Vikings lost and didn’t look good. Wolves at LA tonight, home opener Sunday.
Wild host Utah tomorrow night. Loons start the playoffs Monday.
The loss of Mold-o-Rama at Como Zoo is a Minnesota tragedy. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/3WhTA1X
The last Annunciation victim still in the hospital was finally discharged after 2 months. MPR: http://fluence-media.co/4o4YLyf
Sabato’s Crystal Ball changed its Minnesota Senate race rating from “lean D” to “likely D.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/48Kobg0
A Pew Research poll finds that 85% of Americans think political violence is increasing. POLL: http://fluence-media.co/42Yo4K6
Tune-in to Sunday Take, at 9AM on WCCO Radio – for a conversation on the political events and theatre of the weekend.
Happy National Food Day….celebrated yesterday with the MN Retailers on a Kwik Trip tour.
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FEDS: via news advisory from the Dept. of Homeland Security, Secretary Kristi Noem is holding a news conference in Minneapolis today at 4:30. The event is said to be livestreamed on Homeland Security Live feed. From the advisory, Noem “will discuss ICE operations and update on the Trump Administratn’s Immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.”
EXPECT: Protestors to begin to gather in downtown Minneapolis around 4PM.
AHEAD: How would a new federal presence in Minneapolis impact the Mayor’s race?
TMRW: via advisory from the Minnesota DFL, VERBATIM: “Governor Tim Walz, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, elected officials, gun safety organizations, doctors, educators, survivors, and community members will come together for a town hall in Waconia focused on standing up for gun violence prevention and keeping Minnesota communities safe.”
TAKE: A town hall would imply that anyone can attend, and that there would be a sharing of views that may not agree. Instead, the pre-screened audience that is all in agreement is just a rally or event for the media. The reality is that a partisan event covered by the media isn’t going to move the needle of a divided legislature, making this more theatre when the public wants answers and compromise.
US MARSHAL: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The White House this week nominated former Anoka County Sheriff James Stuart to be the next U.S. marshal for Minnesota. Stuart was one of two candidates for the job recommended earlier this year by Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation. The other was former Minneapolis police union leader Bob Kroll. … Most recently, [Stuart] served as executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Stuart will fill the position most recently held by Biden appointee Eddie Frizell.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47Fa2zy
RESPONSE: via joint statement from GOP Reps. Brad Finstad, Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber, STATEMENT: “We thank President Trump for nominating one of our recommended candidates. … James served in law enforcement for thirty years and experienced firsthand the importance of strong law and order policies. Sheriff Stuart will support and implement President Trump’s successful crime crackdown as our U.S. Marshal.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4hpVWW9
LAYOFFS: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “Target will lay off around 1,000 corporate employees and close another 800 open roles. … The move — which eliminates about 8% of the workforce at Target’s headquarters — is one of the largest corporate shake-ups in the retail giant’s recent history. It also signals how incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, a longtime company insider, plans to reshape operations after a long sales slump. … Cuts will affect mostly headquarters staff, with managers hit harder than individual contributors. … Affected employees will be paid through Jan. 3 and may receive severance packages.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3L1djAB
MORE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “The retailer – whose main corporate offices are in the Twin Cities, employing more than 7,000 staff in downtown Minneapolis alone – ordered all of its HQ staff to work from home through next week, with plans to inform staff members of their status this coming Tuesday.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47mIxcW
HSS FRAUD: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to bilking a Minnesota program meant to provide housing to vulnerable people. … Anwar Adow, 25, admitted he submitted claims that ‘significantly overrepresented’ the hours of services provided by his company, Liberty Plus LLC, in order to receive more taxpayer funds through the state’s embattled Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program. … Adow is the first person to be convicted in the housing fraud scheme since the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis charged eight suspects in September.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/477nJr1
SPORTSBETS: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Sports gambling [is] legal in 40 states, but Minnesota is not one of them. Will that change next year when the Legislature convenes for the 2026 session? Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said she hopes not. … Sports betting in Minnesota is a unique issue that has both bipartisan support and opposition at the capitol. Any legislation requires careful crafting to get the many stakeholders — tribal-owned casinos, horseracing tracks, the professional sports teams and sportsbooks — on board. … Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, said he plans on introducing another proposal next year, but acknowledges it faces steep hurdles.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3IZJHTB
(DISCLOSURE: Sports Betting Alliance is a client of Fluence)
AUDITOR RACE: GOP Rep. Elliott Engen announced a run for state auditor, as previewed in morning take. Engen says he’ll make stopping fraud “the central mission of the Auditor’s Office” by expanding options to “investigate, expose, and prevent abuse of public funds.” ENGEN: “I’ll fight for Minnesota families and the working class, not special interests and the political class. It’s time to end the machine of political corruption and fraud.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3L2IOdw
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SHUTDOWN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “On Thursday, the state senate’s Select Committee on Federal Impacts held a meeting [on] the shutdown’s impending impact on Minnesotans. One pressing area of concern is the 125,000 Minnesotans who were set to get help with their heating bill on Nov. 1 through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). … Another looming issue is the 440,000 Minnesotans who will not see their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits starting Nov. 1. … Meanwhile, about 700 [TSA] staffers who live in the Twin Cities are expected to not get their customary paycheck Nov. 1. … ‘We need to be thinking now about everything we can do,’ said Lindsay Port, DFL-Burnsville. … She floated the idea of state legislatures throughout the country pooling their resources, or otherwise collaborating to keep these social services going.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4hqzPPb
MORE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “As week four of a federal government shutdown hits, some programs that serve low-income or financially strained households could be nearing disruption. One of them is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known more commonly as LIHEAP. … Lisa Pawlisch of the Minnesota Department of Commerce said 125,000 Minnesotans got help through the program last year during the winter months.” PAWLISCH: “You can think about your parent, your grandparent, a senior who’s really on that fixed income. Without these dollars, they may not be able to pay that energy bill.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3WYTVql
US SENATE: via a Sen. Tina Smith press release, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined 24 colleagues to introduce the True Shutdown Fairness Act to pay all federal employees and the contractors supporting their work during the shutdown. The [bill] would also prevent the Administration’s attempts at mass firings (Reductions in Force or RIFs) while the government is shut down. The legislation was blocked from passage.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47DVHn4
MPLS COUNCIL: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “There’s a battle happening in Minneapolis — along with other communities across the country — between Democratic Socialists and party moderates. … Democratic Socialists and their supporters gained control of the City Council in 2021, and again in 2023. There was paralysis at City Hall, with Mayor Jacob Frey issuing a record eight vetoes in 2024. In 2025, Frey and his supporters are not just running against mayoral candidate Sen. Omar Fateh, who is aligned with Democratic Socialists. In an unprecedented move, the moderates are running against a block of City Council candidates who are endorsed by or who vote with the DSA. … Abou Amara, a Democratic analyst, [said] ‘I have never seen it from the moderate, pragmatic wing of the party. Historically, you have seen energy and movement with the Democratic Socialists.’” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3L2Y5eo
MPLS MAYOR: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Over the past five years, [Omar Fateh] has gone from political unknown to standard bearer for Minneapolis’ ascendant progressive coalition, harnessing disaffection with more moderate Democrats — and with the political process itself — to rack up a series of electoral and legislative wins. He beat an entrenched incumbent to secure his Senate seat, spearheaded legislation to make college tuition free for lower income students, and forged a compromise to save Minneapolis 2040. … Fateh, who would be Minneapolis’ first Somali American mayor, has cemented a reputation for being a highly effective advocate for his priorities. But he’s repeatedly faced questions over his tactics, his ethics and his willingness to flout his own party to get what he wants.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47mVdQK
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 FOX 9, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s recreational marijuana market is seeing secondary license sales akin to ticket resales. … At least 80 licenses [were] recently posted for sale, with a combined asking price once exceeding $100 million. Jeff Brinkman from Superior Cannabis Company likens the situation to ticket scalping, noting the face value of a cannabis license ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. However, resold licenses on platforms like cannamls.com can reach $1.5 million for cultivation licenses and $1 million for licenses covering five retail stores. … Carol Moss, a cannabis attorney, points out that while legal, these sales go against the spirit of the law.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3L1e7p7
MORE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s two licensed testing facilities for cannabis and hemp say the state’s recreational cannabis market is poised to boom in early 2026…According to leaders at Legend Technical Services and ChRi Laboratories, both based in St. Paul, it’s an exciting time for the industry. But the two labs are also certain they’ll be swamped with demand for cannabis and hemp testing if more testers don’t come online.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ozKA4g
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OCT 30: 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)
SCHOOL ABUSE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Hannah LoPresto told police she was groomed and sexually assaulted by her high school band director. Minnesota Republican Rep. Peggy Bennett says she had a similar experience when she was younger. WCCO was there when they met for the first time. … LoPresto brought proposals for strengthening laws around mandated reporters, requiring curriculum on consent and sexual abuse prevention, expanding what the Department of Education can investigate, reducing the burden of proof for having a teaching license revoked, and making grooming a stand-alone offense. … The two are vowing to work together to craft a bill.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4ohcWAk
GUNS: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords is coming to Minnesota this weekend for an event on gun violence prevention. Giffords will join other advocates and local elected officials, including Gov. Tim Walz, for a town hall titled Stand Up for Gun Violence Prevention on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Waconia. … Numerous groups are involved in planning the event, including the Minnesota DFL and Carver County Moms Demand Action.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nmqDNl
DWI: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has discovered around 394 DWI tests from eight jurisdictions across the state that are being reviewed after possible ‘errors’ involving local law enforcement’s operation of DMT machines. … The BCA hasn’t shared yet what ‘errors’ were detected in the three new jurisdictions — Chisholm, Sauk Centre and Blue Earth County — which were added to their list [in] addition to five other counties that had already been identified. … Blue Earth County Attorney Patrick McDermott shared with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that his office is waiting to learn detailed information from the BCA, and that his prosecutors will meet with the sheriff’s office on Friday to discuss the situation.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4qpDctP
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)
METRO TRANSIT: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Metropolitan Council voted Wednesday to enter into a contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to provide express bus service from Big Lake and Elk River to downtown Minneapolis. New Route 882 will begin service on Jan. 5 in place of the beleaguered Northstar commuter rail line, which the council voted to shut down. … Northstar’s last run will happen over the first weekend of January as the train will serve fans headed to the Vikings’ final home game of the season. Then, buses will fill the void.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4hqAJv3
MORE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “After years of construction delays and cost overruns, trains are now moving on the tracks of the METRO Green Line Extension – a major light rail project that will connect downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. The Metropolitan Council announced that testing has begun on the 14.5-mile extension. … Passenger service is expected to begin in early 2027. … The Met Council estimates more than $3.1 billion in new housing and commercial development has been built or planned along the line, with another $700 million in the pipeline.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4htPTQr
TRAFFIC DEATHS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Traffic deaths in Minnesota are way down this year, which should be cause for celebration. But forgive Mike Hanson if he’s not over the moon that as of Wednesday, 79 fewer people have died in crashes this year compared to the same date last year. … ‘I don’t call that good news,’ said Hanson, director of the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety. ‘It’s a trend moving in the right direction.’ … Minnesota has seen more than 400 traffic fatalities in each of the past four years, including 477 last year. There have been 308 so far this year, giving the state a chance to record fewer than 400 deaths for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic kept many people off the roads.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47ip6So
MPLS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Thursday to direct Mayor Jacob Frey’s administration to share a report detailing employee compensation across the city with members of the council. … Council members have been frustrated by what they see as the administration dragging its feet in sharing the complete results of a $650,000 survey [that] compares Minneapolis employee compensation with other cities. … At the same meeting, the council passed an ordinance requiring the mayor’s administration to inform the council of all contracts the city engaged without council approval.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/42TWb5O
HENN CTY: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The Hennepin County Jail is fully staffed for the first time in years, allowing the state to lift some restrictions previously placed on the facility. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt credited community outreach, a streamlined onboarding process and new training programs for helping improve recruitment efforts. … The total number of detention deputies now stands at 243, a 54% increase from last year, when staffing hit its lowest point since at least 2019.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/43r2JZO
FOREST LAKE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A controversial resolution proposed by the Forest Lake School Board to accept the resignation of a board member at Thursday night’s meeting and immediately appoint his successor has been pulled from the agenda. Instead, the board [voted] to accept the resignation of board member Luke Hagglund, effective at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, and then determine the process and timeline for filling his vacancy.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4qqTT8g
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)
SHAKOPEE: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The Shakopee Fire Department is getting a big boost after the federal government awarded the city $2.6 million. The funding comes from FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The three-year grant will allow Shakopee to hire 12 more full-time firefighters by March. … Once the grant expires, the city will budget and pay for the additional staff.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3LcQiKV
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “The [Duluth] School Board approved a resolution [this week] to issue over $38 million in general obligation bonds for the funding of projects under the district’s long-term facilities maintenance plan. … Following the district’s plan for building repairs and replacements, projects will include building exterior and roofing system improvements, as well as maintenance on electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems for facilities across the school district. The bulk of the work will primarily be focused on secondary school sites. … Several elementary sites will also undergo maintenance as part of the district’s plan for long-term facilities maintenance, or LTFM.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4hmyk4y
BELTRAMI CTY: via Bemidji Pioneer, VERBATIM: “The Beltrami County Commissioners have decided to demolish the current jail facility and construct a new sallyport onto or near the judicial center for inmate transfer access once the new jail is completed and operational, which is expected by spring 2027. This decision comes after months of board deliberation, with three possible options presented. … The other two options spared all or portions of the current jail facility for future use, which proved too costly to further explore. The commissioners’ decision was the cheapest of the three options, costing an estimated $6 million.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4oxHZHQ
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
WARD 7: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “The most expensive Minneapolis City Council election this year will test the incumbent’s theory that her ward isn’t as moderate as everyone assumes it is. Ward 7 Council Member Katie Cashman has helped deliver huge victories for the left-wing coalition that controls the council and frustrated Mayor Jacob Frey‘s relatively moderate agenda. Cashman is one of three left-leaning incumbents whose reelection campaigns are being drastically outspent. Defeat for any of them could cost the coalition its veto-proof majority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qoqr2F
VISAS: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Lewis abruptly paused the hiring of a dozen international employees last month when President Donald Trump announced a new fee for their work visas, the latest turn of events in his mass overhaul of immigration policies. Fridley Public Schools has been hiring more international teachers each year since 2023, especially in the special education department, and is just one of many employers in Minnesota whose reliance on foreign workers was shaken by Trump’s announcement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42RfTiK
WATER: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “For decades, state and local governments, along with water management organizations, have worked to protect and restore the water quality in Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes and 92,000 miles of rivers and streams. Perceptions of how all of that is working out may emerge in the work of a task force in the office of State Attorney General Keith Ellison. … The [task force] will issue a report in April with recommendations for policymakers, advocacy groups, business leaders and others.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oxnX0a
TODAY: Secretary of State Steve Simon’s will travel to Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, and Roseau counties to meet with high school students and county election officials.
TOMORROW: via MN DFL advisory, VERBATIM: “Former Congresswoman and gun violence prevention advocate Gabby Giffords will join elected officials, gun safety organizations, doctors, educators, survivors, and community members from across Minnesota to stand up for gun violence prevention at a town hall in Waconia this Saturday.”
TOMORROW: Protect Minnesota will host its “all coalition meeting” in St. Paul to discuss the future of gun violence prevention efforts in the state. The event is at 10:00 a.m.
MONDAY: The Advisory Committee on Capitol Security will meet at 12:30 p.m.
MON-TUES: Sen. Doron Clark (D-Minneapolis) announced he will host two town hall events in Senate District 60 soon. On Monday, Clark will join Rep. Mohamud Noor and Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley in Minneapolis at 5:00 p.m. On Tuesday, Clark will be on the University of Minnesota campus at 5:30 p.m.
BDAYS: Rep. Dan Wolgamott, fmr. Mpls Police Chief Janee Harteu, public affairs guy Drew Henry, DFL officer Shivanthi Sathanandan, Teacher Spox Meagan Boldt
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