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News Briefs
September 11, 2015
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| 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 |
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Mailing Address:
1 Capitol Mall
Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
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| 2015 William C. Reeves New Investigator Award Application Now Open |
Applications for the statewide William C. Reeves New Investigator Award will be accepted through
Tuesday, December 1, 2015.
The William C. Reeves New Investigator Award, memorializing Dr. William C. Reeves, who was a renowned University of California entomologist, is sponsored by the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC). The award is presented to the best scientific paper submitted and presented at the annual MVCAC conference.
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The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) will hold its 84th Annual Conference on February 28-March 2, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. You are invited to submit a paper or poster for presentation at the conference.
This presentation should be related to mosquitoes or other vectors, the disease organisms they transmit, or their surveillance and control. Presentations may be of research results, the development and testing of new methods, equipment or products, education, community outreach and the adaptation or development of new technology relating to vector research, surveillance or control.
If you are interested in presenting a paper or poster, please
click here for more information.
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October 29 and 30
th, 2015
(Trustee session on October 28th in the afternoon)
Embassy Suites San Diego
601 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101
Rooms:
Click here to book a room
or call 619-239-2400
Rate $142, this rate is "prevailing federal per diem" and subject to change.
Note: The hotel is filling up quickly so make your reservations today!
Parking:
$35 reduced valet parking for Fall meeting attendees.
For more information about this meeting, please
click here
**Please note: This is the first meeting to use the new policy of a first night's deposit taken at time of reservation as well.
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| Call for Photos: This Year in Mosquito Control |
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MVCAC needs your district photos!
We're looking for MVCAC member districts to submit 1-5 pictures that exemplify something that you've done as part of your 2015 mosquito control efforts. This could be surveillance, control, outreach, media interviews, etc. Please supply a brief caption with each photo you submit.
Photos will be put together in a MVCAC Legislative Day slide show to give legislators a picture of mosquito control. If every agency submits just one photo we will have over 60 slides!
Please send your photo(s) to Sarah Spencer:
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| MVCAC 2016 Annual Conference |
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February 28th - March 2nd
, 2016
1209 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Rooms:
- Single/Double Occupancy- $140 per night
- Triple Occupancy- $165
- Quadruple Occupancy- $190
- Room Rate Cut-off: February 5, 2016
For more information about this meeting, please
click here
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Nominations for Honorary Membership or Meritorious Service are now being accepted!
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Eligibility:
Those eligible for Honorary Membership is any person who has rendered exceptional, distinguished service in the interest of mosquito or vector control in the state of California. Meritorious Service can be conferred on any member or non-member who has made special and significant contributions to the field of mosquito or vector control in the State of California.
In order to be considered for either award and placed on the ballot out to corporate members, at least 5 letters of recommendation from 5 different districts need to be
submitted to the MVCAC office NO LATER THAN September 14
th
. Ballots will be mailed out following the September 14
th
deadline and the announcement will be made at the Fall Board of Directors meeting in San Diego on who has been granted these awards.
Please let us know if you have any questions!
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Entomological Society of America Issues Statement on Tick-borne Diseases
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The Entomological Society of America (ESA) recently released a statement (
http://www.entsoc.org/ticks
) supporting the creation and implementation of a national strategy using Integrated Tick Management to better control tick populations and reduce the rapidly escalating impact of tick-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and Lyme disease.
Read more |
West Nile Virus Activity Continues to Increase in Antelope Valley
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Lancaster, CA - The Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District reports that six of their ten flocks of sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile Virus. This week a total of 14 chickens "sero-converted", which means the blood tests taken from them showed antibodies to the West Nile Virus, indicating that an infected mosquito bit them.
"Chickens don't actually get sick from the virus, which makes them an ideal early warning system, without hurting them," said District Manager Cei Kratz. "The increase of positive chickens tells us that there are infectious mosquitoes in the AV and everybody should do their part, to avoid them."
Read more |
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Florida Entomology Student Designs a Better Mosquito Trap
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During a visit to the University of Florida's Department of Entomology and Nematology last week, I got the chance to spend some time with a lot of students, including some who are working with Dr. Phil Koehler, a UFL urban entomologist.
Some are studying bed bugs, and some are doing research on new pesticide formulations. A particularly interesting student was named Casey Parker, a graduate student who recently won a $2,000 research prize for designing a new mosquito trap.
Read more |
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Scientists Prove They Can Edit Mosquito Genes
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Researchers have used a gene-editing system to disrupt the blue fluorescent eye color gene in mosquitoes. The insects originally expressed both fluorescent blue and red color genes in their eyes.
The new trait was stably inherited over several mosquito generations, the researchers report.
They say this new technique could open the door to genetically modifying mosquitoes that spread deadly diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Read more |
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West Nile Virus Dead Bird Testing and Hotline
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| 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. |
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