Congratulations from Dale Bosworth, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service to Art Matthias (Coconino County) and the "Rural Communities Fuels Management Partnership". They are recipients in the Leadership Category for a 2004-05 Rural Community Assistance Award. Art is a Program Coordinator with the UA Forest Health Program and has headed up the partnership since July of 2001. This award goes along with the Secretary of Agriculture's Honor Award that was presented to the partnership in 2003. The partnership continues to do excellent work helping small private landowners with forest management education and assistance. Other partners include: Kaibab National Forest, Arizona State Forestry Dept, Arizona Department of Corrections, Coconino Rural Environmental Corps, Coconino County Public Works Dept., community fire departments, and landowner associations.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture reports that the first case of sleeping sickness, or Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, has been discovered this year. Three flocks of sentinel chickens (used for detection) located between Yuma and Gadsden, Arizona have been found to carry the disease. This disease closely mimics West Nile Virus: it is transmitted via mosquitoes, can be deadly in humans and livestock and the symptoms are nearly identical. It is called "viral encephalitis" or "sleeping sickness" because the effects of the virus in the brain make the animal often act "sleepy".
The National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) has informed us that Darcy Dixon, Patty Merk, and several others from our state have been selected as Western Region Finalists in the Florence Hall Award category of the 2005 NEAFCS National Awards Program. The NEAFCS Awards Program provides recognition for members in the areas of professional development, communications, program development, and public relations. This year, there were more than 560 award applications submitted for the competition. Being selected as a winner is a very impressive accomplishment. Official announcement of award winners will be made at the 2005 NEAFCS Annual Conference & Exhibits, September 25-28, 2005 in Philadelphia. Congratulations to all.
The 12th Annual Maricopa County Summer Short Course will be Thursday, August 4, 2005, 7:30-4:30 at the Maricopa County Extension Office, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. The topic is Soil Science and Analytical Interpretation, management of arid land and salt-affected soils. Early registration is $25 ($40 at the door) and includes lunch/refreshments. Tom Thompson, Jim Walworth, and Brian Whitlark will be facilitating the course. For more information, contact 602-470-8086 or visit the online registration form at: http://cals.arizona.edu/turf/2005_SummerShortCourse.pdf.
Attention CEDs and Professional Association Presidents -- has anyone in your department received an award that should be recognized at this year’s Faculty Conference? If you have not already been contacted directly for this
information, please call or write Linda Masters, La Paz County CED, with award information: lmasters@ag.arizona.edu (928) 669-9843.
This year's CALS Faculty Conference will be at Westin La Paloma with the theme of "Bridging Science and Society" from August 23-25. Highlights include Fred Boice from the Board of Regents as our guest speaker, presentations on extending research to communities, and professional development programs focusing on outreach and scholarship. There will also be poster exhibits, working group presentations, an awards breakfast, fun and fitness programs and plenty of networking opportunities. On-line registration is now available at the website below. If for some reason you register for lodging and are not able to attend, please be kind enough to let us know right away so that we are not billed for vacant rooms or meals and so we do not have to bill your office. Deadlines: conference registration is July 22, poster exhibit is August 1, presentations and pre or post conference meetings/association meetings are July 15. Registration website:http://cals.arizona.edu/registration/2005afc/register.html.More information:http://cals.arizona.edu/registration/2005afc/.