The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 11, No. 21  April 5, 2005

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Status of Faculty Positions
...Thank You
...Promoting Watershed Education in your Community
...April Kansas Junior Master Gardener Newsletter Available on Web
...2005 Kansas Agritourism Workshops
...Helping Communities Plan for and Access Resources for Community Improvement
...Resources from Effective Supervision Workshops
...Learn, Learn, Learn! and it's Free
...Bachelor's Degree Programs in Dietetics and Early Childhood Education
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

To further entice you, I have set aside funding for 10 scholarships for Extension Agents to cover the registration fee for the workshop. For further information on this workshop and how to register, check the website, http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/klf/Workshops.htm . You can also call the Huck Boyd Institute at 785-532-7690, or contact Ron Wilson, rwilson@ksu.edu ; and Sara Wege, saraw@ksu.edu .

I so much appreciate those of you who have taken the challenge to understand diversity across your communities and counties, and to take steps to bridge that diversity by helping everyone appreciate, honor, and celebrate those cultural differences. I hope experiences like the above mentioned workshops can help you along that path in making your community and county a culturally rich place to love and live. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@oznet.ksu.edu

STATUS OF FACULTY POSITIONS
To check the status of faculty positions that are currently in the search process, see the K-State Research and Extension Job Opportunities website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/main/jobs.asp . Click on "Employment Status of KSRE Faculty Positions." Search committee chairs - contact Dorothy Ireland in the Extension Operations Office at direland@oznet.ksu.edu  or 532-5787 to keep the information updated. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu

THANK YOU
My family and I deeply appreciate the expressions of sympathy following the death of my mother, Opal Kilgore. Flowers, cards, e-mails, phone calls, and donations to memorials demonstrated again what a wonderful family K-State Research and Extension is. You are busy, but not too busy to show that you care. Thank you. --Gary Kilgore gkilgore@oznet.ksu.edu

PROMOTING WATERSHED EDUCATION IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Looking for a fun, easy way to promote greater awareness of water quality protection issues in your community/county?

EnviroScape models are three-dimensional landscape models that offer hands-on learning tools that connect what we do on land to what happens in our rivers, lakes, and groundwater. The models show how to prevent water pollution through the use of best management practices, emphasizing to people of all ages that we share responsibilities for preventing water pollution. EnviroScape models are ideal for use at water festivals, county fairs, Earth Day activities, organizational meetings, school science fairs, and other events. A user’s guide and video accompany each model to aid facilitators in presenting a demonstration. Three models are available: nonpoint source, wetlands, hazardous materials, groundwater, and riparian areas.

EnviroScape models are available for use by county Extension offices, conservation districts, community organizations, local governments, and local schools through funding provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Kansas Department of Health & Environment – Watershed Management Section.

For more information, or to arrange to borrow an EnviroScape model, contact Laura Downey at the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education at 785-532-3322 or e-mail ldowney@oznet.ksu.edu . --Robert Wilson rwilson@loki.agecon.ksu.edu

APRIL KANSAS JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE ON WEB
The April Kansas Junior Master Gardener Newsletter is available at
http://4-h.k-state.edu/JMG/Newsletters/2005/april2005.pdf . Topics include tomatoes, National Garden Month, upcoming events and a grant opportunity. --Evelyn Neier eneier@oznet.ksu.edu

2005 KANSAS AGRITOURISM WORKSHOPS
Agritourism: How to Attract More Customers, More Often!

The Kansas Department of Commerce is hosting Kansas Agritourism Workshops featuring Jane Eckert, of Eckert AgriMarketing. Session topics include Weaving Your Website, Attracting Publicity, It's All About the "Wow!" Experience.

All workshop times are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The same program will be repeated in each city.

April 19 - Dodge City
April 21 - Colby
May 3 - Lawrence
May 5 - Chanute
May 17 - Salina
May 19 - El Dorado

Complete workshop information may be found at: http://www.kansasagritourism.org/AgriT_workshops.htm .

Registration is $10 per person for Agritourism Operators registered with the Kansas Department of Commerce. Registration for all others is $15. Registrations are due April 15. Travel scholarships are available for K-State Research and Extension staff. The travel scholarship application may be downloaded from http://www.kansassustainableag.org/kansassare.html . --Jana Beckman beckman@oznet.ksu.edu

HELPING COMMUNITIES PLAN FOR AND ACCESS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
Here is a great opportunity for Extension to facilitate rural community development by helping communities to plan for, and access resources for community improvement.

Rural Housing and Business Funding available:
The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) notice of funding availability (NOFA) for 2005 has been issued. Deadlines vary; Rural Housing and Economic Development applications are due May 17. http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr05-033.cfm .

This year, HUD continues to fund local communities and organizations for the development of affordable housing at the local level. In addition, HUD is continuing to make it easier for faith-based grassroots and other community organizations to apply for grants.

To increase energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, and protect the environment, HUD is also promoting the Energy Star program in its grant programs. Applicants constructing, rehabilitating, or maintaining housing or community facilities are encouraged to promote energy efficiency in design and operations through Energy Star including the installation or replacement of light bulbs, water heaters, furnaces, etc. For further information about Energy Star, visit www.energystar.gov  or call 888-782-7937, (1-888-588-9920 TTY).

Small, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses continue to be important partners with HUD.  HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development including funding for public buildings and water facilities.

For MORE INFORMATION, contact the USDA Rural Development office in Topeka at 785-271-2702 or go to www.rurdev.usda.gov/ks/ . You may also wish to visit the field office near you to make direct contact with the area USDA representative. Field offices are located in Colby, Newton, Garden City, Hays, Iola, Oskaloosa, Manhattan, and Paola. Area field staff and contact information is available by calling the Topeka number.

For additional information, visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm , or contact Dan Kahl, dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu . --Dan Kahl

RESOURCES FROM EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION WORKSHOPS
All of the resources that were distributed at the recent Effective Supervision Workshops are now on the Internet. Click on the Extension Operations Homepage, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/operations/  and then Employment - County/District Offices.

New resources include information on recruiting, hiring, orienting and appraising the performance of program assistants and office professionals in county/district offices.

Of special note is an "Approval to Employ an Extension Program Assistant" which is designed to be signed by the area director and board/governing body chair before a county/district program assistant position is advertised.

For questions about any of the materials on the above-mentioned website, contact an area director or Stacey Warner at 785-532-5790. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu

BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN DIETETICS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Kansas State University offers Bachelor's Degree Programs in Dietetics and Early Childhood Education. These online distance education programs provide flexibility and convenience for students at a distance.

Graduates of the Early Childhood Education degree program work in careers dedicated to helping and educating pre-K children. This program can also help already certified teachers receive an additional endorsement and provide administrators with credentials.

The Dietetics program focuses on the health and wellness of others. Students in the Dietetics degree program can choose between the accredited Didactic and Coordinated programs. In both of these programs, students obtain hands-on experience, making them eligible to take the examination to become registered dietitians.

For more information, call 1-800-622-2KSU or visit,
www.dce.ksu.edu/earlychildhood, www.dce.ksu.edu/dietetics . --Melinda Sinn, Continuing Education sinnpio@ksu.edu

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