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.

Schools

Hundreds rally to support ongoing funding for Arlington after-school programs

By Scott McCaffrey
Students perform at rally in support of after-school programs (photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Advocates for permanent local funding for after-school programs received support, but not necessarily promises, from county leaders at a March 27 rally.

Hundreds turned out for the evening program at Kenmore Middle School, urging county leaders to see the value in safety-net programs for students.

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Schools

School Board mirrors superintendent’s $860M plan in new budget draft

By Scott McCaffrey
School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton (screenshot via APS)

The Arlington School Board’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget makes no immediate revisions to a nearly $860 million spending package presented by the superintendent.

The School Board package lining up with that of Superintendent Francisco Durán “is not unusual” at this stage of the budget process, School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton said at the March 26 Board meeting.

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News

Young gymnasts rally to stop programming cuts, keep Barcroft open

By Scott McCaffrey
Emilia Lopez speaks to County Board members about saving gymnastics programming in March 2026 (screenshot via Arlington County)

Gymnastics boosters continue their push to have County Board members rescind proposed cuts to programming and the closure of the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center.

Much of the lobbying is now coming from youths who would be impacted by the closure.

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Schools

APS students will have off for April 21 redistricting referendum after split vote

By Scott McCaffrey
School Board member Kathleen Clark (screenshot via Arlington Public Schools)

Arlington Public Schools students will have off during a statewide redistricting referendum following a divided School Board vote last week.

In a 3-2 vote last Thursday, School Board members voted to give students the day off on Tuesday, April 21. The decision represented a split between a majority who saw logistical and safety concerns in keeping students in class, and those who did not wish to lose another instructional day and force parents to scramble for daycare options.

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Around Town

Encore Stage & Studio debuts youth production of ‘Sherlock in Wonderland’

By Scott McCaffrey
Sherlock Holmes, portrayed by Wanjiru Ogonji, considers a clue (courtesy Cindy Kane Photography)

A youth production combining the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland is debuting at Arlington’s Encore Stage & Studio.

“Sherlock in Wonderland” opened last Friday at Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 S. 2nd Street), marking the second collaboration between Encore and playwright Lynne Streeter Childress.

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News

Falls Church ‘civic jam’ will celebrate citizen involvement before July 4

By Scott McCaffrey
Jim Coyle and Elise Neil-Bengtson brief Falls Church City Council members (screenshot via City of Falls Church)

Plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday with a July 3 “civic jam” celebration are solidifying in Falls Church.

Rather than attempt to compete with national celebrations the following day, the Falls Church event will focus on citizen involvement.

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News

Arlington police chief seeks funding to unfreeze 20 officer positions

By Scott McCaffrey
Police Chief Andy Penn at 2026 budget work session (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington’s police chief is seeking to free up funding for about half of all officer positions that are currently frozen, capitalizing on a surge in job applications.

Chief Andy Penn argues that more funding could help the Arlington County Police Department get closer to full staffing and significantly cut overtime costs. He is asking the County Board to consider unfreezing 20 full-time sworn officer positions in the coming fiscal year.

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News

Fire chief offers to ‘reevaluate’ controversial plan to consolidate rescue units

By Scott McCaffrey
Fire Chief David Povlitz and County Manager Mark Schwartz at budget hearing (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington’s fire chief says he is willing to reconsider a contentious plan to consolidate the county’s two heavy rescue companies — if county leaders can find the funding to make that possible.

Fire Chief David Povlitz told County Board members that he would need about $480,000 in additional funding to halt a proposal to combine the two existing rescue units, which has drawn criticism from the county’s firefighter union over public safety concerns.

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News

Affordability issues rise to top of Arlington NAACP’s policy concerns

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington NAACP president Rev. DeLishia Davis (screenshot via NAACP)

A consistent theme emerged as members of the Arlington NAACP brainstormed to determine 2026 policy priorities.

“Affordability is coming through every single group,” the organization’s president, the Rev. DeLishia Davis, said after reports from breakout sessions at the organization’s Monday meeting.

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News

Black Wellness Expo comes to Green Valley for the first time, promoting health resources

By Scott McCaffrey
Attendees at the Links health event (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A regional health fair focused on both physical and mental wellness took place in Arlington for the first time last weekend.

Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School hosted the 2026 Black Wellness Expo, sponsored by the Arlington chapter of The Links, Incorporated, on Saturday.

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News

Falls Church budget proposes more spending on schools, higher fees for property owners

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields makes fiscal 2027 budget presentation (screenshot via City of Falls Church)

Higher fees for property owners pair with rising real estate assessments in the Falls Church budget proposal unveiled by City Manager Wyatt Shields Monday night.

Falls Church homeowners would pay an average $611 more — an increase of 5% — in real estate taxes under the $134.3 million fiscal year 2027 budget.

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News

Zoning proposal seeks to make it easier to charge electric vehicles in Arlington

By Scott McCaffrey
Former Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey charging an electric vehicle (courtesy Arlington County)

Proposed zoning changes headed to County Board members by summer may make it easier to install electric-vehicle charging facilities across Arlington.

Proposed zoning changes include:

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