Reminder: Pre-Board of Directors’ Virtual Worksite Meetings. In advance of this Saturday’s Board of Directors’ Meeting (February 20, 2021), the CAPS Board of Directors (BOD) will be hosting virtual “worksite” meetings to allow members a forum to hear from and talk to their Board Members. The meeting will begin with a presentation by the Board, covering recent events and committee work, and end with a Question and Answer (Q&A) session, open to members present.
The three virtual Worksite Meetings were or will be held on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 for Districts I and V, Thursday, February 18, 2021 for Districts II and IV, and Friday, February 19, 2021 for District III. You can find a map of districts on the CAPS website here. Members will have to pre-register for the event through links provided in emails sent by CAPS several weeks ago, and follow the CAPS Virtual Meeting Participant Expectations. Information for pre-registration has been sent directly to district members, and a reminder pre-registration email will be sent the day before each meeting. Please be sure to sign up before your district’s meeting. Members will receive a confirmation email this week.
CAPS Science Fair Program. Science Fair season has kicked off. CAPS typically has a Science Fair Program at 15 different California Science Fairs where a Special Award is provided to students with outstanding science projects. CAPS members are the judges of this special award. This year, CAPS has decided to offer the CAPS Science Achievement Award at Fairs that decide to go virtual, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Are you looking for a way to inspire the next generation of scientists? Want to earn Mentoring Leave? Contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org) and let us know that you’d like to participate as a judge at a regional Fair. We’ll respond with available slots!
Governor Newsom’s Draft Budget Contemplates Ending PLP 2020. Governor Newsom released his proposed budget in January of this year. Early reports indicate that the Governor’s priorities remain combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery. The information released appears to indicate the possibility that PLP 2020 is likely able to be “cut short” because of the better-than expected fiscal outlook. The reports however do not contemplate the 5% General Salary Increase (GSI) that was not funded last fiscal year. However, CAPS has requested to discuss the end of PLP 2020 and the funding of the deferred 5% GSI on behalf of Supervisors at an upcoming meet and confer. The budget typically sees many changes between the initial draft budget on January 10th and the Governor’s revised budget (the “May Revise”) in May. CAPS will be advocating, as always, that State Scientists and scientific programs receive their fair share of the budget.
News Briefs.
Why Gov. Newsom wants to invest nearly $90 million in Turlock livestock lab – The Modesto Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked for $88.6 million to build a livestock health lab in Turlock much better than the one already there. Backers say the project would help assure safe food for humans while containing diseases in poultry, cattle, swine, horses, and other livestock. The lab would cover about 41,000 square feet on land already owned by the state at 830 Dianne Drive, just west of Highway 99 near Canal Drive.
Jeff Blea to take over as equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board – DRF.com
Dr. Jeff Blea, a Southern California racetrack practitioner for the last 28 years, will serve as the California Horse Racing Board’s equine medical director in July after the planned retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur, the CHRB announced on Monday. Blea, who is widely respected among veterinarians and regulators, will fill one of the most influential veterinary positions in the country. In 2006, the CHRB was the first racing regulatory agency to establish the position of equine medical director, and the influence of animal-welfare and animal-rights groups in California has often put the state’s racing industry on the leading edge of reforms.
Salmonellosis Outbreak Causing Songbird Deaths, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Reports – Sierra Sun Times
Since December, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and wildlife rehabilitation centers have been inundated with calls from residents who are finding sick or dead finches at bird feeders. Most reports have come from locations on California’s Central Coast, the San Francisco Bay Area and Sierra Nevada communities. CDFW’s Wildlife Investigations Laboratory has evaluated birds from several locations and determined the cause of illness to be Salmonellosis, a disease cause by Salmonella bacteria.
In Review. Check out what you may have missed from past CAPS Updates here:
January 19, 2021. 2021 Sacramento Regional STEM Fair Calls for Judges. CAPS is proud to count ourselves among several longtime sponsors of the 2021 Sacramento Regional STEM Fair (Sac STEM Fair). CAPS members volunteer to judge projects at this annual Fair, and earn Mentoring Leave, pursuant to the CalHR Manual, Section 2119. This year, the Fair will be held virtually from March 15-21 with expected judging hours to take up to 8 hours for volunteer credit. Up to 40 hours of Mentoring Leave can be earned per calendar year. Members use their own leave credits, and then are provided an equal number of hours as Mentoring Leave. Judges will receive a commemorative Judges’ T-shirt. If you can help, please complete the online judging registration here. You can also email sacSTEMfair@sacSTEMfair.org with any questions. If you encounter an issue or need help determining how to obtain your Mentoring Leave after you’ve participated as a judge in a Science or STEM Fair, as always, contact CAPS!
Read the rest of the entries, or see what else you may have missed on the CAPS Website here: https://capsscientists.org/supervisors/. The password is S10CAPS – it IS case-sensitive.
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