SFA’s Department of Agriculture reached a national audience when Mehaffey, associate professor of agriculture, appeared on RFD-TV Network’s “Texas Agriculture Matters.”

The weekly television program, hosted by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, explores Texas-focused agricultural topics on the nation’s first 24-hour television network dedicated to agricultural programming, rural living and entertainment. Mehaffey directs the Swine Center located at the Todd Agricultural Research Center and spoke about the importance of involving youth in agriculture through organizations such as the Four-H Club and National FFA Organization.

“I think it’s a huge step, especially in today’s world, to make sure we engage youth and let them know how important agriculture is,” Mehaffey said.

Selden received a data and analytics grant from the Spatial Archaeometry Research Collaboration, a subsidiary of the Center for Advanced Spatial Technology, funded by the National Science Foundation. The award will allow him to expand his research efforts into ancestral Caddo ceramics using cutting-edge technologies.

Twenty-one adult alligator snapping turtles were recently released back into East Texas waterways as part of a coordinated effort by SFA, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sabine River Authority, Northeast Texas Municipal Water District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Houston Zoo and the Turtle Survival Alliance, among others, after being seized in a trafficking attempt.

Although once common, populations of alligator snapping turtles, the largest freshwater turtle species in North America, have been so drastically reduced that it is now listed as a species of conservation concern by every state within its natural range. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also is considering federal protection of the species under the Endangered Species Act.

Dr. Christopher Schalk, assistant professor of forest wildlife management at SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, became involved in the repatriation efforts after he was approached by Dr. Paul Crump, state herpetologist for the TPWD.

“He was familiar with our college’s ongoing research assessing the distribution and range of alligator snapping turtles in Texas and asked if we would like to be involved in this repatriation effort,” Schalk said.

The University Police Department and the Nacogdoches SWAT team are training in Mays Hall today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parking permits for the 2021-22 academic year are available and can be purchased through mySFA.

To purchase a permit, click the Parking Portal link under the Employee tab, then click “CAS Affiliated Login.” Select “Get Permits” and follow the remaining prompts.

Please register all vehicles you may drive to campus. The permit fee will be charged to your eBill.

Permits can be picked up in the Parking Services office on the first floor of the Wilson Parking Garage.

Parking service regulations and FAQs can be viewed here, or call (936) 468-PARK (7275) for more details.

SFA Gardens will host its fifth Kiwifruit Field Day with presentations on the growing, research and marketing of kiwifruit.

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Lunch will be provided, followed by a tour of the kiwifruit field trials at SFA Gardens from 1 to 4 p.m.

Speakers will include Dr. David Creech of SFA Gardens, Tim Hartmann of Texas A&M University, Jay Spears of Auburn University, David Anderson of Anderson Food Sales and Marketing in Nacogdoches, and economic analyst Alan Burnie.

Topics include kiwifruit production in Texas and Alabama, growing potential for Texas farmers, kiwifruit market trends, and economic risks in kiwifruit production.

The cost of the field day is $45 per person. Advance registration is required, and the deadline to register is Sept. 20. To register, visit the SFA Gardens website or Facebook page, or send an inquiry email to sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

SFA Gardens will host its monthly Lunch Bunch event from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, 2900 Raguet St.

Participants should bring their own lunch and join staff members as they share the topics of this year’s meetings, which are geared toward garden-minded individuals.

This event raises awareness for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, including at SFA Gardens plant sales and weekly landscape upkeep on the SFA Gardens grounds. Parking will be available at the nearby Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

For more information, call (936) 468-4404 or visit the SFA Gardens website.

Generation Jacks is seeking success coaches for the fall 2021 semester.

GenJacks provides first-generation college students the opportunity to take classes together, attend social events, participate in service projects together, connect with peer mentors, register for classes early, and meet monthly with a faculty or staff mentor.

If you are interested in mentoring first-generation college students, complete this form.

SFA faculty members and professional advisors are invited to the Professional Academic Advising Council meeting from 2 to 3 p.m. tomorrow via Zoom.

Meeting ID: 924 6364 4272

Password: 276676

New SFA faculty members will be honored at a special social event planned for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the Cole Art Center downtown.

All faculty members are invited and no RSVP is needed. Food and drinks will be served. For more information, email Tamara.Harris@sfasu.edu.

The Early Childhood Laboratory is accepting applications for pre-K1 through pre-K11, which includes children between the ages of 3 and 5.

The ECL opened in 1975 and was designed to serve infants through five-year-old children. The facility meets the educational needs of a growing demand for early childhood students in both elementary education and home economics and provides the community with all-day childcare in an educational setting.

ECL applications are available at 2428 Raguet St. or on the ECL homepage. For more information, contact (936) 468-4006, or echladmin@sfasu.edu.

Even the most precious of pups can have an off day, and when they do, many end up on the subreddit r/DogShaming.

This virtual mine of dog photos captures pups being shamed for naughty deeds. If you love your dog despite their transgressions, you're probably part of a bigger community than you thought.

Click here to view a list of the top 43 offenders.