Health-related careers are expected to be a popular occupational choice in the future. According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the total employment rate for health services managers alone is expected to grow by 22 percent (2010-2020).
 
More than 900 students and teachers travel to Montgomery this week to participate in two days of competitive events and advanced leadership study at the Alabama 2013 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Leadership Conference, February 7-8. Students attending this conference at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center will have an opportunity to participate in more than 45 different competitions and workshops.
 
Currently, the national HOSA organization has over 100,000 members throughout the United States. Alabama has approximately 4,000 members.

Wetumpka is the site of the greatest natural disaster to ever hit Alabama, a large meteor strike. It created a five-mile wide crater that is still visible near the city. This happened over 85 million years ago near the end of the “Age of Dinosaurs”.

First discovered in the mid 1970s, an astrobleme, meaning “star wound” was confirmed and registered in 1998 by Dr. David King Jr., Professor of Geology, Auburn University. Because the location was covered by a shallow sea at the time of impact, scientists have declared it to be one of the “best preserved marine impact craters in the world”.

Each year the Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission and City of Wetumpka sponsor several Crater events, a Thursday evening public lecture by Dr David King and Friday school tours and Saturday public tours of the Crater.

Dr. King will conduct a free public lecture on the science of the Crater on Thursday, February 21st at 7:00 pm in the Wetumpka Civic Center, Main Street, Wetumpka.

Bermudagrass stem maggot, a new invasive pest, has been found across much of the Southeast. First identified in Georgia in 2010, bermudagrass stem maggot is a pest that cattle and forage producers need to learn how to manage.

A webinar,  Biology and Management of Bermudagrass Stem Maggot, will be held at 10 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Feb. 6. This webinar is an excellent opportunity for cattle and forage producers to get an update on the bermudagrass stem maggot.

Drs. William Hudson and Dennis Hancock from the University of Georgia will discuss the status of this new invasive pest and provide research-based information on what is known about its biology and management. Questions for the speakers can be submitted during the webinar via e-mail and will be answered during the webinar.

The webinar will be recorded so it can be viewed at any time after Feb. 6.