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

Peanuts officially banished from APS cafeteria food

By Scott McCaffrey
Peanut butter on supermarket shelf (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

It’s been the practice for some years, but now peanuts and their derivatives are formally banished from food served in Arlington public-school cafeterias.

Cafeterias now must “provide exclusively peanut-free food,” an Arlington Public Schools policy implementation procedure (PIP) mandates.

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News

In wake of Pentagon City stabbing, local GOP ramps up criticism of prosecutor

By Scott McCaffrey
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at her election watch party in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington Republicans are setting their sights on the 2027 Commonwealth’s Attorney race amid an ongoing dispute between the county’s police union and its top prosecutor.

It’s been decades since the GOP has fielded a candidate in that particular race. However, local Republican chair Matthew Hurtt has joined the Arlington Coalition of Police in sharply criticizing Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti following a Pentagon City homicide.

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News

Schwartz: Arlington happy to hire displaced, disaffected federal workers

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Federal-government employees irked at the prospect of being forced back into the office five days a week might want to check out job opportunities with the Arlington County government.

Arlington continues to offer a relatively flexible work-from-home policy, and would be happy to talk with those who might wish to avail themselves of it, the county’s top staffer said.

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News

Spain breaks streak of special elections in seat he will occupy

By Scott McCaffrey
JD Spain, Sr. at the Arlington Democrats' election November 2024 watch party in Crystal City (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The accession of JD Spain, Sr., to the County Board on Wednesday (Jan. 1) marks the first time in nearly 45 years that the seat changed hands via a general, rather than special, election.

Spain’s three immediate predecessors in the seat — Libby Garvey, Barbara Favola and James Hunter III — each came to office via a special election after their predecessors resigned:

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News

More programs sought to increase Arlington home ownership

By Scott McCaffrey
Home construction (via Ernie Journeys/Unsplash)

Proposals for new and expanded support of lower- and moderate-income Arlington homeowners could run into budget headwinds in 2025.

County staff closed out 2024 by presenting a host of proposals to County Board members. They aim to support those priced out of the county’s housing market, as well as those who already are homeowners but are having difficulties maintaining their properties.

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News

Arlington economic development panel’s leadership changes, but its focus won’t

By Scott McCaffrey
2025 Arlington Economic Development Commission chair Kevin Yam (via Iron Point Partners)

Its leadership may be changing, but the role of Arlington’s Economic Development Commission will remain vital in 2025, its members believe.

The body is “filled with professionals … that can offer guidance and perspective,” said Bill Dunn, the commission’s outgoing chair, at its December meeting.

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News

Falls Church leaders seek action in 2025 on affordable housing

By Scott McCaffrey
A sign outside the city hall of Falls Church (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Some Falls Church officials are hoping 2025 will be a year of moving from conversation to concrete decisions in addressing affordable-housing goals.

“It’s the action side of things that has always been the problem — not the aspirational nature of what we want,” City Council member Erin Flynn said during a discussion of how city leaders will move forward on housing issues in the new year.

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News

Trail connecting Arlington View and Crystal City via Army Navy Country Club will be steep

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington View Connector Trail plaza (artwork via Hord Coplan Macht and Arlington County)

Users of a future trail to connect the Arlington View neighborhood across I-395 to Crystal City may find themselves huffing and puffing unless they take it easy.

The route will require pedestrians and bicyclists to go “over the mountain range” to get from one end to the other, noted David Patton, a transportation planner for the Department of Environmental Services, during a Dec. 16 presentation to the county’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

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News

Two safety-net programs for county seniors facing challenges

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

Two initiatives to meet the needs of at-risk Arlington seniors are facing troubled times.

An end to Covid-era funding is hitting operations of the nonprofit Meals on Wheels program hard, while there remains a backlogged waiting list for those wanting to be a part of the Arlington Department of Human Services’ Adult Day program.

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