News Briefs
February 5th, 2016
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 2016 Annual Conference
February 28th - March 2nd , 2016
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
1209 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

The conference pre-registration cut off is on Monday, after that the fee is higher!
 
Rooms:
  • Single/Double Occupancy- $140 per night
  • Triple Occupancy- $165
  • Quadruple Occupancy- $190
  • Room Rate Cut-off: February 5, 2016 (TODAY)

For the full schedule, click here

Click here for the MVCAC Conference SuperShuttle transportation discount code!

Click the "register" button below to register today!
84 th Annual Conference Paper and Poster Information
Please note:
If you submitted a paper, but have not been contacted by MVCAC and do not see yourself on the speaking schedule linked below please contact  Rachel Hickerson by February 10th.


We are re-opening the call for posters for the upcoming  84th Annual MVCAC Conference on February 28-March 2, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento!

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 poster, please  click here for more information.

Poster information is due by 2/10/16
New Members-Only Area on MVCAC.org
Dear MVCAC Member,
 
We have been working behind-the-scenes to try and remedy some issues with our current MVCAC website and the members-only content areas.  Although, the site will be getting an upgraded look and feel in the coming months, we wanted to make sure that members-only content was both easy for members to access and secure.
 
If you visit MVCAC.org and hover over the new login tab, you will see two login option s:
  1. MVCAC Website Login
  2. Member Services Portal
 
The MVCAC Website Login will require you to set up a user ID to access for the first time and will grant you access to all public and member-only content in one place.
To create a login for this area:
  1. Go to mvcac.org
  2. Click the login tab on the homepage menu bar.  This will bring you to the site login page: http://www.mvcac.org/site-login/
  3.  Scroll down to the "New User Registration" section of the page and fill out the requested information
  4. Once you have registered, MVCAC staff will need to verify your membership before granting access.  Please allow 1-2 business days for staff to process your request.
  5. Once your request is approved, the email you provided will be sent a temporary password allowing you to login.
  6. Copy and paste the password provided in that email into the MVCAC Website Login screen with the username you chose.
 
The Member Services Portal is the login area you are used to, this will continue to be used to register for events and pay dues online.  This will no longer be the area to access members-only content.
 
Of course, if you have any questions about the new login process feel free to contact MVCAC staff and we will be happy to assist you.
 
Thank you,
The MVCAC Staff
NPDES Notification for 2016
To assist MVCAC NPDES Coalition members in preparing the annual report to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), MVCAC is providing the Sacramento/Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control annual report to be used as a template. Districts need to submit four items to the State Water Board.  Your report does NOT need to be sent to your regional boards.  

The MVCAC NPDES Coalition 2015 annual report will be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) soon.

Each agency must submit the following:
  1. Cover Letter 
  2. Narrative Annual Report 
  3. Map of all treatments to WOTUS 
  4. Application Log of all applications to WOTUS 
Please submit your annual report to the SWRCB contacts below via email:
Please also bcc Rachel Hickerson: rhickerson@amgroup.us from AMG when you send your package to the SWRCB. 
 
The cover letter should still be addressed to Victoria Whitney. The Vector Control permit annual report is due March 1st. 

Also, make sure the entire following statement is included in your cover letter and signed by the appropriate person:

Per Attachment B, Section V.B.4 of the General Permit:
"I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations." (40 C.F.R. ยง 122.22(d).)


**Please note: you will need to have and/or create a new MVCAC members-only login to access this content.  Please see the instructions included in these News Briefs for more information.
2016 Sentinel Chicken Order Forms Available Now!
Please click here to download the 2016 Chicken Order Form.  

Chickens are being supplied by Haley Farms in Modesto for Northern California and by Demler Egg Ranch for Southern California.  

The form due dates and chicken pick-up dates are as follows:
Southern: Please return form by April 4, 2016
Southern Region: (Demler)
Pick-up date: May 4th, 2016 (8 a.m.) in San Jacinto
 
Northern: Please return form by March 21, 2016
Northern Region: (Haley's)
Pick-up date:  April 21st, 2016 (time TBD) in Modesto

Please fax, email, or mail order forms to:
MVCAC
1 Capitol Mall, Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
P: 916-440-0826  F: 916-444-7462

MVCAC 2016 Legislative Day
April 6th, 2016
Residence Inn Sacramento
1121 15th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Hotel Booking Information:
Start date: 4/5/16
End date: 4/6/16
Last day to book: 3/16/16
Group rate: $129.00 USD per night
 
More information to come, stay tuned!
CAHAN Health Notification - News Release PH16-005 Guard Against Mosquito Bites
SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today advised that although there is no evidence of mosquitoes carrying Zika virus in California, people should always take steps to avoid mosquito bites, including removing standing water and wearing insect repellent when necessary. Californians should also be advised of international travel alerts for the countries where Zika virus is circulating. 

Zika mosquitoes' habits may foil U.S. elimination efforts
Health experts are bracing for Zika virus to spread to the United States by April or May, borne by a mosquito that craves human blood, feeds during the day and lives under beds and inside closets.

Until now, the best weapon against disease-carrying mosquitoes in the United States has been outdoor pesticide fog sprayed by truck and airplane. But health experts fear the typical approach will do little to eradicate the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries Zika.

Public Urged to Help with Invasive Mosquitoes Detection in Marin and Sonoma Counties
The Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District  (MSMVCD) is asking residents to help in the detection of exotic and invasive mosquitoes in Marin and Sonoma counties , and to reduce mosquito production sites on their properties.  Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are both non-native mosquito species  present in numerous cities in California that are capable of transmitting not only Zika virus  but the viruses that cause dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya.
 
Unlike most mosquito species native to Marin and Sonoma counties these mosquitoes are aggressive indoor or outdoor day-time biters that attack their  victims from behind, typically biting ankles and elbows. Both species are small black mosquitoes with bright white stripes on their back and legs. They prefer to lay their eggs in urban settings, specifically in artificial containers such as on the rims of potted plants and other small containers containing water with organic material.

Zika Fact Sheet Released by Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control
The Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District  would like to inform you about a new emerging vector-borne disease that has been appearing in many media outlets.  This disease is called Zika virus.  While there have been no locally acquired cases in Southern California, travelers to other countries in Central America, South America and other parts of the world  have acquired the virus.  The virus is spread by the bite of an infected Yellow Fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti .