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.

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APS seeks clarity on Education Department’s new DEI requirements

By Scott McCaffrey
Superintendent Francisco Durán (screenshot via Arlington Public Schools)

School leaders are still trying to find out what, if anything, a February letter from a federal agency means for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Arlington.

A Feb. 14 letter from the U.S. Department of Education gave institutions an April 12 deadline to comply with a new interpretation of “nondiscrimination obligations” in order to continue receiving federal funding.

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New Metro policy on banning riders for crimes has Northern Va. leaders’ support

By Scott McCaffrey
Metro Transit Police vehicle in Ballston (staff photo)

A stricter policy on banning riders from the Metro system has some leaders optimistic about better safety in Northern Virginia.

Beginning June 2, the policy will allow the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to impose longer bans on people arrested for sex crimes or assaults on Metro employees and customers.

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Ex-School Board member recounts her advocacy and rise in Arlington politics in new memoir

By Scott McCaffrey
"Dreams and Shadows" author Emma Violand-Sánchez (courtesy of Emma Violand-Sánchez)

A former Arlington School Board member has published a new memoir about her work in education, politics and activism.

“Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey” recounts Emma Violand-Sánchez’s extensive career in Arlington Public Schools after traveling from Bolivia to the United States. From reliving the loss of her first husband to exploring her advocacy for immigrant students in Arlington, the 336-page book, co-written with David Bearinger, is full of both triumph and tragedy.

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Renovated Arlington historical museum plans to reopen with new exhibits

By Scott McCaffrey
Exhibition case at Arlington Historical Museum (courtesy of the Arlington Historical Society)

The Arlington Historical Society Museum is preparing to reopen after months of renovation and restoration work.

The museum at 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road, which closed last summer for repairs, is hosting a grand reopening event on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Meals tax up, property tax left unchanged as County Board approves $1.7B budget

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board Chairman Takis Karantonis (screenshot via Arlington County)

Arlington County’s meals tax is increasing but property taxes are staying the same following a unanimous County Board vote last night (Wednesday).

Starting July 1, the county’s meals tax is increasing from 4% to 5% — the first time the rate has gone up since its inception in 1991. The increase, expected to bring in about $13.3 million in the coming fiscal year, comes despite the protests of some local restaurant owners and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

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Green Valley redevelopment plan wins approval despite community opposition

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of 2480 S. Glebe Road project (via Arlington County)

A divided County Board on Wednesday (April 9) approved development of a 531-unit residential project despite ongoing concerns from residents in the Green Valley neighborhood.

The 4-0 vote, with one abstention, paves the way for construction a mix of residential uses at the 5.52 acre site.

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Northern Va. unemployment claims jumped 7.1% in February, new data reveals

By Scott McCaffrey
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (right) with President Trump at White House ceremony (via White House)

Unemployment claims in Northern Virginia rose 7.1% between January and February, new data shows — offering a first glimpse of the impacts of mass federal layoffs.

A total of 53,394 people in the region were counted as unemployed and looking for work in February as sweeping job cuts began going into effect.

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Falls Church leaders still divided over who should pay for trash collection

By Scott McCaffrey
An American Disposal truck in Northern Virginia (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Falls Church City Council members appear as divided as ever on how costs for trash collection in single-family neighborhoods should be funded.

At a Monday work session, Council members split almost down the middle on whether to shift to a fee-for-service model or to stick with funding weekly trash services through the city. More specifically, they are still debating whether they can work out details in the few weeks remaining before the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget is due for adoption.

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For this year, Trump executive order on voting steers clear of Arlington

By Scott McCaffrey
President Donald Trump signs an executive order (via White House)

At least for the time being, a new executive order on election matters is unlikely to impact Arlington.

Virginia “already does” many of the things included in the executive order that President Donald Trump signed on March 25, county registrar Gretchen Reinemeyer said.

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VHC Health soon plans to submit proposal for 146-bed facility on S. Carlin Springs

By Scott McCaffrey
VHC Health's Adrian Stanton (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

VHC Health is getting close to submitting its plans for a new 146-bed facility along S. Carlin Springs Road.

The health care organization has received approval from state regulators for a facility with 96 behavioral health beds and 50 in-patient rehabilitation beds at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road.

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Arlington to launch ‘microtransit’ pilot program later this year

By Scott McCaffrey
Microtransit service in Prince William County (via OmniRide)

A new “microtransit” program meant to shore up gaps in bus routes is expected to launch in northwest Arlington later this year.

Operating as an on-demand service, the initiative would likely use vans or other relatively small vehicles to connect passengers to fixed transit routes and key destinations.

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New fruit trees expand orchard at Green Valley elementary school

By Scott McCaffrey
Tree planting at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Over a dozen additional fruit trees and bushes have joined an orchard at a Green Valley elementary school.

The greenery, which volunteers from several local organizations planted on Saturday, expands a ring of raspberry bushes, blackberry bushes and apple, plum and pear trees around Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School.

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