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

Issues at new career center’s construction site drive another bump in costs

By Scott McCaffrey
Superintendent Francisco Durán tours Grace Hopper Center site (via Arlington Public Schools)

The estimated cost of building a new career center on S. Walter Reed Drive is ratcheting up again because of unforeseen conditions at the project’s construction site.

School Board members will receive a presentation on Thursday on appropriating another $1.18 million in contingency funds for the project.

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News

Shirlington plaza changes, $7.8 million Barcroft loan slated for County Board consideration

By Scott McCaffrey
Dinner hour in Shirlington Village in May 2020 (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Street upgrades in Bluemont, Claremont and Shirlington, plus a loan for renovating 73 affordable housing units, are scheduled for County Board consideration this weekend.

Board members have a total 52 items on their consent agenda this month, but no regular hearing items. All items pulled for further consideration will be heard at the Board’s recessed meeting, set for Wednesday, June 18.

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News

County considers purchasing homes for open space and stormwater management

By Scott McCaffrey
6915 29th Street N. (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The County Board is considering purchasing two single-family homes in Arlington: one for open space, the other for stormwater management.

Board members on Saturday are expected to consider purchasing one property at 1922 N. Upton Street for $1.1 million, and another at 6915 29th Street N. for $218,536.

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News

Latest ‘stumbling stones’ honor people enslaved near Columbia Pike

By Scott McCaffrey
Unveiling of stumbling stones on Columbia Pike at S. Ode Street (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Two brothers born into slavery in the 1820s have been honored with new “stumbling stone” historical markers on Columbia Pike.

The bronze emblems, embedded into the sidewalk at the intersection of the Pike and S. Ode Street, honor the lives of Thornton and Daniel Check.

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News

Lower speed limits considered on S. Carlin Springs and other busy roads

By Scott McCaffrey
Aftermath of a November crash on S. Carlin Springs Road (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Lower speed limits could be coming to five more Arlington road segments — including an infamous stretch of S. Carlin Springs Road.

This Saturday, the Arlington County Board is scheduled to consider reducing the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph in five busy areas.

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Schools

Democrats stress unity, values in effort to retain School Board seat

By Scott McCaffrey
School Board candidate Monique "Moe" Bryant (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

With the filing deadline for candidates only about a week away, the race for one open position on the Arlington School Board has moved into general-election mode.

Democratic endorsee Monique “Moe” Bryant currently faces only one competitor in the Nov. 4 election, returning candidate Major Webb. At least one other candidate is also seeking to qualify before the June 17 filing deadline.

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News

Arlington GOP seeks to rebuild precinct operations in 2025

By Scott McCaffrey
Voting at Arlington Central Library on Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Arlington County Republican Committee is trying to reinvigorate its precinct operations in the lead-up to November’s general election.

“Arlington Republicans are rebuilding our precinct operations from the ground up, recruiting members and volunteers to take responsibility over organizing neighborhoods, connecting with voters and communicating our Republican principles to thousands of Arlingtonians,” said Frederick Tarantino, who has been tapped by the Arlington Republican leadership to lead the effort.

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News

New system for using credit cards to ride Metro earns Virginia leaders’ praise

By Scott McCaffrey
Clarendon Metro station (staff photo)

New tech allowing Metro users to pay their fare by tapping debit or credit cards is receiving good grades from local leaders.

At a meeting last week, representatives on the Metropolitan Washington Area Transit Authority (WMATA) board of directors said the new “Tap-Ride-Go” initiative will benefit both regular and infrequent users of the regional system.

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News

Arlington Democrats consider major voting restrictions ahead of party chair election

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington County Democratic Committee deputy chair Paul Ruiz (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The Arlington County Democratic Committee is considering potentially significant restrictions on who can vote for top leadership posts.

A proposed change to the party’s bylaws would limit eligible voters for party chair and other leadership positions to members of the county committee. That’s a group of around 200 people that includes top leadership, elected officials, precinct captains and others.

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News

Decades-old Arlington taxicab company plans change in ownership

By Scott McCaffrey
A Blue Top Cab on an Arlington street (via Blue Top Cab)

After over four decades at Arlington Blue Top Cabs, the owner of Arlington’s second-largest taxicab company is planning to pass the baton.

John Massoud, who has been involved with the company since its founding in 1984, is seeking the Arlington County Board’s permission to sell to employees Wahid Raheem and Mindy Gaber.

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News

Falls Church townhouse project receives skepticism from city leaders

By Scott McCaffrey
Townhouses proposed for S. Lee Street in Falls Church (via Madison Homes presentation)

A proposal to replace two single-family homes in Falls Church with 12 townhouses is facing pushback from local officials and planning staff.

Developer Madison Homes is seeking to rezone a 0.5-acre site on the 100 block of S. Lee Street to allow for the project, which would involve demolishing one home built in the 1920s and another built in the 1970s.

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News

Historic shotgun used to fight Rosslyn gambling and prostitution returns to public view

By Scott McCaffrey
Crandal Mackey, shown later in life with shotgun he used during Rosslyn raids of 1904 (photo courtesy Charlie Clark Center for Local History)

The following in-depth local history feature was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support local journalism and to get an exclusive version of our afternoon newsletter, plus an early look at what we’re covering each day.

Crandal Mackey was born in a Confederate field ambulance at the conclusion of the Civil War, and lived long enough to catch the first glimpses of the space race.

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