Category Archives: Business

Area News, Business, Schools

Degree Without Debt Offered to Walmart Employees

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Walmart Fort Scott, 2500 S. Main.

In May, Walmart announced a new associate education benefit program designed to help employees to enroll in college and graduate from college in certain fields of study, according to a press release.

Benefits include free college credit for Walmart Academy training and options for employees to earn a college degree without student loan debt.

Walmart employees will be able to access affordable associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business or supply chain management.

These programs are available to full-time, part-time and salaried Walmart U.S. store, supply chain, home office and Sam’s Club employees.

Degrees will be offered through the University of Florida at Gainesville; Brandman University, Irvine, California; and Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska. These schools were selected for their focus and strong outcomes on serving working adult learners, according to the press release.

Program highlights include:

AFFORDABLE
The associate contribution toward a college degree would be just $1 a day. Walmart will subsidize the cost of tuition, books, and fees, which helps get rid of student loan debt, according to a press release.

 

Also, associates can start their path by earning college credit for paid training at Walmart Academies. Hundreds of thousands of associates have already undergone skills training equivalent to more than $210 million in college credits. This will save associates both time and money in completing their degree.

RELEVANT
Walmart selected universities with a specialized focus on serving working adult learners and top outcomes for the working adult demographic. Walmart is also collaborating with these universities to tailor the curriculum to relevant skills for jobs and advancement across industries for today and in the future.

ACCESSIBLE
The goal is for all employees who apply for admission to be accepted, and the three selected universities have a dedication to high graduation rates for their students.

SUPPORTED
Employees will receive support from a  coach on everything from the application and enrollment process to selecting the appropriate degree. This kind of academic counseling has been shown to help students complete their degree.

Walmart kicked off a scalable approach to creating educational opportunity for America’s workforce,  said Rachel Carlson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Guild Education, with whom Walmart is collaborating to provide the program.

Guild Education helps people gain an education through their employer’s tuition benefits which lead to increased employee satisfaction and retention, according to http://www.guildeducation.com

Walmart is also leading innovation in workforce development and higher education to help associates earn college credit for on-the-job training, Carlson said.

The Lumina Foundation has agreed to research and measure the impact and effectiveness of the program and will work with the Walmart team to share findings.

ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING OFFERINGS
Walmart’s new education program underscores the importance of education in helping employees prepare for the future with degrees in supply chain management or business. This is part of a broader approach to preparing the workforce to succeed today and into the future.

Initiatives include:

· Developing a broad suite of offerings across roles from frontline to executive levels develop job-related skills for advancement.

· Covering the complete cost for employees and eligible family members for earning a high school diploma or GED.

· Offering employees and eligible family members access to tuition discounts, financial aid assistance, and education coaching across Guild’s broader network of more than 80 accredited, nonprofit university partners, including schools such as The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Columbia University and Purdue University. These institutions are made available through EdX.

· Giving access to professional development courses including college prep, leadership training, and ESL.

 

Walmart associates can learn more by visiting WalmartOne.

 

Business, Fort Scott

Fort Scott Walmart Reduces Hours

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Walmart Fort Scott, 2500 S. Main.

Fort Scott’s Walmart, 2500 S. Main, is no longer open 24-hours a day.

As of June 2, the store is closed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., according to an assistant manager at the store.

“We’re continually looking at how we can best serve our customers,” according to a statement sent to fortscott.biz. ” Based on a recent review of shopping patterns at our Fort Scott store, we are adjusting hours and reallocating resources to better serve our customers during peak shopping hours.”

Business, Kansas, Submitted

Training Costs For Employers, Apprentices and Institutions

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Kansas awarded $1.2 million additional grant funding for Statewide Apprenticeship Program

 

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Commerce been awarded $1.2 million in additional grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship to help grow the statewide Registered Apprenticeship Program. This new funding follows an initial $1 million in grant funding the agency earlier received. The funds are being used to offset training costs for employers, apprentices and training institutions.

The Registered Apprenticeship Program is built upon an employer-driven model that combines on-the-job learning with the related technical instruction that increases an apprentice’s skill level and wages. It is a proven model for businesses to recruit, train and retain highly skilled workers.

“Since the reinvigoration of the program two years ago, we have observed a marked increase in advanced manufacturing, medical, electrical, plumbing and other high demand occupations in need of trained employees,” says Gary Westerman, State Manager of the Registered Apprenticeship Program. “The Registered Apprenticeship Team has taken several steps in identifying needs of Kansas employers and determining which fields are in the greatest needs of a workforce trained through the Registered Apprenticeship Program.”

There are presently 1,743 registered apprentices in Kansas, receiving both on-the-job training and paid employment with 393 apprentices achieving “Journeyperson “status within the past 18 months from ­­­246 employers. Through this program, apprentices receive on-the-job training from an experienced mentor for at least a full year, providing a living wage while training for a career position. They also earn credentials which can be carried forward throughout their careers. At the same time, employers benefit by meeting their growing need for a trained workforce, experience lower turnover costs, and higher productivity and reduce their costs of recruiting personnel.

“Registered Apprenticeship can improve a company’s workforce situation dramatically, including staff retention, skill knowledge, and safety, along with reducing training costs and increasing a company’s ability to develop their own talent pipeline,” said Westerman.

Currently, the Kansas Department of Commerce staff, the Registered Apprenticeship Team, and Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) partners are working with local high schools and military installations across Kansas to demonstrate that receiving technical training and certification is a valid option to a traditional four-year college path — especially in meeting today’s workforce needs.

For more information on the Registered Apprenticeship Program, visit ksapprenticeship.org.

Business, Fort Scott

First Ever Local Lavender Festival June 16

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Betsy Reichard points to one of the varieties of lavender grown on her farm, The Lavender Patch, 22376 Locust Rd.

Lavender has been a sensory, culinary and decorative herb for thousands of years.

But for Betsy and Davin Reichard, an idea to grow it spawned approximatley ten years ago when they first visited a lavender farm.

They had purchased a property in 2008.

The Reichard’s talked the idea over with family members, and in 2009 did research on the subject and visited other lavender farms, Betsy said

In 2010 the Reichard’s planted their first plants in the ground, half of which died.

Experimenting they planted 800 plants in 2012, 300 of which were mounded, which is planting the lavender in hills.

“The 300 that were mounded, died,” she said.

In 2013 they planted 1000 plants in a different spot and “they all died,” Reichard said.

The Reichard’s enlisted the help of Kansas State University, who told them this loss was due to weather conditions.

The Tri-Valley Developmental Services Horticulture Therapy Program propagates the lavender for the Reichards.

In 2014 they moved to a different pasture.

“It’s been a heck-of-a-lot more work than we imagined,” she said.

But finally, success in 2014.

That year they started making lavender products: lotions, soaps, bath salts, sachets, and spritzes.

“It takes lavender three years to mature, and it’s very labor intensive,” she said. “It’s a Mediterranean plant.”

“People have said lavender is a natural antiseptic, some say it’s a natural flea and tick repellant,” Reichard said of the products made on the farm.

The Reichards children: Jacob, Andrew, Joseph and wife, Tori, Rebecah and Aaron Houser and Levi, have helped through the years with the farm, as have other family and friends, Betsy said.

“For so many years we’ve had many troubles, so it’s finally good to see results,” Betsy said.

In their other lives, Betsy is a teacher in Nevada, Missouri, and Davin is a comptroller at SEKAN Printing Company, she said.

The Lavender Patch Festival

This Saturday is the first lavender festival that the Reichard’s are hosting at their Lavender Patch Farm at 2376 Locust, just east of Fort Scott.

The Lavender Patch Festival is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $5 admission. Children under five years old are free.

Parking will be at 2396 Locust, with signs to designate.

“Bring a lawn chair and comfortable walking shoes, this is a working farm,” Betsy said.

There will be tours, demonstrations, vendors, games, and live music by Bob (Pavey) Lovett and Red Letter Edition playing throughout the day.

You can pick your own bundle of lavender from several varieties for $5, or purchase a lavender plant for $7.

They have converted their garage into a gift shop and will be selling their lavender products.

Lunch will be sold with some lavender recipes featured.

Martha Scott will demonstrate how to make lavender wands and presentations will be by Reichard on lavender products, how to plant lavender, and how to make lavender wreaths.

Vendors will be Bobbie Kemna, featuring her pottery; Black Dog Farms featuring their honey;   and Jean Strader spinning wool.

Bourbon County Conservation will give a presentation on wildlife pollinators at the festival.

“It will be a relaxing day so come out with family and friends, listen to some wonderful music, enjoy the craftsmanship of our vendors, smell and touch the lavender,” Betsy said.

The Reichard’s can be contacted at 620-223-1364, www.lavenderpatchfarm.com, [email protected] or on Facebook, The Lavender Patch.

 

 

Bourbon County, Business

Arby’s Is Coming In September

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A new Arby’s Restaurant will be located at 2101 S. Main Street, the site of the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.

“I’m told by our construction and development team that we are on track to open our new restaurant there in September of this year,” said Fred Fleischner, Corporate Communications Vice President for United States Beef Corporation, doing business as Arby’s, Tulsa, Oklahoma. ” And we can’t wait.”

‘This restaurant will feature Arby’s Inspire design,” Fleischner said.  “The Inspire design increases energy efficiency and delivers an upgraded guest experience. The design also includes authentic features such as wood tones, white brick, subway tiles,  stainless steel finishes, and upgraded lighting and landscaping. We are converting our new restaurant from what was a former KFC/A&W combo restaurant.”

Fleischner said Arby’s can’t share the exact rendering of what the restaurant will look like but the Fort Scott site will be very similar to the Monett, Missouri site, which is featured at the top of the story.

For employment opportunities at US Beef and in Ft. Scott,  go to www.work4arbys.com for more information.

About United States Beef Corporation

United States Beef Corporation, dba Arby’s, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the largest franchisee of Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., now operating more than 365 restaurants serving Arby’s famous slow roasted beef sandwiches and unique menu items to hungry guests in nine states throughout the Midwest and the Western United States. It is a family-owned and operated business that opened its first Arby’s restaurant in 1969 and has now grown to over 8,000 employees. US Beef also owns six Taco Bueno restaurants in Northwest Arkansas. To learn more about United States Beef Corporation, visit www.usbeefcorp.com.

About Arby’s®

Arby’s, founded in 1964, is the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world with more than 3,400 restaurants in seven countries. The brand is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, visit Arbys.com

 

 

 

 

Business, Government, Kansas

Seeking Nominations of Women and Minority Businesses

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Kansas Department of Commerce accepting nominations for Minority Enterprise Development Week awards

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Commerce Office of Minority and Women Business Development is accepting nominations for Kansas minority and/or women-owned businesses, advocates, young entrepreneurs, and corporations. These nominations celebrate National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, October 14-20, 2018. Nominees and winners will be recognized at the annual Kansas Minority and Women Business Awards Luncheon to be held on October 11, 2018, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

“Minority and women-owned businesses are essential drivers of our Kansas economy, and this special awards ceremony will honor the tremendous accomplishments of these amazing entrepreneurs in our state,” said Robert North, Interim Secretary for the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The deadline to nominate a business or individual is June 15, 2018. Online nomination forms can be accessed at KansasCommerce.gov/MEDweek.

 

The 2017 award winners included:

Kansas Women-Owned Businesses

  • MySmartPlans – Kansas City (Construction Firm)
  • Advanced Welding Technologies, LLC – Wichita (Manufacturing Firm)
  • FSC, Inc.- Overland Park (Professional Service Firm)
  • Toronto Lumber Company – Toronto (Retail Firm)
  • Sage Restoration LLC – Overland Park (Service Industry Firm)
  • International Express Trucking, Inc. – Kansas City (Supplier/Distributor Firm)

 

Kansas Minority-Owned Businesses

  • Recyclable Materials Relocating, LLC – Kansas City (Construction Firm)
  • Quik Tek Machining, LLC – Wichita (Manufacturing Firm)
  • LaborMax Staffing KC Metro – Kansas City (Professional Service Firm)
  • Paleterias Tropicanas – Kansas City (Retail Firm)
  • Project Fitness LLC DBA Project Fitness CrossFit – Garden City (Service Industry Firm)
  • Sarin Energy Solutions – Overland Park (Supplier/Distributor Firm)

 

Minority Business Advocate

  • Sandra Olivas, Bank of Labor – Kansas City

 

Women Business Advocate

  • Debra Kunz, Center for Deliberate Growth™ – Mission

 

Young Entrepreneur

  • Paul Kaster, Crooked Branch Studio – Leawood

 

Corporation of the Year

  • Textron Aviation – Wichita

 

About the Kansas Department of Commerce Office of Minority and Women Business Development

The Office of Minority and Women Business Development provides assistance in business management, identifying resources for financing and establishing contacts in the public and private sectors. The office is responsible for certifying minority- and women-owned businesses as small disadvantaged businesses for procurement and subcontracting opportunities.

 

For more information: http://www.kansascommerce.gov/322/MED-Week-Awards

 

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Business Pick of the Week: Mercy Health For Life

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The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce has selected Mercy Health For Life business pick of the week.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MERCY HEALTH FOR LIFE FOR BEING THE PICK OF THE WEEK!!!

Mercy Health For Life is located at 405 Woodland Hills Blvd. in Fort Scott. They provide many opportunities to help you perform your very best! Come check out this wonderful business and thank you for 20 years of health and fitness services you have provided for this town.

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Bourbon County, Business

Boiler Room Brewhaus Expands Into Historic Downtowner Hotel

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Barbara Ritter, one of the owners of the Brewhaus, shows some of the work being done in the new taproom of the microbrewery.

Boiler Room Brewhaus is expanding. The microbrewery is moving from 102 S. National Avenue to 10 S. National Avenue, the historic Downtowner Hotel.

“We ran out of space,” Ritter said. “Bryan (her husband and the brewer for the business)…didn’t have enough space. (He) couldn’t make it in advance to not run out.”

Bryan Ritter left, and his brother, Dan Ritter, Stillwell, Ks. work on the new bar in the taproom Tuesday morning.

There are additional advantages to the location at the corner of National Avenue and Wall Street, “Two of the busiest streets in Fort Scott,” she said.

“It’s all on one level, more patrons will have easier access, it has handicapped accessible restrooms, visibility is pretty significant and there is a lot more room for cold storage, like a bigger refrigerator. We will now have a refrigerated room to put kegs in…trucks can come up to deliver grain, and more storage,” Ritter said.

The door to the brew room, the former kitchen of the Downtowner Hotel.
The brew room will allow more beer to be made for the microbrewery, Ritter said.

“We’ll be able to make more of our own stuff,” she said. “We’ll have the ability to serve from four more taps. Although, it will take us a while to catch up, because of the move.”

Future plans also include an outside patio area for customers, under the carport on the south portion of the building.

Barbara Ritter shows the area that will be the outside patio space of the microbrewery Tuesday morning.

The Ritters,  she and her sister-in-law Peggy Ritters are the owners, will have a “soft” opening at the new location Friday, June 1 at 4 p.m. “to celebrate with people and say thanks for all your help and support,” she said.

Ritter also wanted to thank Bobby and Denise Duncan for letting them start their business in their building,  Ritter said.

Josh Jones, the owner of the Downtowner building has been repairing and updating the new site for them.

“He’s done all the painting, replaced glass, changed locks, plumbing and took up all the carpet and sanded the floor,” Ritter said.

Charles Corpstein is painting the exterior of the Boiler Room Brewhaus Tuesday morning. He is employed by Josh Jones, he said.

Saturday, June 2 is the public ribbon cutting at 1:45 p.m. just before they open at 2.

Hours for the microbrewery remain Thursday-Friday from 4-10 p.m.

Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 7 p.m.

Contact them at 620-644-5032.

The old neon sign is being refurbished by Darren Crays, Ritter said.

The Ritters lobbied for a change in local law, so they won’t have to have 30 percent of their profit in food sales at the microbrewery.

Liquor by the drink laws in Kansas from information provided by Ritter.

As of January 2017, 66 counties (shaded in medium pink above) in Kansas require there be 30 percent of profits in food sales on the premises to be able to sell liquor, 33 (light pink) counties don’t have that requirement and six counties (dark pink) are “dry” counties, and have no liquor by the drink.

Currently, Bourbon County requires 30 percent food sales in a business that sells liquor.

“It has been approved to put it on the November 2018 ballot to say you do not need to have 30 percent food sales to sell alcohol,” Ritter said.

 

Bourbon County, Business

Fort Scott Pharmacy Opens

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Fort Scott Pharmacy employees, from left, Taylor Cation, pharmacist; Ashley Shelton, technician; Julie Pellett, pharmacist.

Fort Scott Pharmacy, located in the northeast corner of Price Chopper Grocery Store at 2322 S. Main, Suite B, is open for business as of today, May 29. The phone number is 620-644-9444.

Hours of the pharmacy: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; closed from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

Hours of the Fort Scott Pharmacy in Price Chopper.

Julie Pellett, one of two pharmacists, worked as the inpatient pharmacist for Mercy Hospital for 16 years.

Taylor Cation, a 2012 graduate of Fort Scott High School and most recently from Kansas University with a degree in pharmacy in 2018, is the second pharmacist.

“Taylor shadowed us at Mercy,” Pellet said. “She was one of my favorite students to do that.”

“I’ll do my boards this summer, by the middle of July I’ll know my results,” Cation said.

Ashley Shelton is the pharmacy technician, with eight years experience working for the former Woods Supermarket pharmacy as a technician.

The pharmacy is located inside the grocery store and has a drive-through window on the north.

The pharmacy is located on the northeast part of the Price Chopper Supermarket building at 2322 S. Main, Suite B.

“We offer personalized care, more flexibility, competitive pricing and friendly service,” Pellet said.

“We offer compounding more than other chain stores,”  she said.

Other services:

  • daily medicine packs, to organize medicine for patients
  • synchronization of all meds to be due and filled at the same time, to avoid several trips
  • auto refilling of prescriptions
  • free delivery
Daily medicine packs make taking multiple prescriptions organized. They are individually packed and dated.

“Stop by to input new patient information, transfer prescriptions or just meet the staff,” Pellett said.

The pharmacy doesn’t sell over the counter medicines, but can assist and advise the public on purchasing the right product, she said.

“However we don’t sell them through the pharmacy,” Pellett said.

The Iola Pharmacy Group is the owner of the pharmacy.

“They’ve been a retail pharmacy for over 40 years,” she said. “We are the only independent pharmacy in Bourbon County.”

The pharmacy has a lease agreement with Price Chopper, she said.

“We are excited to launch our business, “Pellett said. “We’ll be in the Good Ol’Days parade (to let people know they are in business).

 

 

 

Business, Submitted

Veteran Chuck Ringey Recognized By Mercy Hospice

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Mercy Hospice Recognizes Army Veteran Charles Warren Ringey

PARKER, Kan. (May 16, 2018) – At only 17, young Chuck joined the Army with two friends and headed off to Vietnam. “The Army helped me grow up,” Ringey said. “I came back more mature.”

US Army Sergeant E5 Charles Warren Ringey served one tour of active duty during the Vietnam War from April 1967 to April 1968. He was so young his parents had to give permission for him to enlist.

Ringey came from military roots. His father, uncles, and brother-in-laws all served our country. He completed boot camp at Fort Ord, California, and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He also had special training through the tank core. He chose the tank core because “a tank had a bit more protection around it than a shirt.”

During the Vietnam War, Ringey drove an Armored Personnel Carrier that carried troops going into combat from Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. His team included three soldiers – the Tank Commander, the Gunner, and the driver. In case the need arose, Ringey was cross trained to perform all three positions.

Ringey describes his tank as “solid aluminum…five inches of solid aluminum.” He could see out 360 degrees with a swivel chair and periscopes inside the tank. If he wanted some fresh air or a better view, he could open the hatch and stick his head out as long as he watched out for snipers.

Ringey earned the Purple Heart Medal when his tank ran over a land mine in the road.  “It just went kablooey,” he explained. The explosion left a 100-foot crater in the ground where the tank hit. Ringey needed 15 stitches in the back of the head, x-rays, and a sling for his shoulder. His two other team members survived with injuries and earned the Purple Heart Medal as well.

After his injury, Sergeant Ringey spent two days in camp then served on light guard duty for a week or two to recover.  “It was the middle of the war. They needed you.”

Ringey remembers his time on guard duty as dangerous. “We never knew when the adversary was coming.” He recalls one person was killed on guard duty while he was there. “You had to watch what you were doing,” he said. He also performed road security to check for land mines, kept his tank in working order with the help of the maintenance crew, and played cards in his down time.

Ringey describes where he was stationed in Vietnam as “beautiful country, beautiful things over there, jungles, mountains – and I got to see it all!” The climate was humid with lots of moisture and monsoons.  “It could rain for ten days straight, then you’d get ten days of heat.” He also remembers dust, three foot ruts in the road, and lots and lots of mud. All of this made driving his tank challenging at times.

Back in the states, Ringey served at Fort Carson, Colorado, for 18 months. In his role, he tracked troop movements in Vietnam using radar equipment. 

Ringey reflects on his Army experience as “more influential than harmful, enlightening, and meaningful.”

After Ringey was honorably discharged in 1968, he returned home to California.  He attended aircraft mechanic school on the GI Bill, and he spent the rest of his working life as an auto mechanic. Originally born in Paola, he returned to his Kansas roots a few years ago to care for his parents. He and his wife Donna are residents of Parker.

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Mercy Hospital Fort Scott is an acute care hospital with 46 licensed beds, offering comprehensive medical, surgical, OB/GYN, pediatric, homecare and hospice services. Inpatient care is provided with 24/7 physician coverage. In 2017, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott received The Leapfrog Group’s prestigious A rating. Mercy Clinic Fort Scott is located on hospital grounds as well as Mercy rural health clinics in Arma and Pleasanton.

Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2018, 2017 and 2016 by IBM Watson Health, serves millions annually. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 800 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 44,000 co-workers and 2,100 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In addition, Mercy’s IT division, Mercy Technology Services, supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.

supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.

Bourbon County, Business, Submitted

Business Seminar By Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

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