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

A new version of Missing Middle zoning changes may be studied

By Scott McCaffrey
An approved EHO development in the Leeway Overlee neighborhood, in October 2024 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Arlington Housing Commission is considering whether to study possible ways to revive Missing Middle zoning changes.

The Expanded Housing Option is currently off the books following a circuit court judge’s ruling this summer.

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Public-health director who guided Arlington through the pandemic is retiring

By Scott McCaffrey
Dr. Reuben Varghese at walk-up coronavirus testing center opening in May 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

In his nearly two decades as Arlington’s public-health director, Dr. Reuben Varghese has never been short of new challenges to tackle.

Among them: Ebola. West Nile Disease. H1N1 influenza. Monkeypox. The fallout — literally and figuratively — from a potential nuclear strike. And of course, COVID-19.

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Gateway Park design, towing top County Board’s December agenda

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of the proposed new Gateway Park in Rosslyn (via Arlington County/YouTube)

Designs for a Rosslyn park, a controversial towing decision and a possible change in Arlington County Fair operations are all going before the Arlington County Board this week.

These items are all on the agenda as the Board holds its last meetings of the year on Saturday (Dec. 14) and the subsequent Tuesday (Dec. 17).

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News

Richmond’s help sought on office-to-residential conversions

By Scott McCaffrey
A rendering of a proposed office building to residential highrise conversion in 2018 (via Arlington County)

Arlington leaders are seeking help from the state government in boosting efforts to convert aging office buildings to residential use.

“We have some buildings that are great candidates” for conversion, County Board member Maureen Coffey said at a Dec. 3 work session with members of the county’s legislative delegation.

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With print edition folding, civic ‘heartbeat’ of Fairlington faces uncertain future

By Scott McCaffrey
December 2024 All-Fairlington Bulletin (via Fairlington Citizens Association)

Leadership of the Fairlington Citizens Association (FCA) has decided to cease monthly print publication of its All-Fairlington Bulletin newsletter in 2025.

The decision was based on rising costs, declining advertising revenue and changes in readership habits, the civic association’s leadership said.

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Higher tax bills likely on horizon for Falls Church homeowners

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

Falls Church homeowners likely will face higher real-estate tax bills in 2025-26 even if city leaders are able to shave a few pennies off the tax rate.

With no rate change, the typical city homeowner would face an estimated median $529 tax increase owing to higher assessments, the result of a still-robust housing market.

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News

Tweaks to county’s stormwater-rebate program on the horizon

By Scott McCaffrey
Flooding in Arlington in 2019 (file photo)

Arlington property owners next year likely will have a number of new ways to claim rebates against the government’s new stormwater fees.

County staff have proposed two additions to existing opportunities to lessen the annual stormwater fee, which is based on a property’s impermeable surface and for residential properties averaged $258 this year.

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News

County leaders seek more early-childhood support from Richmond

By Scott McCaffrey
Early-childhood education (via Picsea/Unsplash)

Ensuring access to affordable, high-quality daycare and early-childhood education has landed near the top of the Arlington County Board’s 2025 legislative wish list.

The cost of child care in Northern Virginia is “more expensive than college,” Board member Takis Karantonis said at the body’s Tuesday (Dec. 3) work session with members of the county’s delegation to the General Assembly.

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News

Neighbors again press for safety upgrades to S. Carlin Springs Road

By Scott McCaffrey
Glencarlyn Civic Association president Brandon Hemel discusses recent accidents (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A recent near-tragedy again has returned the spotlight to safety on S. Carlin Springs Road.

“People after the pandemic are driving like crazy,” Arlington County Board member Takis Karantonis said at a meeting last night (Dec. 2) of the Glencarlyn Civic Association. “There is no way to sugar-coat it.”

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News

Falls Church asks for a later start and end to Election Day

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church Registrar David Bjerke feeds provisional ballots into a scanner (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Falls Church city leaders are asking the General Assembly to push back the statewide election-poll-opening time from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., while moving the closing time from 7 to 8 p.m.

A change would benefit those who serve as officers of election at polling places, who must be there about an hour before the opening. It also “would put Virginia in line with most of the surrounding states,” Falls Church Electoral Board members said in a letter to the City Council.

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