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

Sen. Ebbin to prioritize transit funding in upcoming legislative session

By Scott McCaffrey
Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-39 (via SJ28 Subcommittee)

State Sen. Adam Ebbin has promised Arlington leaders that he will push to bring home more transit funding from the 2026 General Assembly session.

“That’ll probably be the most intense of the things I’m working on,” Ebbin (D-39) said during a Nov. 13 work session between County Board members and the community’s legislative delegation.

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News

Cuts to counterterrorism funding drive Arlington leaders to seek state’s help

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington police officers (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Arlington officials are asking state legislators to fill financial gaps left by the federal government’s reduction in support for local counterterrorism initiatives.

The D.C. region stands to lose about $20 million in funding — 60% of which is devoted to Northern Virginia — as the Trump administration makes changes to the Urban Areas Security Initiative.

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News

Falls Church leaders wary of possible rules limiting local parking requirements

By Scott McCaffrey
Parking in Falls Church (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Some Falls Church leaders are expressing concern over a possible General Assembly measure that would take away local power to regulate parking in development projects.

Such a measure could be introduced by Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37), who represents the city in the upper house of the legislature. The topic was among the key points discussed at the Nov. 7 meeting of the City Council’s legislative committee.

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News

New ‘stumbling stones’ in Green Valley mark family’s triumph over enslavement

By Scott McCaffrey
Attendees take photos following stumbling-stone ceremony at Lomax AME Zion Church (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The two newest “stumbling stones” memorializing people enslaved in Arlington are located near a historic cemetery where the honorees are laid to rest.

The congregation of Lomax AME Zion Church was joined by community members on Nov. 9 to unveil the two new markers outside the church entrance on 24th Road S. in Green Valley.

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News

‘Spirit of Community’ awards honor Arlington advocates for years of service

By Scott McCaffrey
2025 Spirit of Community Award recipients with CEO Jennifer Owens and founder William Newman Jr. (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Three local advocates for housing, equity and youth received high honors from the Arlington Community Foundation last week.

The latest honorees exemplify a “tireless and unselfish commitment” to serving others, said former County Board member and retired Circuit Court Judge William Newman Jr., the namesake of the 2025 William T. Newman Spirit of Community Awards.

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News

Falls Church School Board race could see recount as just 47 votes separate candidates

By Scott McCaffrey
Electoral Board members Alan Wisdom and Art DeCelle inspect provisional ballots (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Fewer than 50 votes separate a winning and losing candidate for Falls Church School Board, meaning a recount could be in the works.

Electoral Board members certified the results Wednesday (Nov. 12). After tabulating provisional ballots and those received by mail by the Nov. 7 deadline, the margin between Kathleen Tysse (3,532) and Sharon Mergler (3,485) tightened from the 56-vote margin reported on Election Night to 47 votes upon certification.

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News

Arlington real estate market healthy despite shutdown and economic jitters

By Scott McCaffrey
Real estate for sale sign in the Arlington Heights neighborhood (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The housing market in Arlington held up well in October despite economic headwinds and the federal shutdown.

One key indicator: The average sales price for single-family detached homes approached $1.5 million — down from an unexpectedly high amount in September but still well above year-over-year figures.

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Schools

Columbia Pike leaders want APS to reaffirm its plans for Career Center campus

By Scott McCaffrey
Montessori Public School of Arlington playground (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Civic association presidents along the Columbia Pike corridor are urging Arlington Public Schools to hold firm to development plans for the Arlington Career Center site.

In a letter to School Board members and Superintendent Francisco Durán, members of the Pike Presidents Group say they want APS to confirm its three-step plan for the parcel, located just north of the Pike along S. Walter Reed Drive:

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News

Members of Arlington bicycle panel remain angry over reduced responsibilities

By Scott McCaffrey
Capital Bikeshare station (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Discontent over changes to the Bicycle Advisory Committee has continued, with some members now appearing in open revolt against County Manager Mark Schwartz.

At a Nov. 3 meeting, some went so far as to suggest the BAC no longer serves a clear purpose, given its reduced role.

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News

County Board meetings will spotlight public safety staffing, governance panel and budget closeout

By Scott McCaffrey
Current County Board Chair Takis Karantonis (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Arlington County Board is scheduled to take up numerous items this month, including the financial impact of new public safety contracts, a proposed office-to-residential conversion project and closing out the fiscal year 2025 budget.

Potentially the most controversial item on the agenda could come during the Tuesday, Nov. 18 recess meeting, when Board members decide whether to move forward with a working group to consider changes to Arlington’s 93-year-old governance structure.

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News

Arlington Democrats’ focus shifts to trying to retake the House and Senate

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington Democrats volunteer outside of the Madison Community Center on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 (staff photo)

Arlington Democrats are turning their attention to attempts to help the national party take back the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in 2026.

“We do have our work cut out for us,” said Kip Malinosky, a former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee who chairs its “Beyond Arlington” initiative.

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News

Veterans Day ceremony brings call to provide more support for those who served

By Scott McCaffrey
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) speaks as Barbara Favola and Susan Cunningham look on (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Elected leaders at the local, state and federal levels used a Veterans Day event in Arlington to press for more support for those who have served and are serving their country, and for their families, as well.

“We need to take care of them,” said Rep. Don Beyer, attending the annual ceremony sponsored by John Lyon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3150 and held at the Clarendon War Memorial.

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