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// Force excerpt to be visible in news posts
function soak_edit_post_show_excerpt() {
    $unchecked = get_user_meta( get_current_user_id(), 'metaboxhidden_post', true );
    $key = array_search( 'postexcerpt', $unchecked );
    if ( FALSE !== $key ) {
        array_splice( $unchecked, $key, 1 );
        update_user_meta( get_current_user_id(), 'metaboxhidden_post', $unchecked );
    }
}
add_action( 'admin_init', 'soak_edit_post_show_excerpt', 10, 2 );