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Sonoma County. The chosen spot of all the earth as far as nature is concerned, according to the famed plant wizard Luther Burbank Diverse County, with 1,010,000 acres of land on 1574 miles of scenic roadways, Cinema County is rightfully famed for its agriculture did a culture, industry

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and recreation, as well as for the amazingly successful ethnic and economic mixture of its more than 340,000 residents on for the forward looking philosophy of its local governing bodies. Now we invite you to take a closer look at Sonoma County in the eighties with your host,

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Rich McGlinchy. I know everybody. Welcome to another edition of Sonoma County in the eighties. You know, if you follow us on this program, you know that we interview officials of county government, private nonprofit agencies, schools and other related agencies. We do this in order to bring

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you a little bit better understanding about these agencies. Also, some understanding about what services are available where, when, what cost, if any, Today we're gonna be talking to Joseph Joey Dota, the director of the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. We learn what recreational facilities are available

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in Sonoma County today, we're gonna learn about some of the things that are planned for the future. In just a moment, we're going to talk to Jones. Start that question and answering, but the family do that. I want to call your attention to the art on

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the set today. This artist by Joe Hoffman, who is a professional artist, an illustrator and has been for 50 years. He specialized in horse sport art since 1970. Now this sculptor is Arctic Breeze the second. This is a horse that instead in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut has

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sired many field hunters. Next with the old bones, this is Exterminator Terminated won the Kentucky Derby in 1918 at 30 to 1. For those of you who like to bet a barber, too, he also won 50 out of 100 total races at distances from five furlongs

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to two and 1/4 miles. And lastly, Sir Barton and those of you who follow horse racing know that Sir Barton was the original Triple Crown winner in 1990. He won the Derby by five links, then won the Preakness and Belmont in 13 starts at the Trigger

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role. He was never out of the money. Joe Hawkman, incidentally, is also very well noted for his race of the century prints, which is still available 2020 by four lithographs. And you can get those by contacting Joe Hoffman in Occidental. Joe Ricotta. I have your back

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visiting again. You know, jump. As a matter of fact, it has been a long time that you came and talked with us and his result of that. A lot of people have moved into the county since in because we are gaining population, as you well know

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every week. Ah, let's go back and tell them a little bit about you. And also about the park system. First of all, Joe, what about you? When did you join the snowmen? County government staff? Well, I came in 1967. I was much younger man in those

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days where we all Joe you were. You were From where? Well, previously I was the director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Sandra Fell in Marin County. You were also a basketball player at us. Well, I dabbled at it way back to go to

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some national championship. Yeah, Yeah, we USF went to the n i T championship, and that was a big in the even bigger than Yensi to a morning in 1949. God, that's 40 years ago, boy. Well, that's great. This year, anniversary. And, Joe, when you came to

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this Norman County parks, the department you formed it against, actually, uh, what did the park and recreational facilities in Cinema County consistent? Well, rich, you know, really? There wasn't a park system there was. I remember the only thing that the county had at the time and

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I went out looked at it before I took the job. And it, uh it almost frightened me The fact that it was gonna be such a challenge. But it was out in Bodega Bay. The, uh, county had what was used as a park, but it was

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called door and spit. And, uh, it was a beach area, and all it had out there was, ah, road into it, and a bunch of chemical toilets scattered throughout. And people used to go out there and camp and fish and so forth. And that was what

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was that? You did have the beach up and up. It Healdsburg. The They have the old veterans Memorial Beach on That was that was it. That was the product system? Yeah. Come along with 1960. As a matter of fact, you celebrated last year. The 20th anniversary

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of you know, we got a regional parks department, right? We had a really, uh, well received yearlong celebration of the 20th anniversary. Not only that, you received a state award for for that published camping? Yeah. The California Parks and Recreation Society honored us with the most

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outstanding public relations program for the for the year promoting that. All right, Joe, let's briefly, for the sake of our audience, especially our new audience. Well, take a look at some of the park and recreational areas in the county. I know. Probably the further the 1st

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1 Further north. I guess I should say would be Gralla Park, Right? And what What is that like? Well, up on the north coast of the very far end of our county along the wall, a river Jason to Mendocino County is is our northernmost park called

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while all a regional park. It was featured, incidentally, in this and the access that Sea ranch was featured in Sunset magazine this past month's article, um, that was acquired in the early seventies with the Sea Ranch and the controversy about ocean access and moving on down

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the coast. We acquired still Water Cove part, which is a very popular skin diving area, camping and long down the coastline dotted throughout is to some state parks that were added to the system since 67. Assault point, uh, Park was added as a state park down

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in Bodega. We, uh, we renovated and improved or in spit. We now call it the Dorn Beach Regional Facility. Very heavily used, very popular West Side Park over on the other side of bodega, very popular launching facility for fishermen and camping. Ah, interior. We have, Ah,

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Hood Mountain, which is a wilderness park just 20 minutes from downtown Santa Rosa and, I think, the jewel of our system, Spring Lake, which is right in the Santa Rosa area, the large reservoir that creates a spring Lake park. We had over 3/4 of a 1,000,000

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visitors a year last year in that park. It's extremely popular and well used. Uh, we have down in the Sonoma Valley, a number of parks down in the Jack London Value. The Moon, another park that was featured recently in Margot dos Peterson's column in The Chronicle.

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The Sonoma Valley Regional Park Down in the heart of the city of Sonoma, a new park called Maxwell Farms regional partner over on the central area coming down the middle of our county, Healdsburg Memorial Beach has been, ah, well improved in a very popular summer recreation

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area. When the dam is up for swimming, we have Petaluma, the park down there, named after former supervisor Helen Putnam, Putnam Regional parked, beautiful, beautiful area and near the city of Paddle UMA, near the city of Rohnert Park. We have, AH 200 acre park called the

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Crane Creek Regional Parks in the foothills of Sonoma Mountain, just five minutes from the city of Rohnert Park. Um, we have a number of special facilities in the county boat launching rams, hiking trails. Ah, bicycle trail. The new one is the old railroad right away that

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goes from us, the city of Santa Rosa to Sebastopol. We've just inquired that will be opening that up, hopefully next year. Ah, and and I think the biggest growth area is Windsor, and everything is really moving up there, and we're getting new parks up there by

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the score. Foothills Regional Park is a recent one. We have five other parks that are coming online in Windsor's. You didn't mention Regal Park in a regular part of the Atlantic Regal Ranch. It's a masterful, an ideal, you know, we're reminiscing. The other day we had

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a ceremony out there Commemorating the planting the redwood trees many years ago by one of our commissioners, and I was reminded that we paid the grand total of $400,000 for that park in 1972 for 167 acres. We won't even really real barking. What that might be

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work today, Joe. Uh, A couple other things. I want to ask you about what's going on present. You mentioned Spring Lake Park and as being with the jewel in the system. What's available there, Joe? Well, Springlake, actually is is a flood control reservoir, but it creates

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a lake that is about 50 surface acres. And there were a lot of boating activity there, no powerboats, but is for sailboats and canoes and paddleboats. We have ah tremendous system of jogging and bicycle trails that go all the way around the lake. Uh, people get

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out there real early in the morning and jog. It's Ah, we have a swimming lagoon that's there. It's the 10 acre warm spring fed Natural lagoon, very popular swimming area for people picnicking over on the on the west side of the park. We have both launching

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facilities there. Uh, it's an extremely diversified park for all ages. We have, ah, the senior citizen complex that cross. They're called spring like village. They often come over and use the park and the youngsters in the and the people before they go to work. Go out,

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jog. And some of our more well known citizens of Santa Rosa go there. Quite just used facility. Probably that we have it is most used. Yeah, and then we have camping there to go over on the west side and camp there, and you have a feeling

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that you're away from the area. But two minutes here in downtown Santa Rosa is true for your shopping or conveniences. But while you're there at spring, like you think your way out in the wilderness, you know something enhances Springlake is on the I guess it would

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be. The west side of it is the a little city park and almost a budding it, I guess. How are worth Park and the other side of the deal? And we're fortunate Here in Santa Rosa have threes. Jurisdictions having a park contiguous. Yeah, and open to

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the public and accessible to the majority of people in the county. You know one thing I want to ask it. Warm Springs. Damn! Now that's not a county park is no rich. That's operated by the United States Corps of Engineers called Lakes in Oman. What's up

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there? That is a large again reservoir. But it has camping facilities and day use and, you know, beach areas and boating facilities. Marina is in there. Um, I think it's one of the finest federal facilities around, and unfortunately here in Sonoma County, just west of Healdsburg.

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Very close by, Joe. Uh, window you mentioned is the fastest growing portion, I guess of the county and you have What is it? Kaiser Park. That's the only one we had to start with. But right now, with the in the last couple of years, we have

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gotten five additional parks in every five, all of which have been donated by the developers who are coming in and building subdivisions. And part of the process is for them to dedicate Parklands for the people that will move into to the which I think eventually may

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become the city of Windsor. But right now it's an unincorporated area, so that's why we're involved. The largest park is, um, is a 200 acre park right behind foothills uh, the subdivision area, and the park is known as the Foothills Regional Park, and it's going to

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be another spring lake. I think Richard has three small lakes were not one being large one, but it has the makings of, Ah, another spring lake in the North County. We have so many beautiful spots in this county, Joe and your people I know have. I

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have worked very, very hard in bringing about the funds, mostly from state and federal government. If I remember correctly, acquire these parks and then to develop them and enter maintain them. And, of course, the development in the maintenance is a heck of a cost After you.

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That's the ongoing cost. It's year after year. We have Teoh keep the parks up maintained. We have Teoh pick up the litter in, uh, patrol. We have to clean the restrooms and all these other factors, and it is a costly thing. We're gonna pause right here

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and that the station Bring the audience a public service announcement after which Joe Ricotta, the director of the regional parks department for Sonoma County, and I return. We'll talk more about recreational facilities in this county. When you bend a helping hand, you give yourself way. Becoming

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something so much more than words could ever say. John Denver Asking you to make your united way pledge Now, thanks to you, it works for all of us. United Way. Won't you give today the United Way? Bring happiness again. Maybe

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someone's trying to tell you something. Hello, I'm Bob Hope. You know there are nearly 300,000 disabled veterans living in California today. Many of them are unemployed or have jobs. Just don't measure up. Finding a good job can be a maze of confusion and full of dead

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ends. California's Employment Development Department may be able to help you find their job and a way out of the maze. If you're a disabled or Vietnam vet, call your local state Employment development department office. You owe it to yourself. E D. D. Serving the people of

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California Acre for Acre Wetlands support more plant and animal life than any other biological community on Earth. I'm James Michener, and fax like that intrigued me. I'd like to make use of them in my books. Moreover, it just makes me feel good to know what a

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bounty our wetlands really provide. Did you know that 1/3 of the nation's threatened or endangered species depend on wetlands for survival? Our wetlands aren't wastelands. They're wonderland. Welcome back to this tradition of Sonoma County in the eighties. We're talking about the Sonoma County regional parks, the

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parks and recreational system. After Noma County, we're talking with Joe Grano, tha the director of that division. And Joe, when you're part of it, was about to ask you a question about this nonprofit park foundation, which you have been for me. Tell us a little bit

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about that. Well, I've been working on this for a few years, Rich, and the idea that I had was to put together a, uh a non profit corporation that would be a park foundation to help in the future, expand and broaden the park system of Sonoma

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County. And people could become involved in contributing to this foundation s so that we can, uh, begin Teoh or continue to enjoy the parks, you know, in the future. It's one of the things that I'd like to dio before concluding my career here in Sonoma County.

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And I've developed a short film that shows of the some of the park scenes and the purpose of this Park foundation that I think explains it more thoroughly than I could. Okay, right, Joe, we have that film here, so let's roll that film way. Make parks

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because people love to play. We save open space because we need to get out and stretch way. Protect beautiful places for peace and relaxation. We value the meadows, beaches, mountains and lakes. We save wildlands to explore because we cherish adventure. We preserve special places to rise

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above the routine to meet together as a community. We make parks close to home to assure freedom of movement. We make pathways beyond busy roads and because our health and vitality are priceless. We value the opportunities that parks provide. Sonoma County is a park, and its

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environment is a park setting. The Russian River, the ocean, the valleys. We have 65 miles of coastline. In our county. We have thousands and thousands people using the parts. We do parks in phases. We start with a plan. We try to develop a master plan for

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the park. And we don't do this in a vacuum. We do this with the community and the people that are going to use the park. Yes, it is expensive because, you know, apart from the glamour things, we have to pick up the garbage. We have to

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clean the restroom. We have the patrol. We have lifeguards at all our beaches and our lakes. If no one had considered their value before, we wouldn't have parks today throughout Sonoma County. If we didn't care about the future, we wouldn't purchase, build and restore part. As

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our county's population has grown by 1/3 park use has increased nearly 10 times, While more people are enjoying our parks more often today, Sonoma County is falling behind in meeting future needs. We have the lowest percentage of public lands in the Bay Area 6% compared to

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an average of 16% in eight neighboring counties. Our county's general plan calls for 19 acres of regional Parkland for 1000 residents by the year 2000. Today we have less than half of that for the people who live here now, present tax dollars and user fees barely

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cover maintenance costs. Development fees help but are not sufficient to meet our needs for new park lands. Looking back, this is how our regional park system has evolved from scenic parks, where people get away and relax two local parks where people get involved for the fun

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of it. Our original parks made money with campsites. Development and maintenance costs were modest by comparison. Community parks cost more to buy build on maintained. Their revenues are small, but their ongoing costs are high. Landscaped playing fields, picnic areas and playgrounds are in demand near our

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growing communities. And as more people make Sonoma County their home, are regional parks adapt to meet new needs? Our whole system of parks is doing more with less. Our hopes of providing for the future are put off while we rush to keep up with increasing costs

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urgently. A special source of funding is needed for Sonoma County. Answering that call is a new foundation. Nonprofit Parks Foundation establishes support for park acquisitions, development and restoration. The foundation's separate board of directors can act quickly, directly and objectively for the good of the people. Free

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from governmental time restraints. The foundation allows us to buy the best land at the best price necessary. Structures and equipment can be purchased quickly to develop new parks. The foundation's nonprofit structure permits people to make tax deductible contributions. These funds form a protected investment that earned

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further dollars for our parks. Individuals can also deed lands with restrictions to ensure that they retain their function as parks. Equipment can be donated to build and repair park sites. Most important are your financial gifts. To ensure the future of Sonoma County parks, we need your

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help Donate funds to the Sonoma County Parks Foundation. Your generosity will establish a living legacy that is unlike any other. Your support will secure the future of our Sonoma County parks, where the oldest and simplest of human pleasures are found, where our Children and our Children's

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Children will continue to play together here they will stretch and grow stronger, enjoying our rivers, beaches, meadows and lakes. And this is your gift to them To relax in silence, to adventure in wilder landscapes, to meet together as a community and to enjoy the natural variety

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and vitality of our beautiful Sonoma County. You know, that's quite a film that tells the story pretty well. I think it does. Okay. And you think this park foundation will get off the ground? Oh, I'm very encouraged. Uh, we've gotten a number

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of people together so far to try to form this some of the very committed and well known people throughout the county. And I'm really please that they have, you know, lend their support to this. And I'm encouraged, Rich. I think that it will really take off

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and be an asset Teoh to our county and the people here in Sonoma for the future. Well, you know, people in our carry Joe are good. They are good about volunteering. We've had lots of people helping some county government level. They're very good about parting with

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money money because they believe in the park system, for one thing, and they enjoy it. Well, we're very pleased about that. Two metric. We have a great number of volunteers in our parks to and believe me, without that, we couldn't do it. My hats off to

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the many volunteers that we have in our parks thing. About two minutes left. There's two things I want to be sure to ask you. One of them is spread point. Marina is proving extremely. It's a beautiful place and it's proving extremely successful, right? Yes, Rich, I'm

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real pleased and proud that Spud Point Marina is wonderful. It was described as the best facility in the North Coast, and I'm a real tickled about that. But it is very successful financially, and and I'm pleased to say that it's getting all of the support that

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it needs financially to make it go. And I think that that is one of the reasons that the day job, a community in the fishing industry, has prospered. And spud point is certainly wonderful facility about one minute, and I understand you not only have led tours

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to Europe tourist to Australia during your vacation in the last couple years, I understand you're going behind the Iron Curtain next. Yes, Well, yes. I'm really pleased that the California Parks and Recreation Society is again asked me to lead another park tour. And we are going

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to the Soviet Union. Uh, we're going to be in Moscow, Leningrad, Tbilisi and Kiev and looking at their parks and talking to the park officials in the Soviet Union And June, We're leaving June 18th and, uh, we're really looking forward to that rich. It's gonna be

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a great trip when Joe, I think it will be. And I'm sure the people who will go with you will enjoy it. Joe, it's really nice to have you back with us again. My pleasure. Yeah, I bet you when I when I no longer here. All

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right, Come and get you anyway. Wait. That you liken. Uh, at least second guessed Your general data is responsible for developing this no account parking recreational system. Probably more so than any other person. And everybody in the county of your feels a thank you is in

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order. My name is written. A letter to pickup program. Is Saddam accounting in the eighties? I'll be back with you next week for another member of the county government, family or related agency. Until then, Good night. Good luck and good health. Everyone. Yeah,