Stonewater, a GREAT community with TONS of amenities!
Kids Together Playground, located in Cary, NC… a great place for a playdate or afternoon escape!
Cary, North Carolina
| Town of Cary | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Town — | |||
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 Location of Cary shown within North Carolina |
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Coordinates:  35°46′44″N 78°48′1″W / 35.77889°N 78.80028°W / 35.77889; -78.80028Coordinates: 35°46′44″N 78°48′1″W / 35.77889°N 78.80028°W / 35.77889; -78.80028 |
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| Counties | Wake, Chatham | ||
| Founded | 1750 | ||
| Incorporated | April 6, 1871 | ||
| Government | |||
| – Mayor | Harold Weinbrecht | ||
| Area | |||
| – Total | 43.5 sq mi (112.6 km2) | ||
| – Land | 42.1 sq mi (109 km2) | ||
| – Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2) 3.17% | ||
| Elevation | 480 ft (146 m) | ||
| Population (2009) | |||
| – Total | 136,637 | ||
| – Density | 3,141/sq mi (1,213.5/km2) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| – Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP Code | 27511-27513, 27518, 27519 | ||
| Area code(s) | 919 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-10740[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1019552[2] | ||
| Website | www.townofcary.org | ||
Cary (pronounced /ˈkɛəri/) is a town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham. The town’s population was 94,536 at the 2000 census, but the Census Bureau estimates that its population had grown to 136,637 by 2009, making it the largest town and seventh largest municipality statewide.[3] According to the US Census Bureau, Cary was the 5th fastest growing municipality in the United States between September 1, 2006, and September 1, 2007.[4]
In 2003, the previous Raleigh-Durham–Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was re-defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, resulting in the formation of the Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and the Durham, NC MSA.
The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau’s Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Raleigh-Durham-Cary in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina. As of July 1, 2009 the estimated population of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA was 1,742,816. The Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was estimated at 1,125,827,[5] making it the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan area.
[edit] Geography
Located in the Piedmont region of the eastern United States, Cary is near North Carolina’s Research Triangle. It is edged on the north and east by Raleigh, on the north and west by Research Triangle Park and Morrisville, on the south by Apex and Holly Springs, and on the west by the Jordan Lake area. The topography of the town is hilly.
Cary is in the Humid Subtropical climate zone. It receives hot summers and mildly cold winters, with an average of 7 inches of snow a year. Temperature extremes here range from the negatives to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms affect Cary, usually after weakening substantially from being over land. Some, such as Hurricane Fran in 1996, can still cause great damage in the area.[6] Nearly all of Cary is in western Wake County, with neighborhood-sized sections in the northeast corner of Chatham County.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.5 mi² (112.6 km²). 42.1 mi² (109.0 km²) of it is land and 1.4 mi² (3.6 km²) of it (3.17%) is water. More recent Cary records show that as of 2007 the town has a total area of 52.79 mi².[6]
[edit] History
Page-Walker Hotel (now local history museum).
Today’s Cary began in 1750 as a settlement called Bradford’s Ordinary. About 100 years later, the construction of the North Carolina Railroad between New Bern and Hillsborough went through the town, linking Bradford’s Ordinary to a major transportation route.
Allison Francis “Frank” Page is credited with founding the town. Page was a Wake County farmer and lumberman. He and his wife, Catherine “Kate” Raboteau Page bought 300 acres (1.2 km2) surrounding the railroad junction in 1854 and named his development Cary, after Samuel Fenton Cary (a former Ohio congressman and prohibitionist he admired). Page became a railroad agent and a town developer. He laid out the first streets in Cary and built a sawmill, a general store and a post office (Page became the first Postmaster). In 1868, Page built a hotel to serve railroad passengers coming through Cary. Cary was incorporated on April 6, 1871, with Page becoming the first mayor.[8] In 1879, the Raleigh and Augusta Air-Line Railroad (later the Seaboard, now CSX Transportation) arrived in Cary from the southwest, creating Fetner Junction just north of downtown and spurring further growth.
In the early years Cary adopted zoning and other ordinances on an ad-hoc basis to control growth and give the town structure. Beginning in 1971, the town created Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning to accommodate population growth related to the growth of Research Triangle Park nearby. A PUD allows a developer to plan an entire community before beginning development, thus allowing future residents to be aware of where churches, schools, commercial and industrial areas will be located well before such use begins. Kildaire Farms, a 967-acre (3.9 km2) Planned Unit Development in Cary, was North Carolina’s first PUD. It was developed on the Pine State Dairy Farm by Thomas F. Adams, Jr. Adams named a section of Kildaire Farms “Farmington Woods” in their honor. The local government has placed a high value on creating an aesthetically pleasing town.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year |
Population |
|
|
|
| 1940 | 1,141 – |
| 1950 | 1,496 (+31%) |
| 1960 | 3,356 (+124%) |
| 1970 | 7,640 (+128%) |
| 1980 | 21,763 (+185%) |
| 1990 | 43,858 (+102%) |
| 2000 | 94,536 (+116%) |
| 2010 | 135,234 (+45%) |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 94,536 people, 34,906 households, 25,132 families residing in the town. The population density was 867.2/km² (2,246.0/mi²). There were 36,863 housing units at an average density of 338.2/km² (875.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.17% White, 6.15% African American, 0.27% Native American, 8.08% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.28% of the population.
There were 34,906 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 38.6% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $75,122, and the median income for a family was $88,074. Males had a median income of $62,012 versus $38,819 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,974. About 2.1% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over. According to the Census Bureau’s 2007 estimates, median incomes had risen to $89,702 (household) and $111,556 (family).[9]
[edit] Prosperity
In terms of higher education, 68.0% of adult residents in Cary (ages 25 and older) hold an associate degree or higher, and 60.7% of adults possess a baccalaureate degree or higher. Cary has one of the lowest crime rates in the state for municipalities of its size.[10] The home ownership rate (owner-occupied housing units to total units) is 72.8%.
In 2001, the town of Cary was declared the fourth safest of 327 large municipalities in the nation in the 8th Annual Morgan Quitno Safest (And Most Dangerous) City Award.[11]
Cary’s reputation as a bedroom community for affluent transplants from outside the South has led to humorous backronyms for its name such as “Containment Area for Relocated Yankees.”[12] Data from the 2000 Census shows 29.2% of Cary residents are native to North Carolina. 55.2% were born in other states. Additionally, 15.6% of the town’s population were born outside the United States.[13]
[edit] Government
Cary Town Hall.
Cary has a council-manager government; the mayor and council members serve a four year term, with half of the council seats being up for election each odd-numbered year. Four of the six council seats are elected by district; the remaining two seats are at-large representatives.
The current town council consists of Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Representatives Jennifer Robinson (District A), Don Frantz (District B), Jack W. Smith (District C), Gale Adcock (District D), Erv Portman (at-large), and Julie Aberg Robison (at-large).
On October 9, 2007, Harold Weinbrecht defeated then-mayor Ernie McAlister in the Cary, North Carolina, mayoral election of 2007. Citizen concern over the affect rapid growth was having on the town, especially on roads, schools, and the environment, led to McAlister’s ouster.[14]
On December 26, 2009, The Nation published an article on secret prisons in the United States run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement where suspected illegal immigrants can be held indefinitely before deportation. It was revealed that at least one of these secret federal prisons is located in an office building in Cary.[15]
[edit] Mayors
- From 1871 to Present
Read left to right.
| Name | Years | Name | Years | Name | Years | Name | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. F. Page[16] | 1871 | J. H. Adams | 1884 | R. J. Harrison | 1887 | John Nugeer | 1897 |
| E. C. Hayes | 1900 | A.R. McGarrity | 1902 | R. J. Harrison | 1903 | H. B. Jordan | 1903 |
| N. C. Hines | 1910 | J. M. Templeton, Jr. | 1912 | G. S. Leacock | 1914 | T. H. Taylor | 1916 |
| W. G. Crowder | 1916 | E. P. Bradshaw | 1921 | W. H. Atkins | 1921-25 | G. H. Jordan | 1925 |
| E. P. Bradshaw | 1925 | Dr. F. R. Yarborough | 1927-28 | A. N. Jackson | 1928-29 | H. H. Waddell | 1929-33 |
| Dr. J. P. Hunter | 1933-35 | M. T. Jones | 1935 | T. W. Addicks | 1935 | L. L. Raines | 1935-37 |
| R. W. Mayton | 1935-37 | Robert G. Setzer | 1947-49 | H. Waldo Rood | 1949-61 | Dr. W. H. Justice | 1961-62 |
| James Hogarth | 1962-63 | Dr. E. B. Davis | 1963-69 | Joseph R. Veasey | 1969-71 | Fred G. Bond | 1971-83 |
| Harold D. Ritter | 1983-87 | Koka E. Booth[17] | 1987–1999 | Glen Lang | 1999–2003 | Ernie McAlister | 2003–2007 |
| Harold Weinbrecht | 2007–present |
[edit] Climate
| [hide]Climate data for Cary, NC | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (26.7) |
84 (28.9) |
94 (34.4) |
95 (35) |
99 (37.2) |
104 (40) |
105 (40.6) |
105 (40.6) |
104 (40) |
98 (36.7) |
88 (31.1) |
81 (27.2) |
105 (40.6) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 50 (10) |
54 (12.2) |
62 (16.7) |
72 (22.2) |
79 (26.1) |
86 (30) |
89 (31.7) |
87 (30.6) |
81 (27.2) |
72 (22.2) |
62 (16.7) |
53 (11.7) |
70.6 (21.44) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 30 (-1.1) |
32 (0) |
39 (3.9) |
46 (7.8) |
55 (12.8) |
64 (17.8) |
69 (20.6) |
67 (19.4) |
61 (16.1) |
48 (8.9) |
40 (4.4) |
33 (0.6) |
48.7 (9.28) |
| Record low °F (°C) | -9 (-22.8) |
-2 (-18.9) |
11 (-11.7) |
23 (-5) |
29 (-1.7) |
38 (3.3) |
48 (8.9) |
46 (7.8) |
37 (2.8) |
19 (-7.2) |
11 (-11.7) |
0 (-17.8) |
-9 (-22.8) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 4.02 (102.1) |
3.47 (88.1) |
4.03 (102.4) |
2.8 (71) |
3.79 (96.3) |
3.42 (86.9) |
4.29 (109) |
3.78 (96) |
4.26 (108.2) |
3.18 (80.8) |
2.97 (75.4) |
3.04 (77.2) |
43.05 (1,093.5) |
| Source: http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNC0107 [18] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Economy
[edit] Notable businesses
Cary Chamber of Commerce.
- SAS Institute – Largest privately-held software company in the world and Cary’s largest employer
- 3Dsolve – Simulation software used in training by military, recently purchased by Lockheed Martin
- Cotton Incorporated – Industry trade-group.
- Epic Games – Video game developer
- Geotek Mapping – Municipal & Private Land Survey & Land Development
- Infineon Technologies – Physical, engineering and biological research
- IntelliScanner Corporation – Home and small business organization products
- Lord Corporation – Diversified technology company
- Dex One – Directory and mailing list publisher
- Western Wake Medical Center – Private hospital
- LexisNexis – Legal/Government research, software and professional services
- Deere & Company – Lawn care and turf products Manufacturing.
- Research In Motion – Makers of Blackberry smartphones.
- Deutsche Bank Global Technologies – Support operations for Deutsche Bank AG.
[edit] Top Employers
According to the Town’s 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[19] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAS Institute | 4,320 |
| 2 | Cary Towne Center | 2,540 |
| 3 | Verizon | 1,800 |
| 4 | WakeMed | 1,157 |
| 5 | Town of Cary | 1,126 |
| 6 | American Airlines Reservation Center | 1,067 |
| 7 | Kellogg | 770 |
| 8 | Charles River Laboratories | 750 |
| 9 | Deere & Company | 400 |
| 10 | Global Knowledge | 370 |
[edit] Education
[edit] Public schools
Cary public schools were established in the late 19th century and are now part of the Wake County Public School System, the largest public school system in North Carolina.
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Davis Drive Middle School
- East Cary Middle School
- Mills Park Middle School
- Reedy Creek Middle School
- West Cary Middle School
- Elementary Schools
- Adams Elementary School
- Briarcliff Elementary School
- Carpenter Elementary School
- Cary Elementary School
- Davis Drive Elementary School
- Farmington Woods Elementary School
- Green Hope Elementary School
- Highcroft Drive Elementary School
- Kingswood Elementary School
- Mills Park Elementary School
- Northwoods Elementary School
- Oak Grove Elementary School
- Penny Road Elementary School
- Reedy Creek Elementary School
- Turner Creek Elementary School
- Weatherstone Elementary School
[edit] Private schools
- Cary Academy, private middle/high school
- Cary Christian School
- Grace Christian School
- Hopewell Academy
- Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic School
[edit] Higher education
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Public transit
Public transit within the town is provided by C-Tran, with six fixed-routes. There is also a door-to-door service for the elderly (55+) and riders with disabilities. Triangle Transit operates fixed-route buses that serve the metropolitan region and connect to the local municipal transit systems in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
[edit] Intercity rail
Amtrak‘s Silver Star, Carolinian and Piedmont passenger trains stop at the Cary Amtrak station. They offer service to Charlotte, New York City, Miami, and intermediate points.
[edit] Bicycle
The League of American Bicyclists has designated Cary one of the fourteen recipients of the first Bicycle-Friendly Community awards for “providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation”.[20]
The Maine-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route #1 passes through suburban Cary, as does N.C. Bicycle Route #2, the “Mountains to Sea” route.
[edit] Pedestrian
Cary Greenways and Trails maintains a network of sidewalks and paved trails connecting neighborhoods and parks throughout the town.[20] These greenways place strict requirements on environmental conditions to preserve a park-like atmosphere. In addition, standard sidewalks and paths exist throughout the town.
[edit] Air
The Raleigh-Durham International Airport, located north of Cary via Interstate-40 between Cary, Raleigh and Durham, serves Cary and the greater Research Triangle metropolitan region. Raleigh-Durham is a focus town for American Airlines and a hub for American Eagle Airlines.
[edit] Freeways and primary routes
- Interstate 40
- U.S. 1
- US 64
- State Highway 54
- State Highway 55
- Interstate 540
- Cary Parkway
- Kildaire Farm Road
- Walnut Street (which appears on some maps as Cary-Macedonia Road)
- High House Road
- Harrison Avenue
- Maynard Road Loop
- Davis Drive (links to Research Triangle Park)
[edit] Public recreation
Cary Tennis Park
- Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
- Page-Walker Hotel
- WakeMed Soccer Park, where the Carolina RailHawks play.
- William B. Umstead State Park
- USA Baseball National Training Complex
- Thomas Brooks Park
- Sk-8 Skate Park
- Fred G. Bond Metropolitan Park
- Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
- MacDonald Woods Park[21]
[edit] Tennis
- Cary Tennis Park
[edit] Golf
- Lochmere Golf Club
- Prestonwood Country Club
- Macgregor Downs Country Club
- SAS Championship
[edit] Events
[edit] Cultural
- Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival[22]
- Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival
- Cary Diwali Celebration – Festival of Light
- Ritmo Latino Music, Art and Dance Festival
- NC Eid Festival [23]
[edit] Sports
- 2010 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer College Cup
- 2010 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship
- 2011 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships
- 2012 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships
[edit] Honors and designations
- Money Magazine Best Place to Live #5 in the Nation[24]
- Cary is also home of the USAB National Training Complex [25]
[edit] Sister cities
Cary has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
[edit] Notable residents
- Cary resident Jim Goodnight is CEO of SAS Institute and is currently the wealthiest man in North Carolina.
- Cary resident Bobby Clampett is a former pro golfer.
- Former Cary citizen Walter Hines Page was a U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.[26]
- Cary resident Marshall Brain is the founder of the HowStuffWorks website.
- Cary resident David Potorti became a peace activist following the death of his brother James in the World Trade Center attack of 2001. He is a founding member of September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
- Cary residents Glen Wesley, Aaron Ward and Jesse Boulerice are former Carolina Hurricanes players who live in the area.
- Former Cary resident Kay Yow was the head coach of the women’s basketball team at North Carolina State University.
- Former Cary High School football player/running back Josh Adams is the current running back of Wake Forest University. The town of Cary has named January 10, 2008 as “Josh Adams Day”.[27]
[edit] See also
- The Triangle (North Carolina)
- I-85 Corridor
[edit] References
- ^ a b “American FactFinder”. United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ “US Board on Geographic Names”. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ “Subcounty population estimates: North Carolina 2000-2009” (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2010-06-22. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2009_37.csv. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
- ^ New Orleans Population Continues Katrina Recovery; Houston Leads in Numerical Growth, U.S. Census Bureau News, 2008-07-10
- ^ “Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008” (CSV). 2008 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. July 1, 2009. http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/files/2008/CSA-EST2008-alldata.csv. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
- ^ a b “About Cary”. Cary, North Carolina. http://www.townofcary.org/New_to_Cary_/About_Cary_272.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ “Town of Cary Municipal Limits within Chatam County”. Chatham County Planning Department. http://www.co.chatham.nc.us/dept/planning/planning_dept/Joint_Planning/Cary/misc/Cary_11x17.pdf.
- ^ “Looking Back”. Cary, North Carolina. http://www.townofcary.org/New_to_Cary_/About_Cary_272/Looking_Back.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ “Cary town, North Carolina”. US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-context=st&-qr_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_S1901&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-CONTEXT=st&-tree_id=307&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=16000US3710740&-format=&-_lang=en. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ Bourne, Joel. “Suburbia Unbound”. National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0106/feature7/index.html. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
- ^ “Cary Superlatives”. US Census Bureau. http://www.townofcary.org/New_to_Cary_/About_Cary_272/superlatives.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ “America’s most unusual planned communities”. CNN Money. http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-most-unusual-planned-communities. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ^ “Money Magazine Article – Part 2”. Cary Chamber of Commerce. http://www.carychamber.com/money2.html. Retrieved 2010-05-23. [dead link]
- ^ Carlson, Kelcey (2007-10-09). “Town of CaryWeinbrecht Wins Upset in Cary Mayoral Race”. WRAL News (Capitol Broadcasting Company). http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/1908306/. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ Stevens, Jacqueline (2009-12-16). “America’s Secret ICE Castles”. The Nation (Katrina vanden Heuvel). http://www.thenation.com/article/americas-secret-ice-castles. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
- ^ Cary History: Frank Page, CaryCitizen, April 22, 2010.
- ^ Profile: Former Cary Mayor Koka Booth, CaryCitizen, June 30, 2010.
- ^ Weather Channel. “Cary, NC Weather”. Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNC0107. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ Town of Cary CAFR
- ^ a b “Greenways”. Cary, North Carolina. http://townofcary.org/Departments/Parks__Recreation___Cultural_Resources/Parks_and_Greenways/Greenways.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ Cary Parks: MacDonald Woods, CaryCitizen, November 3, 2010.
- ^ “All About Lazy Daze”. Cary Citizen. http://www.carycitizen.com/2010/08/17/all-about-lazy-daze/.
- ^ NC Eid Festival
- ^ “Best Places to Live”. CNN. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL3710740.html. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ “USAB National Training Complex”. USA Baseball. 2010-03-22. http://web.usabaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080618&content_id=33892&vkey=news_usab. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- ^ “Walter Hines Page”. Knowsouthernhistory.net. http://www.knowsouthernhistory.net/Biographies/WH_Page/. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ^ “Cary Town Council Minutes – January 10, 2008”. Cary, North Carolina. http://www.townofcary.org/__shared/printpages/page16789.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
[edit] External links
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