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

New appointees tasked with rebuilding Human Rights Commission

By Scott McCaffrey
2025 County Board (screenshot via Arlington County)

Six months after all its members were unceremoniously removed from office, Arlington’s Human Rights Commission is back in operation.

County Board members on Tuesday (Jan. 28) made seven appointments to the body, with terms running through January 2028.

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News

Garvey plans continued civic presence after decades-long public career

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey in 2024 (via Arlington County/YouTube)

After nearly three decades in elected office, former County Board member Libby Garvey plans to remain active in Arlington civic life.

Garvey, who ended more than a dozen years on the County Board on Dec. 31, plans to continue publishing her civic newsletters while working to become a clearinghouse for thought-provoking political conversation at the local and national level.

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Schools

Lyon Park private school doubles enrollment cap, despite some pushback

By Scott McCaffrey
Tyndale Christian School (via Tyndale Christian School/Facebook)

A Lyon Park private school has received a thumbs up from county leaders on a request to double is student capacity.

But Arlington County Board members cautioned leaders of Tyndale Christian School to be more responsive to community concerns if they hope to maintain, and potentially expand, maximum enrollment.

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News

Planned sidewalk upgrades on S. Carlin Springs get boost from county

By Scott McCaffrey
S. Carlin Springs Road sidewalk conditions (via Arlington County)

A small but critical piece of the effort to improve sidewalk conditions on S. Carlin Springs Road took a step forward this weekend.

Arlington County Board members voted to pay a property owner $29,230 for easements that will allow for a wider sidewalk at Carlin Springs and 2nd Street S., near Kenmore Middle School.

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News

Goodwill redevelopment receives $18M in bonds from Arlington County

By Scott McCaffrey
A February 2024 rendering of the proposed Goodwill redevelopment (courtesy AHC)

The Arlington County Board has approved $18 million in revenue bonds to support the redevelopment of the Goodwill on S. Glebe Road.

The funding will benefit AHC Inc., which is partnering with Goodwill to develop affordable housing on the site, located at 10 S. Glebe Road in the Alcova Heights community.

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Schools

Youth-led coding competition debuts at Arlington Career Center

By Scott McCaffrey
2025 coding competition student organizers (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

About 60 students took part in the debut of a youth-led coding competition at the Arlington Career Center this weekend.

“We had to communicate with many people — it was quite an effort,” said Nate Levin, a senior at Yorktown High School who, along with Brayden Zee of Yorktown and Sheel Shah of Arlington Tech, organized the 4.5-hour event.

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News

Decision on accessory dwellings approaches in Falls Church

By Scott McCaffrey
An award-winning accessory dwelling unit (via Arlington County)

Falls Church officials are nearing a decision on an ordinance that would make it easier to build accessory-dwelling units.

A vote on the ordinance is expected in late March or April. At a Council work session last week, however, there was a split between elected leaders and top staff on how much remaining public input is advisable before the matter goes to a vote.

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News

Falls Church eyes redevelopment options for 15 acres in West End

By Scott McCaffrey
Robert L. Goff Operations Yard 2024 open house (via City of Falls Church)

Falls Church’s ongoing redevelopment spurt could next focus on 15 acres of mostly industrial land in the community’s West End.

City leaders have invited a contingent from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to Falls Church for a look at what the city calls its Gordon Road Triangle.

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Schools

Poor summer school outcomes leave APS seeking new strategies

By Scott McCaffrey
The Arlington School Board at a January meeting (via Arlington Public Schools)

Subpar results from remedial summer-school programming at Arlington Public Schools have left leaders in search of new strategies.

“We weren’t seeing significant [academic] growth,” Superintendent Francisco Durán said during a program recap at the Jan. 16 School Board meeting.

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