KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.
Stories
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One WA police chief's argument for changing state vehicle pursuits law
Since 2021, Washington's police departments have had strict rules around when they can, and cannot, chase after suspects in cars. The police pursuit policy has become a hot topic in Olympia and state lawmakers are debating a change that would loosen these restrictions.
"I think the law and the legislators need to realize that there needs to be flexibility and decision-making capabilities at the local level for law enforcement to serve their communities as best as possible," Fife Police Chief Pete Fisher told KUOW's Angela King. "The state's responsibility is to set a framework through which local jurisdictions can work."
Current law requires that officers have reasonable suspicion to pursue someone they believe may be driving under the influence, or probable cause to pursue someone who might have committed a violent or sexual crime. The thinking behind the current law was that police chases are dangerous, even for bystanders.
Opponents argue that it has led to fewer people stopping for police because they know they can get away. A compromise bill recently passed out of the state Senate that would allow pursuits in more situations.
For Chief Fisher, this issue is complicated. Fife already required these high standards, even before the 2021 law was passed. That's because Fife is a fairly small town with high traffic, a potentially dangerous combination in the event of a high-speed police chase.
Yet Chief Fisher doesn’t think the current limits should be for every police agency. He argues that the rules are too stringent and need to be scaled back. Fisher says the changes lawmakers are currently debating would move the law in a "positive direction," though they are relatively small adjustments.
"The changes are not because police chiefs and sheriffs want to see more pursuits," he says. "We think it will have a little bit of a chilling effect on those people that are choosing to run now, that didn't do so before the legislative changes ... It's a matter of making good decisions to have quality law enforcement that has a level of accountability."
Not everyone agrees.
Some Republicans rejected the bill to amend current law because it would still prohibit pursuits related to stolen vehicles. And there were Democrats who voted "no" because they say law enforcement should use other means besides high-speed chases to stop people who are committing crimes.
Sen. John Lovick, a Democrat, recently defended the proposed changes.
"I know there are fears out there, but I think legislation like this can bring our community together and help our law enforcement professionals do the job that they are hired and that they are trained to do," he argued, speaking about the compromise bill that recently passed out of the state Senate.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the requirements of the state's police pursuit policy. The original article said "probable cause" is required for officers to engage in vehicle pursuits. The current law actually has a lower bar for pursuit when it comes to driving under the influence, when "reasonable suspicion" is required.
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Seattle's street parking prices just went up
Parking in Seattle got more expensive Monday morning. Rates went up in about two-thirds of the city's neighborhoods, and also for certain times of day.
Some meters will now be up to $1 more expensive than last week's rates. Rates fluctuate based on parking demand, and some went down during the pandemic.
The city says raising rates will bring in more money for the city's general fund, and could lead to more spaces open since the rates are higher. Still, it notes that some rates are still lower than before the pandemic, such as around downtown Seattle.
The Seattle Department of Transportation analyzed parking data in January and found that there has been "an increase in parking activity." Seattle manages street parking through pricing, upping the cost to park depending on the place and time in order to encourage drivers to move along. SDOT says this "supports businesses and helps drivers find parking without circling the block multiple times."
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Some Washington hospitals will continue to require masks after state mandate drops in April
Washington state's mask mandate for health care settings will end on April 3, but a group of Western Washington hospitals and medical organizations will continue to require folks to mask up while in their facilities.
"In light of the current situation and local, state, and federal guidance, as an acute care and outpatient clinic health care facilities, our organizations will continue to require masking in patient care areas and strongly recommend or require in public spaces," a statement from 11 Western Washington health care providers said.
The statement adds that each facility is different, and officials at differing locations may define "public" and "patient care" spaces as they see fit. It also notes that Covid transmission remains high in Washington state and that immunocompromised and high-risk patients still need protective measures.
King County and Pierce County public health officials came out in support of the continued masking agreement among the local providers.
The statement was signed by officials from:
- EvergreenHealth
- Kaiser Permanente Washington
- MultiCare Health System
- NW Kidney Centers
- Olympic Medical Center
- Overlake Medical Center and Clinics
- Providence Swedish Puget Sound Region
- Puget Sound Kidney Centers
- Seattle Children's
- UW Medicine
- Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Meanwhile, federal pandemic emergency measures are expected to end in May.
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Despite the cold, Washington's tulips will arrive on 'their schedule, not ours': Today So Far
- Washington's "tulips are always on time, because it's their schedule, not ours."
- Life in, and out of, Washington state's Native boarding schools.
- Now that Washington's Supreme Court says the state's capital gains tax is A-OK, Democrats are giving high fives around Olympia as they plug the tax into their budget plans.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for March 27, 2023.
Pam “Twoyah” James-Sinix was sent to a Native American boarding school as a child. She often ran away with her siblings, sometimes making it all the way home in Eastern Washington, only to be taken back by police officers or school officials. But one summer, that all changed.
The United States had programs between 1819 and the 1970s that forcibly took Indigenous children from their homes and placed them into boarding schools. Many were operated by the Catholic Church, such as the one that James-Sinix was sent to with her siblings. She recalls the beatings, the names, and the abuse by Catholic officials at the school. A cycle of abuse, running away, and being captured happened a few times, until her grandmother came to visit the school. Monthly visits from family were common. On one visit, grandma waited for the nuns to be distracted before rushing her kids into a car and making a run for it.
The kids went to live in a camp in the mountains near Inchelium on the Colville Indian Reservation. This time, when officials came looking for them, they only got as far as grandma on her porch, with her coffee, tobacco, and a 30-30 rifle. Grandma knew a thing or two about how the boarding schools worked — she had to escape them herself.
That's just part of the story that James-Sinix relates to KUOW about her life in, and out of, the United State's boarding school program. Read more here.
Now that Washington's Supreme Court says the state's capital gains tax is A-OK, Democrats are giving high fives around Olympia as they plug the tax into their budget plans. But not everybody is happy about the decision.
The state Senate Republican leader says this is a "warning shot" for future tax increases in the state.
"How will the Democratic majority use this ruling to expand the capital gains tax to additional Washingtonians?" Senate Republican Leader John Braun said. "I think that what this ruling does, is encourage the Democratic majorities that they have a friendly court."
The Association of Washington Business echoed the GOP leader following the court's decision, saying the capital gains tax is "unnecessary."
"Instead of constantly looking for ways to raise more taxes, we encourage lawmakers to consider ways to invest in the economy," AWB President Kris Johnson said in a statement.
The court's opinion comes at an opportune time. State Democrats want to collect the capital gains tax in April and put it toward education funding. Right now, proposals aim to use $3 billion in new spending for education. The capital gains tax is expected to bring in about $500 million. Big picture as state lawmakers craft the budget: State revenue is likely to grow, but at a much slower rate than expected. Read more here.
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Will Gov. Jay Inslee run for reelection?: Today So Far
- Will Gov. Jay Inslee run for reelection?
- Washington's capital gains tax is upheld.
- Seattle has lost more housing units than it has produced in recent years. Landlords argue they know why.
- Seattle Public Schools faces a shortage of $131 million next year. It's making cuts now.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for March 24, 2023.
Washington's next gubernatorial race is months and months away, yet folks are starting to ask questions about who will run. Leading those questions is a big one: Will Gov. Jay Inslee run for reelection?
The short answer is: He's thinking about it.
"We’ll make the decision at the right moment, and it’ll be the right decision,” Inslee said at a press conference Thursday.
Which is not what I expected Inslee to say. I mean, most Inslee quotes start or end with "by golly!" I think I once heard him say "by gob!" Whatever that means. In any case, a lot of folks are waiting for the answer to this question before even thinking further.
It came as somewhat of a surprise when Inslee opted to run for a third term, which is uncommon. Most governors stick to two. If he runs again, it would be for a fourth time in office, probably to the chagrin of Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz. Both are names that have been put forth as potential Democrat candidates to replace Inslee. Franz told KUOW that she is considering such a run. Ferguson says he's serious about it too. But again, it all comes down to what the current governor decides. KUOW's David Hyde has the full story here.
Breaking news this morning: Washington's capital gains tax is upheld.
After it was passed in 2021, a lawsuit challenging the state's capital gains tax was filed within days. A lower court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, stating that capital gains are income, and income cannot be taxed in this way in the state of Washington. Today, the state Supreme Court overturned the lower court's decision. In short, the state's stance on the matter is that the capital gains tax is an excise tax, which means it falls under different rules. The decision was highly anticipated as lawmakers in Olympia are crafting the state budget. The capital gains tax is slated to fund education in the state, and Democrats have already factored it into their budget plans. Read more here.
Seattle's small landlords say that the city's renter regulations are making it harder to provide housing. Over the past three years, Seattle and Washington state have passed about a dozen such regulations. This is one fact that landlords point to as a reason why Seattle lost more apartment units than it produced between 2018 and 2022. During that time, small landlords (between one and 20 units) were taking their apartments off the market. “Every small landlord that we know in Seattle has an exit strategy to divest and leave the city,” said MariLyn Yim, a co-founder of Seattle Grassroots Landlords.
As KUOW's Joshua McNichols points out, there are other economic factors at play in Seattle that have contributed to the poor apartment market, such as the lack of affordable homes for people to buy. Check out the full story here.
Seattle Public Schools faces a shortage of $131 million next year. It's making cuts now.
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Capital gains tax upheld in Washington, state Supreme Court rules
In a 7-2 decision, the Washington State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the state's capital gains tax.
The arguments around Washington's capital gains tax have focused on one key question: Is a capital gains tax a tax on income? The court's assessment is that capital gains (the sale of assets like stocks and bonds) are not income, and the tax in question is an excise tax.
The court ruled that "because the capital gains tax is an excise tax under Washington law," it rejected the arguments against it. The 7% tax applies to profits from the sale of assets like stocks and bonds that are above $250,000. Supporters, including the state of Washington, promote it as an “excise” tax on transactions.
The Supreme Court's conclusion Friday overturns a previous ruling by the Douglas County Superior Court, which invalidated the capital gains tax under the argument that it is an income tax. According to the court's conclusion:
"The capital gains tax is a valid excise tax under Washington law. Because it is not a property tax, it is not subject to the uniformity and levy requirements of article VII, sections 1 and 2 of the Washington Constitution. In light of this holding, we decline to interpret article VII or to reconsider our decision in Culliton. We further hold the tax is consistent with our state constitution’s privileges and immunities clause and the federal dormant commerce clause. We reverse the superior court order invalidating the capital gains tax and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion."
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It's early, but prominent Dems are eyeing a run for governor in 2024
The Washington state governor's race is over a year away, but it is already starting to generate some buzz.
So far, Gov. Jay Inslee has not publicly stated his intentions to seek reelection. Meanwhile, two prominent Washington Democrats — Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz — both say they’re weighing a run for the state’s highest office.
Ferguson told KUOW he is “seriously considering” a gubernatorial bid, but only if Inslee decides not to seek reelection.
“It depends on what our current governor decides to do about a potential fourth term,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson is best known for fighting former President Trump, bringing dozens of lawsuits against the federal government over issues including immigration. He told KUOW he is proud of his record as attorney general, which includes taking the office in new directions compared to his predecessors.
“Before I was attorney general, we did no civil rights work, we did no direct environmental enforcement, criminal or civil. Now we lead the nation,” Ferguson said. Before Ferguson, a Republican, Rob McKenna, served as the state attorney general.
These days Ferguson said he is focused on protecting abortion rights, among other issues.
Meanwhile, Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz also spoke with KUOW about her intentions to pursue higher office.
“A lot of people are asking me to run for governor, which I'm truly humbled by, and I'm strongly considering it,” she said.
Asked about her record, Franz pointed to her work on issues like wildfires and climate change that has generated some bipartisan support. But Franz said she considers herself a “proud progressive.”
“Winning support from across the aisle on key legislative priorities doesn't mean compromising on principles,” Franz said. “I've worked throughout the state in improving economic outcomes. Everything from growing our rural economies in forestry and agriculture, clean energy, and our shellfish to being able to expand broadband.”
The race is still a long way off — the primary is next August. At a press conference Thursday, Gov. Inslee said he’s still undecided.
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What's brewing up at Starbucks?: Today So Far
- A lot of news around Starbucks this week.
- Should Washington state buy out-of-state ferries?
- This ski spot in Washington state only costs $10 a day.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for March 23, 2023.
There is a lot brewing up over at Starbucks. For starters, CEO Howard Schultz has stepped down, again, and has provided a farewell message, again.
"Starbucks truly has been my life‘s work – but more than that, it’s always been about the lives of the millions of partners over the years who have proudly worn the green apron and it’s about the hundreds of thousands more who will join Starbucks in the years to come. It’s about every customer who comes through our doors. It’s about the communities our stores call home. Our company is like a river – the stewards of it will change over time, but it’s always growing and changing, carving a new path and moving forward to something better."
This is the second time Schultz has left the company. He returned last year as the company searched for a new CEO. Then, he stayed on a bit longer to phase in the newly hired leader. As of this week, Laxman Narasimhan is Starbucks' full-time top official.
“I am humbled to officially step into my role as Starbucks chief executive officer, leading our incredible team of more than 450,000 green apron partners around the world...” Narasimhan said in a statement. “As a human connection business, we have limitless possibilities to deliver for our partners, our customers, our investors and our communities through every cup and every connection. I am excited to work alongside our partners worldwide to unlock the limitless future of Starbucks.”
Also this week, many of those green apron partners (Starbucks' term for baristas) went on strike. Starbucks Workers United alleges that the company has fired workers for engaging in union activities. The company denies this and says it has closed stores due to safety concerns. Despite stepping down, Schultz is slated to testify in front of a Senate committee in D.C. about the allegations next week.
If you want to take some time to ponder the issues facing Seattle's coffee giant, consider sipping on Starbucks' virgin olive oil infused coffee line, Oleato. It has finally arrived in Seattle. Oleato is currently at the Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in town (Capitol Hill and SoDo). The "original" location at Pike Place Market is also serving it up.
If you don't want to make a trip to those spots, Oleato will show up at Starbucks shops across Seattle on March 27. At that point, I think we can all start having the discussion over whether this is an intriguing addition to coffee culture, or if it's the next innovation akin to Crystal Pepsi.
If you're riding on a ferry around Puget Sound, that boat was homegrown. For 50 years, the ferries in Washington's fleet have all been built in local shipyards. That could change, however. It appears there is bipartisan support among lawmakers in Olympia to allow new ferries to come from shipyards outside of the state. Washington's fleet is aging, and it wants to get more boats, fast. Specifically, it wants to get five new plug-in hybrid electric ferries.
The idea to nix the "Build in Washington" mandate for ferries is providing a boatload of debate in Olympia. On one hand, you have the immediate need for ferries, and the demand from commuters, and the price tag. On the other hand, you have local labor groups who are eager for the ferry jobs.
"The Build in Washington mandate has and will increase the cost per boat by about 50% while being little if any long-term benefit to our state," Port Townsend resident Tom Thiersch said at a recent hearing at the state Capitol. Thiersch chairs his county's ferry advisory committee. "Subsidizing shipbuilders in Washington is simply not worth it."
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Seattle Public Schools lays off more staff, but spares teachers for now
Seattle Public Schools officials say they’ve slashed 74 central office positions for next school year, yet most teachers’ jobs will be safe.
The layoffs mark the district’s latest cost-cutting measure as a budget crisis looms. Washington’s largest school district is facing a projected $131 million budget shortfall next year due to declining enrollment, rising labor costs, and heightened student needs in the wake of the pandemic.
During an online community meeting earlier this week, officials stressed their intentions to keep the majority of budget cuts out of the classroom and away from students and teachers.
“We know this is disruptive, when shifts occur. Our goal is to minimize these disruptions,” said Superintendent Brent Jones. “The combinations of cuts and funding requests to the state will help us balance our budget for '23-'24.”
Jones said the district is focused on making the largest cuts in the central office through layoffs and a hiring freeze. In total, the district is aiming to make about $33 million of cuts in the central office as compared to $11 million of school-based reductions.
RELATED: Seattle Public Schools notifies employees of potential layoffs
The district is also lobbying state lawmakers to increase education funding — especially in high-cost areas like special education, transportation, and multilingual services.
Associate Superintendent Concie Pedroza said teachers, instructional assistants, and other school staff may be shifted around depending on enrollment at individual schools through the district’s displacement process with the teachers union. But most will have jobs within SPS if they want one.
On average, Pedroza said, around 400 teachers leave the district every year. That churn, she said, is expected to help prevent further layoffs.
RELATED: WA teacher turnover hits new high as students struggle to recover from pandemic disruptions
“If there is a reduction in force, it would be limited, especially in our schools,” Pedroza said. “Our goal is to ensure that every student has a qualified teacher at the start of the school year. Keeping our staff in our district is our priority.”
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Washington hospitals continue to report financial losses
Hospitals across Washington state continue to see steep financial losses, according to the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA).
Last year it amounted to a $2.1 billion operating loss across the board, following hundreds of millions in losses in 2021.
“2021 was not a great year,” said Association CEO Cassie Sauer during a media briefing Tuesday. “It was a pretty rough year for health care, so the fact that 2022 is worse is quite alarming.”
Sauer said these losses are unsustainable.
“Hospitals are resorting to extraordinary means to close the gaps in their budgets," she said. "We're already seeing loss of services around our state."
According to WSHA staff, those losses include the closure of some beds in some hospitals, the closure of cardiac services at a hospital in Sunnyside, and the closure of labor and delivery services at a hospital in Toppenish.
Hospital leaders say increases in costs for staffing, drugs, energy, and supplies are part of the problem.
They also point to stagnant Medicaid reimbursements as a source of financial pain.
“Most urban hospitals, nearly all of whom are nonprofits, haven’t had a Medicaid rate increase in more than 20 years,” said Chelene Whiteaker, senior vice president for government affairs with WSHA.
The hospital association is hoping state legislators will help push through a solution this session.
The organization is working to bring a bill in front of lawmakers that would significantly increase Medicaid payments.
Whiteaker said the proposal would not draw from the state's general fund.
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How 'xtreme' is the XFL?: Today So Far
- Are you going to check out a Seattle XFL game?
- Seattle has a bit of an economic chicken-or-the-egg situation developing downtown and at city hall.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for March 22, 2023.
Now that the XFL season is underway, the Seattle Sea Dragons have been hitting the field. Are you going to catch a game?
This is the third attempt at the XFL. The second attempt made headlines in the Before Times, but the pandemic shut it down. The few games from that second attempt produced Seattle audiences up to 30,000 people. Since then, new owners, including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, have taken over. Recent games have garnered about 10,000 people.
"It was a fairly successful market (before), so it was a no-brainer for them to come back here," Seattle Times reporter Scott Hanson told Soundside. "....For this league to be successful, it has to be good football. If it's not good football, people are not going to come."
Success is not guaranteed for the XFL. In fact, there is not a good track record for going up against the NFL. The last attempt was the USFL in the 1980s, which managed to last three seasons.
"The fact that it lasted three years, in my opinion is kind of a miracle," sports historian Paul Reeths told Soundside. "....there hasn't been a real attempt to challenge a major league since then. When I look at it, I look at it very fondly, because it was almost miraculous that it made it three seasons."
Reeths says that the USFL failed because the business model didn't work quite right at the time. Also, it couldn't secure any contracts to broadcast games on TV, which is a big moneymaker for sports.
"Media today is so different. You have all these streaming options ... you have broadcasters who are shelling out billions of dollars in rights' payments to the National Football League alone," Reeths said, adding that those broadcasters might welcome an alternative to the NFL to get ratings without paying large fees.
Regular TSF listeners are probably aware that I'm not the most sportsy person around. When anybody asks me anything about the Seahawks, I usually say something like, "I don't really watch baseball" (by the way, don't make that joke in line at a grocery store on the day the Seahawks are playing in the big game — it doesn't go over well). So I don't know how this new football league is supposed to be "alternative." Apparently, kickoffs work differently, and there are no extra points in the XFL. Instead, teams have options to score 1, 2, or 3 points after a touchdown. And ticket prices are a lot nicer, too.
"When I look at the XFL style of play, I see something that is different, but it doesn't really come across as gimmicky to me ... I think what the XFL is really trying to do is sell something more, sell opportunity, sell entertainment. I think there is everything right with that. Sometimes with sports, we get so wrapped up with how our team is doing, or if somebody has money on it, we've kind of lost our way with looking at sports as entertainment."
The part I'm hung up on is the "XFL" part. Clearly, this is an attempt to offer an alternative to the NFL and provide some football entertainment outside of the usual season. But to use "X" in the title? I haven't found a clear answer on what that implies, other than maybe "xtra" or "xtreme." In which case, you really have to live up to that "X." It's like the "X-Files" or the X-Men, you know you're going to get something beyond belief from that "X." So far, as an outsider, all I've observed is just more football from the XFL. So if The Rock is reading, I have a couple suggestions to help fill in this X issue.
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Black-led farming program in Seattle is being asked to uproot
Nurturing Roots is a Black-led community farm based in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. It started in 2016. Now it’s being asked to leave the land they’re on by the end of the month.
Nurturing Roots is a group that’s often urged city leaders to put more land in the hands of Black farmers. Nyema Clark founded the farm, where she says they hold regular volunteer days and educational programs. The farm also provided food for people during the pandemic.
“Nurturing roots really succeeded because of community because of the bodies that showed up. And because of the hard work that was put in,” she said.
RELATED: What Black liberation looks like — 40 acres in Auburn
Nurturing Roots sits on land that’s leased out to the program by the Bethany United Church of Christ. The church says the lease isn’t being renewed because the farm didn’t give them enough notice to continue their contract before it expired. They say three other nonprofits that previously co-signed with Nurturing Roots have also declined to renew their lease with the farm. The letter to vacate says Nurturing Roots needed to give a heads up 90 days before the current lease expires.
Clark says she wants to stay.
In previous years, she says the process was much more informal and was settled often with verbal agreements. A signed lease was sometimes made months after the old one expired. Over a five year period the Church says they’ve rented the land to the program at a reduced rate. Their estimates put it at a little over 300 hundred thousand dollars that they’ve subsidized for the farm program.
Clark had previously offered to buy the land from the church with a city grant multiple times, but was told it’s not for sale.
In an email to KUOW the church wrote, “We have put a tremendous amount of effort into helping Nurturing Roots. Church and community leaders we partner with have indicated, in good faith, they are willing to help Nurturing Roots find land to purchase.”
The church said it has a need for space, adding it is “in need of our church buildings and property as we expand our youth and adult ministries." The church notes it has a diverse population in its congregation.
A few years ago Clark was in talks with the Seattle Mayor Jenny Dukan, and other community leaders, to manage about 40 acres of farmland the city owns in Auburn, currently known as Red Barn Ranch. That effort has all but slowed down as new leadership has moved in. Clark says talks have begun again with the city of Seattle.
A spokesperson for the city's Parks and Recreation Department says the conversation about what will happen at Red Barn Ranch is ongoing, but wouldn't give more details.
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