Six minutes of news from around the nation.

One dead and 5 wounded after a mass shooting inside Louisiana's largest shopping mall; Report: PA still has time to capture billions in federal solar tax credits; ND's 'People's Session' reflects frustration with targeted laws; Online child safety advocates: App store age checks aren't the solution.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service daily newscast for April the 24th, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

First to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where a 17-year-old is dead, five others injured, following a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana Thursday afternoon.

WAFB in Baton Rouge reports the shooting happened around 1.22 p.m.

Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Moore said two groups of people got into an argument inside the food court and started shooting at each other. added, unfortunately, there were some innocent people who were in the area that might also have caught some rounds.

The victims include three seniors from Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette.

Meantime, researchers say Pennsylvania still has time to capture billions in federal solar incentives, but they're close to slipping away.

Solar capacity has grown sixfold since 2019, but expansion is still needed to maximize Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.

According to the Keystone Research Center's Use It or Lose It report.

Economist Stephen Herzenberg with Keystone Research Center says most projects awaiting grid connection are solar and maintaining momentum is key to avoiding electricity shortages and price spikes.

He says Pennsylvania needs commercial and grid-scale projects to capitalize on federal tax credits established in 2022 before they expire.

If Pennsylvania organizes a successful fire drill to maximize federal tax credits for solar, we can bring $2.5 billion in tax credits and over $8 billion in total investment into the state.

Hertenberg explains completing just half of the projects already queued for grid connection would add 6.5 gigawatts of solar, tripling the state's already growing capacity.

Danielle Smith reporting.

And folks in North Dakota who feel left out of major actions impacting everyday life are getting a welcoming tone from organizations who see a disconnect between state policy and what residents want.

This Saturday in Bismarck, several advocacy groups will host the second annual People's Session.

Organizers say attendees will gain skills to elevate their voice at a grassroots level.

The inaugural event stemmed from the 2025 legislative session and this year's gathering focuses on crafting a policy vision before state lawmakers reconvene in 2027.

Dalton Erickson with the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition says it's puzzling why certain issues get attention at the Capitol.

Some of the laws regarding like the LGBTQ community, most people in the state think that the government should just leave people alone, and yet they're spending tons of time attacking these minority groups.

A poll from last year showed most North Dakota voters favor same-sex marriage and would oppose any push to overturn such protections.

Erickson feels there are too many well-resourced national groups, namely on the right, capturing the ear of North Dakota lawmakers, compelling them to pursue unpopular ideas.

I'm Mike Moen.

This is Public News Service.

A coal plant in West Michigan was set to shut down last May, but nearly a year later it is still running.

Critics say residents are paying the price.

Just a week before the J.H. Campbell plant in Ottawa County was scheduled to close.

Federal officials issued what was supposed to be a short-term 90-day order to keep it online.

That order has now been extended three times and environmental groups contend it's harming nearby communities through toxic air emissions and high utility bills.

Greg Wainier, an attorney with the Sierra Club, says the issue raises questions about how the Department of Energy's power is being used.

The DOE is abusing authority, what's really supposed to be an emergency authority, to try to achieve a long-term political, like a policy objective.

So it's a misuse of emergency authority.

According to the Clean Air Task Force, the plant's emissions are tied to dozens of deaths along with heart attacks and asthma cases each year.

However, supporters of the extension's counter the plan is needed to help ensure a strong and reliable power grid.

This story was produced with original reporting from Melissa Burr for the Michigan Independent.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Next, some child safety advocates say that App Store age checks are not a solution to protect kids from online harms.

Introduced federal legislation like the App Store Accountability Act and similar measures would require operators like Google Play and Apple to verify a user's age and get parental consent before a minor can make a purchase.

Karen Samuel with the nonprofit Connect and Protect says kids can find a way around mobile app restrictions by simply using a gaming console or their laptop's browser.

Kids need to be safe online as they need to be safe offline.

And we don't want to screw that up by bad legislation that doesn't make any sense.

The bills would require everyone, no matter their age, to upload a passport or driver's license to prove their identity.

I'm Katherine Carley.

Finally, a Georgia program that guides high school seniors to college is getting funding to further its work.

A grant initiative from Lumina Foundation is providing over $3.5 million to help states and institutions simplify the journey from high school to college.

Scott Lingrell, project lead for Georgia's Career Navigator Project, says the Georgia Match program has already changed the game for high school seniors.

There's a group of students that didn't ever go to college, and now we expect because they're going to be admitted so directly that more students will go to college because now they know very quickly and they know the institutions for which they're eligible.

Lingrell says over the last three years, enrollment in the program has grown dramatically, well ahead of the national average.

Support for this reporting is provided by Lumina Foundation.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

This is by Clifford for Public News Service.

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