News Briefs
February 19th, 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

Click here to view the Board Meeting Agenda Packet*
*Today is the last day to submit reports to be included in the packet.

For the full schedule, click here

Note: T here will be a district manager group photo during the convention on Tuesday night right before the reception begins.

Click here for the MVCAC Conference SuperShuttle transportation discount code!

Click the "register" button below to register today!

Today is the last day to pre-register. After today all registrations will be taken onsite.

Photos Needed For MVCAC 2016 Annual Conference Slideshow
The MVCAC Annual conference is quickly approaching and MVCAC needs your photos for the banquet slideshow!  

Last year, MVCAC member districts submitted pictures to make a rolling slide show that was shown during the beginning of the banquet. These pictures were of anything that they did through the year to showcase the district's activities.

Please submit photos in PowerPoint format and click here to add them to the Dropbox.

There is no limit to the number of photos you may submit. Thanks in advance.
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. § 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.
83rd Volume of the MVCAC Proceedings and Papers Available Now!

The 83rd Volume of the MVCAC Proceedings and Papers is available now for download on MVCAC.org!

Click here to view this (and previous editions) of the MVCAC Proceedings and Papers

Thank you to all of our contributors!
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
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!
MVCAC News Briefs - Zika Updates
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media.  The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Zika.
WHO SPECIFICATIONS AND EVALUATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PESTICIDES - World Health Organization

2/19/16: Zika Virus Rumors and Theories That You Should Doubt - NY Times

2/17/16: Inside the Mosquito Factory That Could Stop Dengue and Zika - MIT Technology Review

2/17/16: UNM researchers target Zika-spreading mosquito with lemongrass oil - UNM News Beat

2/17/16: Zika's Rapid Spread Explained in 3 GIFs - Time

2/17/16: Web Briefing for Media - The Zika Virus: What’s Next in the U.S. and Abroad? - Kaiser Family Foundation

2/16/16: Clearing The Air: Monsanto Breaks Silence On Zika Virus, Microcephaly And Sumitomo Larvicide - Tech Times

2/16/16: Scientists debunk theory linking pesticide, not Zika, to birth defects - USA TODAY

2/15/16: EXPERT REACTION: Is a pesticide, not Zika virus, causing microcephaly? - SCIMEX

2/14/16: Larvicide Manufactured By Sumitomo, Not Zika Virus, True Cause Of Brazil's Microcephaly Outbreak: Doctors - Tech Times