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Vandals Strike Camp for Kids in Lyme

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State police are looking for the person or people who vandalized a non-profit kids’ camp in Lyme.

Vandals smashed windows and televisions in several buildings at Camp Claire on Oakland Avenue.

"They broke into a lot of the cabins through the glass and the doors," said Steve Mattson, the camp's treasurer. "They went in and smashed TVs for no reason."

Camp organizers estimate the damage may run as much as $3,000 to repair.

The non-profit camp, which has been around for nearly 100 years, serves boys and girls ages 6-14.

"It's very disappointing. We run on a shoestring and this time of year as we're getting ready to open camp, any disruption really hurts us," Mattson said. "We immediately thought 'do we have the money to fix what's wrong? Can we afford the insurance increases if we make a claim?'"

The non-profit camp, which has been around for nearly 100 years, serves boys and girls ages 6-14.

Mattson hopes members of the community might pitch in to help cover the costs of the repairs. For information on how to make donations, click here.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Crash Closes Busy East Hartford Intersection

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A busy intersection in East Hartford was closed to traffic Saturday morning while police investigated an accident.

The intersection of Forbes Street at Chester Street and Roberts Street was shut down due to an accident involving one vehicle.

Police would not provide specific details but said the intersection could remain closed for several hours.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Thousands Cast Lines on Opening Day of Fishing Season

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Fisherman and families alike celebrated Opening Day for fishing in Connecticut on Saturday.

The gates to Stratton Pond State Park in Simsbury opened at 6:00 a.m. and people were already patiently waiting to get in and set up in the right spot along the water line.

Stratton Pond is one of 11 designated “trout parks” across the state, which are categorized as fishing areas for families, and young, aspiring anglers. To many it has become a shared tradition.

“When I was a kid I went with my father and my brothers and they stopped coming,” said Tom Hawran of Enfield. “Now I have two boys and they’ve probably been coming seven or eight years, ever since they were old enough.”

The state has more than 400 ponds and rivers where people can catch fish and getting ready for trout season has been no easy task. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection expected to stock almost 390,000 trout in waters across the state, despite having to suspend their efforts several days this spring due to morning temperatures in the single digits.

A fishing license is required for those who wish to take part in Opening Day or the duration of the trout season. There is also a daily “creel” limit – or the amount of trout a person can keep from their catch, which is two per day.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Submerged Truck Linked to Cold Case

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The discovery of a submerged pickup with skeletal remains in Lake Granbury, Texas, on Thursday may have solved the mystery of a woman who disappeared 35 years ago.

The truck was found near the Lake Bridge on Business 377 in Granbury.

Investigators believe the remains are those of Helen Hollady who disappeared in September 1979.

According to Sheriff Roger Deeds, a city employee first spotted the truck partially submerged in the lake as they were driving near the bridge on Pearl Street and called police.

"The first thing we were thinking was, 'We've been looking for Miss Holladay for years.'"

Sheriff Deeds said the front and rear of the pick-up truck were sticking out of the water.

"When we pulled the vehicle out, we found the skeletal remains of a person and also found identifying information with the body to tie it to Miss Holladay," said Deeds.

Deeds said old police reports said there was some disturbance at the weekend home of Holladay in the Whippoorwill Bay subdivision north of the lake.

The disturbance was between Holladay and her husband Herman. Herman Holladay was a suspect when Helen was reported missing, according to police. 

"Miss Hollady left the home after the disturbance and was last seen heading South towards Granbury on Highway 51." said Deeds. And that was the last time anyone heard from her or saw Helen Holladay.

Holladay's husband died in the 1980s.

Two surviving daughters have been informed about the discovery, the sheriff said.

Deeds also said over the past 35 years the have been searching for Holladay but couldn't find the 1970s model Chevy truck because it was covered in sediment which has built up on the vehicle over the past 35 years.

Deeds guessed the pickup was submerged in 15 feet of water until the lake levels recently began dropping and was about the same distance from the shore.

He said DNA testing to confirm the identify of the body could take weeks.

"It's not a total closure but at least the question of where mom has been all these years, we think we just solved that," Deeds said.

NBC 5's Scott Gordon contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Family Escapes Fire in Rocky Hill Home

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A family escaped a fire in their home in Rocky Hill early Saturday morning.

Firefighters responded to the home at 3189 Main Street just after 1 a.m. after family members smelled smoke and saw flames coming from the kitchen area.

The fire house is just around the corner from the home, so firefighters arrived in just minutes. Firefighters did have some concerns because of the size of the property on which the house sits.

"It’s a very secluded location. We’ve got about a 500 foot driveway to get up here all uphill and we had to lay out a lot of hose just to guarantee our water supplies up here, said Michael Garrahy, of the Rocky Hill Fire Department.

It took a few hours for the fire to be completely put out.

The fire marshal is investigating to determine what started the blaze.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Pedestrian Struck and Killed in East Hartford

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A woman was killed after being struck by a car in East Hartford Saturday morning.

The woman was walking on Chester Street, not far from the intersection when a car jumped the curb at Forbes Street.

The busy intersection was closed to traffic while police investigated the fatal accident.

Police said Roberts Street is shut down between Forbes Street and Old Roberts Street due to an accident involving one vehicle. 

Police believe the driver first struck and hit a car on Roberts Street, near Rogo Distributors. Shards of glass littered the road.

The identities of the woman killed and man behind the wheel have not been released.

Police  said the intersection could remain closed for several hours. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

NBC Connecticut 2014 Electronics Recycling Drive

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Don't throw out your old electronics - recycle them!

Don't miss the NBC Connecticut Earth Week 2014 Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, April 19,  from 9 a.m. to noon at  United Bank, 4 Riverside Drive in Bristol. United Bank  and Energize CT are the proud sponsors of the recycling event.

Recycle your unwanted home electronics and get rid of them in a responsible way to help the environment. (No businesses, please.)

Special thanks to Green Monster eCycling for its support of this community event.   The electronics are broken down and disposed of in away that is safe for the environment.

If you can't make the event on April 19, Green Monster will take donations of old electronics at its West Hartford location, 150 Brook Street,  for free anytime. They are open from Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Below is a complete list of accepted items.

  • Answering Machines
  • Laptops
  • Tape Players
  • CD & DVD Players
  • Modems
  • Telephones
  • Cell Phones
  • Pagers
  • Televisions
  • Computers & Equipment
  • Printers
  • Testing Equip.
  • Copiers & Duplicators
  • Printed Circuit Board
  • Transparency Makers
  • Electric Typewriters
  • Radios
  • VCRs
  • Fax Machine
  • Remote Controls
  • Hard Drives
  • Stereos

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Electronics Recycling Drive Held in Bristol

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People lined up outside the United Bank branch in Bristol to drop off old electronics like TV's and computers. NBC Connecticut partnered with Green Monster E-Cycling out of West Hartford, Energize Connecticut and United Bank for three hours Saturday morning to  provide an environmentally friendly way for people to get rid of their unwanted electronic items.

“We have TV’s, computers, CD players, VCR’s, everything we have.  We’re moving and this was ideal!  We didn’t know what we were going to do with all our electronics,” said Debra Johnson of Derby.

With a crash, old electronics got tossed, and houses got rid of the extra items that had been piling up for years.

“When you have your computers, printers and televisions recycled in Connecticut’s infrastructure, you’re actually making sure that these materials go back into commerce to be used again,” said Diane Duva with DEEP.

According to Connecticut law, you can no longer leave electronics on the side of the road for trash pick-up.

“You can’t leave TV’s, CRT’s, computers and printers on the side of the road,” said Joe Galiatsatos, CEO and President of Green Monster E-Cycling.

Instead, Green Monster E-Cycling will take them, break them down and recycle the materials.  For computers, that means going as far as destroying the hard drives that may have sensitive information.

“I had already done that, but it’s nice to know that they’ll do that as well,” said Mickey Goldwasser of Bristol.

The drive provided a convenient way for many to finish up their spring cleaning.

“Two computers, actually a tower computer and a television that was haunted.  It just kept turning on by itself and we decided we didn’t want it anymore!” said Martha Kurilec of Wethersfield.

If you couldn’t make it to the drive, you can still get rid of your old electronics by seeing when your town has pick-ups.  You can find more information at www.ct.gov/deep/e-waste.

To get in contact with Green Monster E-Cycling, visit www.greenmonsterecycling.com.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

D.C.'s Snowy Owl Gets New Home

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A rare snowy owl whose plight drew national attention after it was apparently hit by a bus in the nation's capital has been released to the wild.

The injured owl was found in downtown Washington in late January and taken to the National Zoo before being transferred to a Washington, D.C., wildlife rehabilitation center. It underwent rehabilitation at The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, which has expertise in replacing damaged feathers.

The owl was released on Saturday into an area where a significant number of snowy owls have been observed over the past few winters.

"The snowy flew off with strong steady wingbeats, showing off the new flight feathers supplied by The Raptor Center,” said executive director Julia Ponder. “He is in great condition and will hopefully head back north in the coming days," said Ponder.

Snowy owls are native to the Arctic, but were seen all along the East Coast this winter as far south as Florida.
 



Photo Credit: The Raptor Center, University of Minnesota

Restaurant Charges Thousands

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When Austin Dillon checked his bank statement online Friday morning and found thousands of dollars missing from his account, he thought for a moment that he might be a victim of identity theft.

It only took a couple of scrolls for the 33-year-old Oxnard, Calif., man to realize where the missing money went: His trip to a Santa Paula Del Taco fast food restaurant cost him $4,260.

“On my actual receipt it said $4.26,” Dillon said. “I thought it was funny. I figured it would be an easy fix.”

A quick call to his bank and Dillon’s money was back in his account, but he soon found out that other affected customers weren’t so lucky. About 10 customers gathered at the restaurant Friday morning with complaints of being overcharged, and some had gone into negative balances after a technical error affecting ATM and credit card transactions tacked on thousands of dollars to bills.

“I had the money in my account,” Dillon said. “If it had been before Christmas it might have knocked me out of the water.”

About 150 people who ordered from the food chain were mistakenly charged, but a spokesman with Del Taco said all charges will be refunded.

"They were really cool about it," Dillon said. "They were super apologetic."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Flickr

New Britain Man Charged with Murder

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New Britain police have made an arrest in an early morning murder.

Officers responded to an apartment building at 40 Newfield Street around  2 a.m. after receiving a call that a man living at that address was despondent and may be a danger to himself and others, police said.

Authorities said Luis Velez, 41, of New Britain, strangled a 33-year-old woman to death in a second floor apartment.

According to police, Velez and his victim have a domestic relationship. Police have not identified the woman.

Velez is charged with one count of murder and is being held on a $750,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Court on Monday.

 




Photo Credit: New Britain Police Department

Man's Legs Severed by Train

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A man had both of his legs severed on Friday after being run over by a SEPTA Regional Rail train.

The unidentified 47-year-old man was struck by a Manayunk-Norristown train near Ross Road, not far from the Bridgeport Station in Plymouth Township, Pa. around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, a SEPTA spokesperson told NBC10.com.

SEPTA said the conductor tried to stop but couldn't in time.

The victim was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition -- both of his legs amputated, according to the spokesperson.

Several trains on the Manayunk-Norristown line were canceled Friday night due to the incident. By Saturday morning all train service returned to normal.

Plymouth Township Police and SEPTA investigated the incident.

Police told NBC10 that the incident appeared to be an attempted suicide and that the man threw himself in the path of the train.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Police Make 3rd Arrest in Strip Club Shooting

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Waterbury police have made a third arrest in connection with a shootout outside a strip club.

Rayshan Smith, 35, of West Haven is accused of opening fire in the parking lot of Pandora's Cabaret the morning of March 22 at 141 Washington Ave.

Police say  three of the shooters were bouncers contracted by the strip club.

The incident began with a brawl inside the club that bouncers forced into the street, police said. The suspects then fired into the crowd, wounding three.

Just days after the melee, Mayor Neil O'Leary asked that the venue be shut down and urged the state Liquor Control Commission to deny its application for a liquor permit.

Investigators believe drugs and alcohol contributed to the incident.


 



Photo Credit: Waterbury Police Department

Father of Slain 5-Year-Old Boy Seeks Justice

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The father of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver, whose body was found Friday off a Massachusetts highway, is seeking justice for his murder.

Jose Oliver, Jeremiah’s father, is sad, angry and demanding answers as to how his young son ended up wrapped in a blanket, stuffed in a suitcase on the side of the road.

“I want answers,” said Oliver, outside his New Britain, Conn., home just hours after receiving the news from the medical examiner. “It brings some kind of peace but not no closure because he’s dead. I didn’t get to enjoy him.”

The Worcester County District Attorney confirmed Saturday that the body found along Interstate 190 in Sterling, Mass., was that of the missing boy.

The active, happy-go-lucky kid lived with his mother, two siblings and his mother’s boyfriend. His father says it’s been two years since he last saw his children.

“He was always happy. He had that puppy dog look in his eyes and that smile. Just innocent. An innocent kid.”

Jeremiah was last seen by relatives in September but wasn't reported missing until December after his 7-year old sister told school counselors she hadn’t seen him in weeks. Authorities have said they feared he was dead.

Jeremiah's mother, Elsa Oliver, 28, pleaded not guilty in March to charges including kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and reckless endangerment, according to The Associated Press. Her boyfriend, Alberto Sierra, 23, pleaded not guilty to similar charges.

The fallout from Jeremiah’s disappearance got three Massachusetts Department of Children and Families employees fired.

According to police, Jeremiah’s demeanor hid an allegedly tumultuous home life. The family was being monitored by state social workers for two years after allegations of abuse and neglect first surfaced in 2011.

An investigation following the disappearance found that the assigned social worker missed mandatory monthly visits for months leading up to the disappearance.

The grieving father places a lot of blame on the state.

“The three people from DCF that got fired? I don’t think that’s enough. I believe they should go to jail too for neglect on my son,” says Oliver, who refused to discuss the potential of any future lawsuit against the state.

Olga Roche, DCF Commissioner, released a statement saying they’re deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Jeremiah and their focus is now on his two remaining siblings.

However, with the shock still settling in, Jose is left to only wonder what could have been.

“I asked him once, ‘what do you wanna be when you grow up?’  He said, “I wanna be a police officer,” Oliver said, holding back tears.  “They took that away from him.”

Oliver says he’s heading to Fitchburg, Mass., on Sunday. No funeral arrangements have been made at this point.
 

7 Dead, 24 Wounded in Chicago

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At least seven people have been killed and 24 others wounded in shootings across Chicago since Friday.

The weekend's latest shooting took place just after 5 a.m. Sunday when two people were found shot to death in a Garfield Ridge home, police said.

The two were found unresponsive just after 5 a.m. Sunday inside a home in the the 5300 block of South Austin Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada.

Both suffered gunshot wounds to the body, according to authorities.

The Cook County Sheriff's office said the man found dead was Javier Acevedo, a Cook County Department of Corrections officer who worked at the Cook County Jail.

Around 2:40 a.m. two people were shot in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood, police said.

The two were standing in a courtyard in the 1000 block of East 132nd Street when they heard shots and felt pain, Estrada said.

A 39-year-old man was shot in the upper left thigh and a 29-year-old man was shot in the left buttocks. Both were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition.

Police said both victims were being uncooperative and noted one has gang affiliations. The shooting is being treated as possibly gang-related.

Ten minutes earlier, a man was shot in the 2600 block of South Kildare Avenue.

A man was standing on a sidewalk with another man when two unknown offenders struck them with a baseball bat, police said.

One of the offenders then displayed a firearm and shot at the men, striking a 34-year-old man in the thigh.

The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition, police said.

An hour earlier, a 25-year-old man was walking on a sidewalk in the 2400 block of South Hamlin Avenue when a dark-colored SUV drove by and an occupant fired numerous shots at the man.

The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition with a wound to the abdomen. Police said the shooting appears to be gang-related.

Around 10 p.m. Saturday, a 22-year-old man was shot when the group he was standing in became involved in a verbal argument with another group of men across the street in the 7200 block of South Perry Avenue.

The man was taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County with wounds to the face, chest and forearm, according to authorities. He was last listed in serious-but-stable condition.

Thirty minutes earlier, a 16-year-old boy was driving a Nissan westbound in the 7600 block of South Dorchester Avenue when a man on a sidewalk fired numerous shots at the vehicle.

The teen drove himself to Advocate Trinity Hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper back, Estrada said.

Around 7:15 p.m., another 16-year-old boy was shot. The teen was standing in an alley in the 5900 block of South Maplewood Avenue when an offender approached and fired shots in his direction, police said.

Just before 5:30 p.m., a third 16-year-old boy was shot in the 1700 block of West 85th Street.

The teen was standing on the sidewalk when a passenger in a silver vehicle fired shots at him.

Police said the teen suffered wounds to the stomach and right leg and was taken in serious condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center.

About 45 minutes earlier, a 20-year-old man was shot in the shoulder and back of the head while standing near a vacant alley in the 0-100 block of West  112th Street. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition.

Just before 3 p.m., a 25-year-old man was shot during an apparent robbery attempt.

The man was walking down the street when an unknown offender "engaged him in conversation," Estrada said.

The man then showed a gun and demanded money, according to authorities.

A struggle ensued between the two men and the victim was shot in the hand. He was taken in good condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center.

Around 2:40 p.m. Saturday in the 6900 block of South Halsted Street, police said a 21-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and was taken to John H. Stroger Jr., Hospital of Cook County in serious condition.

Details surrounding the shooting were not immediately available.

Two people were injured in a shooting just before 1 p.m. Saturday in the 6600 block of South Maryland Avenue.

Two men were walking down the block when they became involved in a verbal argument with a group of men, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Zala.

Someone in the group pulled out a handgun and began firing at the victims as they fled.

A 23-year-old man was shot in the back and a 21-year-old man was shot in the leg. Both were taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital.

At least five others have been killed and 11 others wounded since Friday.


Boy and Girl Die in NY House Fire

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A brother and sister, both 4 years old, died Sunday after a fire erupted in a Far Rockaway home, officials said.

The blaze began in the home on Bay 30th Street just before midnight. Investigators said they believe a child may have been playing with a lighter when the fire started.

After firefighters put out the blaze the siblings were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival, police said.

Officials said the two siblings died of smoke inhalation. Authorities have identified the boy as Jai'Launi Tinglin and the girl as Ayini Tinglin. The two were half-siblings.

Another 4-year-old girl, Jai'Launi's twin, along with a 55-year-old aunt and their 63-year-old grandfather were also inside the home at the time. They were taken to area hospitals, where officials said they were listed in stable condition.

 

 

Woman Escapes Fire in Bloomfield

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A woman in Bloomfield called the fire department when smoke started seeping through the walls in her kitchen on Easter Sunday.

Firefighters said they believe it was an electrical fire in the wall that torched one wall of the kitchen inside the home at 24 Wade Avenue.   The woman inside the home was able to call the fire department and safely make it outside.

The fire was extinguished quickly and no one was injured.

Injured Climber Rescued from Ragged Mountain

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A male climber had to be rescued from Ragged Mountain in Southington on Sunday after sustaining serious injuries from a fall.

The man was climbing the face of the mountain with other people when he fell approximately 25 to 30 feet.  His climbing companions called 911 around 10:37 a.m. and emergency crews responded to an area off of Andrews Street near Wassel Reservoir.

The rescue took approximately an hour and the injured climber was transported by Lifestar medical helicopter to St. Francis Hospital.

Police said the climber was from out-of-state.  Ragged Mountain is a well-known climbing spot that attracts climbers from around the region.

6 Shot During Easter Party

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Six people were shot Sunday while attending an Easter gathering in a Chicago suburb.

Officials said a group of people were in a garage for an Easter party around 12:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of Jackson Street in far west suburban Montgomery when someone started shooting.

Four men and two women were shot. Five people were transported from the scene and one person was taken to an area hospital by a friend, according to Montgomery Police Chief Daniel Meyers.

It was not immediately clear what their conditions were.

Children were in the home at the time of the shooting, but no children were injured, according to authorities.

Meyers said the residents of the home had not had prior incidents involving shootings or gangs, but noted police plan to look into any activity at the home over the last few weeks.

“This area is pretty quiet,” he said.

Police are searching for a male suspect, Meyers said.

“We’ll continue this [investigation] for days until we have a suspect or someone in custody,” Meyers said.

Police ask that anyone with information on the shooting call area crime stoppers at (630) 892-1000.

1 Dead in SUV Apartment Crash

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A teenage girl asleep in bed was killed early Sunday when a sport utility vehicle plowed into the first story of an apartment complex and struck her in Palmdale, Calif.

Emergency personnel responded around 3:50 a.m. to reports of a vehicle into a building near Avenue R and 10th Street, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

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Two affected units of the apartment complex were evacuated after the vehicle careened into the complex. A 16-year-old girl inside the apartment was pronounced dead when firefighters arrived on scene, officials said.

Family identified her as Giselle Mendoza, a sophomore at Palmdale High School.

Authorities arrested 20-year-old driver Roberto Rodriguez on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Initial reports indicated that he was taken to a hospital in unknown condition.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. David Sauer said Rodriguez may have been driving home when he missed his turn.

"We just heard a witness who said that he estimated the speed to be about 80 miles an hour," Sauer said.

About half of the 11-unit complex was eventually evacuated due to leaking fuel, officials said. Residents would be allowed to return once the SUV was removed from the building.

 

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