In Chanhassen, you can get a massage from a robot. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/42zZm1G
90 breweries. Nearly 450 beers. 22 awards. Bring Me The News has the winners of the 2025 MN Brewers Cup. BEERS: https://fluence-media.co/4j6S5gJ
Minnesota’s most educated ZIP Code: 55424. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3RgTchE
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/44ph2PR
GOP Rep. Dave Baker and DFL Sen. Nick Frentz were on Sunday Take to discuss the final stretch of the legislative session. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3ElxhTu
Blois
tips/feedback bloisolson@gmail.com
All Fluence Media tip sheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
RESPONSIBLEGAMING: Legal sports betting platforms offer responsible game tools that offshore and illegal sports betting don’t offer. In fact, age verification is not required with most offshore providers. Learn more about why legalized sports betting is more responsible. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4kgJoS4 (SPONSORED: Sports Betting Alliance)
NEXT WEEK: Via Practicing Democracy, VERBATIM: “Concerned residents of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District are requesting town halls to share their concerns about federal policies. Practicing Democracy, a new, local political action committee is stepping up to host non-partisan People’s Town Halls in Hinckley on April 21 5:30pm, Grand Marais on April 22 5:30pm, Brainerd on April 23 5:30pm, Lindström on April 24 6:00pm and Bemidji on April 26 at 2pm . . . U.S. Representative Pete Stauber and local elected officials have been formally invited to participate in these forums. Local elected officials will be attending and providing updates on how federal policies are impacting our school district, city, county and state.” SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/4jvSQ3j
CD7: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “In March, Republicans in Minnesota’s 7thCongressional District chose Bret Bussman, a Browerville veteran with a slim political resume, to chair the party in the district. Bussman ousted longtime 7th District chair Craig Bishop, a staffer for U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach, in a contest that far-right activist group Action 4 Liberty characterized as a ‘MASSIVE rebuke on the corrupt, anti-grassroots, and anti-liberty tactics CD7 has used to protect RINO politicians,’ meaning, ‘Republicans in Name Only.’ Many of Bussman’s views have become commonplace on the fringes of the Republican party, including vaccine skepticism, election denial, January 6 revisionism and a general hostility toward established science. But a Reformer review of Bussman’s social media accounts finds that he has espoused many outlandish conspiracy theories that go well beyond standard conservative activist fare.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GaM5EZ
TARIFFS: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “[St. Paul-based] Water solutions company Ecolab said on Wednesday it would add a 5% surcharge, effective May 1, on all its products and services in the U.S. to mitigate rising raw material costs due to recent changes in international trade policies. Global companies are looking at ways to deal with the ripple effects of escalating trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44r7WSI
MORE: Via Ecolab news release, from CEO Christophe Beck, QUOTE: “We are leveraging the strength of Ecolab to mitigate the impact of the 10% global baseline tariff. However, global tariffs greater than 10% and the 145% tariff placed on China are having broader impacts on the cost of some raw materials, packaging, and equipment. We cannot fully mitigate these increases, necessitating adjustments in our pricing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GbrWig
CONSTRUCTION: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal looks at tariffs impact on building projects around the Twin Cities, including the story of one developer’s scramble to get HVAC units out of Canada before they kicked in. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ihftXG
BEER: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “April might seem a bit early to be preparing for Oktoberfest. However, with the prospect of tariffs looming over all imports, Brandon Schulz, co-owner of LTS brewing Co., isn't taking any chances . . . When President Trump threatened to impose a 20% tariff on all European Union products, craft brewers and suppliers in the U.S. started to stock up. On Monday, April 14, 2025, an extra pallet of European-grown malts arrived at LTS that should serve the brewery's needs through fall. Typically the brewery is more conservative about purchases coming out of winter, the slowest season. However, looming tariffs made the move necessary, Schulz said.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3G84qm8
TOWN HALL: Via WDIO-TV, VERBATIM: “Two of Duluth’s State Lawmakers visited the city on April 15 for a town hall put on by the DFL. State Senator Jen McEwen and State Representative [Pete Johnson] were joined by Senate Majority leader Erin Murphy for the town hall style meeting hosted by the DFL. The three spoke during the event, which was titled ‘Fight Back Against Trump.’” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3EocM8N
AIRPORT: Via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has begun maintenance projects involving temporary runway closures that may mean more airplane noise for some areas nearby. The first phase started on Monday and is expected to continue through May 23, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The second part will be from Aug. 18 to Sept. 26. By doing the project in two phases, the runway — known as R12-30L — will be open to all aircraft for the majority of the peak summer season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YuzDX2
BAHAMAS: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Bahamas has been a curious omission from the MSP route map ever since the COVID-19 pandemic waned. Now Delta Air Lines has announced 2025-26 service from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Nassau, the capital of the archipelago nation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ikDpcM
BROOKLYN PARK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Brooklyn Park police say crime rates in the city are historically low. ‘It’s monumental,’ said Police Chief Mark Bruley in a city council meeting this Monday. ‘In modern history [since] we’ve been keeping [records], we’ve never had a lower level of crime.’ While crime rates peaked in the 1990s with another significant spike in 2006-2007, trends are heading downward. According to Bruley, in the past year, there’s been a six percent drop in overall crime. Meanwhile, violent crime has dropped 25 percent in the same time period.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/42qtrSx
CROW WING CTY: Via Brainerd Dispatch, VERBATIM: “Crow Wing County’s Highway Improvement Plan calls for an investment of about $87 million during the next five years. That includes work on 156.6 miles of road and three more roundabouts. One of those roundabouts could be at State Highway 6 and County Highway 11 and appeared in jeopardy with a concern for a possible loss of federal funds. In 2028, the county expected to receive federal funds for highway improvement and there is now some uncertainty about that.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ikWPhs
ROCK RIDGE: Via Mesabi Tribune, VERBATIM: “Not many were spared from the budget cutting axe Monday night at the Rock Ridge School Board meeting. The board cut a wide variety of positions as they looked to reduce the budget by $2.8 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ihp7JC
PRODUCING THE FUELS THAT HELP KEEP MINNESOTA MOVING: Flint Hills Resources, one of the Midwest’s leading producers of transportation fuels is hiring! With openings in IT, accounting, engineering, operations, procurement and asset management, Flint Hills Resources’ goal is to match talented individuals with their passions and interests to truly shine. APPLY TODAY: Flint Hills jobs (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
RECALL: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “A company that makes baby food sold under a Target store brand is recalling more than 25,000 packages of a product because it may contain elevated levels of lead. Miami-based Fruselva issued the recall in March for Target’s Good & Gather Baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree, sold in 4-ounce tubs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cKgPJh
US BANK: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “U.S. Bancorp boosted its earnings in the first quarter with more revenue, lower costs and a smaller provision for credit losses. The parent company of U.S. Bank posted a profit of $1.71 billion, or $1.03 a share, compared with $1.32 billion, or 78 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet had been expecting earnings of 98 cents a share. Revenue rose 3.6% to $6.96 billion, above analyst forecasts for $6.91 billion, according to FactSet.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YzuZa9
BREWSTILLERY: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “This week, Bent Brewstillery in Roseville announced a retirement party for owners Bartley and Brenda Blume, leading to confusion on social media as to the future of the brewery. Right now, that future remains up in the air, Bartley tells Bring Me The News. It hasn't closed, but it also hasn't found a new owner to take the reins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Elk7Gc
NORTHLAND: Via Northland College, VERBATIM: “The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has named Shari Olson to serve as president of Northland Community & Technical College. The appointment becomes effective immediately.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RRro3v
SOUTH CENTRAL: Via Minnesota State, VERBATIM: “The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has named Ritu Raju to serve as president of South Central College (SCC). Her appointment becomes effective July 1, 2025.”
TALENT AGENT: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Thirty-five years ago, Gary Berg started a talent agency in St. Cloud with a basic premise: create opportunities for performers that didn’t involve bars and drinking. ‘I focus very much on the whole concept of doing non-offensive, really professional, 45 to 60 minute shows that can be done after dinner, at fairs, at stages or colleges, and fundraisers,’ he said. Berg got his start as a musician, playing in bands in high school and college. Later, he’d become a road manager for his friends’ bands as a side gig apart from a career in college admissions. Eventually, Berg decided to focus full time on entertainment. At the time, he’d had enough of dealing with drunken people at parties.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Gew6pBRECALL: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “A company that makes baby food sold under a Target store brand is recalling more than 25,000 packages of a product because it may contain elevated levels of lead. Miami-based Fruselva issued the recall in March for Target’s Good & Gather Baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree, sold in 4-ounce tubs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cKgPJh
US BANK: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “U.S. Bancorp boosted its earnings in the first quarter with more revenue, lower costs and a smaller provision for credit losses. The parent company of U.S. Bank posted a profit of $1.71 billion, or $1.03 a share, compared with $1.32 billion, or 78 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet had been expecting earnings of 98 cents a share. Revenue rose 3.6% to $6.96 billion, above analyst forecasts for $6.91 billion, according to FactSet.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YzuZa9
BREWSTILLERY: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “This week, Bent Brewstillery in Roseville announced a retirement party for owners Bartley and Brenda Blume, leading to confusion on social media as to the future of the brewery. Right now, that future remains up in the air, Bartley tells Bring Me The News. It hasn't closed, but it also hasn't found a new owner to take the reins.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Elk7Gc
NORTHLAND: Via Northland College, VERBATIM: “The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has named Shari Olson to serve as president of Northland Community & Technical College. The appointment becomes effective immediately.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RRro3v
SOUTH CENTRAL: Via Minnesota State, VERBATIM: “The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has named Ritu Raju to serve as president of South Central College (SCC). Her appointment becomes effective July 1, 2025.”
TALENT AGENT: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Thirty-five years ago, Gary Berg started a talent agency in St. Cloud with a basic premise: create opportunities for performers that didn’t involve bars and drinking. ‘I focus very much on the whole concept of doing non-offensive, really professional, 45 to 60 minute shows that can be done after dinner, at fairs, at stages or colleges, and fundraisers,’ he said. Berg got his start as a musician, playing in bands in high school and college. Later, he’d become a road manager for his friends’ bands as a side gig apart from a career in college admissions. Eventually, Berg decided to focus full time on entertainment. At the time, he’d had enough of dealing with drunken people at parties.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Gew6pB
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
GOLF: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports Topgolf is eyeing a location in Eden Prairie for its next Minnesota location. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jEjLcP
AI: From Eden Prairie-based C.H. Robinson via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “C.H. Robinson announced it has performed over 3 million shipping tasks with its fleet of generative AI agents – proprietary tech tools the global logistics provider has built to automate steps across the lifecycle of a shipment and reduce customers’ speed-to-market from hours to seconds.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j6YecN
LEADERSHIP: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “For women, the path to the C-suite isn’t necessarily easier these days, but it certainly is changing. That’s one of the takeaways from TCB’s annual Women in Leadership luncheon at the RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday. Prior to a featured conversation with former Target executive and new author Laysha Ward, a panel of four mid-career women took questions about hybrid work, the lingering impact of the pandemic, and navigating personal and professional goals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lv8a1c
SELECTED: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “Haberman, a full-service marketing communications agency with a 30-year history of modern storytelling, has been selected as the new agency partner for Odele, the fast-growing clean masstige haircare brand, following a competitive search. This is Odele’s first consolidated agency relationship, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to expanding its marketing investment to support growing distribution among national retailers and ecommerce.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j6NPOh
THIS WEEK: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Winter's snow and ice return to the Twin Cities in full force this spring, courtesy of the Children's Theatre Company. State of the stage: A local run of Disney's ‘Frozen’ debuts this week, bringing heart-melting magic — with a few fresh twists— to Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j6O0ZX
JULY: Via Pequot Lakes Chamber, VERBATIM: “Celebrate our Nation’s Independence on July 3rd & 4th in Pequot Lakes! You’ll find fun activities for the whole family: food vendors, bean bag tournament, kid's activities, music, craft fair, parade, fireworks, and more! You won't want to miss Minnesota’s BEST small town Fourth of July celebration.” SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/42N1STl
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
BIPARTISANSHIP: Via Minnesota House, VERBATIM: “State Representative Mary Frances Clardy (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) has been appointed by the Citizens League to the Minnesota Legislative Exchange (MLE), a first-in-the-nation initiative designed to build trust and forge bipartisan relationships among state legislators . . . Led by the Citizens League, a Minnesota nonpartisan nonprofit focused on civic engagement and public policy solutions, the MLE pairs legislators from opposite political parties to visit each other's districts. The program emphasizes connecting representatives from dissimilar districts across geography, culture, politics, and demographics.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4idXdhX
PHARMACIES: Via news release from the Attorney General’s office, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Ellison joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in sending a letter to congressional leadership urging them to pass an act that would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning or operating pharmacies.” QUOTE: “PBMs were supposed to help lower drug costs by negotiating rebates and bulk discounts with prescription drug manufacturers and passing the savings along to consumers," said Attorney General Keith Ellison. "Instead, the PBMs themselves are pocketing the savings they generate and passing high drug costs along to consumers. This is unacceptable, and it is just the beginning of the issues PBMs cause. Right now, PMB-affiliated pharmacies are causing serious harm by, among many other things, using their power and leverage to drive independent pharmacies out of business. This is particularly harmful to folks in Greater Minnesota who generally have fewer pharmacy options to choose from.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jdMcyo LETTER: https://fluence-media.co/4lDkfBQ
CUTS: Via Minnesota Department of Human Services, news releases about roundtable discussions in Rochester and Mankato about proposed federal cuts. VERBATIM: “Changes proposed in the U.S. Congress to Medicaid and health care funding could result in $880 billion in cuts nationwide to health care programing that benefit 1.3 million Minnesotans. While specific proposals have yet to be unveiled, state estimates show that Minnesota could lose as much as $1.6 billion annually in federal support for health care programs serving a wide swath of Minnesotans, including children, those who are pregnant, seniors and people with disabilities.” ROCHESTER: https://fluence-media.co/3Eke9p4 MANKATO: https://fluence-media.co/4ilGWHv
Subscribe to other Fluence newsletters: https://fluence-media.co/TheDailyAgenda
NEXT MONTH: From Fergus Falls-based Otter Tail via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR) will issue a news release announcing first quarter 2025 financial results after the stock market closes on Monday, May 5, 2025 and will host a live conference call and webcast on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. CT to discuss the corporation’s financial and operating performance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lD1MoY
NEXT MONTH: Via Eden Prairie-based SunOpta, VERBATIM: “SunOpta Inc. (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY), an innovative and sustainable manufacturer fueling the future of food, today announced that the Company will issue financial results for the first quarter ended March 29, 2025 after the markets close on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y4pnod
JUNE: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “After more than 30 years, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes are still Jay and Silent Bob. They've played the foul-mouthed stoner and his (mostly) silent friend in eight movies, starting with Smith's breakthrough film, Clerks. They'll bring their decades of film nerd-dom to use ‘their mouths on you for money’ this summer during Jay & Silent Bob's Aural Sects Tour, which will stop by the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on June 19.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RT53CE
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FURNITURE: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “Andy Weld attributes much of the success of his custom millwork and furniture company to his passion for drumming. A self-proclaimed tinkerer, Weld spent his youth posted up inside his parents’ Iowa garage taking apart old drum shells—modifying, cutting, drilling, and refinishing—which ultimately led him to his first business, Rovan Hand Crafted Drums.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4ifUTa0
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