Twins host the A’s. Lynx at NY.
Vikings end the pre-season Friday.
Air Canada reached a tentative deal to end the strike. NBC: https://fluence-media.co/3JlnNK3
Will there be a summit with Putin and Zelenskyy? HILL: https://fluence-media.co/45r884J
MSNBC is changing its name to “MS NOW” as part of its separation from NBC, but CNBC is keeping its name under the same deal. AP: http://fluence-media.co/41IEzcj
An international study finds that AI helps doctors detect tumors better, but it reduces their ability to detect tumors without AI assistance by 20% after a few months of use. BLOOMBERG: http://fluence-media.co/41z6hZl
The DOJ will begin sharing some of its Jeffrey Epstein files with Congress on Friday. AXIOS: http://fluence-media.co/45GPlkH
A State Fair crop art piece honoring Melissa Hortman has been revealed. PHOTO: http://fluence-media.co/4lEsXOX
Happy National Soft Ice Cream Day.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured Molly Coleman discussing her election to the St. Paul City Council and Rep. Kaohly Her sharing why she’s running for St. Paul mayor. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3UBcf7Y
Sunday Take will be live at the Fair both Sunday mornings. This Sunday a bipartisan conversation with Rep. Keith Allen and Sen. Doron Clark. Join me live at 9AM at WCCO Radio at the Fair.
MPLS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota DFL Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee (CBRC) held a hearing Sunday regarding the 2025 Minneapolis DFL City Convention. … For nearly four hours, the CBRC heard from both challengers — including Mayor Jacob Frey's campaign — and Minneapolis DFL leaders in response to the convention that was held on July 19 for the endorsement of candidates. … Both sides agree there were problems, but challengers from the hearing say it rises to invalidating the entire 2025 DFL convention, including endorsements. … [Next], the CBRC will meet in private and deliver a decision as soon as possible, but no later than seven days after the hearing.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4mrKESY
COURTRULING: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A district court judge has overturned Minnesota’s ban on binary triggers — a modification for semi-automatic firearms that greatly increases their rate of fire. Ramsey County Judge Leonardo Castro on Monday struck down the ban that passed at the last minute of the 2024 legislative session in a more than 1,400-page bill. … Castro said [the bill] violated the Minnesota Constitution’s ‘single subject and title’ clause, [thus] ruling in favor of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. … The office of DFL Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, which is representing the state in the case, said it plans to appeal the district court ruling.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4fJdFHk
MORE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Courts have largely blessed legislators’ increasing reliance on massive bills over the last 50 years, but Monday’s ruling could be a sign that legislators went too far with the 2024 bill. … The judge invalidated the binary trigger ban and let the rest of the law stand, but seemed to invite higher courts to knock it down entirely. ‘This Court respectfully suggests…if there has ever been a time for the ‘draconian result of invalidating the entire law,’ that time is now,’ Castro wrote.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4fFpVs9
RESPONSE: via a Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson statement, JOHNSON: “This is an important win for transparency and accountability for the legislature. The court is clear that legislation must follow Minnesota’s constitutional single subject requirement, which is designed to prevent exactly what Democrats did in 2024: pass a 1,400-page tax bill on the last night of session through a sham process just before midnight, with little to no opportunity for meaningful review by lawmakers or the public.”
MORE: via Bryan Strawser, chair of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, STATEMENT: “The Walz Administration and anti-gun legislators tried to sneak an unconstitutional restriction into a massive omnibus bill. The court said no. … If lawmakers attempt to cram anti-gun measures into omnibus bills in the future, we will challenge them in court again — and our track record of victories should give them pause.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45JZHAh
QUESTION: What other provisions in the bill may now be challenged?
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On Monday, 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.
UMN: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Mediation is underway in hopes of preventing a big disruption on University of Minnesota campuses across the state. If an agreement is not reached by Tuesday at midnight, a spokesperson for Teamsters Local 320 said workers could go on strike on Wednesday in Duluth and then on Monday in the Twin Cities, just in time for new students to move in on campus. The [union’s] 1,400 employees do a variety of work around five campuses, from dining services to facility maintenance.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3Jg7YEJ
WEED: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Greg Lien’s hope to open a cannabis business in Silver Bay, Minn., is dead in the water. Since Minnesota legalized recreational cannabis in 2023, he’s done his due diligence in getting pre-approval from the state’s cannabis agency for a microbusiness license. He’s spent hundreds of hours on his license application — from preparing a 150-page business plan to submitting a commercial leasing agreement and more for his manufacturing and cultivation facility. LIEN: “I slogged through it myself, and it was accepted without revisions,” he said…He never thought his biggest obstacle would be his local government.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mOawZ2
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL HEALTH CARE, ESSENTIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR PROVIDING TOP CLINICAL CARE: According to the latest report from Minnesota Community Measurement, a statewide resource on health care quality, costs and equity, Essentia ranked as a high performer with 19 of 20 clinical quality metrics scoring above statewide averages. According to Dr. Maria Beaver, chief quality and patient safety officer at Essentia: “This is a testament to the amazing care provided by all our clinical care teams and all our colleagues who support them.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dCxy1D (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
REGENTS: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “It is probably no surprise Republicans are upset with who Gov. Tim Walz picked for the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. [But] state Sen. Omar Fateh, D-Minneapolis and chair of the committee that is supposed to select regents, also expressed frustration. … Fateh, the chair of the Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, says that Walz never sought his advice during the governor’s two-month long selection process.” FATEH: “Rather than empowering student voices on the board, the governor sided with a handful of wealthy, well-connected lobbyists who worked to shut student voices out of the board. This process shouldn’t be about giving preferential treatment to those who are politically connected.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/41bj1oE
From yesterday’s lunch take:
FATEH: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh told DFL legislative leaders he would block key budget bills in 2023 unless both chambers passed his rideshare driver protection legislation, an email recently obtained by Axios shows. The email, which has not been previously reported, is a window into the DFL-endorsed Minneapolis mayoral candidate's governing style and the tactics he used to achieve one of his key legislative accomplishments. … [Previously], Fateh told Axios in a brief interview that he did not threaten to withhold votes over the bill.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4177Tcr
RESPONSE: via a Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey post, FREY: “No one who threatens our city's top priorities in the Legislature deserves a promotion. My opponent threatened to join with Republicans to block everything from paid leave to funding for Minneapolis schools just to get his way — and he lied about it to the press.” TWEET: http://fluence-media.co/45AqcIh
ELECTIONS: via AP News, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump on Monday vowed more changes to the way elections are conducted in the U.S., but based on the Constitution, there is little to nothing he can do on his own. … Trump pledged on his social media site that he would do away with both mail voting — which remains popular and is used by about one-third of all voters — and voting machines — some form of which are used in almost all of the country’s thousands of election jurisdictions. … Congress can change the way states run congressional and presidential elections, but has no say in the way a state runs its own elections. The president is not mentioned at all in the Constitution’s list of entities with powers over elections.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45rIixy
RESPONSE: via a Sec. Steve Simon statement, SIMON: “The President’s post on social media this morning is alarming. At best, it is completely disconnected from the reality of how elections work in the real world. At worst, it amplifies dangerous conspiracy theories. The U.S. Constitution gives states full control of the time, place, and manner of elections – subject only to action by Congress. A President has no power to grab election authority from states. … I will take whatever legal action is necessary to continue protecting Minnesota’s elections from federal overreach.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4oOweht
VOTER DATA: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Trump Administration is requesting personal information from Minnesota government agencies about the state's residents, including their Social Security numbers, addresses and voter registration records. It's part of a push by the White House to access data that is held only by states. … Minnesota agencies are resisting the requests so far, with officials saying they fear the Trump Administration would use the data to target individuals for deportation. … Minnesota's response to the federal government's requests is frustrating some local Republicans, who think the state should cooperate.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Jk2yZf
FED FUNDS: via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Twenty states [including Minnesota] sued the Justice Department on Monday for adding a new immigration enforcement rule to federal grants that assist victims of crime. … The lawsuit focuses on the Office for Victims of Crime, a 42-year-old division of the Justice Department that hands out more than $1 billion per year to all 50 states to compensate crime victims and fund programs. … The Trump-era Justice Department added a new condition to those grants that denies funding to any program that ‘violates…federal immigration law.’ … But the states that joined Monday's lawsuit argue that the rule is illegal, since the Reagan-era law that set up the federal government's crime victim grant programs doesn't say anything about immigration enforcement.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4mp6DKk
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)
STATE FAIR: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Amid concerns of political violence, lawmakers say they still plan to go to the State Fair. … U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she plans to attend the Minnesota State Fair, which starts Thursday. U.S. Rep. Angie Craig's campaign said she will be there with private security. … Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said ‘increased security measures are planned’ for lawmakers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jk2yZf
CRAIG: via KVRR, VERBATIM: “The race to replace Minnesota’s U.S. Senator Tina Smith in Washington is on, and campaigning candidates are already coming to the [Fargo-Moorhead] region to ask for your vote. One of them is U.S. House Representative Angie Craig. … She spent the day touring Fergus Falls and Moorhead reaching out to voters. She said the number one concern they tell her about is rising costs, including that of health care, housing, and groceries. … She joined the Morning Show to talk about her platform, about her concern for the nation’s farmers, and why she wants to go back to Washington to serve in the Senate.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3Hv6d5Y
UKRAINE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump was joined in the Oval Office on Monday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders with the hopes of reaching a peaceful solution to Russia's three-year invasion. … Speaking in Stillwater before the conclusion of Monday's historic talks, [Sen. Amy] Klobuchar said she wants to see very specific outcomes. … KLOBUCHAR: ‘Putin should not be rewarded for his invasion. He wants to keep the land that he has invaded, and there is going to have to be something that allows Ukrainian people to get back at least a good portion of their land.’ … Klobuchar's concern is echoed by Minnesotans who have worked to bring Ukrainians to the state.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4lxT61C
MORE: KARE 11 interviewed Maria Doan, advocacy leader for the Ukrainian American Community Center of Minnesota, to discuss how refugees feel about the war overseas. Notably, Doan said fewer Ukrainian refugees are attending her organization’s events because they’re afraid they’ll be deported. DOAN: “Some people are becoming hopeless from the toll of the war, and in some instances, people are afraid because of their legal status. Under their temporary protection [status], they were not sure what was going to happen to them next — therefore, they didn't want to draw additional attention onto themselves.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4lAmcxo
SUMMER SAVINGS: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “Home cooling can account for about half of your summertime electric bill. Here are five simple, effective ways to boost energy efficiency in your home and save money.
1. Ceiling fans cool you, not the room.
2. When away, adjust your thermostat.
3. Hot air belongs outside.
4. Cook smarter to stay cooler.
5. Let nature dry your clothes — plus, your chores can wait until evening.”
(SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
MENTAL HEALTH: via an OBFC press release, VERBATIM: “The Office of the Ombuds for Corrections (OBFC) released our latest report, ‘Languishing Behind Bars,’ which focuses on the need for mental health support in jails. The report details the increasing number of people with severe mental illness languishing in Minnesota’s jails and the devastating impact this has on incarcerated people, corrections staff, and families. … ‘Languishing Behind Bars’ calls on Minnesota to prioritize resources to increase access to mental health care within jails, in mental health treatment facilities, and across the system. The report additionally highlights current initiatives to improve access to mental health care for people in jail.” REPORT: http://fluence-media.co/45K6tGk
VETERANS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Only three states in the nation can say they've curbed the problem of veteran homelessness. Now, state officials say Minnesota is closer than ever to being in the ranks, [but] they're hitting a major roadblock at the federal level. Paul Williams is the deputy director of veterans programs at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. … While the [state] has made strides, there are now new questions of how to get the federal declaration. Previously, Williams said, the approval mainly came from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). Then in March, the White House issued presidential action to reduce ‘elements of the federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary.’ Williams said that shuttered the USICH.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/478hQKB
JUUL: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today announced that Minnesota has received an additional $2.5 million payment from e-cigarette maker JUUL as a result of the Attorney General’s settlement with the company. … JUUL’s compliance with Minnesota’s settlement [also] requires JUUL to abide by substantial conduct restrictions, including prohibiting JUUL from marketing and selling to children and young adults, including use of models under the age of 35; advertising on apparel, entertainment, and social media platforms; and the sale of flavored products.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4oHNnJq
WATER: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Mound is among more than three dozen Minnesota cities that have detected unsafe levels of manganese in some parts of their water systems, but finding a solution can prove difficult and costly. While some residents are pleading with local leaders to build new facilities fast, others are urging them to avoid hiking already high water bills. … Cities that have found high manganese include Mound, Ramsey and Lino Lakes.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3V5R2mH
HENN CTY: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Hennepin County prosecutors say President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are hindering their pursuit of justice, in some cases because defendants are deported before they get their day in court, and in others because witnesses or defendants may be too fearful to appear. … It can [also] be challenging for local prosecutors to get information from ICE. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office often does not receive communications from the agency before their actions. … For Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, deporting someone before they face accountability for a crime is not consistent with public safety.” MORIARTY: “It deprives our victims and our community of accountability for what happened here, but also, I think, endangers the people in that community where they’re sent.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4mjCw6R
EAGAN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “People who live near a battery recycler in Eagan told state officials [recently] how they might have protected themselves if they had known the plant was spreading toxic lead in their neighborhood. … MPCA officials have appeared at three community meetings since [early July], but the agency continues to frustrate neighbors by saying it cannot share everything it knows about Gopher Resource. … The state agency has declined to release key documents related to the case, saying they are not public because there’s an open civil investigation into Gopher.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4lB3ZQy
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO CELEBRATE: Flint Hills Resources and its employees are proud of the company they keep, including many community partners that help make Minnesota a better place to live and learn. Not only is the Pine Bend refinery celebrating 70 years, many of the company’s long-time partnerships have milestones in 2025 — 25 years of the Flint Hills Family Festival in partnership with the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 25 years with Friends of the Mississippi River to restore critical habitat, 30 years with the Minnesota Zoo, and 40 years with Ducks Unlimited. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ZfDkjY (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Key next steps toward Rochester’s planned regional sports and recreation complex are expected in October. … The Rochester City Council is expected to be asked on Oct. 6 to seek bids for bonds to borrow up to $65 million, which will be paid through sales tax revenue. Additionally, the council is expected to be asked to authorize construction bids and approve a contract with an operator of the site during the same meeting. The decisions are expected to lead to Nov. 17 requests to approve the bonds and construction contracts. The dates were presented to the City Council during a study session Monday.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4mV5x97
MARSHALL: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The federal Board of Immigration Appeals has dismissed the Trump Administration’s appeal of an immigration judge’s order earlier this year releasing a Marshall man from Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention. Aditya Harsono, 34, was arrested at the Marshall hospital where he worked in March for allegedly overstaying his student visa. He later discovered that the visa had been revoked days before and without his knowledge. … The Board of Immigration Appeals went on to dismiss the DHS appeal and wrote that Harsono posed no flight risk or danger.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45mAvRu
WASECA: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The southern Minnesota city of Waseca has closed several beaches, boat ramps and bodies of water due to possible water contamination. … The closures were caused by ‘emergency discharge of wastewater,’ the city said. Residents were warned that contact with the potentially contaminated water could be hazardous to health. Around 10 inches of rainfall over the weekend overloaded the sewer system, prompting the discharge.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4mqIdQG
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
HENN ATTY: via a Rep. Cedrick Frazier press release, VERBATIM: “Minnesota State Representative Cedrick Frazier today announced that he is running to become the next Hennepin County Attorney. Frazier announces his campaign with the endorsement of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. He will be seeking the DFL endorsement.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4mG45qI
HEMP: via Marijuana Moment, VERBATIM: “A Democratic senator is touting the inclusion of hemp research provisions she secured as part of a Senate-passed agriculture spending bill. … Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) promoted the $1 million in funding that was incorporated into the appropriations legislation, designated for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cereal Disease Lab. Half of that funding will specifically go toward research into industrial hemp fiber. The other half will go toward research to prevent crop losses caused by mycotoxins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JmIxBq
TODAY: Governor Tim Walz will visit TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America Inc.
TODAY: via an MPHA advisory, VERBATIM: “Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley, State Senator Doron Clark, and Councilmember Michael Rainville will join MPHA staff and residents to break ground on the largest public housing redevelopment in Minneapolis history, Spring Manor. The $78 million project will preserve 221 units across two neighboring buildings while also constructing a new four-story building.” The event is at 10:00 a.m.
TODAY: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison will hold a press conference to announce a major lawsuit he’s filing against a prominent social media company. Ellison will be joined by Minnesotans who will share their experiences with the platforms in question.” The event is at 10:30 a.m.
TODAY: The Iron Mining Association of Minnesota announced they’re hosting an event in Chisholm focusing on “the far-reaching impacts of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Wild Rice Sulfate Standard,” per a release. The event is at 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY: via MNJRC, VERBATIM: “In light of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s recent announcement that she will not seek a second term, the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) is partnering with the Minneapolis NAACP to host a town hall with Moriarty and her office to discuss the future of justice in Hennepin County. Community members are invited to the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) on Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 6-8 p.m.”
FRIDAY: via Flanagan for Senate, VERBATIM: “Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan announced U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) will head to Minnesota to support Flanagan’s campaign for U.S. Senate. The two will hold a rally in Minneapolis on August 22nd to share their plans on how to change the status quo in Washington.”
AUG 24-27: The Democratic National Committee will hold a number of meetings in Minneapolis from Sunday, Aug. 24 to Wednesday, Aug. 27, beginning with a welcome reception at the State Fair hosted by DNC Chair Ken Martin at 6:00 p.m.
AUG 26: Primaries for the upcoming special elections in Senate Districts 29 and 47 will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The winners of these primaries will be on special election ballots Nov. 4.
SEPT 3-4: The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture is hosting two virtual sessions to gather public input and ideas for the 2026 legislative session. The first is Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 12:00 noon. The second is Thursday, Sept. 4 at 5:00 p.m. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/46W26Kr
BDAYS: business leader Scott Burns, House DFL comms pro Ted Modrich, Farmer’s Union President Gary Wertish, organizer Eric Haugee, DFL operative Sally Miller, health care leader Ghita Worcester
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take from now to the future is in memory of Melissa Hortman her accessibility, leadership and commitment to public service.
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