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| Past Issues | Subscribe | californiasurveyors.org | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4/17/2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A Message from the President
The month of March was a busy one for most of us. Along with spring and the start of the nicer surveying weather, March 17-23 was National Surveyors Week. A week sponsored and spearheaded by the National Society of Professional Surveyors. It is recognized across the Nation by proclamations given by Town, City, County, and State governing bodies. On the morning of March 21, I had the privilege to attend a session of the California Assembly in Sacramento representing the California Land Surveyors Association with Richard Moore from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, and Kim Oreno, CAE, CLSA Executive Director. Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, (my Assemblywoman) introduced House Resolution 77 proclaiming March 17th-23 as National Surveyors Week. Congratulations to the Surveying Community and a huge Thank You to Mr. Mike Belote for coordinating it all.
On the morning of the 22, I was in Las Vegas to attend the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors meeting. On the morning of the 23, the Western Regional Survey Conference started. Was that a great conference or what? A great venue, great speakers, and very well attended. I met surveyors from a dozen States, including some from the East Coast (attendees, not speakers), met vendors of products that were attending their first land surveying conference (their products were GIS / geospatial / deep-sea bathymetric; not land surveying specific, but land surveying adjacent), and I met vendors from Columbia, India, the Netherlands, and the UK. I was able to spend time with the presidents of the associations from Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and WFPS. We all recognize the value of having joint conferences and want to continue them. I made an effort to visit every vendor and thank them for their participation. We can''t have the conferences without their attendance, and they can''t afford to attend without a larger group of attendees. They were all very pleased with the turnout, and I heard virtually the same thing from every vendor: "Sign us up for next year''s conference." Our next Board meeting is April 27. It is a virtual meeting; please check your email for a Zoom link. For those Chapter Directors and Committee Chairs, please get your report to Kim as soon as possible, if you haven't already done so. Some upcoming dates to remember:
Thanks to each of you for all that you do for the association! If you, as a chapter officer, director, or member, have questions about anything related to the association, please contact the executive committee. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Contact me: Ca.PLS8200@gmail.com or 559-451-7112. Kevin Nehring Where in California Is This?
The March "Where OUTSIDE CA is This?” was of course the new Geographic Center of Nevada monument as photographed by Trent Keenan. There were several winners, who either have very good eyes, or read the NALS Nevada Traverse magazine or both. Caltrans District 9, Bishop R/W Engineer Artur Gamirov said, "Monitor Valley in Nevada, roughly between Tonopah and Austin. The monument plaque appears to say geographic center of Nevada.” Edward "Andy" Fuller, PLS of Fuller Consulting, PLLC, correctly identified the "Geographic Center of Nevada. Identified from the plaque that was recently placed by NALS” Steve Martin said, "That is the Nevada Geographic Center monument. I read the Nevada Traverse.” Ed Peterson described his method of geographic sleuthing as follows: "I zoomed in on the supplied photo and saw a dot in the middle of the state outline. Some on-line research led me to various NV state center monuments and I decided to look into the NALS publication for an article. A placemark on Google Earth and an oblique view revealed the direction of the photo to be NW'ly. The monument was set in November, 2023, and described in the December, 2023, issue of The Nevada Traverse.” Calvin Lindley said, "The middle of Nevada. I saw the story through the NALS magazine...” Well done, gents! Try to identify the location of this month’s inside CA photo. Please tell me how you identified the location. Submit answers to: Rob McMillan
Surveying in the News
Anger, accusations and legal action are firing up on the Big Island after a construction company built a half-million-dollar house on the wrong property. The lot owner doesn’t want the house and has endured problems like higher taxes and squatters. Now, to add insult to injury, she’s being sued over someone else’s mistake. The still vacant three-bedroom, two-bath house on a one-acre lot in Puna’s Hawaiian Paradise Park is worth about $500,000. But it could cost a lot of people more than that as they head to court to sort it out.
I had the great privilege of judging an international science and engineering fair. Grade 7-12 students from our county submitted dozens and dozens of projects and I must say, our future is bright with these youngsters and their creativity and intelligence. I was blown away.; impressed is not a strong enough word. It was really cool to experience this with my wife, Madina!
Writer Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer interviewed Marta for a feature article in the March 2024 issue of the Ventura County magazine. The article ranges from her personal and professional history to what Civil Engineers and Land Surveyors do, to STEM, mentoring and advice for young people interested in the professions.
Frustrated residents in North Babylon, NY reached out to News 12 after they say a man with a metal detector and shovel dug up parts of their lawn. A neighbor's Ring camera caught the moment when the tenant asked the man why he was digging. "I've just got to shoot this monument here and then I'll cover it up,” said the man who was digging. The tenant then questioned what the man meant by a monument. The man replied with, "Yeah, you've got a monument here." The unknown digger struck at least one other yard, demonstrating the lack of awareness of our profession with the public, and a missed opportunity to educate.
The CPP CLSA Student Chapter reports that their Surveying Team won first place at the ASCE Pacific Southwest Engineering Student Symposium in Hawaii last week! "We could not have made it without our sponsors Leica Geosystems part of Hexagon, Calvada Surveying, PBLA Survey, WestLAND Group, Inc., Psomas, and X Engineering & Consulting, Inc. Thank you so much for all of your support!” Pictured are Prof. Omar E. Mora, PhD, LSIT, Cici Zhang, Nicole Rasmussen, Rena Li, and Geovanny Rodriguez. Not pictured: Sebastian Palacio.
Join us at Haselbach Survey Museum in Carmel Valley on Saturday, May 11 at 1:00 PM for an afternoon tour led by Hans Haselbach! Space is limited, so save the date and check back in with the California Young Surveyors Network (CA YSN) LinkedIn page for Eventbrite reservations. This event may be rescheduled due to inclement weather.
The Women Surveyors Summit, hosted by Future Surveyors Foundation is held to support and promote diversity in the land surveying profession. The 2024 event will be held August 1 at 4pm to August 4 at 1:30pm EDT at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh - Green Tree. This in-person event is the fifth Women Surveyors Summit. This is a "for women, by women" event and will include opportunities for continuing education. Twelve PDH's will be available. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact info@futuresurveyors.org. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-surveyors-summit-2024-registration-877604046327
Congratulations to former CLSA San Diego President Rafi Hanna who has joined the District 11 Land Surveys team as a Senior Transportation Surveyor. Rafi has previously worked for Psomas, WH Pacific, Walsh Engineering & Surveying, and Dokken Engineering in the San Diego area.
These men, without computers but plenty of suspenders, surveyed Donner Summit for the new route of the Lincoln Highway in the 1920s. This was when it was decided that the route that took autos under the railroad at the summit was too tricky for the new, more significant, and faster automobiles. They would have surveyed the area where the Donner Summit Bridge now stands. They would likely be glad to know their work still transports many over the summit via Donner Pass Road.
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Surveyor at Cinquini & Passarino, Inc! Arthur has previously worked for Underwood & Rosenblum, and Chaudhary & Associates.
Other Items of Interest
The CLSA Education Foundation is currently seeking a volunteer to serve as General Director on the Foundation Board of Directors. The Education Foundation meets 4-6 times per year via Zoom. Directors are encouraged to attend the Annual Conference and assist with the live and silent auctions. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please send a letter of interest to info@californiasurveyors.org no later than April 30.
Greetings, You're cordially invited to the inaugural alumni mixer presented by the Cal Poly Pomona Student Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association. Whether you have past ties to CLSA or were involved in the Geospatial option, we welcome you to reconnect with us. Additionally, if you're presently engaged in the geospatial community, this event offers a prime chance to establish fresh connections. Mark your calendars for our upcoming Alumni Mixer, where we anticipate fostering meaningful connections and networking opportunities. Kindly share your contact details and fill out the google form to stay informed about event specifics. We eagerly anticipate your presence! Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/MNTNnYvhf2nXbQE18
Harbison International, Inc. — an engineering, surveying, and construction planning firm in Fresno — is celebrating 40 years in business this year. It’s a family operation, founded by Mike Hamzy and co-owned and managed by his wife Anne Harbison Speake and daughter Lisa Speake. Hamzy has more than 40 years of experience in design and construction management for public and private projects.
Here is a great opportunity to reach out to literally thousands of high school age kids and let them know about surveying! There is a need for volunteers and equipment. Below is the information from Jay Wright. Attached are the fliers promoting the event and information for the vendors. Hi Everyone: We have a great opportunity to reach out and do some surveying outreach. Great America is once again having Physics, Science and Math Days (May 3, May 10, and May 17) and we have been asked to have a booth there promoting our profession. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. The park contributes the use of tables, chairs etc. and we bring in surveying tools to display and handouts to discuss land surveying with the THOUSANDS of elementary, middle and high school students that will be participating on those days. We have had a booth there several times already. Please let your chapter members know about this opportunity and reach out if you have anyone who can volunteer time, bring tools to display (total stations, GPS, drones, etc.) or participate in any way.
Thank you Jay Wright 408-472-5224
2024 Vendor Participation Form
Sustaining Members
Leja Surveying Corp.
Seafloor Systems
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