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

FCPS superintendent zeroes in on staff pay and other ‘essentials’ in proposed $4.1B budget

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid presents her proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to the school board on Jan. 22, 2026 (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools leaders say the proposed $4.1 billion fiscal year 2027 budget presented Jan. 22 by Superintendent Michelle Reid is fiscally responsible and worthy of full support by the Board of Supervisors.

School Board Chair Sandy Anderson termed it a “nothing-fancy” package that fits the economic times.

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Countywide

International service helps propel Dulles to new passenger record in 2025

By Scott McCaffrey
Ribbon-cutting at first Boliviana flight at Washington Dulles International Airport (via MWAA)

Ongoing growth in international travel helped propel Dulles International Airport to a record-setting year in 2025.

Officials with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) will not have confirmed final passenger counts until late February or March, but the authority’s president and CEO, Jack Potter, said the expectation is for a 6% increase from the record year in 2024.

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Countywide

Travelers rank Dulles Airport ‘very good,’ but slightly below National in 2025 report card

By Scott McCaffrey
Dulles International Airport main terminal at sunrise (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) officials say they are generally pleased with results of 2025 customer-satisfaction data at its facilities.

“Customers like our airports,” Gene Sutch, MWAA’s director of revenue strategy and analysis, said last Wednesday (Jan. 21) in a briefing to the authority’s business administration committee.

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Countywide

Nearly half of D.C.-area workers stick with hybrid schedule post-pandemic, report finds

By Scott McCaffrey
Weekday traffic on I-66 near Vaden Drive in Oakton (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Post-pandemic commuting trends appear to be stabilizing in the D.C. region, with workers spending more days at the office, but remote work remains prevalent.

“We seem to be approaching a much more settled ‘new normal,'” Dan Sheehan, transportation operations program director for the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) said at a Jan. 21 meeting, where staff unveiled the new State of the Commute report.

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Countywide

Fairfax County unemployment still elevated compared to 2024 in new state data

By Scott McCaffrey
Virginia Career Works advertises job transition resources on a Metro train (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The number of Fairfax County residents among the ranks of the unemployed was up 43% year-over-year, new state jobs data show.

A total of 24,051 county residents were recorded as seeking jobs in November, according to figures reported on Wednesday (Jan. 22) by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Countywide

Trash collectors voice opposition to Fairfax County managing future operations

By Scott McCaffrey
A Republic Services garbage truck in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Trash haulers across Northern Virginia are reacting negatively to Fairfax County’s proposed overhaul of residential waste collections.

At a forum hosted yesterday (Wednesday) by the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), those in the industry said the current structure — where residents and homeowners’ associations can pick among private firms or, in some cases, opt for government service — is working well.

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Countywide

Northern Virginia unemployment up year-over-year in latest jobs report

By Scott McCaffrey
Job interview (photo via Resume Genius on Unsplash)

The number of unemployed Northern Virginians spiked 41% year-over-year in November 2025, according to new federal data.

A total of 65,357 residents in the Virginia portion of the Washington metropolitan area were counted as unemployed for the month, according to figures released Jan. 16 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That compares to the 46,381 residents tallied as seeking jobs in November 2024.

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News

Franconia supervisor lauded for work leading regional Council of Governments board

By Scott McCaffrey
2025 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments board chair and Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk at the Talent Capital launch (photo by Chris Ferenzi)

Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk wrapped up a year as chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) with a call for continued regional collaboration.

“Regionalism isn’t something that’s easy,” Lusk said in valedictory remarks at COG’s meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 14). During the meeting, he passed the gavel to Reuben Collins II of the Charles County Board of Commissioners, who will chair the body for 2026.

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News

Fairfax board to consider loosening zoning rules for group homes

By Scott McCaffrey
The St. Rose of Lima Priests' Retirement Villa in Annandale was the first congregate living facility approved in Fairfax County under its current zoning ordinance (via Google Maps)

Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (Jan. 13) set public hearings for later in the winter to consider expansion of zoning districts where group homes, also known as congregate living facilities, would be allowed.

The proposal also would update nearly quarter-century-old standards for the facilities.

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News

D.C. region leaders warn against disruptions to federal funds for homeless services

By Scott McCaffrey
Individuals call attention to homelessness in Reston near a newly cleared homelessness encampment on the morning of Sept. 10, 2024 (staff file photo by Fatimah Waseem)

Leaders from across the D.C. region voted on Wednesday (Jan. 14) to ask Congress and the Trump administration to bring back predictability when it comes to funding homelessness response services at the local level.

“These programs provide critical support to thousands of our neighbors,” said Christine Hong, who chairs the Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

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