Author: Scott McCaffrey

A Northern Virginia native, Scott McCaffrey has four decades of reporting, editing and newsroom experience in the local area plus Florida, South Carolina and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He spent 26 years as editor of the Sun Gazette newspaper chain. For Local News Now, he covers government and civic issues in Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church.

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Falls Church marks nation’s 250th with community reading at Revolutionary War-era church

By Scott McCaffrey
Participants in Falls Church Independence Day document reading (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Falls Church residents marked the nation’s 250th birthday in a building that dates back to the time of the American Revolution.

A packed crowd participated in a community reading of founding documents on Saturday (July 4) at the Falls Church.

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Metro 29 Diner ends evening hours, but dinner menu remains available

By Scott McCaffrey
Metro 29 Diner's shiny exterior makes it a Langston Blvd landmark (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

It was the end of an era Sunday (July 5), as Metro 29 Diner concluded 31 years of dinner service.

The Langston Blvd landmark is keeping breakfast and lunch service starting at 6 a.m. daily, but will now close at 4 p.m. daily rather than 10 p.m.

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Proposed ‘rent registry’ for Arlington apartment costs fails to win support

By Scott McCaffrey
The Meridian at Ballston Commons apartment building (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A county advisory panel proved disinclined to push for a mandatory local “rent registry” giving the public more transparency when it comes to rising apartment costs.

The proposal, floated in late May by the legislative-priorities subcommittee of the Housing Commission, did not make the cut at the subcommittee’s June 29 work session.

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County jobless rate appears to be stabilizing below 3% despite cuts to federal workforce

By Scott McCaffrey
Job seekers line up at career day in Crystal City (staff file photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington’s jobless rate dropped to 2.8% in May, with the number of residents counted as jobless standing at its lowest rate since March 2025 despite the impact of federal budget cuts rippling through the local economy.

A total of 146,499 county residents were recorded in the civilian workforce during the month, with 4,290 seeking jobs, according to data reported July 1 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Arlington residents brave record-breaking heat to celebrate nation’s 250th birthday

By Scott McCaffrey
Uncle Sam greets the crowd at the Barcroft Independence Day parade (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A number of hometown-style events marked Arlington’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday on July 4.

They went on despite some of the hottest temperatures in recent years descending on the local region.

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Fiery 8th District primary forum sparks candidate boycott over heckling

By Scott McCaffrey
8th District candidate forum (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) took fire from his own party’s challengers at a candidate forum this week — an event combustible enough that one rival is now boycotting the next Arlington Democratic gathering over heckling.

“He hasn’t pushed back,” said Mo Seifeldein, a former Alexandria City Council member and one of four seeking to unseat Beyer in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary.

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Arlington Sports Commission proposes Dutch-inspired community walk for 2027

By Scott McCaffrey
Youth in the Netherlands complete the Avondvierdaagse (via Royal Dutch Walking Society)

Promoting health and building community are the dual themes of a potential 2027 event suggested by the county’s Sports Commission.

Commission members reacted favorably at their most recent meeting to a local version of an “Avondvierdaagse.” It’s the Dutch word for a community walk spread over four evenings aimed at bringing together multiple generations of local residents in a fun and often raucous environment.

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Revolutionary-themed novel by local author out in time for nation’s birthday

By Scott McCaffrey
John Hilton, the author of “The Harlot of Gloucester” (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Just in time for the nation’s 250th-birthday bash, Arlington author John Hilton is out with a Revolutionary-era work of historical fiction.

“The target audience would be anyone who likes to read novels, who is passionate about our history, anyone who enjoys a good story,” Hilton said of his new work, “The Harlot of Gloucester.”

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Arlington Historical Society launches commemorative newspaper to mark nation’s 250th birthday

By Scott McCaffrey
Front page of Arlington Historical Society newspaper honoring nation’s 250th birthday (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Arlington Historical Society is marking the nation’s 250th birthday with a commemorative keepsake highlighting tales of the county’s past.

The 32-page, tabloid-sized Arlington VA250 History Chronicle also marks this year’s commemoration of the society’s 70th anniversary.

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DeVita’s call for Arlington version of Kennedy Center is jeered by his competitors

By Scott McCaffrey
James DeVita campaign sign touting an arts center (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

When it comes to support of the arts in Arlington, one candidate is thinking big. To his competitors in next month’s Democratic primary, however, it is too big.

Democratic County Board contender James DeVita has been touting support for a major arts center during recent candidate forums and on campaign signage.

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JUST IN: Arlington County treasurer announces retirement, setting stage for special election

By Scott McCaffrey
Treasurer Carla de la Pava, right, with Chief Deputy Treasurer Kim Rucker prior to de la Pava's retirement (courtesy Carla de la Pava)

Carla de la Pava, who has served as Arlington treasurer for nearly 12 years, announced Wednesday night (July 1) she would be retiring by mid-month.

Her departure is likely to trigger a special election held in conjunction with the Nov. 3 general election.

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Arlington apartment rents are up nearly 40% from Covid-era lows

By Scott McCaffrey
An apartment building in Shirlington (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Despite year-over-year declines, Arlington’s median apartment rent is now up 16% from the immediate pre-Covid era and almost 37% from its pandemic low, according to new data.

The median apartment rent in June was $2,601 — $2,449 for one-bedroom units, $2,959 for two bedrooms — according to data released June 30 by Apartment List.

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