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

School Board candidates say APS should reconsider closing Integration Station

By Scott McCaffrey
School Board candidates June Prakash and Monique "Moe" Bryant (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Both contenders in Arlington’s Democrat School Board primary argue that leaders should rethink a plan to close a program for preschoolers with disabilities.

At a Wednesday candidate forum, June Prakash and Monique “Moe” Bryant contended that Arlington Public Schools leadership should have engaged more with affected families before introducing the proposal to close the Integration Station and disperse its students to other classrooms.

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News

Editor’s blog-like columns tracked Arlington life from Great Depression to postwar boom

By Scott McCaffrey
Northern Virginia Sun owner Howard Bloomer Jr. (photo courtesy Charlie Clark Center for Local History)

The term “blogger” didn’t come into the lexicon until the 1990s. But 60 years before, Arlington almost had the equivalent of one.

From 1935 to 1951, Howard Bradley “Brad” Bloomer Jr. was well known as a major player in Arlington civic life — and perhaps the only one to leave behind a large repository of facts and opinions about a crucial period in the county’s development.

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News

Palestine-themed children’s book will remain at Falls Church library

By Scott McCaffrey
Falls Church library director Megan Dotzler, left (via City of Falls Church)

A Palestine-themed alphabet book will remain on the shelf following a review by Falls Church staff, but it’s moving to a different part of the library.

A resident’s complaint in February about “P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book” prompted a flood of nearly 4,500 emails to the city, library director Megan Dotzler told the Library Board of Trustees at a meeting last week. The vast majority of emailers called for removing the book, which critics have accused of antisemitism.

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News

Plan for trio of Rosslyn residential towers raises pedestrian safety concerns

By Scott McCaffrey
Renderings of the proposed One Rosslyn project at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive (via Arlington County)

A major redevelopment project next to Gateway Park is receiving largely positive feedback from local leaders, despite some concerns about pedestrian safety and vehicle access.

The One Rosslyn project received its first vetting at a Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meeting last week. Developer Penzance proposes to raze existing office buildings at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive and replace them with a three-building complex with over 800 units.

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News

Residents, restaurateurs make case against increases to Arlington tax rates

By Scott McCaffrey
Fiscal 2026 tax-rate hearing (screenshot via Arlington County)

Several residents and members of the Arlington business community spoke out against proposed tax hikes at a County Board hearing last week.

As officials are considering possible bumps to the county’s meals tax and real estate tax, several speakers at a Thursday meeting made the case for fiscal restraint in the face of significant economic uncertainty in the D.C. area.

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News

Ballston apartment proposal draws concern as not tall enough for surroundings

By Scott McCaffrey
Ballston One proposal at 4601 N. Fairfax Drive (via Penzance)

A proposed new residential building on the western edge of Ballston’s urban core has drawn concerns about its height.

But in a twist, it isn’t that the planned building is viewed as too tall. Some in the public and serving on the site-plan review committee (SPRC) evaluating the development plan see it as not tall enough.

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News

Proposed Green Valley apartments, Claremont gas station slated for County Board consideration

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of 2480 S. Glebe Road project (via Arlington County)

Proposals to build more housing in Green Valley and a new restaurant and gas station in Claremont are slated for County Board consideration this weekend.

Potential sidewalk improvements to S. Carlin Springs Road and a reduction in the number of early voting sites are also on the agenda for the Saturday meeting.

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News

Local leaders come out against proposal to merge Northern Virginia bus systems

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington Transit bus (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

An Arlington leader is among several local officials opposing a proposal to merge bus systems in Northern Virginia in a quest for greater efficiency.

Though the possibility of merging transit systems came up during DMV Moves meetings late last year, leaders including County Board member Matt de Ferranti expressed skepticism after the concept re-appeared during a meeting last week.

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News

Arlington’s population is on the rise, despite many people still moving out

By Scott McCaffrey
Aerial view of homes and offices along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor (staff photo)

The population of every jurisdiction in Northern Virginia, including Arlington, increased between 2023 and 2024 for the first time in seven years.

The region as a whole saw its largest population increase in quite a few years, rising by 35,181, according to new estimates from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Arlington’s population estimate increased by just under 2%, while the region as a whole grew by 1.4%.

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News

County seeking ways to recoup more costs from 55+ programming

By Scott McCaffrey
A photo from the cover of the 55+ Spring 2025 guide (via Arlington County)

Arlington County’s heavily subsidized 55+ programming may get more pricey for participants in coming years.

County Board members have unofficially tasked the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to examine the fee scale for the approximately 7,000 people — most county residents — participating in these programs.

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Schools

Corrective action promised after audit digs into HR failings at APS

By Scott McCaffrey
Arlington School Board auditor Alice Blount-Fenney (screenshot via APS)

An auditor’s report on extensive human resources shortcomings at Arlington Public Schools has leaders promising corrective action.

“There’s a lot of issues — training is desperately needed,” said auditor Alice Blount-Fenney, whose report laid less fault at the feet of front-line HR staff and more on broader institutional failings.

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