Photo by DC Metro People

Welcome to 2011! The 2011 fiscal year that is, which kicks off today. And even though we’re only know starting the new year, the District is already $175 million in the hole and facing a lot of tough decisions on how to get out of it. The Examiner reports that presumptive Mayor-elect Vince Gray is considering spending cuts before any tax increases, and it looks like education and human services might be the first places that money gets pulled from. We’ll have more on this later, but that a cut in human services is potentially in the offing the same week that we learned that childhood poverty rose in the District, well, it doesn’t make for much a new year’s celebration. In fact, it makes for a pretty nasty hangover.

Federal Immigration Program Not Optional: Arlington County made big news this week when it opted not to participate in the federal Secure Communities program, which allows local police to share information on criminal suspects so as to find out if they’re in the country legally or not. The Post reports today that Obama administration has stated that the program isn’t really optional, and that the only way not to participate is if the an state opts not to send fingerprints of suspects to the FBI to check for criminal backgrounds or outstanding warrants. The news hasn’t been taken well by some Arlington County officials, and Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) has also expressed concerns over local police working with federal immigration authorities.

Superman Has Landed: The much-anticipated education documentary Waiting for “Superman” opens today in the District, starring our very own D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. We caught a sneak peak earlier this week; politics aside, it’s worth a watch.

HIV Testing Comes to D.C. DMV: Starting Tuesday, the Penn Branch DMV location in Southeast will offer HIV testing, a first-of-its-kind effort to better measure how many residents have contracted the virus. Those who get tested will receive up to $15 towards DMV services, and the test will be conducted with a simple oral swab. Officials estimate that they will be able to test 3,000 people — about 15 percent of those that come through that DMV location — in the program’s first year.

Changes Made to Virginia Liquor Privatization Plan: Virginia’s plan to privatize the sale of liquor moved forward this week, but with a modification spurred by lobbying by hospitality and restaurant groups. According to the Examiner, the closing of Virginia’s 332 state liquor stores and auctioning of over 1,000 retail licenses will proceed, but without a proposed tax on wholesale licenses and an optional fee for restaurants. The change will cost Virginia $26 million a year.

Briefly Noted: Newseum to open Twitter exhibit … 21 pounds of marijuana found at Dulles … Stricter cell phone ban goes into effect in Maryland … Weekend rally to close D.C. streets.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2009, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton expressed her support for marriage equality and I had it out with a gas station smoker. In 2008, a grenade was found in Rock Creek Park and Tysons Corner was called the “single most unpleasant place” on earth.