What each side wants in the Homeland Security shutdown standoff

WASHINGTON – TheDepartment of Homeland Securityhas been shut down for more than two weeks,jeopardizing airport security, disaster relief, coastline safety and even pay for members of the Secret Service as they guarded the president during theState of the Union.

The Trump administration sent its latest proposal to Senate Democrats to reopen the agency on Feb. 27, but the negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill have been happening largely behind closed doors.

There's still no end in sightto the funding impasse. Members of both parties have continued talking past each other, at least publicly, in recent days. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters Feb. 25 the Trump administration had yet to start negotiating earnestly about demands to reform federal immigration enforcement.

Another person has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.

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Man fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis. Photos show the scene

Another personhas been fatally shot by federal law enforcementin Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeksafter 37-year-old Renee Nicole Goodwas shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.

Hours later, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, contradicted Murray, pointing to the fact that top administration officials and Senate Democrats were trading paper.

"The White House, I think, has been, in good faith, trying to come to the table and work out some of the differences that the Democrats have," he said, "but in ways that don't jeopardize or undermine the ability of our law enforcement officials to do their jobs, and do them in a way that keeps them safe."

It was an indication of how far apart both sides still remain in the shutdown standoff – the third occasion in PresidentDonald Trump's second term during which funding for the 9/11-era Cabinet agency has lapsed.

Lawmakers and administration officials have indicated thousands of employees are working without pay while some critical functions, including at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Coast Guard, have been scaled back until the shutdown ends. (Immigration enforcement operations have continued as usual.)

Despite those high stakes, the president made sparing mentions of the funding lapse duringhis State of the Union speechon Feb. 24. The lack of attention he brought to the issue underlined just how commonplace shutdowns have become in Washington, especially in the second Trump era.

The longer the situation drags on, the worse it will become. Union leaders for workers at the Transportation Security Administration are already anticipating longer wait times for airline passengers after TSA employees received a fraction of their usual pay on Friday, Feb. 27.

But it doesn't feel like lawmakers are experiencing a critical mass of pressure from their constituents yet to force a deal. And the further away the timeline gets from the fatal shootings of two Minnesotans in January, the more leverage Republicans may sense they have. Washington's attention has already started largely turning away from the politics of immigration enforcement and toward heightened tensions with Iran and Cuba.

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Read more:Why travelers should prep for a DHS shutdown with no end in sight

What Democrats want

Weeks ago, Democrats made 10 central demands to the White House.

Afterthe killing of Alex Pretti, Democrats took a stand to push for a ban on mask-wearing for agents, stricter use-of-force standards and body camera requirements. They also want tightened restrictions around what types of warrants authorize federal officials to arrest people and use force to enter residences. And they want to reestablish a longstanding precedent that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, won't target so-called "sensitive locations" such as schools, hospitals and churches.

"All they have to do is agree with our simple ideas that every police department, just about, in America, follows," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, on Feb. 25. "It's plain and simple."

An incident in Schumer's own state a day after he made those remarks may throw a wrench in the negotiations with the White House. According to administrators at Columbia University in New York City, five federal agents misrepresented who they were – falsely saying they were police looking for a missing child – in order to gain access to a residential dorm. Without a warrant, they thendetained a senior named Ellie Aghayevaover concerns about her student visa. She was released later that day after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a personal appeal to the president.

What Republicans want

Republicans in Congress and the White House are still pushing back on various pieces of Democrats' proposals.

House Speaker Mike Johnsonhas said that appeals for a mask ban and judicial warrant requirements are nonstarters. Face coverings are arguably the biggest sticking point, as Johnson and other GOP lawmakers have said they help prevent federal agents from becoming targets for harassment or threats.

The speaker has, however, indicated an openness to limits on so-called "roving patrols," or random stops of suspicious vehicles, and to bolstering body-worn camera usage. Before the fatal shooting of Pretti by Border Patrol agents upended the bipartisan agreement to fund DHS through the rest of the year, Republicans had already agreed to set aside $20 million for body-worn cameras for immigration enforcement agents.

Schumer's office said Feb. 27 it was closely reviewing the White House's latest counteroffer.

Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Where things stand in the Homeland Security shutdown standoff

byDonna Devi

in

March 01, 2026

What each side wants in the Homeland Security shutdown standoff

WASHINGTON – TheDepartment of Homeland Securityhas been shut down for more than two weeks,jeopardizing airport security,...

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Can you have a gun if you smoke a lot of pot? Supreme Court to decide

WASHINGTON − The Trump administration, which has ardently backed gun rights, will nonetheless try to convince theSupreme Courton March 2 that frequent pot smokerscan be imprisonedfor having a gun.

The Justice Department will make that argument even as the administration ismoving to reclassifymarijuana to a less dangerous category of drugs – and as cannabis is legal in some form in the majority of states.

That's just one of the noteworthy aspects of thecase, the second involving the constitutional right to bear arms that the justices are deciding this year.

Their rulings could clarify the legal test for gun regulations the court created in recent years that has led to a spike in challenges to gun rules. It's also caused much confusion in lower courts as they try to apply the test.

But the justices could sidestep the Second Amendment aspect and decide that the federal law prohibiting an "unlawful user" of a controlled substance from having a firearm is problematic for other reasons. That might limit the reach of the ban to anyone "addicted" to marijuana or any other drug considered dangerous enough to be regulated by the government, rather than also covering the estimated tens of millions of Americans who recreationally use pot and other drugs.

Here's what you need to know.

What is the case about?

The government is defending its prosecution of Ali Danial Hemani, a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan whom the FBI had been monitoring because of his alleged connection to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The government has designated the guard a global terrorist group.

During a 2022 search of his Texas home, Hemani told the agents he had a Glock 9mm pistol and also said he used marijuana "about every other day."

Although the government tried to detain Hemani on more serious allegations of criminal activity, he was charged only with having a gun while being an unlawful user of marijuana. That's a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

How did the lower court rule?

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the gun ban can't be applied to Hemani under theSupreme Court's landmark 2022 ruling that gunprohibitions must be grounded in history that is"consistent with our tradition of gun regulation."

While history and tradition support "some limits on apresentlyintoxicated person's right to carry a weapon," the appeals courtsaid, "they do not support disarming a sober person based solely on past substance usage."

Why is the Trump administration defending the law?

In theother gun rights casethe Supreme Court is considering this term, the Justice Department opposes Hawaii's restrictive rules for guns in public places.

"As I said soon after taking office, the Second Amendment is not a second-class right," Attorney GeneralPam Bondiwrote on Xafter filing a Supreme Court brief challenging Hawaii's law. "My Justice Department will continue to be the most pro-Second Amendment Justice Department in history."

More:Supreme Court skeptical of Hawaii gun law, nicknamed 'Vampire Rule'

But Hemani's case, the government argues, "presents narrow circumstances" where the government can meet the "rigorous burden" imposed when limiting gun rights.

"A person regains his ability to possess arms as soon as he stops habitually using drugs," lawyers for the Justice Department wrote in a filing.

The Brady gun control advocacy group was on the opposite side of the Hawaii case but backs the Justice Department's defense of the federal ban on drug users having guns.

"We have major disagreements with the Trump administration on gun violence prevention," said Douglas Letter, the group's chief legal officer. "That doesn't mean they're always wrong."

Is Trump trying to declassify marijuana?

PresidentDonald Trumphasdirected the Justice Departmentto work on reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance.

"The policy of the United States, it appears, is that cannabis may be useful medicine for some patriotic Americans − while also being the spark that twists ordinary people into maniacs who are primed to attack the police," the libertarian Cato Institute and the Rason Foundation wrote in afilingsupporting Hemani.

The Justice Departmenttoldthe Supreme Court that the purpose of the reclassification is to "facilitate medical marijuana and CBD research" while also continuing to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.

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Still, Heather Trela at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank, said the pending rescheduling "does potentially weaken the federal government's argument of the inherent dangers of cannabis use."

If there are medical uses for a controlled substance, the justices might question whether there's a difference between prohibiting gun ownership for those who smoke pot recreationally versus those who use it medicinally, Trelawrote in a previewof the oral arguments.

How often is the law used?

The goverment says it regularly charges more than 300 people each year with having a gun while being either an unlawful user of a controlled substance or a drug addict. The Justice Department said that provision "plays an integral role" in a set of rules designed to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous or irresponsible people. The Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed in response to the assassinations of President Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

But the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers says the provision of the act at issue is being used less for public safety reasons and primarily as a tool for selective prosecutions, leverage in plea bargains or "as a means of incarcerating otherwise law-abiding citizens when the government's primary theory falls short."

Hemani's case, the association said in a afiling, makes their point. The government couldn't make its preferred charges stick, so the law at issue provided an easy fallback "because both drug use and firearm ownership are ubiquitous features of American life."

How might the case affect gun rules generally?

In its landmark 2022 decisionstriking down New York's lawrequiring residents to have a good reason to obtain a license to carry a handgun, the Supreme Court created a new "historical tradition" test for firearm rules.

That forced a reassessment of perhaps thousands of Second Amendment rights cases around the country, said Eric Ruben, a law professor at Southern Methodist University.

In a 2024 decision upholding a lawbanning domestic abusers from owning guns, the court tried to clarify how close a modern law has to be with a historical one for it to be constitutional.

But the lower courts are still "all over the place in terms of what you're supposed to be analogizing to," Ruben said.

Adam Winkler, a UCLA School of Law professor, said the confusion has opened the door for judges to impose their own preferences. Judges appointed by Democrat presidents are upholding gun laws even when there's weak historical evidence while Republican-appointed judges are striking down laws for lack of a historical "twin" – even though the Supreme Court has said that's not the standard, Winkler said.

"What we've seen is a lot of judicial activism in this space," he said. "The Supreme Court has not provided much helpful guidance."

Could the court avoid ruling on the Second Amendment?

It's possible, however, that the justices could decide Hemani's case without clarifying their constitutionality test for gun rules.

"This case has been billed as the Court's next big Second Amendment battle," Joel Johnson, a former Justice Department attorney who teaches at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, wrote in afilingsupporting Hemani. "But it need not be."

Both Johnson and Hemani's lawyers argue that the "unlawful user" provision of the statute should fall because it's impermissibly vague. The law doesn't say, for example, how much pot you have to smoke, how often and how recently to be barred from having a gun.

"It's simply impossible for an ordinary person to understand what is prohibited," said Brandon Buskey, director of the ACLU's Criminal Law Reform Project. The ACLU is one of the legal groups representing Hemani.

"I think the government position is really confusing the idea of drug use with drug abuse," Buskey said.

The Justice Department says someone has to be an "habitual" user to be banned from having a gun. But that's different from what the government has said in the past and is still undefined, Hemani's lawyers argue.

While the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives long interpreted the law to be triggered by a single drug-possession conviction or failed drug test within the past year, it now wants the test to be a "pattern of ongoing use."

That issue makes it hard to predict how consequential the case could be for further refining when gun regulations can pass constitutional muster, said Winkler, author of "Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America."

"I don't know if the court will find the vagueness off-ramp attractive," Winkler said. "It's possible that the court could rule on vagueness and thus not have any impact on the Second Amendment doctrine whatsoever."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Can you have a gun if you smoke a lot of pot? Supreme Court to decide

byDonna Devi

in

March 01, 2026

Can you have a gun if you smoke a lot of pot? Supreme Court to decide

WASHINGTON − The Trump administration, which has ardently backed gun rights, will nonetheless try to convince theSupreme...

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‘70s Rock Legend Makes Statement After Death of Music Icon

Paul Stanley, the man behind the iconic rock band KISS, joins themusiccommunity as they mourn the passing of the legendary Neil Sedaka.

The 74-year-old frontman commemorated the fellow music icon's legacy by sharing a moving tribute on social media.

In a post on X, he shared a New York Times article announcing Sedaka's death, accompanied by a message honoring the late singer-songwriter as a foundational figure in music.

Moreover, he also highlighted his works, celebrating the timeless impact they had in the industry.

"RIP Neil Sedaka. One of the Brill Building greats responsible for virtually everything on the radio before the "British Invasion". Goffin&King, Mann&Weil, Barry&Greenwich, Sedaka&Greenfield. Hits later showed great songwriting never goes out of style," he captioned his post.

The respectful salute drew responses from fans who were also mourning Sedaka's passing.

"True legend, whose music aged gracefully as he did,"a commenter said.

Fans also recognized Stanley for honoring the passing of a fellow music legend.

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"I believe that a true musician appreciates other types of music even if it isn't their own style. Neil was a great songwriter and keyboard player, whether people like his music or not. Thanks, Paul, for acknowledging him,"one wrote.

OnFriday, the "Calendar Girl" singer passed away at the age of 86.

The news was confirmed by his family, expressing how "devastated" they are by the passing of their beloved husband, father,grandfatherand a "true rock and roll legend."

"Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka," the Sedaka family shared in a statement as cited byPEOPLE."A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed."

Following the family's statement regarding the passing, they are keeping other details private, including Sedaka's cause of death.

Early reports suggested he suffered a sudden medical emergency Friday morning, leading to his being rushed to a hospital by ambulance, according toTMZ, which first broke the story.

Apart from his hit songs like "Oh! Carol" and "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" and others he also wrote songs for other artists, includingConnie Francis' "Stupid Cupid" and "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" as well as Bobby Vee's "Take Good Care of My Baby."

Related: 1970 Classic Was a No. 1 Hit 56 Years Ago Today

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byDonna Devi

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March 01, 2026

‘70s Rock Legend Makes Statement After Death of Music Icon

Paul Stanley, the man behind the iconic rock band KISS, joins themusiccommunity as they mourn the passing of the legenda...

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'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams joins Connor Storrie on 'SNL'

Things are getting "heated" on "Saturday Night Live."

"Heated Rivalry" star Connor Storriemade his "SNL" hosting debut onthe sketch show's Feb. 28 episode, and he wasn't alone: His costar on the wildly popular hockey romance series,Hudson Williams, was also in the building.

Williams appeared early in the episode in a sketch where a couple argues after a surprise proposal in front of the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, only for the man to become distracted by a group of guys gleefully skating around behind them. Williams skated into the sketch and hugged Storrie, drawing cheers from the "SNL" studio audience. "Sorry I'm late, fellas, but I have a serious question: Who's ready to skate their butts off?" Williams asked.

'SNL' cold open:James Austin Johnson's President Donald Trump defends Iran attacks

Later, Williams helped Storrie introduce musical guest Mumford & Sons, and he joined Storrie on stage as the host said goodnight at the end of the episode.

Williams and Storrie star on "Heated Rivalry" as two hockey players who become entangled in a secret, steamy relationship, despite being rivals in the sport. The show has become a sensation since debuting on HBO Max last year, skyrocketing both Williams and Storrie to fame.

In his monologue, Storrie joked that, "Some of you may have seen literally all of me" on "Heated Rivalry," which is filled with graphic sex scenes.

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"It's a show that has taught a lot of people about hockey, and it's taught a lot of straight women that their sexuality is actually gay guy," he said.

See 'Heated Rivalry' stars:Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in photos

On a more serious note, Storrie noted he has "only technically been a professional actor for like six months now" and was working as a waiter before landing "Heated Rivalry." He said he has been "preparing for this for my entire life since I was a 12 year-old obsessed with acting."

'Heated Rivalry' stars in the spotlight:Meet Connor Storrie and Hudson Wiliams

"I really did not know if this would ever to happen to me, and when I got the call that I was going to be on 'SNL,' I honestly cried," he also said.

The Feb. 28 episode marked the "SNL" hosting debut for Storrie. The actor's busy weekend will continue on March 1, when he's scheduled to be a presenter at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Connor Storrie 'SNL' features Hudson Williams 'Heated Rivalry' cameo

byDonna Devi

in

February 28, 2026

'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams joins Connor Storrie on 'SNL'

Things are getting "heated" on "Saturday Night Live." "Heated Rivalry" star Con...

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With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the latest propaganda images to promote the child touted as a potential successor.

State media KCNA said Kim and his daughter – along with Kim Jong Un's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong and other officials – fired the rifles after the North Korean leader gifted them to military leaders to salute their service to the reclusive state's ruling party.

One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl,believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.

In all, North Korea released 27 pictures of the event.

CNN checked four of the photos for signs of manipulation. Only the picture of Kim Ju Ae firing the rifle showed possible use of AI.

Kim specially prepared the gifts of the "new generation sniper's rifle" for the key leaders, calling it "a really wonderful weapon," the KCNA report said.

The shooting-range event came after the conclusion of a congress of the Korean Workers' Party, a largely rubber-stamp political gathering of the nation's elite, where Kim's leadership was reaffirmed by unanimous vote.

At the assembly, Kim Yo Jong was promoted to director of a party department after years in a deputy role, solidifying her standing in the inner circle. Several senior party and military posts were reshuffled, elevating younger loyalists.

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But much of the attention was on Kim's daughter.

Kim Ju Ae stood with her father on the grandstand as he reviewed some14,000 troops goosestepping through Kim Il Sung Square, named after her great-grandfather, in the capital of Pyongyang.

She has also been at her father's side for previous missile tests and other ruling-party events, fueling speculation that she will be the fourth-generation successor to the Kim family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since before the Korean War started in 1950.

In February South Korea's spy agency said it believes the dictator has "entered the stage of nominating her as successor."

There has been no official confirmation from North Korea on the daughter's role, but the image of her purportedly firing the sniper rifle on Friday brought even more attention to her.

"By emphasizing that Kim Ju Ae knows how to fire a rifle, North Korea is hinting that she is undergoing succession training," Yang Mu-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul,told the Chosun Daily newspaper.

Other images appeared to show Kim Ju Ae, wearing a leather jacket, observing through binoculars as her father took a shot, and helping present the rifles to others at the event.

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byDonna Devi

in

February 28, 2026

With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the late...

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Rod Stewart, 81, Performs 'Forever Young' with Daughter Ruby and 2-Year-Old Grandson Otis: 'Three Generations of Stewarts'

Rod Stewart was joined onstage by his daughter Ruby Stewart and grandson Otis during his Feb. 27 show in Florida

NEED TO KNOW

• Ruby, a singer herself, performed "Forever Young" with her dad while her son Otis, 2, held her close

• Ruby is one of Rod's eight children

Rod Stewart's latest show was a bit of a family affair.

As the British singer-songwriter, 81, was performing at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 27, as part of his ongoingOne Last Time Farewell Tour, his daughterRuby Stewartjoined him onstage with yet another special guest: her 2-year-old son,Otis.

Rod's 38-year-old daughter and her little one joined the rocker for a performance of "Forever Young," with Ruby — a musician herself — performing a duet to the '80s track with her father.

Rod and Ruby sang for the Florida crowd as Otis, who sported a pair of noise-canceling headphones, clung to his mother's leg in a clip of the family performance that Ruby shared in anInstagram Storiespost on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Then, Ruby scooped up her son and, during an instrumental break in the song, danced with her father while holding the toddler in her arms. Rod could not seem to stop smiling as he looked on at the mother-son duo.

"Three generations of [Stewarts] one stage…," Ruby captioned the post.

Rod shares Ruby, one of his eight children, with ex-girlfriendKelly Emberg. The self-described "songstress" inherited the music genes from her dad and pursued a career as a singer. She was previously part of country music duo The Sisterhood, which disbanded in 2021, and is currently a solo artist who — like the Friday show — occasionally joins her dad for a performance.

Ruby shares Otis with fiancé Jake Kalic. The coupleannounced their engagementin early 2023 and revealed on social media that they had welcomed their son later that year, on Mother's Day.

"This love… unlike any other love I've ever known," Ruby said of Otis on Instagram at the time. She also shared that the now-toddler was born on May 9 at 3:36 p.m. and weighed in at 8 lbs., 8 oz.

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Ruby has shared occasional glimpses into the family of three's life on Instagram, including marking Otis turning 2 with a special birthday-Mother's Day hybridpostlast year.

"You are two," the proud mom wrote alongside a sweet outdoor photo of the toddler. She went on to list "some of my favorite moments from this last year."

The moments ranged from "hearing you say I love you for the first time" and "seeing you muster up the courage to do things that scare you" to "seeing you hug your friends at school who are crying."

"And in all these moments.. I find myself having current nostalgia… I already miss the day you used to fit in my arms… the days we'd walk holding hands… the mornings I'd wake to you sleeping peacefully between us…," Ruby wrote of the 2-year-old. "One day you will outgrow me… but you will always be my baby… Happy birthday sweet Otis."

Rod's wife,Penny Lancaster, commented on the post, writing, "Best Mothers Day to you and happy 2nd birthday, beautiful Otis (as of two days ago) xx."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In addition to Ruby, the rock legendhas seven other sons and daughters. He shares the eight children with five mothers.

In total, the "Maggie May" crooner is a father to four daughters — Sarah, 62, Kimberly, 46, Ruby, 38, and Renee, 33 — and four sons — Sean, 45, Liam, 31, Alastair Wallace, 20, and Aiden Patrick, 15.

Read the original article onPeople

byDonna Devi

in

February 28, 2026

Rod Stewart, 81, Performs 'Forever Young' with Daughter Ruby and 2-Year-Old Grandson Otis: 'Three Generations of Stewarts'

Rod Stewart was joined onstage by his daughter Ruby Stewart and grandson Otis during his Feb. 27 show in Florida ...

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The US Air Force Is Setting Aside Land For A 'First-Of-Its-Kind' $38 Million Facility

The U.S military is initiating a host of domestic land projects. Ranging fromnew drone testing facilitiesto data centers, many of these projects hope to prepare the country for the changing defense landscape. One U.S. Air Force development looks to cultivate the next generation of leaders in these spaces, as a 16-acre plot at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, is now reserved to build a first-of-its-kind educational facility. Dubbed the STEM Talent Development Complex, the project will deliver high-end STEM education for local grade-schoolers through a 90,750 square-foot complex that'll include research labs, classrooms, community areas, dorms, and event spaces. According to the project's leaders, the massive facility near the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will aim to deliver the next generation of scientists, technicians, and engineers.

Vince Russo, President of Air Camp, one of the future tenants of the facility, wrote in apress releasethat the project hopes to "become a national icon for how STEM talent development is conducted." Joe Sciabica, chair of the building committee, believes the center will prepare students for jobs across a range of sectors, ranging from healthcare and education to engineering and manufacturing. (viaWYSO) Long-term, project planners also hope such projects will boost the local economy, creating a highly skilled workforce capable of incentivizing government and private sector projects to flock to the region (viaDayton Daily News).

As it stands, the Air Force has signed its out-grant license, committing the branch to allocating the 16-acre plot of land for the project. The STEM Talent Development Complex aims to be completed by 2031. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, the complex will have a 50-year, no-cost lease.

Read more:5 Activities Banned On The International Space Station

The next generation of STEM leaders

Dayton's lawmakers, educators, and business community hope that the new STEM Talent Development Complex will unite diverse local educational groups to ingratiate STEM training into students' lives at a young age. The project is the brain child of six local action groups, which range from educational to economic. These organizations, many of which are signed on as future tenants, include Dayton Ohio STEM (DO STEM), a nonprofit that helps bridge the gap between students and STEM opportunities, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Educational Outreach Office, Air Camp Inc., the WPAFB Educational Outreach Program, the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, and the Strategic Ohio Council on Higher Education.

According to Joe Sciabica, who's also the executive director of the Employers' Workforce Coalition, a Dayton-area interest group involved with the project, "The idea is, if we could bring those pieces together under one roof, the sum pieces of the parts could be more than anyone could do by themselves." According to project leaders, the center focuses on giving local grade-schoolers hands-on experience in advanced engineering, science, mathematics, technology, and aerospace projects.

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As Jessica Short, CEO of DO STEM, said at the agreement "We need to start at the earliest age, at three years old. They need to see themselves with a STEM identity. They're engineers. They're problem solvers. They're working toward these types of critical technologies and skills that need to happen in order to be successful in these STEM fields later in the future" (via WYSO).

Delivering the future

The complex is a major step for local educators, lawmakers, and employers looking to boost the region's STEM-focused workforce. At the signing, Joe Sciabica noted the project could create a "STEM pipeline that feeds" the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, encouraging the Air Force to bring more missions to the base. Currently, Wright-Patterson hosts several Air Force missions, including the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.

According to Jeff Hoagland, President of the Dayton Development Coalition, developing this STEM-focused work force is also critical to attracting private investment in the region.(via Dayton Daily News). Such investments could be critical, as theU.S. government looks to encourage companies like Apple to increase U.S. production. Building an advanced workforce is essential, as students face anemployment landscape increasingly threatened by AIand autonomous robotics, particularly targeting lower-level white collar and manufacturing jobs.

Building the facility will be no easy task, its partners warn. On the docket for years,  the center will undergo a fundraising process before breaking ground. Project leaders will reportedly look to combine federal, state, and philanthropic funding to construct the new facility. Crowd sourcing for the new center will be conducted through the Dayton Foundation, looking to take pledges to contribute to the construction. The foundation, according to Air Camp President Vincent Russo, will "hold the money" in a charitable trust before transferring it to the project upon its groundbreaking. Organizers hope to raise between $38 and $40 million for the project. As Russo wrote in apress release, "the idea is to generate a large number of donors, with any amount they wish to donate, as a strong statement that the community is supportive of our efforts."

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Read theoriginal article on BGR.

byDonna Devi

in

February 28, 2026

The US Air Force Is Setting Aside Land For A 'First-Of-Its-Kind' $38 Million Facility

The U.S military is initiating a host of domestic land projects. Ranging fromnew drone testing facilitiesto data centers...

Read More