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.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the withdrawal of over $39 million in federal funding for Virginia’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port (Fairwinds Landing) and terminated $20 million for the Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) Offshore Wind Development Project. Duffy criticized these as “wasteful wind projects” diverting resources from shipbuilding. Local officials and Virginia lawmakers oppose the cuts, emphasizing the projects’ benefits to maritime infrastructure, shipbuilding, and offshore wind efforts like Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Despite federal setbacks, Virginia continues to support offshore wind as part of a diverse energy strategy amid an energy crisis.
On Friday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port, otherwise known as the Fairwinds Landing renovation project in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region, would have its over $39 million in federal funding withdrawn. Work has already begun on that project. He also announced the termination of $20 million for the Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) Offshore Wind Development Project, which has already been spent.
“Wasteful wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing America’s maritime industry,” Duffy said in the announcement. “Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry.”
It is not clear how much of that funding for the Fairwinds Landing project has been spent already and how much would have to be returned to the federal government. A representative for the Norfolk Economic Development Authority said they have supported the effort to request for reconsideration on the cut. They also said the project will positively support the local economy and the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding needs.
“Our revised project scope of work, which was submitted to the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) in mid-August in response to their request, will help restore America’s maritime dominance by focusing on rebuilding America’s shipbuilding and maritime industrial base in line with MARAD’s current priorities. We look forward to working with MARAD to utilize the (Port Infrastructure Development Program) funds at Fairwinds to address critical port upgrades that support its goals,” Mia Byrd Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Norfolk Department of Economic Development said.
The PMT project was billed as an effort to upgrade the terminal to be a staging area for offshore wind infrastructure buildouts, such as the nearly $11 billion Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project that is over halfway completed. The overall PMT project cost $223 million and was completed in March. The federal funds had been awarded in 2022.
“The Port of Virginia has completed the improvements made to Portsmouth Marine Terminal and as a result, the deep-water terminal is fully-functional, ” Port of Virginia spokesman Joseph Harris said. “The federal government’s Port Infrastructure Development Program grant was integral to the success of this project because funds from that program helped offset some of the improvement costs. The PMT project was delivered on-time and on-budget, thus this port has no unobligated federal funds.”
The Dominion project did not have any federal grants, John Larson with Dominion said in the meeting. With the PMT renovations already finished to allow for the staging of pylons for the wind turbines, the project should continue as planned. The 2.6 gigawatt offshore wind project is anticipated to come online in 2026.
“You know, we’re continuing to move forward and focus on the project,” Larson said. “If you look at the president’s comments, he stated that, you know, companies that were doing well with their projects, that were far along, they’re going to take hard reviews. What does that mean?”
At a September 3 meeting, the Virginia Offshore Wind Authority discussed continuing to promote offshore wind projects, despite their newfound unpopularity on the federal level. With Virginia facing an energy crisis, the board said that an “all of the above” approach needs to include offshore wind as part of the puzzle of addressing the state’s needs.
“The political reality is that we need all of them because based on who’s in office, energy projects change. Right now, SMRs and gas are popular, who knows? Next year, it can be back to renewables. We need to be developing all of it,” Virginia Maritime Association Senior Vice President Will Fediw said in the meeting.
Virginia’s federal lawmakers are also weighing in. Democratic Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, along with U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, said the efforts to withdraw funds from the Norfolk project are reckless and impact more than just offshore wind projects, as the funds for the port would have improved the port overall, including for shipbuilding, an industry critical to the nation’s economic and defense sectors.
“If the Administration took the time to learn about the project, it would realize that it is about investing in maritime supply chains and port infrastructure to support not only clean energy but also shipbuilding and ship repair. Stopping this project makes no sense, hurts our economy, and is completely counterproductive to the Administration’s so-called efforts to ‘restore America’s maritime dominance,’” the delegation said in a joint statement. “We will be working with our colleagues in Congress, state officials, and partners in the region to urge the Trump Administration to reverse its decision.”
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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: Center-Right
This content presents a narrative that critiques the Biden administration’s offshore wind funding decisions, emphasizing concerns about wasteful spending and shifting priorities toward more traditional maritime industries like shipbuilding. It features critical quotes from a Trump-era official and highlights Republican framing (“Green New Scam agenda”), indicating a center-right bias. However, it also provides perspectives from Democratic lawmakers and industry representatives supporting offshore wind projects and economic benefits, maintaining a relatively balanced tone overall. The piece leans center-right due to its focus on skepticism toward federal green energy funding under the current administration while acknowledging opposing views.
www.youtube.com – NBC4 Washington – 2025-09-04 12:17:41
SUMMARY: Texts about missed packages or unpaid tolls are common scam tactics designed to steal personal information. These urgent messages pressure recipients to click links or provide credit card details, potentially installing malware. Scammers often mimic legitimate sources, but red flags include unusual email addresses (like Gmail for the Postal Service). To protect yourself, ignore unexpected messages if you aren’t expecting a package or toll, and verify issues directly through official websites or customer service. Avoid engaging with the sender—block and delete the message. Using apps from USPS, FedEx, and UPS can help securely track your deliveries and avoid scams.
Text scams about a package delivery you missed are one of the fastest-growing scams hitting phones now. News4’s Susan Hogan and Consumer Reports tell why not to pay or even click.
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NBC4 Washington / WRC-TV is the No. 1 broadcast television station and the home of the most-watched local news in Washington, D.C. The station leads the market in providing timely and breaking news and information in text, video and graphics across more than 15 platforms including NBCWashington.com, the NBC4 app, NBC4 streaming news channel, newsletters, and social media.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is considering raising academic cut scores for K-12 students, aimed at aligning standards with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Proposed increases—such as raising grade 4 reading proficiency from 400 to up to 449—are intended to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, education leaders and critics urge more transparency and caution, fearing negative impacts on equity, teacher burnout, and graduation rates. The Board of Education expects to approve final cut scores by October 2025, with the changes effective spring 2026. VDOE plans impact analyses and consultation with school divisions before finalizing decisions.
The Virginia Department of Education is facing calls for greater transparency regarding plans to raise academic benchmarks for students.
Education leaders and critics said that while they understand the need to raise expectations, they are concerned that the results of adjusting cut scores — used to determine whether K-12 students are meeting proficiency levels — could negatively impact equitable access to education, lead to teacher burnout, and decrease graduation rates.
Before seeking the Board of Education’s final approval, VDOE stated at the board’s Aug. 28 business meeting that it plans to provide a modeling and impact analysis using this year’s assessment results to determine how each school division would have performed under the proposed recommended cut scores.
The objective, established by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, is to better align the cut scores with the rigor of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to help students improve their thinking skills and use different skills together when solving problems.
The action is part of a larger plan approved by the General Assembly and Youngkin to revise the state Standard of Learning assessments (SOLs) but it has met pushback from some including school division superintendents who say they don’t have enough information about the process.
“Without a thorough understanding of how these cut scores were developed and determined and their impact, our students, parents and educators will not have the transparency needed to fully embrace these new goals,” Scott Brabrand, executive director of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, said at the board’s Aug. 28 business meeting.
During the spring, a standards-setting committee comprising teachers and instructional specialists was established to develop cut-score recommendations for review by the Board of Education in June, with a final decision anticipated in July.
In response, Board of Education President Grace Creasey, a Youngkin appointee, told the Mercury that the work was not completed under the leadership of former superintendent Lisa Coons, who resigned in mid-March.
“The work was never done and that was uncovered,” Creasey said, adding that once the board and agency started the process of setting new standards, they realized “going to look for that work, it hadn’t been done.”
However, Creasey said she believes the board will approve the cut scores no later than October. The board’s subsequent two business meetings are on Sept. 25 and Oct. 23.
The recommended cut scores were presented to the Board of Education on Aug. 28, 2025. (Courtesy of the Virginia Department of Education)
The recommendations
As projected, the standards setting committee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson proposed a significant number of proficiency increases, mostly for reading.
A score of 400 has been the standard for passing the assessments for several years.
However, in grade 4 reading, the committees recommended increasing the proficiency minimum to 444, up from 400. The superintendent recommended raising it to 449. In Algebra I, the committees recommended increasing the proficiency minimum to 445, up from 400. The superintendent recommended raising it to 453.
The updated performance standards will not take effect until spring 2026.
Carol Bauer, president of the Virginia Education Association, said in a statement that the association has been calling on the board “for months” to model how the proposed cut score changes would impact graduation rates. She added that after other states adjusted their cut scores, they found “measurable impacts” and that Virginia can run a similar analysis.
“It’s indefensible that the board refuses to look at the data and it suggests an unwillingness to face the real impact these changes could have on Virginia’s students,” Bauer said.
VASS, in its statement last week, urged the agency and board to publicly share the full methodology, modeling, and impact analysis of the proposed SOL cut score changes before making any final decision.
They also requested that the state hold harmless graduating seniors taking the assessment test this year, considering the proposed higher score requirements. VASS said under the proposed plan to change the scores needed to pass, students who take their exams in the fall might have different score requirements compared to those who take the same tests in the spring.
The association is also asking the agency to clarify the proposed changes to the mathematics SOL test scores, including the number of items that need to be correct to achieve proficiency on each test, and how they align with the recently passed legislation on mathematics placement, and ask that the locally verified credit score of 375 remain in alignment across all grades and courses.
While the agency prepares an analysis for the board and public, Gullickson said school divisions can use last year’s assessment data to draw their comparisons. She said members of the agency will also meet with division leaders to address questions and “really make sure that they understand what the differences are in data, (and) where the supports are needed.”
Gullickson added, “We want to really take in both the requests from the board, requests from public comment, and others who have just said, ‘can we just make sure that this rollout is really thoughtful.’”
Regarding the concerns about the cut scores, Creasey stated that she does not expect the “drastic hits” that are prompting outcry from some education leaders, parents and advocates.
“Former board members continue to beat the drum that if we make these changes, kids are going to fail, they’re not going to pass, they’re not going to graduate,” Creasey said. “I just don’t think that’s the case at the level that has been expressed.”
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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: Center-Left
The article presents a balanced overview of the Virginia Department of Education’s proposal to raise academic benchmarks, highlighting concerns from education leaders and critics about potential negative impacts on equity, teacher workload, and graduation rates. While it notes the initiative aligns with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration (who is generally considered right-leaning), the focus on calls for transparency, the emphasis on equitable access, and the inclusion of critiques from educators and associations like the Virginia Education Association suggest a slight leaning towards progressive educational values and concerns. The tone is methodical and includes perspectives from multiple stakeholders without apparent sensationalism or partisan rhetoric, reflecting a center-left inclination.
