SLUSHY STRETCH
Gopher MBB lost in Vegas last night. Frost lose too.
Wild host Vancouver. Wolves in Detroit. WNBA expansion draft is tomorrow.
The Twins return for Friday’s home opener -- weather permitting -- after a stumbling, bumbling week on the road. Also, the complicated legacy left by a Gophers coach, Vikings personnel thoughts and potential trouble for the Wild. All in Sports Take - out this afternoon.
Thanks for the feedback yesterday on some April 1 humor – we can all use a chuckle these days.
Sometimes it snows in April, and several Minnesota schools have announced delays. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4s7rpjq
Common experiences that reflect the unity moment seem to mean more these days, like NASA’s successful launch of Artemis and its a crew of four to the moon for the first time since 1972. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4s4Vbpj
Markets aren’t buying that the war will end soon…despite the primetime address by President Donald Trump where he said the U.S. will complete its objectives in Iran “very shortly,” but he plans to “hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.” HILL: https://fluence-media.co/3PUIDDl
CNN finds that 77% of Americans say the U.S. economy is poor and 65% think Donald Trump’s policies have made it worse, up from 55% in January. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4djpO6A
Minnesota Unemployment Data out today at 10AM.
There are a few national days today…including National Burrito Day. It’s also National Ferret Day…my college roommate had ferrets, it wasn’t pleasant.
Drive safe, stay dry.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured texts from listeners in a discussion about the “Mood of Minnesota” and how it could influence the 2026 elections. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4s5LFlE
It’s BACK! The TwinWest Legislative Breakfast is on April 17, featuring Senate Min. Ldr. Mark Johnson, House DFL Flr. Ldr. Jamie Long, Senate Asst. Maj. Ldr. Nick Frentz and House GOP Flr. Ldr. Harry Niska in a mid-session discussion moderated by Blois Olson and presented by Fluence Advisory. REGISTER: https://fluence-media.co/4lWWmFM
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The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
WAYMO IS READY FOR MINNESOTA: With 13x fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans, Waymo is already making roads safer in major U.S. cities where we operate — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. We are ready to bring these safety benefits to Minnesota, and look forward to working with the state legislature to pass a law that allows us to provide rides in the state. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/waymo (SPONSORED: Waymo)
Follow the 2026 Minnesota elections up close with the Fluence Election Tracker.
https://fluence-media.co/electiontracker
In response to President Trump’s address to the nation last night “Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D, MN-04), the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement on Wednesday in response to President Trump’s address to the nation: MCOLLUM: “President Trump’s war in Iran is a strategic and diplomatic failure. His actions have made the Middle East more unstable. Thousands of civilians throughout the region are dying. And yet, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu show no signs of stopping…President Trump’s decision to take our nation to war with Iran was his choice, and his choice alone. He failed to consult Congress or our allies. Now, he’s asking Americans for an additional $200 billion to finance this conflict without explaining why this astounding amount of taxpayer funding is necessary.”
SENATE RACE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A rivalry could be emerging between two candidates in a crowded Republican field for U.S. Senate: Adam Schwarze, a former Navy SEAL, and former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya. Schwarze says he won 11 straw polls from local GOP organizations. … He told a crowd of party activists that he has a ‘high-performing team that does the work’ without ‘sacrificing our values,’ an apparent reference to Tafoya’s [abortion] stance. … Tafoya has also won a couple of straw polls. She has been speaking at numerous events around the state, pitching herself in part as the most electable candidate with financial support from national conservatives. … Tafoya [says] she will stay in the U.S. Senate race if she doesn’t get the GOP endorsement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4doE3qQ
HENN ATTY: Hennepin County Attorney candidate and DFL Rep. Cedrick Frazier has announced a plan to prosecute federal ICE agents accused of misconduct in Minnesota if he wins the election. Via his campaign website, FRAZIER: “We will leverage investigators from the County Attorney’s Office to supplement the work of the BCA and local law enforcement when necessary. … Any federal agent may subsequently try to move these cases from state court into federal court, but even if that occurs, we will maintain jurisdiction and continue our prosecution.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bMg03P
AFFORDABILITY: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “For Amanda Hawkins, opening the envelope containing a new, higher valuation assessment on her New Brighton home was jaw-dropping news. It has, in turn, led to a big spike for the home’s 2026 property tax statement. HAWKINS: “It was definitely sticker shock,” Hawkins said….Hawkins will see a 26 percent increase in her taxes this year — more than $1,000 in total. She was hit with increased taxes from the city and county, along with a huge jump in the valuation of her house. Now she’s wondering if she and her partner’s decision to buy their first home in 2024, with three young children, was a good idea. MORE: “That’s what really hit me — that I might not be able to afford a home after all,” Hawkins said. “But at that point, it was too late to go back. It was an unexpected expense on my end.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ckuMPo
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “New research suggests falling downtown Minneapolis commercial property values are part of a long-term trend that could continue shifting more tax burden onto homeowners. … Hamline University professor David Schultz [said] the drop in commercial property values in Minneapolis goes back beyond the pandemic. … Schultz said that, in inflation-adjusted terms, the assessed value of office, retail, hotel and other commercial spaces fell about 28% in the last decade. He said commercial property went from generating 34.7% of the city’s net tax capacity in 2016 to 24.9% in 2026. That’s about a 10% drop in 10 years. Meanwhile, Schultz wrote that the residential tax burden rose about 6%. … Schultz said it is difficult to pinpoint a single cause.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4sbBMTD
RESTAURANTS: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “A prominent, and concerned, Twin Cities restaurateur says he’s never seen the industry in a more precarious position than it is today due to our divisive political climate. … David Fhima says too many customers these days are only patronizing restaurants they know share their political beliefs. He also tells WCCO [that] political and civic leadership in Minneapolis has made it too expensive to operate in the city. Fhima says it could have a devastating ripple effect.” QUOTE: “The state of Minnesota will thrive because downtown Minneapolis thrives, period. We can’t just say, ‘Well, downtown Minneapolis is not doing well anymore,’ and [go] other places. We gotta fix our problem in Minneapolis.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4vaNHUw
NEXTWK: Fluence Advisory client Hospitality Minnesota will release the State of Hospitality report.
A new level of insight and information….
FOOD BANKS: As seen in yesterday’s lunch take, Ruby’s Pantry unexpectedly closed all locations after over 20 years of operations. Via MPR News, the pantry has now elaborated on why it abruptly shut down. VERBATIM: “The [initial] statement on Ruby’s Pantry’s website did not explain why the organization is shutting down operations, but a separate statement provided to the news media says ‘the ministry is no longer financially sustainable.’ … [They] ran at least 80 food shelf locations across Minnesota and the upper Midwest.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4s57v8L
MORE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Many of the [Ruby’s Pantry] pop-up sites shared the news on Facebook, saying it was unexpected. … The price per box recently increased from $25 to $30, with Ruby’s Pantry citing rising costs in the transportation and distribution of food. Some of its monthly pop-ups at the end of March were postponed. It’s unclear whether people who registered in advance for April pop-ups will be reimbursed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v5hjCp
FOR RURAL HOSPITALS, 340B ISN’T A WINDFALL — IT’S A LIFELINE: 30% of Minnesota hospitals are operating in the red. Savings from the 340B Drug Pricing Program help keep the doors open for safety-net hospitals that serve the most rural and underserved populations. Legislators can support access to local, high-quality care in their districts by strengthening the 340B program this session. READ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4uPSZV1 (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
HEMP: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Applications [reopened] Wednesday for three types of cannabis business licenses in Minnesota. The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management stated it would continue to accept applications for businesses to sell and manufacture lower-potency hemp edibles like gummies or seltzers. … New federal regulations around hemp - banning products with more than 0.4 mg of THC - are set to take effect eight months from now. Hemp products will still be legal in Minnesota, but businesses will not be able to ship products across state lines.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bL6lKS
(DISCLOSURE: Plift is a Fluence client)
GRAIN: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A fire that broke out in a grain elevator in Warren, Minn., on Wednesday morning was largely contained by the afternoon, [but] some farmers remain on the lookout for possible consequences. … Dave Gerry, who farms in the Euclid area, [said] the Warren elevator’s storage capacity will likely be reduced. So, he may have to switch elevators for this year’s harvest. … More miles traveled to drop off crops will mean more money spent on gas. On top of that, he worried about incurring additional freight charges, as other elevators may be farther from the port from which he exports his crops.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4c2mavK
YOUR NEIGHBORS RIDE ATVs: From the Twin Cities to the Iron Range, thousands of Minnesotans own and ride ATVs. They are families, veterans, teachers and small business owners who rely on Minnesota’s trail system for recreation, tourism, and economic activity. ATV riders aren’t just “up north” — they live in the Twin Cities metro area, and they care deeply about maintaining safe, well-managed trails. As the legislature considers trail policy, funding, and land-use decisions this session, ask them to support Minnesota’s ATV community and the outdoor opportunities they value. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4u4dGw9 (SPONSORED: ATV Minnesota)
RED FLAG: via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Department of Public Safety is embarking on a study of the relatively new Minnesota law that allows temporary removals of guns from people in crisis. The agency’s Office of Justice Programs advertised last week for proposals from qualified research entities to examine the Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO, law. The specifications call for a [review] identifying ‘trends, patterns and areas of improvement.’ … The end result would be recommendations for improving the law that took effect in January 2024. State officials expect to be able to use federal grant money to conduct the research.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PGMPXq
DRIVING: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Law enforcement officials are launching a monthlong campaign to crack down on distracted driving in Minnesota. Since 2020, there have been more than 33,183 crashes stemming from distracted driving and 162 fatalities. Last year, there were 21 fatalities related to distracted driving and 159 serious injuries, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47BcUNJ
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)
NATIONAL
CITIZENSHIP: via Axios, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments on Wednesday and watched as key justices cast doubt on his effort to restrict birthright citizenship [in] a sign the court may reject his attempt to redefine who counts as an American. … Wednesday’s arguments centered on the meaning of five words in the 14th Amendment: ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’ The administration argued that those words require parents to be permanently and legally settled in the U.S. … [But] courts have held since 1898 that the amendment applies to virtually all children born on U.S. soil. … Chief Justice John Roberts called the government’s legal reasoning ‘quirky.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tn4T7d
RESPONSE: via a joint statement from Keith Ellison and 23 other attorneys general, STATEMENT: “The President’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship violates our Constitution, federal statutes, and the rule that has governed our Nation for more than 150 years. We were proud to lead the fight against this unlawful order, and grateful for the injunctions we obtained that prevented this action from ever taking effect. We are optimistic the U.S. Supreme Court will agree with every judge to consider this executive order on the merits and hold that it violates this fundamental constitutional right.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4m7FXOL
CANADA: Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office announced that she recently met with the new Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman. The pair discussed tariffs and trade, Klobuchar said. KLOBUCHAR: “The Ambassador and I had a productive conversation about the key issues facing our countries, including the tariffs that are raising prices throughout Canada and the United States.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PJ47TM
REJECT 340B EXPANSION: A new Minnesota Department of Health report shows hospitals made at least $1 billion dollars from a federal drug discount program known as 340B. The program should help patients, but experts say there is little accountability for where the money goes. The report was delayed and only recently released, showing the program isn’t working as intended. But Minnesota politicians are fast tracking a bill to expand the 340B program anyway. Lawmakers: reject House File 3609 / Senate File 3769. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4uUobCQ (SPONSORED: Community Action for Responsible Hospitals)
FOR AWARENESS
MUMPS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A case of mumps has been reported in Ramsey County — the first in five years. Information about the person was not made public, but public health officials on Wednesday said people should make sure that they and their family members are up to date on their vaccines. Health officials said they did not know whether the person who contracted mumps was vaccinated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4toQ1p3
STATE PARK: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Public tours of an underground mine with a deep vein of northern Minnesota history will begin again nearly two years after flash flooding abruptly made it off-limits. Time was needed for repairs, and tours a half-mile below ground at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park will begin May 23.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4c1RoTw
GRANTS: via DEED advisory, VERBATIM: “[DEED] announced $2.08 million in awards for five redevelopment and demolition projects statewide. The projects will collectively create or retain 185 jobs, increase local tax bases by nearly $1 million and leverage more than $90.6 million in private investment.” READ/LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4s9EbxY
340B HOSPITAL MARKUPS HURT PATIENTS: Minnesota’s latest 340B report shows covered entities generated $1.34 billion IN PROFIT in 2024, including an estimated $261 million from Medicaid prescriptions. Independent research finds the program raises costs for patients, taxpayers, and employers statewide. Minnesota should sunset the 340B mandate and Congress should fix the federal 340B program, so it actually helps patients. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3OLZOGG(SPONSORED: PhRMA)
METRO
BROOKLYN PARK: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The explosive growth of the group home industry in the northwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities is being driven largely by a relatively new licensing system overseen by the Minnesota Department of Health. And in Brooklyn Park, which has more group homes than any other city in Minnesota, those Health Department-licensed facilities appear to be responsible for an outsize number of the police calls that the city says are overwhelming its first responders. … The Brooklyn Park Police Department maintains a list of the group homes it responds to most often. Of the top ten facilities on the list, nine are licensed by the Health Department.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bW0FMR
CHISAGO LAKES: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A proposed $500,000 scoreboard at Chisago Lakes High School is stalled over whether it can carry the name of a late community member. The debate centers on memorial naming rights at the football field. An outside group wants to donate a new scoreboard and name it after Steve Sargeant, who died last year. … [But] the proposal conflicts with the Chisago Lakes School District’s memorial and naming policy, which does not allow facilities to be named after people.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/414YUIn
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The St. Paul City Council is moving forward with a new ordinance intended to strengthen city workers’ training on the existing separation ordinance and adding a mechanism for public reporting of alleged violations. … City Council Member Molly Coleman [said] the ordinance, which the council is scheduled to vote on April 15, ‘develops reporting mechanisms for the public to immediately notify the city of any suspected violations of the separation ordinance.’ … It formalizes training requirements for all city workers and for public safety employees [and] requires additional training for department-specific policies for St. Paul officers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4s2bOlf
HABITAT RESTORATION: Flint Hills Resources has earned Tandem Global WHC Gold Certification for habitat restoration at its Cottage Grove fuel terminal. The certification comes after two years of work in partnership with Friends of the Mississippi River to implement a restoration and monitoring plan to re-establish the 6.5-acre site’s natural prairie and savannah. Flint Hills has held gold certification for its work done with community partners over the past 25 years to restore more than 200 acres of the Pine Bend Bluffs, a critical natural area along the Mississippi River that is adjacent to Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. This makes two Flint Hills gold certified sites in Minnesota and the first two gold-certified sites ever in the Twin Cities. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3VASKg4 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
STATE NEWS
ST CLOUD: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Investigators believe a fire at a St. Cloud elementary school was intentionally set. … Police and fire crews were able to help school staff safely evacuate all students from the building. … It is being investigated as arson by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the St. Cloud Police Department. City agencies, along with the school district, are working to determine the extent of the damage and cleanup, and the future occupancy of the structure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bMlnA1
WABASHA CTY: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A pay raise for the Wabasha County sheriff is drawing legal questions after the county board tied it to his political actions. Sheriff Rodney Bartsch sued the board for the pay bump, claiming he was underpaid for a sheriff in a county of Wabasha’s size, and won. But the agreement the county board brought forward said Bartsch would have to reimburse the county for the $9,100 raise if he ran for reelection and won. … The Wabasha County Attorney, who was not connected to the lawsuit, is now involved and issued a statement alluding there may be legal action taken.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3NZO0Av
PRODUCTIVE FARMS, STEWARDSHIP GO HAND IN HAND: via Minnesota Corn, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Corn farmers are demonstrating that productive agriculture and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Through widespread adoption of practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, crop rotations, and targeted nutrient management, farmers have improved soil health, reduced erosion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and protected water quality across millions of acres in Minnesota. That’s all while implementing advances in seed genetics, fertility management, and precision technology that have improved on-farm productivity.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4stHjG5 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Corn)
AHEAD
SESSION: The Minnesota Legislature is on break for Easter and Passover until the morning of Tuesday, April 7.
TODAY: DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek and Labor Market Information Director Angelina Nguyen will answer questions from the press regarding January employment data at 10:00 a.m.
TODAY: U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison will host a press conference at 11:00 a.m. discussing the small business impacts of the conflict in the Middle East.
TODAY: Faith leaders will hold a public prayer service outside the Whipple Federal Building at 12:00 noon to bring “attention to the rights and dignity of individuals held inside,” per a release. They will enter the building for pastoral care afterwards.
TODAY: Sen. Liz Boldon, Rep. Andy Smith and Rep. Kim Hicks will host an SD25 media availability at Rochester City Hall to discuss the legislative session. The event is at 2:30 p.m.
TODAY: U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar joins Attorney General Keith Ellison, DFL Rep. Cedrick Frazier and Councilmember Robin Wonsley at the University of Minnesota for a panel on Operation Metro Surge at 5:00 p.m.
TODAY-TMRW: via MDE advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will release Minnesota’s graduation rates for the Class of 2025 and the 2023-24 course-taking data on Friday, April 3, 2026. The data will be released in the Minnesota Report Card and in MDE’s Data Center Friday morning. Prior to the release, MDE is offering media access to the embargoed data at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 2, and will hold an embargoed virtual statewide media briefing led by Commissioner Willie Jett at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 2.”
NEXT WEEK: via Essentia advisory, VERBATIM: “On Wednesday, April 8, Essentia Health-Fosston will break ground on a new emergency department. Essentia Health leaders and staff will be joined by project leaders from Kraus-Anderson to celebrate the start of construction.” The event is at 1:30 p.m.
(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)
APRIL 14: The Center of the American Experiment is hosting a “School Choice Rally” to support private school voucher legislation at the MN Capitol on Tuesday, April 14 at 12:00 noon. The event is advertised as a response to the No Kings rallies, saying in a release: “They had ‘No Kings.’ Now it’s our turn.”
APRIL 28: Gov. Tim Walz will deliver his final State of the State address before a joint session of the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.