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

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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News

Payment options expanding for Metrobus riders in coming weeks

By Scott McCaffrey
A Metrobus in Arlington (file photo)

Metrobus riders will soon have the ability to use credit and debit cards to pay for rides.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is adding the same “Tap-Ride-Go” ability to its buses as it currently has on the rail system, creating an alternative to cash and physical or phone-based SmarTrip cards.

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News

Rental housing has become more accessible to some in county’s economic middle

By Scott McCaffrey
Crystal House Apartments (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The number of Arlington rental units that are financially accessible to those earning less than 80% of area median income (AMI) has skyrocketed rather than plummeted over the past decade.

Not because housing is becoming cheaper, but because incomes of local residents have risen faster than the cost of renting.

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News

Arlington Democrats leader joins race to become the next party chair

By Scott McCaffrey
Paul Ruiz checks messages at Democratic Committee meeting, with Tony Weaver in the background (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The current deputy chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee has launched a bid to become the next chair, competing against another party leader.

Deputy Chair Paul Ruiz spent part of the Nov. 5 monthly party meeting working the room for support of his campaign to succeed Chair Steve Baker. He has said he wants to “build a Democratic committee that listens, builds up new leaders and leads with purpose.”

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Schools

W-L’s very first yearbook provides clues to student life a century ago

By Scott McCaffrey
Washington-Lee football team (via 1927 yearbook)

This reporting was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Get upgraded email newsletters while supporting in-depth local journalism.

The recent 100th-anniversary celebration at Washington-Liberty High School saw current-day students poring over yearbooks from the 1960s-70s.

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News

Sen. Favola: Redistricting effort holds potential, but also pitfalls, for Democrats

By Scott McCaffrey
Sen. Barbara Favola (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

While supportive of redrawing congressional boundaries, one of Arlington’s state legislators isn’t convinced that it will guarantee her party more seats in the House of Representatives next year.

“This is sort of a risky business,” Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40) said at a community roundtable yesterday (Thursday). “It could go either way. It is not a magic bullet.”

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News

As Arlington governance-change supporters gear up for Richmond, one key legislator is wary

By Scott McCaffrey
Early voting at the Madison Community Center on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 (staff photo)

With election season in the rear-view mirror, Arlington’s civic and political leaders are again turning to potential changes in the county’s form of governance.

But while several local organizations have given the concept their blessing, a key state legislator who supported efforts in the 2025 legislative session has said she wants to hold off in 2026.

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