Make Me Smart

Dana Ferguson, Minnesota political correspondent who covers state politics and community impacts, discusses lingering effects of ICE operations on the Twin Cities. She talks about economic fallout and rent struggles. She outlines state legislative relief proposals and the eviction moratorium debate. She describes community vigilance, mutual aid responses, and how daily life has changed.

Daniel Scott, a University of Waterloo professor who studies sustainable tourism and climate impacts on winter sports, explains why skiing feels pricier. He discusses consolidation and season-pass mechanics. He covers how industry shifts affect local jobs, snow shortages, crowding, and who can still afford winter sports.

Blaise Gainey, a state politics reporter for The Texas Newsroom and KUT in Austin, breaks down this week’s heated Texas primaries. He highlights record campaign spending and how runoffs can flip outcomes. He explains the Railroad Commission’s surprising influence on oil and gas policy. Plus a playful round comparing Texas icons and regional food favorites.

Amy Scott, Marketplace climate reporter and How We Survive host, breaks down the repeal of the endangerment finding. She walks through legal history and likely court fights. She explores what the rollback means for automakers, consumer choices, and U.S. standing in the global clean energy shift. She also previews climate solution coverage coming up.

Sarah Kreps, director of the Tech Policy Institute and author on drones and defense policy, explains how loitering kamikaze drones and cheap swarm tactics are reshaping conflicts. She compares U.S. and Ukraine use, outlines drone varieties from small commercial models to larger combat systems, and discusses cost, ethics, AI involvement, and whether drones prolong or change warfare.

Carly Berlin, a Vermont-based housing reporter for VTDigger and Vermont Public, covers homelessness, housing policy, and local solutions. She discusses Vermont’s acute housing shortage and what drives rising costs. She explains proposed Act 250 reforms to speed building and a catalog of preapproved home designs to fast-track construction. Light local culture chat rounds out the conversation.

Kai Ryssdal, public radio host and Marketplace journalist known for explaining economic policy, returns to unpack the Supreme Court ruling and Trump's new global tariff. He breaks down the court's reasoning, the messy issue of who might get tariff refunds, how the Section 122 global tariff works, and why businesses and small manufacturers are feeling the pain.

Declan Farmer, a three-time Paralympic gold medalist in sled ice hockey, explains sled hockey gear, rules, and how players move from a sled. He recalls starting the sport young and rising to elite competition. He discusses Team USA vs Canada rivalry, growing Paralympics visibility, finding local adaptive programs, and the financial struggles many Paralympians face.

Anna Pope, agriculture and rural affairs reporter covering Oklahoma and the Great Plains. She walks through wildfires damaging ranches and livestock, shrinking federal agricultural staff and worries about hunger data, and why rising beef prices are a rare bright spot for ranchers. Short takes include how high beef prices are used and how wildfire frequency is changing life in cattle country.

Arielle Zients, KFF Health News rural health correspondent based in South Dakota, covers rural hospitals, Medicaid, and health policy. She explains the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program and its funding formula. Short-term Medicaid cuts versus long-term transformation, impacts on maternity and emergency care, telehealth and experimental tech, and local workforce and service solutions are discussed.