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 history festival planned to celebrate nation’s 250th birthday

By Scott McCaffrey
Peter Vaselopulos provides Karen Darner information on the Arlington Historical Museum (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A multi-day history festival commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday could be coming to Arlington next year.

The Arlington Historical Society, which presented an update on its plans for the landmark anniversary at a meeting of the Arlington County Civic Association last week, hopes to host the event next May, likely at Kenmore Middle School.

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Schools

APS seeks to revamp partnerships with local businesses and service groups

By Scott McCaffrey
Superintendent Francisco Durán (screenshot via APS)

More partnerships with civic and business leaders could be coming to Arlington Public Schools as the school system seeks to rebuild relationships that suffered during the pandemic.

Superintendent Francisco Durán spotlighted a work-based readiness program at a meeting with School Board members earlier this month. He said that enhancing the program is one of the primary goals of a partnership improvement plan.

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News

Arlington Young Democrats target downstate race for support

By Scott McCaffrey
Democratic candidate Lily Franklin (via Lily for Delegate/X)

Leaders of the Arlington Young Democrats are hoping to have an impact on what could be a key downstate legislative race.

The group will be throwing its organizational efforts behind Lily Franklin in House District 41 in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg area.

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News

Falls Church Council votes to get health-care coverage, pay raise

By Scott McCaffrey
The Falls Church City Council at a meeting last month (via City of Falls Church)

The Falls Church City Council has approved a pay increase and health-care coverage for themselves and their successors.

The raise will go into effect a year from now, while Council members will become eligible for the city’s health insurance plan next month.

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News

Delays to bond sale, $4.9M in Arlington capital projects considered in tight times

By Scott McCaffrey
Budget director Richard Stephenson and Department of Management and Finance director Maria Meredith (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington County leaders are considering delaying the sale of municipal bonds and deferring various capital projects in the face of tight economic times.

It’s too early to think about amending the county’s recently adopted Fiscal Year 2026 budget, county budget director Richard Stephenson told County Board members on Wednesday.

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Schools

Two APS schools lose Title I designations while another joins the list

By Scott McCaffrey
Parent Dan Burd points to Abingdon Elementary logo (screenshot via Arlington Public Schools)

Two Arlington elementary schools will no longer receive federal Title I funding in the new school year, while another will join the list of those that do.

Abingdon Elementary and Hoffman-Boston Elementary no longer qualify for the program, which supports schools with a high concentration of students in economic need.

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News

Arlington cooperation with Israel Advisory Board debated at County Board meeting

By Scott McCaffrey
Aasim Rawoot (screenshot via Arlington County)

Debate over Arlington County’s relationship with an agency helping Israeli companies build their operations in Virginia broke out anew last weekend.

Activists criticized past cooperation between Arlington Economic Development and the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (VIAB), a state-funded agency.

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News

Cherrydale parking problems could get help from county leaders

By Scott McCaffrey
Vehicle believed to be illegally parked in Cherrydale (photo courtesy local resident)

County leaders are promising to help Cherrydale residents address concerns about spillover parking and abandoned vehicles near Langston Blvd.

They’re also encouraging residents to consider creating more residential parking zones to help with the issues.

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News

More crime concerns in Green Valley drive calls for county support

By Scott McCaffrey
Scene of shooting in Green Valley in December 2023 (courtesy Matthew Young)

Green Valley leaders are once again asking for more county support in addressing issues with crime in the neighborhood.

Yordanos Woldai, first vice president and public-safety chair of the Green Valley Civic Association, called for more police and government efforts to address alleged drug dealing, gambling, noise, loitering and even shootings.

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News

Human Rights Commission discusses new ‘limited scope’ after clashes with County Board

By Scott McCaffrey
June 2025 meeting of Arlington Human Rights Commission (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington’s newly reconstituted Human Rights Commission got to work last week with a discussion of new limits on its ability to pursue accountability for county leaders.

After the Arlington County Board fired all members of the commission last August following several confrontations between the two groups, commission Chair Jimmy McBirney used a Thursday meeting to acknowledge the entity’s “limited jurisdiction and limited scope.”

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News

County Board roundup: Support pledged for first-responders and after-school program

By Scott McCaffrey
House fire in the Woodmont neighborhood (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

County officials say a modest state grant will go a long way to supporting local first-responders after traumatic incidents.

Board members at their Saturday (June 14) meeting accepted a $30,000 Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services grant that will provide more training for those who help police, fire, sheriff and other public-safety personnel after incidents like January’s aircraft collision near Reagan National Airport.

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