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.

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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Countywide

Fairfax sees uptick in January home sales, while much of region posts declines

By Scott McCaffrey
House for sale sign (file photo)

Fairfax County bucked a regional trend downward by recording higher year-over-year home sales in January.

A total of 568 properties went to closing for the month, according to figures reported Feb. 10 by MarketStats by Showing Time. That’s up slightly — 1.4% — from the 560 transactions in January 2025.

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Countywide

Fairfax County leaders pledge more outreach after rare panhandling survey

By Scott McCaffrey
A person can be seen panhandling on the median of International Drive in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County officials are pledging more outreach in their efforts connecting panhandlers with services to stabilize their lives and get them off the streets.

“We want to drive people who have need to organizations that can help,” Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay said at a Feb. 10 meeting of the Board’s Health and Human Services Committee.

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News

Fairfax supervisors back DCA flight-path changes to ease noise over neighborhoods

By Scott McCaffrey
Red lines show current southbound departure corridors from Reagan National Airport, while blue lines show arrivals (via Vianair)

Fairfax County supervisors went on record at their Feb. 3 meeting asking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to move forward on recommendations dispersing air traffic south of Reagan National Airport.

The voter reaffirms supervisors’ support for recommendations made last October by the Reagan National Community Noise Working Group.

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Countywide

‘Aggressive’ push needed to replace aging commercial properties, McKay says

By Scott McCaffrey
A sign advertises office space available for leasing in a building near Route 28 in Chantilly (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County needs to take a more hands-on approach to helping owners repurpose aging commercial properties, one local government leader says.

“We know where they are. We have this information. Let’s identify the top 10, 15 opportunities and let’s go to them,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at an Economic Initiatives Committee meeting on Tuesday (Feb. 10).

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