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MEETING TO ORDER. PLEASE TAKE ROLL.
[City Council Special Meeting on July 18, 2023.]
COUNCIL MEMBER LUNA, PRESENT.COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER, PRESENT.
I'M HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM BHAT-PATEL, HERE.
ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
CITY MANAGER WILL YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF OUR FLAG? PLEASE PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND READY, BEGIN.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
CLERK DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS.
THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST? GREAT.
I SAID, OH, I KNOW WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY WHEN HE STANDS UP THERE.
THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING EVENING.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF BEING THE MAYOR.
WE'VE HAD WE HAD SOME EXCELLENT CANDIDATES COME THROUGH IN APPLICATIONS.
AND LUCKILY I HAD A VERY HARD WORKING COMMITTEE WHO HELPED MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
SO FIRST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WHEN I SAY YOUR NAME, PLEASE STAND.
[APPLAUSE] OKAY, SHE'S ON VACATION.
I JUST WISH THAT WE COULD SAY WE WANT 10 OR 12 VOLUNTEERS OR CITIZENS OF THE YEAR.
THE WAY THIS WORKS IS I GET TO INTRODUCE THE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR, BUT THE FIRST CITIZEN OF THE YEAR IS GOING TO BE KIND OF CONVOLUTED. WE HAVE THREE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK WITH ANIMAL RESCUE.
SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE FIRST THE RECIPIENTS OF THE MAYORAL ACCOMMODATION.
SO TWO OF THE PEOPLE I WANT TO RECOGNIZE DO A TON OF WORK IN CARLSBAD, BUT BECAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY, THEY DON'T LIVE IN CARLSBAD, SO THEY GET MAYORAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP LESLIE DAVIES [APPLAUSE].
IF YOU CAN COME STAND OVER HERE WITH ME.
IN THE WORLD OF ANIMAL RESCUE SHE'S A SUPERSTAR.
I'M JUST GOING TO READ THIS QUICKLY.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY, FERAL CAT COALITION, SNAP AND SEVERAL OTHER ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS. FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, YOU HAVE DEVOTED YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND SUPPORT TO BENEFIT ALL ANIMALS BY WALKING DOGS, CONDUCTING HUMAN EDUCATION CLASSES, RESCUING HOMELESS ANIMALS.
YOUR COMMITMENT ALSO HELPED ESTABLISH ANTI PUPPY MILL LEGISLATION [APPLAUSE].
AND YOUR POSITIVE IMPACT WILL BE APPRECIATED BY FUTURE GENERATIONS.
BUT FIRST, I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU LESLIE LIVES IN OCEANSIDE.
SHE DROVE ALL THE WAY TO NATIONAL CITY ON HER TIME OFF TO WALK NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO OUTLAW THE PUPPY MILL PUPPY SALES IN NATIONAL CITY. THAT'S A BIG DEAL TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH, TO WALK NEIGHBORHOODS, PASSING OUT FLIERS, AND THEN COME ALL THE WAY BACK TO OCEANSIDE JUST TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN TOMORROW. THIS IS JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF THE DEDICATION THAT LESLIE HAS GIVEN TO THIS.
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AND SO, LESLIE, FOR THAT, THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].TIME TO SIT [LAUGHTER]. SUSIE COME STAND WITH ME OVER HERE.
SUSIE'S ACCOMMODATION READS: IN RECOGNITION OF THE 11 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER WORK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES IN CARLSBAD, AND FOR THE UNCOUNTABLE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT YOU'VE DEVOTED TO ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND SUPPORT TO SO MANY DOGS BY NOT ONLY WALKING THEM, BUT BY ALSO CLEANING THEIR KENNELS, HELPING THEM GET ADOPTED, AND BY GIVING THEM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND ATTENTION.
YOUR COMMITMENT AND ACTS OF KINDNESS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS.
NOW, I GAVE A QUICK STORY ABOUT LESLIE.
NOW I GET TO TELL A QUICK STORY ABOUT SUSIE.
I VOLUNTEER AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
YEAH, I TRY TO PUT IN AN HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF, EVERY 2 OR 3 DAYS IF I CAN.
THEN THAT WAY, THE STAFF HAS A CHANCE TO GET OPEN AND ESTABLISHED.
ALSO THAT WHEN 8:00 COMES AROUND AND SHE CAN VOLUNTEER, SHE THEN STARTS HER VOLUNTEER SHIFT.
SHE'S THERE, IF NOT EVERY DAY, DARN CLOSE.
AND SUSIE'S STILL THERE, WALKING DOGS, CLEANING THEIR CAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SUSIE, FOR ALL YOU DO, THANK YOU SO MUCH [APPLAUSE].
AND NOW OUR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR.
JILL, WILL YOU JOIN ME? I NEED YOUR PROCLAMATION SO I CAN READ IT.
DO YOU HAVE IT? THE FRAMED ONE.
THEY TOOK IT AWAY. OKAY, I'LL WING IT.
JILL. IT'S ALL THE SAME THINGS.
SO, JILL, HANG IN THERE WITH ME.
JILL, CAN I SAY THIS? CAN I SAY JILL IS A PAIN IN THE ASS? IS IT OKAY TO SAY THAT? SHE GETS THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING, CLEANS KENNELS, AND THEN SHE STARTS WORKING BY WALKING THE DOGS.
BUT OUT OF 85 DOGS, HOWEVER, MANY ARE THERE.
SHE HAS 85 FAVORITE DOGS AND SHE TAKES ON EVERY ONE.
SO WHEN I CALL HER KIND OF A PAIN, SHE'LL TELL THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS.
SHE'LL TEXT ME AND SAY, KEITH, ARE YOU COMING IN? THERE'S A DOG IN NUMBER 35 THAT'S HARD TO HANDLE AND WE NEED YOU TO COME IN AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
KEITH, I TOOK OUT THESE DOGS, BUT I CAN'T STAY ANY LONGER.
I HAVE A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
YOU NEED TO COME IN. SHE DRIVES OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET ME IN SO MUCH TROUBLE. AND IT'S ALL [APPLAUSE].
BUT SHE DOES IT BECAUSE THAT IS HER LEVEL OF DEDICATION TO THESE ANIMALS.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE CITIZENS OF THE YEAR OF CARLSBAD [APPLAUSE].
OH, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? OH, I'M SO SORRY.
NO. YES. WHAT DO I DO? YOU TALK. OKAY.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T DONE THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL HONOR.
EVERY DAY, VOLUNTEERS COME INTO THE SHELTER TO HELP OUR DOGS.
WE TRY TO HELP THEM BY WALKING THEM.
WE SIT WITH THEM AND TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE LOVED AND THAT THEY'RE CARED FOR.
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THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT AFTER TEN YEARS OF VOLUNTEERING AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, THOSE FEELINGS OF PURPOSE AND JOY HAVE ONLY DEEPENED AND GROWN, AS HAS MY COMMITMENT TO THE DOGS.
AND I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL TO THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS ME TO KEEP SHOWING UP AND PITCHING IN TO HELP HOWEVER I CAN BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO AT THE SHELTER.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR SEEING THE VALUE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SHELTER DOGS AND FOR SEEING THE VALUE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SHELTER VOLUNTEERS WHO COME INTO THE SHELTER AND DONATE THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND RESOURCES TO WORK AS PART OF A GREATER TEAM TO HELP OUR DOGS BECOME MORE ADOPTABLE AND TO MOVE THEM FORWARD.
INTO SAFE AND LOVING FOREVER HOMES.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. I SHOULD HAVE HAD JILL WRITE MY SCRIPT [LAUGHTER].
NEXT BETH AND BRAD, WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME? I'M GOING TO READ. I'M GOING TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BETH AND BRAD, BUT THEN I'VE GOT TO TELL MY STORY ABOUT THEM AND WHY I THINK THAT THEY'RE SO DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION. FIRST, THEY'VE LIVED IN CARLSBAD FOR 28 YEARS.
THEY'RE THE FOUNDERS OF THE MITCHELL THORP FOUNDATION.
THIS NONPROFIT RAISES MONEY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH LIFE THREATENING DISEASES AND DISORDERS.
IT'S NAMED FOR THEIR SON, MITCHELL, WHO DIED IN 2008 AT AGE 18 AFTER A FIVE YEAR ILLNESS.
THAT MONEY HAS GONE TO HELP MORE THAN 1,550 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
MONEY HELPS PAY THEIR MEDICAL BILLS AND KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE.
ANNUAL WALK AT POINSETTIA COMMUNITY PARK DRAWS THOUSANDS.
IN 2009 THE CITY NAMED A BALL FIELD AT THE PARK IN HONOR OF MITCHELL, JUST ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THE FOUNDATION RAISES MONEY TO HELP LOCAL FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
THE FIRST WALK WAS IN 2006, BEFORE THE FOUNDATION WAS FUNDED.
ORGANIZED BY THE COMMUNITY WHEN MITCHELL WAS VERY ILL THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH BASEBALL COMMUNITY, CAME TOGETHER TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE BIG MEDICAL BILLS THAT INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER.
THIS MEANT SO MUCH TO THE THORPS THEY KNEW THAT ONE DAY THEY WANTED TO PAY IT FORWARD.
AFTER MITCHELL DIED, THEY SOMEHOW FOUND THE STRENGTH TO START THIS FOUNDATION.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THEY BRING TOGETHER LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE AND WORK TOWARD THIS, THE FOUNDATION.
BUT IT BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITY.
AND TO ME, THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT THE FOUNDATION DOES FOR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING THE CITIZENS OF THE YEAR IN CARLSBAD [APPLAUSE].
BOY, YOU SAID IT ALL PRACTICALLY.
BUT I WILL JUST SAY A FEW THINGS, BECAUSE FOR BRAD AND I, WE'RE VERY HONORED NOT ONLY BY YOU, KEITH, THE COUNCIL, THE STAFF AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT VOTED ON THIS.
WE'RE SO HONORED AND HUMBLED TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION.
FOR US, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S COME FULL CIRCLE.
AND ALL WE WANTED AT THAT MOMENT WAS TO RENAME A BALL FIELD IN OUR SON'S HONOR.
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AND SO WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND GIVE BACK TO THOSE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE REGION.AND SO REALLY, WHEN PEOPLE THAT HEARD ABOUT OUR SITUATION, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH A VERY LONG, HARD JOURNEY, FIVE YEARS OF IT WITH OUR OWN SON, THIS COMMUNITY CAME OUT FOR US AND LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
I MEAN, MANY OF US WERE DRAWN TO THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
LIKE I SAID, WE LIVED HERE 28 YEARS AND WE ALL CAME HERE BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL CLIMATE, THE BEACHES, THEN MOST OF ALL, THE WELCOMING OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE IS SO SPECIAL.
THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL THAT WE STILL LIKE TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, AROUND.
CARLSBAD FEELS LIKE ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.
IT FEELS LIKE A BIG HUG EVERY TIME WE COME HOME.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN THE PEOPLE AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE THAT WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING.
SO AS A COUPLE TRYING TO KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS WITH MEDICAL BILLS AND THINGS THAT ARE SO OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, EVEN WITH GREAT INSURANCE, WHAT A LOT OF THE FAMILIES FACE.
PEOPLE CAME UP TO US AND SAID, WE WANT TO HELP.
AND THEY FORMED THAT VERY FIRST WALKATHON FOR US.
AND LITERALLY THAT WAS THE TRANSFORMATIONAL MOMENT FOR US BOTH, WOULDN'T YOU SAY? WE KNEW THAT 600 PEOPLE SHOWED UP, PEOPLE WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AT THAT FIRST WALKATHON FOR US TO HELP US.
IT FOREVER CHANGED OUR LIVES, IT FOREVER CHANGED OUR HEARTS OF THE DIRECTION WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD, TO AGAIN, PAY IT FORWARD TO HELP OTHER FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN FIGHTING FOR THEIR TOMORROWS.
SO IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING THIS COMMUNITY HAS AND WE NEED TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES CARLSBAD SO GREAT [APPLAUSE].
WELL, IT'S JUST THIS WHOLE HONOR OF BEING NOMINATED FOR THIS WAS JUST A SPECIAL IT WAS SHOCKING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SOME PAST HONOREES IN THE BACK ROW.
I GUESS THEY'RE GOING TO HECKLE US HERE SHORTLY.
AND IT MEANT SO MUCH TO US AND WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR [APPLAUSE].
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR A SHAMEFUL PLUG.
OH, WELL, WHEN COVID HIT, MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY SAID, OH, BETH, BRAD, YOU REALLY SHOULD TELL YOUR STORY. YOU REALLY NEED TO GET YOUR STORY OUT THERE AND YOU NEED TO WRITE ABOUT IT.
SO WHEN COVID HIT, QUIETED OUR WORLD, SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN AS WE KNOW IT.
BUT I GOT TO IT AND WROTE OUR MEMOIR TITLED A NEW CREATION FINDING MEANING IN THE MIDST OF TRAGEDY.
AND SO IT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2022, JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
SO WE'VE BEEN OUT PROMOTING IT.
AND NOW MY NEW YORK PUBLISHER HAS PUT US WITH TWO FILM PRODUCERS WHO LOVE THE STORY.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO SEE IT GO TO FILM ONE DAY.
THAT'S EXCELLENT [APPLAUSE]. CONGRATULATIONS.
I INVITE ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY? WELL, I KNOW BRAD AND BETH AND I JUST CALLED YOUR NAME'S BETH AND BRAD JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO.
BUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH MITCHELL THORP FOUNDATION IS JUST SO MEANINGFUL FOR ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES TO SOME OF YOUR CLIENTS. AND I THINK IT'S JUST SUCH A VALUABLE RESOURCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WISH SO MUCH SUCCESS FOR YOU AND YOUR BOOK, WHICH I AM READING, YOU GUYS GOT TO READ IT AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FILM, SO IT'LL BE A GREAT STORY.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE THIS TURNOUT.
I FEEL LIKE WE ALWAYS HAVE A FULL HOUSE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR.
AND IT IS NICE TO SEE THE FORMER HONOREES IN THE BACK.
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SO THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP AND SUPPORTING THIS YEAR'S HONOREES.WE THANK THE PEOPLE WHO STEP UP AND THEY DO THINGS.
SO YOU MAY NOT BE SITTING ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION.
YOU'RE DOING AMAZING OTHER WORK THAT SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY.
THANK YOU. AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, NOT JUST IN HONOR OF YOUR SON, BUT ALL THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH EXPERIENCES WITH CHILDREN BEING ILL.
I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG SINGLE MOM BEING RECRUITED TO WORK WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S PART OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, LA, AND WORKING WITH FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEM WHILE THEIR CHILDREN WERE GOING THROUGH TERMINAL ILLNESSES.
AND IT WAS IT WAS SUCH HARD WORK THAT I ULTIMATELY COULDN'T TAKE THE JOB I WAS BEING RECRUITED FOR.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ANGEL'S WORK, REALLY, THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE WAYS THAT BOTH OF OUR SETS OF HONOREES HAVE.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AND THE THE MAYORAL DISTINCTION AWARDS.
IS THAT WHAT THE OTHER ONE IS? SO THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR NEIGHBORS NEARBY IN OCEANSIDE WHO COME TO CARLSBAD AND ALSO HELP SERVE OUR GREATER COMMUNITY.
THANKS [APPLAUSE]. AND SAME HERE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE HONOREES.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE A SHELTER DOG.
SO SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
RIGHT. AND SO ACTUALLY, THERE'S A SONG CALLED PETS ARE FAMILY FOR KIDS.
I HAVE A TODDLER, AS YOU CAN TELL BY THAT.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL DO FOR THAT.
AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE RAISING A YOUNG ONE, RIGHT? AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO NAVIGATE THEIR NEW LIFE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND BRAD AND BETH, OF COURSE, I'VE BEEN TO YOUR EVENTS AS WELL.
I WAS A KID WHEN I HAD HEARD ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND MITCHELL.
I WAS A FEW YEARS OLDER THAN MITCHELL, AND I REMEMBER HEARING THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HIM AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL OBVIOUSLY STARTED TO DO AFTERWARDS AND BEING ABLE TO COME FULL CIRCLE ON THE SIDE TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND SOME OF YOUR EVENTS, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO IS CLEARLY PHENOMENAL.
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. SO ABSENT ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE YOU FILL THIS ROOM UP, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
THIS IS THE SOUL OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE LOSE PERSPECTIVE SOMETIMES, I THINK, AND THIS MAKES ME VERY EMOTIONAL AND HEARTFELT, THAT THIS IS WHAT CARLSBAD IS ABOUT, OUR PAST HONOREES. YOU'RE OUR SOUL AND WE THIS IS SO NICE.
ANNUALLY, WE ARE REMINDED THAT THIS IS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT AND THAT THIS THANK YOU FOR BEING THE SOULS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BRINGING ALL OF THIS JOY AND HAPPINESS AND UNITY THAT CARLSBAD IS SO KNOWN FOR.
SO I KNOW YOU'RE RECEIVING AN AWARD FROM US, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING AN AWARD FROM YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH [APPLAUSE].
NOW I INVITE EVERYBODY TO MEET US OUT IN THE ATRIUM FOR I THINK IT'S CUPCAKES AND WATER [LAUGHTER].
AND OUR MEETING'S ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.