Wild in Edmonton. Timberwolves in Toronto.
The St. Thomas women’s hockey coach resigned abruptly. PIPRESS: https://fluence-media.co/3CALzOV
How will Minnesota’s drought conditions impact Christmas trees? WCCO: https://fluence-media.co/3CDTdIi
A migrating owl befriended the crew of a Great Lakes freighter this week. PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4fWceUN
Gun ownership among U.S. adults is holding steady near 30%, but that masks a sharp increase in ownership among Republican women offsetting declines among Democratic and independent men. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eEZVeC
Rep. Dean Phillips will hold his final town hall meeting as a congressman on Monday.
Governor Tim Walz will meet with legislative leaders today at 9:30.
Today is Give to the Max Day, morning take asks that you support The Sanneh Foundation and Second Harvest. GIVE: https://fluence-media.co/4hWaVqJ
Have a great Thursday.
Blois
Tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Today’s 6:20AM morning take with Vineeta Sawkar on WCCO Radio. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/40Rrhea
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RECOUNTS: Via WCCO-TV, the first of two closely watched recounts in the Minnesota House races will begin this morning. In Scott County, a recount for House District 54A is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. in the county government center to determine if DFL Rep. Brad Tabke will keep his lead over Republican Aaron Paul. Later, in Sherburne County, a recount for House District 14B will begin at 10:00 a.m. Monday in the Elk River Government Center. Monday’s recount will decide if DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott maintains his lead over Republican Sue Ek. If both recounts maintain the preliminary DFL leads, the House will be tied. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4eDGiDx
MNLEG: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman [has indicated] managing the 67-67 tie in the Minnesota House of Representatives promises to be hard. … Backroom negotiations between Hortman and GOP Leader Lisa Demuth have begun. … The last tie in the Minnesota House came after the 1978 election, [but Hortman] wants to look elsewhere for ideas. … While rare, ties have occurred in other states more recently and there are a handful of examples of how to manage them. … Rep. Frank Chopp, a Democrat from Seattle, [said] his first time at the speaker’s rostrum in Olympia was with the title ‘co-speaker’ in 1999, alternating every other day with a Republican. … His advice to Minnesota? ‘Pay close attention to your members,’ he said. ‘It’s always good policy to keep in contact with members and work together as a unit, whether you’re in a majority or a tie.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4i1yAGq
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Gov. Tim Walz said he plans to meet with legislative leaders in the House and Senate this week to discuss the next session. It will be the first time since 2019 there will be divided government. ‘The budget process is coming here in a couple weeks,’ Walz said Tuesday, referring to a new budget forecast due out early next month. ‘It looks like we’re going to be back to where we were in 2019 where you had some power sharing, which in my opinion was pretty successful. We were able to cut taxes, fund education and get the budgets done on time.’” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3UWsOeX
BALLOTS: via a Rep. Brad Finstad press release, VERBATIM: “Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) joined Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06), and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) in demanding accountability from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon after 20 ballots from Shakopee’s 10th Precinct in Scott County were reported missing. The current margin in the race for Minnesota House District 54A is 14 votes.” FINSTAD: “Due to the incredibly slim margin in a number of these state legislative races, it is imperative that we have full transparency from the Secretary of State and the county election officials involved in this process.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4i2buzp
GAETZ: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Two Minnesota lawmakers will have a key role in the confirmation process of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General, former Rep. Matt Gaetz. GOP Rep. Michelle Fischbach is the lone Minnesota lawmaker on the House Ethics Committee, which has been weighing whether to release what could be a damaging report on Gaetz, looking into allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will oversee his confirmation hearings. … Fischbach and her office have repeatedly declined to comment on the report, while Klobuchar and some Republicans have been calling for its release. ‘I’m under confidentiality rules,’ Fischbach said Wednesday on Capitol Hill when asked about the report.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eLtQ4G
MORE: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “At first, Pete Hegseth’s most glaring problem as Donald Trump’s candidate to run the Pentagon was his inexperience. Now it’s his baggage. … Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, the senior Democrat on a U.S. House appropriations panel with jurisdiction over the Pentagon’s $825 billion budget, took issue with Hegseth’s comments that women in the military are a distraction. … Yet Hegseth’s lack of experience and troublesome history may not keep him from confirmation to the job of running the nation’s military forces as Trump has indicated he may push through at least some of his nominees [via recess appointments].” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fsSN69
DEEPFAKES: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “A leading misinformation expert is being accused of citing non-existent sources to defend Minnesota’s new law banning election misinformation. Professor Jeff Hancock [is] founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab. … At the behest of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Hancock recently submitted an affidavit supporting new legislation that bans the use of so-called ‘deep fake’ technology to influence an election. … Hancock’s expert declaration in support of the deep fake law cites numerous academic works. But several of those sources do not appear to exist, and the lawyers challenging the law say they appear to have been made up by artificial intelligence software like ChatGPT.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Ok3FY8
MPLS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A Minneapolis teachers union is under fire after Mayor Jacob Frey called on the union to cancel an event featuring a guest speaker who has been accused of making antisemitic remarks. A subgroup of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers called ‘Educators for Palestine’ is set to host a 3-hour event on Friday with Taher Herzallah. … Less than a week after Israel invaded Gaza, [Herzallah said] ‘anybody who has any relationship or any support or identifies themselves as a Jewish person or as a Christian Zionist, then we shall not be their friend. I will tell you that they are enemy number one.’ … Frey, who is Jewish, said in a statement on Twitter that the group should cancel the event with Herzallah for his ‘anti-Semitic views’ and that ‘schools must be spaces for unity, not division.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eEucu2
MORE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Herzallah said in an interview Wednesday that he misspoke during the webinar. … Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, said the teachers union is ‘platforming a notorious Jew-hater’ and should ‘disassociate itself from this event and repudiate the speaker and everything that he represents.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Ok114E
RESPONSE: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey spoke to WCCO Radio about his thoughts on the city’s teachers union inviting Taher Herzallah to speak. FREY: “The fact that this person is actively saying, don't be friends with Jews [and] they are enemy number one — I mean, the fact that I have to say [that] out loud is troubling in and of itself. … I have long supported a ceasefire and a two state solution, including an independent Palestine. And we can also acknowledge that statements that we shouldn’t be friends with Jews or that they are 'enemy number one' are wrong.” READ/LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3UZTRGg
MAYOR: via Southwest Voices, VERBATIM: “There are now two mayoral candidates with Southwest Minneapolis roots. Omar Fateh, a Minnesota senator for District 62, has just launched an ActBlue donation site, but with little information on his campaign. ‘Together, we can build a city that works for everyone!’ Fateh’s donation site reads. As a Minnesota senator, Fateh received attention for his work on a State bill on rideshare regulations. … Fateh joins DeWayne Davis, the lead minister at Steven Square’s Plymouth Congregational Church, as candidates running against incumbent Jacob Frey in 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CG8HeX
LABOR: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “The resolution to create a Labor Standards Board was approved by a 9-3 vote by the Minneapolis City Council last Thursday. City council members who voted in favor of this resolution argue a Labor Standards Board will give workers a stronger voice to create policies and changes to the city’s workforce. … [But] Wednesday afternoon, a collective of nearly 400 business owners from various industries sent a letter to the council and to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to voice their opposition. … The mayor has until the end of the day on Thursday to either pass or veto the resolution and send it back to the city council.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fZsqEz
MORE: via news release, VERBATIM: “Today, nearly 400 business owners, operators, and organization leaders sent a letter to the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Jacob Frey, expressing serious concerns about the recently passed Minneapolis Labor Standards Board. These business leaders, representing a variety of industries, are urging city leaders to reconsider this decision and collaborate on more balanced, effective solutions…The letter criticizes the creation of the board for its lack of transparency, including the absence of public testimony, and argues that the process disregarded meaningful input from the business community. Business owners warn that the Labor Standards Board will fast-track regulations that fail to account for the unique ways businesses operate and will create additional barriers for businesses already facing rising costs and mounting challenges in Minneapolis.” LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4fB9ooj
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “At the request of St. Paul City Council Member Anika Bowie, the council voted 3-2 on Wednesday to delay a vote on funding the conversion of a Marshall Avenue rooming house into a 30 to 35 unit housing facility for some of the city’s hardest-to-house residents. The city council will revisit the ‘Familiar Faces’ initiative on Dec. 11. … The St. Paul City Council [also] voted Wednesday to increase the franchise fees it charges Xcel Energy for electricity and gas distribution to residential properties.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3AOQTha https://fluence-media.co/3ZeGsgh
LISTENING, LEARNING AND REDEFINING INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS: “We want to build partnerships with Indigenous Nations. We continue to listen to and learn from Indigenous leaders and communities, and that’s informing how we engage communities in B.C. and across North America,” said CEO Greg Ebel of Enbridge’s approach to be the “first-choice partner” for Indigenous Nations interested in pursuing energy infrastructure opportunities. READ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3Yht20R (SPONSORED: Enbridge)
HENN CTY: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Hennepin County commissioners on Tuesday balked at an $8 million proposal from the sheriff’s office to relieve overcrowding in county-run jails. Commissioners said they needed more time to seek staff input and to consider less costly alternatives. The proposal would pay for contracts with 21 counties where the county would board inmates as it seeks to comply with an order from the Minnesota Department of Corrections. … The DOC ordered the sheriff to reduce the county jail population from more than 850, where it is now, to 600 due to violations of staffing levels, among other things. The deadline originally was Nov. 14; the state later granted an extension until Dec. 5. The county board on Tuesday delayed a vote on the sheriff’s office proposal until Dec. 3.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZfhFsh
MPD: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara joined FOX 9 to talk about ongoing crime in Minneapolis, including juvenile crime, saying it's “really, really challenging.” He also discussed his job and what a typical day is like as chief. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fC3W4L
STRAW BUYS: via KARE 11’s Lou Raguse, VERBATIM: “Ashley Dyrdahl, [girlfriend of Shannon Gooden], has indicated she plans to change her plea to guilty in the straw purchase case involving the guns used to kill two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter paramedic in February. A change of plea hearing is now scheduled for Dec. 18.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3OjX1kE
RURAL EMS: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “A group of rural Minnesota emergency medical services leaders gathered in Dodge Center to discuss the industry's pressing issues and the potential solutions from the national, state and local levels. … The persistent issues for ambulance services, particularly rural ones, are workforce and receiving adequate funding. … One-time EMS funding, to the tune of $30 million, passed by the Minnesota Legislature this year was ‘absolutely needed,’ [Mark] Jones said. But longer-term changes are needed, too. At the federal level, the Medicare reimbursement issue is the priority, [John] Fox said. ‘The feds have got to pay what it costs us to do.’ … However, with changes likely coming to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services when former President Donald Trump assumes office again in January, [Michael] Juntunen said the topic of federal reimbursement will likely become more complicated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fHsBoE
PERMITTING REFORM FOR RESPONSIBLE INDUSTRIES: Jobs for Minnesotans is committed to advancing responsible industrial projects through a predictable, timely and transparent permitting process. Broad permitting reform for all responsible industries is essential to strengthening Minnesota’s communities and advancing our state’s clean energy future. (SPONSORED: Jobs for Minnesotans)
NONPROFITS: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Minnesota nonprofits are raising the alarm over legislation pushed by U.S. House Republicans that would allow the executive branch to revoke tax-exempt status for organizations it deems ‘terrorist supporting.’ … ‘The problem here is with the Treasury secretary being able to make this decision completely by themselves,’ said Marie Ellis, public policy director for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. ‘They don’t need to disclose any evidence behind it.’ … House Democrats warn that the incoming administration under President-elect Donald Trump could use the power to strip nonprofit status from Trump’s political opponents.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3CFfC8g
MSP: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is expecting 10% more travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday compared to last year. Between Nov. 21 and Dec. 2, the airport is bracing to process 468,000 people through security checkpoints. Last year during the same 12-day period, 423,000 people were screened through the checkpoints. … The Metropolitan Airports Commission [expects] crowds to peak on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ASsfMA
MUSSELS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A new study has found another negative effect of invasive zebra mussels in lakes: higher levels of mercury in fish. Researchers from the University of Minnesota, the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies studied 21 Minnesota lakes and compared mercury concentrations in the tissue of two species, walleye and yellow perch. The results were unexpected: They found adult walleye in lakes infested with zebra mussels had 72 percent higher mercury concentrations than in lakes without the invaders. In yellow perch — a common prey for walleye — the mercury concentrations were 157 percent higher.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Zkew9J
MUSIC: via Axios Twin Cities, VERBATIM: “The average musician is paid a lot less per gig in Minneapolis than in peer cities, according to a first-of-its-kind survey funded by the city. [But] most of the 2,200 local industry professionals polled plan to keep playing and working here. ‘There will be no comeback of Minneapolis without arts,’ Mayor Jacob Frey told music pros at a Wednesday event unveiling the results. A thriving creative scene is good for the economy, research suggests.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/40XWIUi
ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT: From Grand Rapids, a conversation about opportunities and challenges to economic growth in Greater Minnesota with Tuleah Palmer, CEO of the Blandin Foundation, Roy Smith of the IRRRB and Steve Loney from Kiesler Wellness Center. From workforce to energy costs, a thoughtful conversation on how leaders are working together to push the region’s economy forward. Mainstreet Minnesota is presented by Compeer Financial. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/MainstreetMN2
ARDEN HILLS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Election officials certified results of a ballot recount Wednesday that confirmed Arden Hills council candidate Kurt Weber’s earlier lead. … Close results for Weber, who received 2,045 votes, and David Radziej, with 2,040, led to a publicly-funded ballot recount on Wednesday. The recount process began Tuesday. Following the recount, Weber and Radziej’s vote counts remained the same.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OlabOi
DULUTH: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Welch Place, a proposed 30-unit supportive housing complex, took another step toward reality Wednesday night, when the Duluth Economic Development Authority approved plans for the project and agreed to sell the needed site for $43,300. The building will offer a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments, geared toward single adults who would benefit from supportive services to maintain stable housing. Qualifying residents should make no more than 60% of the area median income.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/413V4jE
EAGAN: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Nearly two years since Thomson Reuters, a global legal publishing and media data firm, announced it would leave its longtime Eagan headquarters, the 179-acre campus is set for redevelopment. The Eagan City Council on Tuesday voted to rezone the [land] from major office to include light industrial uses and a mix of residential units to align with Ryan Companies’ redevelopment plans. … Ryan plans to allocate 120 acres in the central and eastern portion of the site for industrial uses like data centers and research and laboratory spaces. The remaining 59 acres are planned for a mix of housing types to include single-family homes and an estimated 114 townhomes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fXAndv
WILD ABOUT READING: More than 500 Minnesota classrooms and 15,000 students are participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy, and the team dog, Rookie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player-signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3O2nzH0 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
TODAY: via an OLA advisory, VERBATIM: “The Office of the Legislative Auditor's Financial Audit Division will release the performance audit, Minnesota State Lottery, on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The audit’s key findings and recommendations will be presented to the Legislative Audit Commission at 10:00 a.m. that morning in G3 State Capitol.”
TODAY: via an HCAO advisory, VERBATIM: “The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office will host a press conference featuring Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, Assistant County Attorney Rana Alexander, and representatives from Moms Demand Action regarding the Extreme Risk Protection Order program and process. … In partnership with Moms Demand Action, this press conference seeks to inform the public about resources available to them in moments of crisis and to better understand Extreme Risk Protection Orders.” The event is at 10:00 a.m.
TODAY-TMRW: via a House DFL advisory, VERBATIM: “The 2024 Winona Model Legislature will convene on Thursday, November 21st, and run through Friday, November 22nd. Members of the media are invited to attend the annual session and opening address at 9:00am, Thursday, in the Kryzsko Commons Ballroom on the Winona State University Campus.” Rep. Gene Pelowski will attend.
WEEKEND: via an MFU advisory, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members from across the state will gather Nov. 22-24 for the 83rd annual Minnesota Farmers Union State Convention. … The event begins on Friday afternoon with panel discussions. The discussions focus on food regulations surrounding selling products direct from the farm, finding funding for projects on your farm and what weather trends mean for farmers. On Saturday and Sunday, members debate the organization’s policy. The policy guides the organization’s advocacy work for the coming year.” DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/3ARx4Wk
MONDAY: Rep. Dean Phillips announced he will hold his final town hall meeting as a congressman on Monday, Nov. 25 in Minnetonka. The event is at 6:00 p.m.
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will interview candidates for vacancies in the Ninth Judicial District at 10:00 a.m.
TODAY: via an MN Chamber advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will release its annual Business Benchmarks report at the 2024 Economic Summit. … The Summit will also feature a keynote speech from the newly elected President of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, where she will discuss her initial time in office and the U’s contributions to Minnesota’s economy.” The event is at 9:00 a.m. in Minneapolis.
TODAY: via a joint press release, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Ambulance Association will be holding a roundtable discussion on Wednesday in Dodge Center – ‘The Future of EMS & Ambulance Services in Minnesota’ – with area community, health care and business leaders about the future of ambulance services.” The event is at 1:00 p.m.
TODAY: via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “The City of Minneapolis’ Arts and Cultural Affairs Department will release the results of its inaugural music census. … Minneapolis musicians, venue owners, presenters, promoters, studio owners, and music industry professionals responded to the census. This effort provided critical data about needs, opportunities, and the state of the music industry in Minneapolis.” The event is at 11:00 a.m.
TOMORROW: via an OLA advisory, VERBATIM: “The Office of the Legislative Auditor's Financial Audit Division will release the performance audit, Minnesota State Lottery, on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The audit’s key findings and recommendations will be presented to the Legislative Audit Commission at 10:00 a.m. that morning in G3 State Capitol.”
THURS-FRI: via a House DFL advisory, VERBATIM: “The 2024 Winona Model Legislature will convene on Thursday, November 21st, and run through Friday, November 22nd. Members of the media are invited to attend the annual session and opening address at 9:00am, Thursday, in the Kryzsko Commons Ballroom on the Winona State University Campus.” Rep. Gene Pelowski will attend.
WEEKEND: via an MFU advisory, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) members from across the state will gather Nov. 22-24 for the 83rd annual Minnesota Farmers Union State Convention. … The event begins on Friday afternoon with panel discussions. The discussions focus on food regulations surrounding selling products direct from the farm, finding funding for projects on your farm and what weather trends mean for farmers. On Saturday and Sunday, members debate the organization’s policy. The policy guides the organization’s advocacy work for the coming year.” DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/3ARx4Wk
BDAYS: Catholic Charities Elizabeth Lyden, Mariucci Arena’s Craig Flor, financial fixer Michael Vekich, water advocate Isis Stark
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