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

County Board approves funds for Crystal City Metro entrance, $9.6M bridge replacement

By Scott McCaffrey
Design of Crystal City Metro station east entrance (KGP Design Studio via Arlington County)

The Arlington County Board approved funding for a pair of big-ticket infrastructure projects on Saturday.

Officials accepted a $20.7 million grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, advancing plans for a second entrance to the Crystal City Metro station. They also awarded a contract of $9.6 million to rebuild the Arlington Ridge Road bridge over Four Mile Run.

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News

County Board defers action on Green Valley redevelopment plan

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

The Arlington County Board has delayed making a final decision on a controversial Green Valley redevelopment proposal.

Board members voted 5-0 on Saturday to defer consideration of the 531-unit project that developer CC Rock Arlington Owner, LLC wants to put at 2480 S. Glebe Road — the current site of Hotel Pentagon and Comfort Inn Pentagon City.

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News

County Democrats return to playing offense as GOP appeals for candidates

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington Democratic chairman Steve Baker (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Arlington Democrats are moving back onto offense while the county’s GOP continues its work to build a candidate slate for November.

A monthly meeting of the Arlington County Democratic Committee last Wednesday attracted at least 100 people to Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School.

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News

Falls Church begins developing plans for America’s 250th birthday

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church250 committee meeting (screenshot via City of Falls Church)

The Little City is starting to think big for the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026.

Much remains up in the air, including the question of how much funding the City of Falls Church will set aside. At a March Falls Church250 committee meeting, however, officials floated ideas ranging from history talks to planting a remembrance tree.

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News

County Board steers away from potential real-estate tax hike

By Scott McCaffrey
County Board fiscal 2026 budget markup (screenshot via Arlington County)

It’s not official yet, but the Arlington County Board has tentative plans to keep the real estate tax rate where it is this fiscal year.

Board members had previously voted to advertise a possible tax increase from $1.033 to $1.043 per $100 assessed valuation. However, the consensus at the end of a budget wrap-up session yesterday (Thursday) was to leave the rate where it is.

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Schools

School Board candidates say APS should reconsider closing Integration Station

By Scott McCaffrey
School Board candidates June Prakash and Monique "Moe" Bryant (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Both contenders in Arlington’s Democrat School Board primary argue that leaders should rethink a plan to close a program for preschoolers with disabilities.

At a Wednesday candidate forum, June Prakash and Monique “Moe” Bryant contended that Arlington Public Schools leadership should have engaged more with affected families before introducing the proposal to close the Integration Station and disperse its students to other classrooms.

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News

Editor’s blog-like columns tracked Arlington life from Great Depression to postwar boom

By Scott McCaffrey
Northern Virginia Sun owner Howard Bloomer Jr. (photo courtesy Charlie Clark Center for Local History)

The term “blogger” didn’t come into the lexicon until the 1990s. But 60 years before, Arlington almost had the equivalent of one.

From 1935 to 1951, Howard Bradley “Brad” Bloomer Jr. was well known as a major player in Arlington civic life — and perhaps the only one to leave behind a large repository of facts and opinions about a crucial period in the county’s development.

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News

Palestine-themed children’s book will remain at Falls Church library

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church library director Megan Dotzler, left (via City of Falls Church)

A Palestine-themed alphabet book will remain on the shelf following a review by Falls Church staff, but it’s moving to a different part of the library.

A resident’s complaint in February about “P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book” prompted a flood of nearly 4,500 emails to the city, library director Megan Dotzler told the Library Board of Trustees at a meeting last week. The vast majority of emailers called for removing the book, which critics have accused of antisemitism.

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News

Plan for trio of Rosslyn residential towers raises pedestrian safety concerns

By Scott McCaffrey
Renderings of the proposed One Rosslyn project at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive (via Arlington County)

A major redevelopment project next to Gateway Park is receiving largely positive feedback from local leaders, despite some concerns about pedestrian safety and vehicle access.

The One Rosslyn project received its first vetting at a Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meeting last week. Developer Penzance proposes to raze existing office buildings at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive and replace them with a three-building complex with over 800 units.

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News

Residents, restaurateurs make case against increases to Arlington tax rates

By Scott McCaffrey
Fiscal 2026 tax-rate hearing (screenshot via Arlington County)

Several residents and members of the Arlington business community spoke out against proposed tax hikes at a County Board hearing last week.

As officials are considering possible bumps to the county’s meals tax and real estate tax, several speakers at a Thursday meeting made the case for fiscal restraint in the face of significant economic uncertainty in the D.C. area.

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