Kennedy Space Center Summer Day Camps this year features Space Shuttle Atlantis and Angry Birds Space Interactive Attractions

In celebration of the June 29 opening of Space Shuttle AtlantisSM, the new $100-million educational attraction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the summer camp is themed “Atlantis: Celebrate the Journey.” Campers will learn firsthand about the engineering marvel of the space shuttle.

Kennedy Space Center offers a week-long summer day camp experience that educates, entertains and engages children ages 8 to 14, from mid-June to the beginning of August.

This year, Camp KSC features two new, interactive attractions that will help launch kids into a galaxy of fun as they pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through exciting educational activities.

In celebration of the June 29 opening of Space Shuttle Atlantis^SM, the new $100-million educational attraction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the camp is themed “Atlantis: Celebrate the Journey.” Campers will learn firsthand about the engineering marvel of the space shuttle through a look inside the new attraction, which will tell the incredible story of NASA’s 30-year Space Shuttle Program through a host of multimedia presentations and more than 60 interactive exhibits and high-tech simulators. Campers visiting June 10 through June 28 will receive an exclusive sneak peek inside of the attraction before it opens to the public.

Camp KSC’s curriculum includes an opportunity to:

• · Engage in interactive, hands on STEM activities that surround the science performed during Atlantis’ historic missions.
• · Participate in a simulated space shuttle mission that demonstrates the teamwork and ingenuity of NASA engineers, scientists and astronauts. During the mission, campers may deploy a satellite, dock and transfer supplies to the International Space Station or perform scientific experiments while in simulated orbit.
• · Learn astronaut training, including simulators and virtual skills. Students will hear real-life experiences from a space shuttle astronaut and learn about the risks and rewards of space flight.
• · Work as team to build, test and compete against other teams in the Angry Birds™ Challenge.
  • · Visit Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, see a space shuttle launch pad and more.

In addition, campers will experience the new Angry Birds™ Space Encounter, which opened at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in March. As the first comprehensive, interactive Angry Birds attraction in the United States designed for people of all ages, it incorporates concepts of human space exploration and physics. The attraction was developed in partnership with Rovio Entertainment, which had worked with NASA on the popular Angry Birds Space game.

The Camp KSC program is designed for children entering 2nd through 9th grades and runs Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with early drop-off offered at 7:30 a.m. for an extra fee. Camp instructors are specially trained educators. All campers receive a Camp KSC certificate, an Annual Pass for free admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and a specially designed Atlantis-themed Camp KSC shirt. Lunch and snacks are provided.

The camp runs during the weeks of June 10-14, June 17-21, June 24-28, July 1-5, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26, July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 5-9.

Camp Kennedy Space Center is located at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame’s^® educational facility, just off US 1 near the west entrance to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Tuition is $295 per week plus tax, paid in advance. For more information or to book a reservation, call 877-313-2610.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun and educational activities, including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Angry Birds^™ Space Encounter, Shuttle Launch Experience, 3D IMAX^® space films, Astronaut Encounter, Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted and many other interactive exhibits. The new $100 million home for Space Shuttle Atlantis^SM opens June 29, 2013. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame^®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world’s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, which opens daily at noon and closing times vary by season. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season. Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Commander’s Club Annual Pass is $63 + tax for adults and $53 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at KSC, Inc., a division of Delaware North Companies, one of the world’s leading hospitality and food service providers. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is not funded through tax dollars or appropriated funds. The revenue generated by ticket, food and merchandise sales support the operation, maintenance and development of the Visitor Complex, including the new Space Shuttle Atlantis.

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Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam Adds Club La Vela As Late Night Venue for September Festival in Panama City Beach

Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam is a music festival that takes place in Panama City Beach, Florida, in September.

Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam fans will get wet and wild at the nation’s largest nightclub, Club La Vela each night of the September festival. Club La Vela is one of the trendiest and most respected nightclubs in the world. It has evolved over the years into a major entertainment complex, located in the heart of Panama City Beach, FL and is a huge hub for the thousands of Spring Breakers that visit the city each year. The multilevel club features eleven themed rooms, forty-eight bar stations, expansive balconies, elevated catwalks, the famous pool deck and the Concert Coliseum.

The festivities at Club La Vela will begin each night after the final notes are sung by Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, and Trace Adkins. Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam will have free shuttles available to ticketholders to transport them between the day stages, Frank Brown Park, and Club La Vela. “Since we will have three performers on our beachfront stages playing simultaneously during the day, we are inviting many of them to play our late night venues as well,” says Executive Producer, Rendy Lovelady. “This way, if fans don’t have a chance to see all of their favorites during the day, they can be sure to catch their performances at night.”

The September lineup includes: Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, Trace Adkins, Eli Young Band, Kip Moore, The Charlie Daniels Band, X Factor Winner Tate Stevens, Darryl Worley, Blackberry Smoke and many more!

Lodging packages, which include tickets to the three-day event, are on sale now and can be found at http://www.gulfcoastjam.com. Beginning in May, three-day tickets that provide patrons access to all of the six stages and free shuttle passes will go on-sale to the public.

Comprised of six stages, Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam will provide the best of today’s country music for an audience of more than 15,000 people on the coast. During the day, three beachfront stages will be hosted by Edgewater Golf & Beach Resort, The Boardwalk Beach Resort and Seahaven Beach Resorts. Festival-goers will watch their favorite performers as they stand on the white “sugar sand” beach and dip their toes in the water. As the sun begins to set, patrons will ride free shuttles to the headline stage at Frank Brown Park. Once Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, and Trace Adkins close out their respective nights, the fun will continue at Club La Vela. Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam is a production of PCB Entertainment, LLC. For more information about Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam’s lineup, VIP & General Admission Tickets, lodging partners, directions, partnership opportunities, parking, and vendors, visit http://www.gulfcoastjam.com.

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Save the Florida Panther Day at Palm Beach Zoo, March 16

Palm Beach Zoo lost its only Florida panther with the passing of Colin Patrick last March. The two cats you currently see in the Florida wetlands exhibit, Washington and Idaho, are western cougars.

With fewer than 100 left in the wild, the Florida panther is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. You can learn how to protect our state’s official animal during a state-wide observance of Save the Florida Panther Day at the Palm Beach Zoo, West Palm Beach, Florida.

Save the Florida Panther Day will be held on Saturday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This state-wide event focuses on the importance of saving the critically-endangered animal. Special keeper talks at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. will incorporate the history, habitat stresses and conservation efforts surrounding the Florida panther. Activities will also include interactive children’s games and educational crafts in the Florida Pioneer House near the panther exhibit.

Palm Beach Zoo lost its only Florida panther with the passing of Colin Patrick last March. The two cats you currently see in the Florida wetlands exhibit, Washington and Idaho, are western cougars. They are members of the same puma family, but a different subspecies. Washington and Idaho serve as ambassadors for the Florida panther.

It has been illegal to hunt Florida panthers since 1958. They have been on the federal endangered species list since 1967 and on the state’s endangered list since 1973. There are several reasons for their decline in population: habitat loss, disease and collisions with vehicles.

The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard, just east of I‐95 between Southern and Forest Hill Boulevards. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.

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Blue Moon Expeditions Offers World Class Florida Backcountry Fishing

A wonderful way to have a wilderness fishing vacation for a couple of days or a week is to escape to the Flamingo, Ten Thousand Islands area of the Florida Everglades. This isolated tip of the Florida Peninsula is one of the truly uncharted wilderness areas left in the country, a primeval place that time forgot and man has not yet paved over.

There are no roads; only the 99 mile long Wilderness Waterway, plus countless other miles of bays, bends, creeks, coves and inlets that have exotic names like Lostman’s River, Alligator Bay, Shark Point, Graveyard Creek and Gunboat Island. This strange world of half land, half water is still the home of the alligator, and the crocodile, the almost extinct Florida Panther, deer, feral hogs and raccoons with birds in unimaginable numbers and denizens large and small, innocent and threatening. But most of all, it is the home of some of the finest fishing in the world; of line- busting snook, redfish, trout and giant tarpon in quantities to boggle the eye and the imagination.

Blue Moon Expeditions organizes this wilderness adventure via a trip aboard The Floating, Luxury Lodge, La Casa Marquesas.

Contact Blue Moon Expeditions,Myrtle Beach, SC, by email at info@bluemoonexpeditions.com or call 1-800-518-9124 or 1-305-849-8254, http://www.bluemoonexpeditions.com.

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Palm Beach Zoo Hosts ‘Super Baby Saturday,’ January 26 to Meet New Arrivals

Be one of the first visitors to see three new babies – including a baby Chinese muntjac- at the Palm Beach Zoo during a special event, Super Baby Saturday, on January 26 (photo courtesy Palm Beach Zoo).

Be one of the first visitors to see three new babies at the Palm Beach Zoo during a special event called Super Baby Saturday, January 26, 2013.

Baby giant anteater, Delilah, was born on September 28. A baby Chinese muntjac was born December 19. A baby spider monkey was born December 30. The muntjac and spider monkey have yet to be named.

Super Baby Saturday on January 26 will celebrate their births, the Zoo’s success in a national effort to increase the population of vulnerable species. The event will include family-friendly activities and conservation talks. Here’s the schedule:

• · 9:30 a.m. – Giant anteater cloth-diapering contest. Prize from Lalabye Baby.
• · 10:30 a.m. – Keeper talk on giant anteaters, check out Mom and baby, Delilah.
• · 11:30 a.m. – Stroller walking race. Prize from The Learning Express.
• · 1:30 p.m. – Keeper talk on Mexican spider monkeys, check out Mom and baby.
• · Safe Kids Palm Beach County will be at the Zoo all morning handing out information on how to keep your children safe in the car.

The event is included with regular admission.

For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org and click on the Events tab.

The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard, just east of I‐95 between Southern and Forest Hill Boulevards. The zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.

Estero Island, Florida Suite Resorts Offer Fourth Night Free Deal

The Continental Group Realty’s (TCGR) hospitality division is offering the “Escape to Estero Island” winter package, where you buy three nights’ stay and get the fourth night free. Estero Island is located in one of Southwest Florida’s favorite destinations overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

This offer is available on www.SandalsInTheSand.com; (check the website for availability; holiday periods excluded).

The “Sandals in the Sand/Escape to Estero Island” vacation package offers both couples and families their choices of three beautiful resorts located on breathtaking Estero Island in Fort Myers Beach: Seaside All-Suite Resort, Casa Playa Beach Resort and Cornerstone Beach Resort. These resorts are a tropical paradise providing the best in hospitality and an opportunity for relaxation, while offering various package options that will fit most budgets; perfect to get away from the cold weather this winter!

Estero Island offers miles of white, sandy beaches along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and is complete with extraordinary sunsets, exceptional shelling and unique wildlife that attract visitors worldwide. Just north of Naples, you will experience Florida the way it used to be.

The island is perfect for a winter vacation with tropical breezes, great beaches, exquisite dining and luxurious accommodations. In addition, shopping centers for window-shopping and affordable, friendly eateries are plentiful. The winter season also brings an array of unique fun festivals and events to the area (http://www.islandsfallfest.com/events/) ranging from food and art festivals to boat shows and a boat parade. Moreover, Marinas throughout Estero Island are perfect for boating adventures including romantic sunset cruises, sightseeing cruises and deep-sea fishing. For nature lovers, just cross a bridge at the southern tip of the island and you can escape to Lovers Key State Park – a harbor for wildlife and home to West Indian manatees, bottlenose dolphins, roseate spoonbills, marsh rabbits, and bald eagles.< /p>

Three resorts are offered:

The Seaside All – Suite Resort, also located in the middle of Estero Island, is rated number four out of 20 on Trip Advisor’s popularity index.  This resort offers 50 suites each equipped with two bedrooms, a large inviting living/dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, two full baths, a heated pool, and a private screened in lanai that lets you enjoy the warm tropical breezes and dining al fresco over spectacular sunsets. View details at http://www.seasideresort.us/ or call toll free 888-772-0183.

The Casa Playa Beach Resort is an all-suite resort located on the exclusive north tip of Estero Island. The 35-unit resort condominiums are each privately owned and individually decorated. All suites have private balconies and high speed wireless Internet. Casa Playa resort offers two pet-friendly designated floors, a heated pool, picnic area, gas grills, beach lounge chairs and a serene private beach area.  For more information visit http://www.casaplayaresort.com/ or call toll free 1-800-774-2168.

The Cornerstone Beach Hotel, located mid-island, has 12 elegant, non-smoking one and two bedroom units all with incredible views of the Gulf of Mexico. Suites include a fully appointed kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. All contain flat panel televisions in the living room and bedrooms and screed lanais. Beautiful views can also be enjoyed while swimming and sunning by the heated Gulf front pool. See details at http://www.cornerstonebeachhotel.com/ or call toll free 1-888-773-0523.

About The Continental Group Realty:

The Continental Group Realty, a subsidiary of The Continental Group, Inc. (TCG), brings together tenants with property owners, visitors with destination rentals and investors with developers. With over 200 team members and a dozen offices throughout Florida, TCGR has developed several specialized divisions to service the growing and diverse needs of the residential rental and leasing management industry. For more information visit www.tcgr.com or www.SandalsInTheSand.com.

 

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‘Boo at the Zoo’, ‘Spooky Snooze’ among Halloween Events at Palm Beach Zoo Oct 26-28

King Vulture is one of the creatures showcased at the Palm Beach Zoo’s Halloween events (photo by Keith Lovett).

 

The Palm Beach Zoo has announced plans for special Halloween events in October. Boo at the Zoo, a South Florida family favorite will be held on Friday through Sunday, October 19^th to 21^st and October 26^th to 28^th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday evenings, October 19^th and 26^th from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Zoo will also offer a special family overnight program called Spooky Snooze on October 6^th, 20^th, and 27^th.

Boo at the Zoo was founded over 15 years ago to provide the community with a safe and educational venue for trick-or-treating. Since that time, Boo at the Zoo has become Palm Beach County’s #1 family event during the Halloween season. In 2011 nearly 10,000 guests attended during the six days of celebration. Festivities include trick-or-treating, provided by local vendors, and children’s entertainment including games, crafts, hay-stack hunt, decorate-your-own pumpkin patch, bounce house, face painting, photo opportunities throughout the Zoo, Monster Mash dance parties in the Fountain Plaza, Halloween-themed treats in the Tropics Café, special Halloween treats for the animals, roving animal encounters, and costume contests.

Spooky Snooze Overnights at the Zoo will be held on October 6^th – 7^th, 20^th – 21^st, and 27^th – 28^th. The program begins on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. and runs through Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Evening activities include pumpkin painting, crafts, night time tours, an evening pizza snack, and Continental breakfast. Activities are designed for family members ages six through adult. Mummies and/or daddies must attend with their children.

For more information on these programs, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org. For additional information on the Spooky Snooze program e-mail education@palmbeachzoo.org, or contact the Education Coordinator at (561) 533-0887 ext. 229.

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Breakers Palm Beach Oceanfront Luxury Destination Resort Introduces Special Offer for Summer

The iconic Breakers Palm Beach resort is offering special summer rates and amenities provided either free or at significant savings © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

Here’s your chance to stay at one of the most elegant oceanfront destination resorts that America has ever produced: the legendary Breakers Palm Beach is offering summer weekday rates starting at $289 per room per night (based on standard accommodations) with a score of amenities either included or at significant savings. The rates are in effect from June 1-September 30.

Complimentary benefits for summer include:

• Continental breakfast buffet
• Kids’ Day Camp – Ages 3-12
• Kids’ meals – Ages 3-12
• Spa & Oceanview Fitness Center admission
• Unlimited tennis
• Unlimited fitness classes
• WiFi & local calls

Special summer savings:

• Reduced golf fees – inclusive cart on the Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones® Course, at specially priced greens fees
  • $135 per person, per day (18 holes); $80 per person, per day (9 holes) – June 1-30
  • $60 per person, per day (18/9 holes) – July 1 – September 30
• Overnight Valet Parking – reduced parking fees of $10 per night
• Nine restaurants and bars
• Spa Services
• Bungalow Rentals
• Shopping

For reservations or more information, visit www.thebreakers.com, call toll-free at 1-888-BREAKERS (273-2537), or contact your travel professional.

See also:

The Breakers Palm Beach: iconic American resort has relaxed, contemporary feel and slideshow

One of America’s legendary resort destinations, this 540-room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel resides on 140 acres of oceanfront property in the heart of Palm Beach. The Breakers was founded in 1896 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and continues to thrive independent of chain affiliation. Renowned for its gracious service, the resort indulges its clientele, whether couples on a romantic getaway, multi-generational travelers on a family vacation or large gatherings in celebration. With the commitment of its long-standing ownership, descendants of founder Henry Flagler, The Breakers invests $20 million each year in the property’s ongoing enhancement to ensure it remains appealing to future guests. Following a comprehensive ten-year $250 million revitalization, its timeless atmosphere — from its magnificent interiors to its artfully designed landscape — has been renewed in a style of relaxed elegance.

 

A multi-faceted destination, The Breakers features 36 holes of championship golf, including the Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones® Course; 10 Har-Tru tennis courts; luxury spa; a breathtaking oceanfront with a half-mile of private beach, Mediterranean-style beach club, as well as luxury beach bungalows for daytime-rental, five pools, four whirlpool spas and a variety of water sports; a Family Entertainment Center and an extensive program of family and children’s activities. Nine distinctive restaurants, as well as an array of on-site boutiques, are all owned and managed by the resort. The Breakers is recognized as a AAA Five Diamond property and has earned numerous accolades for its commitment to the environment, community service and the quality of life it provides to its employees.

Palm Beach Zoo Invites Families for Sleepover

The Palm Beach Zoo has announced an opportunity for families to plan overnight adventures at the zoo. The “Night Owls Overnight Adventure” is available to family groups on Friday and Saturday nights by reservation. Dates are March 23, March 24, April 21, and April 28. © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The Palm Beach Zoo has announced an opportunity for families to plan overnight adventures at the zoo. The “Night Owls Overnight Adventure” is available to family groups on Friday and Saturday nights by reservation. Dates are March 23, March 24, April 21, and April 28.

Participants enjoy animal encounters, a night tour of the zoo, pizza snack, Continental breakfast and some wild nocturnal activities. This program is designed for participants ages 6 and over, and is limited to a maximum of 30 persons per night. At least one parent must accompany children.

Guests should arrive by 6:30 p.m. The overnight program begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 8:30 a.m. the following morning. Activities include up-close animal encounters, night tours of the zoo, crafts, games, evening pizza snack, and a Continental breakfast. The cost for Zoo Members is $35 per person. Cost for Non-Members is $45 per person.

For more information about this program, e-mail us at education@palmbeachzoo.org or call (561) 533-0887 ext. 229, or visit www.palmbeachzoo.org under Education Programs.

See also:

WHERE TO BE WILD IN PALM BEACH COUNTY

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Popular Florida Panther is Euthanized at Palm Beach Zoo

Colin Patrick, 17-year-old Florida panther (Photo by Keith Lovett)

The Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach Florida has euthanized “Colin Patrick”, a 17-year-old Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) that has been a favorite with zoo visitors throughout his life. Colin was born at the Palm Beach Zoo on St. Patrick’s Day in 1995 and lived in the Florida Wetlands section of the zoo.

Dr. Genevieve Dumonceaux, the zoo’s Clinical Veterinarian said, “Colin was recently diagnosed with a tumor that was compressing his spinal cord in the area between his shoulder blades. This was affecting his ability to use his rear legs and he became unable to walk. Examinations also showed advanced bone disease in the spine. Due to the inevitable progression of this problem and the lack of feasible and effective long term therapies for this geriatric panther, the staff of the Palm Beach Zoo animal department made the difficult decision that Colin should be humanely euthanized.”

“Very few animals in the history of the Palm Beach Zoo have touched the lives of as many guests and staff as Colin,” Keith Lovett, Assistant Director of the Palm Beach Zoo said. “In addition to the important role Colin played as an ambassador for his endangered species, he delighted zoo visitors with his playful demeanor and cunning personality. He will be sorely missed.”

Colin was the offspring of George, a Texas Cougar, and Tayke, a Florida Panther and was hand raised by Palm Beach Zoo staff and volunteers. He was one of only a few animals currently in captivity to have Florida panther lineage. His favorite activity was “stealth stalking” guests, volunteers and staff. His favorite foods were fish and large rodents.

At one time distributed throughout the state of Florida, now most of the surviving animals are found in the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Everglades National Park, the zoo noted.

Their habitat is varied and includes swamp, forest and ranchland.  They prefer to feed on wild pigs and white-tailed deer, but will also hunt raccoons, armadillos, and small alligators.

Panthers can reach 6-7 feet from nose to tail; adults can weigh between 70 and 150 pounds, and they can live up to 12 years in the wild, longer in captivity. Colin was 17 years old.

These cats are usually solitary but come together during breeding season. Females generally give birth to a litter of 1 to 4 kittens after a gestation period of 90-95 days. They usually breed every other year, but females will come into estrus sooner if the litter is lost. The young are born with spots that tend to fade after 6 months of age. Young typically nurse for 2 months and will stay with the mother for up to 2 years.

Florida panthers, the official state animal of Florida, are listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In 1993, the population was estimated to be 30 to 50 animals and current numbers are believed to have only reached 100. Radio collar monitoring and camera traps are being used to help save the Florida panther. The main threats to their existence are habitat loss and fragmentation as well as automobile collisions.

See also:

WHERE TO BE WILD IN PALM BEACH COUNTY

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