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

Airports Authority extends lease on Washington Dulles Marriott to late 2029

By Scott McCaffrey
Exterior of Marriott Washington Dulles Airport with pink M logo on beige facade and driveway in foreground.
The Washington Dulles Airport Marriott hotel (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

The iconic Washington Dulles Airport Marriott has at least a few more years of life before being imperiled by potential redevelopment.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board members voted Wednesday (Aug. 19) to extend the lease on the 21-acre hotel site at 45020 Aviation Drive for two years, until Sept. 30, 2029.

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News

MWAA board OKs additional $15.5 billion for Dulles Airport upgrades

By Scott McCaffrey
Aerial view of a large airport with multiple concourses and airplanes at gates; colored lines show passenger transfer routes between terminals.
Conceptual rendering of airside facilities at Dulles International Airport (courtesy MWAA)

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board members agreed yesterday (Wednesday) to add $15.5 billion to the authority’s capital spending budget for planned improvements to Dulles International Airport.

MWAA officials also sketched out the anticipated timing and cost of individual components of the improvement plan, which had been pushed as a priority by President Donald Trump.

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Countywide

FCPS leaders seek compromise to keep middle school after-school program alive

By Scott McCaffrey
Glasgow Middle School students learn cooking skills in an after-school program (via FCPS/YouTube)

A middle ground may be emerging in what has become a tug-of-war between the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board over funding after-school programming at all 27 public middle schools.

The potential compromise: Rather than charging participation fees to families, the school system could seek voluntary donations and public-private partnerships to cover some of the enrichment program’s annual $11 million operating costs.

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News

Fairfax County supervisor calls for return to recycling glass products at curb

By Scott McCaffrey
Three men in hi-vis vests and hard hats pose in front of a mound of plastic bottle caps at a recycling facility/landfill site.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, center, during a recent tour of recycling facilities (courtesy Pat Herrity)

Nearly a decade ago, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity backed an effort to eliminate glass from Fairfax County’s single-stream recycling program.

Herrity now thinks the time is right to reconsider the decision.

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News

Two-day closure of Blenheim Blvd begins for tree removals

By Scott McCaffrey
Park scene with green grass, trees, and a chain-link fence in the foreground under a clear blue sky.
A tree outside the Army-Navy Country Club on Blenheim Blvd in Fairfax City (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Drivers and bus riders will see detours in effect today and tomorrow (Aug. 17-18) on Blenheim Blvd between Lion Run and Old Pickett Road in the City of Fairfax.

The closure to through traffic is expected to be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, according to city officials.

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Countywide

ArtsFairfax awards grants to aid organizations in all corners of county

By Scott McCaffrey
Orchestra on stage with a conductor, large screens behind showing logos for TMS and Fairfax County VA-250, in a concert hall.
The McLean Symphony performs at the Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church in June 2026 (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

ArtsFairfax’s $601,900 in new operating support grants exceeds last year’s support by $10,000 and will aid organizations in all nine county magisterial districts plus the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.

The organization announced its fiscal year 2027 grant awards on Thursday (Aug. 13). A total of 65 local arts groups will receive funds, up from 56 a year ago. Four organizations were first-time recipients.

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Countywide

Home sales volume tops $1B in Fairfax County, as prices rise modestly

By Scott McCaffrey
Home sold sign (file photo)

Home sales edged up slightly across Fairfax County, while average prices also were modestly higher year over year in July, according to new data.

A total of 1,148 properties went to closing last month, up 0.4% from the 1,144 transactions in July 2025, according to figures reported Aug. 11 by Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service, based on figures from MarketStats by ShowingTime.

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Around Town

How a Twin Cities theater professional got his start on stage in McLean

By Scott McCaffrey
Smiling man with curly blond hair and glasses against a dark background, portrait-style photo.
McLean native Jeffrey Nolan is a member of the cast of "Pinocchio" being performed in Minneapolis (courtesy Children's Theatre Company)

A McLean native is working to make a theatrical name for himself in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

Jeffrey Nolan is a member of the 2026-27 acting cohort of the Minneapolis-based Children’s Theatre Company. The troupe in 2003 won the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, becoming the first and, to date, only theater focused on younger audiences to receive the honor.

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News

D.C. region’s home values still rising, but the rate of growth is modest

By Scott McCaffrey
A real estate sign announces that a house for sale in Vienna is under contract (file photo)

Home sale prices across the D.C. region grew at about half the national rate in the second quarter of 2026, but local home values remained well above the national average.

The D.C. metro area recorded a 0.9% increase in year-over-year median sales price in the April to June period, according to figures reported by the National Association of Realtors.

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News

Oakton student mobilizes local youth to support 400+ artisans in India

By Scott McCaffrey
Two volunteers hold a banner reading 'SERVING SOCIETY' in front of a van filled with supplies, a donation scene.
Dev Rai, left, is founder of the Serving Society Global Foundation (courtesy of SSGF)

A rising Oakton High School senior is the driving force behind a nonprofit foundation that harnesses the enthusiasm of youth to support traditional artisans in India.

To date, the Serving Society Global Foundation has raised more than $15,000 to support over 400 marginalized artisans and bring their handcrafted items to market. It has also engaged more than 300 young volunteers across the local region. Many come from the SEWA DC Youth Group, which has more than 100 active members volunteering regularly.

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