Wild lose. Gopher hockey loses.
Gophers host Michigan State. Vikings play Detroit.
The weekend before an election is always a little scary for the campaigns, but a Friday Halloween should be a great night for the kids. Anxiety high with SNAP benefits expiring, something on the minds of the food and ag leaders at the AgriGrowth Summit last night. A vision for the future of ag and food is emerging.
Sunday Take is likely to be about the battle for school boards, in places like Anoka-Hennepin where the hyperbole from social media would make you think it was some sort of invasion of extremists.
Senate has adjourned until Monday…hope they are hungry this weekend.
No Halloween blizzards this year, but parts of Minnesota could still see light snow. MAP: http://fluence-media.co/47vM60j
WalletHub ranked Minnesota as the 3rd best state to find a job in. South Dakota is 6th and North Dakota is 8th. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/47GoLJE
Bring Me The News has a list of businesses offering free food to SNAP recipients. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3Le56ZP
The Economist polling finds that the public’s top issue by nearly 3-to-1 is the economy, but Donald Trump’s handling of it is at -20% net approval. His overall net approval is -18%, the lowest The Economist has on record for him. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/3JmvPmw
Happy National Breadstick Day.
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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/
RADIO: MIRAC member Montana Hirsch shared thoughts on immigration, activism and more for Sunday Take. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3L9llHx
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TAKE: If you live in Minneapolis, next week’s election might feel weightier than most. It might also feel more angst ridden for the State DFL, including Chair Richard Carlbom and his fmr. boss Gov. Tim Walz. The reality is if Sen. Omar Fateh wins, the DFL has a bigger challenge in 2026. It starts with legislators and activists, from the DSA and other progressives that endorsed Fateh, and will seek and demand a role in the future of the state party. For Gov. Walz, it could foretell a challenger within the DFL from the left, which could give disrupt unity within the party. Something the DFL can’t afford with a likely US Senate primary, and the balance of power of the legislature at stake.
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Tuesday’s Minneapolis election will be a battle among competing factions of Democrats. … Politics are largely split between moderates and a more progressive wing, anchored by a growing faction of democratic socialists. … Two years ago, a progressive bloc took control of the 13-member City Council from moderate members aligned with Mayor Jacob Frey. The seven members of the progressive faction are often able [to] override Frey’s vetoes. That led to a tumultuous 2024, with Frey vetoing eight measures. … With Tuesday’s ballot featuring the mayor and all 13 council seats up for grabs, the election will determine not only whether Frey stays in office but also whether the progressive bloc continues to control the council. Losing just one seat would end its veto-proof coalition.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JaHKDV
MORE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “At a recent Minneapolis mayoral forum, leading candidates sketched out their visions for a more vibrant downtown. … The candidates agreed the city needs to support commercial corridors outside downtown, as well. But two miles north along West Broadway, some residents and small business owners say that vision still feels remote, signaling challenges that await the next mayor. Ahmed Omara, who runs a counter-serve restaurant near the intersection of Broadway and Penn Avenues, said little has changed over the decade-plus he’s done business in the area. … The long-planned METRO Blue Line Extension provides further uncertainty to many Northside business owners.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WtgTpB
FATEH: State Sen. Omar Fateh was profiled by UK-based The Guardian to discuss his run for Minneapolis mayor, how he feels about being compared to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, and why he thinks losing the DFL’s endorsement could potentially be a good thing. QUOTE: “One of the biggest benefits of the DFL endorsement is name recognition. But that name recognition became far greater than what we ever could have gotten with the endorsement after they revoked it.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qCwEs6
SATURDAY: Gov. Tim Walz is the headliner at a rally for Mayor Jacob Frey.
PROTEST: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Several people protesting at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s office Tuesday night have been released after they were arrested for trespassing. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, insisting that Frey ‘deliver on a sanctuary ordinance that provides true sanctuary.’ According to social media posts from the organization, members were demanding that Frey meet with them to discuss their demands. … Police ultimately arrested 11 people.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49u0hpg
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SHUTDOWN: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota Senate subcommittee [hearing] focused on the impact of the federal government shutdown on Thursday, with the biggest impact likely being the fate of SNAP benefits. … Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison [testified] at the same time lawyers representing Ellison and two dozen other attorneys general were in court seeking a court order to keep SNAP benefits [flowing]. … Ellison told the committee he was confident of victory in court, but couldn’t say for sure there wouldn’t be a delay in the November benefits or a reduced amount for recipients. … The committee also heard from Minnesota officials who oversee home heating assistance and other programs impacted by the shutdown. Two TSA union representatives also testified.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4hB6e5Z
MORE: via Forum News Service, VERBATIM: “Union leaders told senators on Thursday, Oct. 30, that Minnesota’s federal workers are now missing rent and are taking home boxes of food at the end of their shifts. … It’s unclear what state lawmakers could do to mitigate the effects of the federal shutdown. Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said she’s looking for legislative fixes that could ‘backfill’ the loss in federal funds. … She mentioned Minnesota’s rainy day funds, but said she hasn’t ‘been around long enough to know what constitutes a rainy day.’ [Gov. Tim] Walz said Monday those funds are untouched and that the Legislature would have to come back to approve their use.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47feDsc
JUDGE: via NPR News, VERBATIM: “A federal judge indicated Thursday she is inclined to take steps to ensure that federal food assistance keeps flowing. … Democratic governors and attorneys general [including Keith Ellison] sued the federal government, [and] Judge Indira Talwani suggested she was not buying the Trump Administration’s argument that it is legally barred from using emergency funds. … [But] even if the emergency fund is tapped for SNAP benefits, administration officials say the $5.5 billion falls short of the $9 billion needed to fully cover the whole month of November. They say recalculating and arranging for partial payments would be a logistical nightmare — and could take weeks. That means millions of Americans could still see some delay in the next benefit payment, and would receive less than usual.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47Ofpwl
DHS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) used to provide reports to the legislature, up until the last report was filed for the year ending in 2017. … The OIG annual report provided details about the scope and size of safety net program investigations, any potential criminal charges that arose, and the taxpayer dollars involved in the detected cases. … [Asked] why the reports stopped being submitted, [DHS] wrote, ‘It’s important to note that the reports were not legislatively mandated; it’s something OIG initiated. … OIG paused its annual report during a previous leadership transition. No decision has been made regarding the report’s future publication.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/490Vewx
RESPONSES: Speaking to KSTP, GOP Sen. Jordan Rasmusson and DFL Rep. Dave Pinto both advocated for restoring the DHS OIG’s annual reports to the legislature.
● RASMUSSON: “This just underscores a lack of accountability. It would be very helpful to have better communication from the Department of Human Services on their efforts to try and stop and go after fraudsters.”
● PINTO: “The more we can get, the better — it’s absolutely critical public dollars go to public goods. We certainly want to have as much information as we can about the steps that are being taken to prevent fraud and go after the people who are doing it.”
AUDIT: Via Minnesota Reformer, more details on Gov. Tim Walz’s plan to pause payments for 14 Medicaid services during an audit, seen in yesterday’s morning take. VERBATIM: “While the audit is intended to ensure that money going out won’t line the pockets of fraudsters, providers say they are going to be harmed. A Walz Administration source says DHS is working to minimize disruptions, but there likely will be some. … The Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota [said] this is ‘not an accountability measure, it’s an existential threat.’ … The trade group is also urging Walz’s office to establish an emergency fund to provide short-term assistance to providers at risk of insolvency. … ARRM says DHS and the governor’s office didn’t communicate with providers before announcing this change.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nskQFR
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Families who depend on programs through the Minnesota Department of Human Services have questions after the state announced a new attempt to crack down on possible fraud. … During a news conference, DHS said ‘many thousands’ of Minnesotans rely on these services. … 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked the governor’s office and DHS if fraud has already been detected in all of these programs. They did not directly answer the question, but said: ‘These services were identified for pre-payment review [auditing] based on programmatic vulnerabilities, evidence of fraudulent activity, or data analytics that revealed potentially suspicious patterns, claim anomalies, or outliers.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47rSQhb
PROVIDERS: via news release from the MN First Provider Alliance, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota First Provider Alliance (the “Provider Alliance”) has serious concerns with Governor Tim Walz’s announcement yesterday that the Minnesota Department of Human Services (“DHS”) will be holding payments for up to 90 days for providers for 14 essential programs while an outside review is conducted. From its inception in 2016, the Provider Alliance—a statewide membership association for Personal Care Assistance (“PCA”) and Community First Solutions and Supports (“CFSS”) providers—has advocated for increased wages, enhanced program integrity, and provider oversight in the PCA program, going so far as including increased standards in its legislative agendas in recent years.”
BUCKET TRUCK: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “On a crisp autumn morning in Waconia, Minnesota, Laketown Elementary buzzed with excitement as fifth grader Grant Scotting kept his eyes trained on the parking lot. A birthday surprise for Scotting was in the works — and soon it rolled up: a shiny Xcel Energy bucket truck. Scotting, who has special needs and is nonverbal, is known for his love of Xcel Energy. His enthusiasm for the local energy company ranges from reporting outages on his family’s iPad to eagerly opening each monthly bill.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4oq7uei (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
POT: via Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management announced on Thursday the signing of a new tribal-state cannabis compact [with] the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. … This is the fifth such agreement between Minnesota and a tribal nation, according to a release. … The state plans to announce additional tribal-state cannabis compacts in the future.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oLK2sb COMPACT: https://fluence-media.co/3Xay8Mt
SOYBEANS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “On Thursday, President Donald Trump [said] China will resume buying large quantities of U.S. soybeans. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China has agreed to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans from the U.S. between now and January. And on an [ongoing] annual basis, it will purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans. … Dan Glessing, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, was already expressing cautious optimism about a deal, [but] also said the U.S. should be thinking about how to evolve its domestic industry.” GLESSING: “It’s good to have options when you’re talking about trade. But we also need to increase domestic usage as well, so we can control our own destiny.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/439FYJY
MORE: via Axios, VERBATIM: “The levels described by [Scott] Bessent for the next three years would be roughly on par with what China imported annually in the recent past. … Between 2019 and 2020, Chinese soybean imports rose [to] 34 million metric tons, per USDA data. That number slipped in subsequent years, closer to 26 million metric tons, before falling off a cliff this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/435mQNd
BEEF: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A group of 14 Republicans, including Rep. Michelle Fischbach, penned a letter to [Agriculture Secretary Brooke] Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer sounding the alarm on [Donald] Trump’s plans to import beef from Argentina. … It marked rare GOP pushback on the administration and the first instance [of] Fischbach challenging Trump in his second term.” EXCERPT: “While we share the Administration’s goal of lowering costs for consumers, we are concerned that granting additional market access to Argentina — already one of our largest beef suppliers — will undermine American cattle producers, weaken our position in ongoing trade negotiations, and reintroduce avoidable animal-health risks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43EE9op LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4hK2WNS
TARIFFS: via a Sen. Amy Klobuchar advisory, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Senate voted 50-46 to pass bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rand Paul (R-KY), and [others] to challenge President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada. … The National Emergencies Act states that the U.S. House of Representatives must vote on this legislation within 18 days. Specifically, the legislation would terminate the February 1 emergency declaration that President Trump used to launch his trade war with Canada, and would eliminate the tariffs on Canadian imports implemented as a result. President Trump’s order cited the IEEPA, an unprecedented use of IEEPA’s emergency provisions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48W5TZk
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)
RENTALS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Renters in Duluth living with a broken window lock, leaky faucet or clogged drain could hire professionals to make small repairs and then charge their landlords under a proposed ordinance on the ballot next week. The first renters rights law of its kind in Minnesota would allow renters to bypass municipal red tape and initiate small fixes themselves at the expense of landlords. … [Supporters] argue that existing local and state renter protections often result in lengthy wait times for repairs, drawn-out court battles or issues that simply never get fixed. Opponents warn that the proposed ordinance is poorly drawn and will put those who use it in legal peril [or] discourage landlords from offering properties to rent.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47fQ9z4
HOUSING: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota manufactured home park residents and lawmakers are speaking out against what they say are skyrocketing rents and unsafe living conditions. At the Minnesota State Capitol Thursday, they placed the blame on out-of-state private equity firms that have been purchasing these communities in recent years. State Sen. Liz Boldon and state Rep. Matt Norris, both Democrats, were authors of companion bills, introduced earlier this year, that would cap annual lot rent increases to 3% and give residents a chance to purchase the lot they live on.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/436oXAk
TRAFFIC: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “The average Twin Cities car commuter now spends a record 73 hours a year stuck in traffic, a new report finds. … Congestion is ramping up in many cities after a pandemic-era dip, per the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s 2025 Urban Mobility Report. Traditional rush hours are returning, but there’s also been a ‘noticeable rise in midday congestion,’ the report finds, possibly tied to remote and hybrid work changing schedules. … The findings put some hard data behind a common feeling among many drivers: Traffic is getting worse — or at least different — since the pandemic.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qBQkMw
PAID LEAVE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “[Paid leave] is coming in just two months, and it could offer some new parents the unique opportunity to ‘double dip.’ … On Jan. 1, a new Minnesota law mandates that employers provide paid family leave to nearly every employee. … There will be 12 weeks of paid medical leave [and] 12 weeks of family leave to care for a family member who is ill, bonding with a new baby, or responding to a personal safety issue. … You can use both programs in one year, but the maximum overall leave you can get is 20 weeks per year. … One quirk of the program, according to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, is that parents of babies born in 2025 will be able to effectively ‘double-dip’ and access both leave policies.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47OgCnn
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Monday marked three years from the date that St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter offered Axel Henry the police chief job. Henry accepted it, knowing he would be taking a $25,000 pay cut from what he was being paid at the time. … Henry believed the salary discrepancy would be fixed more quickly, but he’s reached the halfway mark of his term. Henry, 57, said he doesn’t want to retire, but he’d bring home more money from his pension than his current salary. St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks, 56, is in the same situation. … St. Paul business leaders have joined Henry in raising concerns to Carter over the pay of the city’s police chief and top staff, saying they should be compensated more and they want to ensure recruiting and retention is not impacted. The problem extends to the salaries of department heads throughout the city government.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Jlnnnv
MPD: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis community safety commissioner says now that he’s involved, police officers will participate in an audit of their work — but he stopped short of sharing specifics on how he plans to make that happen. Earlier this month, while sharing a committee update, Minneapolis auditor Robert Timmerman said his team was not getting participation from the police department in their investigation into two high-profile and violent cases. … Office of Community Safety commissioner Todd Barnette [said] ‘It’s mandatory that all staff [participate]. They have to show up. They have to comply. We’re working through that.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47R72QM
40 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited (DU) are celebrating 40 years of partnership, a longevity landmark that makes Flint Hills one of DU’s longest-standing corporate partners. Working together over the past four decades, Flint Hills and DU have contributed to conserving more than 250,000 acres of wildlife habitat and natural areas in Minnesota and over 900,000 acres across North America. LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
LAKELAND: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Residents of Lakeland are invited to an open house next week to learn more about plans for a possible new city hall and weigh in on two different options for council chambers. The open house will be 5-7 p.m. Monday. … City officials are considering a plan to purchase the Telus commercial building at 84 St. Croix Trail S. A non-binding letter of intent was sent on Oct. 1, said City Clerk Michelle Elsner. … City officials have spent years trying to determine what should be done with the current city hall, which was built as a Baptist church in 1868. Structural problems include bowing exterior walls, a sagging roof frame and cracks in the basement walls. There are also signs of mold and water infiltration in the basement, Elsner said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/47ipd1F
BEMIDJI: via Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “GoodNeighbor Properties announced its intent to construct a $22.5 million Marriott hotel, event and restaurant space in Bemidji’s downtown Rail Corridor. The announcement was made [by] Greater Bemidji’s Dave Hengel and Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince. It is part of an effort to redevelop the area, alongside a Greater Bemidji YMCA project that is set to begin shortly. GoodNeighbor Properties [said] its Bemidji project is planned to be a 98-room hotel with an integrated event center and meeting space with an on-site restaurant.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JpF2dK
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
MNSURE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Demographics, drug prices and a sunsetting Covid-era federal subsidy [have] combined to cause MNsure enrollees’ projected premiums to skyrocket by an average of 57% next year. The period to enroll (or reenroll) in a MNsure plan starts Saturday. … The much discussed federal subsidy, whose Dec. 31 expiration strikes at the heart of the budget stalemate that led to the federal shutdown, is ‘only part of the answer’ for mind-boggling health insurance hikes, said Jean Abraham, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3X8cqZu
RETAIL: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh has an idea for filling empty storefronts: When they’re vacant, tax the landlord. Retail vacancy blights neighborhoods, raises crime rates, and dampens efforts to restore downtown Minneapolis’ vibrancy. Right now, nearly 29% of retail square-footage downtown is unused — more than double the pre-pandemic vacancy rate. … Fateh’s proposed solution — a commercial vacancy tax — is also emblematic of where he breaks with his fellow challengers to Mayor Jacob Frey. Fateh has been more eager than his allies to embrace big-government interventions like rent control or a city income tax.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LfEg3t
SCSU: via an MSU press release, VERBATIM: “Minnesota State has named four finalists in the search for the next president of St. Cloud State University. The candidates are Matt Cecil, Lisa Foss, Rodney Hanley, and Gregory Tomso. The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee that was comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, and was chaired by Kenneth Janz, president of Winona State University. The candidates are scheduled to conduct campus visits the week of November 3. The campus visits provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to meet each of the candidates and offer feedback.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48ULl3m
TODAY: via Education MN, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans impacted by [the] government shutdown who have had their SNAP benefits cut will gather in St. Paul to share their stories of how the shutdown has affected them and their families.” The event is at 10:00 a.m. in St. Paul.
BDAYS: radio pro Mary Niemeyer, pa guy Mike Franklin, DFL Vice Chair Marge Hoffa. SAT: pr pro Anne Deanovic, Sen. John Marty, civic leader Jay Cowles. SUN: Fox 9’s Doug Solomon, retired lobbyist Todd Iverson
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