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

‘Reclining Liberty’ is now a permanent fixture in front of Museum of Contemporary Art

By Scott McCaffrey
"Reclining Liberty" lowered by crane onto the front lawn of Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington in August 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

“Reclining Liberty,” the iconic artwork gracing the front lawn of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington for the past two years, is staying put.

Members of the county’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) on Sept. 17 voted 9-0 to allow the 25-foot work featuring the Statue of Liberty in repose to remain in front of the circa-1910 former school building at 3550 Wilson Blvd.

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News

New state law removes Falls Church Planning Commission’s decision-maker role

By Scott McCaffrey
The Falls Church City Council work session on Sept. 15 (via City of Falls Church)

The Falls Church Planning Commission will soon change from being a final decision-maker to an advisor for some new development projects in the city.

The shift in responsibility comes in response to new state laws, which took effect July 1 and aim to speed up the creation of new housing across the commonwealth. Under the new rules, many localities must move from planning commission approval of projects to staff approval of development plans.

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News

Terminal 1 rebuild at Reagan National looks to clear key hurdle in 2026

By Scott McCaffrey
Ronald Reagan National Airport (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Leaders are hoping to receive a key federal authorization by the end of next year to redevelop Terminal 1 at Reagan National Airport.

In an updated timeline released today (Wednesday), the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) set November 2026 as the goal for receiving environmental approval for the nine-gate project.

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News

New online chatbot answers questions about Arlington County services and operations

By Scott McCaffrey
Person working on laptop (Photo by Burst on Unsplash)

A new AI chatbot is helping residents find answers to various questions about Arlington County government operations, elections and more.

“AVA” — Arlington Virtual Assistant — is connected to four county websites: the general site (arlingtonva.us) plus specialized sites for library services, elections and Arlington Transit.

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News

Falls Church leaders brainstorm options for Gordon Road Triangle

By Scott McCaffrey
City Council work session on Gordon Road Triangle (screenshot via Falls Church)

Falls Church officials hope that 2026 will be the year they start making decisions about the city’s portion of the 20-acre Gordon Road Triangle.

Much of the city’s portion of the industrial area is occupied by the Robert L. Goff Operations Yard on Gordon Road. It is likely the city would work to find private partners to fund on-site renovations to — and new facilities on — the well-worn facility, rather than try to cover all those costs itself.

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Schools

Arlington’s oldest elementary school celebrates its 100th birthday this Friday

By Scott McCaffrey
Entrance to Barcroft Elementary School (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Arlington’s oldest elementary school is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Friday with student-centered activities and a community picnic.

Festivities at Barcroft Elementary School will include a human chain beginning at the site of the original Barcroft School and a mini “field day” where students participate in games and activities that kids might have played 100 years ago.

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News

New tenant-relocation guidelines could include more privacy protections

By Scott McCaffrey
A local apartment building (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A rewrite of the county’s current tenant-relocation guidelines aims to provide more privacy protections to impacted renters.

County staff have tweaked some proposed changes recommended by the Tenant-Landlord Commission, which had sought more specific information about people required to move out of apartments because of redevelopment.

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News

Arlington HOAs could get fee rebates for stormwater improvements

By Scott McCaffrey
Natural stormwater filter on the corner of 22nd and N. Kentucky Street in the Leeway Overlee neighborhood (via Arlington County)

A proposed tweak to Arlington’s two-year-old stormwater-fee program could help members of homeowners’ associations save a little money.

County Board members are considering a possible change to the county’s stormwater-credit fee in areas where homeowners’ groups have made specific stormwater improvements. The change, which Board members voted to advertise for an October public hearing, would allow for financial rebates of up to 35%.

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News

Falls Church officials prepare for start of early voting this week

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church Registrar David Bjerke feeds provisional ballots into a scanner (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Falls Church election officials are getting ready for the start of early voting on Friday and the general election in November.

At a meeting last week, leaders provided updates on plans to send mail-in ballots, select election officers and ensure that voting equipment is good to go.

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News

N. Va. Senior Olympics kick off with over 200 Arlington competitors

By Scott McCaffrey
Janet Garber was torch-carrier for the 2026 Senior Olympics (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

More than 200 of Arlington’s “seasoned citizens” are among a record 1,200 across the region participating in the 2025 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.

That county’s total of 209 competitors is up 17% from 2024, making Arlington the jurisdiction with the second most participants this year — behind Fairfax County.

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News

Karantonis: County can’t save Arlington Independent Media from possible demise

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington Independent Media staff at work in earlier times (via Arlington County)

Arlington’s top elected official says there’s nothing the county government can do to prevent the demise of Arlington Independent Media (AIM).

“The law is what the law is. We cannot do too much about that,” County Board Chair Takis Karantonis said at the Sept. 13 Board meeting, responding to concerns raised during the public-comment period about the state of local media in Arlington.

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News

Metrobus riders worry more about crime than those using rail, survey finds

By Scott McCaffrey
Police at Court House Metro station (file photo)

Crime is declining on the Metro system, but riders’ perceptions of safety depend on which mode of transportation they use.

Riders on Metrobus reported more safety concerns than those on Metrorail. Overall, however, rider satisfaction rates are either flat or improving, according to data reported at the Sept. 11 meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Area Transit Authority’s safety and operations committee.

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