CITY CASTTwin Cities
City Cast Twin Cities

City Cast Twin Cities

❄️ Can Waymo survive winter?

November 21, 2025 · Special thanks to Anna Weggel and Sean McPherson for editing City Cast Twin Cities this week!

Good morning, Twin Cities! Congrats to Obi Original - musician, producer, and City Cast launch party DJ - for making Racket’s Picked to Click Top 10 list. These are up-and-coming musicians to watch in Minnesota. You can sound super cool at Thanksgiving when you ask your folks, “Hey, have you listened to ...”

What the Cities Are Talking About

A Waymo car driving on the street
A Waymo self-driving car in Atlanta, Georgia. (Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images)

Waymo To Brave Minnesota Winters

Self-driving cars hit the streets of Minneapolis yesterday. But you can’t hail one right now, and they’re not truly driverless yet. They’re starting out collecting data with humans behind the wheel, so it might be months before you can grab a Waymo after a night out. Sorry, St. Paul, you’ll still have to Uber home from the White Squirrel. [Star Tribune]

  • Got snow tires? The big question is how Waymo will fare in the winter, having launched on the dry streets of California and Arizona. When asked what they’ve learned from testing their cars in Michigan’s UP, a Waymo spokesperson directed City Cast to their “snow blog.” Basically, they’ve got an updated, AI-based system for handling harsher weather. [Waymo]
  • A problem for the legislature: Beneath the hype, there’s a potential policy fight brewing. Minnesota doesn’t have specific laws about automated vehicles, but expect pushback from Lyft/Uber drivers as well as unions when Waymo hits the consumer market. Waymo has even hired some local lobbyists. [Axios Twin Cities]
  • Weigh in: Would you ride in a Waymo? We talk about the potentially weird experience of hopping into a robotaxi, only to see another passenger sitting there doing nothing. Reply to this email with your thoughts. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

Also Worth Your Time

Federal raid update: An immigrant rights group confirmed at least two people were detained after the St. Paul Bro-Tex raid on Tuesday. A GoFundMe created by a woman who says her father was detained has raised over $30,000. [Pioneer Press]

“Undoing harm”: Minnesota is launching an ambitious effort to expunge marijuana convictions automatically. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has already cleared more than 57,000 low-level marijuana records. This means thousands of people will have an easier time finding work, housing, and getting loans. [Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder]

Pouring a pint of golden beer
A beer pour at Indeed Brewing Company. (Jerry Holt / Star Tribune / Getty Images)

Mayor-endorsed drinks: Racket’s Nissa Mitchell asked local politicians one hard-hitting question: ‘What’s your favorite beer?” Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey said he enjoys Pryes Miraculum. While St. Paul mayor-elect Kaohly Her doesn’t drink beer, she’ll kick back with Crooked’s Blood Orange Sparkling Tonic. [Racket]

Vax your kids: Minnesota kindergarteners have one of the country’s lowest measles vaccination rates. One factor is the rise of nonmedical exemptions, particularly in private schools. There are 24 confirmed measles cases this year, a record-high for the past 20 years. [Star Tribune]

Real-life medical drama: After the University of Minnesota called a $1 billion deal between Fairview and University of Minnesota Physicians a “hostile takeover,” they’ve gone on a firing spree. It’s a hard-to-follow bureaucratic battle involving Attorney General Keith Ellison, but we break it down on today’s show. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Star Tribune]

What to Do

Friday, November 21

Saturday, November 22

Sunday, November 23

More Twin Cities Events

Twin Cities Job Board

More Twin Cities Jobs

I’m on a mission to visit six holiday markets over the next two weekends to find the top three. 🧑‍🎄 Reply to this email and let me know your favorite!

— Tiffany

Free · Daily

More from City Cast Twin Cities

Read latest