WE NEED RAIN
Twins lose.
The Stanley Cup is in Eden Prairie and Excelsior today.
Caitlin Clark and controversy coming to town, the Vikings’ quarterback war is about to get real and the Twins go on a talent search. Sports Take, out this afternoon.
Minnesota could get some much-needed rain tonight. MAPS: https://fluence-media.co/3Rp2SKK
U.S. News ranked Minnesota the 3rd best state to live in. South Dakota is 2nd and North Dakota is 4th on the same ranking. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4h5f1yK
UnitedHealth Group is the 4th largest company in the world by revenue, Fortune says. Target, U.S. Bancorp, Best Buy and CHS are also in the global top 500. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/4vZ7KV3
Gov. Tim Walz hasn’t given up on JJ McCarthy and be predicts the Vikings will have 11 wins. He also says he and the Late Speaker Melissa Hortman talked about her running for Governor, and how the only scenario he didn’t prep for in the VP debate was JD Vance being warm. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4hFQgJD
Developers want to turn the Star Tribune’s former printing plant into a new data center. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4fYfaD7
Quinnipiac finds that 55% of voters think the war in Iran will last for a year or longer, and 66% think the war has not been worth fighting. Pres. Donald Trump’s approval is 32% in the same survey. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/4xaA7k7
It’s National Chili Dog Today – spicy.
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured Rep. Angie Craig discussing her Senate campaign, the Iran war, the state of agriculture and more. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4wZg8od
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PAC PACE
PACS: via MPR, VERBATIM: “This appears to be the year when right-of-center political funds level the playing field in Minnesota after cycle after cycle of watching left-of-center entities dominate. … Renew Minnesota [has] a whopping $3.4 million in reserve as of July 20, [which] has already fed a committee known as First Principles PAC that is running searing TV ads against DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison. … There’s also Restore Sanity PAC, which is seven figures deep into ads to boost Lisa Demuth in the governor’s race. It reloaded last week with another $1 million donation. … In the legislative space, Advance Minnesota appears to be the big Republican player to watch with its bankroll of about $2.7 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RJKa0r
NOTE: Red indicates pro-Republican, Blue indicates pro-Democrat.
STPAUL: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her said Wednesday she has no intentions to leave office amid an investigation of claims that she directed inappropriate sexual comments toward Police Chief Axel Henry and other city employees, but acknowledged that what she intended as a joke was misguided. … In the backrooms of the state’s public safety offices Wednesday, debate was vigorous over whether [Her’s actions] had turned into sexual harassment or if the allegations were part of a campaign by the police department to muddy the waters against Her ahead of an expected budget fight over police funding.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fIfSTA
MINING: via Fox 9, VERBATIM: “The DNR says it received notice Wednesday of proposed changes to the project. DNR officials say some highlights include increasing ore production from 32,000 to 40,0000 tons per day, decreasing the mine’s lifespan from 20 to 16 years, and transporting materials using a covered conveyor system instead of rail. Plus, updates to waste management with tailings disposal on adjacent lands previously mined for iron ore… NewRange also announced it submitted the NorthMet Project’s Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4yNm1qh
ESSENTIA HEALTH SUPPORTS FREE CLINIC IN VIRGINIA, SERVING INCREASED NUMBER OF UNINSURED MINNESOTANS: Every Thursday night, physicians and care team members from Essentia Health-Virginia volunteer at the Project Care Free Clinic, providing treatment, screenings, and preventive care to patients who are uninsured or may be struggling to afford health care premiums. Essentia also provides lab and X-ray services at no cost to the clinic or its patients. Essentia is proud to support the clinic, ensuring everyone in the community can get the care they need. READ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4yt7Qqu (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
CD2: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Rep. Angie Craig says she won’t pick a favorite among three Democrats vying to replace her in Congress, but at a time when voters are calling for change, the lawmaker is casting a long shadow on the race. … Having her backing is complicated for the three running in the Aug. 11 primary: Matt Little, a former state House member who was once the mayor of Lakeville, state Sen. Matt Klein and state Rep. Kaela Berg. Klein — like Craig, a moderate — says he’d be happy to have it, while Little, the most progressive of the three who has the DFL Party’s endorsement, said he isn’t seeking it. But another progressive, Berg, said she has sought the endorsement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yKVjP4
SENATE RACE: Via Star Tribune, a look at how GOP Senate candidates Michele Tafoya, Adam Schwarze and Royce White differ in their support for Pres. Donald Trump’s congressional priorities, including abolishing the filibuster. VERBATIM: “In Minnesota, only one major candidate has called for ending the filibuster: White. … Tafoya said [that] a lot of people ‘just wish they’d blow up the filibuster, [but] I’m not there yet.’ … Schwarze said he’s not committed to blowing up the filibuster because he wants to use it to stop ‘terrible spending’ Democrats will propose in the Senate if and when they eventually get a majority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45upH2K
GOV RACE: Speaker Lisa Demuth spoke to KSTP about her campaign for governor, her plans for reducing mandates, and more. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pMD4Vi
HEALTHCARE: Strong communities depend on sustainable nonprofit healthcare. By planning to join leading, nonprofit healthcare system Sutter Health, Allina Health will be better positioned to expand access to high-quality, innovative care in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin - supporting patients, caregivers, and communities for generations to come. Learn more about the Allina-Sutter partnership.. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/AllinaHealth (SPONSORED: Allina Health)
NOISE
DOLLS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation Wednesday into the Minnesota Department of Education following a complaint related to ‘transgender dolls.’ … While the federal Department of Education said in its announcement that the dolls were developed via a taxpayer-funded University of Minnesota program, the team behind the dolls received no state or federal money for their development, according to University officials. … An official with [MDE] said in an email Wednesday that the state department has no involvement with the MyGender
RESPONSE: via Gov. Tim Walz’s office, STATEMENT: “The Governor has no connection to this program. It was not developed or funded by the Minnesota Department of Education and is not being implemented in Minnesota schools under the Walz Administration. This entire story has been manufactured by right wing media.”
ICE: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Lawmakers from across the U.S., including Democratic Minnesota state Sen. Omar Fateh, gathered in Chicago Wednesday morning to push for the public’s ability to sue federal immigration officers.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3RA6wBx
DEPORTATION: via Rep. Tom Emmer advisory, VERBATIM: “Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06), Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), and Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) joined Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) in sending a letter to President Donald J. Trump, Secretary [Marco] Rubio, and Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin, thanking them for their decisive leadership and commitment to making America a safer place by deporting a convicted child rapist, previously pardoned by the Walz Administration.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4calcOB
FIRES
BIZ RELIEF: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A bipartisan pair of state lawmakers from northeast Minnesota are laying the groundwork to help businesses hit hard by wildfires. … Sen. Grant Hauschild, a Democrat, and Rep. Roger Skraba, a Republican, are co-hosting an event with the Cook County Chamber of Commerce on Friday as part of their effort to highlight the [economic] damage. … Gov. Tim Walz has indicated he might call a special session of the Legislature on Aug. 12 to extend a peacetime emergency in response to the fires. Hauschild and Skraba said [they] hope to introduce additional legislation during the session that would get money to businesses as soon as possible.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ww6zNK
HOSPITALS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Patients crowded emergency rooms in northeast Minnesota earlier this month, when wildfires littered the air with chemicals and fine particles. … The Minnesota Department of Health reported a 28% increase in ER visits related to respiratory problems in that region of the state in a 10-day period ending July 23, when air quality levels were at their worst. … ER visits for suspected respiratory problems increased 6% statewide during the 10-day period.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wxh7fN
A deep dive into the CD1 race between Rep. Brad Finstad and Jake Johnson for MNSider subscribers. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/49OqNJu
SIGNALS
MEDICAID: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Some Greater Minnesota providers say Minnesota’s fraud crackdown is leaving legitimate caregivers caught in a revalidation process they say was delayed and unclear, with the vast majority of terminated providers disenrolled over paperwork problems. More than 2,700 providers have appealed their termination. … As of last week, DHS said 748 of 2,732 disenrolled providers who appealed have since been revalidated.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wtWpx4
DEEPFAKES: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Two of the Minnesota legislators who helped write the state’s new ‘AI nudification’ ban forcefully defended their law on Wednesday after Elon Musk’s company ‘xAI’ filed a lawsuit [against] it. … DFL Sen. Erin Maye Quade and DFL Rep. Jess Hanson [both] dismissed the lawsuit’s concerns at Wednesday’s news conference, reiterating their support for the law as they stood beside three women who were victimized by AI nudification.” MAYE QUADE: “I don’t see this as a free speech issue. … It’s pretty audacious to sue to prevent a law that protects children from being turned into child sexual abuse material.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45gty3H
COURTS: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s court system is getting ready to disburse a round of grants to fortify judicial facilities around the state. The Legislature set aside $4 million for additional courthouse security. … Eligible counties can apply through Sept. 8 for the grants to buy security equipment, do assessments, train staff or make other improvements for safety reasons. The judicial branch will match half the cost. An advisory panel will make decisions on which applications will proceed sometime in November.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RJKa0r
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability — providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
METRO
MPLS: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis City Council will consider the nomination of Dr. Reginald Freeman as the city’s next fire chief on Thursday. The meeting comes after Freeman was grilled last week over his time leading fire departments in Oakland and Hartford, where allegations were made that the department had a history of harassment and discrimination. … Freeman himself was not named as a defendant [and] said he was hired to fix issues at those previous fire departments. … Freeman is the choice of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, but he still needs council approval.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3ToraoM
CAMDEN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “For residents in north Minneapolis’ Camden neighborhood, blocked railroad crossings are a way of life — a near-daily occurrence that will eat up 15 minutes on a good day, and often many more than that. The blockages regularly make it hard for kids to get to school on time. Even more concerning, they stop ambulances and fire trucks. … Local officials recently got the wheels moving on up to $2 million in federal grant funds, to be buttressed by $500,000 from the city and railroad company, to survey the area and plan improvements to solve the problem once and for all. Still, hoped-for infrastructure changes are years away.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45ti90f
ANOKA CTY: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “The Anoka County Fair saw its highest attendance in more than 15 years, with 44,759 guests from July 21 through July 26. Viral social media campaigns and strong agricultural programming helped draw record crowds and engagement. Fair leadership is considering grandstand improvements to accommodate growing demand at major events. … Both Tuesday and Wednesday set new daily attendance records.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4pPo6Oy
HABITAT RESTORATION: Flint Hills Resources has earned Tandem Global WHC Gold Certification for habitat restoration at its Cottage Grove fuel terminal. The certification comes after two years of work in partnership with Friends of the Mississippi River to implement a restoration and monitoring plan to re-establish the 6.5-acre site’s natural prairie and savannah. Flint Hills has held gold certification for its work done with community partners over the past 25 years to restore more than 200 acres of the Pine Bend Bluffs, a critical natural area along the Mississippi River that is adjacent to Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. This makes two Flint Hills gold-certified sites in Minnesota and the first two gold-certified sites ever in the Twin Cities. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3VASKg4 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
ACROSS MN
AUSTIN: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “Austin Public Schools will be asking voters to approve nearly $25 million this November for improvements to its facilities. … The district said it has identified seven schools where updates are needed, and that the funding will go toward ‘safety, mitigate water infiltration, update building systems and finishes’ and complete needed repairs. … November’s referendum will be the second year in a row that Austin Public Schools has asked voters to support additional funding.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fZR6Qe
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Duluth Public Schools purchased the former home of the News Tribune in 2023 for $600,000, [and] the site has undergone approximately $16 million in renovations in preparation to house district services and education programs this fall. While crews are still working to finish the building’s interior, as of last week, the building officially has a new name — Duluth Central Education Services — following unanimous approval from the School Board.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pNw6zC
WASIOJA: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “In April of 1861, several seminarians and teachers walked out of their school building in the town of Wasioja in southeast Minnesota and marched into a recruiting station four blocks away to become among the first volunteers to fight for the Union Army in the Civil War. The buildings — or parts of them — are still there, and they’ve now been restored and are open to the public. About 70 people gathered [for] a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the culmination of the yearslong restoration project.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h0XgAJ
DAYBOOK
TODAY: Governor Tim Walz will interview candidates for two vacancies in the Seventh Judicial District.
TODAY: DFL Sen. Ann Rest will throw the ceremonial first pitch for Thursday’s Twins game at 12:20 p.m.
TODAY: SD35 DFL candidate Angela Nelson will host an affordability roundtable in Coon Rapids with “local residents and stakeholders,” per a release. The event is at 11:30 a.m.
TODAY: DFL Rep. Kelly Moller and GOP Rep. Paul Novotny, co-chairs of the House public safety committee, will host a bipartisan press conference to “spotlight important new domestic violence laws that will take effect on August 1,” per a release. Attendees will include GOP Rep. Marion Rarick, DFL Rep. Athena Hollins, GOP Rep. Peggy Scott, DFL Rep. Dave Pinto, DFL Sen. Bonny Westlin, DFL Sen. Heather Gustafson and DFL Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten. The event is at 3:30 p.m.
NEXT WEEK: Minnesota Farmfest runs from Aug. 4 to Aug. 6 in Redwood County. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4pQIEGw
AUG 4-13: Fluence sponsor Xcel Energy and industry partners will host a series of open houses on their planned “PowerOn Midwest” electric transmission projects from Aug. 4 to Aug. 13. SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4yHUlDi
SEPT 9: The IRRR Board is hosting its third annual “State of the Range” event in Chisholm on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 4:00 p.m.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.