TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - September 25, 2012

Tue Sep 25 11:37:19 MST 2012

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

September 25, 2012

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

Cooperative Extension is a unique entity.  The term "cooperative" refers to
the tripartite partnership among federal, state, and county government; and
in this case refers to both financial and human resource commitments.  The
fundamental and potentially fragile nature of this arrangement has been a
key aspect of my recent experiences participating in reorganizing and
rebuilding the Cooperative Extension programs in La Paz County.  In this
case we also have the direct and vital involvement with the Colorado River
Indian Tribes (CRIT) to form a four-way partnership.

The programs in La Paz County have suffered a progression of tribulations in
the past few years consisting of budget reductions at the state level, the
departure of faculty due to retirements and relocations, and budgetary
challenges at the county level.  The current situation is that we have a
complete absence of any resident UA/CALS Cooperative Extension faculty in La
Paz County.  Thus, the legitimate question has arisen regarding the plans
and intentions of CALS Cooperative Extension in the future directions of the
Extension programs in La Paz County.  

I recently conducted my fifth trip to La Paz County over the past few months
in an effort to address this case and to begin the re-assembly and
revitalization of our Extension programs there.  On 17 August the La Paz
County Farm Bureau (FB) conducted a meeting with a focus on addressing this
issue and invited me to participate and outline the CALS Cooperative
Extension plan to rebuild programs. That meeting, which included not only FB
personnel but also representatives of the La Paz County government, CRIT,
the Extension Advisory Board, and Cooperative Extension, provided the
opportunity to lay out our situation and the plan to support existing
programs and to begin building new programs in that county.  It was clear
that all parties see the success and sustainability of the La Paz County
Cooperative Extension programs as an important and primary local objective
for the present and the future.  

On 19 September the CRIT Council conducted a meeting to specifically address
the La Paz County Cooperative Extension programs and plans for the future.
Once again all parties of the aforementioned groups were in attendance along
with many interested parties from the La Paz County community.  Each group
presented strong levels of commitment to the Extension programs both in
principle and substance.  At this meeting a collective set of commitments
were made and we are now jointly moving forward with a foundation of
cooperation and a common vision.  These commitments include the following:

*	Funding and resources are committed to La Paz County Cooperative
Extension from: the La Paz County government, CRIT, and CALS Cooperative
Extension (with both federal (including FRTEP) and state funds).
*	Ms. Amy Parrott has been appointed as the Interim La Paz County
Extension Director.
*	Agricultural programs will be directed by Drs. Kurt Nolte and Paul
Brown.
*	The Master Gardener programs will receive direction and leadership
from Ms. Stacey Bealmear.
*	The FRTEP efforts will be directed by Mr. Trent Teegerstrom.
*	New resident Extension positions will be developed in the near
future to assist with the direction and implementation of the programs with
emphasis on 4-H, agriculture, and Master Gardening in the county including
CRIT.  In addition, we will soon have the capacity to build some new SNAP-Ed
programs in La Paz County.
*	All parties will continue to work together and meet regularly to
assess the development of these programs La Paz County.

I have been very positively impressed by the commitment and common vision
among all parties involved in this endeavor and I am confident that we have
the capacity to build strong Extension programs in La Paz County that can
best serve the local needs and do so in a sustainable and responsible
fashion.  This case illustrates very well the true meaning of Cooperative
Extension partnerships and the vital role we have in connecting our college
and university with people in local communities.

FOCUS ON PROGRAMS:

Congratulations to the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center's (CEAC)
Lunar Greenhouse and Teaching Module who were recipients of the Arizona
Commerce Authority's 2012 Excellence in Economic Development Award at the
Governor's Economic Development Conference (GEDC) Gala Dinner on Thursday,
September 13 in Phoenix.  The award, presented by Governor Jan Brewer,
honors partnerships, organizations, associations and companies that have
successfully created and implemented exceptional economic development
strategies for their respective communities, whether metro, rural or tribal.
CEAC has reached K-12 STEM students across Arizona, students at the
University of Arizona and graduate students, with support from NASA,
demonstrating that vegetables can be grown in space and can be incorporated
into the diet of astronauts working on long-term missions.

DUST STORM APP NOW AVAILABLE FOR BETA TESTING:

Although they can be brief, dust storms can also be deadly!  Every year,
drivers and their passengers die when caught in a dust storm because they
did not follow appropriate safety measures.  Over the past several months,
we have been collaborating with UITS to develop an app aimed at saving lives
during Arizona's unique dust storms.  The Dust Storm app is now available
for Beta testing for those with iPhones or iPads (not from a computer) -
http://mobileapps.webtest.uits.arizona.edu .  A companion Android version is
underway.  The steps (from an iPhone or other iOS device) are:

*	Go to Browser window
*	Launch URL
*	Select Dust Storm App
*	You will be prompted to enter your Net ID and Password 
*	Agree to Install
*	Try it out!

The Dust Storm app provides drivers with up-to-date weather alerts, tips and
suggestions if they find themselves caught in a dust storm or if one is
approaching.  Features include:

*	Quick Safety Tips for coping with a dust storm
*	Places to list emergency contact numbers, toll-free highway
information numbers (AZ511), and insurance policy information in the event
of an accident
*	Weather maps
*	Fingertip access to weather alerts
*	Suggested items for a dust storm survival kit in your car
*	Ways to share this app with others 

Contact Kirk Astroth <mailto:kastroth at cals.arizona.edu>  if you have any
questions.

O'BRIEN ENDOWMENT AWARD CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

A reminder that in support of diversity efforts within the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cooperative Extension, there is a Call for
Proposals for the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS) James P. &
Shirley J. O'Brien Endowment.  For detailed information, go to the Proposal
Submission Guidelines
<http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefile
/resource/scrofts/Endowment_Guidelines.pdf>  and/or the Endowment Gift
Agreement
<http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefile
/resource/scrofts/O%27Brien_Gift_Agreement.pdf>  or view previous award
winners
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/james-p-shirley-j-obrien-endowment-award
> .  Please note that this award differs from the "Shirley O'Brien Diversity
Award" that was designed to honor individuals who have contributed
significantly to promoting diversity and an inclusive environment within
CALS and across campus.  The deadline for proposal submission is Friday,
October 26.  If you have any questions, contact Steven Crofts
<mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.621.7145).

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK:

Free WiFi is everywhere these days.  But is it always safe and secure?
Follow these tips when using a WiFi hotspot:

*	Be aware that you're never secure. Wi-Fi hot spots are always
unsecured connections. Even if a hot spot requires a password or guides you
through a log-in screen, you're still at risk.
*	Before connecting to a network, verify that the network name (SSID)
you are connecting to is a legitimate service.
*	Beware of the information you share in public locations.  Even
seemingly innocuous logins to e-mail accounts could give hackers access to
more important data, since most people use the same password for almost all
online activities.
*	Utilize a VPN whenever possible to encrypt your data, and stronger
tools if you need to conduct secure transactions.
*	Harness built-in security tools. Enable your firewall (through
security settings) and select "Block all incoming traffic."
*	Disabling file sharing and turn off shared folders. If you join a
malicious network, a hacker could easily load a malicious spyware agent to
follow you even after you leave the public location.
*	Run a comprehensive security suite and keep it up to date to prevent
spyware and viruses.
*	Look for the HTTPS padlock symbol. Web sites that use HTTPS encrypt
your activity, so anything you do on that site is confidential. You can also
download HTTPS Everywhere, an add-on that will force an encrypted connection
on many popular sites.
*	Shut off your wireless card if you are not planning to connect to
the Web or another machine. It will protect you from intrusion and save your
battery life.
*	Use common sense. Don't do any banking, online shopping, or other
activities that would expose your private information. If you wouldn't be
willing to share it with the public, it can wait until you get home.

Most of these tips apply to smartphones and tablets as well.  For more
information, see the September edition of the UA InfoSec Monthly Update
<http://security.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/september2012monthlyupdatep
rintversion.pdf> .

UPDATED DIRECTORY AVAILABLE:

A late September edition (the result of several updates) of the downloadable
Extension directory is now available on our People Search web site
(http://extension.arizona.edu/people-search).  Just click on the "Directory
Download PDF" on the left side, then on the File Resource, to open up a copy
that you can save and print as needed.  As always, please report any changes
to Steven Crofts <mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.621.7145).

NEW PUBLICATIONS:

*	Arizona Wells: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Wells
<http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1581.pdf>  by Janick Artiola  
*	Technical Assistance Programs for Agricultural Irrigation
Improvements in Arizona <http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/farm/az1583.pdf>  by
Haley Paul  

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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