Drivetime with DeRusha

From a DQ tradition to Iran going to war with America to speed cameras proving effective - we break down all the big stories of the day with The Lead and go In Depth with Evan Ramstad of Star Tribune regarding rich neighbors moving out of Minnesota and his findings in his recent Star Tribune piece!

Another hour of DriveTime and we begin with the new session - you get to pick one piece of legislation, big or small to pass in this new session - what would it be and Tane Danger joins Jason to preview a couple big shows coming up next weekend and how these shows came to be! Finally, Jason shares his experience briefly of his flat tire up north!

You never know what to expect when your name gets dropped over the weekend - well one person had his name dropped on the Pivot podcast featuring Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway - so we replay the name drop and how it led to them coming to Minneapolis and surrounding Twin Cities area where there will be a couple comedy shows for charity and Tane recaps what that was like, how he connected with Kara and preview what you can expect on these shows!

With the new session a couple weeks in - we learn that Ann Rest wants cursive handwriting implemented back in schools - so we let you, the listeners weigh in on this - what could or would you change about Minnesota - parking, liquor sales, and more - the answers vary!

We begin the show with reaction to this past weekend’s military strikes in Iran and then get some recap and in-depth perspective of this from an Iranian professor with the University of Minnesota!

To future get a point of view on this matter taking place in the Middle East - we turned to Parham Alaei with the University of Minnesota and is originally from Iran. He describes the harsh realities of what had taken place with protests, murders and his reaction to this weekend’s strikes!

In the wee hours of Saturday morning it was announced that America was back in the saddle of war as strikes rained down on Iran. Amid this chaos of Iran delivering counterstrikes to Israel and US forces across the Middle East - there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the President not having a Congressional vote on this situation - so should he have done it first - or maybe was it redundant that Congress would give the thumbs up!

This week, we’re diving into one of our favorite topics, aliens. While extraterrestrial life is often thought of as a sort of fringe topic, two U.S. presidents have recently been talking about them, so we had to get in on the fun. We’re also going to get a bit darker than usual this week with some talk about death. Featuring audio from WWJ Newsradio, Tommy Tucker out of WWL and the Dana & Parks Show out of KMBZ.

The full episode of Drivetime with DeRusha for February 27th, 2026. Guests include Speaker Lisa Demuth, DFL Leader Representative Zack Stephenson, Jim Schowalter and Heather Rule

The third hour of Drivetime with DeRusha. Blois Olson and Lindsey Brown in studio on this Friday for Jason DeRusha and Dan Cook on Drivetime with DeRusha. Blois and Lindsey touch on the Olympic men’s hockey team controversy. Heather Rule stops by to talk about the Minnesota Frost resuming their season. Finally, the show wraps with a discussion about the most formative of food traumas.

Blois Olson in for Jason DeRusha. He is joined by Heather Rule to discuss the state of women’s hockey and the Minnesota Frost. Blois asks what the state of women’s hockey is after the following another successful Olympics. Blois is a fan of the PWHL and speaks to the growth and access he’s seen from the league. Heather shares some roster updates for the Minnesota Frost as Olympians return with more than gold medals around their neck. The Frost have struggled down the stretch in the last couple years, Heather notes that the Frost are working towards a different culmination of the regular season this year. Blois asks how the players feel about the unique PWHL ownership model and the longevity potential this league has versus those in the past. Heather Rule is an award-winning freelance sports journalist who covers the Minnesota Frost and Minnesota Wild. Find Heather’s work at https://writtenruleofsports.substack.com/

Blois Olson and Lindsey Brown in studio on this Friday for Jason DeRusha and Dan Cook on Drivetime with DeRusha. To begin the hour Blois chats with Jim Schowalter about the budget forecast for the state of Minnesota. Lindsey brings the bangers as always and Blois asks the listeners to share their Twin Cities clubbing stories from their 20’s.

Jim Schowalter is the former MMB Commissioner. He joins Blois Olson to discuss the budget forecast for the state of Minnesota. Blois asks about the relevance of macroeconomic trends/data like GDP and unemployment numbers. Jim says that the employment numbers are concerning for the future and that the numbers are a little weaker than last year. Blois references some economic factors he noticed during the Great Recession and asks Jim about the operationality of the budget team. They also discuss the uncertainty around the gubernatorial race/potential elect and how its impacting the state government now.

Blois Olson and Lindsey Brown in studio on this Friday for Jason DeRusha and Dan Cook on Drivetime with DeRusha. After setting up the show, Blois embarks on a conversations with Speaker Lisa Demuth and DFL Leader Representative Zack Stephenson following the budget forecast for the state of Minnesota.

Speaker Lisa Demuth and DFL Leader Representative Zack Stephenson join Blois Olson who’s in for Jason DeRusha. Blois asks Speaker DeMuth about her takeaways from today’s budget forecast for the state of Minnesota. Speaker DeMuth speaks to the structural imbalance and how its necessary to rein in spending and avoid overtaxation of Minnesotans. Representative Zack Stephenson also joins to give his reactions to the budget forecast. Blois asks about DFL priorities in the supplemental budget and the federal government’s place in addressing state level fraud.

The full Drivetime with DeRusha show for February 26th, 2026. Guests include Gloria Perez, Dawn Southworth and Will Rolf.

Jason and Lindsey sift through some of today’s headlines for DeRush Hour which includes Governor Tim Walz’s comments on the anti-fraud package moving through Minnesota’s legislature, the number of ICE agents left in Minnesota as Operation Metro Surge powers down and FedEx’s potential plan to reimburse customers for tariffs. For the In Depth segment, Will Rolf joins Jason to talk about a new special he’s offering at Sweeney’s Saloon. If a Republican and Democrat come in together they can get a Poor Man’s Special on the house which features new options every day. Jason asks about Will’s inspiration for the idea, Will speaks to the tonic that sharing a meal can have over political tensions between parties. Sweeney’s Saloon is located on Dale Street in Cathedral Hill. Jason and Lindsey talk about a SportsCenter clip featuring an anchor struggle to pronounce Minnesota city names and get into hockey slang. Jason wraps the show with some thoughts on the vacant space that Target left behind in downtown Minneapolis.

Jason and Lindsey sift through some of today’s headlines which includes Governor Tim Walz’s comments on the anti-fraud package moving through Minnesota’s legislature, the number of ICE agents left in Minnesota as Operation Metro Surge powers down and FedEx’s potential plan to reimburse customers for tariffs. For the In Depth segment, Will Rolf joins Jason to talk about a new special he’s offering at Sweeney’s Saloon. If a Republican and Democrat come in together they can get a Poor Man’s Special on the house which features new options every day. Jason asks about Will’s inspiration for the idea, Will speaks to the tonic that sharing a meal can have over political tensions between parties. Sweeney’s Saloon is located on Dale Street in Cathedral Hill.

For the In Depth segment, Will Rolf joins Jason to talk about a new special he’s offering at Sweeney’s Saloon. If a Republican and Democrat come in together they can get a Poor Man’s Special on the house which features new options every day. Jason asks about Will’s inspiration for the idea, Will speaks to the tonic that sharing a meal can have over political tensions between parties. Sweeney’s Saloon is located on Dale Street in Cathedral Hill.

Jason DeRusha in studio with Lindsey Brown filling in for Dan Cook. To open the program, Jason talks about his new intern he’s working with and how he spent the unpaid internship period of his life. Jason and Lindsey then wade into the pajamas at the airport controversy following a tweet from the Tampa Bay airport. Dawn Southworth from Grand View Lodge joins to talk about the De’Vine Wine Weekend slated to included Jason’s appearance. Finally, Lindsey continues to make a case for Jason to watch Heated Rivalry.

Dawn Southworth the Managing Director at Grand View Lodge joins Jason for DeRusha Eats to preview a big weekend up North for the wine crowd. Dawn provides some details about the weekend slate of events, how you can still get a reservation and hints at a “celebrity” appearance.

Jason DeRusha in studio with Lindsey Brown filling in for Dan Cook. To open the program, a discussion about Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his relationship/influence with President Donald Trump. Then, Jason weighs in on the city of Champlin’s decision to fly the old Minnesota state flag. Gloria Perez from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota stops by to share some updates to fundraising efforts supporting our community. Jason wraps the hour with a discussion about an Inspector General for the State of Minnesota.

The Women's Foundation of Minnesota President & CEO Gloria Perez joins Drivetime with DeRusha to discuss the ten million dollars that was raised by thirty two different organizations and given to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota to facilitate to those in need under Operation Metro Surge. Gloria shares some of the organizations they’re working with and some of the communities/areas they’re supporting during this difficult time. She also speaks to the level of work that will be needed to be done to rebuild our community.

How to psychologically give up a bad habit at Lent or any other time with Dr. Judy O of supercharged life podcast with Tommy Tucker at WWL and more.

The full episode of Drivetime with DeRusha for February 25th, 2026.

Jason and Lindsey sift through some of today’s headlines which includes last night’s State of the Union, a Minnesota influencer catching hell and the 2026 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jason chats with Blois Olson to talk about the Minnesota political scene as well as last night’s State of the Union address. Finally, Jason and Lindsey talk about what they’ve had ENOUGH of.

Jason and Lindsey sift through some of today’s headlines which includes last night’s State of the Union, a Minnesota influencer catching hell and the 2026 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jason chats with Blois Olson to talk about the Minnesota political scene as well as last night’s State of the Union address.

Jason poses the question: what’s the worst thing about being an adult? Lindsey wonders about the necessity of taxes. They then touch on the controversial United States Men’s Hockey Team. Then, Lisa Radzak from WithAll stops by the studio to talk about the prevalence of eating disorders and WithAll’s partnership with Olympic Champion Jesse Diggins.

Lisa Radzak from WithAll, an organization focused on “Helping young people feel good in their bodies and with food”. Lisa shares some information on the prevalence of eating disorders especially amongst athletes. She and Jason talk about WithAll partnering with Jesse Diggins and how they’re looking to help people. https://withall.org/

Jason DeRusha in studio with Lindsey Brown filling in for Dan Cook. To open the program Jason discusses President Trump’s State of the Union Address and his support for Rep. Ilhan Omar’s in-chamber dissent. Jason interacts with and gets their thoughts. Tracy Perlman makes her weekly appearance on the show.

Tracy Perlman is the Director of Communications and Marketing for Grand Casino Arena and the Saint Paul RiverCentre. She joins Drivetime every Wednesday at 3:35pm. They begin with a discussion about how great the Olympics are and opine about potential pricing for LA28. Tracy declares that she is firmly Team Aldi in the grocery wars. They go through some topics Jason asked ChatGPT to conjure.

Jason reacts to the feds want to stop the start/stop thing in your car, he chats up Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management Director Eric Taubel about the latest delays in THC Seltzer testing, plus he wonders what movies/tv shows you've walked out on, and we have DeRush Hour Headlines.

Jason talks with the Director of the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management Eric Taubel about the latest delays in THC Seltzer testing, looking for new cannabis testing facilities, the similarities of food testing, facing a lot of ambiguity at the federal level, and more.

This hour Jason wonders if Minnesota really is heading in the wrong direction, we have winners in the "Name a Snowplow" contest, and Jason is joined by Kitchen and Rail Co-Owner Joe Newhouse on DeRusha Eats.

This hour Jason kicks off the hour by wondering what you think of the current state and direction of Minnesota.

On this episode of DeRusha Eats, Jason is joined by Kitchen and Rail Co-Owner Joe Newhouse as they discuss opening a second location, opening during challenging times, their tribute to "Mort's Deli", what makes a good pastrami sandwich, having an "approachable menu" and more.

This hour Jason wonders if Minnesota is still a good place to raise a family, and why there is a separation of metro vs. rural Minnesota, and he discusses tonight's State of the Union with Political Commentator Chris Cillizza, and he's joined by Vineeta Sawkar from Florida.

This hour Jason wonders if Minnesota is still a good place to raise a family, and why there is a separation of metro vs. rural Minnesota.

Jason talks with Political Commentator Chris Cillizza about tonight's State of the Union, how people consume it, how media has changed, why everything is politically coated, and more.

This hour Jason discusses the city of Anoka's situation after the failed Northstar commuter rail and why that could be a net positive, he chats up Dave Schwartz about the Gold Medal winning United States Men's and Women's Hockey teams, plus we have the DeRush Hour Headlines.

Jason chats up Dave Schwartz about the fantastic Winter Olympics for the United States Men's and Women's Hockey teams, why the NHL has historically not been able to take advantage of it, Dan Cook not wanting to partake in "forced fun", Mike Tirico's ability and more.

Jason chats up Anoka Mayor Eric Skogquist about how the failed Northstar commuter rail could actually be a positive, why the Amtrak Empire Builder would be a great fit, how investments work with each and more.

This hour Jason wonders if people have an issue with FBI Director Kash Patel partying with the US Men's Hockey team after their Gold Medal win, we get more reaction about Donald Trump's phone call to the US Men's Hockey team, and Jason reacts to longtime KARE 11 Meteorologist Belinda Jensen is calling it a career.

Jason wonders why people are getting upset at Donald Trump's phone call to the United States Men's Hockey Olympic Team, and he talks about the Minnesota Frost influence with General Manager Melissa Caruso and how the PWHL can build off this momentum and more!

Jason kicks off the show by wondering if people really want to send them all back, and do we have to reallocate sources to find some sort of amnesty, and more.

Jason talks with Minnesota Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso about the big Gold Medal win for the United States Women's Hockey team, do the recent actions by the Trump administration and the Men;s team damper the win, the self made promotion for the PWHL,do getting support from the Men's Team.

It was a shortened show today because we finally have Twins baseball in Ft. Myers! We begin the show discussing the latest with the SCOTUS ruling with Trump’s tariff proposal, play a game of Card DeSharks, Brooks Lee and Ty McDevitt join to talk Twins-Gophers and Gavin Kaysen stops by to talk food as well as we put a bow on DriveTime LIVE from Ft. Myers at Twins Spring Training!

In the final hour of the shortened show today we play a game of Card DeSharks, chat with Gavin Kaysen and send you all off with a big thank you for this week of DriveTime at Spring Training!

The last couple of months has greatly affected the restaurant industry and we talked to Gavin Kaysen about where people are at now, the recovery of these businesses going forward and truly the impact the ICE presence had and continues to have on the food service industry in Minneapolis and surrounding areas!

What is better than Card DeSharks? Playing Card DeSharks at Minnesota Twins Spring Training! We put Scott up against Emmy to see who wins a $50 Jester Concepts Gift Card!