Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Trump ousts Kristi Noem from DHS; Rural CA community colleges deploy AI to keep students on track; Algae-powered concrete earns University of Miami project top prize; As Ukraine war lingers, ND sponsors press for speedy work approvals.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service daily newscast, March the 6th, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Donald Trump Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary, Christy Noem, after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration's immigration crackdown and disaster response.

The AP notes Trump, who said he would nominate Oklahoma GOP Senator Mark Wayne Mullen in her place after Noam faced a two-day grueling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.

And the House voted down an effort Thursday to halt the war against Iran and forced Trump to go to Congress for authorization as a small bloc of Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in delivering an early sign of support for the war in the Middle East.

Meantime, a new artificial intelligence platform called KALI is now helping to keep up to 20,000 students on track at three rural northern California community colleges.

The California Student Aid Commission is funding the pilot program that serves Butte College, College of the Redwoods and Lassen College.

Kevin Kelly with the California Community College's Digital Center for Innovation Transformation and Equity says the program can help people file their free application for federal student aid as well as the California Dream Act application.

It will nudge them proactively to say, "Hey, you finished the financial aid form and you received your aid, but you haven't registered for classes yet.

Let's get you started."

Cali was developed by a company called Mainstay.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And concrete is the second most used material in the world, after water.

And the cement industry accounts for roughly 8 percent of global carbon emissions.

Researchers at the University of Miami are tackling that problem by turning algae into a sustainable concrete additive.

They're partnering with an aquaculture lab on the university's campus in Key Biscayne, which grows Florida native algae for research purposes.

Jasmine Rodriguez, a first-year PhD student in civil engineering, says the goal is to significantly reduce concrete's climate impact.

And for her team, it starts with the algae grown just minutes from their lab.

Which we then turn into a biochar which is basically like a charcoal material made of that algae which we can then functionalize which is like chemically treating it in order to make it easier to replace and higher contents of cement.

The challenge, Rodriguez explains, is that replacing too much cement with biochar can compromise concrete strength.

The team is developing techniques to make the biochar more chemically reactive so it bonds better with cement.

The researchers will present their work at the Climate Correction Conference in Orlando from March 10th to 11th.

I'm Tramell Gomes.

While the technology is still in the experimental stage, the long-term goal is to patent their techniques.

This is Public News Service.

Humanitarian groups warn of a crisis stemming from the escalating war in the Middle East.

In a similar plight, North Dakota volunteers say frustrations haven't ended for Ukrainians. the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, local sponsors say they're increasingly fearful people who escaped the violence will wind up back in parts of their home country still seeing armed conflict.

An estimated 500 adults were allowed to find jobs in North Dakota through sponsors under the federal Uniting for Ukraine program.

But Fargo's Michael Southam with FM Volunteers for Ukraine says getting re-approval for humanitarian parole or transitioning to temporary protected status remains difficult.

The delays are unbelievable in processing for their authorization to stay here lawfully and their work authorizations.

These criticisms stretch back to last summer when the Trump administration resumed a re-parole applications.

A court order prompted the program to continue after an application freeze the White House enacted when raising fraud concerns and citing other factors.

I'm Mike Moen.

And Washingtonians are urging lawmakers to preserve Climate Commitment Act funds for their intended use, rather than diverting them to cover the state's budget shortfall.

Passed in 2024, the state's Cap and Investment Program lets major polluters buy emission allowances, funding efforts like environmental justice programs and rebates for electric appliances.

Mike O'Brien with EcoSpark Heat Pump says the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program, which is funded through the law, has made heat pumps accessible to families that would have not been able to afford them otherwise. 

It really helps homeowners, especially moderate-income homeowners, to say, "Hey, for about the same price as a gas furnace, I can now get into a heat pump, be doing the right thing, and have a much more comfortable living experience."

Faced with a budget shortfall of over $4 billion, Governor Bob Ferguson's initial budget proposed taking about $570 million from the Climate Commitment Act to go towards the Working Families Tax Credit.

I'm Isobel Charle.

Finally, Michigan homeowners are feeling the squeeze as insurance costs rise across the country.

Experts say the hike is driven by more severe weather, rising construction costs, and growing damage claims.

Midwestern states like Michigan are seeing higher losses tied to wind, hail, and flooding.

During a recent webinar hosted by the Conversation on Extreme Weather and Home Values, Andy Hoffman, a University of Michigan professor, said rising insurance costs can ripple through the housing market.

Between 2017 and 2023, 26 states saw their property insurance rates go up by 25 percent.

And four states, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah, saw the rates go up by 50 percent or more.

Hoffman says insurers are increasingly worried about so-called secondary perils, including flooding, hail, and severe storms.

Crystal Blair reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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