News Briefs
June 19, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE...

Jobs

Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Job Board at www.mvcac.org

 

Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org?  

Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) should be submitted to the webmaster at kandosca@amgroup.us.

 

Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues?

If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
Mailing Address:
1 Capitol Mall
Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814

MVCAC Summer Meeting

July 23rd, 2015

Sheraton Grand Sacramento 1230 J St Sacramento, CA 95814

 

Click here to book a room

or call 800-325-3535

Rate $149, until 6/28/2015

**The group rate cutoff is June 28th, 2015, book your room ASAP!

 

Schedule coming soon!

 

New MVCAC Staff Member

Jenna Jacquemet has been added to our MVCAC team working in Membership Services.


 

Look for emails directly from Jenna in the future: jjacquemet@amgroup.us 


 

Jenna will also be connected to the mvcac@mvcac.org email address, so feel free to send any membership related items to her using that address.

End of Cycle - June 30th

Please note that the 2013-2015 CE cycle ends June 30th.  The 2015-2017 cycle starts July 1, 2015, which means that all approved programs from the current cycle will no longer be allowed for CE credit after that date.  Please ensure that your sign-in sheets are turned in by June 30th.  Any sign-in sheets submitted after this date will not be accepted.

 

Any technicians failing to earn the requisite number of CE units for recertification may utilize a six month grace period ending December 31, 2015 to obtain the necessary CEU to satisfy any unit deficit.  Units must be earned from the 2015-2017 approved programs.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions.

 

Mike

 

Michael K. Niemela, M.S.

Senior Public Health Biologist

michael.niemela@cdph.ca.gov

MVCAC Featured in ACWA Newsletter

During the ACWA conference last month a member of the ACWA staff took a picture of the MVCAC booth.  The photo features Rachel Hickerson (MVCAC Meeting Planner) and Luz Rodriguez (PIO from Sac-Yolo) holding up the mosquito display on the first day.  Further emphasizing the importance of creating partnerships with key stakeholder groups!


 

Third photo from left is of the MVCAC booth

MVCAC Corporate Member Fiscal Status Reports

New this year, we are collecting all fiscal status information online through the MVCAC member portal.  Instructions on how to login to your district's portal account are below.  Once this updated fiscal information is received, we will send you your 2015-16 dues invoice.

  1. Login using your district login information.  This is the main login that was provided to managers a couple of months ago, if you need it resent please email us at mvcac@mvcac.org.
  2. Once logged in, please click the link titled: "Create Corporate Members Fiscal Status Report 2015-2016"
  3. Enter the information requested: Total Actual Expenditures, Capital/Fixed Asset Expenditures, Operational Expenditures, and your name.
  4. You will then see a confirmation page, please review the information you entered and then click "Save Changes"
  5. After clicking "Save Changes" you should receive a confirmation email.  A dues invoice will be mailed to you by the MVCAC staff shortly after you submit your information.

We know many districts have not closed their books yet, so please submit your fiscal status reports when you are able.  We're hoping to have all dues payments received by September 1, 2015.
 

Please feel free to contact the office if you have any questions or if you need any assistance logging in to or navigating the portal.  Thank you for supporting MVCAC!

Call for Proceedings Papers

Click here to view the guidelines for contributions

 

It is time to begin preparation of the Proceedings and Papers of the 83rd annual conference of the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California. There were many excellent presentations at the annual meeting in January in Monterey, and I am hopeful that the authors will choose to submit their presentations for publication in the Proceedings. Attached to this e-mail are the guidelines for submitting manuscripts; please read and follow these instructions in preparing your papers. Manuscripts should be submitted electronically and simultaneously to me (janwash@berkeley.edu) and Rachel Hickerson (RHickerson@amgroup.us). The deadline for manuscript submission is July 31, 2015.

Unmaintained Swimming Pools Becoming Breeding Grounds for Mosquitoes

On Wednesday morning, Lt. Mike Ingram, Air Operations for Pasadena Police Department, arranged for Vector Control specialist 1, Leslie Conner to fly around the Valley in search of more pools that may be contributing to mosquito population and thus increasing the chance West Nile Virus. Pasadena Independent went along for the ride with pilot T.J. Gonzales and Sean Porter- Tactical Flight Officer.

Read More

Vector Control Agencies to Step up Efforts Against Invasive Mosquitoes

South El Monte, Calif. - Residents in the city of South El Monte may experience a little more relief from dangerous, invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). In collaboration with the University of Kentucky and the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (SGVMVCD), the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCD) will release sterile, male Asian tiger mosquitoes to reduce the existing infestation in the city.

 

West Nile Virus Detected in First Mosquitoes of 2015 in Contra Costa County

CONCORD, CALIFORNIA - - The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District confirmed today that the first group of mosquitoes has tested positive for West Nile virus this year in Contra Costa County. The mosquitoes were found in the Summer Lake area of Oakely. 


"This is not a surprise as we are into the hot months of the year which is the key part of the West Nile virus season and we are already seeing virus activity in surrounding counties," said the District's Scientific Program Manager Steve Schutz, PhD.


 

West Nile Virus Dead Bird Testing and Hotline

West Nile virus dead bird testing and the WNV Dead Bird Hotline began on April 15, 2015. 

 

Live calls are being answered (1-877-WNV-BIRD) and online reports are being responded to (www.westnile.ca.gov). 

 

Agencies can bypass the message options by calling the agency line at (510-412-4601). This will connect you to the hotline operators. If you need to enter a dead bird report and obtain a dead bird number, please use the Gateway.