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That's going to hurt a lot of people.

Microsoft has shelled out $76 million for a pumpkin farm in Wisconsin

Microsoft has plans to build a data center in Wisconsin.

Earlier this month the company bought more than 400 acres of land that included a pumpkin farm.

Microsoft is one among several tech giants investing into data centers in the AI arms race.

The tech giant's latest addition is a stretch of 407 acres it bought from the Creuziger family earlier this month for about $76 million, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.

The property itself is valued at just under $600,000, and the Creuziger family used it for farming, and also operated a pumpkin farm attraction on it called the "Land of the Giants Pumpkin Farm," according to the outlet.

And Microsoft's payout is a major win for the family. The deal was more than three times the amount the local government had offered the Creuziger family back in 2017, as part of an agreement with iPhone maker Foxconn, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal. While the family wasn't opposed to selling the land at the time, they were hoping to fetch a higher price for it, according to the outlet.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has also struck land deals with local county and municipal governments, and has accrued close to two square miles of land in the region for its data center developments, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported.

And the first $1 billion phase of construction covering around 215 acres is already underway, the outlet said. The company is expecting this first phase to create 200 jobs, but future construction could add an additional 460 jobs, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-paying-millions-for-new-data-center-in-wisconsin-2023-12?r=US&IR=T

House Republican: Jeffrey Epstein flight logs not released because colleagues would be ‘compromised’

Rep. Tim Burchett, Tennessee Republican, touched on Congress’ hesitance to release the flight records of Epstein’s Lolita Express, allegedly used to shuttle young women to the financier’s private island and homes throughout the country and world.

“Too many of my colleagues I’m afraid are compromised in this area for whatever reason,” Mr. Burchett told Newsmax this week. “Somebody whispered in their ear saying, ‘Hey, you don’t want something to come out on something else, you better keep your mouth shut on this.’ That’s exactly what they’ve done.”

Numerous politicians, actors and public figures were reportedly on Epstein’s plane, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Prince Andrew, billionaire Bill Gates and actor Kevin Spacey.

Mr. Burchett’s jab at the lack of transparency on the Lolita Express’ flight records follows the announcement that a New York court intends to release the names of 177 of Epstein’s associates early next year.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/dec/23/reptim-burchett-jeffrey-epstein-flight-logs-not-re/