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.

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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Countywide

N. Va. gains authority to increase sales tax, but leaders wary of pursuing referendums

By Scott McCaffrey
Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Northern Virginia leaders are treading cautiously with newly granted power to increase the sales tax in local jurisdictions.

Under the biennial state budget adopted in Richmond late last month, Northern Virginia localities now have the power to hold voter referendums to increase sales taxes by up to 1%, with the extra funding going to transportation, education or a combination.

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Countywide

Year-over-year apartment rents down across most of Fairfax County in June

By Scott McCaffrey
The Signature Apartments at Reston Town Center from New Dominion Parkway (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Median year-over-year apartment rents declined in seven of eight Fairfax County corridors and the county overall in June, according to new data.

Only Lorton saw an increase in figures released June 30 by Apartment List. Its median rent was up 0.2%, standing at $2,250 for one-bedroom units, $2,728 for two bedrooms and $2,778 for all bedroom sizes.

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News

Dulles saw highest growth rate in 2025 of nation’s 50 largest airports

By Scott McCaffrey
A sign in the baggage claim area greets arrivals to Dulles Airport (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Dulles International Airport recorded the highest rate of passenger growth among the nation’s 50 largest airports in 2025, according to new federal data.

The 13,859,735 enplanements for the year represented a 6.6% increase from 2024, based on preliminary figures reported this week by the Federal Aviation Administration.

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