 |
Announcements and General Information |
Welcome to the first issue of North Carolina Pest News for 2002. North Carolina Pest News is a newsletter published in electronic form by the Departments of Plant Pathology and Entomology at North Carolina State University, and contains up-to-date information on the status of disease and insect pests in North Carolina from Extension specialists in the two departments. Steve Toth (Extension Entomologist) and Tom Melton (Extension Plant Pathologist) are the editors of the newsletter.
From now until the middle of September, new issues of North Carolina Pest News will be available every Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. via electronic mail and on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service's electronic news network (ent-news.ces.ncsu.edu) under the newsgroup "ncces.pest.news" (see also the discussion group "Pest Management" on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service's intranet). By Monday afternoon, the newsletter will be available on the World Wide Web.
We hope that North Carolina Pest News will meet your individual needs for information on the occurrence of disease and insect pests in North Carolina. Please direct any suggestions or comments to Steve Toth or Tom Melton.
All of us in the area of crop protection and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) feel a great loss in the passing of our friend Dr. Jack Bailey, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, on April 12, 2002. Jack had worked at North Carolina State University since 1980 after receiving his Masters and Ph.D. degrees at Michigan State University. His work at North Carolina State University included efforts on peanuts, small grains, and cotton and focused on improving our ability to forecast disease pest problems and manage them in an economically and environmentally sound manner. His work was innovative, creative, and always addressed applied problems that had direct applications to end users. Jack had a unique ability to explain complex concepts in a down to earth and easy-to-understand manner. Agents and growers alike appreciated and enjoyed their interaction with him. His expertise opened many doors for foreign travel which he thoroughly enjoyed. He helped scientists and students in locations such as China, Russia, the Philippines, Thailand, Ghana, Mali, South Korea, Australia, and Nicaragua.
More importantly, Jack was a true people person. He was a true friend to many and his acts of kindness and caring will be long remembered by many of us. His unique sense of humor brightened our days and his passion for science and problem solving motivated many of us to work at a higher level. Jack always put people before projects. He was always there for students, staff, and fellow faculty. His untimely death, at age 50, while fighting an incurable bone marrow disorder, Myodisplasia Syndrome, is a great loss for us all. This loss extends far beyond his value as a scientist and faculty member, but more as a friend and companion for many of us. While the time we knew him was far too short, we are all better individuals for having crossed paths with Jack. May we embrace and emulate those qualities of a kind, caring individual that he displayed daily. Please keep his wife, Dr. Rebecca Bailey, and the four sons, Grant, Burke, Trent, and Gaines, in your thoughts and prayers.
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Christine Casey has joined the Department of Entomology at North Carolina State University, with Extension and research responsibilities for insects of ornamental plants. Dr. Casey will work with the greenhouse, landscape and nursery industries. She arrives with a strong background in Extension Entomology and IPM. Thirty percent of her responsibilities will involve research concerning insects on ornamental plants.
Dr. Casey is filling the faculty position previously occupied by Dr. James R. Baker (who is currently enjoying his retirement entirely too much). Welcome to North Carolina, Dr. Casey!
Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Last modified on April 22, 2002 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.