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"Boise" redirects here. For other uses, see Boise (disambiguation).
| Boise, Idaho | |||
| Boise, Idaho | |||
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| Nickname: City of Trees | |||
| Motto: Energy Peril Success | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Idaho | ||
| County | Ada | ||
| Founded | 1863 | ||
| Incorporated | 1864 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | David H. Bieter | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 64 sq mi (165.8 km²) | ||
| - Land | 63.8 sq mi (165.2 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 2,700 ft (823 m) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - City | 211,473 | ||
| - Metro | 643,650 | ||
| Time zone | Mountain Standard Time (UTC-7) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-6) | ||
| Area code(s) | 208 | ||
| Website: http://www.cityofboise.org | |||
Boise (pronounced /ˈbɔɪsi/) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the county seat of Ada County and the principal city of the Boise metropolitan area. It is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon and thus serves as the primary government, economic, cultural, and transportation center for the area.
As of the 2006 estimate (and according to the city\'s official website) Boise\'s population was 211,473Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Idaho, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (SUB-EST2006-04-16) Accessed 16 July 2007, with a metropolitan area estimated to have 635,450 inhabitants. This is the most populous metropolitan area in Idaho. The nearby city of Nampa is the second largest city in the state.
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Boise is located in southwestern Idaho, approximately 41 miles (66 km) east of the Oregon border, and 110 miles (180 km) north of the Nevada border. The downtown core sits at an elevation of 2,704 feet (824 m) above sea level.
Most of the metropolitan area lies on a broad, relatively-flat plain. Mountains (known to locals as the Boise foothills) rise up to the northeast, stretching from the far southeastern tip of the Boise city limits, up to Eagle, and are sometimes described as the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. About 34 miles (55 km) southwest of Boise, and about 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Nampa, the Owyhee Mountains lie entirely in neighboring Owyhee County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 64.0 square miles (165.8 km²), 63.8 sq mi (165.2 km²)of which is land.
Boise\'s climate is characterized as semi-arid with four distinct seasons. Boise experiences hot and dry summers where temperatures can often reach triple digits, as well as cold winters with fair amounts of snowfall. Rainfall is usually infrequent and light, averaging less than 2 inches (51 mm) per month. March is the wettest month with an average of 1.41 inches (36 mm). August is the driest month with 0.30 inches (7.6 mm) of rain. Spring and fall are generally temperate.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F (°C) | 63 (17.2) | 71 (21.7) | 81 (27.2) | 92 (33.3) | 99 (37.2) | 109 (42.8) | 111 (43.9) | 110 (43.3) | 102 (38.9) | 94 (34.4) | 78 (25.6) | 65 (18.3) |
| Norm High °F (°C) | 36.7 (2.6) | 44.5 (6.9) | 53.6 (12.0) | 61.7 (16.5) | 70.7 (21.5) | 80.3 (26.8) | 89.2 (31.8) | 88 (31.1) | 77.2 (25.1) | 64.3 (17.9) | 47.5 (8.6) | 37.2 (2.9) |
| Norm Low °F (°C) | 23.6 (-4.7) | 28.8 (-1.8) | 34 (1.1) | 39.4 (4.1) | 46.6 (8.1) | 54.2 (12.3) | 60.3 (15.7) | 59.8 (15.4) | 51.2 (10.7) | 41.3 (5.2) | 32.4 (0.2) | 24.1 (-4.4) |
| Rec Low °F (°C) | -17 (-27.2) | -15 (-26.1) | 6 (-14.4) | 19 (-7.2) | 22 (-5.6) | 31 (-0.6) | 35 (1.7) | 34 (1.1) | 23 (-5.0) | 11 (-11.7) | -3 (-19.4) | -25 (-31.7) |
| Precip in (mm) | 1.39 (35) | 1.14 (29) | 1.41 (36) | 1.27 (32) | 1.27 (32) | 0.74 (19) | 0.39 (10) | 0.3 (8) | 0.76 (19) | 0.76 (19) | 1.38 (35) | 1.38 (35) |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com [1] | ||||||||||||
It is commonly accepted that the area was referred to as Boise long before the establishment of Fort Boise. However, the exact details of how the name came to be applied to the area differ in the available accounts.
Some credit a story told of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville of the US Army as the source of the name. After trekking for weeks through dry and rough terrain, his exploration party reached an overlook with a view of the Boise River Valley. The place where they stood is called Bonneville Point, and is located on the Oregon Trail east of the city. According to the story, a French-speaking guide, overwhelmed by the sight of the verdant river, yelled "Les Bois! Les Bois!" giving the area the name.
But the name "Boise" may actually derive from earlier mountain man usage, which contributed their naming of the river that flows through it. In the 1820s, French Canadian fur trappers set trap lines in the vicinity where Boise now lies. In a high desert area, the tree-lined valley of the Boise River became a prominent landmark. They called this "La Riviere Boise", which means "the wooded river."
The original Fort Boise was 40 miles (64 km) west, down the Boise River, near the confluence with the Snake River at the Oregon border. This fort was erected by the Hudson\'s Bay Company in the 1830s. It was abandoned in the 1850s, but massacres along the Oregon Trail prompted the U.S. Army to re-establish a fort in the area in 1863, during the U.S. Civil War. The new location was selected because it was near the intersection of the Oregon Trail and a major road connecting the Boise Basin (Idaho City) and the Owyhee mining areas. Both areas were booming at the time. Idaho City was the largest city in the area, and as a staging area to Idaho City, Fort Boise grew rapidly. Boise was incorporated as a city in 1864. The first capital of the Idaho Territory was Lewiston, but Boise replaced it in 1865.
The U.S. Assay Office at 210 Main Street was built in 1871 and is a National Historic Landmark.
Boise and its surrounding metropolitan area have seen dramatic growth through the 1990s and 2000s. As of 2004, the metropolitan area (Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle) had a population of 526,656.http://www.cityofboise.org/pds/economic/Population_Boise_Nampa.pdf The Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) estimated Boise\'s 2005 population at just over 208,000 people.http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-apr2505-boise_growth.213048919.html That is up 11 percent from the 2000 Census figures below.
Boise has grown considerably in recent years and is now comparable in size to other mid-size cities at the center of their own metropolitan areas in the United States. Comparable cities are Grand Rapids, Des Moines and Providence.http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metropop/table01.xls
As of the estimateAmerican FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. of 2006, there were 211,473 people, 74,438 households, and 46,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,913.1/sq mi. There were 77,850 housing units at an average density of 1,220.7/sq mi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.15% White, 0.77% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.74% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. 4.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.The top 5 heritage groups in Boise are · German - 19%[2] · English - 16% · Irish - 11% · Scottish - 3% · Norwegian - 3%
There were 74,438 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city, the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,432, and the median income for a family was $52,014. Males had a median income of $36,893 versus $26,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,696. About 5.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 6% of those age 65 or over.
Boise frequently receives national recognition for its quality of life and business climate. Some recent national rankings:
Boise is the headquarters for several major companies, such as Washington Group International (successor to Morrison Knudsen), Micron Technology (the area\'s largest private employer"Growth drives a hot economy", Idaho Statesman, 25 November 2006, <http://www.idahostatesman.com/281/story/55810.html>. Retrieved on 15 August 2007.), Albertsons (a major supermarket chain now owned by Supervalu), the J.R. Simplot Company and Hewlett Packard\'s printer division. Other major industries are headquartered in Boise or have large manufacturing facilities there. High tech industries are becoming increasingly vital to Boise\'s economy. State government is one of the city\'s biggest employers.
Boise is also the headquarters of Idaho Power, Boise Cascade, Idaho Pacific Lumber Company, WinCo Foods and Idaho Timber Corporation. Technology investment and the high-tech industry have become increasingly important to the city, with businesses including Bodybuilding.com, Crucial.com, MarkMonitor, Sybase, Kayako and Microsoft. The call center industry is also one of the area\'s major sources of employment; there are over 20 call centers in the city employing more than 7,000 people, including Teleperformance, DIRECTV and T-Mobile. "Call-center industry rises here", Spokane Journal of Business, 12 January 2001, <http://www.spokanejournal.com/index.php?id=article&sub=147&keyword=>. Retrieved on 15 August 2007..
Varney Airlines, founded by Walter Varney, was formed in Boise. The company is the root of present day United Airlines, which still serves the city at the newly renovated and upgraded Boise Airport.
The city is home to the Boise School District, which includes 34 elementary schools, 8 junior high schools, 5 high schools and 2 specialty schools. Part of the Meridian School District (the largest district in Idaho) overlaps into Boise city limits.
The city is home to six public high schools: Boise High School, Borah High School, Capital High School, Timberline High School as well as the Meridian district\'s Centennial High School and the alternative Mountain Cove High School. Boise\'s private schools include Bishop Kelly High School (Catholic), Foothills School of Arts and Sciences and Baccalaureate accredited Riverstone Community School.
Post-secondary educational options in Boise include Boise State University and George Fox University, as well as a wide range of technical schools. University of Idaho and Idaho State University each maintain a satellite campus in Boise. Boise is home to Boise Bible College, an undergraduate degree-granting college that exists to train leaders for churches as well as missionaries for the world. Nearby Meridian is home to a campus of the University of Phoenix.
Boise is one of the largest cities in the United States that does not have a community college. The issue has received a fair amount of attention from city and state officials in recent years. As of May 2007 a community college special district was formed, with the intention of starting a community college in Nampa, Idaho. http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060705/NEWS06/607050353&SearchID=73250361353015
Numbering about 15,000, Boise\'s Basque community is the second largest such community in the United States after Bakersfield, California and the fourth largest in the world outside Argentina, Venezuela and the Basque Country in Spain and France.http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050725/NEWS01/507250326/1022/NEWS04 A large Basque festival known as Jaialdi is held once every five years (next in 2010). Downtown Boise features a vibrant section known as the "Basque Block". Boise\'s mayor, David H. Bieter, is of Basque descent.
Boise is also a regional hub for jazz and theater. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival is hosted in Boise each spring. The city is also home to a number of museums, including the Boise Art Museum, Idaho Historical Museum, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, Idaho Black History Museum and the Discovery Center of Idaho. Several theater groups operate in the city, including the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise Little Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theater, and Prairie Dog Productions. On the first Thursday of each month, a gallery stroll is hosted in the city\'s core business district by the Downtown Boise Association. The city also has an Egyptian Theatre. In the Fall season, Downtown Boise hosts a film festival called Idaho International Film Festival.
The Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center offers water features and wildlife experiences just east of downtown. It is located adjacent to Municipal Park.http://www.cityofboise.org/parks/parks_facilities/parks/index.aspx?id=municipal_park_facts/ It features live fish and wildlife exhibits, viewing areas into the water, bird and butterfly gardens, waterfalls, and a free visitor\'s center.
In 1896, the Ahavath Beth Israel Temple was completed to serve the Jewish community of Boise. Avavath Beth Israel is the nation\'s oldest continually-used temple on the western side of the Mississippi.
Boise (along with Valley and Boise Counties) will host the Winter 2009 Special Olympics World Games. More than 2,500 athletes from over 85 countries will participate.http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Press_Room/Global_news/Boise+site+of+2009+Games.htm
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise Hawks | Northwest League | Baseball | Memorial Stadium | 1987 | 6 |
| Idaho Steelheads | ECHL | Ice Hockey | Qwest Arena | 1996 | 2 |
| Boise Burn | af2 | Arena Football | Qwest Arena | 2007 | 0 |
| Idaho Stampede | D-League | Basketball | Qwest Arena | 1997 | 0 |
The State Capitol in Boise, Idaho
A number of recreational opportunities are available in Boise, including extensive hiking and biking in the foothills to the immediate north of downtown. Much of this trail network is part of Hull\'s Gulch and can be accessed by 8th street. An extensive urban trail system called the Boise River Greenbelt that runs along the river. The Boise River itself is a common destination for fishing, swimming and rafting.
In Julia Davis Park is Zoo Boise, which has over 200 animals representing over 80 species from around the world. An Africa exhibit expected to include lions and giraffes is currently under construction, slated to open in late 2008.
Bogus Basin Mountain Resort hosts several winter activities, including cross-country and downhill skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. “Bogus” is just 16 miles (26 km) outside city limits (less than an hour drive from downtown).
Minor professional sports teams in Boise include the short-season Class A Boise Hawks (Minor League Baseball), the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL, and the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League. An arenafootball2 franchise, the Boise Burn, began play in 2007.
On the sports entertainment front, Boise is also the home of a DIY all-female, flat track roller derby league, the Treasure Valley Rollergirls.
The Boise State University campus is home to Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, which hosts local and national fine arts performances; Bronco Stadium, the 30,000 seat football stadium known for its blue AstroPlay field; and Taco Bell Arena, a 12,000 seat basketball and entertainment venue which opened in 1982 as the BSU Pavillion. Boise State University is known primarily for the recent successes of its football team, although it is also a fairly well regarded commuter school for undergraduate students.
The Roady\'s Humanitarian Bowl football game (formerly known as the Humanitarian Bowl and later the MPC Computers Bowl) is held in late December of each year, and pairs a team from the Western Athletic Conference with an Atlantic Coast Conference team.
The World Center for Birds of Prey is located just outside city limits, and is a key part of the re-establishment of the Peregrine falcon and the subsequent removal from the Endangered Species list. The center is currently breeding the very rare California condor, among many other rare and endangered species.
The city has been cited by publications like Forbes, Fortune and Sunset for its quality of life.
The cornerstone mall in Boise, Boise Towne Square Mall, is also a major shopping attraction for Boise, Nampa, Caldwell, and surrounding areas and has recently been through an upgrade along with adding new retailers.
Boise is also the home of Alejandro Ciniglio, a computer scientist who currently resides in the basement of Murray-Dodge Hall at Princeton University. Next year, he will be shifting location to the Colonial Club - where will his true loyalties lie? Only time will tell.
The greater-Boise area is served by two daily newspapers, The Idaho Statesman and the Idaho Press-Tribune; a free weekly publication, the Boise Weekly; two city magazines, "Boise Journal" and "Boise Home"; weekly business publications; 5 commercial TV stations, a PBS station; and a number of radio stations. For more see Media in Boise, Idaho.
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The major Interstate serving Boise is I-84, with I-184 branching toward the northeast. There is also a network of bike paths throughout the city and surrounding region.
Commercial air service is provided at the Boise Airport, recently renovated to accommodate the growing number of passengers flying in and out of Boise. Public bus transportation is provided by ValleyRide and the Boise Urban Stages (BUS).
Despite Boise\'s small population, it occupies a large area, 64 sq mi according to the United States Census Bureau. Like most major metropolitan areas it is divided into several named parts. These include the Bench, the North End, West Boise and Downtown among others.
Downtown Boise is Boise\'s cultural center and home to many small businesses and several high-rises. Downtown Boise has an array of shopping and dining choices. Centrally, 8th street contains a pedestrian zone with street side cafes and restaurants. Downtown Boise is home to many local restaurants, bars and boutiques and supports a lively night life.
Downtown Boise\'s economy was threatened in the late 1990\'s by extensive growth around the Boise Towne Square Mallhttp://www.boisetownesquare.com/html/index3.asp (away from the city center) and an increasing number of shopping centers which have sprung up around new housing developments. Events such as Alive-after-Fivehttp://www.downtownboise.org/m_events/dba_alive_after_5.cfm/ and First Thursdayhttp://www.downtownboise.org/m_events/dba_first_thursday.cfm/ have been created to combat this trend.
The North End contains many of Boise\'s older homes and is known for its tree-lined drives such as Harrison Boulevard, and for its quiet neighborhoods near the downtown area. From Camel\'s Back Parkhttp://www.cityofboise.org/parks/Parks_facilities/parks/index.aspx?id=cb_park_facts/ one can gain a view of Downtown Boise and the sea of trees that is the North End. On 13th Street, Hyde Parkhttp://www.northend.org/hydepark.htm is home to four small restaurants (three with outdoor dining) and businesses. The North End also hosts two events such as the annual Hyde Park Street Fair.
Southwest Boise has traditionally been known for its more country-like aesthetics. It contains sparsely populated neighborhoods built from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Many include acre-sized plots and the occasional farmhouse and pastures. Growth in the area was limited in the 1980s due to a moratorium on new construction to prevent urban sprawl. Since this has been lifted there has been widespread growth of new homes and neighborhoods. The area lies fairly close to Interstate 84, theaters, shopping, the airport, and the Boise Bench area.
Northwest Boise lies blanketed against the Boise Foothills to the north, the major thoroughfare State Street to the south, the City of Eagle to the west, and Downtown Boise to the east. It contains an eclectic mix of old and new neighborhoods, including Lakeharbor, which features the private Silver Lake, a reclaimed quarry. Northwest Boise has some pockets of older homes with a similar aesthetic to the North End, yet housing prices tend to be lower. Downtown is minutes away, as is Veteran\'s Memorial Parkhttp://www.cityofboise.org/parks/parks_facilities/parks/index.aspx?id=vm_park_facts/ and easy access to the Boise Greenbelt. Across the river sits the Boise Bench and to the west is fast access to the bedroom communities of Eagle, Star, and Middleton.
Warm Springs is centered around the tree-lined drive Warm Springs Avenue and contains many of Boise\'s largest and most expensive homes (many of which were erected by wealthy miners and businessmen around the turn of the century; Victorian styles feature prominently). The area gets its name from the natural hot springs that flow from Boise\'s fault line and warm many of the homes in the area.
The far east end of Warm Springs was once known as Barber Town, featuring a hotel with hot springs nestled into the foothills. It now has some new residential developments, with easy access to Highway 21, which leads to the south-central Idaho mountains; the Boise River; the Boise Foothills; and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
South East Boise spans from Boise State University to Micron Technology - all areas between Federal Way and the Boise River. The older area just south of the University can be described as a cross between the North End and the Boise bench. The rest of South East Boise was developed in the last thirty years with suburban style homes. Unlike the more typical flat suburban sprawl, residents of South East Boise are reminded of their city\'s natural beauty as they catch a close view of Table Rock, or drive along the winding Parkcenter Blvd. along the Boise River. Columbia Village and the older subdivision Oregon Trail Heights, were the first major planned communities in South East Boise with an elementary and middle school all within walking distance from all homes. Developed with the middle carved out for schools and a large soccer complex (over 20 fields), as well as a baseball complex, swimming pools, and the best view in the valley. Most people consider this end of Boise a hidden gem as just about everything is about 15 minutes from home: the river, greenbelt, the mountains, lakes, snow, high mountain desert, and more. The subdivision is located at the intersections of Interstate 84, Idaho 21, and Federal Way (former US Highway), which are all major arteries to get anywhere in Boise.
The Boise Bench is south of Downtown Boise and is raised in elevation approximately 60 feet (18 m). The bench is named such because the sudden rise in elevation gives the prominent appearance of a step, or bench. The Bench (or Benches, there are 3 actual benches throughout the Boise Valley) was created as an ancient shoreline to the old river channel. The Bench is home to the old Boise Train Depot and extensive residential neighborhoods. Due south of the Boise Bench is the Boise Airport,http://www.cityofboise.org/transportation/airport/ raised up on another "bench".
West Boise is home to Boise Towne Square Mall, the largest in the state, as well as numerous resturaunts, strip malls, and residential developments ranging from new subdivisions to apartment complexes. Hewlett Packard\'s Printing Division is located here.
The name Boise comes from the French word boisé, which means "wooded". Many people assume that it means "tree", but the French word for "tree" is arbre, whereas the word bois means "wood". One legend claims that French-Canadian fur trappers of the early 1800s came over the mountains looked down upon the Boise River Valley and exclaimed "Les Bois!" (the wood!). This is also how Boise gained its nickname \'The City of Trees\'. In actuality, the name was apparently a translation of an earlier English name for the Boise River, the Wood River. Wood River was traditional called Pine River, but was changed in 1867.
Natives (generally those who have lived in the area longer) use the pronunciation of "Boise" as a shibboleth, insisting that [bɔɪsi] (pronounced with a light \'s\') is the only correct pronunciation. Others not native to Boise consider [bɔɪzi] (pronounced with a heavy s or \'z\' sound) to be an equally valid pronunciation. According to the official city website, the correct way to say Boise is [bɔɪsi].http://www.cityofboise.org/public_information/
Boise will host the 2009 Winter Special Olympics. It will be split around Ada and Boise counties. The events will be hosted at Idaho IceWorld, Tamarack Resort, Bogus Basin Mountain Resort, and the Qwest Arena. This coming February, there will be a test or mock Olympics to see whether Boise can accommodate having it held here. The event will cost an estimated $28 million. Approximately $8-9 million has already been pledged and another $8 million is expected from the government. As of November, President Bush vetoed a bill that would give the $8 million to the State for the Olympics, as expected.
On February 2, 2008, a crowd of more than 15,000 people showed up to a rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama at the Taco Bell Arena, with several thousand turned away after seating filled. A few days later, on February 5, 2008, Ada County Democrats [3] set a record for the largest Democratic caucus ever held. More than 10,000 crowded into Qwest Arena and thousands more were lined up outside, unable to enter before the deadline. Barack Obama\'s visit paid off, as he received more than 85% of the delegates and was the only candidate to earn committed delegates.
The Old Boise Train Depot |
Boisenight.jpg
Boise Downtown |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
| Municipalities and communities of Ada County, Idaho | ||
|---|---|---|
| County seat: Boise | ||
| Cities |
Boise | Eagle | Garden City | Kuna | Meridian | Star |
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