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Glasscock County News
Baccalaureate to be Held at School At
the suggestion of School Superintendent Steve Long, the GCISD Board of
Trustees voted unanimously March 19 (Brad Avery absent) to hold future
baccalaureate services in the school’s Ruth Cook Auditorium. This year’s
program will be May 20 at 6:30 p.m. Long suggested that hosting of the
occasion rotate among the county’s churches in alphabetical order, beginning
with the Baptist church this year. Long said beginning next year, he would
like baccalaureate information included as part of the school’s graduation
invitations. For several years, the St. Lawrence Catholic Church has held a
late-morning baccalaureate service, followed by a meal, for all GCISD
graduates and their families. Occasionally, other churches in Garden City
have also held services. Two Teachers Resign The
board accepted the resignations of Micheal Russell, special education
teacher, and Ladene Hardin, band director. All other teachers, coaches and
administrators have been rehired. Long
asked for budget amendments to move $4,000 into both the butane fund and into
student travel, saying he had not budgeted enough to handle increased
expenses in those areas. He
said more than $1 million will be sent to Alpine ISD in seven installments to
comply with the state’s Robin Hood Plan, and that nearly $500,000 may be
needed to settle up last year’s account with Presidio ISD. Long
said the school is currently getting only 4.7 percent interest on its
short-term CD’s, and some will mature soon. He said 6.2 percent is available
through the Texas Association of School Boards. Painting, Bar-B-Q Grill Planned Long
reported that he has replaced two heaters in the bus barn, plans to have the
outside of the elementary school and the “complex” painted during the summer,
and that Southwest Tool is building a Bar-B-Q grill for the school so it
won’t have to borrow one for concession stand use at various school events. Bids in for Community Center Nine
bids were submitted April 10 for the construction of the Community Center
building. They were as follows: Associated Contractors $996,901; Campbell
Construction $967,000; Lee George Const. $959,000; Master Builders $997,700;
McCrea Co. $934,000; Mid-Tex of Midland $947,600; Pharr & Co. $1,020,254;
J.C. Roberts Const. $967,777; and N.C. Sturgeon $839,868. Since
even the lowest bid is $87,000 over the construction budget of $753,000, the
Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court will apparently either take the low bid
and work with the architect and contractor to make enough cuts to bring the
project into budget, or have the architect re-draw the plans to less
expensive specifications and re-bid the project. Architect
Gary Vandergriff will study the bids, then make his recommendations to the
court at a special at 9 a.m. April 17, at which time the court will decide on
a course of action. All court meetings are open to the public. New Data Shows Water
Table Changes Recent
data compiled by Rick Harston, manager of the Glasscock County Underground
Water Conservation District, shows the levels of both aquifers that provide
the county’s water dropped from 1999 to 2000. The
Edwards–Trinity Aquifer, which serves most of the county, dropped three feet
from 1999 to 2000, and is now approximately three feet above its 1983
level. Harston’s
data illustrates the rise and fall of the Edwards–Trinity: 1983-86 up 24 ft;
1986-87 down 18 ft; 1987-88 up 12 ft; 1988-90 down 15 ft; 1990-93 up 4 ft;
1993-97 down 12 ft; 1997-98 up 12 ft; 1998-2000 down 4 ft. The
Ogallala Aquifer, serving primarily the northwestern portion of the county,
dropped four feet from 1999 to 2000. This drop follows a 13-foot decline from
1997 to 1999. But Harston’s data shows the aquifer now at approximately its
1984 level. Harston said the recent
drop in the Ogallala might be explained by large amounts of land in the
northwest part of the county being released from the Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP) and being put back into irrigated cultivation. Since
1984, the water level of the Ogallala, like that of the Edwards–Trinity has
varied widely. Its various levels are shown in Harston’s figures: 1984-1988
up 10 ft; 1988-90 down 7 ft; 1990-91 up 10 ft; 1991-92 down 3 ft; 1992-94 up
5 ft; 1994-95 down 1 ft; 1995-97 no change; 1997-2000 down 17 ft. The
GCUWD has data on water tables from 1949 to the present, but Harston says he
can’t be sure of the data’s accuracy before 1983. The data is available at
the water district office as line graphs. Personnel, Legal Matters Occupy Court In
closed session for most of the time, the Glasscock County Commissioners’
Court (Jimmy Strube absent) met with attorney James Kosub, and also discussed
personnel matters at a special meeting March 26. Kosub represents the county
in the lawsuit brought by Veronica Schroyer and advises the county in other
matters regarding personnel. After
the closed session, the court, with no discussion or explanation, rescinded
the job offer made to Tisha Burnett at a March 12 meeting, and then voted to
hire her as “…a temporary employee under the sheriff’s supervision, dependent
upon her signing an agreement of employment.” After
input from two lawyers over several days, the employment agreement was signed
March 30. It stipulates that Burnett ‘s duties are to answer the sheriff’s
department telephone in the Burnett’s residence as needed by the sheriff and
to serve as a standby jailer. For
these duties, Burnett will be paid for 30 hours weekly at $5.25 per hour. If
the actual time spent performing these duties exceeds 30 hours weekly, she
will be paid for the additional time at $5.25 per hour. If the actual time
exceeds 40 hours weekly, she will be paid overtime. The
agreement further stipulates that Burnett is to keep a detailed log of the
time spent performing the specified duties. She will also be on standby or
on-call at other times, but free to
go about her daily activities, without duties at the sheriff’s department.
She will not be compensated for time on standby. The agreement states that
the county is to deduct the cost of Burnett’s health insurance from her pay.
As a temporary employee, she receives no county benefits. Budget Amendment Approved At
the court’s April 9 meeting, County Treasurer Alan Dierschke presented a
budget amendment that he said was at the instruction of County Attorney Hardy
Wilkerson. The amendment removes $4,000 from the budget item, “Deputy Sheriff
#1 Salary” and puts the same amount into a newly created line item, “Sheriff Office
Dispatcher Salary.” The
court approved the amendment with three commissioners voting for it and
Commissioner Jimmy Strube abstaining. Strube later said he abstained because
1) he didn’t think a vote was necessary, since the county attorney had said
the amendment was a requirement and 2) “It seems like we’re filling a
position we didn’t know we had.” The
court on March 26 discussed a problem between Garden City Water System
Manager Jim Havlak and Brian Cook regarding Havlak’s access to what
commissioners believed to be a public utilities right-of-way. The matter
involved property in the subdivision off CR 415, northwest of Garden City.
The court decided to get a legal opinion in the matter. On April 9, County
Judge Wilburn Bednar told the court that attorney Lanny Hamby, representing
the county, had written Cook a letter advising him that he should keep the
right-of-way open for county access. County Again Discusses Warning Siren Once
again, a storm warning siren for Garden City was discussed at a Glasscock
County Commissioners’ Court meeting. This time, it was April 9, and Al
Stiefer was the person who suggested it. Stiefer said the National Weather
Service has made him the person in charge of the weather spotter team here
(see related article, p. 4). He said
when a tornado came very close to striking Garden City a year ago, many
people didn’t hear the sirens of the sheriff’s department vehicles, which are
the only warning sirens available. Sterling
City resident and Glasscock County Engineer Dan Glass, at the meeting for
other matters, was asked about Sterling City’s experience with a warning
signal. He said, ”The siren works fine, but if you’re driving a tractor, or
in your house with the nightly news or MTV on, you won’t hear it.” With the court’s approval, Stiefer
volunteered to gather information on sirens for the court’s consideration at
its May meeting. The court didn’t think that a siren in St. Lawrence would be
effective, due to the distances involved. Condition of CR 185 Livens Meeting Dennis
Seidenberger came to the court’s meeting to complain about the condition of
County Road 185 and a spirited discussion with Commissioner Jimmy Strube
ensued. Seidenberger said the road is “darn near impassable,” and that his
farm equipment is being torn up from having to be moved along CR185. He said,
“I never thought I’d have to come to the court and beg for road
repair, but I’m asking for help.” He said he had talked to Strube several
times but had only gotten promises. Seidenberger said he wasn’t asking that
the road be paved, just that it be maintained. He said all the paving the
county has done should enable it to have the time and people to keep the
unpaved roads repaired. He contended that Strube’s priority is votes, and
said that while few voters live on that road, it is heavily traveled and used
by lots of taxpayers. Strube
admitted the road is in “terrible shape,”
but said it was bladed in January, and he hasn’t been able to get back
to it since because of sharing equipment and personnel with other precincts.
He added that a front-end loader was out of service for two months while it
was being repaired. To Seidenberger, he said, “you can’t plow your fields all
at one time, and I can’t repair roads all at once.” He said, “My priorities
are [roads for] school buses, mail and people’s houses.” $18,000 Repair Bill Apparent Surprise A bill of more than
$18,000 from West Texas CAT for repair of the front-end loader mentioned
above prompted discussion among the commissioners, who seemed surprised by the
amount of the bill. County Judge
Wilburn Bednar suggested that each commissioner call WT CAT and “express our
dissatisfaction.” Strube told Dierschke to “hold up on paying the bill.” He said the county might want to check
into buying a new loader. The
court, at the request of Alan Jansa, representing the Glasscock County Soil
and Water Conservation District, approved a resolution asking the state to
continue funding the brush control projects on the Concho River Basins. The
entirely state-financed project was funded
with $7 million for two years, beginning Sept. 1, 1999. Jansa
said half the funds are already used,
but only one-quarter of the planned work is done. He said brush spraying was
curtailed when DuPont said it couldn’t stand behind the chemical spray’s
effectiveness due to extreme dry conditions. After that, more expensive
mechanical brush removal methods had to be used and the funding didn’t go as
far as planned. In
other action, the court hired part-time employee Jesus Montez as a full-time
truck driver and Baylor Walker as the north county fire chief. Bednar said landfill operator Charles
Pechacek was unable to attend the meeting to discuss dumping of tires and building
materials in violation of state regulations. School Equalizes Coaching Stipends At the
recommendation of Athletic Director Wade Wesley, the GCISD Board of Trustees
approved some minor changes to coaching stipends at its meeting April 9. School Superintendent Steve Long said
Wesley felt that stipends should reward experience and responsibility rather
than being the same for everyone. The stipends, which are paid to coaches in
addition to their regular teaching salaries, range from $4,500 to $5,500. Long reported that the school
system currently has $192,000 in cash and $4.8 million in certificates of
deposit. Long told the board that 37 school districts across the state are
challenging the Robin Hood Plan and though GCISD is not technically one of
them, it would benefit if they win. He said the state now pays for only 40
percent of public education, down from 80 percent in 1949. He said the state wants every district to
tax at least $1.50 per $100 valuation. Glasscock County now taxes at $1.30. Board members Tibby Niehues and Cecilia Schwartz commented on
the good appearance of the campus, mentioning painting that has been done in
buildings, trash has been picked up on the grounds, the grass is mowed and teachers’
lawns look better. Long said he thinks a good appearance is important, and
that more work will be done this summer. He said $10,000 has been spent on
repairing teachers’ houses, and $11,000 has been collected in rent. The board’s May meeting has been
changed from May 14 to May 7 because of a school board conference. County
Adopts Water System Drought Plan
On
April 9, Glasscock County commissioners adopted a drought contingency plan
for the Garden City Water System.
Alan Dierschke, water system administrator, had reported to the county
commissioners March 26 that such a plan would be necessary after the Texas
Natural Resources Conservation Commission recently found the system in
violation of its rules for not having such a plan. The
plan outlines the procedures to be followed if there should ever be a need to
temporarily restrict non-essential water usage. Extreme drought, abnormally
high water usage, system contamination, or equipment failure could trigger
such a need. Dierschke
said the plan is “the minimum the TNRCC will accept.” It consists of four stages: stage one is
customer awareness of the need to conserve water; stage two is voluntary
water conservation; stage three is mandatory water use restrictions and stage
four is critical water use restrictions.
Written notice is to be provided to each customer prior to
implementation or termination of each stage of the water restriction program.
The
drought plan is on file and available to the public in the Glasscock County
clerk’s office, and in Dierschke’s office. Lady Kats Finish as
Bi-district Champs
by Coach Brent Kirkland
The Garden City Lady Kats
basketball team advanced to the sectional tournament in Levelland by
defeating the Wink Wildcats in triple overtime. The Lady Kats had to overcome
a ten-point halftime deficit to move on in the play-offs. In Levelland, the Lady Kats again
found themselves in a hole. At the end of the first quarter, they were losing
18-7. But, as was the case all year, the Lady Kats played with a lot of heart
and came back. With less than a minute to play, they were able to cut the
lead to one point. However, they were unable to complete the comeback and
lost a heartbreaker 49-46. It was another great year for the
Lady Kats as they finished 20-9 and Bi-district champions. M’Lynn Niehues,
Summer Eoff and Jessica Hoch received all-district honors. The Lady Kats want
to thank all the fans for traveling to Levelland and showing their support as
well as for their support throughout the season. County Needs
EMT’s; Weather Spotters Charla
Lewis of Howard College will be in Garden City April 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the
Senior Citizens’ Center to hold a preliminary meeting to determine interest
in Emergency Medical Technician training classes. Mark Frysak says possible
days and times for classes will be discussed, and he reminds everyone that
the county pays for EMT training. Frysak
says Glasscock County is in serious need of more EMT’s. He says the same few
people have been doing the work for a number of years, and while they will
continue, they want more younger people to start training so that the load
can be spread out. The
county’s totally volunteer Emergency Medical Service is a group of highly
trained technicians who provide emergency medical care and operate the
county’s ambulance service. The county pays for equipment, operating expenses
and training for personnel. There is no charge for ambulance and/or EMS
service to county residents. For
more information regarding the April 23 meeting or the local EMS service in
general, call Frysak at 397-2307. In
addition, Al Stiefer, the National Weather Service’s local contact, told the
county commissioners’ court April 9 that the county is in need of more
weather spotters. Stiefer said only he, Ronnie Hirt, Dean Brown and Judy Stiefer are active spotters. He said
he would see that classes are provided in both Garden City and St. Lawrence,
if necessary, in order to get more people trained. Stiefer,
who told the court that he has experience in emergency preparedness and coordination,
is also a HAM radio operator trained in emergency communications. Anyone
interested in serving the county as a weather spotter should contact Stiefer
at 354-2609, 354-2437, 264-8201 (cell), or e-mail him at dstiefer@worldnet.att.net. In The Spotlight • M’Lynn Niehues, Ryan
Batla and Summer Eoff have
each won the University Interscholastic League Scholar Award, which is presented
to seniors who will graduate in the top ten percent of their class and who
have participated in at least one UIL academic, music or athletic contest. •
Next year’s Bearkat cheerleaders are: Linda Branham, Lori
Hoelscher, Brecklyn Hughes, Allison Jansa, Morgan Kight, and Bonnie
Pelzel; the Bearkat mascot is Marianne
Halfmann. Junior high
cheerleaders are: Kristen Buzbee, Erin Hirt, Julie Hirt, Lauren Plagens,
Marissa Schwartz and K’Lann Niehues. The junior high mascot is Katie Schmitz. •
M’Lynn Niehues advanced to Nationals for Business Professionals of
America competition in Anaheim, CA May 9-13.
She placed in the top four at the state competition in Ft. Worth in
Desktop Publishing. M’Lynn was
coached by Reta Bell. Water
District Discusses Legislation On
March 20, Glasscock County Underground Water Conservation District Manager
Rick Harston provided the district’s board with an overview of pending state
legislation that may ultimately affect water use policy across the state.
Harston, along with other water district managers, spends considerable time
in Austin when water-related bills are being considered, in an attempt to
influence the content of the legislation. The
sweeping, 138-page Senate Bill 2, authored by Sen. J.E. “Buster” Brown would
create an 11-member Texas Water Advisory Council, with one member from each
of several state agencies: Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission,
Texas Water Development Board, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas
Department of Agriculture, and General Land Office, plus two state
representatives, one state senator and three public members. The council’s
purpose would be to provide focus, guidance and direction for all state water
policy initiatives and to report and make recommendations to the state
legislature. Water Information to be Centralized Senate
Bill 2 would also establish surface and groundwater management and regulatory
incentives which would clarify the roles and responsibilities of regional and
state water planning efforts, and centralize reporting and registry of
water-related information, such as the location of existing water pipelines
and other facilities which can be used for water conveyance. The bill sets
guidelines for various fees and surcharges which can apply to water use and
export, and prohibits regulating exporters of water out of a groundwater
district more restrictively than in-district users. Bill Would Create Water Superfund The
bill would create a state water infrastructure fund to provide funding for
water projects recommended through state and regional water planning
processes. The fund would be financed largely by money from the state
legislature, plus various fees to be levied on such things as water use
(production fees) or export, and taxes, such as on the sale of sewage and
water services. It would also include a county-assessed water fee of one
dollar per county resident as determined by the most recent federal
census. The fund would provide $6.3
billion by 2010, and ultimately, $17 billion. Eighty percent of the fund’s monies would
go to large and medium-sized entities for high-cost projects through loans at
below market interest rates. Ten percent would provide bridge funding for
activities between planning and construction and another ten percent would go
to small, rural or disadvantaged entities for deep subsidy options ranging
from very low interest loans to grants. Rural Water Assistance Fund Senate
Bill 2 would also create a Rural Water Assistance Fund to be administered by
the Texas Water Development Board. This fund would “provide financial assistance to smaller, rural water suppliers
at lower cost than is currently available and will ensure the public outreach
and technical assistance critical to these smaller water systems.” In
addition, the bill would expand the use of TWDB grants and loans for brush
control, weather modification and desalination projects and would also expand
property tax exemptions for brush control or desalination projects. Harston
was careful to point out that Senate Bill 2 will still undergo many revisions
and if it is finally signed into law, the final version may be very different
than the bill in its present form. Statewide Water Pipeline is a Goal Harston
said part of Brown’s plan is to create a state-wide network, made up of both
existing and to-be-constructed pipelines, which can transport water
throughout the state. Such a network would allow water to be purchased from
various places in the state and transported to where it is needed. Harston
said hardly anyone opposes that idea, but there are many disagreements about
how it should be financed. He said he thinks it should be paid for largely by
those who will use it most, i.e. San Antonio and El Paso. District’s Cloud-seeding Costs May
Increase Regarding
other matters, Harston said that due to changes in the state’s cost-sharing,
Glasscock County’s costs for its weather modification project may soon
increase substantially. He said the local district may have to decide in
August if it wants to raise more tax money for that effort or pull out of the
project. Board member Dennis Seidenberger said the district can’t afford to
just pull out without first recouping some of its substantial investment (a
one-sixth share) in the project’s planes and other equipment. Briefly
•
A rabies vaccination clinic will be held April 19. A veterinarian will be in St.
Lawrence at the church from 1 until 3 p.m. and in Garden City at the
courthouse from 3:30 until 5:30 p.m.
Please be reminded that it is your responsibility, by law, to have
your pets vaccinated against this disease. The local clinic is a community
effort to prevent a rabies problem in this area. •
Third grader Quinton Havlak,
the son of Jim and Diane Havlak, was chosen as the K-3 Student of the Month for March. Katie Schmitz, sixth-grade daughter of Randy and Melissa Schmitz,
was chosen from grades 4-6. From the
junior high, Terri Branham,
daughter of Kenneth and Patti Branham, was chosen, and Anthony Wheat, son of Kathy and Larry Wheat was selected from the
high school. • Becky Halfmann of St.
Lawrence recently received her real estate license and can meet the needs of
either buyers or sellers. She is affiliated with Concho Realty of San Angelo and
is looking forward to serving the area. Call her at 397-2533 or 270-4563
(mobile), or e-mail her at rhalfmann@apex2000.net • The 2001 UIL Banquet
will be May 8 at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Lester Baker of Stanton will
cater the meal. Tickets are $10 each and are available at the high school
office and from Nancy Hillger or Tibby Niehues. Please purchase tickets by
May 1. •
A Volunteers’ Appreciation
Dinner will be held April 29 at 7 p.m. in the St. Lawrence Hall. All
county volunteers and their spouses are encouraged to attend. • Elementary
School Students of the Month for April were first grader Jessica Olveda, the daughter of
Ismael and Norma Olveda, and Eva Dyck,
a fourth grader who is the daughter of Abe and Tina Dyck. Secondary Students of the Month are
eighth grader Brandi Halfmann, the
daughter of Tommy and Karen Halfmann, and Noemi Guerrero, the freshman daughter of Sergio and Christina
Guerrero. • The
Senior Citizens will meet April 17
at 3 p.m., and finger food will be the fare.
The next meeting will be May 1 at 6 p.m., when the meal will be
potluck. • School board candidates
are Rose Pelzel and
incumbents Mike Hillger and Tibby Niehues. There are two seats
to be filled, and early voting for the May 5 election begins April 18 and
ends May 1.
•
Shirley Weeks, County
Extension Agent, HE, is leaving Glasscock County for a job in Rains County.
From the Schoolhouse
Bearkat Booster Club News by Nancy Hillger The booster club will host the UIL Banquet May 8 at 6 p.m. at
the school cafeteria. (See details under “Briefly.”) A
planning meeting for the banquet will be April 17 at the school cafeteria at
6:30 p.m. We are going to try to do
some kind of program using photographs, so we need snapshots and team
pictures of all UIL events. Please turn in your pictures to the high school
office, Nancy Hillger, or Tibby Niehues by April 17. Write your name on the
back so we can return them. We will be setting up for the banquet at about 1
p.m. May 8, and your help will be greatly appreciated.
Head Start Registration Slated by Delia Pierson, Garden
City Head Start Case Management Garden City’s Head Start registration
will be April 23-- 27 for children who will be 4 years of age by Sept.1. Bring proof of income, birth certificate,
immunization record and Social Security numbers (for all members of the
household). Applications will be taken in the Garden City Head Start
Classroom from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We are primarily a program
for 4-year-olds; however, if enrollment is low, we may take some
3-year-olds. We will take all
applications for 3 and 4-year-olds at this time. The 3-year-old applicants will be on a waiting list. We need all applications to help plan the
program for the coming year to meet the needs of our community. Children will
be accepted based on our Head Start Point System. Contact Delia Pierson at 354-2413 for more information. Student
Council Car-hops for Tips On April 19, the GCHS Student
Council will be working at the Big Spring Sonic drive-in on Gregg St. from 5
to 8 p.m. The only money the council will receive will come from your tips
and donations. If you are in Big Spring, please come by and support the
council.
Results from District UIL in Odessa: Science: High Point Chemistry - M'Lynn Niehues;
High Point Biology - M'Lynn Niehues;
2nd Place Chemistry - Ryan Batla Overall: 1st Place - M'Lynn Niehues; 2nd Place - Ryan Batla; 7th
Place - Boyd Batla 1st Place Science Team - M’Lynn, Ryan, Boyd. Coached by Linda Jones and Randy Gartman Computer
Applications: 2nd Place - M’Lynn Niehues; 3rd Place - Ryan Batla. Coached by
Reta Bell These students will advance
to regionals in Leveland on April 20. Computer Science: TJ
Pelzel -1st Place; Erik Halfmann -
6th Place, coached by Duane Cox. The computer science team that includes Brady Kujawski was 1st
team and will advance to regionals. Other students who placed
in competition were: Rhetta Alvarado - 5th Place - Headline Writing; Summer
Eoff - 4th Place Ready Writing; Curtis Eggemeyer - 6th Place Accounting. Project Graduation As graduation is fast approaching, if anyone wants to
donate refreshments or door prizes for the event, call Karen Halfmann
535-2236, Nancy Hillger 354-2350, Vickie Batla 354-2263, or Renee Niehues
354-2419. Your help is greatly
appreciated. Other Matters • Kindergarten Pre-registration for
children who will be five years of age on or before Sept.1 will be May 8 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at
the Kindergarten Roundup. Please
bring the child’s birth certificate, immunization records and social security
card. •
On May 10 the
elementary school will hold its annual
field day at the school track. The PTO will operate a concession stand. Sheriff’s Office Report March
1 to April 9: loose livestock 10; control burn 3; assist motorist 4; burglary
alarm 1; gas leak 1; road hazard 2; major accident 1; unlock vehicle 2; minor
accident 2; follow-up 911 hang-up 1; jail tour 1; suspicious vehicle 1;
unsafe driver 1.
About This Publication The next issue will be May 16. The deadline for
that issue is May 14. The Glasscock
County News is published by Joe Melanie Calverley, P. O. Box 98, Garden
City, TX, 79739. Phone or Fax:
915/354-2221; e-mail: gcnews201@aol.com. Website: http://wscope.com/glasscock/ |
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