It is shaping up to be a long, short week. I know we are all anxious to see how the week unfolds. So far, so good.

The combination of prolonged COVID and national unrest is getting to all of us, inspiring retirements and departures in unexpected places. I am hoping to get a Vice Provost recruitment underway soon, backfilling Mark Lagrimini's position. In addition, I am serving on a search committee for a new Executive Director to the Western Extension Directors Association. The pool of applicants is strong with some surprising submissions. It leaves me optimistic that we will have a strong pool to fill the gap in UC ANR.

If the pressures of earth get to be too much, perhaps Mars offers a solution in the near future. We need to check in with students in Calaveras County who each had a chance to build a Mars rover, donated by the 4-H STEM program. Nice work, JoLynn!

Given the lack of rain so far, the timing couldn't be better for completing the UCANR Disaster Guide. The Guide contains great examples of how UC ANR has responded to fires and COVID-19. Thanks to Susie, Faith, and team for putting this together! I have no doubt that many will download the document!

Congratulations to Monica Cooper for the quote of the week, “This is consistent with our UCCE mission to ensure the continued economic prosperity and ecological sustainability of agricultural operations in California in partnership with industry and government agencies.” Read what Brad and John had to say as well.

Be sure to tune in for the Town Hall on Thursday from 2 to 3 pm. We will build on this week's Martin Luther King holiday by learning more about planned ANR events for upcoming Black History Month.

The UC Economic Impact Report is out; don't skip over page 64! If you aren't up to reading all 123 pages, take a look at the factsheet, the last paragraph in particular. Congratulations on a strong contribution to a strong UC!

If you are considering a hike this weekend, check in with Mark Bell for some ideas. He has been out in East Bay and to the Golden Gate area recently, taking extra care to send me photos of his adventures. During his most recent outing, Mark had the good fortune of coming across evidence of UC ANR's impact. Literally, our impact is everywhere!

Mark Bell takes a hike and comes across some of Sheila's work

Someday I will leave my garage. Until then, it seems the end of the month is already near; time to prepare for the meetings regularly scheduled for the first week of the month. This month we have an additional meeting with President Drake. I look forward to that meeting, but I have some prep work to do beforehand.