ANR Employee News

Donna Gillespie Jones, former ANR budget director, died May 21, after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 61.

Curtis Day Lynn, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisor emeritus, passed away May 27, 2019, at age 90. Lynn earned a bachelor's degree at Fresno State. In 1953, Lynn was drafted into the Army and stationed in Verdun, France for two years.

Robert L. Sailsbery, UC Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor emeritus, passed away on July 20, 2019, in Chico at the age of 88. The Colorado native graduated from Colorado State University in 1953, with a degree in agronomy, then served in the U.S. Army until 1955.

In May, Eta Takele, UCCE Riverside County director, was told to expect to receive no funding from the county in light of a budget shortfall in revenue. She and her UCCE staff and academics relayed the shocking news to their Riverside County clientele, and many asked how they could help.

Muramoto hired as first UCCE organic ag specialist Joji Muramoto joined ANR on May 29 as an assistant Cooperative Extension organic production specialist.