Where in the World is Thelda Williams? - City of Phoenix, AZ · Where in the World is Thelda Williams? ... March 9-12 • National League ... Cousins and Chigger's is the topic of

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Where in the World is Thelda Williams?

As you can imagine, Councilwoman Williams’ daily schedule is always packed with meeting and events. In an effort to be more transparent, each month we will highlight some of the major events, activities and meetings that Councilwoman Williams participated in the previous month. For the month of March, check out the list below:

March 1

• GCC Exceptional Students Club Adopt-A-Street Clean-Up Event

March 8

• Heart & Sol Wellness Festival

March 9-12

• National League of Cities – Washington, D.C.

March 15

• District 1 Community Bike and Safety Events

March 19

• Open House Tour of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

• Mayor’s State of the City Address

March 27

• On the Issues Taping

March 28

• Thelda’s Community Breakfast at Deer Valley Airport Restaurant

Budget Hearings

The City Manager’s Trial Budget has been released, providing an initial proposal for the 2014-15 budget. It represents the beginning of the budget process for the City Council and community to review and provide input at budget hearings throughout the city in April. The Trial Budget, which includes an updated Zero-Based Inventory of Programs document, will be presented to residents for input at community budget hearings, including an April 22 online, interactive hearing with the Mayor and City Manager. The city will conduct additional hearings at neighborhood and business organization meetings, reflecting the City’s goal to increase transparency and involvement in the budget-setting process. On May 6, the City Council will receive a revised, balanced

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budget proposal that reflects priorities communicated by residents during the hearings, with Council action scheduled to take place on May 20. Residents are invited to attend the hearings and offer input on the budget proposal. The opportunity to submit statements via telephone, online comment form, email or paper correspondence is also available. For more information, and to review the City Manager’s 2014-2015 Trial Budget, please visit www.phoenix.gov/budget.

District 1 Public Budget Hearings

Budget Hearing When: Thursday, April 10 @ 6:00 PM Where: Beuf Community Center, 3435 W Pinnacle Peak Rd.

City of Phoenix 2014-15 Community Budget Hearings

Date/Time

Council

District(s)

Location Information

Monday April 7th 6:00 pm

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Santa Maria Middle School Cafeteria 7250 W Lower Buckeye

Tues April 8th 6:00 pm

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Tramanto Fire Station Community Room 3210 W Canotia Place

Tues April 8th 6:00 pm

Citywide

Spanish/English

Maryvale Community Center, Auditorium 4420 N. 51st Avenue

Wed April 9th 6:00 pm

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Villa De Paz Elementary School

Cafeteria 4940 North 103rd Avenue

Wed April 9th 6:00 pm

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Broadway Heritage Center 2405 E. Broadway

Thurs April 10th 6:00 pm

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Goelet A. Beuf Community Center, Multi Purpose Room 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd

Thurs April 10th 6:00 pm

4 & 8

Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Melvin L. Cohen Conference Center 1919 East Thomas Road

Thurs April 10th 6:00 pm

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Madison School District, District Office, Board Room 5601 N 16th Street

Tuesday April 15th 7:30 am

3 & 5

Sunnyslope Community Center Multi Purpose Room 802 E Vogel

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Wednesday April 16th 6:00 pm

4 & 7

Phoenix Art Museum Singer Hall 1625 N Central Ave

Tuesday April 22nd 6:00 pm

Citywide

Online with the Mayor and City Manager

Events

District 1 Events: District 1 Community Breakfast

The Breakfasts are held on the last Friday of each month, unless a change is noted. The next District 1 Community Breakfast will be held Friday, April 25, 2014. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the speakers will start around 7:45 a.m. Breakfast will be available for $4.99, not including tax or gratuity, and the District 1 office will pay for your drink. Date: Friday, April 25, 2014 Time: 7:30 a.m. Location: Deer Valley Airport Restaurant – 702 West Deer Valley Road

State Political Candidates to Appear at Anthem Open Forum April 22

Anthem, Desert Hills, New River and surrounding area residents are invited to attend an open forum with candidates for state office beginning at 6:30 p.m. April 22 at the Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way. The evening will consist of candidate introductions and a public question and answer period, moderated by Holly Matson, president of the Anthem Community Council Board of Directors and Alan Muller, president of New River/Desert Hills Community Association. The public is encouraged to submit questions for the candidates, which will be accepted through April 17 via email at [email protected], by mail or in person at the Anthem Civic Building front desk. Questions must be of general interest to the public; specific personal issues or scenarios will not be accepted. All candidates who have filed paperwork for candidacy were invited to attend. Candidates who have confirmed their attendance include: For Governor: Republican candidates Ken Bennett, Christine Jones, Alice Lukasik, John Molina, Scott Smith and Frank Riggs; Libertarian candidate Barry Hess; and Independent candidates Chip Howard and John Mealer. For House District 1: Republican candidates Noel Campbell, Karen Fann, Linda Gray and Sean Englund, as well as Democratic candidate Frank James Cuccia.

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For Senate District 1: Republican candidate Steve Pierce. The forum is one of the first public gatherings for the candidates in the 2014 election series. The event is a partnership of the Anthem Community Council and the New River/Desert Hills Community Association. For more information, visit www.OnlineAtAnthem.com/candidate-forum or call 623-742-6065. The mission of the Anthem Community Council is to establish and maintain a governing structure which will preserve, protect and enhance the plans, policies, infrastructure and resources needed to support a sense of community, ensure sound economic development and promote a quality of life for all Anthem residents.

New River/ Desert Hills Community Association Monthly Town Hall

Please join the Town Hall event hosted by the New River/Desert Hills Community Association on the 2nd Friday of each month from 9 to 10 AM at the Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way on the SE corner of Anthem Way & Venture Drive. Visit www.nrdhca.org, or contact Alan Muller, President (602-432-2800, [email protected] for more information.

Date Federal/State/Region Maricopa County City of Phoenix

4/11 Eric Anderson, Maricopa County Area Governments

Tom Manos - County Manager

Ken Vonderscher, City of Phoenix Parks & Preserves

5/ 9 N/A Bill Priess - Maricopa County Assessor Webmaster (total hour

devoted to

demonstrations and

discussion of this

important website. )

N/A

6/13 Karan Fann - State Representative for Legislative District 1

Sergeant Shawn Braaten, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

Thelda Williams, District 1 Council Woman

WESD Business Advisory Team Meeting

When: Wednesday, April 23 from 9-11am Where: Washington Elementary School District Administration Center 4650 W. Sweetwater Avenue, Glendale 85304 Please RSVP to [email protected] by April 11.

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Jason Schechterle will be the guest speaker. If you have never met Jason or heard his story – prepare to hear the emotional and inspiring story of this retired Phoenix Police Officer. On March 26, 2001 Jason’s police car was hit from behind by a driver going over 100 miles per hour. Jason’s car burst into flames and after 8 minutes, Jason was pulled from that car with over 50% of his body burned beyond recognition. 52 surgeries later, Jason has persevered and is able to share a story that you will never forget. Jason lives here in Phoenix and is married with three fabulous kids of his own! Courthouses, Cemeteries, Cousins and Chigger's

Courthouses, Cemeteries, Cousins and Chigger's is the topic of the next chapter program by Sally Smith, guest speaker at the Ocotillo Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 9:35 AM. Sally has served as the National Vice Chairman/Genealogy, ASDAR State Registrar and is Honorary Regent of the, Havasu Chapter, Lake Havasu, Arizona. Meeting located at the Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way & Venture Drive, Anthem, Arizona in the VFW Post 12031 Suite 202-8 Second Floor.

Sally spent many summers planning trips to travel to courthouses and cemeteries to do

research on her ancestors where she met cousins in the courthouse and chigger’s in the

cemetery. It is important to research where your ancestors lived so you can determine where they most likely went to conduct their courthouse business or applied for a marriage license. Researching local newspaper Obituaries’ to find the right cemetery where your ancestor has been laid to rest you might discover grave markers telling the story of children who died in infancy, for whom no other records exist or flowers left on a grave may lead you living descendants. There is a lot of research that can be done on the internet but the great adventures happen in, “Courthouses and Cemeteries meeting Cousins and Chigger’s,” said, Sally Smith.

Meetings are open to non-members. Information Contact, Willine Evans at 623.551.3764. Visit us at http://ocotillo.arizonadar.or or www.DAR.org. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation's children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 177,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org.

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Community Events:

Professional Women’s Networking Luncheon

Special Guest Speaker: Acting Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner When: Wednesday, April 9, 2014, 12:00 – 1:30 pm Where: Phoenix Fire Department Administration Building, 150 S. 12th Street, 1st Floor (between Jefferson and Jackson - Free parking at the facility) Details:

• The luncheon cost is $12.00 and includes a Wrap & Roll Stuffed Tortilla Platter (A vegetarian option is available)

• We can only accept cash or checks made payable to Judy Lorch (Phoenix City Council Office)

• A tour of the Phoenix Fire Department Dispatch Center will be available directly following the luncheon

• Please RSVP by Friday, April 4th, 2014 to Judy Lorch at: [email protected] or (602) 262-7444

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Annual

Memorial Day Rally

“Flags for Our

Fallen”

When: Monday, May 27, 2014 Where: Phoenix National Cemetery, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85024 For more information or to Sponsor a Flag, go to RidersUSA.net.

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Money Smart Week: April 5-12

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Hazardous Waste Events

April 2014 8 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 10, Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 Paradise Valley Park 17642 N. 40th St.

• HHW events are only for city of Phoenix residential refuse customers. Proof of city of Phoenix refuse service is required. Please bring your current city of Phoenix municipal services bill showing solid waste fees AND a matching photo ID.

• Non hazardous materials brought to events will be sorted and disposed of as municipal solid waste.

• No commercial loads, large residential quantities, medical waste, explosives or radioactive waste will be accepted.

• A maximum of five over-the-road-tires per resident will be accepted. No tractor or oversize tires will be allowed.

Camp Colley Foundation 9th

Annual Golf Tournament What: The Camp Colley Foundation hosts an annual Golf Tournament which serves as the primary fundraiser for the year. Ninety-five percent of funds raised from this event go directly to supporting the programs of Camp Colley and benefit the children who attend camp. When: Saturday, April 26, 2014 Where: Aguila Golf Course, 8440 S 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85339 For more information about this event and to register, please visit www.campcolleygolf.com.

Next Week’s Public City Meetings

City Council Meetings

• City Council Policy Meeting – Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. in the Phoenix City Council Chambers

Subcommittee Meetings

• Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee Meeting – Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in Phoenix City Hall – Assembly Rooms

• Public Safety & Veterans Subcommittee Meeting – Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in Phoenix City Hall – Assembly Rooms

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Planning Meetings

• Zoning Adjustment Hearing – Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. in Phoenix City Hall – Assembly Room C

For more information on these and all other public City meetings visit http://phoenix.gov/PUBMEETC/indxhtml.html. City Council meetings are live on Cox Cable Channel 11 and streamed live on phoenix.gov and facebook.com/cityofphoenix. Past City Council meetings are posted to youtube at http://www.youtube.com/cityofphoenixaz.

Community

Above are photos of the progress at Cortez Pool

Follow Councilwoman Williams on Twitter!

Thelda is tweeting! Follow her @TheldaWilliams1.

Trivia

Name a country which contains each of these four-letter words, in the same order. Example: Chin = China: a. Many = _________ b. Hail = _________ c. Done = _________

Weekly Bulletins and Neighborhood Newsletters

• Black Mountain Community Alliance (BMCA) has released its March/April 2014 newsletter. If you would like to begin receiving the BMCA Bulletin on a regular basis, please send an email to [email protected].

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• Cactus Park West Block Watch has released its April 2014 newsletter. If you would like to begin receiving the Cactus Park West Neighborhood News on a regular basis, please send an email to [email protected].

• Visit http://www.sunburstfarmshoa.org/documents-and-newsletters.php to check out the Sunburst Farms HOA website and the latest edition of the Sunburst Farms News.

• This week’s Irish Cultural Center Newsletter is out! Check it out at http://www.azirish.org/index.php?topic=Newsletter.

City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department “Fascinating Facts”

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City News Request for Proposals and Evaluation Criteria for Reinvent Phoenix Grant

The City of Phoenix was awarded a $2.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Development Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities to support the Reinvent PHX initiative. The initiative aims to create a new transit-oriented model for urban planning and development along the City’s light rail system. $500,000 of the grant has been reserved to provide competitive, matching predevelopment grants for transitoriented development (TOD) projects that provide community benefits and serve as pilot projects that demonstrate best practices in design, building use and financing. Proposed predevelopment assistance costs may be incurred for the development of: multifamily/residential, commercial/retail, non-profit uses, mixed-use and other TOD uses permitted by the Zoning Ordinance. Proposed development must be transitoriented and must be aesthetically and functionally compatible with development in the area, and the City’s policies for the respective areas as identified in the Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework. The terms and conditions of the grant require the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities to review and approve the scope and evaluation criteria, which has been done. The office will also review and approve the successful proposal(s). Subject to City Council approval staff will issue a solicitation that encourages best practices or Transit-Oriented Development for Predevelopment assistance. The RFP would be issued in April 2014 and remain open for at least 60 days. Responsive proposals will be evaluated by a diverse panel of City staff and grant partners. Following HUD approval, the successful proposal(s) will be presented to City Council for approval prior to finalizing the contract. This solicitation is intended to work in concert with the planned solicitation for Redevelopment Specialists being conducted by the Community and Economic Development Department. While the redevelopment specialists will be involved at the very early stages of conceptual development, this solicitation will focus on providing partial reimbursement of costs incurred by developers/owners later in the development process, specifically for design-phase work prior to construction. Approval to Issue RFP for Regency Garage Retail Space

The City seeks tenants who will activate the streets around PCC and the Adams Street corridor, creating vibrant places and active spaces for convention attendees to gather and celebrate during their visits to Phoenix and Arizona. Convention attendees value attractive, clean and friendly amenities to enhance their events. Tenants are sought who create active and vibrant street life, engaging shops and restaurants, and entertainment locations, which are critical to enhance visitors’ downtown experiences.

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The City currently has seven retail spaces available to lease at Regency Garage and the PCC West Building. The City seeks tenants for self-sustaining uses that support and enhance the experience for convention attendees as well as downtown workers, residents, students and visitors. The City seeks to create vibrancy, increase pedestrian activity and promote activity along Adams Street and in the downtown core. The City recently commissioned a study of the Adams Street corridor, which encouraged restaurant and other uses that support and enhance pedestrian activity on Adams Street along the Regency Garage. Leasing the retail spaces creates the potential for successful proposers to generate sales and income taxes, as well as rental revenues for the City. Proposals for establishments such as restaurants and retail shops will be highly encouraged. The retail spaces range in size from 543 square feet to approximately 12,395 square feet. Four of the retail spaces are unfinished, two will require improvements by the successful proposer(s), and one may not need improvements. Further divisions of the space would be considered at the cost of the proposer. The City will consider tenant improvement allowances for improvements required to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy for the shell space. The City will select one or more proposers to lease the spaces. The RFP will be issued no later than April 2014. A formal recommendation for award of new contracts will be presented to City Council in September 2014. The evaluation panel will consist of a minimum of six members, which will include three City of Phoenix staff and three downtown Phoenix stakeholders. Advertising for the RFP will be placed in the City’s contracted newspaper, the Arizona Business Gazette. In addition, advertising will be placed in the following publications: Record Reporter, Prensa Hispana, Arizona Informant and Phoenix Business Journal. On Wednesday, April 2, 2014, the Downtown, Aviation and Redevelopment Subcommittee recommended City Council approval to issue a Request for Proposal to lease Regency Garage and Phoenix Convention Center West Building retail space. Downtown Residential Development Update

Downtown Phoenix has seen dramatic growth and evolution over the past decade. Through the leadership of the Mayor and City Council, and with the support of City Management, business and community leaders, downtown Phoenix has been transformed with over $4 billion in public and private investment. As described in the Downtown Development Update to this Subcommittee on February 5, 2014, numerous commercial, cultural and recreational projects have enhanced downtown. An equally important part of this growth has been in the residential housing sector.

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From 2000 to 2004, approximately 2,000 new housing units were built downtown with 60 percent of those units being market-rate. In 2004, following an extensive community based planning process, the Council approved the Downtown Strategic Plan, Downtown Phoenix: A Strategic Vision and Blueprint for the Future. The plan identified “Downtown Living” as a major theme and set a goal of 10,000 new units over the next decade, and included a key element to create a diversity of housing options. Despite the recession, the City and private sector have made strides towards meeting this goal. Between 2005 and 2013, over 3,600 new residential units were constructed, with approximately 69 percent of those being market-rate. In 2013, the revitalization of downtown Phoenix continued with the opening of Roosevelt Point apartments and Urban Living on 2nd Avenue (UL2). This year, downtown Phoenix will continue to expand its residential offerings with the opening of the CityScape Residences (224 units) and the commencement of construction on The Cooper, Art Haus and Union totaling 132 units. Currently, there are approximately 1,200 units under construction or in pre-development (85 percent rental and 15 percent for-sale).

City Manager’s Weekly Report

Legislative

The Arizona State Land Department has requested the City of Phoenix apply for approximately $350,000 in Growing Smarter Arizona State Trust Land Acquisition Program funds for the next Sonoran Preserve purchase. Approximately $700,000 in program funds remain and no one county can receive more than half of available funds. No other municipalities will apply in Maricopa County and the only other known applicant is Pima County. If Phoenix and Pima County are successful grant applicants the program will sunset with all program funds having been granted.

Public Safety

Phoenix Fire Recruit Class 14-1 will begin on April 1st with seven firefighter recruits from Phoenix, four firefighter recruits from the City of Surprise, two firefighter recruits from the City of Scottsdale, and one firefighter recruit from Tempe. The new recruits will be trained in firefighting methods and procedures, emergency medical care and transportation, fire code enforcement and prevention practices, salvage operations, public relations, and physical fitness. The class will be broken into engine company assignments of approximately five recruits for each Recruit Training Officer for one-on-one instruction. These recruits represent the very best candidates out of over 2,000 who entered the hiring process that included a written exam, candidate physical ability test and two oral board interviews. Members from the Phoenix Fire Department Crisis Response Unit will attend the Decisions in Law Enforcement Roundtable Forum discussion of crisis and first response for those with psychiatric illnesses on April 1st with representatives from law enforcement, first responders, mental health agencies, Arizona State Senators and

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Representatives, and families struggling with mental illness from around the state. The Phoenix Fire Department Crisis Response Program responds to over 100 adult and pediatric psychiatric emergencies each year. These frequently complex and lengthy calls are served by emergency medical technician and behavior health specialist volunteers, freeing firefighters to return to service for fire and medical calls. Veterans Court was submitted for the 35th Annual City Livability Awards. Since August 2012, there have been over 600 veterans participating in Veterans Court with over 200 veterans graduating from their treatment programs. Over 100 veterans have been connected to housing, 30 have entered in-patient treatment, 120 have addressed post-traumatic stress disorder, 230 have participated in substance abuse treatment, and 100 have engaged in mental health treatment.

Neighborhoods and Livability

From March 14 to 16, the Phoenix City Amateur Golf Championship was held at Encanto, Maryvale and Aguila golf courses respectively. This is the first time in many years that the tournament cap was exceeded. A total of 132 players competed for the 2014 Phoenix City Champion. Congratulations are in order for Tim McKenney, our 2014 Phoenix City Amateur Golf Champion! Tim came in four under par at the end of the three-day event. Thank you to Phoenix Golf Staff and the OB Sports Maintenance Staff for all their hard work in hosting this year’s tournament. On Sunday, March 16, 26 tweens and adults attended a hands-on workshop with “The Fly Guy” Gary Alpert at Juniper Library. Participants learned about the history of aviation, aerodynamics and physics, while their imaginations took flight in designing their own flying spacecraft. Science Sunday is sponsored by the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library, Juniper Chapter. On March 17, the new Phoenix Play's Million Hours of Play webpage was launched with the help of several staff from the Deer Valley Community Center. The webpage will track the Parks and Recreation Department progress in reaching One Million Hours. The webpage also gives information on the upcoming summer play book challenge, in which children are challenged to complete 30 hours a month of active play. If children reach their goals for the months of April through August, they will receive prizes and tickets to enter into a grand prize drawing in September.

As of March 22, more than 4,100 people have visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s traveling exhibit “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda” at the Burton Barr Central Library. “State of Deception” runs through June 1. The exhibit is presented in partnership with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and sponsored, in part, by the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library.

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Sustainability

On March 15, Parks and Recreation Department staff in partnership with the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center and Wild At Heart released 20 burrowing owls into the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. Wild at Heart is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitation and release of endangered species back into the wild. Eight owls were released on the north bank and 12 on the south bank between 7th and 12th Avenues. There have been 44 burrowing owls released this year into the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. Approximately 100 people attended the event.

Technology

Five of Public Transit’s new buses were activated with the New Flyer Connect System. Staff has tested several reports for key information, such as actual idle times and fuel consumption data, which has not been available in the past. This data will be valuable to the Public Transit Department as staff can conduct vehicle data analysis to find areas of improvement in bus operations and contract monitoring and potential cost savings.

Trivia Answer

a. GERMANY

b. THAILAND

c. INDONESIA

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