www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-22 11:43:00
(The Center Square) – Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity announced he is withdrawing from the 2025 Republican lieutenant governor race due to ongoing health complications following heart surgery.
Herrity was one of two candidates for the Republican nomination, and his withdrawal clears the path for conservative talk show host John Reid to become the Republican nominee, finalizing the party’s 2025 statewide ticket alongside Winsome Earl-Sears and Jason Miyares.
Herrity, who underwent heart surgery on March 13, told supporters he would not be able to meet the physical demands of a statewide campaign.
In astatement, he said it would not be fair to the ticket or to donors to continue running and emphasized that his priority was helping Republicans win in November.
Herrity highlighted that his campaign was “less about me and the lieutenant governor position and more about doing well in Northern Virginia so we could elect Winsome Sears as our Governor and reelect Attorney General Jason Miyares.”
He confirmed he would remain on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and continue advocating conservative policies at the local level.
With Herrity’s exit, Republicans have locked in their 2025 ticket: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, Attorney General Jason Miyares seeking reelection and newcomer John Reif running for lieutenant governor.
In astatement, Reid said the GOP now has “an early opportunity to unify behind a historic, solidly conservative, reasonable, and responsible GOP ticket” alongside Sears and Miyares.
Meanwhile, progressive watchdog Clean Virginia released its 2025endorsement list, backing dozens of General Assembly candidates who have pledged not to accept money from regulated monopolies like Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power.
The group says its endorsements reflect a commitment to clean energy, campaign finance reform and greater accountability in how public utilities influence state lawmakers.
Herrity’s exit comes as lieutenant governor candidates reported raising more than $2.4 million so far, and the primary season is just getting started.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Jon Styf | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 12:17:00
(The Center Square) – The Washington Commanders $2.7 billion stadium project touted at a Monday press conference as mainly funded by the team actually includes more than $2.5 billion worth of subsidies, according to the stadium financing blog Field of Schemes.
Neil DeMause, who covers publicly funded stadium projects across the country, published the proposed stadium agreement term sheet while adding up those costs beyond the $500 million through Sports Facilities Fee with a tax capture at the stadium that would be created to pay off bonds, along with $175 million for the parking structure. Events DC, which is partially funded through taxpayer money, will put $181 million toward parking garages on the property and D.C. will pay $202 million for utilities infrastructure, roadways and a WMATA transit study.
DeMause detailed the Commanders’ tax savings, including a $429 million property tax break because the city owns the stadium, $1 a year in rent over the 30-year lease term on federal land where the city has control of development that is estimated to be worth $1 billion.
“This is being sold as one of the smallest public contributions to an NFL stadium on a percentage basis,” DeMause told The Center Square. “But, once you count all of the different subsidies including tax breaks and other things like that. First of all, that’s not even true on a percentage basis but, secondly, this could be the easily the largest public subsidy for any stadium deal in history and the public is set to get nothing back.”
While the district will pay for portions of the stadium project, it will not receive any of the revenue from events at the stadium, stadium naming rights, personal seat licenses or parking on the 180-acre site.
The issue with a city taking revenue from a stadium it owns and paid to build has come up in Ohio with a pair of budget office reports on a proposed $600 million subsidy from the state of Ohio, where the office recommended the “state receive revenue-sharing from events commensurate with our property ownership share.”
Despite the claims from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Commanders co-owner Josh Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at Monday’s press conference, research from economists on stadium projects has consistently shown that those projects do not bring the promised returns to taxpayers.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The article leans toward a Center-Left perspective primarily through its critical framing of the Washington Commanders’ stadium funding. The tone and language emphasize the significant public subsidies and tax breaks involved, highlighting concerns about the burden on taxpayers and questioning the claimed minimal public contribution. The inclusion of expert opinions and references to economic research skeptical of stadium-related public investments further signals a critical stance on government spending that benefits private entities. While the article reports factual details and figures, it selects information and frames it in a way that challenges pro-subsidy arguments, a common theme in Center-Left critiques of public funding for private projects.
www.youtube.com – WTVR CBS 6 – 2025-04-30 06:36:53
SUMMARY: On April 30, 2025, a house fire in Chesterfield displaced three people, with firefighters crediting smoke detectors for saving lives. The fire at 4,800 Poppins Court was controlled in under 15 minutes; no injuries were reported, and the cause is under investigation. Displaced residents are receiving Red Cross assistance. Chesterfield firefighters are promoting “Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters,” encouraging red lights at homes and businesses through May 4 to honor fallen firefighters. Weather in Richmond includes humid conditions with clouds, spotty showers, and isolated afternoon thunderstorms expected today through Friday. Cooler, wetter weather is anticipated starting Saturday.
Top stories and weather in Richmond, Virginia on April 30, 2025
A tech company is stepping in where school buses can’t.
HopSkipDrive, a national ridesharing company focused on “safety, equity and care,” is expanding its supplemental school transportation services to Virginia Beach — aiming to help students with complex needs get to class while creating new job opportunities for local drivers.
The company’s network of “CareDrivers” — highly vetted caregivers trained to provide transportation in communities with unique challenges, such as students experiencing homelessness, in foster care or with disabilities — has already been operating in Northern and Central Virginia, and other parts of the country.
“Transportation should never be a barrier that keeps the student from accessing their education, and we’re committed to removing those obstacles,” said Cindy Hamilton, a spokeswoman for HopSkipDrive. “We’re really committed to removing those obstacles, and we’re glad to be able to do so now in Virginia Beach.”
The company also announced in February that wheelchair-accessible vehicles would become available in Northern Virginia, with plans to expand that offering to other cities nationwide for the 2025-26 school year.
School districts typically arrange the service directly through the company.
Shortly after HopSkipDrive’s establishment in 2019, Virginia began seeing its list of bus drivers dwindle following the pandemic. Some of the reasons for the decline include low pay and an increase in driver retirements. The company also found that many drivers contracted COVID-19 or left for jobs in the private sector.
The company surveyed schools nationally about the bus driver shortage and found little improvement. About 91% of respondents reported the shortages had constrained their school transportation operations, an increase from the 88% in 2022.
According to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the rate of unfilled bus drivers has decreased to 8.7% this school year, compared to 13.6% during the 2021-22 school year.
CareDrivers has also provided opportunities for people living in and around partnership schools. Drivers include parents, grandparents, nurses and former teachers, to name a few.
“Caregivers who tell us they choose to drive with HopSkipDrive do so because of the flexibility it offers and the value of helping kids – or anyone who needs a little extra care – get where they need to go,” Hamilton said.
She said applicants go through a “rigorous” 15-point certification process before driving on the platform and can earn income while creating their own schedules. They also must comply with existing state and local laws and regulations, as well as the platform’s safety features and community guidelines.
“We have designed our platform to be easy to use, enabling CareDrivers in Virginia Beach and across the state to provide safe, reliable rides for students, schools, and families when it works for their schedules,” Hamilton said.
In Virginia, leaders have taken additional steps to help students get to and from school.
Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed into law a proposal carried by Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, to create a two-year pilot program allowing school divisions to explore alternative transportation options. Schools could partner with nearby colleges or private companies to help transport students.
The legislation states that vehicles must comply with state and federal safety regulations and undergo regular inspections. School boards would also be required to hold a public hearing before adopting the program and must submit an annual report detailing ridership, costs, and bus routes to the Virginia Department of Education.
Austin told the Mercury the bill offers another option for schools in rural areas to cut costs while ensuring students are transported efficiently.
Last summer, the VDOE also amended its school bus specifications to state, “smaller capacity fleet vehicles are some options that can be used in conjunction with customary methods to provide a flexible, efficient, and comprehensive public school pupil transportation solution.”
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This content presents a factual and balanced overview of HopSkipDrive’s expansion in Virginia, addressing a practical solution to school transportation challenges. It highlights the company’s efforts to promote safety, equity, and care without framing the issue in a partisan manner. Additionally, it references bipartisan actions, including legislation by a Republican delegate, further reinforcing a neutral stance focused on community and educational benefits rather than political ideology.
