The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 9, No. 30   June 10, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Reception to Honor Dean and Director Marc A. Johnson
...County Fair E. Coli Lawsuit
...Galaxy II Registration Due June 15
...K-State Research and Extension Office, Trade Center Building, Hutchinson, KS, Closing
...Cards of Farewell and Congratulations for Diane Pack
...Area Director Mentoring Training
...Exploring Possible Future Models for Off-Campus FACS Positions
...Sunflower Foundation's Town Hall Meeting on Childhood Obesity Features Dzewaltowski
...4-H Afterschool Survey
...Spring 2003 Epsilon Sigma Phi Newsletter
...Annual and Sick Leave Forms Available
...Latest Kansas JMG Newsletter Available on Web
...Kansas Youth Leadership Forum
...Publications/Production Services Update
...Master Schedule

The reception will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2003, at the KSU Gardens, 1500 Denison Avenue.

If you plan to attend the reception, please RSVP by Thursday, June 12, to Ginny Claycomb at gclaycom@oznet.ksu.edu  or by calling 785-532-5729. This will help us plan seating and refreshments.

Marc requests no gifts. Scholarship donations to the Marc A. Johnson International Student Scholarship Fund are welcomed. For pledge cards or more information, please contact Ginny Claycomb. --Steven M. Graham sgraham@k-state.edu 

COUNTY FAIR E. COLI LAWSUIT
Below are some "recommendations" from a prosecuting attorney to help avoid future lawsuits related to illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 when animals are presented to the public at petting zoos, county fairs, etc. Basically, the attorney has indicated areas of potential negligence that they would look for in any E. coli case. Your fair boards should be made aware of these "recommendations." Larry Hollis lhollis@oznet.ksu.edu 

MARLER CLARK FILES E. COLI LAWSUIT AGAINST LANE COUNTY (Oregon) FAIR BOARD - June 4, 2003 From a press release Eugene, Oregon. -- Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm nationally known for its representation of E. coli victims, filed a lawsuit today against the Lane County (Oregon) Fair Board on behalf of 29 individuals and families of individuals who were infected with E. coli O157:H7 during an outbreak at the Lane County Fair last summer. 

According to the lawsuit, plaintiffs suffered severe abdominal cramping, nausea and bloody diarrhea. Several children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome ("HUS"), and required kidney dialysis and blood transfusions. The lawsuit alleges that the outbreak could have been prevented if the fair had taken proper precautions. Approximately 82 people became sick after visiting the fair's sheep and goat exhibit during what became the largest E. coli outbreak in Oregon state history. According to the lawsuit, the Lane County Fair Board knew, or reasonably should have known, of the risk of E. coli infection to the plaintiffs, and failed to exercise reasonable care and to give adequate warnings to the plaintiffs to protect them from that danger. "A number of fairs and petting zoos have been implicated in E. coli outbreaks in recent years. The Lane County Fair Board should have been aware of risks to patrons, and taken the necessary precautions to prevent this outbreak," said plaintiffs' attorney William Marler. "These kids were severely injured, and many may suffer from complications of their E. coli infections later in life. Someone needs to be held responsible for what they went through." 

Marler recommended taking the following steps to prevent outbreaks at future fairs:
*Admit only animals that have passed E. coli O157:H7 screening.
*Limit airborne E. coli by 1) not moving soiled bedding during exhibit hours, 2) keeping stall areas damp with an approved disinfectant, 3) preventing visitors from entering stall areas.
*Increase signing that makes clear the need to wash hands when entering and leaving exhibits, and to not eat in the exhibit areas.
*Increase education of the public on the risk of animal contact.
*Increase ventilation of buildings to improve air flow per approved standards.
*Sanitize walkways and railings
*Ban food from exhibit halls and areas surrounding exhibit halls.
*Increase the number of hand washing stations and encourage the public to use them.
*Add warnings at fair entrances.

GALAXY II REGISTRATION DUE JUNE 15
Don't miss the June 15 Galaxy II early bird registration deadline. Salt Lake City is the site of this year's conference which will be September 21-25. Check out www.cnr.usu.edu/galaxy2 for complete registration details. Those seeking an alternative to air travel to the conference should contact Lois Carlson lcarlson@oznet.ksu.edu  for details regarding the bus trip to Salt Lake City. The bus will depart Kansas on September 18 and return September 27. KEAFCS encourages all extension colleagues attending Galaxy to consider this alternative transportation mode . Thirty-four persons must register by June 15 or the bus will be canceled. --Diane Nielson dnielson@oznet.ksu.edu 

K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OFFICE, TRADE CENTER BUILDING, HUTCHINSON, KS, CLOSING
On June 30, the K-State Research and Extension Office in the Trade Center Building, Hutchinson, Kansas, will close. Stu Duncan, Crops and Soils Specialist, is moving to an office being constructed at the SC Experiment field, 10620 Dean Road, Hutchinson. Beth Hinshaw, SE Area 4-H Specialist, is in the process of relocating to the Kansas State Fairgrounds, also in Hutchinson. Ron Graber, Watershed Specialist, Lower Arkansas River, will be located in the Sedgwick County Extension Office. See below for Diane Pack's plans. Addresses, plus telephone and fax numbers will be provided once those details are known. Thanks to all who have helped with this adjustment. --Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu 

CARDS OF FAREWELL AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR DIANE PACK
Diane Pack, Office Professional, has accepted a position at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center located one mile south of Yoder, KS. Her last day with K-State Research & Extension was Friday, June 6.

Diane has been in the Hutchinson Office, formerly SC Area Office, since April 1983.

Cards of farewell or congratulations for Diane can be sent to the Reno County Extension Office in care of Shelley Charles, 2 West 10th, South Hutchinson, KS 67505. Please send your card by June 16 if possible. --Shelley Charles scharles@oznet.ksu.edu 

AREA DIRECTOR MENTORING TRAINING
Our recent administrative turnovers created a need and an opportunity to train new and to update long-term Extension administrators. Paul Hartman (SW Area Extension Director) and Jim Lindquist (Metropolitan Area Extension Director) led an Area Director mentoring discussion at Manhattan that took place during June 9 and 10. Participants included: Dan O'Brien (NW Area Extension Director), Sarah Fogleman (Acting SE Area Extension Director), J. D. McNutt (NE Area Extension Director), Stacey Warner (Extension Operations), Daryl Buchholz (Assistant Director, ANR and 4-H), and Randy Higgins. Paul and Jim and their staff assembled a reference notebook that brought together a stack of communications, guidelines, policies, etc., that have relevance to county and area management. 

In addition, we spent some time with the Extension Administrative Handbook, reviewing legislation, legal opinions, office management expectations, staffing, and a host of Extension-specific materials.  We are trying to adopt a more common administrative approach statewide by sharing ideas and educating each other. We found this effort to be a very rewarding experience. This discussion will continue during subsequent administrative gatherings. -- Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu 

EXPLORING POSSIBLE FUTURE MODELS FOR OFF-CAMPUS FACS POSITIONS
Paula Peters (Assistant Director, Family and Consumer Sciences), Libby Curry (NW Area FACS Specialist), Gayle Price (SE Area FACS Specialist), Margaret Phillips (Assistant Program Leader, FACS ), Daryl Buchholz, Stacey Warner, the Extension Area Directors, and Randy Higgins participated in a June 10th discussion that explored possible models for providing FACS support to counties in the future. The discussion examined selected staffing models and included reviewing a draft logic model that summarized intended outcomes and outputs. 

Further discussions with more stakeholders are planned as we look to the future, realizing that major restaffing will be delayed until the state fiscal condition improves. --Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu 

SUNFLOWER FOUNDATION'S TOWN HALL MEETING ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY FEATURES DZEWALTOWSKI
The Sunflower Foundation and Kansas Public Radio (KPR) are sponsoring a town hall meeting on June 13, from 6 - 7 p.m. at the Kansas Statehouse (Rm. 313 South) addressing the issues of Childhood Obesity in Kansas. The meeting will be aired live on KPR as part of the Kansas Kids: A Prescription for Change series.

The meeting features Kansas experts discussing childhood obesity, its alarming growth as a public health issue and opinions on what can be done about it. Featured with David Dzewaltowski, Director of K-State Research and Extension's Community Health Institute, are Joe Donnelly, Health, Sport and Exercises Sciences Department at the University of Kansas; Jim Early, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center; and Monica Pierson, Weight Management Medical Center in Kansas City.

For more information about the KPR series, go to: www.kansaskidshealth.org . For more information about the Community Health Institute, contact Elaine Johannes at ejohanne@oznet.ksu.edu . --Elaine Johannes

4-H AFTERSCHOOL SURVEY
Thanks to those of you who sent a response to the 4-H Afterschool survey. This baseline data will help the state training team.

4-H marketing brochures were distributed at Discovery Days to those counties who responded. JoEllen Arnold, Franklin County, won the new club starter kit.

Dates of the state-wide 4-H Afterschool training are October 29 and 30 at Rock Springs 4-H Center. Be watching for information on how you can be involved. --Diane Mack dmack@oznet.ksu.edu 

SPRING 2003 EPSILON SIGMA PHI NEWSLETTER
The spring issue of the Epsilon Sigma Phi newsletter has been posted on the chapter's Web site, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/esp-alpharho . An e-mail notification was sent to the ESP listserv. Life members and retirees will continue to receive a hard copy of the newsletter, unless they have provided us with e-mail addresses.

If you have comments or questions, please contact Marie Blythe, Newsletter Editor. --Marie Blythe mblythe@oznet.ksu.edu 

ANNUAL AND SICK LEAVE FORMS AVAILABLE
For those individuals who use the Unclassified Annual and Sick Leave Record (PR-5) to keep track of their leave balances, the updated FY 2004 forms are now available in both Adobe Acrobat and Quattro Pro. The Quattro Pro version has formulas that will automatically calculate leave balances. If you accessed this form several weeks ago after an announcement in The Tuesday Letter, you will want to print out a new version that has been corrected. Go to http://intranet.oznet.ksu.edu/ap_ext_forms/TableofContents/ext_form1.htm . --Stacey M. Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu 

LATEST KANSAS JMG NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE ON WEB
The latest Kansas JMG Newsletter is available at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_4hyp/JrMasterGardener/jmg.htm .

Click on JMG Newsletter. --Evelyn Neier neier@oznet.ksu.edu 

KANSAS YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM
We are still recruiting instructors and facilitators for the 4th Annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, to be held November 21 - 23 at Rock Springs 4-H Center.

This conference, designed for youth, ages 14 - 18, will include speakers, track sessions, service learning, consulting groups and the election of the 2004 Kansas State 4-H Youth Leadership Council.

We're recruiting proposals for track session instructors/presenters and consulting group facilitators. Complete information is on the 4-H Web page: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_4hyp/kylf/KYLF_Hinshaw.pdf , or if you have questions, contact Beth Hinshaw, bhinshaw@oznet.ksu.edu .

Proposals are due June 13. --Beth Hinshaw 

PUBLICATIONS/PRODUCTION SERVICES UPDATE
New Order Forms
The New Publications Order Form for items to be delivered by September was sent June 6. Orders are due by July 1. Remember to look for draft copies of new and revised publications on the Intranet site at: http://intranet.oznet.ksu.edu/ap_pub_preview .

Remember that the monthly order forms now feature all upcoming numbered publications and revisions from the inventory collection of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperation Extension Service. Standing orders for AES publications are no longer being used.

The order form for inventory publications to be delivered by 4th quarter (October through December) will be sent Friday, June 13, with orders due by July 8. Note that penalty mail items will be deleted from this order form. Remember to use any existing stock of penalty items or penalty funds by the end of the federal fiscal year, September 30.

Old Order Forms and Publications
Distribution Center personnel have recently noted the circulation of several outdated order forms -- particularly those for garden guides. If you have old order forms in your office, please destroy them. Some show publications at just fractions of their current prices. Check current pricing in the electronic catalog at: www.oznet.ksu.edu/catalog .

It is also a good time to clean out old publications to make sure they are still in active inventory and that your copies are the latest revision. To check for current text, go to the Publications and Videos Library site at: www.oznet.ksu.edu/library .

While you are cleaning, deadfile printed copies of SRP 894, 2002 "Turfgrass Research." In addition, MF 2092, "Dietary Guidelines for American Children Age 2-5," has been deadfiled in both printed and electronic versions. -- Nancy Zimmerli nancyz@oznet.ksu.edu 

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS . 

Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@oznet.ksu.edu .

Tuesday, June 24
.... State 4-H Horse Judging Contest, Manhattan/KSU Weber Hall, Statewide, Ann Domsch adomsch@oznet.ksu.edu 

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