Make Me Smart

The economic ripple effects of ICE in Minnesota

ICE may have wound down its operations in Minnesota, but the state is still facing the economic consequences of Operation Metro Surge. This has fueled concerns that an eviction crisis could take hold, particularly in the Twin Cities. On today’s show, Kimberly joins MPR News correspondent Dana Ferguson in St. Paul, Minnesota to discuss measures the state legislature is taking to provide economic relief to renters, and what life has been like since she last checked in with us on “Make Me Smart.”

The ski industry squeeze

As prices have risen over the past decade, snow sports have gotten farther and farther out of reach for many Americans. And this has big implications not just for the ski-inclined, but also for the workers and local businesses that rely on steady ski area traffic. On today’s show, Kimberly talks with University of Waterloo professor and sustainable tourism expert Daniel Scott about what’s driving up the cost of snow sports and how the effects of climate change are shaping the future of the industry.

The big money in the Texas primaries

This week’s Texas primary elections were heated — and historic in terms of campaign spending. On today’s show, Blaise Gainey, state politics reporter for The Texas Newsroom, joins Kimberly to share his election takeaways and the economic issues that brought voters out to the polls. Plus, what does the Texas Railroad Commissioner have to do with oil and gas? And, we’ll pit Texas icons against each other during a round of This or That.Here’s everything we talked about today:"Winners, losers and runoffs: How Texans’ November ballot is shaping up after the primaries" from KUT News "Across Texas, early voters share what’s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries" from KUT News"Big money moved the needle and down-ballot chaos reigned in Texas' action-packed primaries" from The Texas Tribune"Bo French, Jim Wright head to runoff for seat on Texas Railroad Commission" from The Texas Tribune"Big Red Is Texas Barbecue’s Unofficial Signature Soda" from Texas Highways"Why Topo Chico Is The Fizzy Water With A Loyal Fan Base" from Southern LivingWe love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The Trump administration scrapped the endangerment finding. Now what?

The endangerment finding paved the way for federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, and power plants. Now that the Environmental Protection Agency has repealed the finding, the future of U.S. climate policy is in limbo. Marketplace’s Amy Scott joins Kimberly to explain what the repeal could mean for the auto industry, American consumers, and the United States’ place in the global transition to clean energy.

The U.S., Iran, and the rise of drone warfare

As war in the Middle East widens, it’s become clear that drones now play a fundamental role in global conflict. They’ve changed the way wars are fought—and how much they cost. On today’s show, Kimberly talks with Sarah Kreps, director of the Tech Policy Institute in the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy, about how drone technology has evolved over the years, how the rise of drone warfare has changed the way global conflicts play out, and what that means for civilians.Here’s everything we talked about today:"Iran strike marks first time U.S. used new one-way attack drones in combat" from Task and Purpose "Iran Fires Cheap Drones Into Arab Countries, Wreaking Havoc" from The New York Times"How are Drones Changing War? The Future of the Battlefield" from the Center for European Policy Analysis "America’s Eroding Airpower" from the Center for New American Security Obama’s Final Drone Strike Data from the Council on Foreign Relations  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.