Progress2016 A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF
The Monett Times Page 3
An architect’s rendering of the planned new home for the Monett Museum shows a night view and how the building at Fifth and Broadway would look, unlike the present, rather rundown appearance of the unoccupied structure. Contributed photo
Moving
Page 6
BUSINESS: New businesses making waves in Monett — Page 3 AGRICULTURE: Area agrigulture struggles to keep pace — Page 5 Cheers accompanied the cutting of the ribbon for the new Monett High School Performing Arts Center. School representatives present included, front row, from left: Assistant Superintendent Mike Evans, Board Member J.D. Roberts, Principal Mike Williams, board member Marty Scabarozi, former principal David Steward, board members A.J. Bahl, Darren Bass, David Beckett, Ken Gaspar and Doug Childress with the scissors. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Page 7
EDUCATION: FEMA projects big news in past year — Page 6 HEALTH: Renovation of hospital, local initiative highlight health news — Page 7 INDUSTRY: Expanding industries bringing jobs to city — Page 8
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Renovations in the emergency department at Cox Monett Hospital borrowed space from the adjacent lab to enlarge one of the ER patient rooms. A new chemistry analyzer, at left, was added to the lab in the process, providing more speed from the unit, at right. DeLee Holbert, left, technical application specialist with Siemens Diagnostics, prepared to use the new equipment, working with lab technician Karyn Shepard. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home — Page 2 EFCO Corporation — Page 2 Community National Bank — Page 3 Monett Main Street — Page 3 Main Street Feeds — Page 3 Schrieber Foods — Page 4 Lacoba Homes — Page 4 Jack Henry and Associates — Page 5 IMEC — Page 6 Farm Pro — Page 6 Apex Network Physical Therapy — Page 7 Grande Tire — Page 7 Swartz Tractor Sales and Service — Page 8 Shelter Insurance, Scott Thrasher and Andy Brandt — Page 8 First State Bank of Purdy — Page 17 Meek’s — Page 17 Scott Regional Technology Center — Page 17 Visionhealth Eye Center — Page 17 Hospice COMPASUS — Page 18 Oak Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care — Page 18 Race Brothers Farm and Home Supply — Page 19 CoxHealth — Page 19 The Bayou — Page 20
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Page 2 • Friday, July 30, 2016
Progress 2016
The Monett Times
Wormington Family Tradition Continues
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The Monett Times
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 3
Progress 2016
New businesses making waves in Monett Downtown area being revitalized via Monett Main Street BY KYLE TROUTMAN AND MURRAY BISHOFF The Monett Times
The business climate in Monett is on the up and up, according to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and Monett Main Street president Jeff Meredith. Citing numerous new businesses in town and a revitalization of downtown Monett, Meredith is confident in the direction of the city. Monett is building a new parking lot in the 400 block of East Broadway, having acquired the former Singleton’s eatery
building and the southwest corner lot at Fifth and Broadway, as well as adjacent buildings at 417 and 419 E. Broadway. The demolitions have created room for a new 22-space, free parking lot. “The downtown projects are all going in the right direction, and we’ve moved forward with a couple of buildings being torn down to pave the way for new projects,� he said. “People don’t normally think of demolitions as progress, but we will need more parking for events to come in the future, and no one wants to come in and open a new business next to an eyesore.� The plan to build a new community pavilion, a $1.5 million project, got off the ground in October 2015. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
The architect’s design of planned renovations at Fifth and Broadway are pictured, restoring the original 1903 building to its original appearance. Renovations, planned by Bob and Debbie Berger, in conjunction with architect Allen Casey, would provide a new home for the Monett Museum. Contributed photo
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Progress 2016
Schreiber Monett:
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40 years of growth and looking forward to an even brighter future Schreiber Foods opened the Monett plant in January of 1976 with only 49 partners. Today, we have more than 170 partners working around the clock to provide products to the biggest names in the fast food industry. Monett is part of Schreiber Foods, Inc. a global leader and one of the largest privately held dairy companies in the world. At Schreiber we offer a complete line of dairy products to meet the diverse and ever-changing needs of our customers. Our customers range from full service restaurants, fast food chains, schools and hospitals to grocery stores, club stores, wholesalers and food manufacturers. With our production and distribution facilities in Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Mexico, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and throughout the United States. Our facilities are strategically located across the globe so we can quickly respond to our customers’ needs. In the United States, for example, our distribution centers are positioned so we can ship anywhere in the continental U.S. in one day. On the occasion of our 40th year in Monett, Schreiber would like to thank those who make our success possible - our customers, our community and our partners. We congratulate our partners for the success of Schreiber Monett and extend our thanks for their many years of service, hard work, and dedication.
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The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 5
Area agriculture struggles to keep pace Beef prices down after industry high; milk prices continue to fall BY KYLE TROUTMAN AND MURRAY BISHOFF The Monett Times
The past year has been a struggle for those in the agriculture industry, including beef cattle ranchers, dairy producers and row crop farmers.
Cattle
Ranchers in Barry and Lawrence counties, two years removed from record cattle sale prices, are not selling their beef for as high as in the past, but according to Eldon Cole, regional livestock specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, they can still turn a profit. Cole said it was about May 2015 the tide began to turn at beef cattle markets, and now, ranchers are still anxious prices could drop even more. “The irony is that even though prices have come down quite a bit, the market is still decent for farmers needing to sell their calves on the feeder market,” Cole said. “The market is not as good [as in 2014], but it’s still better than it was four or five years ago.” Cole said he’s not sure how much more prices will drop, but thinks they may still drop some because a lot of cattle won’t be ready to sell until later in the year. One thing that may help keep the market on track is exports. “The export market is definitely having an effect,” Cole said. “We’re trying to get more in it to build up that market share. We are also hoping for more consumption in America to help with prices.” Cole said although it is not the
Milk producers in Barry and Lawrence counties have struggled to turn a profit with falling milk prices and regionally-high feed costs. Kyle Troutman/editor@monett-times.com
cheapest meat on store shelves, products like steaks and ground beef are a national favorite, especially in grilling season. “Beef is not the cheapest source of protein, and when people tighten their belts, the generally go to pork or poultry,” he said. “But, grilling season is here, and a lot of grillers prefer beef.” Cole said in this area, more cattle are being produced, and nationwide, there are a lot of females in the breeding herds. “This means more calves will be for sale,” he said. “But, it takes three years from the time a calf
hits the ground to the time it is sold.”
Dairy
For dairy producers, the past year has been even more of a struggle, and the mantra, “What goes down must come up,” is key to remaining optimistic about the industry. Reagan Bluel, regional dairy specialist with the Missouri University Extension, said producers are dealing with challenges associated with milk prices, which have dipped to a low not seen since 2009. According to a year-by-year
graph provided by Bluel, Class III milk prices clocked in at just under $13 hundredweight (CWT) in April, and they have been on a steady decline over the past year, when they were just under $17 CWT. Prices hit a high of nearly $25 CWT in July 2014, but in six months, were cut almost in half, down to about $15.25 CWT. “Right now, there are a lot of challenges associated with the price of fluid milk, as we are in the low part of the cycle,” Bluel said. “But, if you pair that with the new Dairy Revitalization Act, there are some opportuni-
ties. Money out of the act is going into the pockets of those in the Margin Protection Program, which is a safety net ensuring farmers do not lose money as feed prices change compared to milk prices.” The act, signed into law at Edgewood Dairy in Purdy in April 2015, is a three-part piece of legislation aiming to help dairymen, college students and the dairy industry as a whole. The first part of the act allows dairymen in Missouri be reimbursed for 70 percent of their Margin Protection Program premiums, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Page 6 • Friday, July 30, 2016
The Monett Times
Progress 2016
School FEMA projects big news in past year Monett opens performing arts center; Purdy pursuing shelter BY KYLE TROUTMAN AND MURRAY BISHOFF The Monett Times
As far as education news goes, the last year has been smothered with planning, construction and completion of FEMA safe rooms at multiple school districts. In September 2015, the flagship Monett High School Performing Arts Center and FEMA safe room completed construction. The Joplin tornado on May 22, 2011, brought federal money through FEMA into the area. The school district received approval to build two storm safe rooms in September 2012, after which, school leaders began to dream and plan, according to Superintendent Brad Hanson. Hanson introduced the committee from the community that helped shape the high school safe room into a performing arts center. The time without an auditorium dated from the 1973 demolition of Monett’s second high school, built in 1924. Hanson said he was in the right place at the right time to bring the plan to completion. At the opening day celebration, members of the school board received applause from the audience, as well as representatives from architect Sapp Design Associates and general contractor R.E. Smith. Board president Doug Childress praised
Hanson for his leadership in guiding the year-long multi-million-dollar construction projects to the end. Charles Cudney, who served as superintendent from 1993 to 2008, said when the high school was built 20 years ago, the school board then always felt that the addition of an auditorium would come. Other efforts promoting a facility at the time did not gain enough traction to complete the project. “When you stay true to the vision, that vision happens,” Cudney said at the event in September 2015. “Monett is a unique community. I’ve been a superintendent in several school districts. In the 15 years I was here, I saw the community slogan ‘Pride and Progress’ say something different. It’s a commitment to move to a higher level, coming together united, as a community, school and city, saying ‘This is important; we’re going to make this happen.’ “My hat is off to you. You were true to the vision all these years.” In his comments, Childress observed the spirit of achievement that serves as a hallmark of the school could be seen in the talents displayed that event. “I can see that coming out for many years to come,” Childress said. With the high school’s shelter completed, Monett is turning its attention to Central Park Elementary, where construction on a $1.5 million building has begun and is expected to conclude in spring of 2017. Under plans developed by Sapp Design Associates, the addition
Cheers accompanied the cutting of the ribbon for the new Monett High School Performing Arts Center on Thursday. School representatives present included, front row, from left: Assistant Superintendent Mike Evans, Board Member J.D. Roberts, Principal Mike Williams, board member Marty Scabarozi, former principal David Steward, board members A.J. Bahl, Darren Bass, David Beckett, Ken Gaspar and Doug Childress with the scissors. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-
times.com
will extend to the east out of the north-south hallway on the west side of the building that houses the fourth grade classrooms. Where the newest section of the building extends north, and children exit to the east onto the playground, the new addition will extend to north-side, parallel to the fourth grade wing, with an enclosed hallway running between the two structures. Hanson said the district will pursue the same strategy used at the other three campuses with safe rooms, doubling the new addition with functional space for student activities. The safe room will contain two
classrooms, housing art and music, opening up two rooms in the present building for other uses. A few miles south in Purdy, a storm shelter and auditorium has been proposed, with the capacity to hold the entire city’s population in case of severe weather. Kirsten Whitehead, project manager for Paragon Architecture of Springfield, the firm hired for the gym entrance and cafeteria renovation, has displayed a conceptual design for the new building. Incorporating the current preschool building site, the building would be located slightly north and
west of the high school, absorbing part of the elementary playground but offering potential for parking off Highway C. Whitehead showed how a building for the preschool could attach on the north of the precast concrete square shelter. She proposed a common open area, as proscribed by health department standards, adjacent to a warming kitchen. The wall between the two could be removed, expanding the space for an event. The preschool would have 3,000 square feet of space. Combined with the kitchen, the facility would have 3,400 square feet.
Whitehead proposed building the FEMA structure, connected on the south, as a permanent auditorium that descends to a stage. For functionality, she suggested building storage space under the auditorium. The hall itself would have roughly 290 permanent seats and additional removable seats at front. She suggested having part of the stage, 24 inches off the ground, that could pull out into the temporary seating area, adding about a third to the stage space. The rear of the hall would also have a mezzanine, where the district CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
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The Monett Times
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 7
Progress 2016
Renovation of hospital, local initiative highlight health news Chaplain program making mark at Cox Monett Hospital BY KYLE TROUTMAN AND MURRAY BISHOFF The Monett Times
In health news over the past year, the largest item of change came at Cox Monett Hospital, which renovated its emergency department for space and traffic flow. Changes throughout the emergency room and the supportive areas added 1,000 square feet to the department by capturing a functional area that had become less well-used over time, thus, moving toward modern standards in the industry. According to Dr. Darren Bass, Cox Monett president, the project took eight-and-a-half months in five phases. Cost expanded from $980,000 to $1.2 million, but Bass liked the outcome. One of the main challenges in renovating an emergency department, Bass noted, came from keeping services underway in the middle of construction. Periodically crews from Nabholz Construction Services suggested they could move more quickly if they could shut down an additional patient bed in the emergency room. Bass insisted service to patients took priority, despite the inconvenience, and kept six beds open at all times. The most visible parts of the project, designed by architects Sam Winn and Associates, present themselves to public walking into the emergency room. Bass said about 30 percent
A large crowd was on hand for a ribbon cutting to mark the completion of the Cox Monett Hospital emergency department renovation. Front row, from left: Mike Garrett, hospital community advisory board; Ron Prenger, CoxHealth senior vice president and chief hospital officer; Dr. Tommy Trent, ER physician; Cox Monett president Dr. Darren Bass and his predecessor, Ginny Maroc; architect Sam Winn and Heidi Clark, emergency department nurse manager. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com Bass was particularly response capabilities. Staff of the entrance vestibule lances. The triage area feet. Three emergency came out by placing new provided enough room for room spaces only mea- pleased with the addition can now complete scans, glass walls and an angled a new security office, locat- sured half that size or less. of the new 335-square- CT or radiology tests, send door, providing more ed strategically between Between two rooms on the foot trauma room, central- results electronically to space inside. The registra- the waiting room and the east side of the emergency ly located on the west side Springfield for review and tion desk expanded from ambulance door. In addi- room contractors installed of the emergency room receive an assessment, all one window to three: one tion to a better location, a solid drywall instead of behind sliding glass doors. within 45 minutes, the standing and one sitting the office will have screens a curtain and sliding glass Cabinets have not yet critical time for applying that face customers, and showing 16 locations in doors, providing more pri- arrived to finish the room. certain treatments. Making space for The larger space provides another around the end at the hospital to watch for vacy. Each of the patient room for a sizable team to the larger trauma room wheelchair height, away potential problems. required absorbing one Triage moved from the spaces received a newer work on a patient at once. from the main part of the With the trauma room smaller patient room, conroom for conversations east side of the check-in look, as well as a boost desk to the west side, sepa- in size. A board has been in place, the hospital will verting another into storthat need more privacy. The waiting room rating it from the ambu- added where staff on duty pursue Level 4 trauma cer- age, and pulling space out received a facelift with new lance area. Bass said the can write their names, tification once new regula- of the adjacent radiology furniture and a drinking staff plans to work toward keeping the patient orient- tions have been written. department. The south fountain. Staff observed immediate bedding, mov- ed on who their caregiv- The hospital has applied hallway of the emergency people during the night ing into one of the seven ers are. Each of the major for Level 4 certification department was widened hours came to them emergency room beds. tests listed on the board for ST-elevation myocar- for easier patient moverequesting water, since the At the encouragement of have a time projection, dial infacrtion (STEMI) for ment in and out of the fountain was located down staff, a metal cabinet, 10 giving the patient a clearer treating heart attack vic- three patient rooms there. the hallway, closed during inches deep, was installed idea on how long each pro- tims. Bass said that is the Expanding one patient off hours. Bass said crews behind the triage room’s cess takes. A TV has been highest certification the room there involved pullfound plumbing access door, ceiling to floor, pro- installed in each room to hospital can seek, since ing space out of the adjain the wall and added a viding room for all the offer some entertainment Level 3 requires having a cent radiology departdrinking fountain between supplies needed for the or diversion while waiting. full-time cardiologist on ment. The space where the bedside clerk worked Several rooms have low staff. initial exam. the vending machines. Having already secured converted into a second A big part of the remod- lights that offer patients Another change came by moving the triage area, el focused on bringing suffering from migraine Level 4 stroke certifi- nurse’s station, facing which had been next to the patient rooms up to today’s headaches a more com- cation, Bass noted the the south hall through a hospital has boosted its CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 unloading space for ambu- standard of 140 square fortable atmosphere.
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Page 8 • Friday, July 30, 2016
The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Expanding industries bringing jobs to Monett Local manufacturers on the move in past year BY KYLE TROUTMAN editor@monett-times.com
Industry in Monett has long been the centerpiece of the city, bringing in more jobs than the city’s population, and that trend is not likely to change soon. Jeff Meredith, Monett Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said multiple manufacturers’ expansions have facilitated more job creation in Monett in the past year. “Industry is doing well,” he said. “[Architectural Systems Inc.] expanded and hired almost 400 new employees. EFCO completed a multi-million dollar expansion and has quietly added about 100 jobs, like 10 here and 15 there. Monett Metals has expanded, and Market Fresh Produce has seen some growth.” ASI, which won business of the year, as awarded by the Chamber, started in 1998 with the owners and one employee, 40,000 square feet and a serious mouse problem due to the previous owner’s stockpile of hay and grain on the property. Today, the company has 339 employees, more than 175,000 square feet and operations in Aurora and Granby, as well as Monett. In January 2015, it completed an expansion in Aurora giving 12,000 more square feet for a total of 51,000. EFCO Corporation, in late August of 2015, embarked on a 22,540-square-foot classcutting expansion to its Monett facility. The building is located off Bridle Lane, south of Callan Drive, south of the loading docks. Paragon Architecture in Springfield designed the plans. Olsson and Associates served as civil engineers on the project. Branco Enterprises in Neosho will serve as the general contractor. The expansion connects to the current glass warehouse. The project involved relocation of a significant length of stormwater mains, which will move to west of the building footprint. Monett Metals completed a $1.5 million expansion, also while celebrating its 40th year in business in Monett. A steel foundry, Monett Metals produces valves and castings, such as augers, for general industrial use. According to Mike Renfrow, Monett Metals vice president, approximately 30 percent of the company’s business goes to the oil industry, 25 to 30 percent goes toward food processing, and another 25 to 30 percent are valve related. The business has made castings for British
Petroleum tankers, castings for fuel valves used at the Beijing airport built for the Olympics in 2008. Monett Metals concentrates on low volume products, able to reproduce quality parts in small quantities in a short lead time, unlike major manufacturers that require customers to wait many weeks for delivery, and customer service. Monett Metals leased 20,000 square feet at the former Jumping-Jacks plant on 13th Street in Monett, owned by 3D Corporate Solutions. With 3D Solutions undergoing expansion of its own, Monett Metals’ leadership saw an opportunity to consolidate their resources and improve operations. Monett Metals moved its customer patterns storage and pattern shop to its main plant by adding 23,000 square feet, expanding the main plant to 60,000 square feet on five acres. Two additions attach to the west side of the building, a 25-foot wide link building with an updated break room that will double as a storm shelter, replacing the current break room, as well as a training area. A new warehouse will attach to lengthwise to the break room and extend out to Industrial Boulevard. The plant maintains several operations in its foundry. Larger castings come out of sand molds, into which crews pour molten metal heated up to as much as 2,950 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 60 alloys are combined in recipes for specific products, with the combination confirmed through spectrometer tests. Ore from mines produced as far away as Turkey or Russia stored at the factory may be added as needed. Smaller castings, with precise flanges and indentations for assembly, may be made out of wax. After forming a shell around the product, by applying seven dipped layers of a ceramic slurry, the mold is then heated, the molten wax removed, and metal is poured in to shape the final product. Other segments of the operation mechanically reclaim the sand for repeated use, applying a similar process for the wax. Arc gougers cut extra metal off the castings for melting and reuse. Renfrow noted the company has placed a high priority in minimizing waste material. Finished products also ship daily, leaving no backlog of inventory to accumulate. Monett Metals was purchased two years ago by a Canadian firm called Canerector, Inc.. The local plant operates independently as its own division and debt free. Market Fresh Produce, in the beginning of 2015, opened a 16,000-squarefoot plan in the former Harlin Fruit Company building.
Visitors to the Market Fresh Produce plant in Monett were witnesses to beginning of sorting operations during tours of the facility. Production Worker Sherri Mason explained in the sorting process, staff separate fruit by size, color and blemishes, directing less perfect samples for salsa production. Pictured, from left, are: Mason, Warehouse Manager Lathe Hopkins and Mike Williams, who fills boxes for shipping. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com Harlin closed operations in April 2014. Harlin Fruit owner Jerry Sutton was on hand for the occasion and said he had delivered his final books to the accountant on his way to the Monett Chamber of Commerce’s ribbon cutting ceremony. Sutton, who lives in Mountain Grove, said he now considers himself and wife Sharyn as fully retired. Steve Phipps, owner of Market Fresh, described to the crowd gathered for opening day how he had invested in the produce business in 2005, and in 2014, obtained sole ownership. Phipps plans to keep his corporate offices in Nixa and use Monett as a major repackaging center, similar to the plant in Tampa, Fla. The company also has a satellite office in Milwaukee, Wisc. Over the next two to five years, Phipps hopes to implement a threephase plan. The first step was to start operations in Monett. Later, he plans to add a 7,000-square-foot expansion of the plant, followed by an office expansion. Market Fresh has 15 people working in Monett. That number will grow as the volume of business increases. Outside of industries’ expansions, Meredith said one area Monett could benefit in the future is by building more warehouse space. “One of the most common calls I get from industry leaders is if we have warehouse space available,” he said. “That means they either have product or need storage, and many frequently seek additional warehouse space to meet current and future needs. “I hope someone will come build some warehouses here, because we need them.”
Terrence O’Brien, Architectural Systems Inc. employee, preps a piece of metal for a high speed rotor that uses computer-driven fabrication at ASI’s Aurora factory. ASI copresident Charlie Locher said industrial production has largely switched to computers directing how components are processed, changing the role of employees on the line preparing materials. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Jay Triplett, president of Monett Metals, left, and Mike Renfrow, vice president, look through plans for the $1.5 million addition to their factory that began in the fall of 2015. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
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Seventh District Congressman Billy Long stopped at Architectural Systems Inc. in Monett during his annual manufacturing tour in May. Long, right, spoke with Scott Beckwith, company owner and co-president, about the widespread need for labor by manufacturers in southwest Missouri. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
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The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 9
Businesses: Pavilion is slated to house farmer’s market, Repurposed Faire
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Because of Monett’s authorized historic district, renovation projects can qualify for tax credits covering 50 percent of the work. The Monett City Council approved Monett Main Street’s proposal and awarded $358,000 in tax credits. The city serves as a pass-through agent for the funding. Main Street had already announced plans for a fundraising campaign to fund the project. The resolution specified the project would eliminate blight, improve public safety, improve the community’s overall wellness and mitigate flooding. The pavilion will likely house the farmer’s market, and other public events, such as the Repurposed Faire, which has been held for two years on the former Jumping-Jacks site, which Glen and Sharon Garrett donated to the city. “The pavilion project is another endeavor aimed at providing a place for downtown events, as well as a pocket park for public use for events, or to just sit in the grass,” Meredith said.” Across the street from the pavilion’s future home is another future home for a Monett non-profit organization — The Monett Historical Society. Located at the northwest corner of Fifth and Broadway, the incoming Monett Museum is a $1.5 million project being crafted by renovating a building dating back to 1903. “The new museum will provide more traffic, and it’s a great sign of progress because we mush learn and study our history in order to improve upon it,” Meredith said. “With a slogan of “Pride and Progress,” we must always be looking forward.” The museum has operated since 2007 at 705 E. Broadway, in a 1,200-square-foot structure owned by the city. Organizers found the space congested and lacking an opportunity to expand. The Monett City Council has expressed interest in tearing down the building,
which at one time was part of the city’s original power plant. In 2014, the historical society received permission from the city to lease half of the parking lot at Second and Bond, the site of the historic Monett Central School, to build a new facility. A number of society members still held out hope of keeping the museum on Broadway. The new building will have 2,300 square feet of space alone on the first floor of the two-story building. Elsewhere in Monett, a new, 26,400-square-foot shopping mall is being constructed between Lowe’s and Community National Bank. According to plans filed with Monett Building Inspector Wade Ennes, the four retail businesses that will occupy the mall will be Dollar Tree, Shoe Sensation, Cato and Rue 21, all soft goods vendors selling clothing and related products. Each store will range between 4,000 and 10,000 square feet. Construction is estimated to cost $700,000 and be completed by the end of the year. “The shopping center broke ground in 2015, and it’s a positive for the city because regional retailers are coming into town, and they do their homework,” Meredith said. “The fact we are starting to be looked at more from those regional retailers shows Monett is a community that’s good to go, and we have a strong economy.” Also opening its doors in 2015 was the Arby’s Restaurant on Highway 60. United States Beef Corporation, the largest franchisee for the Arby’s restaurant chain, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., opened its chain restaurant in the location of the former Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. It occupies 3,300 square feet, with full service seating for 70 guests and a drive-through for guests on the go. Monett-area contractors 3 Way Construction,
The architectural rendering shows how the proposed Monett Community Events Pavilion will look. The pavilion will be located on the former Jumping-Jacks plant property between Fourth and Fifth streets on Front. Murray Bishoff/times-news@ monett-times.com
Kent Greenwood Plastering, Sunrise Acoustics and some others participated in the renovation. And, the Arby’s hired between 40 to 50 employees from the immediate and surrounding area. “Arby’s is a big deal,” Meredith said. “It’s one of those little things where people in a big city would say, ‘Well, we have three of them.’ But, Monett didn’t. We have 10 percent more places to eat since last year.” Meredith said Global Steel Buildings opening in Monett has also been a plus for the city. “Businesses are doing good, sales taxes are up, and we passed the transportation tax, which will move Monett forward by providing essential infrastructure in a variety of different forms,” Meredith said.
Officials with U.S. Beef Corporation jumped in to help the staff at the new Arby’s restaurant in Monett on opening day. Pictured, from left, are: Tim Bouma, vice president of operations; Rick Morris, senior vice president of operations; and employees Shawna Sanford and Josh Potz. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
The aerial rendering by architect Richard Werner shows how Monett Main Street will renovate the footprint of the former Jumping-Jacks plant with a community pavilion and space for exhibitors for future events. Monett Main Street has started fundraising efforts for the project. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Bob and Debbie Berger showed off the present appearance of the building at Fifth and Broadway, used for decades to house over a dozen professional offices, from doctors to lawyers. Pictured, from left, are: Debbie Berger, Jon Suit and Bob Berger. Murray Bishoff/ times-news@monett-times.com
An architect’s rendering of the planned large meeting room in the proposed new Monett Museum at Fifth and Broadway shows space for public gatherings and exhibit of historic photos. Contributed photo
Page 10 • Friday, July 30, 2016
Progress 2016
The Monett Times
Livestock: Legislature offers opportunities to youth interested in dairy farming
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
up to $0.34 per hundredweight of milk through the federal Margin Protection Program. “For anywhere from the $4 to $8 coverage, farmers can be refunded at a 70 percent rate, and a few producers on that high end have already seen a payout,” Bluel said. “It is truly insurance in the same way you would ensure your car. You select the level you want to protect, and not all levels result in a payout.” Bluel said in the past, rough years included 2009, when milk prices fell to just more than $9 CWT, and 2012, when a nationwide drought made feed prices skyrocket. Feed is about 60 percent of the total cost of production,” Bluel said. “Back then, we were feeling the low milk price, and feed price hadn’t dropped.’ Bluel said the issue compounds for some Missouri farmers, as they may pay more for feed than the national average, which the Margin Protection Program is based on. “There has been some pressure on the legislature to regionalize the program, because alfalfa nationally is at $1.75 per ton, but guys here in Missouri can’t get it for less than $2.05 per ton,” she said. “By having that 70 percent covered, producers can stretch their dollars further and purchase higher coverage.” Per the Dairy Revitalization Act, more opportunities will be coming to Missouri youth with an interest in dairy production, as part of the act pays for in-state college scholarships. “The second phase of the act is to make scholarships available to all in-state colleges and universities,” Bluel said. “The true impact of the scholarships are a little less tangible than the Margin Protection Program, but we hope they will have lasting impacts on individuals, as they have to complete internships at a dairy. I hope the scholarships and internships will help influence some young people to stay in the business.” The act calls for 80 $5,000 scholarships at 2-year or 4-year institutions in Missouri. “Those scholarships are meant to raise the number of producers, as the Dairy Revitalization Act, by its name alone, indicates the precipitous decline of dairy producers across the state,” Bluel said. “We have got to utilize the young people to reignite
the passion in dairy and keep cows in the state and actively producing. “The state passed the Dairy Revitalization Act because legislators know the impact of dairy financially for the state. Just one dairy leads to multiple employments, and those jobs at each dairy pool as part of an infrastructure with a significant impact on the bottom line of the state’s GDP.” When he signed the bill into law, Gov. Jay Nixon said Missouri’s dairy industry supports more than 23,000 jobs and contributes $2 billion to the state’s GDP. Edgewood Dairy has fared better than some other milk-based operations, opening up its own storefront selling its milk and numerous cheeses. After trips to Vermont and Georgia, Owners Charles and Melissa Fletcher started construction on a creamery. The entire investment, for the building and equipment, has run between $300,000 and $400,000 and still came with a considerable learning curve. The Fletchers discovered, for example, that moving milk by truck from the milking barn to the creamery building through their field requires no regulations, but driving around the farm on the county road would requiring securing a milk hauling license. Some of the operation would have to remain off limits to the public for sanitation and security. The Edgewood Dairy sells all its milk to Dairy Farmers of America, then buys milk back from DFA for processing, and could use as much as 1 million pounds of milk, or a quarter of the dairy’s production. The milk is pasteurized, cooked at 145 degrees for 30 minutes, but not homogenized. Customers can also buy milk the oldfashioned way, with the cream separating at the top. The Fletchers sell fresh cheese and four types of aged cheese: a blue cheese, that ages for three months; a Tomme alpine-style cheese, that ages two months; a clothbound cheese, that ages six months; and a sharp cheese, that ages for one year.
Crops
After a wet 2015, farmers in 2016 are hoping this year’s rain totals will catch up to average, otherwise some crops may be in danger. Tim Schnakenberg,
Charles Fletcher, left, showed off one of the calf feeding troughs he uses on his dairy to the crowd bussed in from Springfield for the 2015 Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com regional agronomist for Missouri University Extension, said early 2016 has been fairly dry, with spotty storms across Barry and Lawrence counties. “Barry County has been exceptionally dry,” he said. “Most areas are suffering more from dry weather than too much rain. June was exceptionally dry, and that’s usually our wettest month.” Schnakenberg said this year’s hay crop has been favorable, with fertilized hay and fescue seed hay doing better than unfertilized, given some variations. “The quality has been marginal because a lot of hay was put up after it matured,” Schnakenberg said. “But, we still have a lot of hay from last year to hold us over.” The wheat crop has been better than farmers expected, Schnakenberg said, and farmers have been surprised with the high yields. “The disease pressure was down this year, so that helped a lot,” he said. “But, [as of early July], rain events were behind several inches, so it’s critical to continue to get rainfall.” As for corn and soybeans, insects have caused some issues, especially Japanese beetles. “The insect pressure for soybeans is tough, and we need more moisture for the double-cropped soybeans,” Schnakenberg said. “Last year, we were blesses with some good rains through the summer, and this year, we just have to watch and see what we get.”
Michael Meier calls his cows while in the pasture at his 240-acre farm about four miles south of Monett. Kyle Troutman The Monett Times/Cassville Democrat
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill stocked up on cheese, dairy products and a gallon of milk during her stop at the Edgewood Creamery Food and Grocery store north of Purdy. Pictured, from left, are McCaskill, Aubrey Fletcher and Melissa Fletcher. Murray Bishoff/
times-news@monett-times.com
Calves at Meier Dairy, some more eager than others, snack on feed on an afternoon on the farm. The calves were featured during a tour stop for the Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference in 2015. Kyle Troutman The Monett Times/Cassville Democrat
The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 11
Health: Cooperation with city results in tax to help install, update sidewalks
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
window, keeping staff nearby. The decontamination shower, located at the southeast corner of the emergency department, had been open to the outdoors and relied on curtains for privacy. Tinted glass now encloses the entryway, providing better conditions for users. Making space along the south hallway offered an opportunity to reconfigure and remodel existing offices. To gain room, about 40 percent of the business office moved into the emergency department. The mail room moved downstairs, turning that space into the business manager’s office. Office cubicles received a new design that addressed security concerns about exposing sensitive information inadvertently to customers. New windows offer a brighter, more open look. The office at the back of the business area converted into storage space for the emergency department, providing another buffer between the two operations. A new system of electronic locks between sections also tightened access. Bass noted that the security system uses proximity cards that can be programmed to give access to specific locations per person, limiting nonmedical people from sensitive areas, including the hospital president. The nurse manager now has a new office in the south hall along with a larger staff office that includes an emergency management station and command center. Big enough for staff meetings, unlike the old break room, the office has a TV for breaking news and a tracking board with orders and status on each patient in the emergency department. A new office for all emergency department doctors represented a major improvement. A variety of little changes took place in the renovation. A new, larger public restroom was added for easy wheelchair use inside the emergency room. A larger staff bathroom was added in the rear. Taking square footage from radiology provided an opportunity to review space use. That resulted in the addition of a second ultrasound room to speed resolution of patient backlog, and the addition of an updated break room. Along with the renovations, Cox Monett also expanded its chaplain program to five days per week. The program restarted at the hospital in Feburary 2014. The hospital had an on-call chaplaincy program in the early years of Cox owning the Monett hospital, but it was not formalized. Dr. Elizabeth Lucore saw a way to enhance healing by addressing spiritual needs and made overtures to broaden what was available. Lucore contacted Bill Vincent, pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Monett. Ginnie Maroc, then serving as hospital president, developed protocols for the program. Vincent carried the idea to the Monett Ministerial Association, which found interest in pursuing it. Leichelle Cotney, the volunteer coordinator at Cox Monett, began training for the pastors in October 2014, and officially started it on Nov. 1, 2014. Typically, chaplains are available at the hospital on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, mostly in the afternoons. They also serve on-call, available seven days a week for certain emergency situations. Cotney noted that with the hospital’s designation as a stroke center, chaplains must be available.
Each of the volunteer chaplains go through a screening and orientation like employees. Participants must be certified as chaplains or ordained, credentialed through a denomination and in good standing. Active ministers participating are Vincent, Bill Cox from the First Baptist Church in Monett, Jimmie Copley with Chapel of Grace, Tony Wyatt with New Testament Apostolic Church in Verona, and Chad Bennett with Monett Community Church. Cathy Lewis, a certified chaplain with Hospice Compassus, also participates. Father Hank Grokecki from St. Lawrence Catholic Church is available on call but does not make regular rounds. Paul Lanning from the First United Methodist Church originally participated, but has since bowed out due to other commitments. Chaplains meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays for lunch. They also meet quarterly as a group, and converse as they see each other in the hospital. Chaplains will also leave notes for doctors to let them know important observations. Chaplains also act as a liaison for families when patients transfer to another facility, making connections for them, providing directions within the hospital, arranging transportation and providing lodging options while the patient is hospitalized. Over the past year, the availability of the chaplains has provided a resource that both patients and staff have appreciated. Vincent pointed to relationships that have developed between the chaplains and the staff. In a typical two-hour shift, Vincent will come in to the hospital, visit the call desk near the entrance, check in at the second floor nurse’s station and learn who is on the floor, and whether any visits will require protective gear. Vincent goes from room to room, also visiting the delivery area on the third floor, the outpatient registration area on first floor to see anyone waiting for surgery, then over to the emergency room, radiology and patient financial services. Outside of the hospital’s walls, the Healthy Schools/ Healthy Community initiative has teamed up with the city and the recentlypassed transportation tax, focusing on ways to keep residents moving. Sidewalk construction is part of the plan, including new and replacement sidewalks around the city, and installing new walks at six-foot width with ramps for handicapped use. A large percentage of city sidewalks, dating back to the 1930s, have fallen into poor condition. The Greenways Trail would serve as a spine for a greater sidewalk network. The program would will in gaps where no sidewalks exist. Street Department Superintendent Russ Balmas said his crews have completed running a new sidewalk from Broadway to Scott Street along the
Renovations in the emergency department at Cox Monett Hospital borrowed space from the adjacent lab to enlarge one of the ER patient rooms. A new chemistry analyzer, at left, was added to the lab in the process, providing more speed from the unit, at right. DeLee Holbert, left, technical application specialist with Siemens Diagnostics, prepared to use the new equipment, working with lab technician Karyn Shepard. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com west side of Ninth Street. The last part of their job focuses on rebuilding a storm drain on the east side of the street. During January, city workers and the team from Bennett Construction built new sidewalks on both the north and south parts of Scott Street between Euclid and Lincoln, connecting the old Greenways Trail with new links that will run to Central Park Elementary and the Monett Middle School and Monett Intermediate School campuses. This week, the crew has moved east and will build new sidewalk and replace old sidewalk from Euclid to Eighth Street on the north side. With the Ninth Street sidewalk finished, the network of upgraded with connect downtown with the schools. Balmas said the new sidewalk will be four feet wide, like the old walk but without the uneven edges. The project fits into the city’s long-range transportation plan and has support from the Healthy Schools/Healthy Community initiative to encourage children walking and riding their bikes to school. Weather permitting, the latest sidewalk work should be completed in another six weeks, Balmas said. The Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities initiative has also provided funding for the creation of the Monett community garden, and it oversees the growth and management of the garden. The garden will help increase the amount of local, healthy produce that is available. The garden will also be a great learning tool for those who have not had a garden before, and can also be used by the Monett Schools for educational purposes. Over the past year, Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities coordinators in Monett have made positive changes and are working to develop additional plans for improving school and community environments for children and their families for the
Children can make a game of almost anything. While parents worked in the Monett Community Garden, the children clamored onto the nearby gravel pile to enjoy their own activity. Pictured, from left, are: Caleb Scritchfield, Charlotte Scritchfield, Brock Gilmore, Max Holland, Cylas Scritchfield and Braxton Gilmore. Murray
Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Brian Reed, left, with Bennett Construction, and Seth Williams, with the Monett Street Department, worked between Central Avenue and Frisco Street along the north side of Scott Street, digging the route for new sidewalks that will link four of Monett’s five school campuses into the Greenways Trail. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Nona Dalke, left, and Betsy Fenner look at a map showing proposed sidewalk improvements in Monett, one of several projects in the city’s transportation plan. Murray Bishoff
times-news@monett-times.com
The Monett Community Garden, a project of the Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities Initiative, started its second year with a planting party. Lauren Holland planted rosemary, part of an expanded crop of herbs this year, with instruction from project coordinator Leesa Ginther, at rear left, as Chuck Mahan, right, looked on. Murray Bishoff/times-
news@monett-times.com
Page 12 • Friday, July 30, 2016
The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Schools: New Performing Arts Center at Monett doubles as a FEMA shelter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
could install retractable bleachers. In all, the hall would have seating for 775 people. With the square footage inside the structure, Whitehead said FEMA’s formula would have room for 1,400 people. There are no storm shelters in the city of Purdy. The Federal Census estimated in 2013, the community had a population of 1,101. Superintendent Steven Chancellor said running fiber optics would be the most difficult preparation cost. Seating, lighting, curtains, acoustical panels and accessories would roughly cost $300,000. If the FEMA portion cost $1.9 million to $2.3 million, and the preschool cost $825,000, Whitehead estimated the entire project would cost $3,175,000, if done all at once. The early childhood building would extend wider than the FEMA building, creating a “T” configuration. That leaves room, down the west side of the T, for additional classrooms, as a later date. An extra classroom, for use by the choir, could be built into the corner of the “L” shaped early childhood classroom. That could provide an ideal space for tending to crying children during events, Chancellor noted. Board members asked about locations for a loading ramp and additional doors. Whitehead advised placing all needed doors at the time of construction. FEMA buildings require so much rebar, she noted, that adding entrances later becomes very expensive if not completely impractical. The arrangement as proposed did not offer covered access to the stage for performers, which concerned board members. Chancellor planned to bring ballot language before the board to place a bond issue on the Aug. 2 ballot. If approved, the district could move rapidly into the design and bidding stages, having the necessary 25 percent match for a FEMA grant in hand. If FEMA funding does not come through, Chancellor would like to move forward adding classrooms on the southwest corner of the elementary school, in a hallway extending south. Outside of storm shelters, Monett schools has also applied for the fourth and fifth years of funding for its Healthy Schools/ Healthy Communities Initiative through the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH), anticipating the successful conclusion of Monett as a pilot project for the organization. According to Alex Severs, wellness coordinator for the school district, notification of approval should come by Aug. 1. As the program approaches its conclusion, MFH wanted the application narrative to concentrate on successfully implemented programs and what would prove sustainable for the future. The bottom line measurement, decreasing the body mass index of students by 5 percent over the five-year course of grant funding, appears to be working. Students are measured at fifth grade, and Severs said a reduction showed in measurements at the end of the second year. Among the program’s big successes has been the Morning Mile at the elementary and intermediate schools. At Monett Elementary, grades two and under, the Morning Mile is offered daily from 7:30-7:45 a.m., outdoors or in the gym. Average participation runs from 300 to 400, reported Assistant Principal Sarah Garner, and as many as
519 students have participated at least once. Total miles logged this year have topped 3,300. At the fifth- and sixth-grade campus, the Morning Mile is offered every school morning from 7:20-7:40 a.m., unless the weather is unsuitable. Between 50 and 100 students participate daily. Principal Peg Winfrey said participants have walked approximately 2,500 miles this school year. The Walk to School program has been one of the big picture goals. Similar programs exist in all 50 states. Severs and Patty Bounous, community outreach coordinator for the school’s program, attended a Safe Routes to School conference to learn more from others with similar programs and about funding options after the grant. Shawn Hayden, coordinator for the community grant run through Cox Monett Hospital, has focused on enhancing participation with bicycles and other transportation methods. Severs has discussed which of the program additions have potential for continuation after grant funding expires. Having health champions at each campus, a resource person whom others can approach with questions or who can introduce ideas to enhance healthy lifestyles, seemed like the easiest innovation to build upon. Severs noted Monett Elementary has introduced Cubs on the Move, a twice-a-month physical activity after school. Each session offers something different, such as soccer coach Cristobal Villa teaching soccer skills to children. Another instructor introduced students to clogging. Volunteer Don Inman plans to bring kites for students to try on April 25. This program has no cost and is entirely run by volunteers. The middle school’s Power Hour offers afterschool activities in the physical fitness room or an open gym, run by teachers Amber Holman and Justin Semerad. The Training Team, offered at the intermediate campus, offers a physical activity based around health education not in the curriculum on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students can walk or run a mile or do group games of their choice. Severs felt this was a very sustainable program, since the school acquired the needed equipment. Severs anticipated revisiting the sustainability of different activities at the next of the next year. She said Superintendent Brad Hanson has not talked about whether the wellness coordinator post, created to oversee the use of the grant, would continue after the grant funds end. The program still faces some challenges, which Severs cited. Reaching out to the Hispanic community remains a major issue. Letters have been sent to homes in both English and Spanish. More Hispanics have joined committees participating in activities. Hayden has been particularly proactive on this area, Severs noted. Planning activities around ongoing construction in the district became an unexpected challenge, one that will continue into the coming year with the construction of a storm shelter at Central Park Elementary. During the third year of the grant, several innovations have been introduced. Water bottle filling stations have been added in the fifth grade hallway at the intermediate school, set on top of water fountains. While there have always been water fountains, the idea of a water bottle filling station offered encouragement to
The Monett High School Choir, under the direction of Courtney Wright, sang three selections to open the performing arts center concert. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com drink water and to save the landfill from plastic bottle waste. The filling machine registers how many bottles have been saved with each filling. A sidewalk has been added this year at Monett Elementary to encourage bike riding. Switching the entrance to Learning Lane, entering off County Street, added a significant distance to the route, particularly with no sidewalks on County to move bikers out of traffic. A new sidewalk from the old Circle Drive off Dunn, cutting through the playground, gives bikers a new path to the entrance. Healthy Kids Day, an all-day event, is being introduced at the intermediate school. Fifth- and sixth-graders go through six sessions, 40 minutes each, some with lectures and some with activities. Among the 14 presenters, retired industrialist Bob Berger will take the day to teach fishing skills. A speaker will come from the curriculum-based Girls on the Run program, as well as a speaker who will focus on Boys Matter, and another who will talk about the danger of power drinks. Healthy Activities Day is also planned around the district, focusing on life skills not offered in the classroom. Severs expects to see students introduced to such activities as bowling and Taekwondo. A Bike Ped committee has started that will extend information about walking and biking safety, as well as engaging in community outreach to educate motorists on how to interact with bikers in the street. In the fourth year of the program, Severs plans to continue all the programs previously started and build upon them, such as Walk to School. She hopes to have a Walking School Bus program in place in the final years of the effort. She is looking at some pilot mini-programs to begin in the fall. Each campus is looking at beginning its own school garden. The middle school plans to partner with its family and consumer science class, combining it with curriculum there. At Central Park Elementary, Principal Jennifer Wallace will acquire a projector for use in the gym for beforeschool activities. The wellness committee at Central Park is discussing ways to introduce Cubs on the Move for their students. Severs anticipates seeing more use of interactive classroom furniture. Lisa Essley, the campus health champion and one of the math teachers at the middle school, plans to experiment using a standing desk that fits over a regular desk. The intermediate school has some balance disc seats, similar to sitting on a stability ball, but the discs will not roll
Members of the Monett High School Concert Band made a big sound playing their show, “Infinity,” for the grand opening concert. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
The Monett Healthy Schools, Healthy Community Initiative resumed its monthly cooking sessions on Monday at the Scott Regional Technology Center. Heather Halterman, with the University of Missouri Extension Service, whipped up a cinnamon grape salad, one of several dishes on the menu. Serving up a portion, from left, are: Caelyn Hilton, Colton Watson, Remy Watson and Liberty Watson. Shawn Hayden, coordinator for the initiative with Cox Monett Hospital, said around 20 people have attended the cooking sessions, which have been held every month for the past year expect for July, and should continue into the new school year. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com
Fall Walk To School Week got underway on Monday in Monett, repeating the April ritual to encourage healthy and active lifestyles, part of the Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities Initiative. On Tuesday morning, Monett Elementary School physical education teacher Magan McPheeters, left, led the procession from Cox Monett Hospital to Dunn Steet, then west to the school. Patty Bounous led another group south from North Park. Murray Bishoff/times-news@monett-times.com out from under the user. The middle school will join
the intermediate school in using more of those next
year, making notes for Severs on their value.
The Monett Times
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 13
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Progress 2016
The Monett Times
The Monett Times
Progress 2016
Friday, July 30, 2016 • Page 15
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