Edna 4-H Club turns 100
Members of the Edna 4-H Club were recognized by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors to celebrate the club’s 100-year anniversary. An event celebrating Edna 4-H’s 100th year will be held on July 6.
UCCE San Diego County celebrates SPOT Award winners
The UCCE team in San Diego County gathered on June 12 at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. During the retreat, they recognized and celebrated their most recent SPOT Award recipients: Darlene Ruiz, Jan Gonzales, Sierra Reiss, Ariana Reyes and the entire administrative assistant team.
In addition to discussing a variety of county office topics, the team explored potential partnerships with a local nonprofit that serves individuals with disabilities. The team also took a tour of the gardens and tried their hand at making kokedama – a plant grown in a ball of soil and moss, in the Japanese tradition – through the guidance of UC Master Gardener Debbie Handal.
Chen to headline Sustainable Ag Expo
Chris Chen, UC Cooperative Extension integrated vineyard systems advisor for the North Coast region, has been named the headline speaker for the 2025 Sustainable Ag Expo, being held Nov. 10-12.
“As one of the most respected experts in climate-adaptive viticulture, Chen will share his cutting-edge research and practical solutions at both the exclusive Monday kick-off and main events,” according to Wine Industry Advisor.
He will share insights on techniques for improving soil health and promoting carbon sequestration in vineyard soils and strategies to enhance resilience against climate change. Chen will be joined by growers from throughout California to discuss the practical, real-world applications of these techniques.
The Sustainable Ag Expo will be held in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo. For more information, see https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2025/06/17/dr-chris-chen-announced-as-2025-sustainable-ag-expo-keynote-speaker.
Hsu, Garay, Ireland, Keatley Garvey win ACE awards
Several UC ANR-affiliated communicators won gold, or first-place awards, from the international Association for Communication Excellence (ACE), and were honored at the ACE conference set June 16-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ACE is an international association of communications professionals and educators who extend knowledge about agriculture, natural resources, and life and human science.
Michael Hsu, senior public information representative in Strategic Communications, won a gold award in the "Writing for a Diverse Audience” category for his “Fire Advisor Woelfle Hazard Transcends Bounds in Studies, Career.”
Hsu described it as “a profile feature about the work and academic journey of Cleo Woelfle Hazard, UC Cooperative Extension fire advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties.” ACE sought entries dealing with “a consideration for audiences with diverse backgrounds or is inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds.”
Doralicia Garay, UC ANR social media strategist, and Ethan Ireland, senior videographer, won a gold for their social media series, “Evaluating Different Methods to Attract and Trap Tropical Rat Mites,” featuring the work of Andrew Sutherland, UC urban integrated pest management advisor for the San Francisco Bay Area.
“As part of UC ANR's social media strategy to raise awareness of ANR research, we regularly spotlight advisors and their projects,” Garay said. “In February 2024, we released a three-part video series featuring Andrew Sutherland and his efforts to address a roof rat infestation that led to mite bites at a school in San Francisco. Andrew collaborated with pest control operator Pestec to explore various methods for attracting and trapping tropical rat mites.”
“We highlighted Andrew’s work in an urban environment and showcased his partnership with community organizations, including the San Francisco Unified School District and Pestec. The video series was featured on UC ANR's Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn channels.”
The series on the tropical rat mites can be accessed at:
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/C35xMlOvLuR/
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/C31aq9iLCMK/
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3tvpODr0Ip/
Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist for the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and author of the 17-year-old Bug Squad blog on the UC ANR site, won a gold award in the "Writing for Newspapers" category for her light feature, “Emma on the Mike.”
The news story spotlighted Emma Vazquez (see header photo), a student in a class taught by UC Davis professor and agricultural entomologist Christian Nansen of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. For a class assignment, Vazquez rapped about food waste, creating a unique video that drew widespread awe, not only from her professor and classmates, but from the UC Davis community and beyond. (See link at https://entnem.ucdavis.edu/news/emma-vazquez-mike.)
This award is the 18th gold award that Garvey has received from ACE for either her writing or insect photography since 2008.