The "College: Making It Happen" program, designed to prepare parents of seventh grade to ninth grade students and their budgets for higher education, will hit the road starting Monday as it begins demonstrations at five North Coast schools.
The program, coordinated by R.W. Hicks, director of Student Academic Services Outreach at HSU, will begin at Fortuna Elementary (Feb. 28) and make its way to Zane Junior High (Feb. 29), McKinleyville School (March 1). For the first time it will appear at Hoopa Valley Elementary in Hoopa and Crescent Elk Elementary School in Crescent City, both on March 1.
Representatives of HSU, CR, University of California and private institutions will provide tips to parents on academic preparation, scholarship opportunities and how parents can support their child's educational progress.
The free program is sponsored by the California Education Round Table to "encourage parents of middle school students to take an active role in assisting their children to plan so that they have choices after high school graduation."
During visits to schools , Hicks encourages students along the path to a college education, particularly those from families who have not pursued higher education before.
"The program generates quite a few questions. We want to help parents of the younger students start making strategic plans for their children's education. The earlier the better," Hicks said. "A college education is not free, but there are resources and scholarships to make it easier."
The presentation will begin at 6 p.m. Monday in the Fortuna Elementary School Auditorium.
Gov. Gray Davis appointed former North Coast Rep. Doug Bosco to the state Industry Welfare Commission.
Bosco, a 54-year-old Santa Rosa attorney and Democrat, represented the North Coast in the House from 1982 to 1990. He was also a member of the Assembly from 1978 to 1982.
Ever been worried about being bitten by a brown recluse spider? Ever known anybody who has been bitten?
In response to questions like those, the University of California's Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project (IPM) has placed two articles in its "Pest Note" online series to clear up confusion Californians may have regarding home and garden pests.
According to the Pest Note series, there are no Loxosceles reclusa in the state and fewer than 10 verified specimens have been collected over several decades in California.
The second article deals with dandelions that may be found throughout meadows and pastures in Humboldt County and could cause problems for farmers. The genus Taraxacum consists of over 40 species worldwide, and two are found in California. Taraxacum californicum is found in mountain meadows and T. officinale is found as a weed throughout the state.
Both of the new Pest Notes can be obtained by logging on to http://www.imp.ucdavis.edu/ and click on the "Pest of home and landscape" link.
An ordinance which would ban the use of all pesticides on city-owned and managed properties was approved unanimously by the Arcata City Council Feb. 16.
The ordinance is unique among California cities because it creates an outright ban on all pesticide use rather than a phased reduction. Pesticides include fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, rodenticides, dessicants and defoilants.
The ordinance directs city staff to create a pest control management program which lists all pest-control materials and methods, the program also will educate the public and property owners about non-toxic methods.
Arcata has maintained its parks without the use of pesticides for 15 years since an experimental moratorium was first proposed.
The California League of Conservation Voters recently recognized Sen. Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata) as an environmental leader in the Legislature last week.
Chesbro received the league's 100 percent perfect voting record for the 1999 legislative session and was praised as one of the emerging environmental activists in the Legislature.
As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, Chesbro took action to protect the Mendocino Coast through increased funding for the California Coastal Conservatory, as well as completing the purchase of the Gilham Butte Redwoods-to-the-Sea-Corridor, which connects the Redwoods State Park to the King Range Wilderness Area.
He was also principal co-author of Proposition 12, the $2.1 billion Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000. It would allocate funds for the Bay Ridge Trail, ancient forest protection, and coastal salmon and steelhead habitat protection.
KEET-TV's fifth annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers' and Illustrators' Contest is underway, and all stories are due by March 10.
The contest, based on the Emmy award-winning PBS children's series, gives children from kindergarten to the third grade the opportunity to write and illustrate their own stories.
Four prizes are awarded at each grade level first place, second place, third place and honorable mention and illustration award. The prizes range from Reading Rainbow shirts and videotapes, plaques and art supplies. Every participant is honored with a ceremony and a certificate signed by LeVar Burton, the host of the Reading Rainbow show.
Any first place story is sent to the national competition for a chance to win a computer, a printer, VCR and a complete Reading Rainbow library set featuring 10 videos and book titles. Each winner's school and public library will be awarded a similar Reading Rainbow set.
To receive a list of rules and an entry form, call 476-8519.
-- Reporting by Amanda Lang