Louisiana news

• Five fashion staples after decluttering your wardrobe

  19-04-2016 23:44
  
  I decided that I would start with five wardrobe staples that are on every "must own" list but that I somehow lacked, well-fitting jeans, white Oxford shirt, black dress, utilitarian handbag, and a pair of all seasons leather shoes.
  
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• Free conference offers hope of healing for sexual addictions

  19-04-2016 21:50
  
  Breaking the power of secrecy may be a first step in ending sexual addictions, some experts say. Two upcoming events offer hope to those impacted by pornography and addiction. Recalibrate, a free conference April 28 at New Orleans Baptist Theological...
  
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• Bill to allow payment plan for DMV fines on car insurance

  19-04-2016 19:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- A bill could allow for drivers to pay back fines to Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles over time.Letters were previously sent out in October and many received some saying they owed a large amount.Representative Denise Marcelle sponsored the bill to let drivers with some of those high-priced fines to pay them off overtime.“We saw all sorts of problems," she said.“We saw little old ladies who forgot to turn in their plates that now are faced with fines
  
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• Brown water in North BR blamed on firefighter training, nothing to worry about

  19-04-2016 18:45 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Water Company blamed complaints of brown water in part of North Baton Rouge on a fire department training program that involves opening and closing fire hydrants quickly.Hayes Owen told News 2  that stirs up "natural minerals" in the line, like manganese, which gives the water its brownish hue. Manganese and the other minerals are harmless.The areas affected include Airline Highway near Prescott Road and North Lobdell Boulevard near Greenwell Sprin
  
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• Community leaders want more affordable summer programs for kids

  19-04-2016 18:16 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE -  Following the series of fights at LA Earth Day, some are concerned about what can be done to keep children out of trouble as school comes to an end.The East Baton Rouge Family & Youth Service Center said all community members need to come together to develop free summer programs for kids within each community. Community leaders say the most affordable or free summer programs offered by the YMCA or the city can only handle a certain number of kids."Kids that don't have
  
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• 2 arrested and one still at large in stolen car in Donaldsonville

  19-04-2016 16:55 via wbrz.com
  
  DONALDSONVILLE- Two juveniles have been arrested and one suspect is still at large in a stolen vehicle in Donaldsonville.According to Lt. Col. Bobby Webre, deputies received information that a Toyota Camry stolen from Assumption Parish was traveling into Donaldsonville on Monday night.Deputies saw the stolen vehicle entering the city limits and attempted to stop it. The driver fled from deputies in the vehicle and crashed into a ditch on Thibaut Drive. No one was injured in the crash.Three occup
  
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• State Police: Parish employee drove drunk, crashed government vehicle

  19-04-2016 16:48 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON - A parish employee was arrested overnight on DWI charges after a wreck in government vehicle, the Investigative Unit learned Tuesday.Livingston Parish employee arrested for DWI after crashing parish vehicle overnight, per @LAStatePolice— BrettBuffingtonWBRZ (@BrettBuffington) April 19, 2016WBRZ reporter Brett Buffington broke the story first on Twitter. State Police confirmed Shevis Ball was booked with DWI and careless operation after a single vehicle crash on La 16 south
  
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• LSP: Parish employee drove drunk, crashed government vehicle

  19-04-2016 16:48 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON - A parish employee was arrested overnight on DWI charges after a wreck in government vehicle in his driveway, the Investigative Unit learned Tuesday.Livingston Parish employee arrested for DWI after crashing parish vehicle overnight, per @LAStatePolice— BrettBuffingtonWBRZ (@BrettBuffington) April 19, 2016WBRZ reporter Brett Buffington broke the story first on Twitter. State Police confirmed Shevis Ball was booked with DWI and careless operation after a single vehicle crash
  
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• Owner of group home where one person died in December not licensed by state

  19-04-2016 16:33 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- The owner of a group home that went up in flames just before Christmas leaving one man dead and another victim injured was not licensed by the State Department of Health and Hospitals, according to a DHH spokeswoman.State guidelines require most group homes to get licenses through DHH. Group homes are set up for people who can't live on their own.State Fire Marshal Butch Browning believes the fire death and the injury could have been prevented. Browning said the problem on Donmoor i
  
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• After 34 years, Livingston train derailment cleanup finished

  19-04-2016 16:32 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON - After a fiery train derailment nearly 34 years ago, the Town of Livingston is finally finished with remediation to rid the ground of a cancer-causing chemical.Mayor Derral Jones says the mile-long derailment is still the biggest story to ever come out of Livingston. Jones was the town's fire chief when the train derailed in 1982."It brings back some memories...things I'll never forget," he said. "Here I am the fire chief, and I have no idea what to do or where to go. Fortunately the
  
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• Man steals twice from same store in Chalmette minutes apart

  19-04-2016 16:29 via wbrz.com
  
  CHALMETTE- Police say that a man stole items twice from a Chalmette pawn shop in the span of minutes.According to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, the suspect went into the Cash America Pawn Shop in Chalmette and took an XBOX ONE game console.Deputies said he was wearing a flannel shirt, blue pants and a red hat at the time.About five minutes later, deputies said that the same suspect came in with a different change of clothes. He was wearing a blue zip-up hooded sweatshirt.
  Ac
  
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• Disney on Ice skates back to Lakefront Arena with Pinocchio, other favorites

  19-04-2016 16:17
  
  When you think of spring in New Orleans, ice probably doesn't come to mind. But it will this season, when Disney on Ice comes to Lakefront Arena from April 27 - May 1, presenting its "100 Years of Magic" show...
  
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• Elayn Hunt Correctional cadet arrested for smuggling goods for inmates

  19-04-2016 14:52 via wbrz.com
  
  ST. GABRIEL- An Elayn Hunt Correctional Center officer-in-training was arrested after trying to smuggle in vodka, tobacco and cell phones into the facility for inmates.On Sunday, correctional center staff found out that 29-year-old Jessica Dedon, of Denham Springs, smuggled in the items after watching video surveillance.The video showed suspicious activity from Dedon the night before the discovery. While reporting for duty on Sunday night, video surveillance revealed similar suspicious activity
  
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• Gov. John Bel Edwards looks back on first 100 days in office

  19-04-2016 14:20 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - With 100 days in office now under his belt, Governor John Bel Edwards took Tuesday morning to reflect on the challenges he has faced since he took office.Among those challenges, Gov. Edwards has inherited the largest state budget deficit in the history of the state and a legislature that has been less than cooperative. Edwards said he’s trying to make choices that solve those problems in the best possible way for Louisiana residents.“Right now is about making th
  
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• BRPD officer on administrative leave was suspended in 1999 incident

  19-04-2016 14:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Records show that a Baton Rouge Police sergeant placed on paid administrative leave faced serious disciplinary action by the department in the past.BRPD announced Tuesday morning that Sergeant Todd Bourgoyne was placed on administrative leave after the officer was involved in the arrest of a 16-year-old that drew attention from social media when video emerged of the sergeant punching the teen. The arrest took place after fights broke out during LA Earth Day festivities on Sunday in
  
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• Bill limiting access to police body camera video stalled

  19-04-2016 14:12 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A proposal to exempt all police body camera footage unrelated to criminal investigations from Louisiana public records law has stalled in the state Senate, at least temporarily.
      
  Lake Charles Sen. Ronnie Johns, a Republican, says he plans to continue discussions on the measure and bring a reworked proposal to a Senate judiciary committee next week. He decided Tuesday to remove the bill from the panel's consideration.
      
  Su
  
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• Senate backs bill allowing raw milk sales in Louisiana

  19-04-2016 14:08 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - If one lawmaker has his way, Louisianians will learn to trust local farmers to milk cows and sell the product "raw."
      
  Sen. Eric LaFleur, a Ville Platte Democrat, persuaded the Senate to let farmers sell limited quantities of unpasteurized milk directly to consumers, with an argument of personal liberty.
      
  Supporting senators cheered and clapped as LaFleur argued for his "don't tread on me bill." The Senate voted 23-12 Mon
  
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• La. Senate holds annual 'Military Family Day' ceremony

  19-04-2016 14:08 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - State senators honored six soldiers from Louisiana who died in service over the last year.The ceremony was part of the Senate's annual "Military Family Day," which has memorialized 217 soldiers since 2005. The veterans commemorated Tuesday were members of the Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines and Louisiana National Guard.Individual condolence resolutions for each soldier were read by Sen. Jonathan Perry, a Republican from Kaplan. Family members for each soldier were invited to attend,
  
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• Riders: Belligerent man tries to take city bus, tased

  19-04-2016 14:04 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A man was detained after a tirade on a city bus Tuesday afternoon.Police were called to meet a CATS bus at the Cortana stop after a man tried to commandeer the vehicle. A witness told a WBRZ photographer on the scene, the driver stopped and told passengers to exit. When police arrived, the man was tased, the witness said. Police said a man with a knife was causing a disturbance and was arrested.  His name has not been released.  “I ain't scared of anythi
  
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• Man arrested after Monday night Hanks Drive shooting

  19-04-2016 13:50 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office arrested 23-year-old Jeron Durroh for attempted second-degree murder after a Monday night shooting on Hanks Drive.Monday around 9:30 p.m., EBRSO Uniform Patrol Deputies responded to the 6600 block of Hanks Drive in reference to a “shooting investigation.”Deputies found a 34-year-old victim at a nearby business suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound.The victim was transported to an area hospital by EMS a
  
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• Trump, Clinton expand lead with wins in New York

  19-04-2016 13:43 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON, D.C. -  Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton is picking up a majority of New York's delegates with her win Tuesday over Bernie Sanders.With 247 delegates at stake, Clinton will pick up at least 135. Sanders will win at least 104. Eight remain to be allocated pending final vote tallies.Based on primaries and caucuses to date, Clinton now has 1,424 delegates to Sanders' 1,149.When including superdelegates, or party officials who can back any candidate, Clinton'
  
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• 2 La. oil and gas industry companies expect layoffs

  19-04-2016 13:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two Louisiana companies that serve the oil and gas industry announced potential layoffs along with one a temporary closure.Gulf Island, LLC in Houma and Carbo Ceramics in New Iberia both issued Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARNs) about the layoffs.Gulf Island may have as many as 227 workers to be laid off by June 23, according to a WARN on Apr. 14.The potential layoffs will be enacted if the company is unable to win bids on upcoming projects, according to the Lou
  
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• Deputies make 5th arrest in 2015 Donaldsonville double murder

  19-04-2016 13:23 via wbrz.com
  
  DONALDSONVILLE - Sheriff’s deputies in Ascension Parish announced the arrest of a fifth person in connection with a 2015 double murder in Donaldsonville.APSO says the arrest of Demond Foley came through a joint effort with the New Orleans Police Department and the U.S. Marshals late Friday evening at a New Orleans west bank apartment complex.Lt. Col. Bobby Webre said Foley was wanted in the murder of 37-year-old Chad Nichols and 29-year-old Benny Booker on Jan. 26, 2015 in Donaldsonvil
  
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• States move toward making endangered land lines extinct

  19-04-2016 13:17 via wbrz.com
  
  WHITEFIELD, Maine - Maine is joining a growing group of states that have passed laws that limit or remove state regulations of basic, landline phone service.A bill Maine Gov. Paul LePage signed into law last week aims to meet the business interests of the state's largest telephone company, FairPoint Communications, while protecting consumers who live in rural areas that have few options for phone service.Thirteen states in the last three years have said that telephone companies can use alternati
  
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• BRPD officer on administrative leave after Earth Day encounter with teen

  19-04-2016 12:54 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - BRPD announced Tuesday morning that one of the department's sergeants has been placed on administrative leave following an incident that happened during LA Earth Day on Sunday.Police identified the officer as Sergeant Todd Bourgoyne. Sgt. Bourgoyne has been employed by Baton Rouge Police for 22 years, and was assigned to the BRPD Traffic Division at the time of the incident.BRPD launched an internal investigation on Monday after videos of several fights emerged on social media foll
  
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• Gov. Edwards to kick off monthly radio show on Tuesday afternoon

  19-04-2016 12:53 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - On Tuesday afternoon, Gov. John Bel Edwards is set to launch a monthly call-in radio show called “Ask the Governor” on the Louisiana Radio Network.The show will air statewide and will be available to all radio stations. Listeners to the show will be able to call in and speak one-on-one with the governor to ask him questions about issues that are important to them, according to the Governor’s Office.“I look forward to talking with folks from a
  
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• This fall, Michael Strahan joins GMA every day on WBRZ

  19-04-2016 12:48 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW YORK - Michael Strahan will become a full time staple of "Good Morning America," weekdays on WBRZ this fall.Strahan will leave his seat on "LIVE with Kelly and Michael," ABC executives said Tuesday morning. The morning talk show will begin a search for a new co-host in the fall. Strahan has been moon-lighting on "GMA" for two years, where he has been featured as a special correspondent. Sometimes, he makes appearances on the morning news program and still co-hosts his daytime talk show after
  
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• Additional reward for Tickfaw Guns burglary and theft info.

  19-04-2016 12:39 via wbrz.com
  
  TICKFAW - A federal agency has announced a $5,000 reward for information about a burglary and theft of a gun store in Tickfaw.
  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Division and the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) is offering the reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the burglary and theft of firearms at Tickfaw Auction Company, also known as Tickfaw Guns.The store is located on US-51 and was burglarized Apr. 8 around
  
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• Earth's hot streak continues for a record 11 months

  19-04-2016 12:32 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - Earth's record heat streak has hit a record 11 months.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says March's average global temperature of 54.9 degrees was not only the hottest March, but continues a record streak that started last May.According to NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden, the 11 heat records in a row smashes a streak of 10 set in 1944.The records set in March keep on coming. March was 2.2 degrees warmer than the 20th-century average. That's a record for mos
  
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• Memorial performance for theater shooting victim, musician at weekend festival

  19-04-2016 12:31 via wbrz.com
  
  LAFAYETTE - Theater shooting victim Jillian Johnson will be memorialized during a special performance at the city's annual music festival this weekend.Johnson was a member of the Figs, an all-female alternative country band. The Figs will perform with a similar band, Ginger Lee, on Sunday at the 30th anniversary of Festival International.Festival International attracts some 300,000 people to the city each April.Ginger Lee and the Figs will play a set together, celebrating the talents and memory
  
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• Thibodaux Police seize over $10k in drugs after two arrests

  19-04-2016 12:15 via wbrz.com
  
  THIBODAUX- Thibodaux Chief of Police Bryan Zeringue announced two arrests that led to police seizing a gun and $10,000 in drugs.Police arrested 20-year-old Alex Smith and 20-year-old Ariyaun DeJean for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, illegal carrying of weapon in the presence of CDS, possession of hydrocodone and possession of drug paraphernalia.A Thibodaux Police Narcotics Investigation secured a search warrant in the early morning of Apr. 14 for a home in the 200 block of North
  
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• Unused tunnel under Canal Street could cause trouble

  19-04-2016 09:48 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS- Traffic is being restricted on one of New Orleans' busiest streets because officials noticed a bulging wall in a mostly unused tunnel.
      
  The tunnel is under Canal Street, the wide thoroughfare that divides the French Quarter from the central business district. The tunnel was built in 1966 for a later-abandoned riverfront expressway project. Officials reported a bulging wall and leaking water in the tunnel last week.
      
  The t
  
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• FDA campaign takes aim at chewing tobacco use by rural teens

  19-04-2016 09:30 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - Government health regulators will team up with minor league baseball teams as part of a new campaign to discourage rural teenagers from using chewing tobacco.The Food and Drug Administration says its latest effort targets white, rural males who are more likely to use dip, chew and other smokeless tobacco products. More than 31 percent of males in this group, or roughly 629,000 teens, are at-risk for using chewing tobacco, according to the agency.Last year the FDA launched a $128-mil
  
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• Edwards expects support to build for second special session

  19-04-2016 08:41 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Facing resistance to more taxes, Gov. John Bel Edwards says he believes lawmakers will determine Louisiana needs additional money to protect critical programs as they struggle to craft next year's budget.Edwards, a Democrat in office since January, reaches his 100th day as governor Tuesday still grappling with deep financial troubles.He's trying to rally support for a special legislative session to begin in June, for lawmakers to raise additional taxes to bail out the budget for th
  
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• More rain likely in flooded Houston Tuesday

  19-04-2016 08:38 via wbrz.com
  
  HOUSTON - More rain is likely as Houston cleans up after more than a foot of rain swamped parts of the nation's fourth-largest city.The National Weather Service says there is a 50 percent chance of more rain falling on the Houston area Tuesday and has issued a flash flood watch through Wednesday morning.Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says the city is returning to normal operations and advises drivers to take care on flooded roads.Five people died in the Houston area after storms since Sunday dum
  
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• Visa: New technology for chip cards to speed checkout times

  19-04-2016 08:14 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW YORK - Visa says its improving its smart chip-embedded cards, which have been the source of grumbling from businesses and customers forced to wait for transactions to go through.
  The company said Tuesday that Quick Chip for EMV will let customers dip and remove cards, usually in two seconds or less, without waiting for purchases to be finalized.
  Though the wait can be just seconds, in today's economy of swipes and scans, the cards have been a nuisance for high traffic retailers, for example,
  
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• April 19, 2016 Morning News Pop

  19-04-2016 06:38 via wbrz.com
  
  Here are today's top stories:EXCLUSIVE: Teen talks about encounter with officer, viral video New video in Will Smith shooing caseL'auberge, Hollywood parent companies agree on merger Showers return to the forecast for a few daysUpdates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• Trump, Clinton look for wins on home turf in New York

  19-04-2016 06:00 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW YORK- Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton hope to emerge victorious from Tuesday's primaries in New York, contests that offer big delegate hauls and an opportunity for the front-runners to inch closer to their parties' nominations.
      
  Even before the New York results are in, Clinton's campaign is declaring the Democratic race virtually over and warning rival Bernie Sanders that he risked damaging the party's eventual nominee if he keeps up harsh
  
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• 'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Doris Roberts dies at 90

  19-04-2016 04:05 via wbrz.com
  
  LOS ANGELES- A family spokeswoman says that "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Doris Roberts has died. She was 90.
      
  Spokeswoman Janet Daily said Monday that Roberts died overnight in her sleep in Los Angeles. Daily was told of the death by Roberts' son, Michael Cannata.
      
  Daily didn't know the cause of Roberts' death but said the veteran actress had been healthy and active.
      
  Roberts played the meddlesome moth
  
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• Shell to move some jobs from New Orleans to Houston

  19-04-2016 03:38 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS- Shell says it plans to move some jobs from New Orleans to Houston as part of plans to cut its global workforce.
      
  The company said that relocations this year would affect less than 5 percent of its New Orleans workforce. The oil company has about 1,900 workers based in One Shell Square in downtown New Orleans, so 5 percent translates to fewer than 95 jobs.
      
  On Monday, the newspaper reported that Shell employed about 2,300
  
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• Adoption disclosure bill fails to gain support in committee

  19-04-2016 03:00 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- A proposal to allow adopted adults to work through a third party in an attempt to gather more information from their birth parents has failed to advance in the Louisiana House.
      
  Isabel Wingerter, representing the Louisiana State Law Institute, presented the proposal. Wingerter said the measure would create another route to information through a confidential and qualified intermediary to contact birth parents.
      
  Adopted adu
  
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