🗳️Barriers to Ballots

Plus: 💼 Support for Federal Workers

August 04, 2025

Happy Monday!  
Let's pop into the good stuff.

☕️ Good morning, Arlingtonians! We hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend and got to spend some time outdoors. We’re excited for another great week in Arlington.

P.S. Don’t forgot to register for ENJOY classes this week! We’re loving the fall lineup.

In today’s bubble:
📰 Best hospitals and Board recap
🧃 Summer school shakeup and ENJOY registration
📆 DIY mugs, improv nights, and a paper flower workshop
🎷 Live music

📰 News Bites 
Quick local updates

🗳️ Voting Rights Exhibit Opens
Arlington Public Library’s new exhibition, From Barriers to Ballots, spotlights local activists like Portia A. Haskins and John Robinson who helped end Virginia’s poll tax. The exhibit runs Aug. 1–Nov. 4 at six Northern Virginia locations, with an opening reception Aug. 6.

💼 Support for Federal Workers
Arlington Magazine rounded up 29 deals, job fairs, and resources for laid-off federal employees and contractors across Northern Virginia. From scholarships at Virginia Tech to free headshots, discounted services, and job search help.

🍋 Community Pitches In for Aspire!
After funding cuts forced classroom closures at Aspire Afterschool Learning, neighbors and businesses are rallying. From donated books to cupcakes, the community is working to keep the program welcoming for Arlington kids who rely on it after school.

🏥 VHC Among VA’s Best Hospitals
U.S. News ranked Inova Fairfax as Virginia’s top hospital, with ARL’s VHC Health earning the No. 4 spot. The annual list named 19 Virginia hospitals as top performers, including several in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg.

🔨 Handyman Scam Alert
ARL Police are warning residents about scammers posing as licensed contractors, knocking on doors to offer driveway or roof repairs. They often demand cash upfront and leave jobs unfinished. Verify licenses here and report suspicious crews to 703-558-2222.

📋 July County Board Highlights
Arlington’s County Board tackled 54 items, from endorsing a refreshed Transportation Plan vision to approving big redevelopment projects like One Rosslyn and Ballston One. The Board also advanced adaptive reuse in Crystal City, new housing in Shirlington, and speed limit reductions on major corridors.

🚒 Five Rescued in Arlington
Arlington firefighters rescued five people after their SUV was swept into a creek near Lubber Run Park when they attempted to cross a flooded bridge. No one was hurt, thanks to the quick response and teamwork of ACFD crews.

🍕 Donate Blood, Get Pizza  
Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse is hosting a community blood drive today with Inova from 1–5 p.m. Donors get $5 off any menu item.

📣 Advertise in the Bubble! 

Local biz, meet your new megaphone. The Arlington Bubble is ready to blast your message to hungry readers. If you’re interested, reach out to us at [email protected]

🧃 Mini News Bites
Updates for the Kiddos

📘 New Summer School Model
APS launched two pilot programs to improve summer learning: online “skills boost” courses for 1,600 K–7 students and tutoring for 110 elementary and middle schoolers. APS hopes these models will yield better results than last year’s lackluster programs.

🍂 Fall ENJOY Arlington Registration Starts Tuesday
The new catalog is out with classes in art, sports, nature, and more from Arlington Parks & Rec. Registration opens for county residents at 12 PM on Tuesday for gymnastics, 12 PM on Wednesday for swim, and 12 PM on Thursday for all other programs.

📆 This Week in Arlington
Weekday Happenings

🎮️ Today

🌆 Tuesday - National Night Out (19 events across Arlington)

🧑‍🎨 Wednesday

🎸 Thursday

 🧶 Friday

 🥒 Saturday

🚗 Sunday

🎷 Live Music Lineup
Where to find your groove

🗓️ Wednesday
Westover Jam @ 6 PM — Westover Market

🗓️ Friday
Alex Perez @ 6 PM — Westover Market
Steven Gellman @ 9 PM — Three Whistles
Will Barkley @ 9:30 PM — Ragtime 

🗓️ Saturday
Redacted @ 5 PM — Westover Market
Wicked Sycamore + ilyaIMY @ 6:30 PM — The Renegade
Joe Hurowitz @ 9 PM — Three Whistles
Moon Landing Duo @ 9:30PM — Ragtime

🗓️ Sunday
Crowd scene, continuals @ 9 PM — Galaxy Hut

Know a great local music venue? Share your picks at [email protected]—we love featuring your Arlington favorites!

🙏 Thanks for reading! If you’ve been enjoying The Arlington Bubble, send it to a friend who’d love it too, and keep up with us on IG @arlbubble.

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Have a great day, Arlingtonians!