TRENDING TUESDAY
Rock Chalk big win vs. #1 Arizona last night. Wolves win.
Session starts in one week.
ICYMI: The 2026 Authoritative Pizza List and Statewide Special Spots. HERE: https://fluence-media.co/4to8VgN
Duluth curlers Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse will go for gold against Sweden today at 11AM central. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4rxWxJ2
According to one flag store, sales of the new state flag are up 75% since the start of Operation Metro Surge – sales of the old Minnesota flag are also up. STRIB: https://fluence-media.co/4ryhjbI
Permit-to-carry firearm applications are up 75% year-over-year amid the ICE surge. WCCO: https://fluence-media.co/3MwoDFS
MnDOT removed any references to “ice” — 6% of all submissions — from its snowplow naming contest entries this year to keep things “light-hearted and apolitical.” MPR: https://fluence-media.co/3Mo0hhn
Leaked documents show less than 14% of the immigrants arrested by ICE in the past year had violent criminal records, and nearly 40% had no criminal record at all. CBS: https://fluence-media.co/4tqJxH1
It’s Natl. Cream Cheese Brownie Day.
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LEADING TUESDAY
TODAY: At 8AM, Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Dir. Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Dir. Joseph Edlow testify on oversight before the House Homeland Security Committee.
TODAY: At 11 AM, Governor Tim Walz will host a news conference to discuss real-time impacts of the federal surge on Minnesota small businesses.\
GOV RACE: The Minnesota GOP announced that Jeff Johnson, former St. Cloud city councilor and Republican candidate for governor, is suspending his campaign after his daughter was violently killed Saturday night. STATEMENT: “We ask all Minnesotans to join us in lifting up the Johnson family during this incredibly painful time. We also extend our gratitude to the first responders and law enforcement officers involved and ask for patience and compassion as the investigation continues.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4616mHo
MORE: Via St. Cloud Live, the latest info on the killing of Jeff Johnson’s daughter. VERBATIM: “A 22-year-old St. Cloud woman stabbed to death Saturday, Feb. 7, has been identified as Hallie Marie Tobler. … A man found injured at the scene has been identified as Hallie’s husband, 23-year-old Dylan Michael Tobler. … According to St. Cloud Police, Dylan Tobler is believed to be the person responsible for Hallie Tobler’s injuries and death, as well as his own injuries.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ryfBHk
SERVICES: via the Star Tribune, HEADLINE: As Minnesota cracks down on fraud, some lawful social service providers struggle to survive….VERBATIM: “The Department of Human Services hopes the changes, which included a payment delay to providers, will help rein in a snowballing scandal that’s thrust Minnesota into the national spotlight. More than a dozen people have been charged with pilfering from an array of social programs, and authorities claim stolen funds could ultimately total billions of dollars….But providers point to even more stresses. The new processes closely follow the shuttering of UCare, the nonprofit insurer that Medicaid-funded services long relied on for reimbursement. And they come amid an extraordinary immigration enforcement operation that’s sent some immigrant health workers and patients into hiding…Advocates say those factors have created a perfect storm for an already unstable industry.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aErZjg
PAID LEAVE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “More than 38,000 Minnesotans have applied for the state’s paid leave program, and some of them have already been flagged for possible attempted fraud. … ‘We’ve stopped numerous cases of attempted fraud and made multiple referrals to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension,’ DEED Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe said, [but] he didn’t go into specifics on the nature of the attempted fraud or the number of cases that were reported. … He said the program has had a high volume of applicants so far, but he expects that to gradually decline [as] Minnesota is on track with initial expectations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3O7Qsom
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “DEED reported receiving 38,000 applications, approving 13,000, and distributing $30 million so far. Among leave applicants, about 48% are taking time for bonding, 41% for medical reasons, 10% for caring or family leave, and less than 1% for safety or military leave.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3OvJbie
ROBBINSDALE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “During such a fragile and pivotal time for the district, an omission in a report to the state regarding a big reason for Robbinsdale Area Schools’ (RAS) massive deficit is raising questions over why RAS wouldn’t be as transparent as possible…It was a miscalculation so significant that the district held a community meeting about it in late 2024…There, the district revealed a “compensatory funding implementation error” leading to a $20 million deficit — it was part of the reason for hundreds of staff layoffs, school closures, and the district entering a “statutory operating debt” (SOD) plan with the state… A failed effort to include wording about the funding error in the plan sparked debate among board members ahead of the vote to approve the plan. BRYNTESON: “Do we need to acknowledge the accounting errors as part of this to [the Minnesota Department of Education], because that obviously is an element that got us here?” said DJ Brynteson, Robbinsdale Area Schools Board Director. “I was just thinking if we’re going to be transparent, we might as well be transparent,” Brynteson said. READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4ab0mhC
A new level of insight and information….
The MNSider Brief: State of the Governor’s race – READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r3ACtF
POLITICS
DONATIONS: via Politico Playbook, VERBATIM: “Democratic campaign groups are reckoning with their [donations] from a contractor that runs private immigration detention centers. … Both the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from CoreCivic, a longtime ICE contractor. … During that time, the DGA was chaired by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. … When Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan led the DLGA, the group in February 2024 took a $25,000 donation from CoreCivic. … A Flanagan campaign spokesperson emphasized that she did not personally solicit money from CoreCivic and would urge the DLGA to return it immediately.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rDICRI
RESPONSE: A spokesperson for Rep. Angie Craig’s Senate campaign said the CoreCivic donation shows Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s “hypocrisy” on ICE. QUOTE: “[Flanagan] misled Minnesotans about the millions of corporate dollars she’s previously raised as chair of the DLGA. … Craig continues to prove that she is the strongest Democrat in this race and can defeat Michele Tafoya, while the Lt. Governor continues to struggle.”
SHUTDOWN: via NBC News, VERBATIM: “Just over four days until funding runs out, key members of the Senate Democratic Caucus say they won’t support another continuing resolution, or ‘CR,’ to prevent a shutdown of DHS beginning this weekend. … Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., the ranking member of the Appropriations subcommittee that writes funding bills for DHS, said he doesn’t expect another short-term bill for DHS. … Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday that Democratic leaders ‘sent legislative text’ of [their demands] to the White House and Republican leaders.” SCHUMER: “We’re asking ICE to do nothing more than follow the standards that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies already follow. … The clock is ticking.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4qpH5xC
REFUGEES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “U.S. District Judge John Tunheim decided not to dissolve a temporary restraining order that blocks the federal detainment of Minnesota refugees who have not yet received their green cards. … Tunheim sided with the refugees’ demands and ordered the U.S. government to produce the evidence that federal lawyers cited in their request to scrap the restraining order. … Tunheim also gave the feds until Feb. 11 to provide an update on the refugees whom he ordered released.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ryhjbI
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)
ECONOMY
CONSTRUCTION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Twin Cities home builders are falling behind schedule as the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota has fueled a shortage of roofing, drywall and other construction workers, according to developers and real estate agents. … While it’s too soon to calculate the full economic impact, the shortage is further clogging the residential real estate industry, which was already facing a sales slowdown amid economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, developers say they are losing out on rental income because they can’t get contractors to finish rehab or maintenance work on units.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45YnjSH
SCHOOLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Fears that their children will be approached and detained by [federal] agents have prompted many families to keep their kids at home, causing attendance to drop sharply at many of Minnesota’s K-12 schools. … Because the money to pay teachers, counselors, bus drivers and principals is tied to attendance, officials fear prolonged absences by students in hiding will lead to declining state funding for schools. … State education officials [didn’t] confirm if the agency will be adjusting funding for school districts as a result of the disruption.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3M0ghWX
NOTABLE
PLEAS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Two [Pennsylvania] men who were accused in the state’s ‘fraud tourism’ case made their first appearances in federal court on Monday and entered guilty pleas. Anthony Waddell Jefferson, 37, and Lester Brown, 53, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Prosecutors said Jefferson could face up to 6.5 years in prison and Brown could face up to four years, but the sentencing will come at a later date.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bMgaJ2
RAIL LINES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A Republican-backed spending bill in the U.S. House last year would’ve explicitly banned federal funding for the long-planned Twin Cities-to-Duluth Northern Lights Express passenger rail line. But that language wasn’t in the Senate bill and didn’t make it into the final version that passed Congress last week. … The final bill also did not include the House’s massive cut to a Federal Transit Administration grant program that could fund a significant portion of Metro Transit’s planned extension of the Blue Line through north Minneapolis and nearby suburbs. It remains to be seen if the federal government will ultimately pony up the hundreds of millions of dollars the NLX and the Blue Line extension each need to become reality.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kuH76e
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students 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, Paulie; 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/49AHNSE (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
LOCAL
MPLS: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis is putting a historic amount of money into immigration legal services, committing more than $1 million after the city council unanimously approved measures expanding support for residents facing complex federal enforcement and court proceedings. … The money comes from three sources: $275,000 already in the city budget for immigration legal services, $246,418 previously approved for 2026, and an additional $500,000 that the city council shifted from the Minneapolis Fire Department’s budget.” READ/WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4rF4gFi
ROCHESTER: via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “With just a week left before the Minnesota legislative session begins, lawmakers came to Rochester Public Schools to hear about issues the district has had with the federal government, among other [topics]. … The meeting was with Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, chair of the education finance committee, and Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL-Eden Prairie, chair of the education policy committee. … RPS officials outlined issues the district has been working on and how some of them have been impacted by changes in federal policy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ahYgve
WHITE BEAR LAKE: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “White Bear Lake Police Chief Dale Hager will retire May 8, the city of White Bear Lake announced on Monday.
AHEAD
TODAY: Via Faith in MN, faith and labor leaders will hold press conferences and visits with Republican representatives to advocate against funding ICE. They will visit Rep. Pete Stauber at 10:00 a.m. and Rep. Brad Finstad at 10:45 a.m.
TODAY: Governor Tim Walz will attend a quarterly Commanders’ Task Force meeting, discuss the real-time impacts of the federal surge on Minnesota small businesses, and interview candidates for a vacancy in the Fifth Judicial District.
TODAY: The Capitol Commons, a new community hub in St. Paul, will host a public open house at 3:00 p.m.
CANCELED: The Senate subcommittee on federal impacts canceled its Thursday meeting this week.
THURSDAY: The IRRR Board will meet on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Eveleth.
THURSDAY: DFL Sen. Judy Seeberger will host an in-person town hall in Lake Elmo at 5:30 p.m.
NEXT WEEK: The Minnesota Legislature’s 2026 session will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 12:00 noon.
BDAYS: Strib columnist Eric Roper, Sen. Jennifer McEwen, Bemidji leader Rita Albrecht, TCB’s Traci Auger
SPEAKER: If you’re looking for a speaker about the “Signal vs. Noise” dynamic of today’s politics and the 2026 election. EMAIL: BloisOlson@gmail.com.
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IN MEMORIAM: morning take is dedicated in memory of Melissa Hortman.