cannabisnews.com: Pot Club Owners' Home Raided in SoMa





Pot Club Owners' Home Raided in SoMa
Posted by CN Staff on December 20, 2005 at 13:24:14 PT
By Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco -- About a dozen federal agents raided the home of a couple who operate a local medicinal marijuana club early today, seizing 122 plants and an estimated $20,000 in assets. Shortly after noon, several agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration remained in vans outside the club at 223 Ninth St. in the South of Market neighborhood, apparently waiting for a warrant to search it as well.
A crowd was growing around the club, including protesters carrying signs supporting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. California voters legalized medicinal pot use in 1996, but it remains against federal law. No local law enforcement officers took part in the raid on the home of the club's operators, Steve and Catherine Smith, activists said. The raid happened at 6:30 a.m. on the 200 block of Clara Street, a few blocks away from their Hopenet Co-op. The club is next door to the California Marijuana Party, an organization that lobbies for the national legalization of medicinal use of the drug. In addition to marijuana plants, agents confiscated growing equipment, bulbs, utility bills, tax documents, financial records and photographs from the Smiths' home, the couple said. Steve Smith said he suspected the agents had taken some patient records as well. Snipped:Complete Article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/20/MNG24GB0A89.DTLSource: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff WriterPublished: Tuesday, December 20, 2005Copyright: 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #23 posted by ekim on December 22, 2005 at 20:01:10 PT
 Steve get Craker and his backers to addopt Kubby
http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=872
The PRRA officer refused to consider a letter from Dr. Joseph Connors of the BC Cancer Agency, who was chosen by Immigration Canada. Dr. Connors did confirm that Mr. Kubby does indeed have a rare form of cancer which is controlled only by marijuana, but only “new” evidence is permitted under the PRRA rules, as determined by CBSA. Consequently, the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment could then say that there is “no evidence” of risk to Mr. Kubby’s life, even though the province’s leading oncologist says otherwise, and the PRRA officer “noted” Dr. Connor’s letter. 
SeeProfessor: End The MonopolyUniversity of Massachusetts professor Lyle Craker is part of the group asking the judge to stop the federal government's marijuana monopoly. "The government's marijuana just isn't strong enough," said Richard Doblin, a Craker supporter who directs the Massachusetts-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.Other groups including Americans for Tax Reform, American Medical Students Association, California Medical Association, Lymphoma Foundation of America, New Mexico Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, United Methodist Church (with more than eight million members) and Wisconsin Nurses Association have written the DEA in support of Craker's license. his suit against the DEA for a license to grow marijuana, Craker has backing from 38 members of Congress, the two senators from Massachusetts, numerous medical societies and even Grover Norquist, the president of the conservative Americans for Tax Reform. Last month, Democratic Massachusetts representatives John Olver and Michael Capuano sent a letter to DEA administrator Karen Tandy, expressing "strong support" for issuing Dr. Craker’s licenseThrough its Drug Law Reform Project, the ACLU is representing the plant researcher, Lyle E. Craker,“Almost 80 percent of Americans support making medical marijuana legal, and the Supreme Court has indicated that federal regulatory agencies are the proper channel for medical marijuana patients,” said Allen Hopper, a staff attorney with the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project
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Comment #22 posted by Jim Lunsford on December 22, 2005 at 15:09:46 PT
Nickel Bags
My neighbor was a "broker" in weed. I used to get four finger bags for free. If i had to pay, it was rare and only five bucks. Four fingers! Course that was in the late seventies.They compute it all up by counting pounds by their oost if they were sold by the ounce. It's a good way to pad the books so they will look more efficient than they are. Of course,if they were truly efficient, they would have won this war against us already. What a bunch of dumbasses.Too bad the entire collection of law enforcement dicks that go out and enjoy busting heads of pot smokers are unable to actually get a real job. Should have seen the jokes we used to say about the dea when they were getting "jungle training"! They suck. They are the incompetent dumbasses that government settled for when the government decided no one intelligent could ever work for government. Who else would stay if your boss called you a dumbass for working for him? Only a dumbass. Screw them. They have no right to do anything. They are in violation of the constitution. The one Bush would rather wipe his ass with than enforce. To hell with them.Why is it still illegal? Because the government is irrelevant to society. Look at the walls a crumbling all around. Morales, Chavez, CIA secret prisons, NSA wiretapping, DEA being their normal dumbasses, FBI lying on the black boxes in 9-11, and so on. It's insane.Just remember though, it's all just a freakshow. And it's so entertaining to know it's so petty. But only because we are such a petty species. So, maybe I will smoke another one and chill a while. Just got through with another skydive and life is good. Oh yes, I was buzzed. Must always be "safe!"Rev Jim LunsfordFirst Cannabist ChurchWhy don't they ever talk about the buzz you get from oxycotin and all those other drugs? Why is the Cannabis high so dangerous? What a bunch of morons people are if they buy that one.
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on December 22, 2005 at 13:08:39 PT
herbdoc215
I find the prices really hard to handle but it's illegal so that drives the price up. Willie Nelson said I remember when a dime bag cost $10. The price would drop so much if the laws were changed and that would allow the money to be circulated in the economy if people didn't have to pay such huge prices for Cannabis. The reality is this. There was an old expression that said dope will get you thru times with no money better then money will get you thru times of no dope.I bet that's true today too.
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Comment #20 posted by herbdoc215 on December 22, 2005 at 12:52:45 PT
Pat, thanks and Yes the new DA's co-operation
in HumCo was very important in my being let out of the tornado as was the AUSA(assistant U.S. attorney) in Seattle and San Francisco, it seems that our co-op gardens fell into the permissable range of the new guidelines issued in 2002 and SB 420 plus the searches being warrentless probably didn't hurt any either. I had kick-ass lawyers all the way which in this day and age seems to make the difference between spending holidays with your family or bubba at the state pen? Douglas Hiatt in Washington and Steven Schectman here in HumCo. Larry Lichter in San Francisco propped me up in Federal Court down there as that is a big scary-ass building! I owe so many people for standing beside me the last 5 years I feel an incredible sense of obligation, it has taken a dozen miracles to get me out of this alive, that all had to line up in perfect order. A big deal in my favor was that I was offered a ticket to either of 2 other countries in Canadian Federal court by a judge 2 days before Immigra snatched me from Hospital and I turned it down because I wanted to get this whole thing taken care of either way it went as this was really crushing my family. The final kick in the teeth was the 4 fines of $420 each Plus they get to keep all plants, buds, seeds,etc. so even when they think they are being cool they can't help their dickiness? 
FoM, you asked...who could afford these prices...those of us whose lives depend upon this substance will pay just about anything we have too, or those who care for us do! Which is the very reason I started my crusade so long ago...empowerment means more than you can know when you pay more everyday for medicine than you make and choices are always made, and always hard. If people think about it that way then it shows what a game feds are playing with many peoples lives in these raids and bs spin-games about money while UniMed charged me $13,000 a month for THC pills, SativaX at $150 a day...just who is making money off of whom?
I don't have any idea what the future holds but I know that there is a strange plan behind all of these disconected events lately and eventually the feds will go to far and the sheeple will see them for the liars and cheats they are.
Merry Christmas and Peace, Steve Tuck
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Comment #19 posted by ElPatricio on December 22, 2005 at 09:27:29 PT:
Welcome Home, Steve
Congratulations to Steve Tuck for his safe return to California. Please let us know if it was the new Humboldt district attorney's office that negotiated a civilized end to your persecution.And please let us know if you recover your files that might include evidence that former Attorney General Dan Lungren rallied the troops just before he left office to continue opposing the Compassionate Use Act. I tried to locate your records in Eureka and was unable to find them.Be well.Patrick "Pat" McCartney
elpatricio aol.com
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Comment #18 posted by JustGetnBy on December 21, 2005 at 17:44:31 PT
HerbDoc 420
Man. I rejoice with you. Take a well deserved breather and get well brother.
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Comment #17 posted by runderwo on December 21, 2005 at 16:26:26 PT
herbdoc
Wow, a fine of $420? Heh heh. Glad to hear the nightmare is over.
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on December 21, 2005 at 07:41:43 PT
Related News from Ann Harrison
DEA Raids San Francisco Medical Cannabis Cooperative and Grow Sites***By Ann HarrisonDecember 21, 2005San Francisco -- DEA agents raided the HopeNet Medical Cannabis Cooperative today, returning after dark to break down the door after a three-hour standoff with the HopeNet supporters.According to DEA spokesperson Casey McEnry, the raids were a result of a two-year investigation that began as an anonymous tip. The information led to home in Penngrove, California where the DEA also served a search warrant today and seized 217 marijuana plants from an indoor grow. Two additional marijuana grow sites in San Francisco were also raided."I can tell you that it is a clear violation of federal law to cultivate, possess and distribute marijuana," said McEnry when asked why federal agents would raid a medical cannabis cooperative operating under California law. "Today, as the DEA, we enforced federal drug laws and conducted a lawful search of these four locations and we seized marijuana."McEnry said the investigation into the Penngrove site led agents to the home of HopeNet directors Steve and Cathy Smith. DEA agents presented a federal search warrant and raided the Smith's residence and grow room on Clara Street in San Francisco today at 7 am. According to McEnry, 122 marijuana plants were seized from the Clara Street building plus an unknown amount of currency and processed cannabis.No arrests were made at either the Penngrove or San Francisco locations. But McEnry said information seized from the Smith's residence led agents to the HopeNet Cooperative and another warehouse location on Clara Street. Agents seized approximately 500 marijuana plants from the warehouse location and marijuana brownies and butter from the cooperative at 223 9th Street. McEnry says agents secured federal search warrants for each location."It was a DEA only investigation and did not receive any assistance from the police," said McEnry.No arrests have been made in connection with any of the raids. But McEnry says the DEA is working with the San Francisco U.S. Attorney's office to review the evidence. "Arrests are possible," says McEnry. "We are evaluating information and the investigation is ongoing."According to Steve Smith, ten armed DEA agents woke him and his wife Cathy up at 6:30 am, took him outside in his underwear, handcuffed him, and searched their house and grow room at 272 and 237 Clara Street. Smith said his building is 25 feet from the home of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris who Smith said confronted the agents as they were raiding his home. "She came out and said it was too bad," said Smith.Smith said the agents confiscated $20,000 in cooperative operating funds and personal cash, grow room equipment, a cell phone, keys, 80 marijuana chocolate milks, personal papers, business and patient records. According to Smith, he and his wife have no bank accounts that agents could seize. According to the search warrant, signed by U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth La Port and special agent Christopher Fey, agents were specifically looking for business records and lists of customers.During the search, agents found a business card for HopeNet which led them to the cooperative. According to Smith, the cooperative left no cannabis at its building overnight to discourage theft.Continue reading "DEA Raids San Francisco Medical Cannabis Cooperative and Grow Sites"http://www.ontherecord.org/blog/archives/2005/12/dea_raids_san_f.html#more
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on December 21, 2005 at 07:35:51 PT
Feds Raid Home, Growing Facility of Pot Club Pair
This really isn't current now since they did another raid so here is the link.http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/12/21/BAGOIGBB6O1.DTL
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on December 21, 2005 at 07:17:00 PT
Related Article from KTVU.com and Bay City News
DEA Returns And Raids SF Medical Marijuana Club*** December 21, 2005SAN FRANCISCO -- Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco this evening, just hours after protesters celebrated scaring the DEA agents away.The daylong protest involved nearly 100 demonstrators who gathered outside HopeNet, a medical marijuana co-op at 223 Ninth St., after DEA agents raided the home of the co-op's directors this morning.Steve and Cathy Smith's home in the 200 block of Santa Clara street was raided before dawn today, according to Hillary McQuie with Americans for Safe Access, a national coalition that works to protect the rights of medical marijuana users.The DEA seized about 126 starter plants, dried medicine and paperwork from the home, McQuie said.This afternoon, protesters did their best to stare down DEA agents who sat in a vehicle outside the Ninth Street facility, apparently waiting for a go-ahead to raid the dispensary.After two and a half hours, the agents turned around and left, and the protesters thought they had won."There was a jubilant outcry of victory," said Hilary McQuie with Americans for Safe Access, a national coalition that works to protect the rights of medical marijuana users.However, sometime between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., the DEA returned to Ninth Street and raided the facility, seizing a number of marijuana-based goods including brownies and butter, according to DEA spokeswoman Casey McEnry.Additionally, shortly before the Ninth Street raid, DEA agents raided a San Francisco warehouse and seized about 500 marijuana plants, McEnry said.McEnry said more information on the two evening raids would be available on Wednesday."I am totally in shock and bewildered," Steve Smith said this afternoon of the raid on his home. "I don't know how I am going to take care of my patients. Some are dying right now." Copyright 2005 by KTVU.com and Bay City Newshttp://www.ktvu.com/station/5592000/detail.html
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Comment #13 posted by Hope on December 21, 2005 at 06:58:14 PT
Steve Tuck
I'm so thankful, Steve, for your good news, which is good news for us all.Merry, merry Christmas. 
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Comment #12 posted by BGreen on December 21, 2005 at 05:50:24 PT
STEVE TUCK!!!!!!!
Oh, my God!!!I'm so happy for you!I've prayed for everything to work out for you and now I'm so relieved that you might finally be able to cut your stress level down so your body can have a chance to heal.Have a Merry Christmas and keep posting here at CNews.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #11 posted by runruff on December 20, 2005 at 20:23:27 PT:
The DEA
is the NGA, The Neo-Gestopo Amerikanish. The DEA is also know as The Devil's Emmessaries in America. Cannabis is Gods gift. The NGA is all about eratication of Gods gift. They work for Gods advessary. See. Simple math.
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Comment #10 posted by JHarshaw on December 20, 2005 at 20:13:11 PT
Congratulations
Steve, this is wonderful news and it really was nice of you to get this news now instead of some mean spirited civil servant sitting on it until after the holidays! Now you can relax and enjoy.Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on December 20, 2005 at 18:38:59 PT
Update on Raid from The Associated Press
SF Pot Club Owners' House, Store Raided***December 20, 2005SAN FRANCISCO -- Federal agents on Tuesday raided a medical marijuana club, the home of its owners and a growing operation in Sonoma County, but no arrests were made, according to a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration.Agents seized 217 plants early Tuesday at an indoor growing operation in Penngrove, spokeswoman Casey McEnry said. They also seized 122 plants, thousands of dollars in cash and an unknown amount of processed marijuana from the San Francisco home of Steve and Catherine Smith, who run the Hopenet Co-op, a few blocks from their home, McEnry said.The investigation, which began in 2003 after agents received an anonymous letter that led it to the Penngrove operation, is ongoing, she said. DEA officials were working with the U.S. Attorney's office to determine possible criminal charges.The co-op is next door to the California Marijuana Party, an organization that lobbies for the national legalization of medicinal use of the drug.California voters legalized medicinal pot use in 1996, but it remains against federal law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this summer that the federal government has the authority to prosecute people whose activities are legal under state law."We don't distinguish between medical marijuana and other marijuana," McEnry said. "DEA's mission remains the same. We're going to continue targeting drug-trafficking organizations."Dozens of medical marijuana advocates rallied at the co-op to show support for its owners."I think it is very bizarre that this is happening to one of the best dispensers in the city," said Hilary McQuie Woodson with Americans for Safe Access, a national coalition that works to protect medical marijuana users. "This is a mean-spirited, cold-hearted act for the DEA to do right before the holiday season." Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press
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Comment #8 posted by mayan on December 20, 2005 at 18:18:08 PT
herbdoc
I'm so glad you're finally free! Congrats! It's a bittersweet moment considering what the fascist feds are doing out in California. I haven't checked out any mainstream media lately. Is news of these raids hitting the big wires?THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...A CounterPunch Special Report: Missing Black Boxes in World Trade Center Attacks Found by Firefighters, Analyzed by NTSB, Concealed by FBI:
http://www.counterpunch.com/New Cover-up revealed? 9/11 Black Boxes found (Oct. 2004):
http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/BUN410B.html9/11 Interviews For Your Ears:
http://www.911blogger.com/2005/12/911-interviews-for-your-ears.htmlDistinguished University of Minnesota Philosophy Professor Joins 9/11 Fight, Saying the Truth Must Be Uncovered:
http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/39247.htm
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on December 20, 2005 at 18:16:34 PT
Off Topic: DTC — Arctic Rush
This program is on now if anyone would like to see it.Arctic RushScientists predict that by the end of the century, the polar ice cap will melt completely. While some warn that the climate shift will have catastrophic effects felt around the world, others are looking at the warming trend as an opportunity.http://tinyurl.com/dvbhl
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Comment #6 posted by Dankhank on December 20, 2005 at 16:50:58 PT
Thank the all-knowing
congrats, Steveenjoy the holidays ...Peace to all this season ..
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 20, 2005 at 16:16:10 PT
Merry Christmas Steve
I'm so happy for you. Now you can begin to rebuild your life. Life isn't fair but it always seems to work out. I've learned that about life. It's a long strange trip we are on but it's never boring in my opinion. Don't look back but always look forward.
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Comment #4 posted by herbdoc215 on December 20, 2005 at 15:56:30 PT
I am now a free man, thank you all !
I still feel numb in shock and feel like I've been reborn,I pled guilty to 4 counts of misdemenor failure to appear (state) today and ALL other charges against me are now dropped! 2 years unsupervised probation, and pay 4 fines of $420 plus some extra court fees and I had to stipulate to them keeping the all plant materials they stole but I get everything else back! After 5 years it's all finally over, the heartache and loss still screams in my mind but in time I pray this too will heal...all this pain just because some cops think they are above the law, bending it to whatever shape they desire! Thanks again because I know without everybody helping I would have been a had-lad. Richard Cowan has written a synopsis at http://marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=871 
if anybody is interested. 
I just can't believe they keep busting people in S.D. and S.F. after letting me out of the tornado as it looks to me like a plan to scare the hell out of us all?
Peace, steve tuck
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Comment #3 posted by global_warming on December 20, 2005 at 14:51:49 PT
It's The Salary's
" About a dozen federal agents raided the home of a couple who operate a local medicinal marijuana club early today, seizing 122 plants and an estimated $20,000 in assets.".. but no arrests made.."Bet those dozen or so overpaid thugs must be really feeling good, what with Christmas a few days away, guess they must feel they can enjoy that Christmas goose on their Sunday dinner table, thinking that they have made America a safer place, by seperating that scourge of sick people from their medicine.There is Justice and they will find it in the pit of their stomach, someday, they will be in the same place, and they will remember into Eternity how they acted and how they will be treated.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 20, 2005 at 14:50:19 PT
Medical Marijuana ID’s Approved 
Video
http://www.kget.com/mediacenter/?videoid=8203December 20, 2005Kern County Supervisors unanimously approved a Medical Marijuana ID Card program Tuesday, making it among the first in the state. County lawyers advised the board to delay a decision on the state mandated program. The lawmakers wanted to see how San Diego County was planning to fight the rules. Voters statewide approved a ballot measure nine years ago legalizing pot for medical use, but counties up and down the state were not under any deadline to begin a program. The Kern County Board put off a vote last week and county lawyers suggested another delay because the state law conflicts with federal law. But supervisors said Tuesday morning they were going to be forced to implement a program eventually. The new program, Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program, will issue identification cards to qualified patients and allows them to grow, smoke and transport small amounts of pot for medical purposes. The program is legal under state law, but not under federal law. Information applicants provide to the county can be used against them in a federal prosecutions. Copyright: 2005 CLEAR CHANNEL http://www.kget.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7A69C68E-75BD-480E-BD21-2B53E2B3A853
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 20, 2005 at 14:27:15 PT
Related Article from KTVU.com and Bay City News
SF Medical Marijuana Supporters Confront DEA Agents ***December 20, 2005SAN FRANCISCO -- Nearly 100 medical marijuana demonstrators gathered in the rain Tuesday to vehemently protest the pending raid of a San Francisco medical marijuana club.As two Drug Enforcement Administration agents waited for a search warrant in a car parked outside HopeNet at 223 Ninth St., protesters chanted, "Go away DEA and stop arresting medical marijuana patients."DEA officers raided the home of HopeNet directors Steve and Cathy Smith before dawn Tuesday, according to Hilary McQuie with Americans for Safe Access, a national coalition that works to protect the rights of medical-marijuana users.Authorities seized 122 plants and an estimated $20,000 in assets in the raid. Agents also confiscated growing equipment, bulbs, utility bills, tax documents, financial records and photographs."I think it is very bizarre that this is happening to one of the best dispensers in the city," McQuie said. "This is a mean-spirited, cold-hearted act for the DEA to do right before the holiday season."On June 6, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California's medical marijuana law doesn't protect sick people from being prosecuted under federal law for using marijuana.San Francisco is home to more than 40 medical marijuana dispensaries, more than any other place in the nation. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a moratorium on all new dispensaries on March 30."It's so backwards," said Wayne Justmann, a medical marijuana proponent. "If they wanted assault dispensaries, why not get a search warrant for the cooperative first," he asked. Copyright 2005 by KTVU.com and Bay City Newshttp://www.ktvu.com/news/5590136/detail.html?rss=fran&psp=news
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