Vikings win in London. Bye this week.
The Twin Cities Marathon saw more than 30,000 runners this year. KSTP: http://fluence-media.co/4o2R774
AccuWeather’s prediction for winter in Minnesota: average snowfall, below average temperatures. MAPS: http://fluence-media.co/4gZfEb5
The John Ireland Bridge over I-94 in St. Paul will close for nearly a year starting today. MPR: http://fluence-media.co/46SYCa2
A CBS News poll finds that 80% of Americans are at least somewhat concerned about the government shutdown’s effect on the economy, and 51% say Trump Administration policies are making them financially worse off. POLL: http://fluence-media.co/42tAucF
A KFF poll finds that 78% of Americans, including 59% of Republicans, want Congress to renew enhanced tax credits for ACA health insurance plans before they expire this year. POLL: https://fluence-media.co/3KBrrjS
Fluence Advisory is hiring an executive administrator. POST: https://fluence-media.co/4oqit7J
What are the headwinds and tailwinds of the regional economy? - Sunday Take featured UMN’s Myles Shaver discussing the current state of the headquarters economy in Minnesota. LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/3IPKVR8
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured an extensive recap of the latest Minneapolis mayoral debate and what it could mean for the city’s future. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4q4IZ8j
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.
SPECIALSESSION: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Grant Hauschild was deep in the woods of his northeastern Minnesota Senate district when the Democrat was confronted with the question he and other moderate legislators had evaded for weeks: Would you vote for bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines?...Hauschild, in the midstCIVILITY: The Wall Street Journal featured several Minnesota state legislators in a piece about American politicians trying to bridge partisan divides. VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Legislature has a ‘Civility Caucus’ of Republican and Democratic legislators [that] organizes happy hours, karaoke, volunteering and — this being Minnesota — potlucks. … For alto Sandra Feist, a Democratic state representative and caucus co-chairwoman, last month’s singing gig was an extension of her work fostering cross-party interactions that were once more common.” FEIST: “We don’t demonize one another when we’ve shared a meal. Hopefully that is something that the public sees and can emulate.”… Feist in turn recruited two Republican crooners, including Rep. Max Rymer, 34, whom she had heard at Civility Caucus karaoke….Rymer said he enjoys singing with colleagues but isn’t sold on a big “kumbaya moment.” “We just have to get back to this place where you are attacking each other’s ideas, you are debating ideas,” he explained. “Will there be hostility and hurt feelings around that? Absolutely.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/42tXSql
SENATE RACE: via Craig for Senate, VERBATIM: “Today, Congresswoman Angie Craig announced that her [Senate] campaign raised $2.2 million in the third quarter of 2025. Craig received donations from all 87 Minnesota counties, including 12,000 new donors – with 92% of donations being $100 or less.” CRAIG: “I’m honored to have the support of so many Minnesotans who are joining our movement. People want someone who will stand up to Donald Trump and this reckless administration.”
CD2: via news release from Klein for Congress, VERBATIM:” Klein for Congress reported raising over $180,000 this quarter…”. RELEASE: https://fluence-media.co/4mMwyeb
TROOPS via Star Tribune scoop, VERBATIM: “Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth considered sending an elite U.S. Army strike force to Portland, Oregon, to quell protests…according to images of messages [captured in] Minnesota. … The messages, casually exchanged last weekend in a crowded, public space, show high-level officials in the Trump Administration discussing the deployment of the Army’s 82nd Airborne, an infantry division that has been deployed to combat zones. … The Trump Administration [ultimately] ordered National Guard troops — not the 82nd Airborne — to Portland. … Anthony Salisbury, a deputy to White House top policy adviser Stephen Miller, sent the texts over the private messaging app Signal while traveling in Minnesota and in clear view of others. … Salisbury chatted candidly, and at times profanely, about a wide range of matters with Hegseth’s adviser Patrick Weaver and other high-ranking federal officials.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/48Nea1m
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “An election battle [is] brewing in one of the most liberal parts of Minneapolis. … Incumbent Council Member Robin Wonsley, one of Mayor Jacob Frey’s primary antagonists, is facing a challenge from Shelley Madore, who carries the backing — and funding — of Frey-aligned groups. … It’s the second-most expensive race in the city [and] appears to be the biggest push in several years by Frey’s coalition to disrupt the progressive majority on the council. … Depending on how several other key races shake out, Ward 2, which includes the area in and around the University of Minnesota, could prove to be a tie-breaking seat on the 13-member council.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3ISYY8u
ST PAUL: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Developer Steve Wellington isn’t planning on sitting out the St. Paul mayor’s race, but after 51 years of living in the capital city, he’s not rushing to write any of the candidates a check, either. Three of the five candidates, he’s written off as too inexperienced or non-serious. That leaves Mayor Melvin Carter and state Rep. Kaohly Her. … Wellington isn’t the only key voice on the fence in the five-way mayor’s race. Some prominent political donors, like the St. Paul Area Chamber’s political action committee, have chosen not to endorse anyone, citing frustration with what they’ve deemed a ‘sense of stagnation’ around declining commercial property values downtown and rising property taxes. With members split, the St. Paul Building Trades Council is also staying on the sidelines.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/42UqVDG
SPORTSBETTING: via New York Times, VERBATIM: “Online sports betting is not legal in Minnesota, but that hasn’t stopped Ian White from trading money on the outcomes of N.F.L. games. Mr. White, a special education paraprofessional, said he downloaded Kalshi, a ‘prediction market’ app. … Kalshi can ‘get around’ state gambling laws because on paper it is not a sports gambling app, like FanDuel or DraftKings. … Instead, Kalshi is an exchange selling financial products tied to the outcome of sporting events — and, with the tacit approval of the Trump Administration, is currently available everywhere in the country. … Prediction markets are smaller than online sportsbooks, but they are growing fast. In September, with the N.F.L. season underway, more than $2.5 billion of sports contracts were traded on Kalshi.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/46D83eP
(DISCLOSURE: Sports Betting Alliance is a client and sponsor of Fluence)
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AG: via CNN, VERBATIM: “American farmers are having a tough year, in no small part because of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Now, the White House is gearing up to extend them a multi-billion-dollar bailout, sources tell CNN.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/3VNu1FI
SCHOOL BOARDS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A smattering of suburban school board candidates’ websites this year include reminders that, at least officially, their races are nonpartisan. But candidates running in the few crowded suburban contests say national political divides and culture war debates that have heated up since the start of the pandemic are still coloring their races. … Keeping divisive politics out of school board races was a primary reason that some districts opted to hold elections in odd-numbered years, but even that is becoming a rarer choice. Not counting special elections, only about 20 of the more than 330 school districts across Minnesota still hold odd-year board elections, which are taking place this fall. And several are considering switching to an even-year cycle to save money and increase voter turnout.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4o8SXUg
FED FUNDS: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison today announced that the Trump Administration Department of Justice has now dropped its plan to impose illegal conditions on nearly $1.4 billion in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants in response to the lawsuit that Attorney General Ellison and a coalition of 20 attorneys general filed.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/42p68b8
SHUTDOWN PAY: via a Sen. Tina Smith press release, VERBATIM: “Following the federal government shutdown, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) introduced legislation to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who face furloughs and missed paychecks when the federal government is shutdown. Unlike federal employees, the thousands of federal contract workers — including janitorial, food, and security services workers — have no assurances that they will receive back pay to make up for their loss of hours and pay during a shutdown.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3IWcF6A
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)
MN POWER: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Minnesota regulators have unanimously approved the controversial $6.2 billion sale of Allete — parent company of the Duluth-based public utility Minnesota Power — to a pair of private investment firms. … Global Infrastructure Partners, a subsidiary of the massive private equity firm BlackRock, which is the largest asset manager in the world, will own 60 percent of the utility. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is purchasing a minority stake. … The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission concluded that the utility’s sale was in the public interest, despite concerns by environmental and consumer groups, the state Attorney General’s Office, and an independent judge.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3KBQW4m
ENERGY: via State Sen. Grant Hauschild (D-Hermantown) to the Trump Administration plans to cancel a dozen clean energy projects in Minnesota. Hauschild called on U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-8th) to intervene for the sake of constituents’ energy costs. HAUSCHILD: “Using grant funding as punishment against states that did not vote for you is an affront to democratic values. It sends a chilling message that infrastructure, clean energy, and reliable power are secondary to political retribution. … Utility customers in Northern Minnesota should not pay the price for Washington’s politicized cuts.” LETTER: http://fluence-media.co/3Kyc2Ri
MORE: U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) also responded to the news of canceled clean energy projects, criticizing it as a politically motivated move that will raise electricity rates. SMITH: “This is beyond stupid. … This is going to hurt every single Minnesotan whether they’re a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. It’s not even thought out well, because a lot of this infrastructure is shared with states that did vote for him like South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska, so they’re going to feel the brunt of this too. … We’ll see if these cuts survive legal scrutiny.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/48bY29y
STRAW BUYS: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “The State of Minnesota’s lawsuit against Fleet Farm for negligently selling firearms to straw purchasers will proceed to trial after Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Office prevailed in court over Fleet Farm’s attempt to obtain summary judgment and dismiss the lawsuit. … The Court’s order recognized that licensed firearms dealers ‘are the first line of defense’ against straw purchasing. The Court also recognized there is established federal guidance on ‘red flags’ that may indicate a straw purchase. … The trial date will be set by the Court in the near future.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Kz12mC
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)
IMMIGRATION: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Minnesota immigrant advocates and the state’s largest school district scrambled to respond Friday to reports of a federal operation targeting children in the U.S. without parents or legal status. The operation, called ‘Freaky Friday’ by immigrant rights groups, asks young people to self-deport in return for $2,500. Letters sent by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suggest that their family members living in the U.S. will be arrested if they refuse to comply. … More than 4,000 unaccompanied minors were sent to homes in Minnesota between 2021 and 2024. Most are concentrated in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Worthington and Windom. Several local attorneys told the Sahan Journal that they have not heard of unaccompanied minors in Minnesota receiving letters as of Friday.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3IZjJiR
HOMELESS: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Amid ongoing attempts to revitalize downtown St. Paul, the city, nonprofit organizations and business community have been working to address homelessness, perceptions of crime and public safety. If repeated offers of help and warnings aren’t working, [SPPD Chief Axel] Henry said police need to enforce city ordinances and state laws. He thinks it’s time for the community, the city council and the city’s leadership to look at revamping outdated ordinances to address quality-of-life issues.” HENRY: “We are what we allow, and I think we’ve allowed too much of this [tent] stuff to happen. That doesn’t mean that I want to arrest my way out of the problem, but I feel like we got to a point where enforcement wasn’t even a part of the solution at all, and it needed to be.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4nK62DO
HCMC: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Three people arrived at HCMC in downtown Minneapolis on a recent Friday around the same time and for the same reason: They could not find the health care they needed anywhere else. … The specialized care of all three patients last month underscores what’s at stake as Hennepin County retakes direct control of the taxpayer-supported hospital and its parent health care system, Hennepin Healthcare. Without increasing funding or making cuts, the county can’t afford HCMC and its worsening financial problems. It also can’t afford to lose the urban medical center and its unmatched expertise in areas such as wound and burn care.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4pU8GIf
GOLDEN VALLEY: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green has resigned after the completion of two independent investigations into allegations of his conduct. Green was placed on administrative leave in May following the allegations, the details of which were not previously disclosed. On Friday, the city of Golden Valley announced that the chief has tendered his resignation. Assistant Chiefs Alice White and Rudy Perez co-led the department while Green was on leave, and the city says they will continue to do so while an interim chief is selected. … The allegations against Green [include] the unauthorized release of bodycam video and an interview with a Twin Cities television station related to an ongoing criminal investigation.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/48PwBCG
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “Following another shakeup at City Hall, the Mayor of Golden Valley shared a commitment to increase transparency with the community, including setting her intentions to start holding regular town hall meetings. Mayor Roslyn Harmon’s Sunday interview came one day after former Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green opened up for the first time on Saturday [regarding] his resignation. … With Friday’s announcement, Green — who made history as the city’s first Black police chief — became the second in a row to resign the position.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4pXER9Y
DAYTON: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “As Dayton’s neighboring communities in the northwest suburbs grew and developed around it, the sleepy city remained a place of farm fields and rural lots. But those days are gone. Now Dayton is drastically transforming — and fast. It’s become one of the quickest growing cities in the Twin Cities, adding industrial warehouses and hundreds of new homes. The burst of activity over the past five years, and the traffic that’s come with it, vexes some longtime homeowners and Dayton’s neighboring cities. The city is caught between wanting to preserve its rural character while also meeting the increasing demands of the expanding community.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/46CRU95
40 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited (DU) are celebrating 40 years of partnership, a longevity landmark that makes Flint Hills one of DU’s longest-standing corporate partners. Working together over the past four decades, Flint Hills and DU have contributed to conserving more than 250,000 acres of wildlife habitat and natural areas in Minnesota and over 900,000 acres across North America. LEARN MORE: Flint Hills Resources and Ducks Unlimited Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
LAKELAND: via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Nine years after an apparent arson fire destroyed a city hall building under construction in Lakeland, the City Council could soon be purchasing a commercial property [for] a new city hall. … The council voted to provide a non-binding letter of intent to the owners of the property consistent with an independent appraisal commissioned by the city, said City Clerk Michelle Elsner. The appraised price of the property was not disclosed. The letter of intent requires 60 days to further evaluate the building and property on how it will fit the city’s needs; that period would also provide an opportunity to gather more public input, she said.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/48hdpxA
SHAKOPEE: via a Rep. Angie Craig press release, VERBATIM: “Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced that Shakopee Fire will receive $2,632,890 in federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program to hire 12 new full-time firefighters. … With this funding, the Shakopee Fire Department will be able to grow their force to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1720 standards. The department currently relies on just six full-time and 30 part-time firefighters.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3ItQ3KI
SARTELL: via St. Cloud Live, VERBATIM: “The city of Sartell marked a major milestone after ground was broken for a full-scale production facility for Niron Magnetics, a rare-earth-free magnet manufacturer. The facility, expected to be open by Dec. 31, 2028, will have a profound effect on the area, according to Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum. … The project is the latest sign of the city’s recent growth. From new hotels and restaurants to the Central Minnesota Health Care Hub, expanding housing and child care options and public transit improvements, city leaders say Sartell is entering a transformative period.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3KxInYt
From Friday’s Fluence newsletters:
JOBS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “In Minnesota alone, the number of those in ‘long-term’ unemployment nearly doubled since last year, reaching more than 21,000, according to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). It’s a symptom of a ‘no hire, no fire’ job market: Economic uncertainty has kept employers from hiring, but the recent memory of struggling to rehire after mass pandemic layoffs has so far prevented large-scale cuts. QUOTE: ‘In a nutshell, the story is that it’s a good time to hold on to the job you have,’ said Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, ‘but if you’ve lost a job or you’re looking for your first job, it’s a very difficult environment.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pS7uW1
INSURANCE: via CNN, VERBATIM: “At the height of hurricane season in the US, the National Flood Insurance Program isn’t able to write new policies during the shutdown, said Daniel Schwarcz, a professor of insurance law at the University of Minnesota. The program, backed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), offers federally backed flood insurance to homeowners.” SCHWARCZ: “If you already have an insurance policy, it’s still in effect. The shutdown affects the ability of the NFIP to actually renew an insurance policy or issue a new policy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IQRItM
TRADE: via Brownfield, VERBATIM: “The shutdown of the federal government has cut short a USDA trade mission to Taiwan. Minnesota Soybean Growers Association executive director Joe Smentek is on the trip and tells Brownfield details trickled in. … SMENTEK: ‘We had a lot of people that we were talking with last night that were getting their emails that they were not essential, and phones stopped working. It was definitely interesting to be with some of those USDA folks over here while that was going on.’ He says the shutdown adds to the uncertainty farmers are facing.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4pNVO6x
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Twin Ports Interchange at 1:00 p.m. today.
TODAY: via an SEIU advisory, VERBATIM: “At 11 a.m, University of Minnesota-Duluth workers, State Senator Jen McEwen and supporters will speak out outside the Kirby Student Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth to share about their union drive for thousands of workers across multiple job classifications and campuses in the U of M system.”
TOMORROW: via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “Mayor Jacob Frey, city leaders and others are [hosting] a news conference releasing ‘The Way Home Progress Report’ for 2022 - 2024. The report [covers] affordable housing, closing homeownership gaps and confronting homelessness. … The report will provide investment numbers and other stats.” The event is at 2:30 p.m.
TUES-THURS: via an MN House advisory, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, October 7, the House Capital Investment Committee will begin their second regional tour of the fall, visiting communities in Northeast Minnesota. This bipartisan tour will consist of sites of proposed investment in state infrastructure which will be considered for inclusion in a 2026 Capital Investment Bill. The week’s tour will bring the committee to the communities of Vadnais Heights, North Branch, Pine City, Moose Lake, Carlton, Proctor, Duluth, Silver Bay, Grand Marais, Ely, Virginia, Eveleth, Chisholm, Hibbing, and Floodwood.” SCHEDULE: http://fluence-media.co/432s0t4
THURSDAY: via an MBP advisory, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Business Partnership has curated a museum-like exhibit for HQElevate 2025’s ‘A Night at the Museum,’ where artifacts and from over 50 Minnesota businesses tell the remarkable stories behind the state’s economic success.” The event is at 4:15 p.m.
OCT 15: via a CTUL advisory, VERBATIM: “Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) and North Star Policy Action (NSPA) will host a press conference at Minneapolis City Hall to release a new report outlining how the City can partner with community organizations to eliminate abuse in the non-unionized construction industry, [including] issues such as wage theft, misclassification, and assault.” The event is at 10:00 a.m.
BDAYS: Retail leader Bruce Nustad, Rep. Elliot Engen, producer Melissa Turtinen, attorney Emily Piper, Commissioner Joe Atkins, International Paper’s Gretchen Spear
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