News Briefs
August 28, 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

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 TODAY (August 28th).

Call for Photos: This Year in Mosquito Control
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:

MVCAC Fall Meeting
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!

Click here to view the meeting schedule


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.

MVCAC 2016 Annual Conference
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

MVCAC Corporate Member Fiscal Status Reports

 

Note: Please disregard the message below if you have already submitted your fiscal status report, or if you have been in touch with MVCAC staff regarding your fiscal status report.


 

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!
Nominations for Honorary Membership or Meritorious Service are now being accepted!
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.
 
Letters may be emailed to the MVCAC office:  rhickerson@amgroup.us or bachermann@amgroup.us. Or via mail to 1 Capitol Mall Suite 800, Sacramento CA 95814.
 
Please let us know if you have any questions!
West Nile Virus has been detected in multiple cities within the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley, CA - August 27, 2015

Over the past week the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District (SGVMVCD) identified West Nile virus (WNV) in multiple hosts in the cities of Claremont, Covina, Glendora, Industry, Pomona, San Dimas, and West Covina.  

Vector control agencies use three main indicators to monitor West Nile virus (WNV) activity locally; infected mosquitoes, dead birds infected with the virus, and sentinel chickens with antibodies to the virus.  Several samples of mosquitoes infected with WNV have been trapped in these cities, antibodies to WNV were found in two sentinel chickens, and three dead birds were infected with the virus.  Dr. Wakoli Wekesa, Scientific Programs Manager for the SGVMVCD is concerned about the concentration of WNV-positive results.  He says, "These multiple positive results reflect intense WNV transmission in the San Gabriel Valley, especially in the east part of our district.  There now is a high potential for WNV to spill over into the human population. Similar or worse WNV activity is also being reported from western San Bernardino County by the West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District in Ontario."

Read more
Extremely  High Numbers of West Nile  Virus  Positive Mosquitoes 
Detected Weeks in a Row
The West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District's testing facilities have confirmed
25 of 50 mosquito samples collected last week and 34 of 72 mosquito samples collected
this week to be positive for West Nile virus.

These high numbers of positive mosquitoes indicate that the possibility of human disease
transmission is also very high. The District alerts residents to wear repellents
when outside during peak mosquito biting times (dusk and dawn), drain any standing
water around the home, and call the District if you suspect mosquitoes around your residence.

Read more
Clovis Independent Article on ADAM Project
Jodi Holeman opens a cardboard tube containing 1,000 mosquitoes, allowing the male insects to fly into a Clovis neighborhood. The Clovis Independent Farin Montañez
"Letting thousands of mosquitoes go isn't something we typically do," said Jodi Holeman, the scientific-technical services director with the Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District.

But that's exactly what she and her team have been doing for the past month.

In what district manager Steve Mulligan calls "a novel strategy," the mosquito abatement workers have released about 10,000 male mosquitos per week in a Clovis neighborhood.

Read more
Delta VCD New Hire Announcement
The Delta Vector Control District is pleased to announce the hiring of Carrie De Jesus MS, Entomology - North Carolina State University, as District Biologist.  Carrie did undergraduate work at CSU Fullerton earning her BS in Biology.  She will begin her employment on Thursday, August 27, 2015.
 
Past experience includes working in vector control for San Diego County performing surveillance, public education and controlling West Nile virus.  Carrie joins the Delta VCD lab, as a valuable team member in what we believe will be a great future together.

Read more
2014 VBDS Annual Report
From Vicki Kramer, CDPH:

The 2014 Annual Report from the Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, is attached and posted at:
 
One hard copy of this report will be sent to agencies this week.  If you or your agency would like additional copies, please email Jesse Laxton:  jesse.laxton@cdph.ca.gov or call 916-552-9730.
 
Thank you to our many collaborators for your contributions to this report.
 
Best regards
Vicki
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.