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Global energy executive joins Prometheus Hyperscale to accelerate sustainable data center growth and provide strategic counsel on $10B flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming HOUSTON , Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prometheus Hyperscale, a leading developer of sustainable hyperscale data centres, is delighted to announce the appointment of Bernard Looney as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Looney, former CEO of BP, brings to the role more than three decades of energy sector expertise – from the frontline to the boardroom. He will provide strategic guidance on the development of the company's growth plans, including its $10B flagship data center in Evanston, Wyoming , which will be among the largest facilities of its kind in the world when completed. The announcement of Mr. Looney's appointment comes as societies and large technology companies grapple with how to power the explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI). The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that by 2026 data centers globally will use over 1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, around the same as Japan uses today. Against this backdrop of soaring demand and squeezed supply, Prometheus is pioneering new standards in hyperscale data center operations. These approaches include harnessing a variety of energy sources to power its data centers, including renewables, natural gas and possibly nuclear at a later date through our strategic partnership with Oklo. Prometheus aims for its data centers to not impact grid customers. Another key challenge is the enormous amount of power and water used to cool data centers to prevent the servers from overheating. Prometheus Hyperscale uses a unique liquid cooling system that dramatically outperforms traditional air-cooling methods, reducing energy consumption by up to 50%. This system also utilises deep underground water reservoirs and captures the waste heat to reuse or sequester it. It's believed that Prometheus Hyperscale's flagship project will be the first hyperscale data center in the United States to combine liquid heat transfer and heat reuse technologies. Founded by Trenton Thornock , an experienced leader in energy, finance and infrastructure, Prometheus Hyperscale's flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming , promises to be the most advanced sustainable data center in the United States , and one of the largest in the world, when it becomes operational in 2025/26. The 1GW-capacity developed site will cover an area of 640-acres (one square mile), making it approximately three quarters the size of New York's Central Park. Four further sites are currently earmarked across Arizona and Colorado . As Chairman, Mr. Looney will ensure the successful execution of Evanston as well as Prometheus's broader business goals. His appointment comes following the recent announcement that Trevor Neilson , a renowned climate technology entrepreneur and philanthropist, will serve as the company's President. It's estimated that $1 trillion will be invested in the U.S. in data centers in the next five years – with an additional $1 trillion internationally. Trenton Thornock , Founder and CEO of Prometheus Hyperscale commented: "Having Bernard Looney join as Chairman is a tremendous step forward for Prometheus. Bernard's track record and transformative leadership in the energy sector aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of data centers. His insights, as well as his extensive operational and project delivery experience, will be invaluable as we bring our flagship project in Evanston, Wyoming to life and set new benchmarks for sustainable digital infrastructure." Trevor Neilson , President of Prometheus Hyperscale, commented: "Bernard is the perfect person to guide Prometheus as we form partnerships across the energy sector to access low-carbon electrons that will power the future of AI. His extensive industry experience and leadership will be instrumental as Prometheus establishes itself at the forefront of sustainable data center operations." Bernard Looney commented: "I am delighted to join Prometheus Hyperscale at this pivotal moment as the world grapples with the intersection of AI, Energy and Sustainability. Innovative power solutions are desperately needed to ensure that AI is unleashed to tackle some of the biggest global challenges including healthcare, economic growth, and the energy transition. We must work to find solutions that lead to Net Positive AI – where the benefits to our world outweigh any costs. The flagship Evanston project is one such solution and I look forward to lending a helping hand, working alongside Trenton, Trevor, and the entire Prometheus team to help bring this vision to life. I can't imagine a more exciting challenge." Factsheet: Prometheus Hyperscale's Flagship Project in Evanston, Wyoming Prometheus's site in Evanston, Wyoming , aims to redefine sustainable infrastructure in the data center industry, setting a new benchmark for operational excellence and environmental responsibility. Key aspects of the project include: Extensive Land and Power Capacity: The project encompasses a 12,000-acre ranch, including a dedicated 640-acre plot (about 1 square mile) for data center facilities. Prometheus has secured an initial 120 MW of grid power through Rocky Mountain Power, with plans for an additional 120 MW, ensuring robust power availability without curtailment risks. On-Site Renewable and Low-Carbon Power Generation: With an on-site generation goal of over 1 GW, which will make it one of the largest data centers in the world, Prometheus is incorporating a mix of wind, solar and gas power sources. Additionally, the company has a strategic partnership with Oklo focused on next-generation fission-based nuclear power, delivering reliable, sustainable baseload energy to the campus. High-Performance Fiber Connectivity: The Evanston site will connect directly to the Northern transcontinental fiber trunk, offering high-speed, low-latency connections between the East and West Coasts. With agreements for up to 400G of service and plans to scale up to 800G when commercially available, the project is poised to meet the rigorous connectivity needs of AI, cloud, and high-performance computing clients and to be one of the biggest data centers in the world. Cutting-Edge Liquid Cooling Technology: Prometheus's unique liquid cooling systems will be deployed to achieve unparalleled energy efficiency by capturing and reusing waste heat. This innovative solution is specifically engineered for high-performance computing environments and will play a critical role in reducing the carbon footprint of the facility. Strategic Location and Access to Skilled Labor: Located 80 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah , the Evanston site benefits from proximity to a large, skilled workforce, bolstered by a regional Journeyman Lineman program focused on data center operations. This strategic location supports the project's operational and expansion goals while reinforcing Prometheus's commitment to regional economic growth. For more information about Prometheus Hyperscale and its sustainability initiatives, please visit www.prometheushyperscale.com . About Prometheus Hyperscale Prometheus Hyperscale, founded by Trenton Thornock , is revolutionizing data center infrastructure by developing sustainable, energy-efficient hyperscale data centers. Leveraging unique, cutting-edge technology and working alongside strategic partners, Prometheus is building next-generation, liquid-cooled hyperscale data centers powered by cleaner energy. With a focus on innovation, scalability, and environmental stewardship, Prometheus Hyperscale is redefining the data center industry for a sustainable future. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bernard-looney-appointed-chairman-of-the-board-of-directors-at-prometheus-hyperscale-302314829.html SOURCE Prometheus HyperscaleSiouxland shows why football is importantCYTO stock plunges to 52-week low, touches $0.4

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

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Senior IPS officer says AI has huge potential to transform private security industry

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A man who took part in scenes of "mass stupidity" during disturbances in Hull city centre in August got carried away with a "group mentality" and has now been jailed. Father-of-three Leon Armstrong was later shown a social media post about the police trying to find more of the people who took part in the "12 hours of mob violence" and he handed himself in the next day, Hull Crown Court heard. Armstrong, 33, of Holderness Road, east Hull, admitted violent disorder on August 3. The court heard that Armstrong was present in several places when disturbances broke out in Hull city centre, including in Ferensway, where there was a police line outside the Royal Hotel to protect asylum seekers being housed there. He was also in Queen Victoria Square and Jameson Street, where a group lunged forward towards police and he encouraged another person to grab the shields of officers. Armstrong played a leading role in the trouble and his behaviour was motivated by racial hostility, the court heard. He had a long history of crime, including...Man United coach Amorim says argument between Hojlund and Diallo a 'very good sign' Manchester United teammates Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo exchanged words after the final whistle of a 2-1 victory on Thursday. And manager Ruben Amorin has no problem with it. Plzen,Czech Republic, The Associated Press Dec 12, 2024 3:51 PM Dec 12, 2024 4:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund, right, challenges for the ball with Plzen's Sampson Dweh during the Europa League soccer match between Viktoria Plzen and Manchester United at the Doosan Arena in Plzen, Czech Republic, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Manchester United teammates Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo exchanged words after the final whistle of a 2-1 victory on Thursday. And manager Ruben Amorin has no problem with it. “For me, it’s a very, very good sign,” Amorin said after his team beat Viktoria Plzen to stay unbeaten in the Europa League. Hojlund scored two goals and hoped for a centering pass from Diallo to go for a hat trick in the final minutes. The Denmark striker didn't get the pass, though. Viktoria had been pushing forward looking for an equalizer, which created space for United counters. On another break shortly afterward, Hojlund opted to keep the ball. The pair then had a heated post-game exchange. “We need to feel something,” Amorin said. “If we need to fight each other, it's like a family. When you don't care, you don't do nothing. When you care — you fight with your brother, with your mother, your father.” ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Plzen,Czech Republic, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer Barcelona grabs last quarterfinal spot in Women's Champions League with 3-0 win in Stockholm Dec 12, 2024 3:17 PM Hojlund scores twice for Man United to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Europa League, Tottenham held 1-1 Dec 12, 2024 2:40 PM Nearly half of US teens are online 'constantly,' Pew report finds Dec 12, 2024 2:03 PM

CNN's Van Jones admits Democrats are 'relieved' after Kamala's humiliating 'brat to flat' loss

T —————- Spectrometers are technology for reading light that date back to the era of famed 17th-century physicist Isaac Newton. They work by breaking down light waves into their different colors — or spectra — to provide information about the makeup of the objects being measured. UC Santa Cruz researchers are designing new ways to make spectrometers that are ultra-small but still very powerful, to be used for anything from detecting disease to observing stars in distant galaxies. Their inexpensive production cost makes them more accessible and customizable for specific applications. The team of researchers, led by an interdisciplinary collaboration between UC Santa Cruz Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Holger Schmidt and Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Kevin Bundy, published the details of their device in , a premier journal in the field. The researchers demonstrate a novel, extremely high-performance spectrometer that can measure light with a 0.05 nanometers wavelength resolution. That’s about 1.6 million times smaller than the width of a human hair, and the same resolution that can be achieved on a device 1,000 times bigger. “That’s essentially as good as a big, standard, expensive spectrometer,” said Schmidt, the senior author on the paper and a long-time expert in developing chips for light detection. “That’s really pretty impressive and very competitive.” Miniaturizing spectrometers is an active area of research, as spectrometers are used in many fields but can be as big as a three-story building and extremely expensive. However, miniaturized spectrometers often do not perform as well as bigger instruments, or they are very difficult and expensive to manufacture because they require extremely precise nanofabrication. UC Santa Cruz researchers have created a device that is able to achieve high performance without such costly manufacturing. Their device is a miniature, high-powered waveguide which is mounted on a chip and used to guide light into a specific pattern, depending on its color. Information from the chip is fed into a machine learning algorithm that reads the patterns created by different wavelengths of light in order to reconstruct the image with extremely high accuracy and precision — an approach is called “reconstructive” spectrometry. This technique produces accurate results because the machine learning algorithms don’t require highly precise input to be able to distinguish the light patterns, and can constantly improve upon their own performance and optimize themselves to the hardware. Because of this, the researchers can make the chips with relatively easy and inexpensive fabrication techniques, in a process that takes hours rather than weeks. The lightweight, compact chips for this project were designed at UCSC, and fabricated and optimized at Brigham Young University in partnership with Schmidt’s longtime collaborator Professor Aaron Hawkins and his undergraduate students. “Compared to more sophisticated chip design, this only requires one photolithography mask which makes the fabrication much easier and much faster,” Hawkins said. “Someone with some basic capabilities could reproduce this and create a similar device tuned to their own needs.” The researchers envision that this technology can be used for a wide range of applications, though their preliminary focus is to create powerful instruments for astronomy research. Because their devices are relatively inexpensive, astronomers could specialize them to their specific research interests, which is practically impossible on much larger instruments that cost millions of dollars. The research team is working to make the chips functional on the UC-operated Lick Observatory telescope, first to take in light from a star and later to study other astrological events. With such high accuracy on these devices, astronomers could start to understand phenomena such as the makeup of atmospheres on exoplanets, or probing the nature of dark matter in faint dwarf galaxies. The comparatively low cost of these devices would make it easier for scientists to optimize them for their specific research interests, something nearly impossible on traditional devices. Leveraging long standing expertise at UC Santa Cruz in adaptive optics systems for astronomy, the researchers are collaborating to figure out how to best capture the faint glimmers of light from distant stars and galaxies and feed it through into the miniaturized spectrometer. “In astronomy, when you try to put something on a telescope and get light through it, you always discover new challenges — it’s much harder than just doing it in the lab. The beauty of this collaboration is that we actually have a telescope, and we can try deploying these devices on the telescope with a good adaptive optics system,” Bundy said. Beyond astronomy, the research team shows in this paper that the tool is capable of fluorescence detection, which is a noninvasive imaging technique used for many medical applications, such as cancer screening and infectious disease detection. In the future, they plan to develop the technology for Raman scattering analysis. This is a technique that uses light scattering for the detection of any unique molecule, often used as a specialized test to look for a specific chemical substance, such as the presence of drugs in the human body or toxic pollutants in the environment. Because the system is so straightforward and does not require the use of heavy instrumentation or fluidics like other techniques, it would be convenient and robust for use in the field. The researchers also demonstrate that the compact waveguides can be placed alongside each other to enhance the performance of the system, as each chip can measure a different spectra and provide more information about whatever light it is observing. In the paper the researchers demonstrate the power of four waveguides working together, but Schmidt envisions that hundreds of chips could be used at once. This is the first device shown to be able to use multiple chips at once in this way. The researchers will continue to work to improve the sensitivity of the device to get even higher spectral resolution. AstrobiologyATLANTA — As Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene enters her third term in Congress, she will also be working alongside the world's richest man and a former presidential candidate tasked to cut government spending and regulations. The Georgian took to X on Thursday to share she'll be chairing a brand new subcommittee that will work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for the Department of Government Efficiency. "I won't rest until we've rooted out every penny of waste and abuse," Rep. Greene wrote. "The American people deserve a government that works for them, not against them!" RELATED: Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene wins reelection to U.S. House in Georgia's 14th Congressional District, AP projects The Associated Press previously reported President-elect Donald Trump's choice to put Musk and Ramaswamy in charge of DOGE . The news organization said this is an outside advisory committee that will work with people inside the government to reduce spending and regulations. In a separate X post , Greene expanded on her reasons for looking forward to chairing the new subcommittee. She mentioned that she comes from a business background where she runs a construction company. She compared the government to private companies, where she said if one is not doing a good job in their role, they'll be fired. "But for some reason in government, bad employees -- whether they're failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed -- never get fired," she wrote. "This is incredibly unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of our country, and it's about to change." Two people told The Associated Press that Greene and Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, had already met with Ramaswamy. The entrepreneur also took to social media to say he was looking forward to collaborating with Congress on this topic. "Proper oversight of agencies & public transparency are critical," Ramaswamy wrote. RELATED: Extended interview | Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene seeking a third term in Congress The news organization also reported Musk and Ramaswamy said they would encourage Trump to make cuts by refusing to spend money allocated by Congress -- a process known as impounding. The proposal goes against a 1974 law intended to prevent future presidents from following in the footsteps of Richard Nixon, who held back funding that he didn't like. It would be a dramatic attempt to expand his powers when he already has the benefit of a Republican-controlled Congress and a conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court. It could swiftly become one of the most closely watched legal fights of his second administration. “He might get away with it," said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. “Congress’s power of the purse will turn into an advisory opinion.” Plans for the Department of Government Efficiency are still coming into focus. Still, it has put out a call for "super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting," the AP said. Applicants are encouraged to submit their resumes through X, the social media company that Musk owns.

By MARK KENNEDY, AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. “Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. “She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo,” “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.” Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. “Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’ ” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.The first contract Jackie Robinson signed with Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey on Oct. 23, 1945, was an agreement to play for the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' top farm club. The deal included a $3,500 signing bonus and $600 per month for the 1946 season. Less than two years later, on April 11, 1947, Robinson signed his first major league contract with Rickey and National League President Ford Frick. He was paid $5,000 for the season. What happened next is well-documented and celebrated annually. Five days after signing, Robinson made history as the first Black player to compete in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier. The Dodgers' second baseman was named Rookie of the Year and, two years later, National League Most Valuable Player. He batted .313 over 11 seasons, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962 and had his No. 42 retired across baseball in 1997. But what became of the contracts? Sports memorabilia can fetch millions today, and experts say Robinson’s original contracts could surpass the value of Shohei Ohtani’s 50/50 home run ball, Freddie Freeman’s World Series Game 1 walk-off grand slam ball or any high-end Babe Ruth artifacts auctioned for seven figures. After decades of uncertainty, Robinson’s contracts from 1945 and 1947 are safely under lock and key. They have been held by the U.S. Marshals Service since 2019 as part of an investment fraud investigation and prosecution. Mykalai Kontilai, a broadcast executive who in 2013 launched a sports memorabilia business called Collector’s Coffee by acquiring and showcasing the Robinson contracts, pleaded guilty last month to one count of mail fraud. He was sentenced last week to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $6.1 million in restitution to investors he swindled. Those investors, referred to as “the Holders” in court documents, provided Kontilai with loans using the Robinson contracts as collateral. Kontilai raised more than $23 million before defaulting on the loans. Kontilai, 55, obstructed the investigation by forging documents sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission and lying under oath to the SEC. While under investigation but prior to being charged, he fled to Russia, unsuccessfully seeking asylum as a whistleblower of American corruption. He was arrested on an Interpol Red Notice in Germany in 2023 and extradited to the U.S. in May. Kontilai was found guilty of misappropriating funds, reportedly buying a Cadillac, paying for private school tuition and covering rent on luxury homes across the country, all while misleading investigators and failing to pay taxes on the scheme's proceeds. “Collectors Coffee and Kontilai, its CEO, repeatedly lied to investors to raise money for the company - money which Kontilai routinely stole to fund his lavish lifestyle,” Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, said in a statement last year. “Investors should be able to trust those to whom they give their hard-earned money and not worry that those people will lie, cheat and steal.” The Robinson contracts remain in limbo. A resolution may be near, with the philanthropic Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Holders likely sharing the proceeds. “I hope they could do that,” said David Kohler, president of high-end sports memorabilia house SCP Auctions in Orange County. “The proceeds would go to pay back people who were scammed. That seems like the right thing to do.” Kohler estimated what the contracts might fetch at auction and identified a potential buyer. “I’d say they’d probably go for $5 million and up at auction,” he said. “They reach beyond the game of baseball. They are important 20th-century American artifacts central to the civil rights movement. “I sometimes wonder, when it comes to historical items, why don’t the teams buy them? They’d be worth more to their team than to collectors.” Indeed, the Dodgers attempted to claim the contracts, asserting in a January 2019 letter to Collector’s Coffee that “(t)he property is owned by the Dodgers and is not property of (Collector’s Coffee, Inc.).” Later that year, however, the Dodgers relinquished their ownership claim to the Jackie Robinson Foundation. According to court filings, a potential settlement would grant the Jackie Robinson Foundation the 1947 Dodgers contract, while the Holders would receive the 1945 Montreal Royals contract. The Holders would also get an undisclosed portion of the value of the 1947 contract. The SEC would receive a small share. Kohler noted the Dodgers contract is more valuable than the Royals contract. When the distribution is approved, it could conclude the extraordinary journey of the contracts from Rickey’s desk in the 1940s to potential auctions the Holders hope will cover their losses. Before sports memorabilia became a million-dollar business, Rickey and Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley provided the contracts to the James A. Kelly Institute for Local Historical Studies in Brooklyn for a 1952 exhibition. The contracts remained in the institute’s basement for decades alongside nearly 4 million other documents chronicling Brooklyn’s history. The New York Daily News in 1974 reported the institute's move to St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, noting the historical documents included the “bill of sale for Coney Island in 1654” and Robinson’s original contracts. A 1979 Daily News story also mentioned the contracts, yet the Dodgers made no effort to claim them. The institute’s director, St. Francis professor Arthur J. Konop, left a letter with a key to a safe deposit box before his death in 2009, stating, “My kids will know what to do with this.” Three years later, Konop’s wife and son sold the contracts to Gotta Have It Collectibles for $750,000. Odette Konop signed a letter warranting title, stating, “My husband possessed these contracts in a safe deposit box at our home for over 45 years. ... He cared for them and protected them over half his life until his passing.” Gotta Have It sold the contracts a year later for $2 million to Kontilai, who used them as collateral for $6 million in loans. Kontilai used the contracts to bolster his memorabilia business, hosting events in Philadelphia’s Constitution Center and New York’s Times Square. He enlisted expert Seth Kaller, who valued the contracts at $36 million, before spending investors' money. When the SEC began investigating in 2017, Kontilai forged documents, lied under oath and obstructed the case. After three years, he was indicted in Nevada on 18 counts, including securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and failure to file tax returns. He faced additional charges in Colorado, but those were dropped when he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. The Jackie Robinson Foundation, established in 1973 by Robinson’s widow Rachel Robinson, may soon gain partial ownership of the contracts. The nonprofit administers scholarship and leadership programs for college students and was central to creating the Jackie Robinson Museum, which opened in 2022 in New York City. “Even if you come in with the idea to see the baseball story and learn more about that, you have to walk through that room that talks about his commitment to economic opportunity and civil rights and social justice,” Della Britton, president and CEO of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, told The Times in 2022. In one museum room, Robinson’s life roles are displayed in large capital letters: SOLDIER, CAMPAIGNER, PUBLIC SERVANT, ACTIVIST, FUNDRAISER, ORGANIZER, PROTESTER, ENTREPRENEUR, CITIZEN and more. Also displayed are framed copies of the contracts from 1945 and 1947. The originals, however, remain under federal custody until a court approves their new ownership and an auction determines their monetary value.

Hundreds attend NorQuest College vigil for international student slain on night security jobWASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman's Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union's executive vice president. Recommended Videos “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November's election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!” ___