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 staff hope to win more Va. transportation funding by thinking smaller

By Scott McCaffrey
Virginia Department of Transportation Northern Virginia District office in Legato (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Shut out in the last round of jockeying for state transportation funding, Fairfax County officials are taking steps to be more successful next time.

For the next round of applications for “Smart Scale” grants, due over the summer, county staff intends to “focus on smaller projects” that require no more than $30 million through the program, said Noelle Dominguez, coordination and funding division chief for the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT).

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Countywide

Fairfax leaders aim for united front in seeking more state education funding

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County Public Schools bus on the road (file photo)

Rather than go to war over about 1% of Fairfax County Public Schools’ budget request, county and school leaders are trying to forge a coalition that will press General Assembly members to provide the additional funding.

The Board of Supervisors and school board need to “be loud about the fact that we need help” from Richmond, School Board Chair Sandy Anderson (Springfield) said at a work session to discuss the county’s proposed budget on Tuesday (Feb. 24).

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Countywide

Fairfax County seeks corporate sponsors, more varied locations for Capital Bikeshare network

By Scott McCaffrey
A Capital Bikeshare station outside Tysons Corner Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County officials are working on ways to reduce financial subsidies required to support Capital Bikeshare — with finding a countywide or regional sponsor as one potential option.

That would make the local rental bicycle and e-bike service more like Citi Bike in New York City, which is able to run without taxpayer subsidies thanks to high volume, somewhat higher rider costs and a financial partner in Citigroup.

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Countywide

Revised bond funding plan would delay library upgrades, Springfield community center

By Scott McCaffrey
Herndon Fortnightly Library (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Fairfax County would overhaul its plan for funding facility renovations and other capital projects with bonds under the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget plan presented by County Executive Bryan Hill earlier this week.

Some projects have been deferred, others shifted to Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (EDA) bonds, and still others eliminated from the bond schedule entirely.

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Obituary

Former Supervisor Michael Frey’s unexpected death brings tributes pouring in

By Scott McCaffrey
Michael Frey with one of his rescue animals (via Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

Fairfax County government officials and other civic leaders are paying tribute to former Sully District Supervisor Michael Frey, who died Feb. 16.

“We’re all in shock” at the unanticipated passing of the former supervisor, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the body’s Feb. 17 meeting, observing that Frey “left us far too soon, with so much more to give.”

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News

Historic Fairfax Courthouse closure spurs call for renewed focus on building maintenance

By Scott McCaffrey
A vehicle passing the Fairfax County Historic Courthouse (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County supervisors have directed staff to return in coming weeks with information on the physical conditions of the local government’s more than 200 buildings.

The request for information was made Tuesday (Feb. 17) by Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, who contends maintenance of older buildings constructed between the 1960s and 1980s has been “consistently deferred in favor of new projects.”

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Countywide

State could punt decision on N. Va. transit funding plan, but Fairfax leaders not giving up yet

By Scott McCaffrey
Hunter Mill Supervisor Walter Alcorn (screenshot via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County officials sent mixed messages last Friday (Feb. 13) over General Assembly progress, or lack of it, toward dedicated transit funding for Northern Virginia.

Legislation to establish dedicated transit funding is unlikely to be acted on during the month remaining in the 2026 legislative session, county staff reported at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors’ Legislative Committee.

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Countywide

Fairfax County’s proposed $5.7B budget keeps property tax rate flat, leaves school funding gap

By Scott McCaffrey
County Executive Bryan Hill presents his FY27 budget (screenshot via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County’s real estate tax rate would remain the same, but the typical homeowner would still pay $357 more due to higher assessments under the $5.98 billion fiscal year 2027 budget proposed today (Feb. 17) by County Executive Bryan Hill.

“Fairfax County is stable, competitive and positioned for growth. We are stabilizing and we are also advancing,” Hill told the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, officially kicking off the two-and-a-half month budget process.

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Countywide

Virginia House passes Fairfax County-supported bill targeting excessively noisy vehicles

By Scott McCaffrey and Angela Woolsey
Del. Rip Sullivan presents his vehicle noise monitoring bill before the House innovations subcommittee on Feb. 5, 2026 (via Virginia House of Delegates)

Fairfax County officials are cautiously optimistic about the prospects for state legislation that would let certain localities use monitoring equipment to fine owners of excessively noisy vehicles.

House Bill 55, patroned for a second year by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6), passed the House of Delegates yesterday (Tuesday) on a 64-34 vote after a third reading.

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Countywide

Slow winter storm recovery drives D.C. region leaders to seek improvements

By Scott McCaffrey and Angela Woolsey
Snow and ice remain uncleared on a sidewalk along Old Dairy Road in Herndon's Franklin Farm neighborhood (photo by Marie Baraldi)

Fairfax County Public Schools resumed regular classes on Monday (Feb. 9) for the first time since a double whammy of snow and ice hit the D.C. region in late January, but many students still encounter blocked sidewalks and intersections on the way to their school or bus stop.

That was the case earlier this week in the Franklin Farm neighborhood near Herndon, where sidewalks around a school bus stop at Old Dairy Road and Tyburn Tree Court remained stubbornly covered in ice.

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