Wild lose in OT. Lakers in town vs. the Wolves tonight.
Loons play next Wednesday. Vikings at Detroit this weekend.
St. Paul wants name suggestions for a new park at The Heights. SURVEY: http://fluence-media.co/3LcD5BZ
Split Rock Lighthouse’s annual Edmund Fitzgerald memorial sold out for the first time due to the event’s 50th anniversary. FORUM: http://fluence-media.co/48Nqq27
Minnesota had the 3rd highest number of bird flu detections in any state over the past month. Wisconsin was 1st and Washington was 2nd. AXIOS: http://fluence-media.co/3Ldr92P
Caribbean groups in the Twin Cities are mobilizing relief efforts as Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica. WCCO: http://fluence-media.co/4qwzkHH
The Senate voted to repeal tariffs on Brazil, but the House GOP will not consider the measure. AXIOS: http://fluence-media.co/4oFL1Kj
A judge has indefinitely blocked the White House from laying off federal workers during the shutdown. HILL: http://fluence-media.co/48XlRm1
Happy National Oatmeal Day – it is Oatmeal SZN.
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SURPLUS: via MPR, VERBATIM: “The books are closed on the last state budget, and Minnesota wound up with more on its bottom line than it anticipated — almost $1 billion more. … Minnesota collected $1.3 billion more in revenue than it was counting on, but had $364 million in additional expenses. The result is a $941 million cushion, which will create more breathing room for lawmakers. … In an election year, they might also be able to finance some construction projects in cash or have more to apply to debt service. The extra money was due to a combination of factors, but most of it is from tax revenue that exceeded projections or money that had been tied up for a project or program that got turned back to the treasury. Of the areas where higher spending was reported, most was for education purposes.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nviOFb
MORE: Via MMB, the final 2024-25 budget report is available online. REPORT: http://fluence-media.co/3LaqhMp
NUCLEAR: via news release this morning from the labor-aligned North Star Policy Action, VERBATIM: “North Star Policy Action released a new report, “Expanding Possibilities: The Role of Nuclear Energy in Minnesota’s Carbon-Free Future,” which examines how lifting Minnesota’s moratorium on the construction of new nuclear energy facilities could help the state meet its 100% carbon-free electricity goal by 2040. The report finds that pairing nuclear energy with renewables like wind and solar offers the most affordable, reliable, and worker-friendly path to achieving Minnesota’s clean energy targets.”
HD10A: via letter last night Republican Rep. Drew Roach called on Rep. Ron Kresha to resign from the Minnesota House, VERBATIM: “serious allegations have surfaced involving Representative Ron Kresha, who serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Golden Shovel Agency LLC. Golden Shovel received $321,892 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which were later forgiven. These funds were meant to help businesses retain employees during the challenging time when the government forced many businesses to close in response to the Covid-19 crisis… I call on my colleagues in the Minnesota House, especially those who have spoken out in the past, to do so again now. If we are to be taken seriously as public servants, we must apply our principles consistently. The people of Minnesota deserve leaders who serve the people they are elected to represent rather than serving their own interests.”
BACKGROUND: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “The plaintiff in the case is Troy Scheffler, who ran as an America First Party candidate against Republican Rep. Josh Heintzeman for House District 6B last year; he is represented by renowned Republican poster, lawyer and conspiracy theorist Nathan Hansen. The lawsuit is a qui tam action under the False Claims Act, meaning Hansen and Scheffler are suing Kresha on behalf of the federal government… Scheffler has sued Costco for assault, false imprisonment and disability discrimination over the store asking him to show his receipt and wear a mask in 2020. He has a “lengthy lawsuit history,” including against his political opponents, per the Brainerd Dispatch. (He sued the Dispatch over that article.)”
TAKE: Rep. Ron Kresha has drawn opposition from the Action 4 Liberty faction of the Minnesota Republican party for the last couple election cycles. The real question for the latest issue is if federal prosecutors pursue the case against Kresha. The complaint is brought by an individual who has brought several lawsuits that have been dismissed shouldn’t be taken at his word, but rather the court case should be allowed to play out.
CD5: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “DNC member and party activist Latonya Reeves is expected to announce Nov. 9 that she’s running against Rep. Ilhan Omar in the Fifth District. … Reeves is set to hold a ‘special celebration’ Nov. 9 in Minneapolis where she plans to make an ‘exciting announcement,’ according to a flyer for the event. … Reeves [said] she’s ‘not ready to share details ahead of the event’ when [asked]. … But Democrats in the know say it’s a campaign launch and comes several months after Reeves convened a call with Minneapolis operatives to talk about putting together a campaign team.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nomvwp
MORE: via Sun Sailor, VERBATIM: “[Republican] John Nagel, a lifelong Minnesotan and 30-year veteran of the Minnesota State Patrol, has announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District. Rep. Ilhan Omar (DFL) currently holds that position.” NAGEL: “I’ve spent my entire career protecting Minnesotans on the highways, in crises, and in our communities. Now I’m stepping up again to serve my neighbors, my city, and my country. Washington has lost touch with common sense, and it’s time to send someone who hasn’t.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4hy5HBL WEBSITE: http://fluence-media.co/4oCKGYJ
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SNAP: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “As food stamp benefits are set to end for 42 million Americans – including 440,000 households in Minnesota – Democrats are insisting the Trump Administration can use emergency funds to continue the program. … On Tuesday, Minnesota joined 24 other states and the District of Columbia in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency in charge of SNAP, for failing to release funds they say are appropriated by Congress to keep the food stamp program running through an emergency. … The USDA says it has no authority to continue the food stamp program. … But Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., disputed that.” KLOBUCHAR: “They’re refusing to use emergency funds for food assistance — even though their now-deleted shutdown plan said they could. They have funding to keep families from going hungry. There’s no excuse.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4qyriOo
MORE: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison co-led a coalition of 22 other attorneys general and three governors today in filing a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary Brooke Rollins for unlawfully suspending [SNAP] due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. … The coalition is seeking a temporary restraining order blocking USDA from halting SNAP funding while this lawsuit proceeds.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4qyPqQX LAWSUIT: http://fluence-media.co/4oHV6GL
RESPONSE: via a GOP Rep. Pete Stauber post, STAUBER: “452,000 Minnesotans enrolled in SNAP are at risk of losing the food assistance they depend on because Democrat Senators [Amy] Klobuchar and [Tina] Smith have now voted to shut down the government 13 times. Families will suffer while they play politics.” TWEET: http://fluence-media.co/47ukRDw
FED WORKERS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “As the federal government shutdown rolls toward the one-month mark, TSA agent Neal Gosman is steaming. … ‘There is resentment building,’ said Gosman, 78. … The shutdown adds to the anxiety many Minnesota federal workers have felt since President Donald Trump took office [and] started cutting jobs. As they try to figure out how to pay their bills, they also wonder if they will have a job to come back to when the shutdown ends. … Some of Gosman’s co-workers are picking up gig work as Uber and Lyft drivers. Other workers, some furloughed and some working without pay, are working as substitute teachers, trying to put off some bills and canceling vacations. They worry about paying student loans and buying food, said Gosman.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4olIMfG
MORE: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was one of 19 airports where air traffic controllers handed out leaflets to travelers on Tuesday. … They asked people to contact their legislators, directing them to a website to do so. … The one-day blitz comes the same day as the controllers’ first zero-dollar paycheck, having received reduced pay two weeks ago. Controllers are working mandatory overtime, but absences have crept up, leading to a rise in flight delays in other parts of the US.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3Jj4y4n
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)
STATE JOBS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “As many as 100 Minnesota employees could receive layoff notices on Thursday because the U.S. government shutdown has cut off federal funding for state inspections of health care facilities [and] support for new mothers. … About a third of the workers are represented by the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, which confirmed the Minnesota Department of Health’s plan to lay off workers Dec. 2 unless the shutdown in Washington ends. … Workers at risk for layoffs in the state Health Department this week include those in the regulation division [and] workers who administer the Women, Infants and Children program. … Given that these job losses could be temporary, the union is seeking a letter of understanding from the state that would preserve health benefits and seniority status for the laid-off workers.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/49qrSaS
TARGET: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, notices filed with the state of Minnesota showed that layoffs will affect more than 500 workers at Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters, and nearly 300 workers at its northern campus in Brooklyn Park. They’ll take effect Jan. 3. … Store and supply-chain workers are not affected, [but] it’s the company’s biggest shake-up since 2015. … The company’s recent push to bring more workers back to the office may continue, but with fewer employees. That’s bad news for the small businesses that depend on the corporate crowd — restaurants, coffee shops, and retail vendors already struggling to regain their footing.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3L4S0OC
MORE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Target’s playbook [is] par for the course in today’s corporate environment. Layoffs have become more impersonal in recent years, a trend some experts say has been accelerated by the rise of remote and hybrid work. … Sometimes there’s no warning. The process might begin with an ominous video call invitation or an unexpected email from human resources — often paired with losing access to work devices. Gone are the days when employees could hug co-workers while packing up their desks. Now, others pack their belongings and ship them to their homes.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/48XhrLX
TOMORROW: via AgriGrowth, VERBATIM: “Economic data from the first quarter of 2025 showed that Minnesota’s GDP decreased by 2.42% from the previous year, driven by mounting challenges in the agriculture industry. Minnesota’s agriculture and food sector has been a cornerstone of the state’s economic growth, often mitigating or cushioning recessions. To strengthen our agriculture and food economy, change is required. Minnesota AgriGrowth’s fall summit will continue the hard questions being asked at kitchen tables and board rooms: ‘How do we build a robust agriculture and food economy in Minnesota by 2040?’” AGENDA: https://fluence-media.co/3L2utxu (SPONSORED: AgriGrowth)
OVERDOSES: via Office of the Governor, VERBATIM: “For the second year in a row, Minnesota saw a drop in overdose deaths and hospitalizations. Overdose deaths decreased 26%, from 2023 to 2024, while hospital-treated nonfatal overdoses decreased 19%. These decreases were seen in nearly every region of the state and across demographics. … The largest decrease in overdose deaths, 31%, occurred in Greater Minnesota counties, while metro counties experienced a 23% decrease. In 2024, opioid-involved deaths in Minnesota decreased by 32%, including a 35% decline in synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3WpoBRB REPORT: http://fluence-media.co/3JAz3mn
SEX ED: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction late Monday blocking the Trump Administration from defunding reproductive and sexual health education programs unless those programs agreed to fully erase any acknowledgment of gender identity from their curricula. The ruling is the latest in a lawsuit filed by 16 states and the District of Columbia, which Attorney General Keith Ellison co-led. … Monday’s preliminary injunction protected approximately $2.4 million in federal funding awarded to Minnesota.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nyKAk5
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)
UPTOWN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Cars, trucks, buses, bicyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians will return to Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis’ Uptown area on Friday, and business owners are ecstatic to have them back. They’ve been gone for much of the past two years as Minneapolis spent more than $30 million to give the heavily traveled thoroughfare its first major upgrade in more than 65 years. Businesses have struggled and some even closed as parking disappeared and cones, barrels and mounds of dirt made it tricky for customers to reach their front doors. … Mayor Jacob Frey and other leaders and dignitaries will hold a ribbon cutting Friday to declare the [street] open, though some mop-up work will continue for the next month.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/433AIYb
SETTLEMENT: via an MDHR press release, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Human Rights today announced a settlement agreement with Osseo Area Schools after finding the school district violated Minnesota’s civil rights law by failing to stop an assistant principal from sexually harassing a nine-year-old student. Under the settlement, the district agreed to send a written apology letter to the student, pay the former student $61,500, hold a listening session with the student and her parents, and make changes to stop and prevent future sexual harassment and discrimination.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3X6M5el
DEBATE: WCCO-TV hosted another Minneapolis mayoral debate last night. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, state Sen. Omar Fateh, Rev. DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton were the participants, with WCCO anchor Frank Vascellaro moderating. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3JmrC2c
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “It’s the most expensive race for a Minneapolis City Council seat this year, maybe ever, and it could tip the balance of power in City Hall: the Ward 7 contest between incumbent Katie Cashman and challenger Elizabeth Shaffer. Cashman, a first-term incumbent, lost the DFL endorsement in May to Shaffer, a member of the Park and Recreation Board, and Shaffer has more than doubled Cashman’s fundraising efforts. … Shaffer has made her case by casting Cashman [as] too progressive for the comparatively moderate ward. … Depending on how the council’s other 12 races shake out Tuesday, the Ward 7 contest could determine which coalition has control for the next two years.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3X0QAXT
SPPS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “With a major funding question before St. Paul voters on the Nov. 4 ballot, the St. Paul Public Schools have rolled out their own white yard signs stamped with school district logo and a QR code that takes visitors to the district website. Once there, voters find a rousing YouTube video with parent, teacher and student interviews about the proposed special 10-year tax levy. … It’s an aggressive push and apparently backed by taxpayer funds. There’s no record of a campaign finance report detailing staff hours, expenses or funding sources behind the school district effort. … Some supporters and critics alike of the 10-year, $37 million-per-year special property tax levy have been taken aback by the degree to which the school district may have crossed the line from sharing impartial information to advocacy.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3JvxmGJ
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)
WASH CTY: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The Washington County Agricultural Society is looking for a new fair manager and treasurer following last week’s resignation [of] Dorie Ostertag. Ostertag, of Afton, celebrated her 31st year as fair manager this summer. She declined to comment Tuesday on her resignation. … President Phyllis Wirth said Agricultural Society officials are in the process of posting the position. ‘Hopefully, we will be interviewing soon,’ she said.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4ogJKcW
STEARNS CTY: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “Two candidates are vying to represent Stearns County’s District 4, a seat that has been previously held by former Commissioner Leigh Lenzmeier since 1991. Lenzmeier, following an ongoing legal battle with his wife, retired from the Stearns County Board of Commissioners in April. … Voters from District 4, which includes Waite Park and parts of St. Cloud, will choose between Amin Ali and Bob Johnson during a Nov. 4 special election. The winner will hold the seat until Lenzmeier’s term expires in January 2027.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47f6cNC
WINONA: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “For the first time since 2010, Winona State University is building a new student residence hall as part of consolidating and centralizing student life on its Winona campus. … The decision to build a $30 million, 340-bed residence hall, approved by the Minnesota State Board of Trustees last week, comes as WSU has started to see enrollment growth after a decade-long decline. … Construction is tentatively slated to begin later this year or early next with a July 2027 target opening date.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47kyWTG
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
MN SENATE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “In one week, voters in suburban Woodbury and rural Wright County will decide a pair of state Senate special elections that will determine which party has a majority heading into 2026. A lawmaker’s death and another’s burglary conviction over the summer left the seats vacant. The contests in two distinct districts will restore the Senate to its full complement for the first time in months. And they offer up a preview for high-stakes campaigns in 2026 when all 201 legislative seats are on the ballot.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WrXAwM
ECONOMY: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans across the income spectrum said they are changing their spending, saving and investing habits in response to persistent inflation that has weighed on the U.S. economy since 2021. In a delayed inflation report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said last week that September’s inflation rate rose to 3%. … The report, potentially the last piece of national inflation data we will see until the government shutdown ends, shows that inflation, while not meaningfully accelerating, also isn’t getting significantly better. Wages have risen faster than inflation since mid-2023, but households have yet to regain the purchasing power they lost after years of prices outpacing wage growth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nne83Z
HEADSTART: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delivers annual funding to individual Head Start providers in one lump sum, and four programs in Minnesota are due to get their operating grants for the next 12 months on Nov. 1. Together, those four programs serve about 1,300 students across the state and employ about 240 people. … [But they’re] facing a huge financial crisis if the government shutdown continues and that big annual federal payment doesn’t arrive.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WoRMnV
TOMORROW: The Minnesota Senate’s subcommittee on federal impacts will hold a hearing on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to discuss how the government shutdown will affect statewide services and federal workers in Minnesota.
BDAYS: ag leader Carolyn Olson, Shoreview stalwart Sandy Martin
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