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

McKay: Route 1 BRT remains on track despite less-than-requested regional funding

By Scott McCaffrey
Residents attend an in-person update on the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project at the Gerry South Hyland Government Center on Jan. 15, 2025 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Fairfax County will receive less regional funding than desired for its planned Richmond Highway (Route 1) Bus Rapid Transit system, but a top elected official says that won’t derail the nearly billion-dollar effort.

The county government submitted a request for $463 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) to support the proposal.

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Countywide

Fairfax County homes market posts higher sales, prices in first half of 2026

By Scott McCaffrey
A for sale sign for a house in Vienna coming soon to the market (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County home sales increased year-over-year during the first six months of 2026, with average, median and per-square-foot sales prices also up.

A total of 6,289 residential properties changed hands between Jan. 1 and June 30, according to figures reported Friday (July 10) by MarketStats by ShowingTime.

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Countywide

New demographic data predicts a big rise in Fairfax County’s senior population

By Scott McCaffrey
Seniors represent a growing segment of Fairfax's population (via Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

Fairfax County will see significant growth in its 65-and-older population over the coming 20 years, according to newly released government estimates.

The county’s senior population is expected to grow from about 190,000 today to about 320,000 by 2045, significantly outpacing total county population growth.

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Countywide

Fairfax County begins to assess local impact of changes to state cannabis laws

By Scott McCaffrey
Cannabis cultivation (via Richard T/The CDB on Unsplash)

Fairfax County leaders have begun working to determine what local steps are needed to implement changes in state cannabis laws, and what regulatory powers they will have.

“We want to make sure we put in place what we need to put in place,” Board Chair Jeff McKay said at the July 7 meeting of the Board of Supervisors’ Land Use Policy Committee.

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Countywide

Fairfax County leaders, staff gear up for impacts of ‘Faith in Housing’ legislation

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County approved plans in 2025 for townhouse development on part of St. Paul's Lutheran Church's property in Idylwood received Fairfax County's approval (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County staff are beginning preparations for adhering to a new state law loosening zoning regulations on development of affordable housing.

Legislation known by proponents as the “Faith in Housing” bills was enacted by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) earlier this year. Set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, it requires localities to establish a streamlined process for construction of affordable units on land owned by religious organizations or nonprofit groups.

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Countywide

Fairfax County hunts for ways to ease zoning rules for home-based day care

By Scott McCaffrey
Student in child care (photo by Gabe Pierce/Unsplash)

Fairfax County supervisors have directed staff to consider ways to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for those seeking to provide child care services in their homes to the public.

Getting approval from the county government “takes way too long,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a Land Use Policy Committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday).

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Countywide

Rising trash disposal costs might leave Fairfax property owners, officials holding their noses

By Scott McCaffrey
A Fairfax County solid waste management truck at the I-66 Transfer Station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax officials acknowledge they have no easy solutions to offset rising costs of operating the local government’s trash collection facilities.

Fairfax property owners might need to pay for future funding shortfalls — a possibility that may be equally unwelcome to county supervisors as they prepare for an election year in 2027.

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News

Route 7 bus riders want to retain curbside stops when rapid transit arrives

By Scott McCaffrey
Overview of Envision Route 7 project (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Most bus riders along portions of Route 7 seem skeptical of placing future transit stops in the center of the busy roadway, but local leaders at least want the option considered before being discarded.

A recent survey of riders along the portion of the bus rapid transit (BRT) line proposed to connect Tysons to Alexandria found 60% preferred retaining curbside stops. The remainder were split between moving to center-of-the-road stops or having no opinion.

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News

Primary challengers try to map out route to victory against incumbent Rep. Beyer

By Scott McCaffrey
Candidate Adam Dunigan speaks, flanked by Rep. Don Beyer and Mo Seifeldein (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Facing an uphill battle to unseat Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, four challengers used a recent campaign event to carve out their own political lanes:

Their distinctions provided some fireworks at the July 1 debate, hosted by the Arlington County Democratic Committee. But as even one candidate publicly acknowledged, voters in the 8th District are likely to stick with Beyer this election season.

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Countywide

Fairfax’s jobless count remains up 40% from Biden administration era

By Scott McCaffrey
Job seekers at a Virginia Universities Career Fair in Merrifield in August 2025 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The number of Fairfax residents counted as unemployed remains up 7.6% year over year and stands 39% higher than the last month of the Biden administration, according to new state data.

A total of 612,670 Fairfax County residents were employed in the civilian workforce and 21,239 were looking for jobs in May, according to figures reported July 1 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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