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.

News

Two local senior living facilities rated among the best in Virginia

By Scott McCaffrey
Goodwin Living team members focus time on person-centered care at Goodwin House Bailey's Crossroads (courtesy Goodwin Living)

Two senior-living facilities located just outside of Arlington are among the best in the state, according to a new Newsweek ranking.

Goodwin House Alexandria ranked No. 2 and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads ranked No. 3 for their size in Virginia in the magazine’s newly released list of America’s Best Nursing Homes.

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News

‘Competing factors’ could outpace Arlington’s tree canopy goal, forester warns

By Scott McCaffrey
Autumnal trees along N. Glebe Road in Ballston (staff photo)

Arlington’s top tree official has aspirations but isn’t sounding confident that the community will attain, and then maintain, its goal of a 40% tree canopy.

“I really hope we get to that — this is a critical target,” Vincent Verweij, the county’s urban forestry manager, said at an Oct. 29 community forum.

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News

Arlington apartment rents rise over 1% year-over-year in October

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

Arlington’s median apartment-rental cost ticked up 1.1% year over year in October, remaining the fifth priciest rental market out of 100 major U.S. urban corridors.

The county’s median rental rates stood at $2,452 for one-bedroom units, $2,963 for two bedrooms and $2,604 overall, according to figures reported Oct. 28 by Apartment List.

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News

LGBTQ panel’s new chair seeks more face time with Arlington county manager

By Scott McCaffrey
LGBTQ+ rainbow pride flag (Photo by Sophie Emeny via Unsplash)

The new chair of Arlington’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee is hoping for more opportunities to get in front of top county leadership.

Michael Castellano was elected the panel’s chair on Oct. 20. He succeeds Samantha Perez, who had led the advisory panel since its inception two years ago.

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Around Town

Pop-up art festival on Langston Blvd brought exposure for artists, family fun

By Scott McCaffrey
Participants in mask-making event at Arlington Artists Alliance pop-up (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A seven-week “pop-up” art festival at a closed Walgreens on Langston Blvd appears to have succeeded at supporting local creators and building community awareness.

“This has been an amazing opportunity for people to learn about the [Arlington Artists] Alliance. It has enabled us to tell our story,” said Marshall Ginn, a painter of landscapes in oil and member of the arts group’s board of directors.

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Schools

N. Va. food distribution program celebrates 10 years of feeding students

By Scott McCaffrey
Packing at Food for Neighbors event (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A community-based effort providing food to local students marked 10 years of service this week.

An event at the Grace Hopper Center on Saturday was one of several that Food for Neighbors hosted across the region to mark its anniversary. Volunteers worked to sort and box up donated food and other items for distribution to local schools.

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News

County Board tangles with legislators over who should pay Metro costs

By Scott McCaffrey
The entrance to the Pentagon City Metro station (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Arlington’s elected officials on the County Board and in Richmond appear to have different ideas on who should shoulder higher costs for Metro service.

As part of an annual legislative work session yesterday (Thursday), Board members pressed legislators to find more money in the state budget for transit. In response, two senior lawmakers asked why Northern Virginia localities refused to use a new revenue tool they had been given.

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News

Red light cameras relocate in Falls Church, bringing citations next month

By Scott McCaffrey
Warning sign on E. Broad Street near Roosevelt Street (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Violators spotted on Falls Church’s newly relocated red light cameras will start receiving citations on Nov. 21.

The enforcement cameras are now located at the intersections of Broad and Washington streets and E. Broad and S. Roosevelt streets. Through Nov. 20, those nabbed running red lights will receive warning notices in the mail.

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News

Democratic leaders aim to pay thank-you visits to all Arlington precincts

By Scott McCaffrey
A polling place at the Lubber Run Community Center, during the Democratic primary on June 17, 2025 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Several Democratic elected officials in Arlington plan to visit all 54 of the county’s voting precincts on Election Day to thank volunteers and election workers.

The barnstorming initiative will build on last year’s informal effort by School Board candidate, now member, Monique “Moe” Bryant. She is expected to be joined on the Nov. 3 road trip by Commissioner of Revenue Kim Klingler, Treasurer Kim Rucker and others.

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News

Removal of Flock cameras in Arlington draws flak from all sides at town hall

By Scott McCaffrey
A Flock Safety camera in Ballston in 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

County leaders this week were criticized both for going too far, and not going far enough, in limiting the use of automated license-plate readers in the county.

Most who spoke on the topic at a town-hall meeting on Monday shared the view of Eric Lotke, who said county officials should permanently ban their use by local law enforcement.

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News

Number of jobless Arlington residents still up nearly 25% since Trump’s return

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

Arlington’s jobless rate was stable in September, but the number of residents seeking jobs remains elevated from levels before Donald Trump returned to the White House.

With 144,922 county residents employed in the civilian workforce and 4,389 looking for jobs, the county’s unemployment rate of 2.9% was down from 3% a year before, according to figures reported Oct. 28 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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News

Arlington GOP enters final election push with little mention of local candidates

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington County Republican Committee chair Matthew Hurtt (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Arlington Republicans held their final meeting before Election Day without appearances by, or significant mentions of, the two candidates they have endorsed for local office.

Neither County Board candidate Audrey Clement nor School Board contender James “Vell” Rives IV participated in the Oct. 26 online membership meeting. However, 8th District congressional nominee Tony Sabio attended and spoke at the meeting.

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