Yesterday I finally received the long-awaited email from Vistaprint: 50% off everything for 12 hours, Over the years I’ve gotten smarter and now keep designs stored in my portfolio for just this occasion. I bought plenty of signs for the festival at half price. We also decided to use the empty space in front of the stage by posting yard signs that describe the good thins beavers do – I checked with GLT and we can print those hear in town for a oood price and use them year after year.

Here’s the first 2. I’m aiming for a dozen.

We also received the happy news that we were given Berkley Rep tickets for the silent auction yesterday, which is wonderful because it means we now boast tickets to ACT, CAL Shakes and Berkeley Rep for the theater-bidders at our festival, not to mention plenty of zoos and Safari West. Hopefully they’ll be something to appeal to everyone.

Also I got a nice note from the Quail newletter when i asked the new editor about slipping in something about the festival.

Heidi, I heart you so much. Loved your presentation; love your mission. For you, there is always room.

Lori Patel

Aw, that is so sweet, and so unlike the welcome the beavers usually get. Thank you very much for squeezing me in, That sure turned out to be excellent timing for the Audubon presentation – late enough to miss the rain and early enough to generate support for the festival.

Now onto today’s news bites, with an interesting report from Missouri state.

Biology Bears find a new home

A dozen biology students start their PhD programs this year.

This May at graduation, we say goodbye and congratulations to many of our students. You’re all off to bright futures. We hope we have prepared you for what is next. For 12 of our biology students, the future includes PhD programs.

I was particularly interested in this student;

Stephanie Sickler is a MS student that graduated in summer 2018 from Maher’s lab. She will be at University of Alabama, in the biology department. She starts this May as a research assistant and as a McNair fellow in August. She will study changes in stream conditions and fish and macroinvertebrate communities before and after beaver dam removal under PhD adviser Dr. Jennifer Howeth.

Goodness isn’t that interesting. I certainly know what I’d expect to find, and what existing research suggests, but it’s Alabama and I can’t help but think they’ll find exactly the opposite, I can’t think it’s an accident she ended up in one of the most beaver-killing states in the country.

Still, i’m curious about Stephanie’s research. If she finds the opposite of what’s expected will she still pass her dissertation final orals? Or will she just be advised to stop collecting data before the good stuff comes in? If I had a mole in the Yellow-hammer state you can bet I would watch and see.

i can’t wait to find out I’m wrong.