Aurora win. Byron Buston is going to the All-Star Game.
The Timberwolves acquired the rights to Rocco Zikarsky, two future second round picks and more in a multi-team trade. DETAILS: http://fluence-media.co/44pgcRu
Taste of Minnesota, a Fluence client, was a huge hit this year including reaching capacity.
One week away from the awful 18 months of the 394 construction – doing it at the same time as 94 suggests that MNDOT is preventing people from traveling from the western burbs to St. Paul and vice versa. Awful planning.
RentCafe ranked Minneapolis as the 2nd best place for renters to live in the Midwest. St. Paul is 8th on the same ranking. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4kmPP4M
Flash floods in Texas have killed over 80 people. AP: http://fluence-media.co/4kIqxhT
The DOJ pledged immunity to Apple and Google if they ignored the U.S. law banning TikTok, internal letters say. NYT: https://fluence-media.co/44vEc5E
An Overton Insights poll finds that Tim Walz is the desired 2028 presidential candidate for 7% of Democrats, tying for 4th with Josh Shapiro and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But if frontrunner Kamala Harris is removed from consideration, Walz is tied for 1st with Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg at 15%. POLL: http://fluence-media.co/4ly8Kv3
On Sunday Take, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer discussed the passage and local impact of the “Big Bill”. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/44i2ph1
Blois
TIPS: bloisolson@gmail.com
Today’s Big Bill discussion on morning take with Vineeta Sawkar on WCCO Radio. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4ltsDmk
Sponsorships available – to reach over 25,000 readers per day on Fluence’s tip sheet and website www.TheDailyAgenda.com – email BloisOlson@gmail.com
NEWS POLL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The way Minnesotans see the world and what they know about it is tied to their preferred source of news, with 81% of newspaper readers saying President Donald Trump has acted beyond his authority as president, and only 47% of television viewers saying the same thing. … The latest Star Tribune [poll] finds that television is the preferred source of news for 46% of respondents. … Social media, at 16%, was the second-most popular method for finding news. … Trump voters were more likely than Minnesotans who voted for Democrat Kamala Harris to prefer television (51% to 42%) and Harris voters
SD57: Sen. Zach Duckworth (R-57) announced that he is seeking reelection to his Lakeville-area Senate seat in 2026, ruling out the possibility of a bid for governor. Via his announcement, DUCKWORTH: “The Minnesota Legislature has experienced unprecedented turmoil, turnover, and tragedy the last two years. At this time, I believe I can best contribute to the healing of our state by continuing to serve the constituents of Senate District 57 and the people of Minnesota by seeking re-election next year.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4lGQz5T
US BUDGET: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “The U.S. House approved a massive budget bill Thursday on a 218-214 vote, with all Minnesota Democrats voting ‘no’ and all Minnesota Republicans voting ‘yes.’ … Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-6th District, focused on the benefits of the tax breaks – saying little of the legislation’s cuts to Medicaid and other social programs – in trying to win public support for the budget bill, which polls showed was becoming increasingly unpopular. … Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-3rd District, a practicing OB-GYN before she was elected to Congress, [said] the Medicaid cuts [could] result in the closure of hospitals, clinics and nursing homes that are heavily dependent on Medicaid revenue. The legislation also shifts more of the cost of the program, which is shared between the federal government and the states, onto states like Minnesota.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/40Glze2
MORE: Via FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard, staffers for Gov. Tim Walz said it’s “possible” the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could trigger a second special session later this year to adjust the state budget, but nothing is scheduled yet. Walz posted statements on social media criticizing Minnesota’s four Republican representatives for voting to “raise Minnesotans’ household energy bills” and “tear health care away,” adding that “we’ll never fully reverse the damage they’ve caused.” TWEETS: http://fluence-media.co/4eC4uIa
JAIL MEDS: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “A newly filed lawsuit is asking for a temporary injunction to [stop] a new requirement that jails must continue to administer medications to inmates that were prescribed before their confinement. The lawsuit filed in Minnesota [last week] challenges the constitutionality of the newly enacted statute. Among those suing Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell are…the Minnesota Sheriff's Association, St. Louis and Todd counties and multiple medical providers. … The lawsuit [claims] plaintiffs could be forced to give medications to inmates even if it would result in an overdose. … Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the law will not be enforced until Aug. 1 to give time for a decision to be made.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/45Rnuju
RESPONSE: via a House DFL press release, VERBATIM: “The final legislation passed the House in a near unanimous vote. … Co-Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Rep. Kelly Moller, and author of the legislation, Rep. Jess Hanson, released the following statement in response.” STATEMENT: “We are surprised and disappointed to learn of this lawsuit in the eleventh hour before this lifesaving law was to be implemented. … No one who goes to jail should have to worry if they are going to become permanently disabled or die without access to the medication their doctor prescribed them.”
ICE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “After President Donald Trump threatened ‘sanctuary’ cities and towns with a cutoff of federal funding – among other things – seven rural Minnesota counties signed agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help implement federal immigration law. Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, Freeborn, Jackson, Kandiyohi and Mille Lacs county sheriffs have signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with ICE to cooperate. … [However], the degree of cooperation that has been agreed to varies from county to county. … ‘We’re not going on raids or anything like that,’ said Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang. He also said the crimes that would prompt cooperation with ICE ‘would have to be serious.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4lE9HRZ
MORE: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today he joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) decision to provide unfettered access to individual personal health data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). … The attorneys general argue that mass transfer of this data violates the law and ask the court to block any new transfer or use of this data for immigration enforcement purposes.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4knCzg4
RHETORIC: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “In their first joint interview since being elected to represent their respective political parties, the Minnesota DFL and GOP chairs called for a tamping down of political rhetoric and misinformation in [response] to the shooting [of] Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. … Despite the shootings, the two party chairs say they have to move on with the 2026 campaign that promises to feature hotly contested races for governor and a U.S. Senate seat, plus an open Second District congressional seat. … The two party chairs do agree on one thing about 2026: the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ passed by Congress will be a big issue in the campaign.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4eC45Wa
MORE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “The assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and the shooting of another state lawmaker [could] change the Capitol tone. MPR’s Cathy Wurzer spoke with Rep. Walter Hudson [last week] about how he might choose his words more carefully. Wurzer began by asking Hudson about calling Democrats ‘demons’ and whether he regrets it. Hudson, R-Albertville, answered: ‘I do, because it was directed at the person, as opposed to the policy.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4lcbZYB
EDUCATION: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “[Last] week, Minnesota school districts took another hit when the Trump Administration announced it's withholding nearly $6.8 billion in federal education funding. It's money that Congress already approved [for distribution] July 1. … The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) says the state stands to lose $74 million, and school districts across the state are banking on that money since their budgets are long finalized. Most of the money is earmarked for English learners, their educators, professional development, adult literacy and summer programs.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/46sSmXK
UMN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota two years ago was paying its finance chief $436,349 in salary plus benefits. He then retired and effectively doubled his money by becoming a U health care consultant. Myron Frans, who’s now earning $800 per hour consulting on health care issues that he worked on in his former job, has generated compensation of about $1.1 million in his first year, making him one of the highest-paid people at the U. … The pay is attracting scrutiny as the university’s budget woes are driving job cuts and accusations of administrative bloat. Meanwhile, doctors are increasingly worried about the deal Frans is negotiating for a revamped health system, one that could change funding for Minnesota’s largest medical school.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4ly3t5W
ENERGY: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Nonpartisan think tank…Energy Innovation says the [Big Beautiful Bill] will kill nearly 23,000 Minnesota jobs, slash state gross domestic product by $22 billion and raise household energy bills by $2.7 billion — a 28% increase — over the next decade. The principal culprit: a rapid phaseout of federal tax credits for wind and solar power, which are cheaper and faster to build and operate than ‘baseload’ gas, coal and nuclear power plants. … Energy Innovation’s modeling showed Minnesota industrial businesses would be even harder-hit by the GOP budget. They face a 46% increase in electricity bills by 2034.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4kotCmM
CLIMATE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans who favor climate action are mourning the loss of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal tax incentives meant to aid the fight against global warming. They’re also set on plowing forward with the state’s climate agenda. … The repeal of the tax credits will slow but not stop Minnesota from building solar and wind farms, because they are still the ‘cheapest way to expand energy production,’ said Pete Wyckoff, deputy commissioner of energy resources for the Minnesota Department of Commerce.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/44A2OtY
NURSES: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has announced a tentative agreement between nurses and one of the many hospitals with which they have been negotiating. Acute care hospital nurses at Essentia Twin Ports reached a tentative agreement on a new contract on July 4, per an announcement from the union. As part of the deal, MNA…will avoid a strike, which was planned to begin on July 8.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Tqemek
(DISCLOSURE: Essentia Health is a client and sponsor of Fluence)
APPLE: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with a bipartisan coalition of 19 other Attorneys General and the U.S. Department of Justice, successfully defeated every aspect of a motion to dismiss filed by Apple in response to the coalition’s anti-trust lawsuit against Apple. The lawsuit, filed on March 21, 2024, accused Apple of harming consumers and competition by making it difficult or impossible to leave the iPhone ecosystem, rather than striving to make iPhones more attractive than other smartphones. … The Court reaffirmed that State Attorney General offices, independent of the Federal Government, have standing to sue companies that engage in anticompetitive conduct.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/406juIe
APPRENTICESHIP: via a Sen. Amy Klobuchar press release, VERBATIM: “U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced the Apprenticeships to College Act, bipartisan legislation to allow workers to earn college credits for completed apprenticeships. … The Apprenticeships to College Act would formally codify the Registered Apprenticeship-College Consortium (RACC), a partnership between the Department of Labor and Department of Education to facilitate cooperation between apprenticeship programs and colleges.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Gq2g1W
APPOINTMENTS: via MPR, VERBATIM: “A pair of former lawmakers are raising their hands for public service again. Within the last week, Gov. Tim Walz named former state Rep. King Banaian to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board for a term that runs through Jan. 2028. He fills a seat designated for a former Republican legislator. Meanwhile, former state Sen. Richard Cohen, who is in the top 10 all time for number of years served, will fill a slot on the Minnesota State Arts Board. The DFLer left office after 2020. The term on the arts board runs through 2029.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lcbZYB
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS: The Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount is a landmark like no other – the tall columns, bright lights and steam during cold winter days can be seen from miles away. Generations of workers have helped operate, maintain and transform the refinery, making it one of the nation’s most innovative and efficient energy facilities of its kind. This year, Flint Hills Resources celebrates 70 years of dedicated employees at the Pine Bend refinery who have produced the fuels that help move us forward. LEARN MORE: About the Pine Bend refinery (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
HENN CTY: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Hennepin County is refusing to hand over information related to the attack on state lawmakers. … The 911 call made from inside the Hoffman home has been described as a critical factor…but when 5 INVESTIGATES asked Hennepin County to see a transcript of the call, the request was quickly denied due to it being an ‘active investigation.’ … 5 INVESTIGATES obtained 911 transcripts [previously] during active criminal investigations, like the attack on Burnsville first responders. … ‘They are public information and they should be released. That’s it. It’s very simple,’ said Jane Kirtley, Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota. ‘There’s no carve-out for an ongoing investigation.’” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4lp5DFt
OLMSTED CTY: via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “The Olmsted County Republican Party released a statement on Thursday calling on Olmsted DFL Chair John Swanson to apologize and take down posts made to his social media account. The party said the posts show a ‘disturbing lack of respect for people with differing views’ and called them ‘disgusting’ and ‘threatening.’ … GOP: ‘Comparing our elected leaders to Nazis, saying they are ‘anti-American,’ suggesting they are the ‘anti-Christ,’ suggesting they be killed, and name-calling is not productive to thoughtful discourse.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4eF3Idp
MPLS: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council is proposing an ordinance that raises the price of e-cigarettes to $25. According to the city, the average minimum price is $8.99. That would nearly triple the price. The goal is to curb teens and young adults from vaping. … Another change as part of this proposed vape ordinance would restrict new shops that sell tobacco from being located within 300 feet of a K-12 school. That doesn’t include current shops. … The Minneapolis City Council could vote on this ordinance as soon as Thursday.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4kmPKOs
OPIOIDS: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “In the first full year of providing free naloxone through its vending machine program, the City of Minneapolis announced [last week] that nearly 2,200 boxes — each containing two doses of the overdose-reversing drug — have been dispensed from the city’s two machines. … The [drug] is available free of charge from vending machines at two fire stations. … The measurable impact of the 4,400 doses dispensed, however, remains unclear. Data on opioid overdose deaths from 2024 — the year Minneapolis began the pilot — is not yet finalized.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4nzIamx
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “As the principals of Rochester’s more than 20 public schools began planning for the year ahead, they had more decisions to make this time around about the people working in their buildings. … Earlier this year, the Rochester School Board approved what the district deemed ‘the Balanced Budget Model.’ The hallmark feature of the new model is that it aims to give more spending power to individual schools, rather than having everything mandated from the district’s central office. … It [intends] to reflect the broader fact that the schools have different demographics, and therefore different needs.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nzI8uT
GRAND RAPIDS: Via KAXE, Second Harvest Northland has closed its Grand Rapids warehouse, sparking concerns about food shelf supplies. VERBATIM: “Food from [Grand Rapids] used to be distributed across northeastern and central Minnesota. Second Harvest’s partners will still get those shipments — but now, they’ll all be sent from a new warehouse in Duluth. Second Harvest’s Grand Rapids Food Shelf, which adjoins the Food Bank, will remain open…but local volunteers with the organization said they are concerned community needs might not be met. … Second Harvest Northland is hosting a public meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the Grand Rapids Food Shelf to share more information about the recent changes.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/44AmWfE
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz has no public events today.
TOMORROW: via a House GOP advisory, VERBATIM: “Members of the MN House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee [will hold a] committee hearing with the Department of Human Services to discuss the interplay between the Office of Inspector General and the commissioners as well as Medicaid eligibility.” The event is at 10:00 a.m.
THURSDAY: Protect Minnesota announced that a Minnesota Suicide Prevention Roundtable will be held in Rochester on Thursday at 12:00 noon. Officials with the John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions will attend.
SATURDAY: Gov. Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker at the South Dakota Democratic Party’s annual McGovern Day dinner on July 12 in Sioux Falls, SD.
BDAYS: Sen. Aric Putnam, professor Wy Spano, lobbyist Nate Mussell, teacher Cate McDonald
TIPS: How do we get the best news and most buzzed about stories? Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
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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