism.’ The FBI has identified the suspect as a 42-year-old Texas man and Army veteran. The FBI said the suspect, who was killed in a firefight with officers, had an ISIS flag in the vehicle at the time of the attack. … The suspect [is] a US citizen, the FBI said. Weapons and a potential IED were located in his vehicle.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fFCS3J
RESPONSES: Minnesota officials swiftly condemned the attack in Louisiana, but some of them shared differing viewpoints over next steps.
Via a Rep. Pete Stauber post, STAUBER: “I am heartbroken by the deadly terrorist attack that took place in New Orleans last night. My prayers are with the victims, their families, and the residents of this city. Under President [Donald] Trump and Congressional Republicans, the safety and security of the American people will become the number one priority again. January 20th cannot come soon enough.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3ZY9z6A
Via a Rep. Dean Phillips post, PHILLIPS: “America’s new year’s resolution must be ending the tolerance of disorder. Enough already. 1. Re-institutionalization of those who cannot live on their own and who pose threats to the public. 2. Harsh sentences for any crime of violence [with] rehab services. 3. Intensive public service sentences for non-violent crimes [with] rehab services.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3W1rh8i
BRINGING SAFETY TO ‘THE NEXT LEVEL’: As part of Enbridge’s work on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in northern Minnesota, Enbridge has brought in family-owned and Indigenous-owned Northern Lights Family Outfitters to fully outfit project workers right on the job site with personal protective equipment (PPE) from its 48-foot mobile trailer. “Enbridge really brings safety to the next level,” says Patti, a project liaison for Enbridge and the Fond du Lac Band. “It’s really helpful to have a mobile unit, especially for this kind of work.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3OQYmjn (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
US MARSHAL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Bob Kroll, the outspoken and incendiary former Minneapolis police union leader, is seeking President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination to be Minnesota’s next U.S. marshal. … Kroll is banned from serving as a law enforcement officer in three of the state’s most populous counties for 10 years under a federal civil settlement approved last year. … He also racked up a lengthy disciplinary record, which included civil complaints and lawsuits involving wrongful arrest and excessive force.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a2gNv9
RESPONSE: Star Tribune’s Deena Winter says Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told her he is "adamantly against" Bob Kroll becoming U.S. marshal. When Kroll retired in January 2021, Frey responded on social media with two words: “Good riddance.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/423Rt5E
MORE: via an MPD Chief Brian O’Hara statement, O’HARA: “When we focus on the right priorities, supporting one another, engaging in our community, and remain committed to our shared values, we can, and will, navigate this process successfully, and emerge stronger. I strongly believe in this team, and I know we are all capable of rising to the occasion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3W1G9U4
POLICE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “When a member of law enforcement dies, within 36 hours surviving family members meet with Brian Hubbard [to plan] memorials and funerals for law enforcement across the state. … [In 2024], Hubbard provided support for five members of law enforcement. … While 2021 was a deadlier year for law enforcement due to COVID-19, when looking at shooting deaths specifically, [2024] was the most in the state in 42 years. … The only year in recent history with more law enforcement shooting deaths is 1972.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41YQrIs
PERMITTING REFORM FOR RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRIES: Jobs for Minnesotans is committed to advancing responsible industrial projects through a predictable, timely and transparent permitting process. Broad permitting reform for all responsible industries is essential to strengthening Minnesota’s communities and advancing our state’s clean energy future. (SPONSORED: Jobs for Minnesotans)
POPULATION: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “According to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the state's population is growing slower than the national average. … Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the country’s population grew nearly 1% between 2023 and 2024. … Minnesota is below the nation’s average, with a 0.7% increase. … The total population of Minnesota is projected to grow from 5.78 million in 2024 to 6.11 million in 2075.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fMpOcO
VISAS: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Changes to [visas] could be in store during the next presidential administration. Minnesota employers can sponsor an H-1B visa for foreign workers ‘who wish to perform services in a specialty occupation.’ … The conversation around H-1B visas — and whether to restrict or enhance the program — comes as conservative figures criticize President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk for their apparent support of H-1B visas after Trump’s campaign promises to carry out mass deportations. … Mayo Clinic ranks third among Minnesota organizations for the number of H-1B visa approvals it has received, with 390 in fiscal year 2024. … The biggest share, 471, is associated with U.S. Bank, with Optum coming in second with 419.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fEbva9
SMALL BIZ: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A higher minimum wage, new health insurance mandates, higher unemployment insurance costs and an inflation-adjusted gas tax all took effect Jan. 1 in Minnesota. Business experts say the laws will hit small businesses the most, especially [in Greater Minnesota]. And they worry about the collective punch of so many changes at once. … Adam Duininck, CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council, said the changes come as businesses downtown are still struggling with slow return-to-work trends.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j0AhEs
INFRASTRUCTURE: via a DEED press release, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $4.37 million in grants to four infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota. The funding [is] expected to create or retain 869 jobs in Stewartville, Chisago City, North Mankato and Hermantown [and] leverage $255 million in private investment.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a1LIYn
FUNDRAISING: Gov. Tim Walz sent out a fundraising email on behalf of the Democratic Governors Association on Sunday. Walz, former chair of the DGA, has not confirmed if he plans to run for a third term in 2026. WALZ: “Democratic governors like myself are ready to be the last line of defense against Donald Trump and his extreme agenda. … I’m asking you to join us for the battles ahead and chip in $3 to protect our blue firewall and elect Democratic governors. With almost 40 races on the ballot in 2025 and 2026, we can’t afford to waste any time.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4iYyIGY
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)
ICYMI: Here are some of the top stories from late December while Fluence newsletters were on break.
PEACE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Former Minnesota DFL Senate leader Kari Dziedzic died on Friday after a long battle with cancer. She was 62. … Lawmakers from across the political spectrum praised Dziedzic's leadership in the state legislature, where she served for 12 years [and] was elected by her peers to lead her caucus through a significant 2023 legislative session. … Dziedzic's visitation is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. on Thursday at Kozlak-Radulovich Chapel.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3W2lAqi
MORE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Former state Rep. Mary Murphy, the longest-serving woman in the history of the Minnesota House, died [Dec. 25] at age 85. Murphy, of Hermantown, had suffered a stroke. … Murphy was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1976 and served until she was defeated in her bid to represent the Duluth-area seat in 2022 by 33 votes. … Gov. Tim Walz shared a post remembering Murphy as ‘a true champion for the Northland.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gON8YA
DOGE: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “GOP Rep. Brad Finstad said he has joined the House DOGE Caucus to support a newly created advisory team led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy that aims to slash spending, regulations and personnel within the federal government. … Finstad said the [meeting] featured a bipartisan group of lawmakers that will be working closely with DOGE.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49Zapom
GAETZ: via Axios, VERBATIM: “The House Ethics Committee's report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) had been poised to stay officially buried — until two centrist Republicans on the panel unexpectedly voted to release it…[siding] with the committee's five Democrats. … Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.), along with Reps. Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.) and John Rutherford (R-Fla.), opposed doing so, arguing the panel lost jurisdiction after Gaetz resigned.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h14zFj
ABORTION: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The number of induced abortions performed in Minnesota continued to increase in 2023, according to year-end data from the state’s health department. … There were 14,124 abortions in Minnesota in 2023, an increase of almost 16% over 2022. … The number of people seeking abortion care in Minnesota from Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas jumped nearly 50% over the period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3BSyPTJ
EMS: via Forum News Service, VERBATIM: “With ambulance services in the state receiving less than half of the funds billed to insurance companies in 2023, EMS providers are in need of more funds to keep running. … Rep. Jeff Backer, R-Browns Valley, is a volunteer EMT and said he plans to continue pushing for more EMS support in the upcoming session. Backer said while he doesn’t expect funding for health services to increase dramatically this session with Minnesota’s tight budget, EMS funding is one of those ‘essentials’ that will get attention.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3W4TBGO
MUSHROOMS: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Minnesota's Psychedelic Medicine Task Force recommended decriminalizing psilocybin mushrooms. … The group's three bipartisan recommendations also included establishing a state program for administering mushrooms and funding more research into the potential benefits of psychedelics. Some Republicans support the incremental changes, but worry psychedelics will follow the same path as marijuana and end up with a messy legalization.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fFOPXg
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis City Hall renovation is on time and budget to be finished by the end of next year. … Approximately half of the project is complete. The majority of the work done on the third floor is expected to be finished by the end of March or April, [and] the remaining work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. The estimated cost of the renovation is around $34 million to $35 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gChihQ
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “When St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and other city officials presented FCC Environmental Services as the city’s new partner in trash collection last summer, they excitedly announced that the company was to build a new compressed natural gas station within the city limits. The $25 million facility would fuel the company’s fleet of some 30 trash hauling trucks. … [But] residents in the area are in the early stages of waging a protest campaign, noting that neighborhood development plans dating back to at least 2005 describe the 5-acre parcel of land as a prime site for future riverfront housing near public transit, and a fleet of trash trucks could halt or hinder economic progress for blocks all around.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40312iT
ROCHESTER: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Rochester’s housing market is strapped as it is, but local officials are carefully watching for distortions in the market that could throw rents for Minnesota’s third-largest city out of whack next year as the city prepares for potentially massive growth amid an ongoing housing shortage. … Mayo Clinic’s $5 billion downtown expansion is set to bring thousands of workers to Rochester over the next few years. Mayo officials and city staff estimate construction alone is bringing close to 2,000 workers to the area.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZTw64u
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Before COVID-19, working from home was typically a privilege of IT professionals and very few others. … [But] now that many workers have gotten used to working remotely, a few of the city’s largest employers in the retail, health care and energy industries are compromising in shifting to a hybrid approach. … ‘Having some flexibility isn’t really a perk anymore,’ said Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President Daniel Fanning. ‘It’s [the] expectation and norm for many of the types of positions that are able to be performed remotely.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gCGnJB
ST CLOUD: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis will deliver his final State of the City address at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7. It will mark Kleis' 20th public address as he prepares to leave office in mid-January. Kleis has served as mayor of St. Cloud since 2005 and did not seek re-election in 2024. Jake Anderson will replace Kleis and will be sworn in on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, at a St. Cloud City Council meeting. The State of the City event is free and open to the public.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PlpIOK
THAILAND: via a Senate DFL press release, VERBATIM: “The Hmong Overseas Delegation…invited Senator Foung Hawj (DFL-St. Paul) to visit the Phetchabun Province to deliver a keynote address during Thailand’s Hmong New Year celebrations at the end of December. In addition to his keynote address, Senator Hawj [participated] in a tree planting ceremony in Khek Noi alongside local leaders and met with Governor Saranyu Meethongkham to discuss the potential for a sister city relationship between Khek Noi and a US city with a notable Hmong community.” HAWJ: “This occasion is the first time a US elected official of Hmong descent has been invited to Thailand for Hmong New Year celebrations.”
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: https://fluence-media.co/3O2nzH0 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
From Dec. 23’s Fluence newsletters:
FRAUD: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “Minnesota lawmakers are set to tackle a number of issues this upcoming session. Among them? The budget, waste, and fraud. And lawmakers have a new idea to help battle what has become a huge issue in Minnesota. … Republican State Senator Mark Koran (Chisago-Isanti) told WCCO [that] more needs to be done inside each agency, in terms of accountability. ‘What we haven't seen since I got here in 2017, is we haven't seen a laundry list of shortcomings that they believe they have to stop these things,’ Koran said.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Dv7veM
BUDGET: via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Sen. Susan Pha (DFL-Brooklyn Center) says the 2025 legislative session will look much different without the significant budget surplus of 2023. ‘We have to be more conservative and make sure we protect the policies and programs we put in place for Minnesotans,’ said Pha. Top priorities for the session include passing a bonding bill that supports community projects.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/41J3ZaP
PORK: via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “A swine lending specialist points to lower feed costs helping pork profitability in 2025. Daryl Timmerman with Compeer Financial says margins improved the latter half of the year. ‘Some of the biggest improvements in expectations that we’ve had here is really in that feed cost space.’ He tells Brownfield feed costs per pound of gain on a liveweight basis are averaging around 35 cents.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3VR82y1
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer Financial is a sponsor of Fluence Media)
MORE TAKES: Every day, we’re sharing significant political, business and other news in your inbox and on our new website, The Daily Agenda. If you love morning take, sign up for the other Fluence tip sheets and share our web content with your friends. SIGNUP: https://fluence-media.co/4eZwLa7
MONDAY: via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “The Mayor has called a special meeting of the Minneapolis City Council for Monday, Jan. 6, at 8:30 am. The City Attorney will request that the Council go into a closed session to receive a briefing on the U.S. Department of Justice’s potential litigation and resolution possibilities concerning the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Police Department. After the closed session, the Council will resume the public meeting.”
MONDAY: via a Senate DFL advisory, VERBATIM: “Senator Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud) will hold a public town hall on Monday, January 6 at 6 p.m. at the St. Cloud Great River Regional Library. This town hall is an opportunity for constituents to ask questions, share ideas, and learn about Senator Putnam’s priorities for the 2025 session.”
JAN 14: The Minnesota Legislature will begin its 2025 session on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
JAN 14: Primaries will be held for the special elections in Senate District 60 and House District 40B.
JAN 28: Two special elections will be held to fill legislative vacancies for Senate District 60 and House District 40B.
BDAYS: lobbyist Amber Backhaus, chamber exec John Connelly, fmr. Sen. Fritz Knaak, House GOP Researcher Amy Zipko
SHARE: Signing up for Fluence tip sheets is easy. Please share with your friends, colleagues and family. HERE: http://bit.ly/2019FluenceTipSheets
TIPS: How do we get the best news and most buzzed about stories? Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
Fluence Media curates, produces and distributes specialized media products to thought leadership audiences across the Midwest and about the region. Our publications cover, politics, public policy, health care, agriculture, business, real estate, sports and more. Visit www.fluence-media.com to learn more.
about morning take: Founded in 2010, morning take has grown to become the leading Minnesota morning newsletter on politics and news of the day. Published by Fluence Media since 2012 the mission is to "make you smarter" before breakfast.
Copyright © 2025 Fluence Media, All rights reserved.
Thanks for reading The Daily Agenda! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.