Tuesday Morning Notes

May 15th, 2001




My cellular phone minutes were not adequate for the AT&T plan I had selected a year ago, thus increasing the monthly cost. So I called my provider and told them I wanted to consider new plans or switch to another server. Their response was to increase my minutes by 50% - from 300 to 450 minutes per month at no additional charge. If you have need for more phone minutes you might consider making the appropriate inquires.

* Debra Lee Pearson (Yavapai County) graduated with distinction with a Master of Science in Management degree on Friday, May 11, 2001, from Northern Arizona University. Congratulations!

* Congratulations to Bill Peterson and Julie Adamcin (Pima County) who gave leadership to the team who prepared and received the Partnership in Character Education proposal from the United States Department of Education. Congressman Ed Pastor’s office informed the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program that the $997,000.00 grant will start July 1, 2001 and be spread over the next three years. This grant targets six school systems which will have the potential of reaching 43,000 students. The partnering school systems are: Alhambra, Colbert, Graham County, Payson, Sahaurita and Yuma. The Arizona 4-H Youth Development Program roles will cover: overall coordination, fiscal responsibilities, communications, training, development of new curriculum materials, and program evaluation.

*Thanks to Bob Roth and his team for the great success of the First Annual Director’s Reception. It was held May 10, 2001 at the Maricopa Agricultural Center with approximately 120 attendees.

* 30 County Extension Agents were treated to a day of technical information at “Biotechnology in Agriculture: A Conference for Extension Faculty” on Thursday, May 10. A big thank you to Randy Ryan, Assistant Director of the Ag Experiment Station, for spearheading this exciting workshop which included information on the science of biotechnology, cloning, and using a gene gun. Thank you also to Bob Collier, Jim Collins, Tom Lindell (Molecular & Cellular Biology), Dean Sander, Colin Kaltenbach, and Deborah Young for their presentations.

* Congratulations to the following faculty who have received program enhancement awards for FY01-02. Eleven proposals were funded. 4-H Match: Matching Arizona 4-H Curricula to Arizona Department of Education Academic Standards, Bryan Chadd & Susan Pater, co-leaders: team members - Darcy Tessman, Brent Strickland, Esther Peterson, Curt Peters, Bob Peterson, Kim Gressley, Larry Tibbs, Dotty Spears, Marilynn Johnson, Lisa Lauxman, Monica Pastor, and Leslie Honaker; 4-H Leader Training Website, Darcy Tessman, project leader: team members - Curt Peters, Lisa Lauxman, Bob Peterson, George Self, Susan Pater, Marilynn Johnson, and Robin Jorgenson; Forest Restoration for Enhanced Forest Health and Wildfire Control in the Urban Interface of Rural Communities, Tom DeGomez, project leader: team members - Steve Campbell, Chris Jones, and Jeff Schalau; Biotechnology Education Program, Randy Norton, project leader: team members - Lee Clark, Rob Call, Chris Jones, Mike Schneider, Jeff Silvertooth, Hal Moser, and Randy Ryan; Plant Parasitic Nematodes Across the Landscape, Mary Olsen, project leader: team members - Mike McClure, Mike Kilby, Kai Umeda, Barry Bequette, Randy Norton, and Rick Gibson; Development and Implementation of a Continuing Professional Education Short Course: Greenhouse Crop Production and Engineering Design, Gene Giacomelli, project leader: team members - Rob Call, Merle Jensen, Chris Jones, Pat Rorabaugh, Kai Umeda, and Chieri Kubota; Pursuing Victory with Honor, A Program of Sports Ethics, Darcy Tessman, project leader: team members - Carol Willis, Cindy Pearson, Marilynn Johnson, and Julie Adamcin; Arizona Farm Safety Day - 2002, Steve Poe, Paul Baker & Glenn Wright, co-leaders: team members - Charles Sanchez, Lee Clark, Barry Bequette, Don Slack, and Ed Eaton; Selecting, Planting and Caring for Urban Trees, John Begeman & Libby Davison, co-leaders: team members - county master gardeners; An Analysis of the Economic Impact and Efficacy of a Variety of Management Options to Control Bird Damage to Vegetable Crops in Arizona, Larry Sullivan & Kai Umeda, co-leaders: team members - Nell Lund and Dudley MacNeil; Impact Evaluation for Arizona Urban Horticulture Programs, Lucy Bradley, project leader: team member - Rob Call. (Note: only CALS team members are noted above.)

* Noxious Weed Workshop, May 23, 2001, 8:30-3:30, at the USFS Prescott Fire Center. Contact Jeff Schalau for registration materials and further information, jschalau@cals.arizona.edu, 520-445-6590.

* 7th Annual Melon Field Day has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 6 at the Maricopa Ag Center. Topics will include melon crop nutrition, food safety issues, insect, disease, and weed control. Contact Kai Umeda for further details, kumeda@cals.arizona.edu, 602-470-8086.

* “Four Corners” Irrigation Workshop is June 21-22, in Farmington, NM. Registration costs $35.00 for two days. Topics include wheel move sprinklers, gated pipe, soil moisture monitoring and much more. Contact Ed martin at (520) 568-2273 (edmartin@cals.arizona.edu)




James A. Christenson, Ph.D.
(jimc@cals.arizona.edu)
Associate Dean and Director
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Forbes, Room 301
Tucson, Arizona 85721
520/621-7209
520/621-1314 FAX