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

Falls Church property owners might not get lower taxes after all

By Scott McCaffrey
City Council member Erin Flynn voiced concerns about the tax burden (screenshot via Falls Church)

The Falls Church City Council is keeping the door open to maintaining the same tax rate in the coming fiscal year.

Council members unanimously voted on Monday night to advertise a maximum tax rate of $1.21 per $100 assessed valuation — unchanged from the current rate.

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News

Northern Va. ‘trophy’ offices will likely stay valuable in turbulent times, analysis finds

By Scott McCaffrey
The Rosslyn skyline (Photo courtesy of Clyde Group)

Though federal workforce reductions will likely cause fluctuations in office space this year, Northern Virginia’s most sought-after properties are expected to remain valuable.

A new data analysis from Savills US notes some “encouraging signs of recovery” in the first quarter of this year, but anticipates a bumpy ride for the region’s commercial properties as shakeups at the federal level play out.

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News

New Arlington conservation proposal raises concerns about loopholes and red tape

By Scott McCaffrey
The stump and lumber of a large willow oak at 502 N. Jackson Street (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Planned changes to local preservation guidelines have some local officials concerned about needless bureaucracy as well as loopholes for developers.

Several members of the county’s Park and Recreation Commission voiced skepticism after they received a briefing on proposed changes slated for Arlington County Board consideration in June.

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News

Arlington’s pedestrian advisory panel seeks to maintain influence, despite restructuring

By Scott McCaffrey
Sunset above Langston Blvd and the bike/pedestrian bridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new directive to focus more on big-picture advocacy and less on specific projects has Arlington’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee seeking more guidance about its role.

Some committee members say they understand the reasoning behind County Manager Mark Schwartz’s request last month. However, they don’t want to give up entirely on providing input about individual projects or policies — which they see as an important public service.

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News

New tax revenue data drives fresh economic concerns in Falls Church

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields (screenshot via City of Falls Church)

New data on sales tax and meals tax revenues in Falls Church might show the first headwinds of a looming economic storm, leaders say.

Sales-tax revenues in the city were flat in February despite the opening of a Whole Foods supermarket in early February. Revenue from the city’s meals tax also wasn’t as high as officials had anticipated.

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Schools

Questions over state and federal funding may delay APS budget adoption

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

Concerns about state and federal revenue could lead to a delay in the adoption of Arlington Public Schools’ new budget.

Superintendent Francisco Durán said Thursday that he may ask to postpone the planned May 1 approval of the $845 million spending plan to May 15.

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News

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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News

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

By Scott McCaffrey
Metro Transit Police vehicle in Ballston (file 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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News

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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News

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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News

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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News

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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