It’s Farm Fest week. See you there, reports on the food and ag economy through the week.
Twins win. Lynx acquire DiJonai Carrington.
Gov. Walz was at the Democratic Governors Association meeting in Madison last weekend.
Donald Trump fired the U.S labor statistics chief hours after a disappointing jobs report, claiming “their numbers were wrong.” CNBC: http://fluence-media.co/4ohbXAC
An AP News poll finds that 35% of Democrats are critical of their own party, while 23% are positive on it. Meanwhile, 19% of Republicans are willing to criticize their party, but 41% describe it positively. POLL: http://fluence-media.co/45yCli7
RIP Loni Anderson – one of us.
Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take included an interview with OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel on the State of Cannabis in Minnesota and a discussion about the need for quality candidates in the 2026 elections. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3U9jDaz
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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.
MPLS: via news release, VERBATIM: “r Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced that they broke the all-time fundraising record for any Minneapolis mayoral campaign through the August fundraising reporting period -- an achievement made possible by an influx of new and small dollar donors to the campaign…A majority of the campaign’s contributors are small dollar donors ($125 or less). Additionally, a majority of the campaign’s contributors are new donors who had never contributed to the campaign before…The campaign raised over $539,000 -- over 40% more than the Frey campaign raised during the same period in 2021 -- and has almost $450,000 in cash on hand.”
MORE: Sen. Fateh has $53K on hand and has raised $213K. Jazz Hampton has raised $77K and has $20K on hand. DeWayne Davis has raised $174K and has $6K on hand. All numbers are as of 7/28/2025.
MORE: Sen. Omar Fateh, Jazz Hampton, and DeWayne Davis had planned a news conference today to criticize Mayor Jacob Frey to “to protest failed leadership of Public Safety by Frey administration”. The event is cancelled due to the death of Fateh’s grandmother.
DHS FRAUD: via a DHS press release, VERBATIM: “On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), under the guidance of its own DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), moved to terminate the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program. In a letter sent Friday from DHS Temporary Commissioner Shireen Gandhi to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), DHS requested the unprecedented step of ending the Minnesota program. … DHS intends to redesign and relaunch the benefit. Toward that effort, DHS will work with the legislature, providers, community partners, and CMS. … DHS [also] announced that it had issued 11 new immediate payment withholds to HSS providers.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4l9lFlO
RESPONSE: Rep. Kristin Robbins (R-Maple Grove) and Rep. Dave Pinto (D-St. Paul), key members of the House fraud prevention committee, spoke to KSTP about the news that DHS wants to terminate the state’s Housing Stabilization Services program due to fraud.
● ROBBINS: “It’s heartbreaking…but in order to have the money to provide actual services that help real people, we need to stop the fraud, and so I think this is a good first step. … I’m glad they’re starting to take fraud seriously, but it is really late, and taxpayers and vulnerable Minnesotans are the ones who are suffering from it. … I’ve already reached out to [DHS] to have a phone call [this] week . . . It’s going to be a challenge, I think, to restart this. [But] we need to keep pushing to find all the areas of fraud and clean it up before we add any more programs.”
● PINTO: “[We need] to make sure that we have the services of government go to those who really do need them, which they certainly do. And this program’s a great example of that, of folks really needing the help and then just unacceptably not getting it.”
Robbins also told KSTP the fraud committee has its next meeting scheduled in mid-September, and they’re considering holding public hearings on the issue. READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/45wTQiJ
GOVERNORS: via Politico, VERBATIM: “A group of Democratic governors is urging its colleagues to get tough in countering Republican-backed efforts to gerrymander Texas’ congressional districts. ‘It’s incumbent upon Democrat governors, if they have the opportunity, to respond in kind,’ outgoing Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters at a Democratic Governors Association meeting Friday. ‘I’m not a big believer in unilateral disarmament.’ … Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged there’s ‘validity’ to concerns that Republicans might gain even more seats, should redistricting wars escalate. But, Walz and Kelly said, ‘there’s a bigger risk in doing nothing.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/44YD9g6
MINING: Via Forum News Service, Rep. Pete Stauber plans to back legislation later this year that would codify into law Pres. Donald Trump’s executive orders to accelerate U.S. mining plans. VERBATIM: “Provisions in proposed federal legislation would limit enforcement of a mining ban in the same watershed as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and return a pair of mineral leases to [Twin Metals], a company hoping to open a copper-nickel mine. … Asked if the legislative route would be faster or less prone to legal challenges than the Trump Administration’s path, [Stauber] said all possibilities were being considered. … Unlike administrative actions, which can be reversed by a future president, laws passed by Congress would require another act of Congress to change.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4mtAjFH
ISRAEL: via Jewish Insider, VERBATIM: “Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said that she voted, for the first time, for resolutions blocking U.S. arms sales to Israel [last] week to send a message to the Israeli government of disapproval for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, even as she acknowledged that the vote might not make much of an impact.” KLOBUCHAR: “I just think it’s really important for people to speak out when they can. … I have supported Israel’s right to defend itself — I always will — but they aren’t changing.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/40OGvji
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)
PRISONS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “After decades of accepting only paper visitor applications, the Minnesota Department of Corrections plans to switch to a new electronic visiting system at adult prisons on Monday. ‘We have a lot of pretty antiquated processes in the Department of Corrections,’ said Paul Schnell, Commissioner at the Department of Corrections. ‘We heard loud and clear from families.’ … Since December, the corrections department has been testing the new electronic system at Rush City and five other prisons. The feedback from the pilot program showed the system reduced application wait times and applicant postage costs.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45zTFTO
CYBERATTACK: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Questions and theories are mounting as the city of St. Paul marks a week into the cyberattack on its internet-based computer networks, though few answers have been offered. … The Pioneer Press spoke with cybersecurity expert Betsy Cooper…to understand the potential scope of the attack.” COOPER: “The worst case [scenario] would be if data is manipulated or disappears. For instance, one of my biggest fears in a situation like this is not just that records are unable to be accessed for a short amount of time, but what if the records are tampered with or removed altogether? … If the data is tampered with or missing, that would be something ordinary people will want to care about.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4olcPnM
STORM DAMAGE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “As Minnesota cities and counties deal with lots of severe weather this summer, emergency managers are struggling to respond — especially with federal funding cuts to their budgets and aging infrastructure. … This summer has been especially difficult for some counties. In Lac Qui Parle County, at least 100 miles of township and county roads were washed out by flash flooding in June 2025. The county’s emergency management said it cost taxpayers about $268,000 in damages. … There are no state dollars allocated for county emergency management, [so] all those dollars come directly from the federal level — and there’s no relief in sight from the frequent storms.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/46KGXmx
STUDENT LOANS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Interest is expected to begin accruing again this month on student loans for nearly eight million Americans enrolled in the Biden-era ‘SAVE’ plan. According to a student loan advocate with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, about 700,000 people in Minnesota have student loan debt, and about 85,000 of them are in default. … Wealth advisor Justin Gandrud [said] exactly how much will be tacked onto monthly bills ‘depends on your situation…but the average borrower is looking at $300 more per month in interest.’” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3IXwFp8
LEGAL FEES: via MPR, VERBATIM: “What’s the cost of a campaign finance law that never took full effect? We now know the answer to this seeming riddle: $759,000. That’s the amount attorneys for the state have agreed to pay the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in legal fees after the group successfully sued in 2023 to stop the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board from enforcing a corporate involvement law. The law had been approved during that year’s legislative session, but was halted by a federal judge just before it was to be fully enacted. The chamber had argued it was unconstitutional, and the judge sided with the business organization.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46H1Fni
ALLINA: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Allina Health announced [last week] it will close four of its clinic locations — Inver Grove Heights, Maplewood, Nicollet Mall and Oakdale — effective Nov. 1, 2025. In a statement from Allina Health, the Minneapolis-based health care system cited underutilized clinic space and a need to better align its resources with patient care models that continue to shift away from traditional in-person visits. … Allina Health said it will assist affected patients in transitioning their care to other locations and will provide information on provider availability, new clinic options and further updates in the coming months.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4m9f9gj
NEWBORNS: via a Rep. Kelly Morrison press release, VERBATIM: “U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03), an OBGYN for more than 20 years, led a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressing for additional information on his decision to disband the nation’s advisory committee on newborn screening, [arguing] the HHS’s decision to disband the committee threatens years of successful, life-saving, and life-changing treatment.” LETTER: http://fluence-media.co/4m50O4G
EXPORTS: via a Sen. Amy Klobuchar press release, VERBATIM: “U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Hoeven (R-ND) reintroduced the Promoting Rural Exports Act, bipartisan legislation to formally establish a National Rural Export Center within the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) and authorize the creation of up to nine Regional Rural Export Centers. The bill aims to help businesses in rural areas increase their exports by improving access to international markets.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4m50GlI
DEER: via MPR, VERBATIM: “A U.S. appeals court upheld a ruling brought before it by deer farmers and the Minnesota Deer Farmers Association. … MDFA and its members sued the state Department of Natural Resources last year over a 2023 law change related to farmed cervidae. … The legislation was aimed at curbing the spread of chronic wasting disease involving deer farms. … The deer farm groups claimed the new laws violated their constitutional rights and contended the state was overstepping [because] deer farms should be regulated by the federal government. The appeals court decision said that the plaintiffs failed to present evidence that white-tailed deer farming was entitled to heightened constitutional protection.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46H1Fni
GRANTS: via a MnDOT press release, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Departments of Administration and Transportation announced grant awardees for the State of Minnesota’s Buy Clean EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) Grant Program. The grants will assist in the development of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for manufacturers of eligible materials utilized in Minnesota construction, such as concrete and asphalt. The three grantees are the Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of Minnesota (ARM of Minnesota)…the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA)…and McNamara Contracting. … Over $260,000 in grant funding has been allocated.”
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)
ALBERT LEA: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “After being rejected by the city council last week, the owner of The Smoking Tree cannabis shop in Albert Lea says the store is now open – but he doesn't yet have product to sell. … Its owner, Jacob Schlichter, says he is currently using the space to educate people about cannabis laws in Minnesota. A 3-4 vote by the city council last week prevented the business from being registered in the city. However, it's unclear if the Albert Lea decision followed state law, which says cities have little power to restrict cannabis businesses. … The Smoking Tree hopes to have products available later this week, but that depends on when local Native American tribes can supply it.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3H4jG4t
ST CLOUD: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “The St. Cloud City Council will discuss repealing annual fees for cannabinoid products at its Monday, Aug. 4, meeting. The move comes as the Office of Cannabis Management continues to expand registration and licensing for cannabis and lower-potency hemp edible products, according to council documents. This means the city will no longer be the licensing authority for the sale of cannabinoid products. The St. Cloud City Council will also discuss an ordinance amending the land development code regarding yard signs.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Ue6JYN
BEMIDJI: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A month after a derecho ripped through the region, sparing lives but devastating the forest canopy, Bemidji area officials shared a rough estimate of how many trees fell victim to the storm: 9 million. … [However], the damage falls short of federal disaster relief by $800,000, said Chris Muller, Beltrami County Emergency Management director. He said total damage in the county so far is $8.2 million. … Justin Sherwood, the Bemidji fire chief and city’s emergency manager, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s formula doesn’t consider poverty — Beltrami is among the poorest counties in the state — or how trees factor into industry and way of life.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3UI5VeR
MANKATO: via a Rep. Brad Finstad press release, VERBATIM: “Today, Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) announced his reintroduction of legislation that would authorize funding through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a Vet Center in Mankato. … The legislation is endorsed by the Blue Earth County Veteran Service Office and the Disabled American Veterans Department of Minnesota (DAV MN). … [Previously], Finstad hosted leaders in southern Minnesota’s veteran community to hear directly from former service members about how Congress can help address the challenges they face.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4la2F6G
STILLWATER: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Motorists traveling across the St. Croix River bridge south of Stillwater next week may encounter lane and ramp closures as maintenance crews work to remove the bridge’s peeling epoxy coating. Crews are scheduled to be working from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. … In addition to the possible lane and ramp closures, there will be a 12-foot width restriction on the bridge. … The closures may be extended if additional days are needed to complete the work.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4l8VwDC
From Friday’s Fluence newsletters:
FED FUNDS: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s congressional delegation is seeking millions of dollars in special funding for local projects despite growing doubt they will survive. Those projects, known as earmarks, are supported by both Democrats and Republicans, even among the toughest GOP budget cutters. … [But] it’s likely Congress won’t be able to pass all — or maybe even any — of the spending bills that fund the federal government. … Last year, hundreds of millions of dollars in earmark appeals Minnesota’s federal lawmakers fell victim to Congress’ inability to approve appropriations bills.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lT28at
TARIFFS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Tariffs have dinged Minnesota companies’ profits — though not as much recently as feared — as a new round of trade taxes keeps business in a state of uncertainty. Executives, on a wave of earnings calls over the past two weeks, said tariff costs were much less, in some cases halved, from what they expected three months ago. But the ever-changing cost of doing business globally was still significant: $230 million for Polaris. $75 million for Pentair. $100 million for Boston Scientific.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mfsynj
TOMORROW: via a 2nd Harvest advisory, VERBATIM: “Representatives from Second Harvest Heartland (Brooklyn Park) and Channel One Regional Food Bank (Rochester) will hold media availability at this week's Farmfest. … With the recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), leaders from two of Minnesota’s largest food banks will be discussing why partnerships with ag producers will be more important than ever in the fight to end hunger.” The event is at 11:30 a.m.
NOV: Sen. Amy Klobuchar will be at the Texas Tribune Festival in November.
BDAYS: DFL Chair Richard Carlbom, Finstad COS David FitzSimmons, Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire
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