Wild win. Twins lose. Wolves play tonight.
Sports Take is coming out shortly, with NFL Draft coverage.
The Institute for Quality of Life ranked Minneapolis the 2nd happiest city in the U.S. and 30th in the world for 2025. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3VBBDfa
Yia Vang’s Vinai in Minneapolis has been named one of the best new restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveler. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/42uO4wS
The Midtown Global Market is on USA Today’s list of the nation’s best public markets. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3FTIRWc
Tune-in to Sunday Take at 9AM Sunday on WCCO Radio, it’s sure to be a great show.
Happy National Hug a Plumber Day!Blois
NOTE: This coming Saturday, we will publish a 15-year take to honor the launching of morning take in April 2010. Please send any good memories, or significant takes that you appreciated – bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
On Sunday Take, DFL Chair Richard Carlbom says he believes Gov. Tim Walz will run for re-election and shares plans the DFL has to organize in greater Minnesota. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Y7faYd
Sponsorships available – to reach over 25,000 readers per day on Fluence’s tip sheet and website www.TheDailyAgenda.com – email BloisOlson@gmail.com
15YRS: There have been over 3,700 editions of morning take, and over 10,000 total newsletters. One person who deserves the greatest thanks as the consistent curator and managing editor is Mike Maybay. Mike previously worked at KSTP, and has been the hub of the newsletters since 2017.
Tomorrow, I’ll write about how Minnesota politics has changed in the past 15 years and announce a new product. One area is access and openness of our elected officials – while they are still accessible, they are less transparent.
This week I picked up an official Capitol Press Corps credential. It was something that wasn’t ever required, but just as politics has changed people have played games with access. All is fair in politics, but if DFLers believe that democracy dies in darkness, they should look in the mirror in Minnesota.
Much has been made about “what is media”, and the arrival of social media, starting with YouTube, changed the way politics was covered. Democratization of media has been good for democracy, but it’s also made us a little to hyper about any given nugget, and the ability of others to deduce things that simply aren’t true.
As Republicans vilify the media, they feed a false narrative and their supporters eat it up. Just look at the trolls of X this week when I posted my credential.
The question I’ve asked each of the past few years’ is should I show up and ask questions at news conferences. To date, I have continued to ask questions privately and analyze the politics here and on WCCO Radio. Someday that might change.
Yes, there’s a two party problem with access, and openness. Until Minnesota legislators and the executive branch become more transparent Minnesota isn’t the “good government” state that it claims to be. Transparency build trust, and we take the trust of the readers very seriously. Public officials should do the same.
If you think about the ideas that fewer than 100 people received a basic email on April 26th, 2010 and now we have over 20,000 reads on every weekday. That’s grown over 30 percent since we launched on Substack. That should tell you their remains a hunger for information, the people want it, they just need to trust it, and have it delivered in a format they can access and read quickly. Journalist or analyst, it doesn’t matter, but sharing information, “to make people smarter”, and the market keeps asking for will remain the mission of the “takes.”
USSENATE: An ActBlue Democratic fundraising webpage for a campaign titled “Angie Craig, MN-Sen” is now live as of Thursday evening, although donations are currently turned off. Former CD7 DFL vice chair Logan Kortgard pointed out on social media that Rep. Craig’s CD2 ActBlue page “stopped taking donations” earlier this week. ACTBLUE: https://fluence-media.co/4lLh4rJ TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/4cTgYKI
CRAIG: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “U.S. Rep. Angie Craig said she is hosting town hall meetings in Congressional districts held by Republicans this week ‘to give voice to Minnesotans who want to hear what’s happening in Washington.’ … But those gatherings might just be what many observers suspect – stump speeches in a bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Craig’s fellow Democrat, Sen. Tina Smith. Craig [says] she will make an announcement by the end of April about that race. … About 150 people filed into the auditorium on the St. Cloud State University campus [this week].” Craig’s last town hall of the week is in Mankato tonight at 6:00 p.m. READ: https://fluence-media.co/42YMcwi
MORE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s four Republican representatives in Congress say Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig may have violated ethics rules by holding town hall meetings outside of her suburban metro district, a charge that she denied Wednesday.” CRAIG: “Well, that’s really rich. Not a single dollar of taxpayer money is being used here. Now, I’m going to ask where the hell they are. … I’m here because Tom Emmer won’t show up, and he won’t take your concerns to Washington.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YeAHOG
CD2: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Former Minneapolis DFL vice chair…Mike Norton has taken another step toward running for the south metro seat held by U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, Norton said Thursday. He’s formed an exploratory committee that is often a precursor to a campaign. … Norton said the district’s changing demographics mean the area is now more blue than purple — and that’s why he thinks he’d have a good chance of winning despite a more progressive agenda than Craig. He wants to legalize marijuana at the federal level, eliminate daylight saving time and expand public school programming, including making public schools year-round.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lTcE27
BUDGET: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “With just three weeks until the May 19 budget deadline, Minnesota state lawmakers don’t appear anywhere near having an overall deal on a roughly $66 billion two-year budget. ‘We’re trying to get to the starting blocks, which is we have to get a full House budget out and a full Senate budget out,’ DFL [Leader] Melissa Hortman said Wednesday night. … Despite the finger-pointing, Republican and Democratic legislative leaders continue to express optimism they can reach a budget deal by the session deadline. … However, ‘hope’ is likely to soon collide with ‘history.’ In every odd-numbered budget year in the past ten years under divided government — 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 — a special session has been required to pass a budget.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4cXgB1G
MORE: via an MPR newsletter, VERBATIM: “State lawmakers are advancing budget bills to the House and Senate floor this week and next. … This is a big push week to advance budget bills toward floor votes. After that, the two chambers can hash out differences. In a Senate Finance committee, Republicans voiced concerns about a budget bill they say doesn't tighten the belt enough. … The $1.3 billion agency funding bill has only a small overall reduction from present spending levels. It pays for operations at the state's tax agency, the attorney general's office and the secretary of state's office among others. The bill also requires that leaders inform the Office of the Legislative Auditor if they detect misuse of public dollars.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42sm1xX
LONGTERM CARE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “In the midst of a brisk State of the State speech in the Minnesota House chamber Wednesday night, Gov. Tim Walz…spoke for a good minute on the escalating cost of long-term care in the state’s Medicaid program without once using the words ‘long-term care’ or ‘Medicaid.’ … WALZ: ‘In just a few years, the biggest of these Human Services programs will eat up one in every eight of our dollars. [Let’s] address the issues we inherited.’ … The moment was important because it comes amid a House committee advancing a Department of Human Services spending bill that would cut $427 million from long-term care waivers that are typically utilized by people with chronic illnesses or severe disabilities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jneGWh
MORE: via statement from the Long Term Care Imperative, VERBATIM: “Long-term care leaders are voicing profound disappointment that Gov. Walz failed to acknowledge or retract his proposed cuts to state Medicaid funding during his State of the State address on Wednesday. Gov. Walz missed a key opportunity to demonstrate leadership on some of the most pressing challenges facing seniors, families and caregivers across the state…The Governor’s insistence on pointing the finger at the federal government, while being unwilling to confront the suffering his own budget proposals would inflict on communities across Minnesota calls into question the sincerity of his concerns about federal Medicaid cuts – and flies in the face of his obligation to our state’s oldest residents. Seniors and caregivers are facing a crisis of diminished access to long-term care – a crisis that demands additional state funding. Instead, Gov. Walz continues to push devastating cuts.” (DISCLOSURE: The Long Term Care Imperative is a client of Fluence Advisory)
CHAMPION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Senate’s ethics panel declared Thursday that Sen. Bobby Joe Champion did not have a financial conflict of interest when he introduced a bill in March to award $1 million to a nonprofit run by his former legal client. … Going forward, the Senate ethics panel advised Champion to ‘disclose any appearance of a potential conflict of interest to the committees of interest when he is the chief author of bills.’ … Senate Republicans made a motion on the floor Thursday to remove Champion from his role as president of the chamber. Democrats referred the resolution to the rules committee for future discussion.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cQibCf
MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)
SD6: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota DFL alleges [SD6 candidate Keri Heintzeman] ignored campaign contribution limits by accepting more than the maximum allowed from nine different donors. … [However], the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board [says] contribution limits for the special election cycle are separate from the limits for a regular election cycle. That means…an individual could donate up to $1,000 before the official election cycle begins and up to another $1,000 after it begins. … ‘The contribution limits apply to those periods independently,’ an employee for the [board] said. … The special election will be held on Tuesday.” HEINTZEMAN: “This is a baseless effort to smear my reputation just before the election. The accusation lacks merit.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jotTGC
AGRICULTURE: via House Session Daily, VERBATIM: “The omnibus agriculture and broadband finance bill is the first omnibus budget bill to pass off the House Floor this session. By a vote of 130-3 Thursday, the House passed the $172 million budget bill for fiscal years 2026-27, sending HF2446 to the Senate. … [Now], bet on a conference committee being appointed to resolve differences between HF2446 and the Senate’s omnibus agriculture bill, SF2458, which proposes appropriating $17.3 million less than the House bill in fiscal years 2026-27.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cM1N5X
FLUORIDE: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota House bill would prohibit fluoride from being added to public drinking water if it becomes law. Municipal water systems would be compelled to stop adding fluoride by Aug. 1, 2025. Fluoride is commonly used to treat tooth decay and became widespread in public water supplies in the 1960s. … Any public water system not in compliance would be subject to a fine, but the bill did not specify how much that fine would be.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3S3FS0f
BETTING POLL: Support is surging among Minnesotans who want legal wagering on sporting events. New polling by the Sports Betting Alliance of Minnesota indicates 60% of voters in the state support the legalization of sports betting. The survey of 1,000 Minnesota voters also revealed overwhelming support for legal wagering among 18–29-year-olds, with 75% of females and 73% of males in favor of allowing sports betting in Minnesota — something that is available in 39 states. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/49uj4OF (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
From yesterday’s lunch take:
CD1: via an MPR newsletter, VERBATIM: “Rochester high school teacher Jake Johnson recently took a formal step to run next year against U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Johnson hasn’t been the only DFLer looking at the race. Just this week, DFL state Rep. Andy Smith filed a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on Monday…but by midday Tuesday, Smith [announced] he is pulling the plug on that nascent campaign, saying he can make more of a difference in the Legislature.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cLlHO9
CD2: via Flanagan for Senate, VERBATIM: “Today, five legislators from Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District endorsed Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate. [They are] state Senators Erin Maye Quade (Apple Valley, Rosemount) and Lindsey Port (Burnsville, Savage), and state Representatives Jess Hanson (Burnsville, Savage), Kristi Pursell (Northfield) and Mary Frances Clardy (Sunfish Lake, Inver Grove Heights).”
GOV RACE: via an MPR newsletter, VERBATIM: “Another Republican has opened a campaign for Minnesota governor by filing paperwork for a fundraising account. Brad Kohler of Champlin set up the account yesterday with state regulators. He joins Philip Parrish in getting going with several others likely to run, especially if Gov. Tim Walz doesn’t try for a third term. Kohler has run for office in the recent past, including a state Senate campaign in 2022. ... He’s already selected a running mate, the Rev. Tim Christopher.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cLlHO9
Sign up for lunch take or read it at The Daily Agenda: https://fluence-media.co/4eZwLa7
SUPPORT SF 2929 AND HF 2677: Third-party lawsuit funding (TPLF) — or “lawsuit lending” — is a growing and extremely concerning trend in courts across the state and throughout the country that encourages frivolous lawsuits and threatens to drive up the costs of products, services, and insurance for Minnesota consumers. Fortunately, lawmakers are considering legislation — the Consumers in Crisis Protection Act (SF 2929 & HF 2677) — to increase transparency around this highly secretive practice and reasonably regulate third-party lawsuit funders to protect consumers and help keep premiums low. MORE INFO: https://fluence-media.co/4jivOfT (SPONSORED: ASPCIA)
UMN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Senate approved a resolution Thursday to band together with other Big Ten schools to fight any action the Trump Administration might take against a conference university. The University Senate…approved the ‘mutual academic defense compact’ resolution 139-6. The resolution to establish the compact, which would pool legal and financial resources to help any Big Ten institution under ‘political or legal infringement,’ is likely the most significant public response that the U has taken to oppose President Donald Trump’s actions since he was inaugurated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jGPCcO
SUPPORT SF 2929 AND HF 2677: Third-party lawsuit funding (TPLF) — or “lawsuit lending” — is a growing and extremely concerning trend in courts across the state and throughout the country that encourages frivolous lawsuits and threatens to drive up the costs of products, services, and insurance for Minnesota consumers. Fortunately, lawmakers are considering legislation — the Consumers in Crisis Protection Act (SF 2929 & HF 2677) — to increase transparency around this highly secretive practice and reasonably regulate third-party lawsuit funders to protect consumers and help keep premiums low. MORE INFO: https://fluence-media.co/4jivOfT (SPONSORED: ASPCIA)
UMN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota Senate approved a resolution Thursday to band together with other Big Ten schools to fight any action the Trump Administration might take against a conference university. The University Senate…approved the ‘mutual academic defense compact’ resolution 139-6. The resolution to establish the compact, which would pool legal and financial resources to help any Big Ten institution under ‘political or legal infringement,’ is likely the most significant public response that the U has taken to oppose President Donald Trump’s actions since he was inaugurated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jGPCcO
VACCINES: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A team of health experts is launching an independent project that could start its own vaccine evaluations and guidelines [separate] from federal health agencies. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) announced the Vaccine Integrity Project on Thursday. CIDRAP director Michael Osterholm said it’s intended to safeguard vaccine information, research or access in case the federal government doesn’t. … The Vaccine Integrity Project is starting with an eight-person steering committee [and an] information-gathering phase that will last until early August.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lNox9G
SANCTUARIES: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “A federal judge in California on Thursday barred the Trump Administration from denying or conditioning the use of federal funds to ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions, saying that portions of President Donald Trump’s executive orders were unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued the injunction sought by Minneapolis, St. Paul, San Francisco and other municipalities that limit cooperation with federal immigration efforts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EDRGDu
VISAS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A federal court judge Tuesday ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to temporarily restore the student visas of five Concordia University graduate students. The five plaintiffs are citizens of India and earned master's degrees in information technology and management. … In his order, U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim said the plaintiffs ‘clearly face irreparable harm’ after having their student status terminated. His decision comes after two other judges granted similar restraining orders last week to other students targeted by the DHS.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lDvbzj
DNC: via Axios, VERBATIM: “The Democratic National Committee on Thursday rolled out a plan to significantly ramp up its financial contributions to state parties — especially in Republican-controlled states. It's a redux of the 50-state strategy that many Democrats credit with their decisive victories in the 2006 and 2008 elections. … DNC chair Ken Martin, the former chair of Minnesota's Democratic party, told reporters the national party will donate a baseline of $17,500 to each state and territorial party. That's an increase of $5,000 per month over the DNC's current contribution, Martin said. Parties in red states will get an additional $5,000 per month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cJoLua
MORE: via AP News, VERBATIM: “Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said Thursday that party officers should be banned from taking sides in primaries, countering DNC Vice Chair David Hogg’s plan to raise money for candidates challenging Democratic incumbents. … Martin said he’s drafting proposed bylaw changes to require officers to remain neutral in all Democratic primaries.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44blSQU
VOTERS: via Office of the Sec. of State, VERBATIM: “The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State sent a letter to an organization called Minnesota Election Integrity Solutions, also known as MNEIS, demanding it remove voter data from a website it operates. Earlier this month, the organization published the website claiming to allow users to verify their ‘voter roll information to ensure its accuracy and up-to-date status.’ … It is a felony in Minnesota to publish information from the state’s registered voter list online. Yesterday’s letter informs Minnesota Election Integrity Solutions that it will face legal action if the offending publication is not removed from the internet by May 2, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EqvWuS
IT’S POSSIBLE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY UPHOLD ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AND GROW OUR ECONOMY: Minnesota’s lengthy and uncertain permitting process has frustrated businesses for decades. A recent report found that air permitting in Minnesota can take up to six times longer than comparable states. A coalition of business and labor groups are advocating for reform that will shorten timelines and increase certainty while maintaining our strong environmental standards. Contact your legislators and tell them to support streamlining the permitting process. CONTACT: https://fluence-media.co/3Ea5Tbe (SPONSORED: Minnesota Chamber of Commerce)
POT: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana in 2023, and estimates then said that recreational marijuana would be legal [to purchase] by March of this year. Eric Taubel, Interim Director at the Office of Cannabis Management, said licenses will be issued in the coming weeks, thanks to recently released rules. … [But] small business owners [worry] about product shortages and high costs. All marijuana sold legally in the state must be grown in Minnesota. The Office of Cannabis Management estimates 1.5 million square feet of growing area is needed. Minnesota only has 69,000 square feet available.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4cMNgGZ
MUSEUMS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “The federal government is pulling museum grants from cultural institutions nationwide, including many in Minnesota. … The Institute of Museum and Library Services — the main federal funder of museums and libraries — told the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Walker Art Center, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the Ramsey County Historical Society their grants would be cut. The IMLS pulled $625,000 in grants from the Science Museum, $250,000 from the Walker, $248,929 from the Mille Lacs Band and $212,714 from the Ramsey County Historical Society.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/445iZkx
CANOEING: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Paddlers planning to venture into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness this summer need to make alternative plans if they had hoped to pick up their permits at the Kawishiwi ranger station in Ely and the Gunflint station in Grand Marais, Minn. The Forest Service notified permit holders via email Thursday that, effective immediately, those locations will not be issuing permits this year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S7jG5q
PUSH BACK AGAINST TAX BREAKS FOR BIG TECH DATA CENTERS: Our tax money should be going to essential services for Minnesotans, like education, health care, and infrastructure — not subsidies for billionaire owned data centers. The current tax credit has already cost our state an estimated $5 million a year since 2011. In 2025 it will be over $100 million. It’s time to stop these skyrocketing numbers. Tell your legislators, ‘No big tax breaks for Big Tech.’ LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3ErmQh8 (SPONSORED: Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy)
ST PAUL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In the rush to start up trash collection in St. Paul by April 1, the base of operations for the city’s new trash hauler opened without flush toilets, and workers are instead using port-a-potties. … On Thursday, the city’s zoning committee approved details about how FCC will turn what is now a gravel parking lot into a permanent garbage truck storage and dispatch lot with a compressed natural gas fueling station. FCC’s Greg Revering said the company has designs to improve [and beautify] the site. … Despite these promises, neighbors were still angry, saying they didn’t feel their worries about truck traffic were registering with city officials.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EmGP0M
MORE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “John McCarthy, the chief finance officer for the city of St. Paul, is leaving City Hall after 18 years. McCarthy has been named as the new chief financial officer of the League of Minnesota Cities, the state’s largest municipal membership association. He will join the league on June 2, replacing current CFO Mark Ruff, who announced his decision to step down earlier this year. … A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said plans for ‘interim leadership’ will be announced in coming weeks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EDNvaH
DOWNTOWN: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “St. Paul's Department of Safety and Inspections is working to address several deteriorating buildings in the downtown area, its director said Wednesday during a City Council hearing. The multi-agency Property Risk Management Task Force identifies buildings that are at risk due to structural failure, public health violations and general economic stress, St. Paul’s Director of Safety and Inspections Angie Wiese said. … The task force’s goals, she said, are to keep buildings safe, keep skyways safe and accessible, support tenant transitions, keep stakeholders informed and minimize the time a property remains in an at-risk state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RvqWrL
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
MPS: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Just two years after Minneapolis Public Schools unveiled its Office of Latine Achievement, the office is facing major budget cuts. … Budget documents show that Minneapolis Public Schools plans to slash the program’s budget next year from more than $2 million to about $340,000 — a cut of more than 70%. It’s part of a series of proposed cuts to address a $75 million deficit projected for the 2025-2026 school year. … The proposed cuts to OLA mean that the department will now have four staff instead of 11. … In a statement, district officials said the budget documents do not reflect an additional $100,000 in non-salary costs set aside for OLA next year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RyreOt
HOUSING: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “If you’re looking to buy a home in the Twin Cities, new data shows that demand still far exceeds the number of homes for sale. … New data from Minnesota Realtors shows the bulk of showings in Minnesota this past week was for homes in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. Inventory is still very low statewide, with about 12,500 homes on the market as in the March 2025 Housing Market Report. That’s up about 12% from last year, but historically still a major decrease compared to years like 2008, when almost 49,000 homes were listed.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42LbuNj
ARCTIC CAT: via Forum News Service, VERBATIM: “Former Arctic Cat executive Brad Darling, along with an investment group, has purchased the Thief River Falls-based snowmobile manufacturer. Arctic Cat announced the acquisition from Textron Specialized Vehicles on Thursday. Textron has owned Arctic Cat since 2017. The purchase price, terms and name of the investment group were not released. It’s not clear how the new ownership will affect previously announced layoffs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GBLUCQ
PRODUCING THE FUELS THAT HELP KEEP MINNESOTA MOVING: Flint Hills Resources, one of the Midwest’s leading producers of transportation fuels is hiring! With openings in IT, accounting, engineering, operations, procurement and asset management, Flint Hills Resources’ goal is to match talented individuals with their passions and interests to truly shine. APPLY TODAY: Flint Hills jobs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
OLMSTED CTY: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Flexibility is being designed into Olmsted County’s new exhibition center in Graham Park for year-round use. Mat Miller, the county’s director of facilities and building operations, [spoke to] a crowd of 15 or so residents Thursday during a neighborhood information meeting before the county submits plans for city review. He said county commissioners continue to discuss options for an operational model that will be used to book events and could determine the level of use the facility sees.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S6W014
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Derek Medved says he's ready to give serving on the Duluth City Council a second go. He formally announced his candidacy for an at-large seat during a Thursday afternoon news conference. … Medved was first elected to the council in November 2019 but stepped down in 2022 — halfway through his term — citing the demands of his growing business, a chain of gas station convenience stores. In a news release, Medved said he now has ‘both the time and capacity to fully serve Duluth residents once again.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lKaIsw
WINONA: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “The Winona County Auditor's office is working to correct tax statements that were sent to land owners in the Lewiston-Altura School District. According to a statement from Lewiston-Altura Public Schools, an error resulted in ‘approximately 2,600 agriculture land parcels in our school district not receiving the 70% ag credit on the new school district debt levy on their statements.’ Winona County Auditor-Treasurer Chelsi Wilbright said the error resulted from the fact that the office recently switched to a new tax software vendor.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EDRdB9
SESSION: No House floor session. No Senate floor session. HOUSE: Rules & Legislative Admin. will meet for an agenda that is not yet public. SENATE: Finance hears budget bills for transportation, public safety and human services. CALENDAR: https://fluence-media.co/3GBCjvO
TODAY: Today at 12 noon, Governor Tim Walz will meet with legislative leaders.
TODAY: via SEIU MN, VERBATIM: “School staff, parents, bill author Rep. Emma Greenman and labor leaders will speak out Friday, April 25th at Noon in Capitol B971 to express their shock and outrage around the idea that Unemployment Insurance for hourly school workers could be cut.”
TODAY: Rep. Angie Craig will host in-person town halls in Mankato at 6:00 p.m.
TOMORROW: Via a joint press release, Iron Range officials — including Sen. Robert Farnsworth, Sen. Grant Hauschild and Rep. Cal Warwas — will host an event to oppose moving the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame from Eveleth, MN to the Twin Cities. The event is at 4:00 p.m. in Eveleth.
NEXT WEEK: via an FFA advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota FFA State Convention takes place at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Monday and Tuesday, April 28 and 29. This year’s theme is Stand as One, selected by the FFA’s State Officers.”
MAY 6: via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, May 6, Mayor Jacob Frey will give his 2025 State of the City address at 11:30 a.m. in Minneapolis. … The address will be hosted in person and will be live streamed on the City’s YouTube page.”
MAY 12: The MN GOP announced its annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner will be held on Monday, May 12 with former Rep. Doug Collins as the keynote speaker. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/4cTG9Nc
JUNE 13: The MN DFL announced its annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner will be held on Friday, June 13 with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker as the keynote speaker. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/4iiEa5R
BDAYS: WCCO Radio’s Lindsey Petersen, journalist and morning take contributor David Montgomery, communications pro Steve Greenfield. SAT: Essentia’s Andrew Askew, history fan Steve Florman, writer Amy Carlson Gustafson. SUN: City of Minneapolis’ Loren Olson, public affairs pro Joe Weber, Second Harvest’s Zach Rodvold, food writer Jess Fleming
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