Panhandle Monthly News is a newsletter for Pan-

handle R&E Center and Extension District staff. Its

mission is to share information about staff mem-

bers and their accomplishments, honors, awards,

and employment milestones; updates on personnel

changes; news about policies; and messages from

Jack and the administrative team. Panhandle

Monthly News will be attached as a PDF to the

Weekly Happenings, and back issues are archived

on the Staff Resources page of the Panhandle Ex-

tension website (http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/

panhandle/panhandle-staff-resources/), where lots

of other information can also be found.

To submit an item, make a suggestion, ask a ques-

tion, etc., contact Dave Ostdiek or Sharon Holman.

On the last couple pages of the self-study document

you all helped prepare for the 5-year review, there is

a 2-page photo directory. I taped copies of these

photo pages to my filing cabinet and I look at them

frequently to reflect on the amazing team we have in

the Panhandle District. There are 95 people shown

in these photo directories. Your responsibilities, in-

terests, talents and backgrounds vary widely, yet I

see a common passion in all of you. That passion is

a desire to help others improve their lives through

education, discovery, and service.

During the two years I have been in the chair of Dis-

trict Director I have also seen a deep sense of satis-

faction and accomplishment in you. I observe this

satisfaction has comes to you personally when, as a

result of a program you lead, an idea you shared with

someone, or a relationship that was fostered, you

were able to make an impact in the life or lives of

those whom you serve. As Director, I appreciate the

work you are all doing to lift others and to make the

Panhandle a great place to live and work. Thank

you! Have a great summer.

Jack

A scholarship has been established in

memory of Tom Holman, longtime Extension

Educator in Morrill and Scotts Bluff counties who

passed away in 2015.

A $250 award will be given to one Scotts

Bluff and one Morrill County 4-Her annually.

Applicants must complete the scholarship

application. Applications are due by September 23.

The recipients will be announced at the

annual 4-H awards event in their respective county.

The scholarship will be paid directly to their college/

university upon successful completion of their first

semester.

To obtain an application, please contact Jana

Schwartz (Scotts Bluff County) or Peggy Backer

(Morrill County). Recipients will be notified prior to

their county awards event. If enrollment or

acceptance is declined, meaning the recipient will

not be attending college during the current fall

semester, the scholarship will be granted to an

alternate. If there is no eligible alternate in the

respective county, no scholarship will be granted that

year.

Recipients will be selected by the Scholarship

Committee based on future goals, educational goals,

desired school/career path, value of 4-H experience

in establishing goals, experiences in 4-H projects and

activities, learning experiences, knowledge and skills

gained, leadership, citizenship and community

service, non-4-H activities, and contributions to

Spouse/Significant Other: Jared McCar thy

Background / family: I grew up nor th of Mitchell,

NE, on our family farm that goes back four genera-

tions, so I am a long-time local to Scotts Bluff Coun-

ty. My husband Jared grew up in Thedford, NE. We

now live south of Morrill, NE. Jared farms with my

dad and we have our trusty German Shorthair Pointer

who keeps us busy.

Education/career: I attended WNCC for two

years, then I went onto South Dakota State Universi-

ty in Brookings, S.D., for a degree in general agricul-

ture with a minor in animal science. I have been at

the Panhandle Center for four years now.

Hobbies/Interests: I spend a lot of time on the

family farm and when we are not there I like to go

hunting with my crossbow. We spend lots of time

going to Jared’s younger siblings’ sporting events

and enjoying time with our family and friends. I love

to watch sports — I am big fan of football! I like to

spend time with our dog Krieger, who loves to go

swimming in the creek and hunting.

One of my favorite quotes: I had rather be on my

farm than be emperor of the world. — George Wash-

ington

Jeff Bradshaw, $13,617 from Monsanto Co for a

project entitled Trecepta vs. Competitive Traits for

Yield and Efficacy on Western Bean Cutworm. Term

of award March 15, 2016, through March 14, 2017.

Dipak Santra and others, $29,999 from University

of Minnesota-SARE for a project entitled Replacing

Summer Fallow with Grain-Type Field Peas in

Semiarid Copping Systems: Sustainability and

Agronomic Evaluation. Lead PI Strahinja Stepanovic.

Term of award: March 1, 2016, through Feb. 28,

2017.

Jenny Nixon, $11,731 from GROW Nebraska for a

project entitled Restore Human Dignity and Cultural

Pride through Economic Development. Lead PI

Jennifer Nixon. Term of award Sept. 30, 2015,

through Sept. 29, 2016.

Bob Harveson, $8,000 from National Sunflower

Association for a project entitled Evaluation of an

Integrated Managed Approach (Fungicides +

Genetics) for Management of Phomopsis Stem Canker

on Sunflowers. Term of award: through Feb. 28, 2017.

Jeff Bradshaw, $3,000 from National Sunflower

Association for a project entitled Benefits of Insect

Pollination to Confection Sunflowers. Term of award

March 17, 2016, through March 16, 2017.

Cody Creech, $22,080 from Nebraska Wheat

Board for a project entitled A Survey of Current Dry-

land Production Practices, Crop Rotations, Weed Pres-

sure, and Herbicide-Resistance in Western Nebraska.

Term of award July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016.

Matt Luebbe, $1,950 from UNL Agricultural Re-

search Division for application titled "IANR Faculty

Engagement with US Roundtable for Beef Sustaina-

bility." (Extension will also provide a total of $1,950

for this project.)

Connie Hancock, $1,000 from University of Wis-

consin-Institute for Public Policy & Service for a pro-

ject entitled Kettering Rural Issue Guide Research

Project. Term of award: March 1, 2016, through Nov.

1, 2016.

Nevin Lawrence, $7,344 from Monsanto Co for a

project entitled Evaluate Weed Efficacy of Improved

Roundup Formulations to Select the Best Performing

Candidate. Term of award: May 1, 2016, through

April 30, 2017.

Spouse/Significant Other: Widow; no children

Background/family: Second oldest of four

siblings. Two brothers and one sister. Have

numerous nieces and nephews. Our family

professions include: military, farming, teaching,

coaching, professional chef, fitness training,

banking, retail managers and working with special

needs adults.

Highlights of education/career: Began working

for the State of Nebraska after graduating from high

school. I was offered a job to work for civil service

in Washington, D.C. but was I was only 17 and that

was too far to be on my own so went to Lincoln

instead. Later, I worked in the Dean’s office at UNL

in Extension. Married in 1984 and worked on the

family farm and still involved in the operation.

Started working at PREC in 2003.

Hobbies/Interests: Enjoy college spor ts and

playing golf. I like tools and repairing things and

learning how things work. I like archeology,

architecture and languages.

Spouse/Significant Other: Tammie

Children: Amy, 30, is a lawyer in Denver ,

married to Ashley, no kids yet. Tim, 24, is a singer/

songwriter/Starbucks barrista in Longmont. He

plays several shows a week in Longmont, Boulder,

Fort Collins, Denver and Greeley. He also does

some freelance web development and video editing.

Amy also plays violin (she was a music major for a

year at UNL) and lately has been playing fiddle

alongside Tim at some gigs.

Background/family: I was born in eastern

Nebraska and lived there until age 11, when the

family moved to Bridgeport, where my dad was

superintendent of schools. I have four brothers: one

in Gering, one in Lincoln, one in St. Louis and one

in Houston. One more brother is deceased. My dad,

now 85, still lives in Bridgeport. Tammie and I met

in high school, started dating before she had a

driver’s license, and were married 38 years ago this

August. She is a family and consumer science

teacher. She retired from Bluffs Middle School in

2014 after more than three decades there, and now

is in a second career teaching FCS at Yoder and

Lingle.

Education/career: I graduated from UNL with a

bachelor’s degree in journalism and English and a

minor in political science. After a two-year stint as a

reporter at the Kearney Daily Hub, I moved back to

western Nebraska to work for the Star-Herald. Over

the course of 11 years at the Star-Herald, I was ag

reporter, county and courts reporter, copy editor,

regional editor and city editor. In 1992 I left daily

journalism (just as the Internet was arriving – good

timing!) and went to work for the North Platte

Natural Resources District as information and

education specialist. After 13 years at the NRD, I

came to the Panhandle R&E Center in 2005, where

I’ve been the communications/technology specialist

since.

Hobbies/Interests: I’ve been a ser ious music

junkie since junior high, collecting records, eight-

track tapes, cassettes and CDs, which I’ve since

converted to digital files on a computer hard drive.

All types of music, from classical to jazz to rock/

pop, country, blues, bluegrass, old-time fiddling,

and all the little niches in between. It seems to have

rubbed off on the kids. But me, not so much. I mess

around on harmonica and ukulele, but don’t expect

to have any kind of career performing or recording.

We do manage to take in several concerts every

year. Tammie and I stay active by walking, working

out at the YMCA, or biking almost daily. I’m also

on the North Platte NRD Board of Directors.

OPEN POSITIONS

Morrill County: Educator : Position is expected

to open this fall.

Box Butte County: Educator position on hold

until fall.

Sheridan County: Educator position in

interviewing phase.

DEPARTURES

Lori Howlett, research technician for the weed

department, retired in early June.

Marlena Griesse, 4-H aide/office manager in

Sioux County.

Ruth Schmaltz, receptionist in Sheridan County.

Judy Young, receptionist in Sheridan County.

Michelle Kovarik, accounting associate at

Panhandle Center.

Meredith Bremer, Extension educator in

Sheridan County.

Cecilea Meyer, Extension educator in Box Butte

County.

Rob Higgins, farm manager at High Plains Ag

Lab.

Amir Haghverdi, irrigation water management

specialist at Panhandle Center.

David Reichert, research technician for

irrigation management at Panhandle Center.

Jim Margheim, research coordinator at

Panhandle Center (retirement scheduled in early

July).

NEW HIRES

Jeanne (Jenkins) Boland, office manager in

Sioux County.

Marta Cerrato, office manager in Sheridan

County.

Whitney Schultz, research technician in

integrated weed management at Panhandle Center.

James Burford, research technician, dryland

cropping systems at the Panhandle Center.

Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, soil and nutrient

management specialist at Panhandle Center,

effective Sept. 6

Lori Howlett was honored on June 6 for her

many years of service as a research

technician for the weed department. Lori

retired in June, following nearly 30 years of

service with the Panhandle Center.

Alexander Pavlista was awarded the

Honorary Life Membership (HLM) by the Potato

Association of America (PAA) for lifetime

achievement and impact on the potato industry. It is

the highest honor given by PAA.

Pavlista received the honor at The PAA banquet

recently in Portland, Maine. Pavlista’s work

centered on plant growth regulators and hormones,

environmental response and deficit irrigation, vine

desiccation, and the control of pests such as potato

psyllids and early blight.

He released the cultivar Red Cloud and has

published five book chapters on potato. He has

published 42 journal articles on potato and 25 on

other crops, such as corn, wheat, dry bean, canola,

and camelina. His Extension achievements include

the website Potato Education Guide (http://

cropwatch.unl.edu/potato), 20 volumes of the

newsletter Nebraska Potato Eyes, 22 Extension

publications (NebGuides and Circulars), more than

20 years of cultivar evaluations (many published in

the U.S. Department of Agriculture's “National

Potato Germplasm Evaluation and Enhancement

Reports”), and pest control reports and alerts for

potato growers.

New publications:

Bob Harveson and Jeff

Bradshaw are among the

co-authors of Compendium

of Sunflower Diseases and

Pests, released in May by

American

Phytopathological

Society’s APS Press. This

disease and insect

compendium for sunflower

crops serves as a field

guide at universities,

extension offices,

diagnostic labs, farms, and even homes where

sunflowers are grown. It includes nearly 300 images

and research-based management recommendations,

allowing users to scout, identify, and manage a

range of diseases, insect pests, and disorders of all

sunflower varieties... whether they are developed for

food or decor. The Compendium of Sunflower

Diseases and Pests was authored by 37 expert

scientists at institutions from Africa, Australia,

Europe, North America, and South America.

Refereed scientific journal articles:

Pavlista, A.D. 2015. Scheduling reduced

irrigation on ‘Atlantic’ potato for minimal effect.

Amer. Jour. Potato Res. 92:673-683.

Pavlista, A.D., G.W. Hergert, J.M. Margheim,

and T.A. Isbell. 2016. Growth of spr ing camelina

(Camelina sativa) under deficit irrigation in western

Nebraska. Industrial Crops and Products 83:118-

123.

Pavlista, A.D., G.W. Hergert, J.M. Margheim, and T.A. Isbell. 2016. Growth of spr ing canola

(Brassica napus) under deficit irrigation in western

Nebraska. Industrial Crops and Products 83:635-

640.

Aiken, R., D. Baltensperger, J. Krall, J. Johnson,

and A. Pavlista. 2015. Planting methods affect

emergence, flowering and yield of spring oilseed

crops in the central High Plains. Industrial Crops

and Products 69:273-277.

NebGuides:

Pavlista, A.D. 2015. Potato Tuber Aging in

Storage. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

NebGuide G2269.

Pavlista, A.D. 2015. Bruises of Potato Tubers.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

NebGuide G2271.

Pavlista, A.D. 2015. Potato Tuber Wound

Healing. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

NebGuide G2273.

Pavlista, A.D. 2015. Growth of the Nebraska

Potato Industry. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Extension NebGuide G2272.