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

Casino critics dominate Fairfax County board hearing on legislative priorities

By Scott McCaffrey
A 'No Fairfax Casino' sign (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Critics of expected legislation that could allow a casino in Tysons dominated a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors hearing yesterday (Tuesday) on 2026 priorities for the Virginia General Assembly.

Speakers from organizations representing residents in Tysons, McLean and Reston — along with the mayor of Vienna — urged supervisors to be more explicit in voicing opposition to the proposal, which likely will return to Richmond early next year.

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News

Split board decides which FCPS students can opt into new ‘western high school’

By Scott McCaffrey
King Abdullah Academy in Herndon, soon to become a Fairfax County public high school (via Google Maps)

Rising ninth- and 10th-graders from a wide swath of western Fairfax County will have the opportunity to attend the county’s newest high school starting next fall.

Fairfax County School Board members voted last Thursday (Nov. 13) to allow students who otherwise would attend Centreville, Chantilly, Westfield, Oakton or South Lakes high schools to instead join the first classes at the currently unnamed new high school.

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Countywide

Plan for dedicated Metro funding wins support from key D.C. region leaders

By Scott McCaffrey
Boarding a Metro train at the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A plan to upgrade Metro’s service and long-term sustainability by establishing dedicated funding for the transit system won backing Monday afternoon (Nov. 17) from two key panels.

The boards of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) each formally endorsed the funding plan laid out in late October by the DMV Moves Task Force at a joint meeting.

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News

Open house draws a crowd to expanded, upgraded Mount Vernon Recreation Center

By Scott McCaffrey
Youth makes request for ice skates at Mount Vernon Recreation Center open house (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Fairfax County leaders joined hundreds of local residents for a variety of festivities celebrating the reopened Mount Vernon Recreation Center on Saturday (Nov. 15).

“We’ve waited long, we’ve suffered long,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said at the grand reopening, noting that more than two and a half years had elapsed since the facility at 2017 Belle View Blvd closed for renovation and expansion.

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Countywide

Federal shutdown exposed economic instability faced by many in D.C. region, nonprofit says

By Scott McCaffrey
Fencing lines a street near the U.S. Capitol in D.C. (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

In the wake of the country’s longest-ever federal government shutdown, a key safety-net organization is calling for a renewed emphasis on helping lower-income, working residents achieve economic independence across Fairfax County and the broader D.C. region.

While welcoming the shutdown’s end on Thursday (Nov. 13), United Way of the National Capital Area President and CEO Rosie Allen-Herring said at a briefing that morning that her organization believes “the impact will be felt, for thousands, for months ahead.”

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Countywide

Fairfax County’s housing market sees unusually healthy autumn market rebound

By Scott McCaffrey
Sign for a home under contract (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County’s October home-sales market had its best showing since July, with total sales volume up 10% month over month and 12.8% year over year.

A total of 1,027 residential properties went to closing in October, according to figures reported Nov. 11 by Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service. That’s up 6.6% from 963 sales in October 2024.

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Countywide

Early FCPS budget forecast eyes $180M in additional funding from county in 2026

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid discusses the upcoming budget season at a school board work session on Nov. 12, 2025 (screenshot via FCPS)

While acknowledging a request for more funding is on the horizon, the chair of Fairfax County’s School Board says she is eager to avoid a repeat of budget clashes earlier this year between her body and the Board of Supervisors.

Springfield District School Board member Sandy Anderson, who rotated in as chair over the summer, said Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) leaders need to be realistic about the current state of fiscal affairs, and considerate of the choices supervisors will need to make next spring.

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Countywide

N. Va. officials show initial support for proposed transit funding increases

By Scott McCaffrey
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission board discusses transit funding recommendations at its Nov. 6, 2025 meeting (via NVTC/YouTube)

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) on Thursday (Nov. 6) gave its support to two transit-funding initiatives currently working their way through a complex review process.

With no dissents, the commission signaled its backing of recommendations of the DMV Moves task force and the General Assembly’s Northern Virginia Growing Needs of Public Transit Joint Subcommittee, also known as the SJ28 Subcommittee after the state Senate resolution that established it.

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News

Fairfax City Council is seeking permission to increase tax rate on hotel stays

By Scott McCaffrey
Residence Inn by Marriott in Fairfax City (via Google Maps)

Fairfax City Council members voted unanimously Oct. 28 to ask the General Assembly to remove the existing cap on taxes levied on hotel stays in the city.

The City Charter currently caps the rate at 4%, below most jurisdictions across Virginia. In Fairfax County, the occupancy tax rate increased from 7% to 9% on Oct. 1, with different portions of the revenue going toward general county funds, tourism and regional transportation.

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News

Fairfax City Council rejects proposal to redevelop shopping center near Old Town

By Scott McCaffrey
Rendering of apartments proposed for Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center (via Combined Properties/City of Fairfax)

Plans to redevelop a portion of the Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center near Old Town Fairfax into housing were rejected by Fairfax City Council members late last month, leaving the aging site’s future in limbo once again.

The 4-2 vote on Oct. 28 came three months after council members opted on July 22 to delay a final decision in hopes a revamped proposal by developer Combined Properties would address concerns raised by critics throughout the development process.

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