Category: The Midwest

Ohio Coalition Forms in Opposition to November Adult-Use Marijuana Ballot Initiative

Hannah Poling

A broad coalition of Ohio leaders has joined together in order to defeat an attempt by marijuana legalization activists to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November.

The initial coalition represents respected leaders across children’s health care, business, veterans, and law enforcement institutions including Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, Ohio Adolescent Health Association, Buckeye Sheriffs Association, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Ohio Veterans First, Veterans Court Watch, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, State Senator Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario), Former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, Phillips Tube Group CEO Angela Phillips, and Smart Approaches to Marijuana CEO Kevin A. Sabet Ph.D.

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Ohio Republican Bill Aims to Stop Colleges from Reducing Financial Aid Awards

Hannah Poling

A Republican Ohio House Representative introduced legislation to stop a college or university from reducing financial aid if a person receives a private scholarship.

House Bill (HB) 98, sponsored by State Representative Monica Robb Blasdel (R-Columbiana County), aims to stop scholarship displacement and ensure Ohio college students effectively receive the assistance they have earned through private scholarships.

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Cuyahoga County GOP Applauds Governor DeWine for Taking Action to Curb Cleveland’s Crime Surge

Hannah Poling

The Cuyahoga County Republican Party applauded Governor Mike DeWine for taking decisive action to curb Cleveland’s crime surge as Democratic Mayor Justin Bibb “fails to protect the city.”

According to Cuyahoga County GOP Chairman Lisa Stickan, DeWine understands the importance of law and order in Cleveland and applauds him for sending state resources to assist the police department.

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Conservative Political Commentator Tucker Carlson to Headline Ohio Christian Fundraiser

Hannah Poling

Conservative political commentator, writer, and television personality Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at a gala fundraiser thrown by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) in Cleveland, Ohio, next month.

The Cleveland Celebration Gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, will take place at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower, on September 21st. According to the Center for Christian Virtue, it will be an evening of music, inspiration, and fellowship. 

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Ohio Appeals Court Upholds Preemption Firearms Laws

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals ruled to uphold state law on firearms uniformity overturning a ruling by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen McIntosh who previously granted an injunction to the city of Columbus blocking the state of Ohio from enforcing “preemption” firearms laws.

According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the court’s ruling is a win for the state of Ohio.

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Ohio Republican Senate Candidate Calls for Immediate Action Following ‘Bogus’ Trump Indictment

Hannah Poling

Bernie Moreno, who is running for an Ohio Senate seat, said Tuesday that another indictment against former President Donald Trump is completely “bogus” and called for House and Senate Republicans to take immediate action against President Joe Biden and his left-wing allies.

This follows a Georgia grand jury approving 10 indictments on Monday night in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ election probe, including Trump and 18 others.

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U.S. Senator JD Vance Frustrated by Pace of East Palestine Derailment Cleanup

Hannah Poling

U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) is frustrated by the slow pace of cleanup from Norfolk Southern’s February train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

Vance visited the derailment site and met with local leaders to discuss the cleanup status on Monday evening. According to Vance, the cleanup was supposed to be completed in July but now in the middle of August, it’s still nowhere near completion.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Tim Scott Talks Border, Biden, and Barbecue with Governor Kim Reynolds at Iowa State Fair

M.D. Kittle

Rising in the Hawkeye State polls, U.S. Senator Tim Scott did the Iowa State Fair Tuesday, rediscovering the sweet joys of funnel cake and sitting down with Governor Kim Reynolds for a “Fair-Side Chat.”

The top tier contestant for the Republican Party presidential nomination and proud South Carolinian also made a confession that could cause him some heartburn in the Palmetto State.

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Ohio GOP Congressman Apologizes After Condemning Christian for ‘Bigoted’ Post

Just the News

Ohio Republican Rep. Max Miller on Tuesday issued an apology after a heated Twitter exchange in which he appeared to condemn an activist in hist state for expressing a basic statement of her Christian faith.

“I posted something earlier that conveyed a message I did not intend. I will not try to hide my mistake or run from it. I sincerely apologize to Lizzie and to everyone who read my post,” Miller stated. He did not clarify what his intended message was.

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U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Announces County Captains in Over 50 Ohio Counties

Hannah Poling

On Monday, Republican businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno announced county captains in over 50 counties across Ohio in his campaign for the U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

According to a press release e-mailed to reporters, these county captains will help implement Moreno’s campaign strategy in each of the 50 counties represented and will serve as a hub of operations.

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Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit to Block Abortion Amendment from November Ballot

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit filed by a group of pro-life advocates requesting that they block a proposal that aims to enshrine abortion into the state constitution from the November ballot.

All of the seven Supreme Court justices dismissed the lawsuit brought by former state Representative Tom Brinkman from Cincinnati and former legislative candidate Jennifer Giroux who say that that the Ohio Supreme Court should block the proposal as the submitted signature petitions to get on the ballot fails to specify which state laws would need to be abolished if voters approved the constitutional amendment.

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Ohio Coalition Resubmits Petition to End Qualified Immunity for Government Employees

Hannah Poling

A group of Ohioans wants to try yet again to change the state’s Constitution to permit lawsuits against government employees.

The amendment, aiming for the November 2024 presidential election, looks to add a Section 22 to Article I of the Ohio Constitution in order to end qualified immunity being used to protect state employees, including but not limited to law enforcement officers, against civil lawsuits.

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Ohio Republican Bill Aims for Schools to Excuse 4-H and FFA Absences

Hannah Poling

Two Republican Ohio state representatives introduced legislation to allow students to attend extracurricular activities during and after their time in school.

House Bill (HB) 135, sponsored by State Representatives Rodney Creech (pictured above, right) (R-West Alexandria) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) (pictured above, left), looks to require excused absences from schools for 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) activities.

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Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Require Schools to Get Parental Permission to Administer Over-the-Counter Medications

Hannah Poling

Two Republican Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill into the Ohio House of Representatives to require local school districts to include over-the-counter medications in their school medication policies.

House Bill (HB) 70, sponsored by State Representatives Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), looks to patch an oversight in existing policies by requiring every school to request parental permission before administering over-the-counter medications to children.

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Ohio Supreme Court Sets Date to Hear Arguments in ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban Case

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Supreme Court announced on Thursday it set a hearing date for oral arguments in a case challenging a Hamilton County judge’s decision to put Ohio’s Heartbeat abortion ban on hold.

Ohio’s highest court will hear 15-minute arguments from both sides on the case on September 27th, almost a year after Democratic Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins issued a preliminary injunction that put the Heartbeat Law on hold while he considers arguments in a lawsuit filed by pro-abortion activists.

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Norfolk Southern Agrees to Enhance Safety Measures at East Palestine Derailment Site

Hannah Poling

Norfolk Southern has agreed to enhance safety measures for workers cleaning up the site of its February derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the rail giant entered into an agreement with the federal government and the Teamsters’ rail maintenance worker division to enhance working conditions and crew training after federal inspectors discovered the company had broken a number of regulations, including not requiring or enforcing the use of protective gear.

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New Poll Shows Trump Continuing to Dominate GOP Presidential Rivals, Ramaswamy Overtaking DeSantis

M.D. Kittle

A new survey by private polling firm Cygnal finds former President Donald Trump still dominating the GOP presidential primary field, and political outsider Vivek Ramaswamy overtaking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for second place.

Trump leads with 53 percent support, followed by Ramaswamy (11.4%), who has moved ahead of DeSantis (10.4%), according to the poll. The Florida governor has plummeted from 29 percent support in March.

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Pence’s Poke at Ramaswamy’s Youth Raises Age Again as a Campaign Issue

M.D. Kittle

Ohio entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has taken a lot more flak from his opponents as he rises in the primary polls.

But the political outsider and first millennial to run for the Republican Party presidential nomination is starting to draw fire about his youth — from none other than former Vice President Mike Pence, Ramaswamy’s elder by 26 years.

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Ohio Lawmakers React to the Defeat of Ohio State Issue 1

Hannah Poling

Following the defeat of Ohio State Issue 1 on Tuesday, Ohio Lawmakers in the House and Senate voiced their opinions.

Issue 1, if approved by voters, would have mandated a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Steubenville Catholic Trade School Forges Ahead Despite Obstacles in Ohio’s Regulatory Hurdles

Admin

A Catholic trade college plans to enroll students starting in fall of 2024, but said it continues to train people interested in learning craftsmanship while it works through the regulatory process and other hurdles.

The College of St. Joseph the Worker in Steubenville, Ohio is “shifting the start date back so that we can finish the state approval process,” Alex Renn, the school’s communications director, told The College Fix via email.

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Ohio State Issue 1 Defeated

Hannah Poling

After a long campaign season for and against Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution, voting numbers from county boards of elections are pouring in and being added to the unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of States Website.

As of 10:00 pm on election day, the trending unofficial outcome is that voters have defeated Ohio State Issue 1.

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Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit over Bethel School District Transgender Bathroom Policy

Hannah Poling

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio dismissed a lawsuit on Monday challenging Bethel Local School District’s policy to permit students to use bathrooms according to their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

The Bethel School board adopted a new policy last January that allowed students to use bathroom facilities according to their gender identity. Before the policy change, transgender students predominantly utilized a gender-neutral bathroom.

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Former Planned Parenthood Director Warns Ohio Parents What Could Happen to Their Daughters if Ballot Amendment Enshrines Abortion in State Constitution

Susan Berry, PhD

National pro-life leader and former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson spelled out Sunday what could await pregnant teens in Ohio should a proposed constitutional amendment allow them to obtain abortions without parental consent.

Johnson spoke to a large crowd at a Rosary Rally, organized by Catholics for Catholics, to encourage Ohioans to vote “yes” on Issue 1 on Tuesday.

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Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Set to Hold ‘Fair-Side Chats’ with GOP Presidential Candidates; Trump Has His Own Plans

M.D. Kittle

It’s State Fair time in the Hawkeye State, and with a little more than five months before Iowa’s first-in-the- nation primary that means one thing: Presidential candidates galore.

While Thrill Ville still thrills and food on a stick remains cuisine du jour, the Iowa State Fair — as it does every four years — is a showplace for presidential aspirants.

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Bernie Moreno and Kari Lake Rally Ohio Republicans to Vote in Support of Issue 1

Hannah Poling

On Monday, Republican businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate Bernie Moreno and Arizona Republican politician and former candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake rallied Republicans to vote in support of Ohio State Issue on August 8th.

Moreno and Lake attended a county Republican rally in Cleveland in support of Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution. They spoke to hundreds of voters at the Get Out the Vote Rise and Shine Rally at the Strongsville GOP in Parma.

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Kari Lake Endorses Republican Businessman Bernie Moreno for U.S. Senate at Ohio GOP Rally

Hannah Poling

On Sunday, Arizona Republican politician and former candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake announced her endorsement for Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in his run for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

Lake made the announcement at a county Republican rally north of Columbus that she attended along with Moreno, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) in support of Ohio State Issue 1 to raise the threshold to amend the state constitution. Lake spoke to about 500 people at the Union County Republican Party Summer Farm Fest in Marysville.

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Bernie Moreno Commentary: The Biden Administration’s Cynical Ploy to Stop Trump Will Not Work

Admin

This week, the Biden Department of (in)Justice has, once again, displayed that they will stop at nothing to try to ruin the life and reputation of Donald Trump. It’s a disgrace. It’s a spectacle that belies its purpose: the Left’s palpable fear of facing Trump in the 2024 general election.

Even the numbers bear this out. A poll from Harvard/Harris just last week had President Trump dominating the GOP primary, and beating both Biden and Harris in a head-to-head matchup. Is it any coincidence that this poll proceeded additional bogus legal action from the DOJ?

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Steve Cortes Commentary: Vote ‘Yes’ on Issue 1, Protect Ohio from Extremists Like the ‘School Porn Moms of Shaker Heights’

Admin

Why are the most radical groups in America, from BLM to the ACLU, suddenly so enthused about politics in Ohio?

After all, Ohio is a generally traditional, center-right state. But these leftists now seek to abuse the process of representative government in Ohio by compelling binding state constitutional referendums in lower turnout election cycles to inflict liberal policies that would never survive the normal lawmaking process.

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Ohio Lawmaker Introduces Legislation to Allow Chaplains in Public Schools

Hannah Poling

A Republican Ohio lawmaker introduced a bill into the Ohio House of Representatives that aims to permit public schools statewide to employ chaplains to provide support services and programs for students.

House Bill (HB) 240 sponsored by State Representative Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Paris Twp.) would allow chaplains to serve as paid employees or volunteers in public schools without having to obtain a license from the state board of education.

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Ohio Representative Hillyer Appointed to CPAC’s National Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Advisory Council

Hannah Poling

The Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC), the nation’s oldest conservative grassroots organization, appointed Ohio State Representative Brett Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville) to serve on its National Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Advisory Council.

The press release details that in this position, Hillyer (pictured above) will work with other council members to develop best practices and policy recommendations to boost public safety through conservative justice system reforms.

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Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Submit Additional Signatures for November Ballot

Hannah Poling

A group of marijuana legalization activists delivered thousands of 6,545 additional signatures on Wednesday to the Ohio Secretary of State‘s Office in an attempt to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November. This follows the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office ruling last week that the original petitions submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol did not contain enough valid signatures to be put on the November ballot. The coalition needed to gather over 124,046 signatures by July 5th to qualify for this November’s ballot. The group submitted 222,198 signatures to the secretary of state’s office before the deadline; however, the secretary of state’s office ruled that only 123,367 were valid signatures. Although the measure fell short, the coalition had 10 additional days to get the few hundred valid signatures needed to put them over the top and refile to get on the November ballot. Boards of elections have eight days after receiving new petitions to verify signatures. After everything is verified, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose‘s Office will verify everything and state whether it meets the requirements to appear on the…

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Ohio Prayer Rally ‘To Save Children from Abortion and Genital Mutilation’ Amendment Draws Nation’s Top Catholic Speakers

Susan Berry, PhD

An organization of faithful Catholics has drawn the nation’s top Catholic speakers to its Ohio prayer rally Sunday to “save children from abortion up to birth and genital mutilation without parental consent,” as allowed by the proposed ballot amendment to the state constitution known as Issue 1.

Catholics for Catholics, a group that helped organize the Los Angeles Dodgers prayer rally to protest the club’s decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an anti-Catholic group of queer and transgender “nuns,” has now orchestrated the “Rosary Rally” that seeks to defeat “the diabolical effort to codify abortion-on-demand and genital mutilation in the Ohio State constitution.”

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Ohio to Award over $35 Million in Retention Incentives for Thousands of Ohio First Responders

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that the state is awarding over $35 million in retention incentives to thousands of Ohio first responders in recognition of their dedication to public safety and ongoing commitment to public service.

Over 10,000 law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel from 309 agencies will receive the retention incentives totaling over $35 million as part of the Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program, which DeWine created last year to address first responder burnout caused by under-staffing and overall job stress.

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Pro-Life Advocates File Lawsuit Requesting Ohio Supreme Court Block November Abortion Amendment

Hannah Poling

A group of pro-life advocates has filed a lawsuit requesting that the Ohio Supreme Court block a proposal that aims to enshrine abortion into the state constitution.

The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro-abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights has proposed “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” which would add a Section 22 to Article 1 of the state constitution.

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Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted Names Aaron Crooks as New Chief of Staff

Hannah Poling

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced on Tuesday that he named Aaron Crooks, former director of Legislative Affairs for Governor Mike DeWine, to serve as his new chief of staff.

Crooks, of Upper Arlington, has served as DeWine’s director of legislative affairs since 2021. As director of legislative affairs, he oversaw the development and promotion of the administration’s legislative agenda with the General Assembly and other stakeholders in that capacity. He worked for CareSource, OhioHealth, and the Office of Health Transformation before joining the DeWine-Husted administration. In 2002, he took a position with the Ohio Senate.

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Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Senate Candidate Frank LaRose Calls on GOP Senate Challengers to Help Support Issue 1

Hannah Poling

Newly declared candidate for the U.S. Senate, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, called on Monday to his GOP Senate challengers to help support Ohio State Issue 1 in the final days before the August 8th special election to vote on it.

Issue 1, if approved by voters, would mandate a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.

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Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher to Lead House Committee on China Roundtable on CCP Ag Theft

M.D. Kittle

A headline-grabbing congressional committee will take its investigative work on Communist China to the Heartland this week.

On Thursday afternoon, U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), chair and Ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, respectively, will lead a roundtable discussion in the eastern Iowa farm community of Dysart.

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Ohio State Lawmakers Urge Ohio EPA to Eliminate E-Check Program in Northeast Ohio

Hannah Poling

A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers is urging the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate the federal program known as E-Check in northeast Ohio.

The group of 11 state lawmakers sent a letter to Ohio EPA director Anne Vogel urging her to eliminate the federal program within the state which requires northeast Ohioans living within Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties to get their vehicles tested every two years to pass regulatory emissions requirements.

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Former Walbridge Mayor Wilczynski Drops His Bid to Challenge Congresswoman Kaptur for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District

Hannah Poling

A political candidate looking to secure Ohio’s 9th Congressional District from U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) has ended his 2024 run.

Ohio Republican and former mayor of Walbridge, Dan Wilczynski, has officially dropped out of the race to unseat Congresswoman Kaptur in 2024 who is currently serving her 21st term in Congress.

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