Metro Briefs

D.C.'s Head Start program investigated for mishandling of money, may have been used for luxury vacations, new boat The organization that runs the Head Start program in the District is being questioned by the federal government for possible money mishandling, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. A preliminary audit found the United Planning Organization may have spent part of its $36 million budget to send employees to Hawaii and buy a fishing boat, instead of spending it on the programs it runs for low-income families, like Head Start. The audit also found two board members, Richard A. Hamilton and Therman Walker, had potential conflicts of interest. Hamilton's company had a contract with the UPO, and an organization headed by Walker received a $108,000 loan from the UPO. Hamilton has since resigned and Walker has taken a leave of absence. The agency's executive director, Benjamin Jennings, has been asked to resign. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds the UPO, is still trying to determine how it will handle the questionable spending. Head Start officials are waiting to hear the results of a regularly scheduled review of the UPO, according to The Post. The UPO receives $15 million in federal funds every year to sponsor the Head Start program, which serves nearly 1,900 preschool children in the city. It also runs many other programs in the District, such as Homebound Delivered Meals. - EMILY CARONE News program to recruit new anchors at Georgetown U. Channel One News will be searching for a new anchor for its news program at Georgetown University today among aspiring broadcast journalism students. It is currently touring seven campuses on the East Coast in search of a new anchor/reporter to work in its Los Angeles studio. Network representatives will be interviewing candidates, and interested candidates are able to send their r?sum?s to drbrander@channelone.com with the subject "Anchor/Reporter position." -RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL