May 15, 2007

Greetings from the office of the president.

I hope this spring finds you ready to get back out fossil hunting in the field.

I'd like to update you on the recent activity with HR554 in the House Natural Resources Committee.

I received an email on Monday, May 12 from Board Member Blanche Farrar and Administrative Director George Winters that the bill was being put to a vote on Wednesday, May 14 in committee. I worked with Past President Mike Triebold and revamped the letter from the board of directors that was sent to committee members last year. Please contact me if you would like a copy to send to your local Representative.

On Tuesday I was able to secure a visit from my local representative Doug Lamborn's office to TPI and RMDRC here in Woodland Park. Joe Rall was quite impressed with the museum and lab. Although he had driven past the facility a number of times, he really had no idea what we did here or what commercial professional paleontologists do for the paleontology and science industry. I hope to get a visit from Doug Lamborn secured in the future.

I spoke with Lesley Kandaras from Rep. Sandlin's office this morning to get an update on what happened yesterday. She indicated that only about half of the committee was at the meeting and that a "voice vote" was taken instead of the normal "recorded vote" that usually happens with a controversial issue. From what I've gathered, only a few of the Representatives think this is a controversial issue. They wanted to move the bill along as it didn't appear to them to really affect commercial collectors. Their main argument seemed to be that this is how it is now and needs to be put into a bill format. That's where I need your help.

The letter that I forwarded to a number of Representatives was entered into record yesterday during the meeting. According to Lesley, Rep. Don Young from Alaska was concerned that AAPS and commercial fossil collectors had not been a part of the process for the bill. Looks like we need to follow up with him for sure! The biggest thing lacking is documentation of specific instances and real situations as to how the way the bill reads now will affect our industry. Lesley would like to see us help paint a clear picture of how the way the bill currently reads will affect not only our businesses, but science as a whole.

We need to compile a number of letters from you that state how you've been discriminated against, or denied collecting from federal lands, as specimens turn to dust. Not a real good use of our Paleontological resources, in my opinion. How could the changes we'd like to see in the bill affect your business and available Paleontological resources? I need these soon, as the bill has now moved into the Agriculture Committee. Lesley is meeting with them tomorrow to get a feel for us as to how they feel about HR554.

Please take a few moments and draw up a letter with your thoughts and ideas and forward it to myself, George, or any of the board members. It appears we have at least gotten someone's attention and we need to act on this NOW.

I look forward to seeing many of you at Denver and Tucson in the coming year. Have a great field season and happy collecting!

Tracie Bennitt
President

Our 2008 Tucson show is now history. I feel it may have been the best show EVER! Several dealers have told me that they feel the 2008 Tucson show was the best mineral & fossil show ever, anywhere!

Turns out that the normal Tucson crowds did not happen. The number of visitors may have been down but it is more likely that the visitors were spread out due to the special and fantastic exhibits at the TGMS show. It was actually possible to go to most restaurants and not have to wait to be seated!

I would also add that the traffic problems anticipated due to highway construction did not happen! Arizona DOT kept the cross streets open during the show. Traffic backups occurred only during the normal rush morning and evening rush hours. The new system of separating the I-10 thru traffic from the I-10 local traffic worked well! For those drivers that were unable to understand the multiple and very adequate warning signs, they only had to take the wrong traffic lane one time and the lesson was learned.

Best of all, the highway construction is running ahead of schedule. It appears that we will see the completion of the I-10 project before our 2010 show. AZDOT and the City of Tucson have done a great deal to make visitors feel welcome and it seems to be working.

The dealers at Ramada Limited are aware of the loss of the north dealer parking lot area for the 2009 show. This will make our satellite parking lot especially important for the Ramada dealers. Shuttle service will be provided to the satellite parking lot. We'll need all the cooperation we can get to park vehicles, trucks, trailers, containers and EVERYTHING in the satellite lot in 2009.

Marty Zinn, Show Manager, Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show

It is with great pleasure that I announce the name of the first recipient of the René Vandervelde Research Grant, funded entirely by Korite and Canada Fossils. Our grant recipient is Isabelle Kruta

As stated previously in the last newsletter, Mz Kruta will use the funds to visit Canada Fossils, Montana and South Dakota to collect, as well visit Black Hills Institute of Geological Research to study the collections there and publish on them. She will be collecting with Neal Larson, Pierre Pare, John Issa and Dr. Neil Landman of the American Museum of Natural History

A special thank you to the executive board members, and AAPS members that responded to the special ballot. Due to their efforts we were able to award this grant mid year.

George Winters
Administrative Director