Thursday, August 31, 2017

Canning Green Chili

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/E308/welcome.html

Green Chile Stew Recipe

Green Chile Stew

This traditional  green chile stew dish from New Mexico can be made with just chiles and meat, or a variety of other ingredients and seasonings can be added. So, cooks should experiment with the recipe until they find the perfect combination and then keep a pot of stew in the refrigerator for cold winter days!

Green Chile Stew
Ingredients:
8 green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, stems and seeds removed, chopped
2 pounds lean pork, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 large potato, diced (optional)
1 quart beef broth

Directions:
Brown the pork in the oil, then remove and drain. Add the onion and garlic to the oil and sauté until soft. Place all the ingredients in a kettle or crockpot and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and starts to fall apart.
Serving Suggestions: Serve as an entreé with warm flour tortillas as a side dish, or use as a basis for other dishes such as the following: place a serving of the stew on fried corn tortillas, top with poached eggs and grated cheddar cheese and serve as an entreé for s Southwestern brunch.


Green Chile Lasagna Recipe

Green Chile Lasagna

Try this spicy alternative using hatch green chile!

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 lb. roasted, peeled green chile
1 & 1/2 lb. lasagna noodles
Ricotta cheese
1 qt. spaghetti sauce
2 lb. mozzarella cheese
8 oz. Parmesan cheese
8 oz. grated Romano cheese
5 large eggs
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, thyme, oregano

Directions:

Mix eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, roasted & peeled green chile, mix well.  Put aside till needed.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, thyme, and oregano.  Cook noodles till soft then cool with cool water in a strainer.  Spray a 6 x 9 x 2 baking pan with cooking spray then place noodles in pan side by side in one layer.  Spread 1/2 of the cheese mix on first layer, next spread spaghetti sauce over the cheese and repeat process.  Preheat oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Place pan in oven for 30 to 40 minutes.  Lightly brown on top.  Serve hot and enjoy our Green Chile Lasagna recipe!

A new twist: Hatch Green Chile Fritatta!

Hatch Green Chile Fritatta

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 white onion, finely diced
12 roasted green chilies, peeled, seeded & diced.
8 extra large eggs, well beaten
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 cups shredded Jack & Cheddar cheese blend
Warmed flour tortillas
Homemade Salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a large oven proof skillet with a no-stick spray.  Melt the butter till it begins to froth, do not let the butter burn.  Add the diced onion to the skillet, cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the green chili to the skillet, stir to blend them with the onion.
Add the ground cumin, salt & pepper to the beaten eggs, pour into the skillet.
Working from the edges of the skillet, lift the cooked egg and let the uncooked portions run underneath.  Continue until the top of the Frittata is just a bit uncooked.
Add all the shredded cheese, and mix it gently into the remaining soft uncooked egg.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, until the Fritatta has puffed up and the cheese is slightly browned.
Serve cut into wedges with warmed tortillas and salsa if desired. 
Serves 4 to 6.


Recipe provided by: Barbara Rose Farber (New Mexico)

Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas Recipe

Home / Hatch Green Chile Recipes / Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas
Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas

Green Chile Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted, chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 small onion, finely diced
6 flour tortillas (not large)
1 package mixed Tex-Mex cheese (or favorite mix)
1 1/2 pounds chicken, thawed
* Black beans are a great extra ingredient or use as a substitute for meat
Directions:
To make sauce: Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat then add onion and garlic and saute on low-medium heat for 5 minutes
Without letting onions brown, raise heat to medium and slowly stir in flour and spices, stirring for 2 minutes
When it just begins to color, remove from heat and add water and bullion cubes, stirring constantly
Add chopped green chile and bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes
While sauce is cooking, pan cook or grill chicken in desired spices
Now, wrap chicken, cheese mix and some sauce in tortillas and place in baking dish and smother with more sauce and a little more cheese
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes

Green Chile Meat Enchiladas


½ lb lean ground beef 1 T flour 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup 1 dozen corn tortillas (cut in ¼) 1/2 lb. grated Monterey Jack cheese 2 Cups of green chile, roasted, peeled and chopped 1 C Milk 1 small diced onion Cook ground beef in a large skillet on medium high until brown. Sprinkle 1T flour over beef and stir. Next add green chile, soup, and milk to mixture. Stir until hot and bubbling. Next add raw flour tortillas to mixture and stir until flour tortillas are soft. In a casserole pan layer cheese and mixture until the mixture is gone. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, sprinkle top with cheese. Remove when enchiladas are thick and cheese has melted completely. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Chili Rellenos Recipe

Chile Rellenos

Traditional Chile Relleno

The Big Jim  & Joe E. Parker Chilies make excellent rellenos (stuffed chiles) because the pods are large and meaty, but any of the New Mexican varieties work well in this recipe. Top these chile rellenos with either Classic Green Chile Sauce or Red Chile Sauce.

Serves: 2

4 green New Mexican Chiles, roasted, peeled, with stems left on
1/4 pound cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack, cut in sticks
3 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
flour for dredging
vegetable oil for frying

Directions: Make a slit in the side of each chile, and stuff the chiles with the cheese sticks. Dredge the chiles with the flour. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat the yolks with the water, flour, and salt until thick and creamy. Fold the yolks into the whites. Dip the chiles in the mixture and fry in 2 to 3 inches of oil until they are a golden brown.

Serving suggestions: Serve with shredded lettuce and guacamole, Spanish rice, and re-fried beans.

Recipe provided by Dave Dewitt and Nancy Gerblach.

Dabaw’s Chile Relleno

This recipe is from our great-grandma, Grace Berridge. We love this recipe because the batter is fluffy, crunch, and all together perfect.

FILLING (two choices):

1.  Brown seasoned hamburger and onion, stir in grated cheese while hot to melt.      OR

2.  Use strips of your favorite cheese (Monterey Jack, Colby, Asadero, etc…)

BATTER:

 Combine 1 Cup flour with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper on plate.
 Beat 4 egg whites until stiff, fold in egg yolks; add 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.
Roast and peel long straight green chile, slit side open, take out seeds carefully.  Carefully stuff chile with your choice of filling.  Roll stuffed chile in flour, dusting both sides.  Dip chile in egg batter.  Fry in 1/2 inch of oil on medium high heat until browned on both sides.

Skinny Chile Relleno

4-6 Roasted and Peeled Hatch Green Chile Pods

6 strips (4-5” long) Low-Fat Cheese

¼ Cup Flour

1 C Panko Bread Crumbs

3 Egg Whites

Instructions: Slit chile pod close to the stem and remove seeds (but not the vein). Stuff cheese inside the chile pod. Roll stuffed chile in flour, then dip in egg whites. Next, roll chile in panko bread crumbs.  Once the chile is prepped, then fry the chile in ½ inch of olive oil or coconut oil.

Beer Batter Chile Relleno

FILLING (two choices):

1.  Brown seasoned hamburger and onion, stir in grated cheese while hot to melt.      OR

2.  Use strips of your favorite cheese (Monterey Jack, Colby, Asadero, etc…)

BATTER:

 Combine 1 Cup flour with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a mixing bowl.
 Pour in half of a 12oz beer (the darker the beer the better the flavor) into the flour mixture and stir until the consistency is thick and creamy. If needed, pour beer slowly into the batter until the desired consistency is reached.
Use roasted and peeled chiles, and remove seeds. Stuff the cleaned chile with your choice of cheese or meat filing. Roll stuffed chile in flour, dusting both sides.  Dip chile in beer batter so the chile is very coated. Fry in 1/2 inch of oil on medium high heat until browned on both sides. Then salt to taste.











Ready for kindergarten? Here are the apps that can help make the difference


Inexpensive -- and free -- mobile apps can help kindergarten students develop reading skills, asserts kindergarten and first-grade teacher Devin Walsh. In this commentary, Walsh lists several promising ones, including digital storytelling apps.
The Hechinger Report - http://hechingerreport.org/teacher-voice-ready-kindergarten-apps-can-help-make-difference/

Five Things to Know About the Opioid Epidemic and its Effect on Children Child Trends

Opioids are highly addictive drugs, available in illegal forms like heroin, or legal ones like oxycodone, hydrocodone, or morphine, which are available through a prescription. A drastic increase in the abuse of prescription opioids has gained national attention on multiple fronts, and for good reason. This is what you need to know about the epidemic and how it affects children. https://www.childtrends.org/child-trends-5/5-things-know-opioid-epidemic-effect-children/

U.S. Child Safety Seat Laws: Are They Effective, and Who Complies?

U.S. Child Safety Seat Laws: Are They Effective, and Who Complies?
Lauren E. Jones and Nicolas R. Ziebarth
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
This paper assesses the effectiveness of child safety seat laws in the United States. Over the past 35 years, these laws have steadily increased mandatory child safety seat restraint ages. We exploit state-year level variation in the age until which children are required to ride in child safety seats to estimate triple difference models using Fatality Analysis Reporting System
(FARS) data from 1975 to 2011. Our findings show that increasing the age thresholds is effective in increasing the actual age of children in safety seats. Across the child-age distribution, restraint rates increase by between 10 and 30 percentage points or by between 50 and 170 percent, in the long run. We also estimate the impact of the child safety seat laws on the likelihood that a child dies in a fatal accident. We find that the laws saved up to 39 children per year. Finally, we find that the laws primarily induce compliant parents to switch from traditional seatbelt use to child safety seat use, with only small effects among parents who do not restrain their children.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pam.22004/abstract
Media Report: Car Seat Laws for Older Kids Have Limited Impact -
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629143153.htm

Parent-Toddler Behavior and Language Differ When Reading Electronic and Print Picture Books


Gabrielle A. Strouse and Patricia A. Ganea
Frontiers in Psychology

Little is known about the language and behaviors that typically occur when adults read electronic books with infants and toddlers, and which are supportive of learning. In this study, we report differences in parent and child behavior and language when reading print versus electronic versions of the same books, and investigate links between behavior and vocabulary learning. Parents of 102 toddlers aged 17–26 months were randomly assigned to read two commercially available electronic books or two print format books with identical content with their toddler. After reading, children were asked to identify an animal labeled in one of the books in both two-dimensional (pictures) and three-dimensional (replica objects) formats. Toddlers who were read the electronic books paid more attention, made themselves more available for reading, displayed more positive affect, participated in more page turns, and produced more content-related comments during reading than those who were read the print versions of the books. Toddlers also correctly identified a novel animal labeled in the book more often when they had read the electronic than the traditional print books. Availability for reading and attention to the book acted as mediators in predicting children’s animal choice at test, suggesting that electronic books supported children’s learning by way of increasing their engagement and attention. In contrast to prior studies conducted with older children, there was no difference between conditions in behavioral or off-topic talk for either parents or children. More research is needed to determine the potential hazards and benefits of new media formats for very young children. http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00677/full

CDC reports 40-year-high suicide rate among US teen girls

 The rate of suicide among teen girls ages 15 to 19 doubled between 2007 and 2015, marking the highest rate in 40 years, according to a report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Researchers also found that suicide rates among boys increased 31% during the same period. CNN - http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/03/health/teen-suicide-cdc-study-bn/index.html

Good jobs without a BA degree


The United States has 30 million "good jobs" -- characterized by median earnings of $55,000 -- for individuals without a bachelor's degree, and CTE can help people on the pathway to these jobs. Read more - http://ctepolicywatch.acteonline.org/2017/07/good-jobs-without-a-ba.html

Friday, August 11, 2017

Packing Safe School Lunches

Dear Parents,  During the rush of a busy morning, packing a safe lunch for your child can be easily forgotten.  Children are more likely than healthy adults to be victims of foodborne illness.  Harmful bacteria rapidly grows and multiplies between temperatures of  40:F and 140:F.   Your child’s health is important.  Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.  Use the following tips to “Pack Food Safety with Your Child’s School Lunch”.

To Start, Pack Smart!
You have lots of choices for packing lunches. Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes or bags are best for
keeping food cold, but metal or plastic lunch boxes and paper bags can also be used.
If using paper lunch bags, create layers by double bagging to insulate the food.
Pack only the amount of food that will be eaten at lunch to avoid having leftovers.
Cross-contamination can occur by reusing packaging materials such as: paper or plastic
bags, food wraps and aluminum foil. At lunchtime, have your child discard all used food
packaging and bags; they could contaminate other food and cause foodborne illness. Also, discard
perishable leftovers unless they can be safely chilled immediately after lunch and when they are brought home.

Keep Hot Foods Hot
If your child is taking hot soup, stew or chili for lunch, use an insulated container. Parents should fill the container with boiling water, let it stand for a few minutes, empty it, and then put the piping hot food in the container. Keep the container closed until lunchtime so the food stays hot. Between uses wash the container and rinse it with boiling water.

Keep Cold Foods Cold
Prepare the food the night before and store it in the refrigerator or freezer and pack the lunch in the
morning. Keep foods cold by using an ice pack or by freezing a juice box or sandwich. For
best quality, do not freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomatoes. Add these right
before eating. Frozen juice boxes and sandwiches will be thawed by lunch.

FightBac!®
Bacteria (germs), viruses and parasites are everywhere in the environment! They are
organisms that you cannot see, smell, or taste. In fact, they can contaminate food and cause life-threatening illness. Foodborne illness (food poisoning) can strike anyone,
especially young children, pregnant women (it endangers their unborn babies too), older adults, and persons with weakened immune systems.

Before freezing a sandwich, spread a thin layer of butter or margarine on the bread to keep the bread
from getting soggy, then put the sandwich in a plastic freezer bag. Frozen sandwiches can keep for three to four weeks.

Food Guide
The following foods should be kept cold:
Meat, fish, poultry, bologna, luncheon meat and
hot dogs
Milk
Soft cheese
Cooked vegetables and
beans
Rice
Dressing and gravy
Lunch combinations that include luncheon meats
with crackers, cheese and condiments
Yogurt and hard cheese
Raw fruits and vegetables

The following foods can be kept
safely at room temperature until
lunchtime:
Peanut butter `
Baked goods
Butter or margarine
Dry cereal
Pickles, mustard, and ketchup
Dried meats, including beef
jerky and pepperoni
The following foods freeze well:
Cheddar cheese and cream
cheese
Peanut butter
Fish
Cooked egg yolks
Sliced or ground meat or
poultry

The following foods do not
freeze well:
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Carrots
Mayonnaise
Cooked egg whites
Jelly

Packing Up Food Safety
In the morning rush, you can wrap up and pack food safety with your child’s school lunch, keeping
them healthy and happy!

Edible Eclipse

On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Why not make a tasty and fun snack to celebrate the day?

Edible Eclipse
  • 3 peach slices
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 black plum
  1. Lay peach slices in a circle on a plate.
  2. Scoop yogurt on the peach slices.
  3. Top with the black plum half.
Makes 1 serving. Each serving contains 60 calories, 1 gram of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber and 19 mg sodium.
This snack is not only great because it resembles the eclipse but it's also a great time to enjoy peaches and plums when they are at their peak in late summer. Here is a little more information on these delicious fruits:
  • Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and cherries are all closely related members of the Prunus genus. They are commonly referred to as stone fruits because their seeds are very large and hard like a stone.
  • If peaches or plums are too firm and need to ripen, place them in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature. Check daily until soft enough to eat.
  • If you won't be eating the peaches right away after slicing, keep them from turning brown by sprinkling with orange juice.
  • Peaches and plums are tasty snacks eaten whole, chopped, or sliced. Add chopped peaches and plums to yogurt, cold cereal, or oatmeal to add sweetness and flavor. Peaches and plums can be mixed into the batter for pancakes, waffles, muffins, or bread.
Sources:
  1. Peaches - Household USDA Foods Fact Sheet from USDA
  2. Stone Fruits: Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apricots, and Cherries from Penn State

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Secretary Perdue Appoints New Leadership for Food Safety

Email: press@oc.usda.gov Secretary Perdue Appoints New Leadership for Food Safety (Washington, D.C., August 1, 2017) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today made two key appointments to help fulfill the vital mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply. Perdue announced that Carmen Rottenberg was selected as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety and Paul Kiecker was named Acting Administrator for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The two will serve in those capacities until presidential nominees are confirmed by the Senate for those roles. In making the announcements, Secretary Perdue issued this statement: “Ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply is our most important responsibility, and it’s one we undertake with great seriousness. Both Carmen and Paul have dedicated their careers to the mission of food safety and I am pleased to have appointed them to these important roles within the USDA,” said Secretary Perdue. “I commend the work of the entire USDA’s food safety team for painstakingly safeguarding the food we serve our families every single day.” Background: Carmen Rottenberg was appointed Acting Deputy Under Secretary for the USDA’s Office for Food Safety. In this position, she oversees development, implementation, and enforcement of all of FSIS regulations, policies, and programs. This appointment follows nearly six years in leadership roles in the FSIS Office of the Administrator, including serving as Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer and, most recently, Deputy Administrator. In those leadership roles, Rottenberg executed a budget of over $1 billion, prioritizing resources and resolving disputes, advancing the Agency’s vision and goals, and leading innovative solutions to challenges in FSIS. She spearheaded strategic planning at FSIS and implemented numerous initiatives to strategically move the agency forward. Rottenberg implemented two major reorganizations, leading to a more streamlined, efficient agency better positioned to carry out its food safety mission. Through her leadership and oversight, an early governance process matured into an established systematic approach to agency decision-making, resulting in more deliberative, science-based decisions that consider enterprise-wide risks and benefits. Rottenberg led the very successful i-Impact initiative, which has increased the awareness of and engagement in FSIS’s public health mission by the more than 9,000 employees throughout the Agency. Rottenberg joined FSIS as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist in 2007, and went on to become the Deputy Director of the Civil Rights Staff. She began her federal government career in the Federal Trade Commission’s Office of General Counsel, and previously worked as law clerk at a small law firm in Fairfax, VA. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Hope College in Holland, MI and a law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law. Paul Kiecker was named Acting Administrator for the FSIS. Throughout his 29 years with FSIS, he has been committed to a strong public health vision that has guided him to overcome obstacles, identify opportunities for improvement, manage resources efficiently, and achieve food safety objectives to prevent foodborne illness. Since joining FSIS in 1988 as a food inspector, Kiecker has served in a number of roles at the agency, most recently as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Field Operations. He came to Washington, D.C. to serve as Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations, after serving as the District Manager in Springdale, AR and Madison, WI, as well as Deputy District Manager in Madison, WI. Kiecker’s experience with FSIS also includes work with the Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit, where he has served as a Compliance Investigator and as Supervisory Compliance Officer. In his various positions with FSIS, Kiecker has played a critical role in leading external coordination with other federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, international organizations, and law enforcement agencies. He also has had oversight responsibility for strategic planning, policy formulation and implementation, budget development and execution, human resource management, and day-to-day inspection operations. #

Natalie Goldberg is first woman to lead NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station

Natalie Goldberg is first woman to lead NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station DATE: 08/01/2017 WRITER: Kristie Garcia, 575-646-4211, kmgarcia@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Natalie Goldberg, 575-646-3125, ngoldber@nmsu.edu When Natalie Goldberg joined New Mexico State University as an assistant professor and Extension plant pathologist in 1993, she wasn’t thinking about becoming an associate dean in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences someday. She was focused on plants. Whether it’s identifying a plant pest or determining the best pest management strategy, she loves working with plants. After all, she earned both her doctorate and master of science in plant pathology from the University of Arizona after receiving a bachelor of science in ornamental horticulture from Cal Poly Pomona. After working her way up to associate professor and professor at NMSU, she was asked to serve as the interim department head of Extension Plant Sciences in 2007. Soon after – very soon after – she was asked to drop the “interim” part of her title, and that appointment lasted 10 years. On July 1, Goldberg became the first woman to take the helm of the NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station. College of ACES Dean Rolando Flores announced in May that Goldberg would be the interim associate dean and director of AES. “Dr. Goldberg has extensive experience in managing a very successful Extension department that is characterized by outreach and applied research,” Flores said. “Her approach reflects the integration we need to have, as a land-grant university, between Extension and research activities.” The AES is not a physical location but an agricultural research system of NMSU scientists. Those scientists are located at 12 centers around the state, from the Fabian Garcia Research Center in Las Cruces to the Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, and from the John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center at Mora to the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center north of Las Cruces. The first 23 acres of land was purchased for AES in 1906. Today, the AES system accounts for 94,884 acres of land across New Mexico. Since 1907, AES has been under the direction of about 16 different male associate deans. Just a few weeks into her new leadership role, there is no question about Goldberg’s top two priorities. She will analyze the budget and take part in a thorough review of all science centers. “The budget is one of my primary responsibilities, so I need to make sure that we stay within our allocated amount of funding,” Goldberg said. “We’re in a time when we’ve had some cuts, and there’s not a lot of reserve funding. I need to figure out how to balance building the reserve funding, but continue maintaining and hiring faculty. My theory going into the next legislative session is that we are not likely to see increased funding. If we continue to receive cuts in our funding, we’re going to need to make some tough financial decisions.” As far as reviewing all science centers, Goldberg will have some assistance. Prior to her appointment, Dean Flores had established an advisory committee of 17 members to assess each center and to analyze the AES system as a whole. The committee is comprised of six members from the agricultural industry, Goldberg, Associate Director of AES Steve Loring and four faculty members, one department head, two science center farm managers and two science center superintendents. Goldberg said the committee has gathered plenty of background data on the centers. “We need to look at how the centers are funded, where that money came from and how that money is being used,” she said. “Many of the centers were built on legislative support from their local constituency. For example, growers in the Artesia area were able to secure funding for faculty at that center. “We’ll work with this committee to conduct a very detailed review of each of the ag science centers. What are they providing that’s unique to the system and that’s important to their area? How are they impacting the agriculture in the immediate area that they serve? What are they doing globally? What are their immediate and longer-term infrastructure needs? This overall review is very important, and it’s one of my first tasks.” The committee had its first in-person meeting July 19. In her new role, Goldberg would also like to focus on the connections among science centers, between science centers and the College of ACES and between AES and the Cooperative Extension Service. “It’s not that the centers are operating independently, but I’d like to see even more connectivity,” she said. “There are certainly collaborations out there. And I’d like to see a more developed Extension–research connection.” Goldberg also acknowledged that she is much more familiar with the plant science aspect and needs to learn much more about the animal science side. She plans to explore partnership development between the science centers and the private sector in their communities. She has seen mutually beneficial partnerships formed between other universities and companies in the agricultural industry and said similar potential opportunities may exist for NMSU. Although overseeing AES will be demanding, Goldberg is no stranger to challenges. She took the NMSU Plant Diagnostic Clinic from a small desk in a tiny office with a couple of petri dishes and a salvaged microscope in 1993 to a fully accredited clinic by the National Plant Diagnostic Network last year. The only other labs with this designation are at Cornell University, the University of Florida and the Nevada Department of Agriculture. She hopes to find the same type of success in her new role with AES. For more information about the NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station, please visit aces.nmsu.edu/aes.

Hot Cars Can Quickly Become Deadly for Children



Hot summer days across the country have contributed to more than 29 child deaths so far this year from heatstroke when children were alone in vehicles. The Eddy County Extension office reminds caregivers to never leave children alone in cars, and if you see a child alone in a car, call 911.

Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body isn’t able to cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels. Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Since 1998, more than 700 children across the United States have died from heatstroke when unattended in a vehicle.

"A car can heat up 19 degrees in 10 minutes. And cracking a window doesn’t help,” said Jennah McKinley, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent. “Heatstroke can happen anytime, anywhere. We don’t want to see this happen to any family. That’s why we are asking everyone to help protect kids from this very preventable tragedy by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute.”

Together, we can cut down the number of deaths and near misses by remembering to ACT.
•             A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own. 
•             C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.
•             T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

Eddy County Extension Service and New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is an engine for economic and community development in New Mexico, improving the lives of New Mexicans through academic, research, and extension programs. Eddy County Government, New Mexico State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating, to put knowledge to work.

For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, please visit www.noheatstroke.org  and www.safekids.org/heatstroke