– As the region continues to dig out after this past weekend’s snowstorm, local officials are starting to open up shelters for residents whose homes still don’t have heat.  For a full list of shelters that have opened as of Monday morning, please click here.

– Early college programs — once dominated by affluent or overachieving students — are serving more low-income students, who are finding success by getting college credits before high school graduation.  Click here for more.

– If you watched the Super Bowl last night, you may have noticed a trend in a handful of the commercials.  Some have called a number of the spots “misogynistic.”  Click here for a rundown of the opinions.  Did you like any of the ads?  Did you think they portrayed women unfavorably?  Or were they all in good fun?  Leave a comment below!

– In Ward 8, where the unemployment rate is at about 25 percent, residents are hopeful for more job prospects as a new Opportunities Center opens in their community.  At the center, residents will be able to learn more about job and business opportunities.  The center is opening ahead of the start of construction on the new Department of Homeland Security headquarters on Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. in Southeast. Click here for more details.

– Nationwide, the unemployment rate dropped to 9.7 percent last month, down from 10 percent in December.  Despite the improvement, however, comes news that recession job losses overall were worse than previously stated.  Click here for more.

– According to the Washington Post, “two Republican congressmen who help oversee billions of dollars for people with AIDS are asking the federal government for an accounting of fraud and mismanagement complaints leveled against AIDS programs nationwide.”  The representatives from Texas and Oregon cited recent reports that some AIDS nonprofits receiving federal funding had “delivered substandard services or failed to account for any work at all.”  Click here to read the full story.

Got a comment?  Sound off below, or join the conversation online at www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.

– Fairfax County is relying on a nonprofit to help fight the spread of gangs in the area.  Northern Virginia Family Service — a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner — works one-on-one with at-risk teens.  The county says the program is working — they haven’t had a gang-related death in three years.  Click here for more details.

– A D.C. woman’s new business is giving hope to a community hit hard by the economy and crime.  According to the Washington Post, while other businesses in the neighborhood struggle, Big Chair Coffee & Grill offers Anacostia residents new options for hot drinks, food and a place to congregate.  Big Chair was opened last month by Ayehubizu Yimenu, a registered nurse and mother of five.  She says it’s the first coffee shop in Anacostia.  Click here to read more.

Got something to say?  Leave a comment below or join the conversation at www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.

– The founder of one of our Grantee Partners has been named a “History Maker in the Making!”  Dr. Satira Streeter of Ascensions Psychological and Community Services, Inc. was selected by MSNBC and TheGrio as one of 100 black history makers.  Click here to read about Dr. Streeter’s accomplishments, and to take a look at the 99 others who are making history.

– The D.C. Council is calling the District’s 12.1 percent unemployment rate a “crisis” and introduced legislation this week to deal with it.  According to the Washington Post, “under the council’s measure, small businesses or corporations that agree over the next five years to hire 10 employees at salaries of at least $55,000 would receive a credit on their business franchise tax.”  The credit would be about $2,100 per employee.  The Council’s goal is to see about 6,600 jobs added citywide.  Click here for more details.

– The D.C. area lost about 15,700 jobs last year.  While the impact was deeply felt in our region, other cities are dealing with much higher numbers.  Chicago tops the list with more than 182,000 jobs lost.  Click here for other cities with six-figure declines.

– In a letter to the editor in today’s Washington Post, the D.C. Employment Justice Center — one of our Grantee Partners — clears up confusion over the D.C. Paid Sick and Safe Leave Act.  Courtney Chappell assures readers that “most people who work in the District and have been on the job for a year are entitled to receive paid leave from their employer when they are sick or need to deal with a domestic violence issue.  All D.C. employers are under obligation to follow the law.”  Click here to read the whole letter.

– Feeding America released a new study today that shows a 46 percent increase (over three years) in the number of people who receive emergency food each year.  According to Feeding America, their study found that unemployment and rising health care costs were most often to blame.  In Maryland, the study found that 30 percent of food bank client households had residents under the age of 18.  In Virginia, the number of families with children receiving emergency food is higher — 42 percent.  Click here to take a look at the study.

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– Hundreds of women gathered in Rockville for the Women’s Legislative Briefing.  Up for discussion — legislative proposals that could affect the lives of working women in Maryland.  This year’s priorities will center around mothers in poverty.  Click here to listen to a story about their discussion.

– The economy might be in recovery, but the nonprofit sector is still suffering.  According to the Wall Street Journal, nonprofits around the country continue to be hit with closings and mergers.  The article highlights Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE), a Washington Area Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner that was in danger of closing after losing government funding last fall.  Click here for more.

– CNN’s Candy Crowley is the new host of the Sunday morning political program “State of the Union.”  She is the only female anchor on the national Sunday morning news shows, and says this is the first time she’s made a major career move without worrying about balancing her roles as a journalist and parent.  Click here for more.

Got something to say?  Comment below, or join the conversation at www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.

– Ex-convicts are hopeful as they apply for temporary census jobs after the Census Bureau says less-severe transgressions may not cause someone to be automatically dropped from the hiring process.  According to this Washington Post article, of the 16,000 ex-cons living in the District, half can’t find work.

– Next week, Maryland lawmakers will push for better legislation to protect victims of domestic violence.  At the same time, a ceremony will be held in honor of the 53 people who died as a direct result of domestic violence in Maryland last year.  Click here for more information.

– Starting March 1st, Metro riders will pay 10 cents more to ride subways, buses, and MetroAccess.  Yesterday, the Metro Board voted to raise the fare instead of cutting service.  Click here for more details.

– A recent report found that many young women aren’t aware of the importance of having a regular cervical cancer screening.  Click here for more information.

At last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama took the opportunity to hit the reset button on his presidency and propose a long and varied list of goals for the future.  Today, we take a look at the speech and highlight the proposals that will have the greatest impact on our region’s women and girls.

Jobs

President Obama started out on a somewhat positive note, declaring that the worst of the recession is over. But, he continued, “the devastation remains.  One in 10 Americans still cannot find work…. And for those who’d already known poverty, life has become that much harder.”  To combat these issues, the President called for jobs to be the country’s number one focus in 2010.

He asked for a new jobs bill and proposed using the $30 billion in loans banks have repaid to offer small businesses a new tax credit.  The tax credit would affect more than a million small businesses that either hire new employees or raise wages.  He also proposed eliminating all capital gains taxes on small businesses.

The President also plans to create more jobs for work on railroads, the highway system, and clean energy facilities.

Equality

The President promised to “crack down on violations of equal pay laws – so that women get equal pay for an equal day’s work.”

He also said that he’ll work with Congress and the military to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Finance

The President cautioned against the recklessness that “nearly brought down our entire economy,” saying that “we need to make sure consumers and middle-class families have the information they need to make financial decisions.”

He announced that the child care tax credit is doubling, that workers with retirement accounts will see an expanded tax credit, and that refinancing will be increased in 2010 “so that homeowners can move into more affordable mortgages.”

Education

President Obama called for education reform “that raises student achievement; inspires students to excel in math and science; and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to the inner city.  In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education.  And in this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.”

The President went on to urge Congress to pass a bill that will revitalize community colleges.  The bill would also increase Pell Grants and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college.  It would also require students to pay only 10 percent of their income on student loans.

Healthcare

The President asked Congress to take another look the proposed health care plan, and urged them to pass health care reform.

What did you think of the address?  Personally, I liked the education reform proposals, but I would have liked to have heard more about jobs for women specifically, and HIV/AIDS initiatives here in the United States (he mentioned doing this in developing countries; we need it here, too!).  Was there a topic, bill or initiative you were listening for?

Comment below or join the conversation online: www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.

Photo credit: Pete Souza

– Homeless outreach workers have started their annual census, counting the number of people living in shelters, transitional housing and on the streets.  In addition to the count, workers also offer access to assistance and medical care.  The results of the census will be reported in May.  Click here for more details.

– Arlington County is just one of the counties and cities in our area that offer free tax preparation services to low-income residents.  Click here to listen to a story that explains how to access this assistance.

– D.C. area residents would rather pay more to ride the Metro than see service cuts.  The majority of speakers at a public hearing last night said cutting service would have a negative impact on job-seekers and businesses, and cause safety issues due to overcrowding.  The Metro Board will meet today to decide what measures to take to overcome a $40 million budget shortfall.  Click here for more.

Would you like to weigh in about these topics or anything else?  Leave a comment below or join the conversation online: www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation

– Fairfax County has come up with a new plan to maintain and expand affordable housing.  The “Housing Blueprint” includes an option to spend more than $10 million on affordable housing next year.  Click here for details.

– A D.C. police officer who noticed a surge of domestic violence cases in upper Northwest is taking action.  Officer Chante Brodie has helped organize a domestic violence informational workshop that will cover topics ranging from “recognizing emotional and physical abuse to understanding the legal rights of domestic violence victims.”  The workshop is on Saturday at the North Michigan Park Recreation Center.  Click here for more info.

– Later today, the public will have a chance to weigh in on proposals to make up for Metro’s $40 million budget shortfall.  Some of the options include a fare increase.  Click here for more details.

– Despite the economic downtown, more Americans helped one another out last year.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63 million people performed volunteer work at least once in 2009.  That’s a 1.6 million increase over the previous year.  Volunteers did everything from raising money to tutoring to collecting food.  Click here for more.

Have something to say?  Please comment below or join the conversation online: www.Facebook.com/TheWomensFoundation.