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 board OKs pilot program for reduced 20-mph speeds on certain roads

By Scott McCaffrey
A 20-mph speed limit sign (via Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved what amounts to a pilot program that will look at the impacts of reducing some road speeds from 25 to 20 mph.

Board members voted 10-0 yesterday (Tuesday) to take advantage of powers delegated by the General Assembly in 2024, giving localities the power to reduce speed limits on certain roadways under control of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

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Countywide

Fairfax County salutes Va. Declaration of Rights, as nation’s 250th birthday approaches

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County 250th Commission display at ViVa Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County residents still have plenty of opportunities to commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday with reflection, celebration and an eye toward the future.

“It’s amazing to look at our plans for June, [and] just wait until you see July and the rest of the year,” Elizabeth Maurer, chair of the Fairfax County 250th Commission, said when briefing the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors yesterday (Tuesday).

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Countywide

Lack of agreement on state budget puts Fairfax County leaders on edge

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax legislators listen to public testimony in advance of the 2026 General Assembly session (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Fairfax County leaders are reacting with a mix of anxiety and irritation to the continued lack of a state government budget.

“This is not a trivial issue — it’s not the way a state like Virginia should be acting,” Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting today (Tuesday).

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News

Redevelopment of Reston’s Bowman House tract wins support of planning commission

By Scott McCaffrey
EYA development proposal looking from Old Reston Avenue to South entrance (via Vika Virginia/Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Planning Commission on June 3 recommended approval of redevelopment plans for a 5.2-acre Reston site that will retain the historic A. Smith Bowman House as its centerpiece.

The unanimous vote sends the project to the Board of Supervisors. A public hearing has been set for July 14.

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News

Planning commission backs more density, community amenities for Lorton

By Scott McCaffrey
The Workhouse Art Center in Lorton (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Fairfax County Planning Commission on June 3 added its support to a plan to guide development of key Lorton areas for the next two to three decades.

The Lorton Core Study, now headed to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for final consideration, envisions a more urban and connected community.

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Countywide

Shrinking N. Va. job market flagged as a concern at regional economic forum

By Scott McCaffrey
Panelists Taylor Chess, Jason Stanford, Ryan McLaughlin and Terry Clower at a George Mason University regional economic forum (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

More than 20,000 Fairfax County residents were counted as jobless for the 10th consecutive month in new employment data.

With 612,551 Fairfax residents employed in the civilian workforce and 20,272 looking for jobs, April’s unemployment rate of 3.2% was up from 2.8% year-over-year, according to data reported June 3 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Countywide

Fairfax County turns to texting in effort to protect area seniors from scams

By Scott McCaffrey
Older man texting (photo by Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

The Fairfax County government’s efforts protecting seniors from scams is about to enter the texting era.

As part of the Silver Shield anti-fraud effort of the Department of Family Services, a text-message service is being developed to provide timely but not overwhelming amounts of messages for those who sign up. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was briefed on the program at the June 2 meeting of its Older Adults Committee.

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Countywide

Fairfax Water: Removing ‘forever chemicals’ likely to be lengthy, costly effort

By Scott McCaffrey
Sign for Fairfax Water's headquarters in Merrifield (file photo)

Fairfax Water’s efforts to reduce the amount of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in local drinking water come with “potentially significant costs,” Fairfax County supervisors were told on Tuesday (June 2).

“PFAS, from where I sit, is going to be a generational issue,” said Jamie Bain Hedges, general manager of the water utility, during the 90-minute meeting between the Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax Water Board.

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Countywide

Successful brain health program for seniors set for expansion to Fairfax libraries

By Scott McCaffrey
Older adults learning at computer (via Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

A local initiative promoting brain-health exercises for seniors has proven successful enough to expand from Fairfax County’s senior centers into its libraries.

Goodwin Living Foundation’s StrongerMemory initiative provides both in-person and online programming. Thirty minutes of cognitive exercises are offered four to five times per week as part of the 12-week free program.

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Countywide

New drought watch amplifies concerns about long-term future of Potomac River flows

By Scott McCaffrey
A rock in the Potomac River near Riverbend Park in Great Falls (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

With the D.C. metro area now back under a regional drought watch, local officials have raised concerns about the ability of the Potomac River to meet the region’s long-term water needs.

An increasing population, proliferation of data centers, climate change and the possibility of accidents closing access to the river’s water are all threats, according to the general manager of Fairfax Water.

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