Lynx win. Twins lost. Vikings lose.
How anxious is Vikings nation today?
Services were held for Harper Moyski, QUOTE: "One of our favorite stories about Harper back in her early preschool days, her teacher asked her what her name was, and without looking up from her coloring sheet, she said, 'badass,'" Jackie shared with a laugh..” KARE11: https://fluence-media.co/4nuQjYt
Donald Trump says he’s not sure whether he will delay the U.S. TikTok ban for a fourth time this week. AXIOS: http://fluence-media.co/46yqdOF
More than six-in-ten U.S. adults surveyed say either that God doesn’t get involved in presidential elections (49%) or that they don’t believe in God (14%). PEW: https://fluence-media.co/42tCuBx
Sunday Take featured DFL Sen. Judy Seeberger and GOP Rep. Danny Nadeau discussing how they want to move forward with a special session as purple district legislators. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/4gxlhNy
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
A VERY good listen…A teacher, and a police officer. A DFLer and a Republican on Sunday Take A discussion with GOP Rep. Jeff Witte and DFL Sen. Steve Cwodzinski on how the state should move forward after the Annunciation Church mass shooting. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/3V1bEg9
AUDIENCE: Sponsorships are available to reach over 30,000 readers per day on Fluence’s tip sheets and website, TheDailyAgenda.com – email BloisOlson@gmail.com.
34B: via AP News, VERBATIM: “Troubling political violence is a clear concern along Brooklyn Park’s tree-lined streets, where voters will head to the polls Tuesday to fill a state House seat left vacant by the fatal home-invasion assassination of their neighbor, Rep. Melissa Hortman. … The Republican candidate seeking Hortman’s seat, real estate agent Ruth Bittner, noticed early in her campaign that people in the neighborhood where Hortman was killed seemed afraid to open their doors. … Bittner said the political violence [had] briefly given her pause about running for public office. But she concluded that ‘we can’t cower.’ … Xp Lee, a Democrat and former Brooklyn Park City Council member, [has] described the political climate in the wake of [Charlie] Kirk’s killing as a ‘charged atmosphere.’ … ‘I want to do what I can to really bring that down,’ he said. That includes supporting a ban on [assault] weapons and high capacity magazines.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3K0mpNn
MORE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “While a winner will be named Tuesday for the seat left open by the murder of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, the two major party candidates agree on one thing: no one is filling her shoes…Voters are choosing between Democratic nominee XP Lee and Republican Ruth Bittner in a district that has recently favored DFL candidates. LEE: “No one's gonna be able to fill her shoes,” Lee said. “People are calling her the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history. I look at it as trying to just pick up her legacy and try to follow in her footsteps.”…Bittner, an area realtor, echoed that sentiment. BITTNER: “We can't really compare because she, of course, was a very unique individual. We will not be trying to replace her.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48gAQa0
SPECIALSESSION: via MPR, VERBATIM: “As discussions continue about a special legislative session to curb violence, top Minnesota House leaders are sharing their views on the best course moving forward. House Speaker Lisa Demuth and House DFL Caucus Leader Zack Stephenson sat down [last week] for their first joint interview. … Both emphasized that they’re going to have to work together in the narrowly-split chamber to get anything done. … Both caucuses have said mental health treatment could be a priority, along with additional school and Capitol security measures. But an agreement to restrict firearms could be tough to come by.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47IXcAY LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/46A4ea2
● DEMUTH: “We have to work bipartisan. We've proved we could already do that, but it's going to take a lot of work getting to that point in really challenging circumstances, with the loss of Melissa [Hortman], with new leadership, but we've got to be able to pull together.”
● STEPHENSON: “The moment calls for us to do something. We're hearing that from the families of victims. We're hearing that from the community at large, from the state. People are tired of this gun violence and want solutions, want answers, want progress.”
SENATE RACE: via Flanagan for Senate, VERBATIM: “Today, Peggy Flanagan earned the endorsement of U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass) in her race for U.S. Senate. Markey is a pillar of the progressive movement and has spent his career taking on special interests on behalf of working people.” MARKEY: “Peggy has fought for policies that serve working people and delivered on moonshot ideas like raising the minimum wage and paid family and medical leave. We need Peggy’s voice in the Senate to fight back against the special interests’ rigging the game against the rest of us.”
CONGRESS: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “It’s brinkmanship time again as Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to pass a spending package to avoid a federal government shutdown. Chances of a shutdown grew [last] week as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Wednesday that House Democrats are likely to reject a short-term bill that would keep spending at current levels. … Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., echoed Jeffries in saying the legislation must contain some Democratic priorities — including perhaps an extension of a boost in Affordable Care Act subsidies that will end without congressional action at the end of the year. … McCOLLUM: ‘I hope there isn’t a shutdown, and there shouldn’t be a shutdown,’ said Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. But she said this about her Republican colleagues: If there is a shutdown, ‘they own it.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nQNEsz
WALZ: Gov. Tim Walz was a guest speaker at the annual “Cap Times Idea Fest” in Madison, WI over the weekend alongside fellow Democrats like Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Georgia’s Stacey Abrams. Via Cap Times, VERBATIM: “A ‘lack of basic humanity’ in current politics is a source of deep concern for Walz, who acknowledged that while he preaches reason and humility, he finds himself becoming angry about what President Donald Trump is enacting in office.” QUOTE: “I don’t know how you push back on the cruelty that’s out there without becoming a little cruel. It’s a real dilemma and I don’t have it figured out. … We’ve got a White House that sees every single interaction as a zero sum — somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. It’s just not like that in life. … We have to organize ourselves out of it.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3VQ09IC
UMN: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The University of Minnesota and its service workers have reached a deal, ending the strike that had threatened next weekend’s Farm Aid concert. The strike [involved] 1,400 custodial, maintenance, food service and sanitation workers represented by Teamsters Local 320. … The union announced on its Facebook page that it received an offer from the University of Minnesota that met its demands and it would put it to a vote. … Meanwhile, the organizers of the Farm Aid 40 concert announced that the show will continue as planned. Its organizers threatened to move or even cancel the show if a deal was not reached. Board member and performer Willie Nelson even reached out to Gov. Tim Walz during discussions.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nA2VOg
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KIRK: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Several Minnesota politicians and mourners memorialized conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, as news of his assassination at a college event in Utah shocked the nation. … On the steps of the Capitol building, about 75 people gathered to memorialize Kirk, holding candles, Bibles and American flags. Many attendees, who took turns speaking, said they had met Kirk and were inspired by him. … GOP state Rep. Elliott Engen, who represents parts of Anoka and Ramsey counties, said ‘the only reason I’m here today is because of Charlie Kirk’s work.’ Engen, 26, said he started a Turning Point chapter at his campus in 2020.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/42kKJje
MORE: Rep. Ilhan Omar issued a rebuke of a viral video claiming she was “happy” Charlie Kirk was killed. The clip, taken from an interview with Zeteo, has over 3 million views on X alone. OMAR: “While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy, and compassion. Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story when I condemned his murder multiple times is fitting for their agenda to villainize the left to hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate on a daily basis.” TWEET: http://fluence-media.co/41PlSUJ
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL HEALTH CARE, ESSENTIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR PROVIDING TOP CLINICAL CARE: According to the latest report from Minnesota Community Measurement, a statewide resource on health care quality, costs and equity, Essentia ranked as a high performer with 19 of 20 clinical quality metrics scoring above statewide averages. According to Dr. Maria Beaver, chief quality and patient safety officer at Essentia: “This is a testament to the amazing care provided by all our clinical care teams and all our colleagues who support them.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dCxy1D (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
IMMIGRATION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Supreme Court ruled [this week] that immigration agents in Los Angeles could continue to use what opponents call racial and ethnic profiling to decide who to question about their citizenship. It’s a temporary decision…but local immigration attorneys fear it will embolden Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to detain people based on their skin color, the language they speak or the type of job they work — factors at issue in the legal dispute. … Teresa Nelson, legal director of the ACLU of Minnesota, said she doesn’t think the decision gives ICE agents across the country a green light to racially or ethnically profile because it is technically confined to ICE’s tactics in Los Angeles. Yet, she called it a ‘disturbing development.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/41RKpsd
WAR POWERS: via The Intercept, VERBATIM: “Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, introduced a new war powers resolution on Thursday seeking to stop the Trump Administration from conducting future strikes in the Caribbean after the U.S. attacked a boat leaving Venezuela last week. … Congress has the ‘sole power to declare war’ as outlined in the Constitution, though U.S. presidents often bypass this authority when carrying out international attacks.” OMAR: “There was no legal justification for the Trump Administration’s military escalation in the Caribbean. It was not self-defense or authorized by Congress.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3JZQoVE
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)
KIRK: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist [who] was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event, was scheduled to appear at the University of Minnesota on Sept. 22. … [However], university officials said they had not received an update from the organizers as to whether it was still going ahead as of Friday evening. … Turning Point USA at UMN scheduled Kirk and Michael Knowles, a conservative political commentator, to speak. … Knowles pushed back on a social media user’s urging Thursday night that he cancel public appearances. ‘I appreciate the concern, but I will not be canceling any public appearances,’ Knowles tweeted.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/46jD6e1
RHETORIC: via MPR, VERBATIM: “Each time something awful happens, there are people in power who vow to go in a new direction. … [Last week], more than 30 first spouses from states and territories added their own prod for Americans to find a calmer way forward. Gwen Walz, wife of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was among the signatories. The short letter includes this appeal: ‘The soul of America is corroded every time hateful rhetoric or violence takes root. Peacemakers are needed in every corner of our society, especially in our politics. Our children are watching. They desperately need us to show them a better way.’” LETTER: http://fluence-media.co/4mchsyl
SUMMER SAVINGS: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “Home cooling can account for about half of your summertime electric bill. Here are five simple, effective ways to boost energy efficiency in your home and save money.
1. Ceiling fans cool you, not the room.
2. When away, adjust your thermostat.
3. Hot air belongs outside.
4. Cook smarter to stay cooler.
5. Let nature dry your clothes — plus, your chores can wait until evening.”
(SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
MAYOR RACES: via FOX 9, VERBATIM: “State Sen. Omar Fateh’s mayoral campaign continued to use a DFL endorsement logo on campaign literature and yard signs and on its website even after the party revoked its endorsement, a move that likely violated state law, a judge found. … The Fateh campaign did not deny the allegations. The party rescinded its endorsement on Aug. 21 but did not request that the campaign remove its logo until Aug. 26, according to court records. … The case will now go before a panel of three judges for a final determination and assessment of any penalties.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/46mRLVU
MORE: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Short on money and committed volunteers and trying to reorganize around a changing election calendar, the St. Paul DFL will not hold precinct, ward and city conventions to endorse a candidate for mayor. Instead, St. Paul’s Democrats and progressive voters are on their own in deciding which of the candidates should be their top choice to lead the capital city. … The big problem is people — a lack of them. The local DFL unit does not have a chair or vice-chair, and few St. Paulites are currently involved at the local level.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/48jaAMj
ANNUNCIATION: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Annunciation Catholic School will welcome back students three weeks after a shooting at the church left two kids dead. … The school is resuming some on-campus activities beginning this Tuesday, a spokesperson for the parish said. There will be ‘activities centered on support, connection, and play.’ … There will be support services and a ‘visible security presence’ at the school this upcoming week, the spokesperson said. School leaders will decide what to do the week of Sept. 22 after seeing how these first few days go.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/47JvJiC
MET COUNCIL: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “The Metropolitan Council has named Deb Barber its interim chair. … Barber currently sits on the Council as the member representing District 4 (portions of Scott and Carver counties). This news comes after the retirement of former chair Charlie Zelle, who left his position on Wednesday. … [Barber] chairs the Transportation Committee, is the vice chair of the Audit Committee, and serves on the Management Committee, the Transportation Advisory board and the METRO Green Line Extension Executive Change Control Board.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/41NWn6b
WFH: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Growing ranks of women [are] opting out of the workforce. The labor participation rate for women with children younger than 5 had the biggest midyear drop in more than 40 years during the first six months of 2025. June’s rate was 67%, according to U.S. Census data analysis. … That decline, the lead researcher said, largely was caused by return-to-office mandates. … It’s a big shift from the past few years, when women’s labor force participation hit an all-time high and drove the post-2020 economic recovery. Return-to-office policies are forcing many to make tough decisions about whether working while raising a family is worth it — or even possible.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/464z0rr
DOWNTOWN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “In-person work is back to almost 75% of pre-pandemic numbers, according to Kittie Fahey, senior director of advancement for the Minneapolis Downtown Council. That’s expected to increase as the numbers from Target’s return-to-work policy come in. As Minneapolis continues to recover from the surge of remote work spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the return of employees of several major companies is already changing the energy downtown. … But even with Target buzzing with a back-to-school-like energy, downtown’s pre-pandemic liveliness has not fully returned.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3IkjM8F
METRO TRANSIT: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “The Metro Blue Line has been in service for more than 20 years, [but] from September 22 through October 4, service will be stopped for [maintenance] work, according to Metro Transit. ‘Buses will be replacing Blue Line trains along the full length of the corridor all the way from the Mall of America to Target Field stations so that we can replace sections of damaged track and other equipment that has reached the end of its useful life,’ Metro Transit's Drew Kerr says.” READ/LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/3I0XQPT
UNDISTURBED LAND: One of the largest undisturbed natural areas in the Twin Cities metro area is the Pine Bend Bluffs in Dakota County. Situated along the Mississippi River, these hundreds of acres owned by Flint Hills Resources are a key migration corridor for millions of songbirds and 40% of North America’s waterfowl and shorebirds. Collaboration among Friends of the Mississippi River, Great River Greening and Flint Hills Resources volunteers help to restore this natural area to pre-settlement conditions. The Pine Bend Bluffs has earned Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification since 2001. The site recently earned gold certification, making the Pine Bend Bluffs currently the only gold certified site in Minnesota and the first ever in the metro area. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4241cZ2 (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s no fun, no frills budget proposal calls for city department leaders to freeze most hiring and keep vacant positions unfilled. It’s a stiff request for the St. Paul Public Library system, which plans to cut four hours weekly from the Arlington Hills Public Library as a direct result. … Twice a week come January, the Arlington Hills Public Library would open at noon instead of 10 a.m., a direct response to losing the hourly equivalent of 1.3 librarians and custodians to vacancies and retirements. That adds up to about a $129,000 cut to the library system’s staffing budget.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4mgXtyI
BURNSVILLE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Downed power lines caused traffic issues and business closures in Burnsville Sunday afternoon. … The downed power lines were the result of a crash around 1 p.m. near Burnhaven Drive and County Road 42. … The City of Burnsville [said] ‘Crews are on scene to open the road as quickly as possible. Many businesses are closed due to the outage.’ … Target was reportedly evacuated as a precaution as crews responded to the downed live line.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3JW2VcV
EAGAN: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “A former office building now houses a first-of-its-kind school for Dakota County students. Great Oaks Academy, located at 3560 Blue Cross Road, is the first charter school in Eagan, said Jill Hutmacher, director of community development for the city. … As the second location for the charter, which launched in Farmington in 2020, the Eagan school welcomed its first class of students on Sept. 2.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3VdUv2T
From Friday’s Fluence newsletters:
SCHOOL FUNDS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Districts across the state rely on a mix of federal, state and local money to fund school personnel salaries, technology purchases, building upkeep and renovations and other education programming costs. More schools, however, are leaning on local tax dollars to fund larger portions of their budgets. Referendums are becoming more and more common as districts look to local residents to pay for schools, said Kirk Schneidawind, executive director of the Minnesota School Boards Association. … Last year, 36 Minnesota districts asked voters to approve funding for school facilities and technology. This year, that number leapt to 55 districts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4piNfAj
SOS RACE: via Jude for Sec. of State, VERBATIM: “Tad Jude, a former district court judge and Republican leader with decades of experience in Minnesota government, today announced his candidacy for Minnesota Secretary of State in the 2026 election. He said his campaign will prioritize voter integrity, transparency, and public confidence in election administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41T3TN8
WILD RICE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Outside of northeast Minnesota’s Iron Range, it's likely not many people know much about the state’s relatively obscure, more than half-century old pollution standard that limits how much sulfate can be released into lakes and rivers where wild rice grows. But in the city of Virginia last week, the divisive issue drew a standing room only crowd of about 500 people to a spirited public meeting where, for several hours, the standard was alternately explained, defended and vilified.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/41PnM7G
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will have another private meeting with legislative leaders at 5:30 p.m. as they prepare for a potential special session.
TODAY: The Minnesota Senate’s Gun Violence Prevention working group will meet today at 9:00 a.m.
TODAY: via SEIU, VERBATIM: On Monday, September 15th, at 1:00 pm, rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft who are part of the SEIU Local 26 Rideshare Drivers Organizing Committee will attend the monthly meeting of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) at the Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport to speak out about their ongoing demands for clean bathrooms and a place to pray for Muslim drivers in the airport waiting lot.
TOMORROW: Voters will decide whether DFLer Xp Lee or Republican Ruth Bittner will fill the seat of late Rep. Melissa Hortman in House District 34B’s special election. Polls will close at 8:00 p.m.
TOMORROW: via an MN Senate advisory, VERBATIM: “Senator Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Minneapolis) will host a special town hall meeting on Tuesday, September 16 at the Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) in Minneapolis to help people in his district understand how the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting their lives now and into the future.” The event is at 6:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: via an MN Senate advisory, VERBATIM: “On Sept. 17, Senate Capital Investment Committee Chair Senator Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) and members of the Capital Investment Committee will travel to 12 communities in Southeast Minnesota to learn about 14 proposed projects requesting state matching funds, meet with local officials, and tour project sites. This one-day tour kicks off the committee’s travels across Minnesota prior to the 2026 legislative session.” SCHEDULE: http://fluence-media.co/4ppaNDW
WEDNESDAY: The Minnesota Senate’s Gun Violence Prevention working group will meet Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. They will only hear proposals previously introduced at Monday’s hearing.
WEDNESDAY: The Minnesota House’s Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight committee will meet Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.
THIS MONTH: via MN Health Plans, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Council of Health Plans expects a final announcement soon from the state’s Department of Commerce about health insurance rates for Minnesota’s individual market and small businesses. Lucas Nesse, president and CEO of the Council, will be available to provide a statement and/or comments about the Commerce Department announcement. This announcement is due on or before October 1st.”
BDAYS: fmr. Sen. Chuck Wiger, journalist Hutton Phillips, attorney Sam Clark
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