Egg hunt


Fast food icon Ronald McDonald juggles for the crowd Saturday while performing before the 43rd Annual Millenium Media Easter Egg hunt at Veteran's Memorial Park in Gallup. Hundreds of children stormed the baseball fields and park to collect thousands of plastic eggs and assorted prizes.

Photo by Jeff Jones

 



Delegate accused of tampering son's case


Larry Di Giovannii
Staff Writer

WINDOW ROCK — A chilling criminal case involving an Upper Fruitand man who committed battery on his wife and 4-year-old daughter also includes an allegation that the man's father, a Navajo Nation Council delegate, tried to influence a Shiprock judge and seek a reduced sentence following guilty pleas entered by his son.

On March 4, Donnavan Grayeyes pleaded guilty in Shiprock District Court before Judge Ray Begaye to one count of battery against his wife, Jacinta Grayeyes, one count of battery against a 4-year-old daughter, and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor. The two-and-a-half year sentence followed events Feb. 27 when Grayeyes was abusive to his wife and daughter in their Upper Fruitland home and was arrested.

Each plea of guilty to battery carries a one-year sentence. The guilty plea on endangering the welfare of a minor carries a 180-day sentence.

Grayeyes began serving his sentence March 4 at the Shiprock Detention Center. His father, Navajo council Delegate Willie Grayeyes (Inscription House/Navajo Mountain) had become involved in the case by arranging to see Judge Begaye, Jacinta Grayeyes alleges.

"I don't know what they discussed," she said, adding that she tried to see the judge but was told she could not.

As of late last week, Donnavan Grayeyes was still incarcerated in Shiprock. Court administrator Ethel Laughing said motions on a request for probation had been denied.

The Independent attempted for three weeks to seek comment from Willie Grayeyes, who is vice chairman of the Navajo Nation's Judiciary Committee, which oversees and grades judges. He was finally caught up with Friday in Window Rock during the second day of a special session devoted to reapportionment of delegates.

"I have no comment," Grayeyes said.

Jacinta Grayeyes, who now has a restraining order against her husband, also alleges that council Delegate Kenneth L. Begay (Klagetoh/Wide Ruins/Cornfields) called her by phone, looking for Willie Grayeyes. She said the two briefly discussed her husband's case, of which Begay told her to "be happy with" whatever jail time her husband received.

Begay, who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Friday that he told Jacinta Grayeyes he had to keep an "arm's distance" from her and any aspect regarding her husband's case.

The chilling complaint Grayeyes gave to a Navajo police officer and prosecutor the early morning of Feb. 27 reveals a battery that occurred when Donnavan Grayeyes grabbed his 4-year-old daughter by both shoulders, shook her and pushed her.
Grayeyes had been drinking liquor, according to Jacinta's complaint.

"He asked his daughter if she loved him, and the daughter told him, 'No.' He told the 4-year-old to leave the house, and not come back," said the report, signed by police officer Carla Ondi and Prosecutor C.J. Begay. "She put on her jacket and went to the front door."

The report continued: "He (Grayeyes) told her to take off her jacket because he bought if for her. While his daughter watched, the defendant picked up her toy stroller, and box of Barbies, and threw them against a large mirror in the bedroom. The mirror shattered, and he cut his finger. He took his bloody hand and wiped it down his daughter's face."

The officer said that when she made contact with Jacinta Grayeyes and her daughter, she observed blood on the daughter's nose and white shirt. The entire event occurred in front of Jacinta, who would not discuss what battery occurred on her person. That information was also not available in the court docket.

"(The girl) was so scared, she was shaking," the report said.

Jacinta Grayeyes said she is in fear for her life and her daughter's life. She said Willie Grayeyes, on learning that she had been contacted by the Independent, allegedly threatened her to keep quiet or risk harm. Grayeyes said her daughter has been traumatized and possibly scarred for life by what has happened.

A Farmington source trying to help Jacinta and her daughter, who did not wish to be identified, contacted women's shelters in Farmington and Shiprock, to no avail as they had waiting lists. The source contacted Farmington police, who agreed to sweep by Jacinta's' house.

Also contacted, the Farmington source said, were the offices of U.S. Sens. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) to see if they could help in any way. In addition, Navajo presidential candidate Joe Shirley was contacted. He directed Grayeyes to programs in Window Rock including Social Services.

The Independent was able to verify that Donnavan Grayeyes is still in the Shiprock Detention Center, having sought him out when inmates were outside strolling the grounds in their orange-clad suits. Before an officer broke up the discussion,
Grayeyes was asked if his father was trying to have him freed on probation.

"I don't know. They haven't said nothing to me," Grayeyes said.

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Kirtland man to face jury in sex abuse case

Andrea Egger
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A magistrate decided Thursday a Kirtland man should face a jury trial in District Court for touching a child in a sexual manner in 1999.

Rodney Gleason, 25, faces four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child under age 13, and one count of intimidating a witness after Magistrate John Carey determined Assistant District Attorney Karen Kingen Etcitty had enough evidence to show Gleason could have committed these crimes. The next step is a jury trial or plea bargain in District Court.

Claudia Ray of Gallup is Gleason's attorney. Gleason is in jail on a $50,000 bond set by Carey.

The incident occurred in August 1999 with a 6-year-old girl. The girl reported the incident then, and he was charged, but
Gleason left town and was in Arizona on probation for property crimes for a few years, Etcitty said on Friday.

New Mexico had a hold on Gleason to return here and face charges when his probation ended, which was a few weeks ago.

The little girl said Gleason touched her "private part" and made her touch him where they lived on Montoya Boulevard. Her mother testified that Gleason, her boyfriend then, locked the children in their bedroom to keep them away from her.

"He was just brutal," Etcitty said. "She crawled through the window to be with her kids."

The reporting of the incident initially occurred when a school counselor asked the little girl why she was stealing things at school. When asked how things were going at home, she burst into tears, Etcitty said.

She told the counselor what happened, and the counselor contacted authorities. "He really terrified those children," Etcitty said of the girl's other brothers and sisters.

The mother didn't say domestic violence occurred in the family.

"The mom cried for the entire hour and a half she was on the stand. She had her back to the defense table the entire time until I asked her to look and make sure that was him," she said.

Etcitty asked how long her relationship with Gleason continued after her daughter informed her of the abuse.

"Not one day," the mother testified.

"I really commend her for that," Etcitty said.

The mother added she didn't believe anyone in her household would do that to one of her children.

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Former Ariz. Sen. Henderson runs for Diné president

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — James Henderson has "a plan for our destiny," as he launches his latest campaign to become Navajo Nation president.

And he doesn't want the other six candidates poaching his plan.

Henderson, who also ran in 1998, kicked off his candidacy March 24 in his home chapter of Ganado. In an interview, he indicated he can improve Navajo life as he did serving three-plus terms in the Arizona Senate.

First, the Vietnam War veteran (Army, 1966-68) wants the people to take back their government from the Navajo Nation Council, "to bestow upon the people the ultimate authority," by electing delegates who support his platform.

Then the people would determine the number of people to be elected. The former tribal compliance officer wants a tribal secretary, treasurer and attorney general all to be elected, and for the vice president to preside over the council — thus eliminating the speaker's post.

Henderson said he would give a "State of the (Navajo) Nation" address only once a year, would not become subservient to the lawmakers, not let them grill him to death.

In an interview, he flatly charged the Legislative Branch leadership with duplicating Executive Branch services, adding, "They are just after the money."

As a state legislator, he didn't get paid to attend meetings in his own district, which was the largest in Arizona. "But the first question council delegates ask is 'Do I get my mileage?' When you are a leader you shouldn't ask for these things because you said you represent the people," Henderson said.

The former BIA job training employee said, "We all know within the last four years the members of the council have done a disservice to the Navajo people. ... We have allowed the Navajo Nation government to be in control of our destiny and sat back and watched as they depleted our resources; persecuted the Board of Election Supervisors; allowed them to dictate to us what type of service we need; continue to settle for less; and let them determine who gets the bigger piece of the economic pie."

Henderson called the Local Governance Act, "Just a big lie to the people."

He wants to send most of the Window Rock bureaucracy out to the five agency centers, to bring services closer to the people.
For instance, he said there should be an assistant attorney general at Crownpoint, Shiprock, Chinle and Tuba City, as well as Window Rock. Home site leases should be handled at agency centers, he added.

"Why are we giving people a hard time," he asked about providing services after mentioning one home site lease that's been held up for 37 years.

Said Henderson, the grandfather of 26,"I have to worry about the future of my grandsons," in an attack against Public Law 93-638 contracts.

He objects to the lack of inflation increases in the tribal takeovers from the federal government. "Look at education and public safety," he said. The Navajo Nation has, for too long, supplemented the lack of adequate federal funding for federal responsibilities, he added.

The graduate of Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Okla., said a tribal education department should be in command of all private, public (state), grant and contract schools on the reservation, that the tribe should set its own — but high — standards that include the Diné culture, and "certify our own teachers."

Henderson, who holds a certificate from Weber State University, said in his announcement speech, "We do not want federal bureaucracy in the education of our children. We just want the federal dollars to run and operate our schools."

The father of 14 said, "There must be respect and discipline in every household and the adults should set the proper examples for the children. Parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents should assume responsibilities for the proper upbringing of the children," in his announcement speech.

Respect also needs to be shown for the land. Henderson wants $5 million a year each from the IHS, BIA and tribe for a decade, or $150 million, to clean up the reservation by installing trash depository stations etc.

Along with a range and farming improvement program, this would help establish jobs. Henderson adds that the tribal enterprises should be privatized, and money now used to pay the bureaucrats in the tribal capital should he given to the chapters for capital improvements.

Another change which will help bring more jobs would be equal treatment of all business leases.

"Business owners want rent to be fair and equitable. You cannot have secrets of any kind (i.e., BIA appraisal process) and you cannot have individual business negotiations. Rent should be based on a percentage of business receipts. We know that it is not fair to grant different years to different people," he said.

Henderson added, "The federal government is financing Indian reservations to the point where Navajos are losing their work ethic. I propose the people be self-sufficient once again."

He also wants more jails and five virtually independent police departments, one in each agency.

To protect natural resources requires water, and Henderson believes there should at least a dozen tribal lawyers specializing in water rights to fight the states. (There is only one now, and he is coming under increasing fire.)

But a lot of work has to be done first before claiming water rights, and Henderson said the aborted 1983 engineering and survey work should be restarted.

"By bringing forth a comprehensive claim on all water and natural resources for our exclusive use and development within our territory we will secure the future economic base of the Navajo Nation for generations to come," he said.

Henderson vowed not to surrender any water, charging the past three administrations negotiated away Navajo claims.

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Israelis expand attack

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Israeli tanks briefly rumbled into Bethlehem and other West Bank towns on Monday, widening an operation Israeli leaders said was designed to end attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers and other militants.

The tanks rolled into southern Bethlehem just before sunrise, witnesses said, stopping about 500 yards from the Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus. Forces also moved into the surrounding villages of Al Khader and Beit Jalla, witnesses said.

A few hours after the incursion, the tanks left Al Khader and they also pulled back in Bethlehem to patrol the town's outskirts. Three tanks spent the morning patrolling a hill that overlooks the town.

Israeli forces imposed a curfew in Beit Jalla and occupied buildings that gave them views into Bethlehem.

In the major West Bank town of Ramallah, Israeli soldiers refused to let Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat leave his office for a fourth day. In a televised address Sunday night, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon branded Arafat "an enemy of Israel," and blamed him for a bloody series of suicide bombings against Israelis.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat dismissed Sharon's speech, saying it was "void of substance, void of hope, void of realism."

The expansion of the four-day Israeli offensive in the West Bank began Sunday night when Israeli bulldozers and about 60 tanks moved into the northern town of Qalqilya, said the city's governor, Mustafa Malki.

The Israeli forces quickly took control of the town. The army said troops were searching for suspects and weapons and intended to "destroy the terrorist infrastructure" in the town. One soldier was seriously wounded in an explosion during a house search in Qalqilya, the military said.

Four of the suicide bombers who struck in Israel in the last five days came from the northern West Bank and a female bomber who hit Jerusalem Friday was from the Bethlehem area.

On Monday Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio that the military's plans are "to hit terror, to hit its infrastructure."

Ben-Eliezer said, "We are defending our homes. We have no other place. We are going to defend our homes with all our strength."

Also on Monday, the Israeli military said that soldiers had seized positions overlooking the West Bank town of Tulkarem, near Qalqiliya, tightening the closure of the town.

At a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, top officials from Islamic countries on Monday urged the U.N. Security Council to intervene to protect Palestinians.

Foreign ministers and representatives of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference condemned Israel's weekend incursions and the encirclement of Arafat's headquarters.

But suicide bombings on Sunday threatened to fuel Israel's resolve to continue the offensive. In Haifa, a bomber blew up a restaurant, killing himself and 14 Israelis. Another bomber set off explosives at the Jewish settlement of Efrat, south of Jerusalem in the West Bank, killing himself and gravely wounding a paramedic.

Israeli troops fired on a group of Palestinian police attempting to surrender in Ramallah late Sunday, killing five and injuring several more, said a policeman in the building and Palestinian officials.

In a statement, the Israeli military said "wanted men" were in the building and one of them, wearing an explosives belt, opened fire on the Israelis. The soldiers chased him and shot him dead, the statement said.

In a statement describing the military operation, called "Protective Wall," the military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, indicated it would be large-scale and lengthy.

"Because of the nature, complexity and length of the missions," he wrote, "we decided to mobilize reserves." The commander of the reserves, Brig. Gen. Ariel Hyman, said 20,000 soldiers would be called up.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, about 1,000 Palestinians marched late Sunday to protest the Israeli occupation of Ramallah. Gunmen fired in the air as marchers chanted slogans calling for more suicide bomb attacks in Israel.

In 18 months of fighting 1,269 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and 416 on the Israeli side.

Late Sunday, on the Israel-Lebanon border, Hezbollah guerrillas fired at an Israeli army base, the Israeli military and Lebanese security officials said, the second such incident in two days, raising the possibility of a new front in the conflict.

The clashes followed vociferous support for the Palestinians from the head of Hezbollah, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah.

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Area Sports

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

SHIPROCK - Bloomfield scored in every inning en route to overwhelming Shiprock 23-6 in five innings Saturday afternoon during the championship finals of the Chieftain Baseball Invitational.

"Bloomfield has a good team," Shiprock head coach Kirk Olson said. "Our pitchers didn't pitch well and we had costly errors."

In the third place game, the Farmington C team routed the Kirtland Central JV 11-2 in five innings. Monument Valley whipped Dove Creek, Colo. 19-7 in the consolation game while Tohatchi downed San Juan Blanding, Utah 6-4 in the seventh place game.

In the tourney finals, the game was tied 2-2 after the first inning but the Bloomfield Bobcats tallied four in the second, seven in the third, seven in the fourth and three in the fifth. The Chieftains added one in the third and three in the fourth.

The Bobcats rapped out 19 hits to the Chieftains' six hits.

Shiprock (6-6) will kick off its district opener next Monday at Thoreau in a single game at 4 p.m.

Shiprock starting and losing pitcher Micah Begay lasted two and one third innings. The Chieftains also used four more pitchers, Dewayne Dale, J.C. Cly, Harland Joe and Nathan Benally.

"We were so far down we decided to give our pitchers experience," Olson said. "Micah (Begay) did not pitch well. He couldn't get loose. But we were ready to play."

Shiprock had second basemen Marcus Benally playing at his normal position after being injured with a sprained ankle and missing the second game the day before.

"He's not up to 100 percent yet," Olson said of Benally. "He's playing at 80 percent. But the team plays with more confidence with him in the lineup."

Shiprock had Marcellus Oliver 2-for-2 with a single, a double and one RBI; and J.C. Cly 2-for-2 with a single, a double and one RBI.

With 19 hits, Bloomfield had a host of players leading at the plate. Matt Bell went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, and a triple; Anthony Valdez 4-for-5 with four singles; Gabe Candelaria 3-for-3 with three singles and Ian Pecotte 3-for-4 with three singles.

Shiprock's Marcellus Oliver was named the tourney's MVP. Oliver was 6-for-8 for the tournament with three singles and three doubles along with five walks and seven RBI. Matt Bell of Bloomfield got the Big Stick Award and Jerome Casaus got the Golden Glove Award. San Juan Blanding received the sportsmanship award.

Named to the all-tourney team were Isaac Sandoval and Isaac Cummins of Bloomfield, Oliver and Dewayne Dale of Shiprock, Vance Apaas of Kirtland, Kevin Yazzie of Tohatchi, Josh Todachinie of Monument Valley, Whitney Laughlin of Farmington C, Brandon Neeley of Dove Creek, and Trevor Hawkins of San Juan Blanding.

Tohatchi 6, San Juan Blanding 4

Tohatchi rallied from a 3-0 deficit to down San Juan Blanding 6-4 in the seventh place game.

Tohatchi bounced back with one run in the third, two in the fourth and three in the top of the seventh.

The Cougars outhit San Juan Blanding 15-7.

Tohatchi was paced by Kevin Benally with three singles; Jeff Manuelito with a single, a double and one RBI; Nathan Avery with a single, a double and two RBI; Kenderick Jim two singles and Erik Begay with a single and a double.

"It was nice to win," Tohatchi coach Goeff Marietta said."It was a good win. The team put together a solid defense compared to our first two games. It was a real good team effort with the pitchimg, defense and hitting."

Tohatchi (4-8) will play at Wingate Tuesday in its district opener at 4 p.m.

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Three Espanola passengers face charge in fatal crash

SANTA FE (AP) — Two passengers have been charged in a fatal crash in which a drunken driver crashed into a tree in Santa Fe and killed another passenger.

Deputy District Attorney Linda Lonsdale will try to prove two passengers from Espanola bear some blame along with the 19-year-old driver.

"Is it OK for a bunch of people under the influence of alcohol to have one of them driving and kill somebody?" Lonsdale asked. "That's not exactly having a designated driver..."

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Body may belong to missing woman

NAGEEZI, N.M. (AP) — A woman's body found along U.S. 550 may be that of a missing Mexican Springs woman, state police said.

The body was found Friday near the exit for the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

"We don't have a positive identification on her," Detective Thomas Salazar said.

Salazar said police think the woman might be from the Mexican Springs area north of Gallup...

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Gallup stores, restaurant hit by bad checks

Andrea Egger
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Counterfeit payroll checks have been cashed at various local grocery and other stores in Gallup, detectives reported Friday morning.

Checks were cashed on Feb. 22 without the clerk obtaining driver's license or Social Security information from the person cashing the check, said Gallup Police Detective Sgt. Rick White. This week, the companies' banks determined the checks were fake and notified police.

"I want to alert all businesses," White said...

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County urged to ban fireworks

Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — City officials will once again be talking to the county in an effort to keep fireworks from being used in the city limits on the Fourth of July.

Gallup City Manager David Ruiz said the city plans to once again urge the county to issue the same kinds of bans on the types of fireworks that the city does each year.

Ruiz and other city officials, including fire officials, contend that the city's ban on aerial fireworks — which is done each year because of the drought conditions — is jeopardized by the fact that the county allows them outside the city limits...

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Junker Bridge homicide suspect charged by police

Andrea Egger
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Police arrested a Gallup woman this weekend in the murder of her boyfriend, found Wednesday morning lying on his side under Junker bridge with a gash to the head.

Gallup Police arrested Marlene Miller, 47, of Gallup, and charged her with an open count of murder, according to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant for $1 million bond, signed Saturday by Magistrate George Galanis.

Miller, also known as Marlene Billy and Marlene Henry, is a local homeless person, who spent many nights at the Na' Nizhoozhi Center, the local detoxification center, as did her boyfriend, Steven Yazzie, 57, according to court documents. The center's director, Raymond Daw, told police Miller and Yazzie stayed there Monday night and left early Tuesday morning...

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Deaths

Alice Allen Wilson


WHITE CONE, Ariz. — Services for Alice Wilson, 76, will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 2 at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Keams Canyon, Ariz. Father Clay Kilburn will officiate. Burial will follow at Indian Wells Community Cemetery.

Wilson was born March 29, 1926 in Lower Greasewood, Ariz. into the Coyote Pass People Clan for the Edgewater People Clan.

Wilson was employed with the Fort Defiance BIA Schoool. She was a rug weaver, housekeeper and homemaker.

Survivors include her sons, Frank Wilson, Wilfred Wilson, John Wilson Jr. and Elvis Wilson; daughters, Loretta Phillips,
Carol W. Bitsoi, Linda W. Kaye and Tina Wilson; brother, Tsosie Yazzie; sisters, Lucy Bitsilly and Sarah Wilson;
grandparents, Hosteen Phillips and Adazonnie Phillips; 30 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Wilson was preceded in death by her husband, John A. Wilson; daughter, Shirlene Ruth Wilson and mother, Ruth Phillips.

Pallbearers will be Frank, Wilfred, John Jr., and Elvis Wilson.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at the residence at Whitecone, Ariz. 1 1/2 mile NW of old
Whitecone Trading Post/Chapter.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Marie Shirley James


COYOTE CANYON — Marie James, 73, were held at 10 a.m., Monday, April 1. Pastor Ted Ferris officiated. Burial followed on private land, Coyote Canyon.

James died in Gallup. She was born Aug. 21, 1928 in Coyote Canyon into the Meadow People Clan for the Red Running Into Water People Clan.

James attended Fort Wingate Boarding School. She was a homeliving assistant at Coyote Canyon rehabilitation Center, foster grandparent at Coyote Canyon Pre-School and Tohatchi Education Center, Culture Instructor at Coyote Canyon, committe member of the Coyote Canyon Chapter Committee members.

Survivors include her sons, Lorenzo James of Albuquerque and Herman James of Gallup; daughter Margie Jarvison of Jones Ranch; brother, Toney James Sr. of Tohatchi; sister, Rose S. Barton of Tohatchi; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

James was preceded in death by her parents, Peter Ward James and Hanabah Ruth James and sister, Blossom James Lee.

Pallbearers will be Bernard Lee, Eugene Lee Sr., Virgil Jarvison, Rudy Nabahe, Edwin Estrada and Wilbert Barton.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Debra A. Slaughter


GALLUP — Services for Debra Slaughter, 57, will be announced at a later date.

Slaughter died March 30 in Gallup. She was born Nov. 24, 1944 in Gallup.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Buren D. Waller

BLUEWATER LAKE — Services for Buren Waller, 70, will be announced at a later date.

Waller died March 29 in Bluewater. Waller was born Feb. 14, 1932 in Dunkliln County, Mo.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

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