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

Project PEACE marks 20 years addressing abuse and sexual violence in Arlington

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board members honor 20 years of Project PEACE (via Project PEACE/Instagram)

County leaders are marking the 20th anniversary of an initiative they believe has made a significant difference in addressing intimate-partner and sexual violence.

Looking ahead, those behind Project PEACE say it is being updated to align with best national practices, with a focus on listening more intently to survivors of violence. A new blueprint provides “a refreshed, community-driven vision for the future,” said LaToya Young, coordinator of Project PEACE.

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News

First Republican candidate in new 7th Congressional District pitches Arlington GOP

By Scott McCaffrey
7th Congressional District candidate Doug Ollivant (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The first Republican contender in the redrawn 7th Congressional District made his pitch to Arlington Republicans this week.

Douglas Ollivant, a Culpeper County resident and managing partner of a strategic consulting firm, is for now the only announced candidate in the 7th District as approved by voters on April 21, although more could be on the way.

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News

Civic Federation president awarded ARLnow Cup as group marks 110th anniversary

By Scott McCaffrey
2026 ARLnow Cup recipient Nicholas Giacobbe is flanked by his wife, Cory, and awards chair John Ford (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Arlington County Civic Federation marked its 110th anniversary with a call for continued vocal, but still civil, community engagement.

“We’re not a perfect organization, but we work really hard,” Civic Federation board of directors chair David Smith said at the organization’s annual awards dinner, which on April 24 drew more than 100 participants to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

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News

New markers honor people enslaved at former plantation in Fairlington

By Scott McCaffrey
Craig Syphax of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington speaks at dedication (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

In the mid-1700s, most of modern-day Fairlington and Shirlington was part of a plantation called Torthorwald, a rural retreat for the wealthy Carlyle merchant family of Alexandria.

When patriarch John Carlyle died in 1780, Torthorwald was home to an enslaved population totaling more than 40. And on Sunday, two of them were honored with the placement of new “stumbling stones” near the Fairlington Villages Community Center.

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News

With Arlington budget adopted, eyes shift to potentially ‘tough’ FY28 conditions

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board members JD Spain, Sr., and Susan Cunningham (screenshot via Arlington County)

With the county government’s fiscal year 2027 budget season now over, eyes are beginning to turn to fiscal year 2028 — which may or may not be any easier to balance.

“Very uncertain” is how County Board member Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., describes the future of the local economy and its impact on the county’s budget process that will play out over the next 12 months.

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News

Festival for nation’s 250th birthday to feature mobile museum and reenactors next month

By Scott McCaffrey
Re-enactor Peter Vaselopulos speaks to attendees at an Arlington Historical Society program (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Arlington’s signature project honoring the nation’s 250th birthday is expected to attract a crowd of thousands in just a couple weeks.

The Arlington History Fest is slated for Saturday, May 9 at Kenmore Middle School — a date scheduled to avoid other events taking place in D.C. on the actual anniversary. It will feature more than 40 exhibitors, representation from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard), food trucks and dozens of historical reenactors.

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Schools

Advocacy group wants students in class 5 days per week more often

By Scott McCaffrey
First-day-of-class 2025-26 Senior Sunrise event at Washington-Liberty High School (via APS)

A local advocacy group is pressing Arlington Public Schools’ leaders to have students in class five days per week on a more frequent basis.

“APS’ own attendance policy highlights that ‘missing just two days a month can negatively impact learning,’ yet the district’s calendars routinely miss multiple days of instruction per month,” Arlington Parents for Education (APE) said in a recent newsletter.

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Around Town

Encore Stage and Studio stays true to its roots as it approaches 60th anniversary

By Scott McCaffrey
Students in Encore Stage & Studio programs perform at benefit breakfast (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

As its 60th birthday approaches, Encore Stage & Studio is expanding its reach while remaining true to its core beliefs.

“We’ve worked hard to advance Encore’s mission,” the organization’s board chair, Lisa Sullivan, said at an April 22 benefit breakfast at Washington Golf & Country Club.

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News

County Board approves $80K for Green Valley community building grants

By Scott McCaffrey
Green Valley's John Robinson, Jr. Town Square on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 (staff photo)

New county grants worth $80,000 seek to support renewed vibrancy in the Green Valley neighborhood — although leaders acknowledge the funding may not go very far.

The funds, which will be split among four organizations, will “jump-start some neighborhood activity that would bring neighbors together, create an environment of civic engagement and civic exchange,” Board member Takis Karantonis said.

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News

County Board starts process to determine Melwood site’s historic status

By Scott McCaffrey
The Nelly Custis School (via Arlington County)

The County Board has taken a step toward considering potential historic status for the Melwood site, despite vigorous opposition from the development team’s attorney.

Board members voted 5-0 to start consideration of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board’s (HALRB) recommendation to designate a portion of the former Nelly Custis Elementary School at 750 23rd Street S. as historic. This is a procedural step and doesn’t indicate whether they support the recommendation or not.

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News

County Board scales down fee increase for gymnastics programs in last-minute change

By Scott McCaffrey
Members of Arlington Tigers competitive gymnastics team (via Arlington Tigers)

County Board members agreed to a significantly smaller fee increase for the local government’s competitive gymnastics programs in a last-minute budget change last night (Wednesday).

Instead of increasing by 44%, fees will rise by 25% in the coming year. It still appears that the full 44% increase — or more — could come into effect next year.

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News

Split County Board approves 2-cent tax hike as part of $1.7B budget

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington homeowners will pay an average 5.2% more in real-estate taxes this year, under the county government’s $1.69 billion fiscal year 2027 budget adopted yesterday (Wednesday).

The total budget amount is nearly identical to the fiscal year 2026 spending plan now in place, marking a rare year without some degree of overall increase. But because of ongoing declines in values of commercial properties, more of the tax burden is shifting to homeowners.

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