News Briefs | March 16, 2022
Upcoming Events
MVCAC Virtual Legislative Day
Tuesday March 29th and Wednesday March 30th

We hope you can join us for MVCAC’s Legislative Day which will be held virtually on March 29th & 30th. Similar to last year, MVCAC members will be setting up their own virtual appointments. To avoid redundant appointments, a Lead Agency will be in charge of scheduling meetings with legislators and coordinating with other MVCAC members on a first-come, first-served basis. Your advocacy is essential in developing allies and articulating how it is critical for mosquito and vector control districts to have adequate resources in order to protect public health. In addition to building relationships with your legislators we hope that you will thank your representatives for their support of CalSurv. You can discuss the new CalSurv capabilities that were made possible with additional funding and highlight how ongoing support for CalSurv is essential as districts rely on the data to make informed public health interventions especially as invasive Aedes continue to spread throughout the state.

The legislative committee has developed a google site where you can find information about the association’s advocacy initiatives and information for Leg Day including:
  • Google sheet with contact information for all of the legislators
  • Please only sign up as a Lead Agency if you are willing to schedule the appointment and coordinate with other interested agencies. If someone has already taken the Lead Agency spot, please contact them to coordinate your participation. Please try to schedule all appointments for March 29th or 30th as part of our collective “MVCAC Legislative Advocacy Days,” unless the office is only available on another date.
  • We will be adding additional materials to the google site in the coming weeks including:
  • Interactive story map to use during your legislative meetings
  • Factsheet on the new CalSurv capabilities made possible by the state funding
  • Talking points for the legislative meetings
  • A Legislative Advocacy Day training session will be held on March 23rd at 9am.
  • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87679418575?pwd=b1FJTDNGUzF5U05BcG84VXRWUGk3Zz09

Please contact Conlin Reis, chair of MVCAC’s Legislative Committee, at creis@fresnowestmosquito.com if you have questions.
MVCAC Spring Meeting
Tuesday April 26th and Wednesday April 27th
Sacramento Holiday Inn Downtown Arena
Click here for draft schedule

Hotel Booking Information
Hotel booking link – Room rate $164 plus taxes and parking
Call to book: Use (800) HOLIDAY and refer to group code MVC
Save the Date!
MVCAC Fall Meeting
November 1-3 (meeting 11/2-11/3)
Visalia Marriott
 
More information to come!
Save the Date!
MVCAC Planning Meeting
December 5-7 (meeting 12/6-12/7)
Oakland Waterfront Hotel
 
More information to come!
Save the Date!
91st Annual MVCAC Conference
Sunday January 29-Tuesday January 31, 2023
Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim
 
More information to come!
Update on Oxitec Project
Oxitec has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to initiate a pilot project in California and continue its project in Florida. The EPA’s review included a risk assessment and response to comments. The California project is being planned in partnership with the Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District in Tulare County. Oxitec needs to receive approval from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation before it can begin the pilot project. Here is a link to Oxitec’s press release about the federal approval.
Workshop: Mapping and Spatial Data Analysis for Vector Control
On March 29 and 31, 2022, the MVCAC Laboratory Technologies Committee and Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (PacVec) will host a workshop on using geospatial data with ArcGIS Pro. Space will be limited. Registration and more details are available here: https://ucdavis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9SvwuL4HIxr63hs.

Deadline to register has been extended to March 18th
2022 Sentinel Chicken Order Forms Available Now!
Chickens are being supplied by Haley Farms in Modesto for Northern California and Southern California this year.
If you do not want to use Haley’s, you are welcome to use a different egg ranch closer to your district and make that purchase on your own behalf.

Please return order form by March 18, 2022 Via email or fax to 916-444-7462

Northern and Southern Region
Pick-up date: April 21, 2022 (7 a.m.- 9 a.m.) in Modesto
Haley's Egg Farm
1030 Ladd Road
Modesto, CA 95355
In case of issue their phone is: (209) 649-4579
Share Your Post COVID-19 Exposure Methods With Us
MVCAC is looking for member districts to share with us their post COVID exposure methods and logistics. Please email the methods you have in place to mvcac@mvcac.org and we will add them to the COVID-19 page on the MVCAC website.

Thank you!
MVCAC Member Resources Re: COVID-19
MVCAC will be assembling and posting some information and templates of what some Districts have created and shared as they manage their operations. Items like sample document for field staff to carry in addition to their ID to validate status/purpose and actions related to seasonal hires. It will be posted as it becomes available to a new members-only page on the MVCAC website.

Click the button below to login and view.
In 2021, San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District unveiled a new interactive educational experience titled, “Journey of the Germ.” The project was funded through the Entomological Society of America’s Chrysalis Grant, “to bring students closer to the backyard intersection of entomology and virology.”

As the interactive experience begins, a narrative serves as both foundation and guide through the storylines to instill a message that motivates the students who participate in the storylines to learn and develop solutions. The narration takes the students through the pathway West Nile virus follows as it cycles through the suburban Southern California landscape.
Submit your district for the next Spotlight On
Does your agency have a success story, a staff member you would like to publicly recognize, or an innovation by your agency that you would like to highlight? "Spotlight On" on the MVCAC website is one way to share your story! Each submission which meets the specified criteria will be reviewed and posted on the MVCAC website on the Spotlight On page and highlighted on the homepage in the rotating feature box. Each story will remain posted for 1-2 months before being moved to a publicly archived page. 

Interested? Click here to fill out an application!

Applications can be submitted to the MVCAC office at mvcac@mvcac.org
HR resources for districts to use and to upload information into
District Managers - Please upload your HR resources and information into this Google Drive along with using it for your own district.

Click here to access the Google Drive.
News Headlines
MVCAC News Briefs - Giant Asian Hornets
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 Giant Asian Hornets.

CSDA Giant Asian Hornets Video: 

 
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.
MVCAC News Briefs - Other Outbreaks
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 other outbreaks.
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
MVCAC Jobs Board
Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Jobs 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 mvcac@mvcac.org.
MVCAC Sustaining Member Corner
Note: MVCAC does not endorse the products below, but we do support our Sustaining Members

Central Life Sciences has announced the release of Aqua Zenivex™ E20, a reduced-risk adulticide for mosquito control professionals.