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

Arlington School Board delays budget adoption, plans for price hikes from tariffs

By Scott McCaffrey
Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

The Arlington School Board has pushed back a final budget vote to give officials time to finish crunching numbers.

The vote on the budget is now scheduled to happen on Thursday, May 15 as leaders determine the effects of recent funding decisions at the state level.

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News

Marking 50 years since the fall of Saigon, Falls Church honors Vietnamese Americans

By Scott McCaffrey
Local Vietnamese-American leaders at City Council recognition (screenshot via City of Falls Church)

The Falls Church City Council marked the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon last week with a celebration of the city’s Vietnamese-American community.

“Thank you for being part of Falls Church,” Mayor Letty Hardi said at Monday’s Council meeting, attended by several dozen community representatives.

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Schools

Head of teachers union plans to step down if elected to Arlington School Board

By Scott McCaffrey
June Prakash (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

The president of the Arlington Education Association says she will give up the position if elected to the School Board.

“Would I step down if elected? Yes, I would,” June Prakash said when questioned on her plans by Arlington NAACP education chair Tia Alfred at the civil-rights organization’s online candidate forum earlier this week.

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News

Races for Arlington School Board, County Board and state delegate get underway

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

Campaigns in Arlington’s Democratic primary and School Board caucus are kicking into gear, with three competitive races at the local level.

Candidates Monique “Moe” Bryant and June Prakash are competing for one open seat on the Arlington School Board.

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News

Arlington election officials prep for the first day of early voting on Friday

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

While election officials in Arlington and Falls Church are not expecting an early rush to vote in the Democratic primary, they’re ready for those who do come.

Arlington elections director Gretchen Reinemeyer told ARLnow she expects a relatively modest first-day turnout when early voting begins on Friday.

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News

Arlington unemployment claims spiked in March, adding to region-wide pessimism

By Scott McCaffrey and Vernon Miles
A town hall for federal workers and contractors at Central Library in February (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Hundreds more Arlington County residents began seeking work in March as federal layoffs continue to drive a region-wide surge in unemployment, new data shows.

A total of 4,929 Arlington residents were counted as without jobs and seeking work in March, the Virginia Employment Commission reported yesterday (Tuesday). That’s up 16% from the 4,249 recorded in February, and up a hefty 60% from 3,116 in March 2024.

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Schools

School Board candidates back superintendent but say APS can do more

By Scott McCaffrey
Superintendent Francisco Durán (screenshot via APS)

Arlington’s superintendent earns passing grades from the two Democratic candidates vying for a post on the School Board.

At an online candidate forum hosted by the Arlington NAACP, Monique “Moe” Bryant and June Prakash voiced support for Superintendent Francisco Durán but challenged other aspects of Arlington Public Schools leadership.

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News

Falls Church seeks compromise on Arlington’s proposed ambulance fee changes

By Scott McCaffrey
An ACFD ambulances heads to a call (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Falls Church leaders are seeking a compromise on a new ambulance fees agreement with Arlington County.

In addition to increasing the amount that the City of Falls Church pays for fire and ambulance services, the proposed agreement would cap the amount of revenue that the city can receive from ambulance transport fees at $295,000 annually.

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News

Arlington County promises Meals on Wheels $105K to cover increasing costs

By Scott McCaffrey
A person enjoying a meal (via Ryan Reinoso/Unsplash)

A nonprofit providing meals to older Arlington County residents is on track to receive county funding for the first time.

The county plans to provide $105,000 in direct support to the Arlington Meals on Wheels program in the coming fiscal year. This is the first time that the nonprofit has asked for local funding in response to a growing community need.

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News

Falls Church plans $1.4M for road paving, but backlog will remain

By Scott McCaffrey
A youth watches street repaving on 41st Street N. in Arlington (Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok)

The City of Falls Church plans to spend more on paving roads in the coming year, but it will still have unfunded needs.

The proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes $1.4 million for road-paving initiatives, up from $870,000 in the coming fiscal year.

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News

Historic Arlington fire station celebrated at dedication of $28M facility

By Scott McCaffrey
Fire Chief David Povlitz at Fire Station #8 dedication (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Fire Station #8’s dedication ceremony on Saturday included equal nods to the past, present and future.

“It symbolizes struggle, determination, progress,” Arlington Fire Chief David Povlitz said at the formal opening of the four-bay, three-level, 20,000-square-foot facility that is expected to serve until at least the mid-2070s.

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