TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - December 18, 2012

Tue Dec 18 09:25:28 MST 2012

TMN submittal:
http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/tuesday/form/submittal_form.html 

Tuesday Morning Notes 

December 18, 2012

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

I had several good days working in Yuma last week.  As I was getting on the
road to head back east towards Tucson about 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon, 14
December, I decided to turn on the radio to see what was happening in the
world beyond Yuma County, Arizona.  To my dismay I heard the news about the
tragic shootings in Newtown, Connecticut that had taken place that morning.
I know very well that there is nothing I can say or do that can offer any
words of meaning or solace to this heartbreaking event.  We are all deeply
saddened and we mourn with all others at this distressing time.

However, as I was driving back to Tucson that afternoon I could not help but
reflect on the importance of adults providing for the children and young
people of our communities in positive ways and if nothing else can come from
a calamity like this perhaps it can serve to remind us of the importance of
providing and caring for our youth.  Having just left Yuma and investing
time over the past few days reviewing our full array of Extension programs
in the community, including both the Yuma County Cooperative Extension
office and the Yuma Agricultural Center, I was all the more appreciative of
the excellent programs we do have that are making valuable contributions to
child and youth development.   

The 4-H Youth Development programs directed by Amy and Marlena Parrott are
perfect examples of great programs that are needed in our communities and
professionally delivered.  I also had visited this past week with Emilia
Cortez and Megan McNeese who direct the "First Smiles" Program, which is a
Yuma component of the "First Things First" program in Arizona.  Emilia and
Megan, working with the First Smiles program, provide valuable oral health
care education to children 0-5 years old throughout Yuma County.  In many
Arizona counties we have the SNAP-ED, EFNEP, Walk Across Arizona and other
nutrition and physical activity education programs that greatly benefit the
lives of children and families.  We also support healthy child and family
development education and caregiving through Family Resource Centers, Child
Care Health Consultants, Brain Builders, Kinship Care and other programs.
The agricultural and horticultural programs also benefit our youth in direct
ways and perhaps more often by in-direct ways.  I see these programs all
over the State and recognize and respect their tremendous impact and value.
Thus, I am glad to say that this is one part of our college that does
provide direct benefits to children, their families, and communities in
Arizona.  

In the aftermath of this terrible calamity in Connecticut and as we all
mourn these sad events, let us all turn to consider what we can do to help
the children and young people in all of our communities and work to maintain
and build our programs in Cooperative Extension that are directed in this
way.  This will enhance and strengthen our commitment to the programs that
serve the children and young people among us in positive ways, which is an
extremely important part of our individual and collective responsibilities.

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

Mark Apel (Area Associate Agent, Cochise County) was recently elected by
members of the National Association of Community Development Extension
Professionals (NACDEP) as the Western Regional Representative to the Board.
Mark will begin serving on the Executive Committee in May  2013 for a period
of two years.

Beth Tucker will be retiring from Extension and her role as Coconino County
Director and Area Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences as of January 31, 2013.
Since 1976, Beth has served Arizona clientele in many ways and in several
counties (Coconino, Mohave, Navajo & Yavapai) through programs such as
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Children With Incarcerated Parents and
Brain Builders, and Community Development.  We wish Beth well in this next
"life role."

FOCUS ON PROGRAMS:

The Arizona's Changing Rural Landscapes website
<http://rurallandscapes.extension.arizona.edu/>  has served as the
repository and portal to Extension's community resource development
activities, publications and other resources for the last 4 years.  Thanks
to Robert Armstrong, the website has recently been updated and given a more
streamlined look and functionality.  Feel free to pass along this website to
anyone in your communities.  If you've got community development related
content, events or publications that you would like posted to this site,
contact Mark Apel <mailto:mapel at cals.arizona.edu> , Area Associate Agent,
who now manages the site.

The Environment and Sustainability Signature Program Team is seeking
proposals from county agents and specialists for externships community
sustainability projects.  The Team has submitted a pre-proposal to the UA
Green Fund Committee to fund another round of Externships starting in the
summer of 2013.  If awarded funding, the qualifying students will work
directly with Extension faculty, preferably in their own home communities,
to help with sustainability project.  Project area ideas include but are not
limited to Rainwater Harvesting, Recycling, Composting, Community/School
Gardens, Farmers' Market Start-up or Management, Small-scale Renewable
Energy Installation, and Energy efficiency retrofits.  This is your
opportunity to submit a sustainability project idea to the Team for your
county that would utilize a UA student as an extern for the project.
Proposals should be submitted to Mark Apel <mailto:mapel at cals.arizona.edu>
no later than Friday, December 21.

STATE PROGRAM INITIATIVES FUNDING RESULTS:

The Extension Programs Associate Directors met on December 4 to review the
proposals for State Signature Program Initiatives.  Fourteen proposals were
submitted and 7 were funded. The list of funded proposals and allocations
are at the Extension Programs Funding site
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/extension-programs-funding> . 

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS:

Each year we recognize our faculty, staff and strong contributors to CALS
Extension with the Extension Faculty of the Year Award, the Outstanding
Staff in Cooperative Extension Award, and the Extensionist of the Year
Award.  It is time to make nominations for 2012 and I encourage you to
submit your recommendations:  

*	The Faculty of the Year award recipient will receive $1,000 and an
award.  Click here <http://ag.arizona.edu/awards/extfacultyawd.html>  for
Extension Faculty of the Year Award criteria and nomination form.
*	The Outstanding Staff in Cooperative Extension award recipient will
receive $500 and an award.  Click here
<http://cals.arizona.edu/awards/extstaffawd.html>  for award nomination
criteria.
*	The Extensionist of the Year award recognizes and honors a resident
of the State of Arizona who has demonstrated extraordinary contributions,
through UACE, to improving the lives of people in their community and state.
The award will be presented at an appropriate college-wide event.  Letters
of nomination from UACE or non-UACE faculty and staff and/or peers should
focus on the following criteria:  1) the nature and extent of the
contribution provided by the individual (35%), 2) how this contribution has
benefitted people in the community (15%) and the state (15%), 3) leadership
qualities (25%), and 4) support for UACE (10%).

All awards will be presented at an appropriate Extension or CALS event.
Please read the criteria carefully, submitting only the materials noted (no
vitas).  Submit your nominations and support letters c/o Steven Crofts,
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, PO Box 210036, Tucson, AZ,
85721 or scrofts at cals.arizona.edu by Friday, February 1, 2013.  If you have
any questions, contact Steve <mailto:scrofts at ag.arizona.edu>
(520.621.7145).

JOURNAL OF EXTENSION FOR OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS:

The Journal of Extension (JOE) is a referred journal that expands and
updates the research and knowledge base for U.S. Extension professionals and
other outreach educators to improve their effectiveness.  It also serves as
a forum for emerging and contemporary issues affecting U.S. Cooperative
Extension education. The December 2012 issue
<http://www.joe.org/journal-current-issue.php>  is now available.

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK - WATCH FOR NEWTOWN CONNECTICUT SCAM SITES:

Following the tragic events in Newtown Connecticut last week, several new
domain names related to those events have been registered.  There is little
doubt that many of these sites are owned by charitable and caring
individuals or organizations who want to assist families in their time of
need. Other sites may belong to political organizations who will attempt to
further their side of an argument as a result of this tragedy.  Still other
sites will undoubtedly belong to scammers who will capitalize on people's
desire to help by establishing fake charities.  Be careful when visiting any
of these websites. Tips on how to tell (and/or check) if a charity is for
real can be found at: 

*	Federal Trade Commission
<http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel18.shtm> 
*	Better Business Bureau <http://www.bbb.org/us/charity> 
*	AARP
<http://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-08-2010/ask_sid_how_can_i_tell_i
f_a_charity_is_for_real.html> 

NEW PUBLICATION:

*	Water Storage Tank Disinfection, Testing, and Maintenance
<http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1586.pdf>  by Janick Artiola, Channah
Rock and Gary Hix
*	Planting Guidelines: Container Trees and Shrubs
<http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1022.pdf>  by Ursula Schuch  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Jeffrey C. Silvertooth
Associate Dean

Director for Economic Development & Extension
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
PO Box 210036
Tucson, AZ  85721-0036
520.621.7205
520.621.1314 (fax)

To submit tips, suggestions, ideas for changes and anything that could help
us be more effective, use  the "Director
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/directors-suggestion-box> 's Suggestion
Box" - all submissions are anonymous.  

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