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

Fairfax County seeks land rights for pedestrian safety project on Columbia Pike

By Scott McCaffrey
Columbia Pike improvements, in red, and affected properties, bordered in blue (via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County is considering exercising its eminent domain powers to advance a sidewalk project on Columbia Pike.

During its meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Board of Supervisors authorized a Nov. 18 public hearing to acquire easements to property needed to make the improvements on a stretch of Columbia Pike in Annandale.

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Countywide

Lower interest rates helped more buyers into Fairfax homes market in September

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

Home sales and average sales prices across Fairfax County rose in September, as buyers cashed in on lower interest rates despite ongoing economic concerns.

A total of 953 properties went to closing for the month, up from 920 in September 2024, according to figures reported Friday (Oct. 10) by Bright MLS, using data from MarketStats by ShowingTime.

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Countywide

Fairfax County leaders to fight any state bills diluting local authority to regulate housing

By Scott McCaffrey
One University affordable housing development in Fairfax (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Fairfax County leaders appear ready to battle any efforts in the 2026 General Assembly session to strip powers of local government to regulate creation of new housing.

“We want affordable housing,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said, but the county’s lobbying efforts in Richmond would be focused on “making sure the General Assembly doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all” approach that erases local decision-making powers.

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Countywide

D.C. region leaders troubled by ‘elevated’ food insecurity levels found in report

By Scott McCaffrey
Food-pantry shelves (photo via Jacob McGowin/Unsplash)

More than one in four Fairfax County households meets the definition of “food-insecure,” and that figure is likely to rise in coming months as the full impacts of federal worker and funding cuts materialize.

“More challenging times are ahead,” Hilary Salmon, senior director of marketing and communications for Capital Area Food Bank, predicted when briefing board members of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) yesterday (Wednesday).

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Countywide

Shutdown impacts add uncertainty to Fairfax leaders’ priorities for Congress

By Scott McCaffrey
Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez now heads the legislative committee (screenshot via Fairfax County)

Like everyone else, Fairfax County leaders remain in wait-and-see mode to determine the short-term and potential long-term implications of the federal government’s ongoing shutdown.

“It really depends on the length,” said Jennifer Imo, managing partner of client services for Ferguson Group, a lobbying organization hired by Fairfax County to represent its interests on Capitol Hill.

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Countywide

Fairfax County proposes fees to sustain after-school program for middle-schoolers

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

Fairfax County supervisors are not sold on a staff proposal to revamp the Middle School After-School (MSAS) program, which would impose a new fee on parents of participants to offset taxpayer costs.

Though expressing support for the effort’s intent, the elected officials raised questions about its relative effectiveness, and why it attracts many more students at some schools than at others.

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News

County to seek $463 million in regional funds to boost Route 1 bus project

By Scott McCaffrey
Residents attend an in-person update on the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project at the Gerry South Hyland Government Center on Jan. 15, 2025 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a number of procedural steps last Tuesday (Sept. 30) to advance plans for the nearly billion-dollar Richmond Highway bus rapid transit (BRT) initiative known as The One.

In actions combined into a larger consent agenda approval, supervisors formally requested Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) funding to support the project and scheduled an upcoming public hearing to address the acquisition of easements from property owners along the route.

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Countywide

Fairfax car tax deadline delayed a month to accommodate furloughed federal workers

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration drop box (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at a special meeting today (Tuesday) to retroactively extend the deadline for car tax payments from yesterday (Monday) to Wednesday, Nov. 5.

The temporary relief was granted in response to the current federal government shutdown, which is adding to economic challenges already facing county residents and the D.C. region as a whole.

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News

County board renews call for more action on impacts of National Airport aircraft noise

By Scott McCaffrey
An American Airlines jet takes off from National Airport (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County leaders continue to push the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to fund an outside analysis of aircraft noise’s impact on neighborhoods along the flight path at Reagan National Airport.

“This is merely asking MWAA to do what a whole lot of other airports across the country have done,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said on Sept. 30, when supervisors unanimously approved making the request of MWAA CEO Jack Potter.

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News

Longtime advocate saluted for service to Fairfax County seniors, regional education

By Scott McCaffrey
Ernestine and Joseph Heastie (screenshot via Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Sept. 30) lauded the service of Joseph Heastie on issues related to local seniors.

But the ceremony quickly moved beyond the topic at hand, as Heastie was also celebrated for his service on additional issues ranging from George Mason University, where he was rector of the board of visitors, to community development.

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