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COMMUNITY | The Horizon Foundation has announced that Nicolette Highsmith Vernick will succeed founder Richard Krieg as its new President and CEO. She comes to Horizon from the Center for Health Care Strategies in New Jersey where she worked to “develop innovative solutions for improving healthcare quality and reducing disparities in publicly-financed care.”
Shirley D. Collier, The Horizon Foundation’s board chair, says:
[Highsmith Vernick] has the right attitude and intellectual energy to help us assess community needs, develop evidence-based strategies and implement measurable initiatives to improve health and wellness in Howard County.
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Nikki is particularly accomplished in collaborating with a broad spectrum of regional and national stakeholders to affect positive change. We are confident that she will be able to lead our efforts to leverage the Foundation’s resources with those of others to tackle increasingly complex health and wellness issues in our community.
We’re excited to welcome Nicolette to the WRAG community!
EDUCATION | A significant study commissioned by Mayor Gray recommends that DCPS either “turn around or close” more than three dozen public schools in the city’s poorest neighborhoods and expand the number of charter schools. (WaPo, 1/26) “The study also signals the start of an unprecedented attempt to coordinate decision making between two school sectors…”
ARTS/NONPROFITS | The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation recently announced that, beginning with their upcoming March 1 deadline, arts and humanities organizations applying for funding will be required to complete a data profile annually through the Cultural Data Project website. The Foundation Center is hosting a CDP New User Orientation next Wednesday, February 1. More information is available here.
NUTRITION | The USDA has released new standards for public school meals that will reduce sodium and fat while offering more fruits and veggies. The standards require meals for K-5 students to have 550-650 calories, and grade 6-12 students to have 450-600 calories. (CNN, 1/25) Bullies are coordinating to shift their strategy from “Gimme your lunch money!” to “Gimme your extra 50 calories!”
HEALTH | U.Md. moves ahead with P.G. health care overhaul (Examiner, 1/26)
PHILANTHROPY | If you’re interested, here’s my response to Pablo Eisenberg’s piece on giving priorities. I’d love to hear your thoughts. (WG Daily, 1/26)
Related: In Annual Letter, Gates Predicts More ‘Giving Pledge’ Members (Chronicle, 1/26)
ECONOMY/TRANSIT
- In D.C., street cars could spur a $15 billion property boom. (Examiner, 1/26)
- But in Maryland, the proposed Purple Line is putting some owners at risk of property condemnation. (WaPo, 1/26) It would also ruin the Capital Crescent Trail.
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You might ask, “Is the title of this video Worst Church Singer Ever a hyperbole?” No, friends, it most definitely is not. As the song progresses, the octaves keep going up and up and up…
Rebekah has the Daily tomorrow. Hope you all enjoy the weekend!
