646 877 0010

Robotaxi expansion has accelerated rapidly heading into 2026, with service expanding from early hubs like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta into over a dozen new markets. Waymo is the current leader, having recently launched in Miami and announced 2026 rollouts for Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando, Detroit, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Tesla has begun driverless testing in Austin and has expansion targets in Las Vegas and Miami, while Amazon’s Zoox is scaling up public trials in both Las Vegas and San Francisco. Internationally, the industry is eyeing global hubs, with London and Tokyo marked as high-priority expansion targets for 2026.

646 877 0010

And Happy Holidays!

646 877 0010

646 877 0010

646 877 0010

During the massive San Francisco power outage on December 20, 2024, Waymo did not leave the city permanently but was forced to temporarily suspend its service for approximately 24 hours. The blackout, which disabled traffic signals across 30% of the city, caused Waymo's driverless fleet to stall or move too cautiously at darkened intersections, leading to significant gridlock. In contrast, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system remained "on the road" and largely unaffected; because Tesla relies on vision-based AI trained to handle human-like "edge cases," its vehicles were able to navigate the dead traffic lights and pitch-black streets seamlessly. While Waymo resumed full operations the following afternoon, the event highlighted the current technical divide between Waymo’s infrastructure-dependent safety protocols and Tesla’s more adaptive, vision-only approach.

The Ford Edge is an excellent taxi choice because it prioritizes passenger comfort and interior utility over a cramped third row. Its wide, two-row cabin offers generous legroom and shoulder room, comfortably accommodating three adults in the back—a rarity for many mid-size SUVs. Additionally, with nearly 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, it can easily handle airport luggage or large grocery hauls. Drivers also benefit from its all-wheel drive (AWD) capability, which ensures reliable performance in diverse weather conditions, and a suite of standard safety features like blind-spot monitoring that makes navigating city traffic less stressful.

Located in Duluth, Minnesota, Bentleyville Tour of Lights is celebrated as America’s largest free walk-through holiday light display. Transforming the 20-acre Bayfront Festival Park on the shores of Lake Superior, the event features over five million twinkling lights, including a massive 128-foot animated steel Christmas tree. Visitors can enjoy a nostalgic winter atmosphere with complimentary hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn, and marshmallows for roasting at various fire pits. What began as a private home display by founder Nathan Bentley has grown into a massive community tradition that draws over 300,000 visitors annually and serves as a major collection site for the Salvation Army.

Frandsen Bank & Trust has earned its reputation as a "great little bank" by successfully balancing the high-tech capabilities of a regional institution with the deeply personal touch of a community lender. With over 30 locations across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, they operate under a "people, not protocols" philosophy, giving local bankers the authority to make decisions based on relationships rather than just automated algorithms. This localized approach is paired with significant community investment, such as their "Frandsen Forward" grants and extensive scholarship programs for local high school graduates. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and employee engagement—regularly appearing on "Top Workplace" and "Best-In-State" lists—Frandsen maintains a culture where clients feel like neighbors rather than just account numbers.

What Sets Frandsen Apart:

• Local Decision-Making: Credit and lending decisions are made by bankers who live in the same community, allowing for more flexibility and understanding.

• Community Philanthropy: Notable for the Frandsen Family Foundation, which provides two-year technical college scholarships to entire graduating classes in several rural towns.

• Award-Winning Service: Recognized by Forbes as a Best-In-State Bank and consistently ranked as a top workplace, ensuring a motivated and helpful staff.

• Comprehensive Scale: Despite the "small bank" feel, they offer full-scale wealth management, agricultural lending, and advanced digital banking tools.

Vail Resorts has a flexible refund policy for standard lift tickets, but a much stricter one for season passes. For lift tickets, you can generally receive a full refund for any unused days as long as you request it by 5:00 PM local time on the last day of your ticket. For Ski & Ride School lessons, you must cancel at least 48 hours in advance to get a full refund; cancellations made within 48 hours typically incur a 50% fee.

In contrast, Epic Passes (season passes) are non-refundable by default. Refund eligibility for passes is limited to "Qualifying Personal Events"—such as a documented injury, job loss, or military service—or specific resort closures, all of which are managed through the included Epic Coverage program.

Minnesota House GOP representatives recently sent a formal letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, sharply rebuking Governor Tim Walz for his criticism of federal immigration enforcement. The Republican lawmakers countered Walz’s claims that ICE agents had unconstitutionally detained U.S. citizens during recent "surge" operations in the Twin Cities, which resulted in hundreds of arrests. In their letter, the GOP members expressed strong support for the federal "mass deportation" efforts and accused the Governor of prioritizing political posturing over public safety. They argued that Walz’s rhetoric undermines law enforcement and fails to address long-standing concerns regarding criminal activity and fraud within the state, effectively siding with the DHS’s position that the operations are necessary to remove "violent predators" from Minnesota communities.

A customer tried to pay tonight, but my SumUp solo kept conflicting with the Wi-Fi networks in the neighborhood and it couldn’t connect because they’re all secured and it was trying so it didn’t engage the internal SIM card that always provides 4G Internet.

BLA Rides

 (Brainerd Lakes Area Rides) is a local, family-owned taxi and livery service based in Nisswa, MN, providing reliable transportation across the Lakes Area and throughout Minnesota, perfect for getting around town or to the airport. They're known for community support and offer convenient rides for locals and visitors in that region. 

How to Use BLA Rides:

• Contact: You can find them on Facebook or Nextdoor, with their website being BLARides.com and a contact number often listed as (646) 877-0010.

• Service Area: They serve the Brainerd Lakes Area (BLA) but also operate statewide in Minnesota.

• Type of Service: Taxi/Livery (private car service). 

647 877 0010

646 877 0010

646 877 0010