Wichita State’s Dean of University Libraries Brent Mai has been accused of copyright infringement, false endorsement and unfair competition for using the work of researcher Margreatha Hein, the proprietor of a company documenting the history of a group of German immigrants.

Both Mai and Hein have done research centered on the genealogy, culture and origins of Volga Germans, an ethnic group of German migrants who settled along Russia’s Volga River and who have since been scattered across the globe.

The lawsuit filed with the state of Kansas alleges that Mai has and continues to regularly publish research belonging to Hein and other researchers, “often verbatim, sometimes paraphrased, and always without proper attribution as to source.” This research includes, according to Hein’s attorneys, copyrighted photos and literary works including names, dates and city and settlement names.

Mai, who was named Wichita State’s dean of University Libraries in 2023, asserts that the information he used, often with credit to Hein, is discoverable information and not subject to copyright.

“Your name, your birthday, your birthplace … The name of the town you were born in — these are facts,” Mai said in an interview with The Sunflower. “ … And I’m sorry, that’s not copyrightable. It never has been.”

Research interest

Mai said he’s been researching the history of Volga Germans his entire life. Since discovering his Volga German ancestry at a family reunion as a child, he’s devoted time and effort to tracking the socioeconomic movement patterns of the population. 

Mai operated a different website to house Volga German research at each university where he was employed. The websites, with the exception of his current website volgagermaninstitute.org, were registered under an educational institution (.edu) domain name, affiliating it with the respective universities. In the counterclaim, Mai denies that any of his websites were published under the “auspices” of the universities where he was employed.

“So with the institution that I was at, every time I would change jobs, then I had to move the database to a new place,” Mai said. “When I came here (to WSU), I set it up as a .org … If I retire, then I don’t worry that the university will decide to shut it off

According to the suit, Mai’s current website first appeared under the Wichita State logo, name and address. The lawsuit purports that WSU’s branding was removed after Hein, in December of 2023, sent a letter to WSU’s General Counsel Stacia Boden and then-Provost Shirley Lefever notifying them of examples of plagiarism and copyright infringement.

Hein’s letter requested that WSU “not host, promote or otherwise support” the Volga German Institute until Mai removed copied or plagiarism material, added proper citations and attributions, eliminate reference to Hein as a contributor where permission to use material wasn’t given, and to correct the name of a location that was misstated “when he copied my research.” A similar letter was sent to the University of North Florida, where Mai was previously employed as the dean of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.

Hein’s attorney, Todd Todesco, said Wichita State responded by asking Mai to remove mention of the university from the website.

“I think WSU’s response was, ‘Hey, that’s personal, that’s entirely his. We’re not involved in that,’” Todesco said. “But we’ve told them to remove WSU insignia from that page to show that there’s no affiliation.”

The Sunflower reached out to Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, the director of strategic communications, asking for WSU’s perspective and involvement in removing WSU branding from Mai’s website. The Sunflower did not receive a response.

In response to Hein’s letters to WSU and UNF, Mai has filed a counterclaim of  defamation against Hein. 

“That’s just because she’s trying to go after me and my job. And I’m like, ‘That’s not acceptable. You shouldn’t be able to get away with that sort of thing,” Mai said.

The lawsuit

According to Hein’s attorney, Catherine Simmons-Gill, Hein first became aware of the extent of Mai’s use of her research in November 2023, shortly after Mai was named dean of University Libraries at WSU. 

“She was aware that there were a few things here and there, sure, but she, for the first time, looked up things on his website by her own name, and there were something like 385 references to her name,” Simmons-Gill said.

She also became aware of copied photos, eight of which have since been registered for copyright. Simmons-Gill said Mai published the photos in 2017, where they remained on his website until they were removed sometime in January or February 2024, shortly after Hein filed for copyright registration.

“(But) he has never done anything to change, give credit for, (or) cite the textual information,” Simmons-Gill said.

In dozens of his website entries containing textual information from Hein, Mai lists her as a contributor. Hein’s lawyers said this insinuates that Hein works for Mai or gave him permission to use her work, both of which are untrue.

“He cites the sources that she cites on her website, and then he just lists her as a researcher or contributor,” Todesco said. “Because what would happen if he linked to the actual source where he got the information? It would send people to her site, and he does not do anything to send people to her site. He — in our opinion — he makes it look like she works for him.”

Simmons-Gill and Todesco said that through his representation, Mai appears to be “the apex of research in this field,” enabling Mai to financially benefit from the use of Hein’s information. Todesco also asserts that Mai’s website “was a huge basis for him obtaining employment at Wichita State.”

“People like (Hein) keep pushing him up, as he’s got it set up, which then allows him to capitalize on his expertise and generate income from his nonacademic pursuits,” Todesco said.

According to his cover letter for the dean of University Libraries position, Mai speaks internationally as an expert in Volga German history and has fundraised over $2 million for the Center for Volga German Studies. Additionally, he leads tours in Germany, visiting the villages of Volga Germans. According to the Volga German Tours website, Mai is scheduled for a tour this June.

The Sunflower asked Mazzullo-Hart how significant Mai’s Volga German work was in his hiring. The Sunflower did not receive a response.

In the counterclaim, Mai denies that his website competes with any other websites. The information offered and available on both Mai’s and Hein’s websites is offered without cost and does not feature ads, according to the counterclaim, eliminating the possibility of competition between the websites.

According to Hein’s attorneys, there is a disagreement as to whether Hein gave Mai verbal permission to use her information.

“(Mai) has admitted that there is no written permission. He’s admitted that. So the issue is, did (Hein) ever give him oral permission? And she says, ‘No,’” Simmons-Gill said.

Simmons-Gill asserts that in 2020, Hein sent Mai a text, saying, “If you ever think you had permission to copy any of my textual materials, you don’t.”

But Mai said that regardless, the information in question is not copyrightable.

“Anyone could discover it; you, me. So therefore, it’s not copyrightable because it could be discoverable by all of us,” Mai said. “… I don’t deny that I copied her information. What I deny is that that’s illegal.”

Mai compared the relationship between Hein and the data on her website to that of a scientist who has discovered a new element.

“Scientists will work their entire careers, their entire lives, to discover a new element on the periodic table,” Mai said. “Maybe they get their name on it, but the element doesn’t belong to them because it was discoverable, no matter how difficult it is.”

But the considerable lengths Hein went to to obtain and verify the information used on Mai’s website and the conclusions she’s made as a result of that research, her attorneys said, also make it grounds for a proper subject matter of copyright.

“She goes to multiple different sources, and she has to use judgment to select the sources,” Simmons-Gill said. “… She translates from this kind of unique old German. She goes to birth records, settlement records, baptismal records, marriage documents. These might all be in different places, and yet, she pulls a series of facts out of multiple different records, which she translates and puts them all together based on then probably confirming them from other records.”

Mai acknowledged that while the information was laborious to obtain and corroborate, that doesn’t make it Hein’s. 

“She says, ‘I worked really hard to find this stuff.’ And I was like, ‘It’s your gift to humanity; it doesn’t belong to you,’” Mai said.

What comes next

The suit is ongoing, with the most recent activity occurring on March 3. Mai said he’s confident the suit against him has no merit.

“She has little or no understanding of how copyright really works,” Mai said. “ … The law is on my side. We’re (Mai and his attorney) lost for what she thinks is going to happen here.”

Conversely, while Simmons-Gill and Todesco said they would love for Mai to settle, they’re certain the final decision will rule in Hein’s favor.

“He has built his website on a lot of other people’s work, and he thinks, for some reason, because nobody has put his feet to the fire, that this is okay,” Simmons-Gill said.

As of July 2024, a trial is designated to take place in Wichita, with no set date yet. Until then, Mai said he’ll continue to do the work that he does despite the lawsuit’s claims.

“I continue to work, continue to do the research that I do, speak, do all that sort of stuff. It’s what I do. I don’t think that somebody like this should be allowed to stifle that sort of work that goes on,” Mai said. “ … (But) I’d rather spend my time on that, on supporting student research, faculty research that’s going on here, putting my time and energy into other things.”

Leading family history website TheGenealogist is delighted to announce the release of the Lloyd George Domesday Survey records for Cambridgeshire. This exciting addition offers researchers a detailed view of land and property ownership and occupancy.

The records give information about the person living at an address and the type of property they had. Details within the field books can include plans and detailed descriptions of properties that provide a unique snapshot of local communities during a period of significant social change.

The Lloyd George Domesday Survey was carried out between 1910 and 1915 to create a comprehensive record for tax purposes. The newly released Cambridgeshire records link rich field books and large-scale hand-annotated Ordnance Survey maps, allowing users to pinpoint exactly where ancestors lived, what land they owned or occupied, and details about the properties themselves.

This latest release includes:

• 164,524 individuals and businesses pinned to maps on MapExplorer^TM

• Covering over 1,000 square miles 

• Searchable field book entries naming owners and occupiers

• Precise property descriptions including size, usage, and value

• Detailed mapping of each property using contemporary Ordnance Survey maps

 

Eglantyne Jebb, Founder of Save the Children, can be found in these new records

Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist, said:
"We are thrilled to add Cambridgeshire to our growing collection of Lloyd George Domesday records. For anyone with roots in the county, this is an incredible resource to find exactly where their ancestors lived and to uncover stories about the land they occupied."

Within these records can be found the Ball family, who set up an industry overnight, discovering that the old adage “Where there’s muck, there’s money” rings true! Discover more about the family and their unusual trade in Coprolite in our latest article, “Burwell’s Surprising Buried Treasure”.

The Lloyd George Domesday records are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.

Don’t miss out! For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £99.95 - Save £40, plus receive over £60 in tickets and online books.

Not only will you get a £40 Lifetime Discount, but you'll also receive:

• A 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors’ Online Magazine [ worth £24.99 ]

• Andrew Chapman’s Regional Guidebook (ebook) [ worth £9.95 ]

• Two Tickets to The Family History Show at Liverpool, London or the Midlands [ worth £24 ]

• Ticket to The Family History Show Online [ worth £10 ]

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBLGD425

Offer expires 11th July 2025.

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

A statewide volunteer writers’ group is seeking help to tell the stories of Pennsylvania’s fallen service members from World War II.

Stories Behind the Stars, led by Franklin County’s Kathy Harmon, has been researching and writing memorials for the nearly 31,900 Pennsylvanians who died in the war. These stories are posted on the veterans’ website Fold3.com and linked to the Find-a-Grave app, allowing gravesite visitors to learn about the fallen by scanning headstones.

So far, volunteers have memorialized over 8,100 of Pennsylvania’s WWII heroes, including 24 of the 131 fallen from Clarion County. The national non-profit organization aims to tell the stories of all 421,000 Americans who died in WWII.

Harmon hopes to double the number of volunteer writers, emphasizing the rewarding nature of the work and the gratitude received from descendants. She shared examples of appreciative messages from relatives who learned details about their loved ones’ service and sacrifice through the project.

Volunteers work from home at their own pace and receive free access to research websites Fold3.com, Ancestry.com, and Newspapers.com, a package normally costing $479 annually.

Harmon is seeking to complete the stories of the remaining 23,700 Pennsylvania WWII fallen. “Eighty years ago, thousands of brave Pennsylvania sons and daughters fought and died for our freedom. Telling stories for those who never could is very powerful,” Harmon said. “They deserve to be remembered.”

Those interested in volunteering can contact Kathy Harmon at kharmon@storiesbehindthestars.org. More information is available at https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/ and https://www.fold3.com/.

A program about artificial intelligence, “AI-Assisted Genealogy: The Family History of the Future,” with Daniel Horowitz will be held at 3 p.m. May 4 at Congregation Mishkan Or at 26000 Shaker Blvd. in Beachwood. The program will also be available via Zoom.

Horowitz was the teacher and the study guide editor of the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years and was a board member of The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies for 10 years, according to a news release. He also has a board-level position at The Israel Genealogy Research Association.

Deadline to register is May 2. For more information or to register, email Jane Rothstein at president@jgscleveland.org.

Nearly 40 years after an unidentified man was found bound and executed in St. Lucie County, sheriff’s investigators with the help of DNA technology learned the remains are those of 39-year-old Blaine Louis Brown, Jr., the Sheriff’s Office announced April 28.

The remains determined to be those of Brown, who owned a horse ranch and another business in Ocala and was known by the nickname “Bunny,” were found Oct. 7, 1986, by a laborer in a grove near Ralls and Selvitz roads.

“Interviews with family members indicated that Brown may have been involved in narcotics smuggling, and he had ties to Ocala, Miami, Fort Pierce, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the 1980s,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.

Detective Paul Taylor, who’s been dedicated to investigating cold case homicide and missing person cases, has said officials determined the man was “absolutely executed,” shot in the head a number of times. 

What happened? 

In a 2020 interview about the case, Taylor said the worker noticed what he thought was a football, but it was a head, which had separated from the body because of decomposition and perhaps a scavenging animal pulled it into the road. The body was nearby, and likely had been there for at least a couple of weeks. 

Taylor mentioned suspected links to drug trafficking — the so-called “cocaine cowboys” era. 

The man wore nice clothes for the period — Jordache jeans (34-inch waist), Hennessy button-down shirt, Nocona cowboy boots (size 10D) and Nike socks. He also had a Seiko watch with leather band. More than $350 in cash was in his pockets. Investigators ruled out robbery.

“Despite exhaustive efforts by original detectives, no suspects were identified, and the victim remained a John Doe, eventually buried without a name in the Ft. Pierce public cemetery,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.

New efforts

In 2019, Taylor reopened the case. He found just the skull remained in evidence at the Sheriff’s Office. A section was cut out and delivered to DNA Labs International in Deerfield Beach for DNA testing in November 2019, though Taylor got a report indicating no DNA turned up.

Incredulous, he talked to scientists and learned the skull had been put in formalin, which he described as a preservative that stops decomposition.  

“The formalin had actually erased the DNA,” Taylor said. “It had slowly worked its way through the bone.”  

The remains in March 2020 were exhumed after Taylor learned the body was released to Yates Funeral Home & Cremation Services. He tracked it to a cemetery in the area of Avenue H and U.S. 1. 

“When we exhumed him we actually found that he remained still tied up, which was just completely shocking to everybody,” Taylor said. “All of his bindings were still there. They were still on the body.” 

Taylor has said both femur, or thigh, bones were sent to DNA Labs International for testing.

The DNA results, however, weren’t sufficient for forensic genetic genealogy until March 2024, when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement approved grant funding for advanced testing by a lab specializing in DNA identification from degraded remains.

Ultimately, on Jan. 8, 2025, a genealogy report identified possible first cousins of the deceased. 

“Subsequent contact with several family members, including a half-brother in Ohio, led to the submission of a confirmatory DNA sample,” the Sheriff’s Office stated. “Testing confirmed the victim’s identity as Blaine Louis Brown Jr.”

Missing person

Sheriff’s officials stated the same day the remains were found — Oct. 7, 1986 — Brown was reported missing to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

“According to his family, he was last seen on Sept. 26, 1986, telling relatives he was driving to Miami in connection with horse-related business,” the Sheriff’s Office stated. “His leased 1986 gray Ford pickup truck was later found abandoned in a Miami parking lot.”

Sheriff’s officials report they continue to try to identify the person or persons responsible for Brown’s death.

Those with information are asked to contact Taylor at 772-359-4407 or taylorp@stluciesheriff.com. Tips also can be submitted via Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers through www.tcwatch.org

Getty Images (NYSE: GETY), a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, has announced a first‑of‑its‑kind genealogy‑focused partnership with Ancestry, the global leader in family history. As part of Getty Images’ HBCU Grants Program, this initiative will focus on the digital preservation and accessibility of historical documents, records and the photographic archives of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Once digitized, these invaluable archives will become searchable on the Ancestry website, helping millions of people discover and connect with the rich legacy of HBCUs.    

Working alongside Getty Images, Ancestry will collaborate with participating HBCUs to identify and digitize documents, such as newsletters, newspapers, bulletins, student records, school catalogues, yearbooks, directories, and photographs that are critical for digital preservation. These efforts extend an essential resource to HBCUs beyond imagery, ensuring the protection of invaluable intellectual property and proper metadata application.   
 
Cassandra Illidge, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Executive Director of the HBCU Grants Program at Getty Images, said: “Since its launch in 2021, the HBCU Grants Program has primarily focused on preserving photography. However, during our visits to partner institutions, we recognized that our scope should be broader. Vital records and historical documents also need attention, as they significantly contribute to the important legacy of HBCUs. Our partnership with Ancestry enhances our commitment to preserving the valuable history of HBCUs and increases access, visibility, and awareness of untold stories for a global audience. By connecting students, alumni, and institutions through genealogy, we aim to create richer context for historical research and foster a deeper understanding of family history.” 
  
Through the program, HBCUs retain full copyright ownership to their print and digitized assets and data. Ancestry will contract directly with each HBCU and work collaboratively to digitize selected materials on‑site. All digital files will be delivered to the HBCUs, and complimentary, campus‑wide access to Ancestry’s platform will be provided, allowing students and faculty to explore and share their family histories and search millions of primary sources available on Ancestry.   
  
“Ancestry is proud to partner with Getty Images and HBCUs to help preserve and celebrate the rich legacies of these important institutions for generations to come,” said Head of US Content and Philanthropic Initiatives at Ancestry, Dr. Lisa Pearl. “By combining the vast archives of these historic institutions with Ancestry's cutting‑edge technology, we’re protecting these important documents and opening the door for families to uncover untold stories of inspiring HBCU alumni and ancestors.” 
 
This partnership was initiated with Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree‑granting HBCU, in Pennsylvania, USA. Lincoln joined Getty Images’ HBCU Grants Program last year with hundreds of contemporary and archival photos currently available for licensing in the HBCU Collection on gettyimages.com. Ancestry has already started digitizing Lincoln’s historical documents, including the Lincolnian and deteriorating records, as well as hundreds of photographs from Lincoln’s archival collection. 
  
“We are immensely proud to partner with Getty Images and Ancestry to launch this partnership that will allow us the opportunity to not only tell the Lincoln story but also help families tell their stories of connections to the university,” said Lincoln University President Dr. Brenda A. Allen. “Combining Getty Images’ expertise in producing high‑quality visuals with Ancestry’s unparalleled genealogical resources, this collaboration will enrich our educational programs, foster deeper connections to our heritage, and empower our community to explore and celebrate the rich history of our university.” 
 
To learn more about the wider HBCU Grants Program, including the institutions working with Getty Images, additional program partners, scholarship and mentorship opportunities for students and access to the HBCU Collection, go to: https://www.gettyimages.com/corporate‑responsibility/hbcu‑partnership

BBC America and Acorn TV revealed today the premiere date, trailer and key art for Relative Secrets, an all-new unscripted series hosted by acclaimed actress and Acorn TV's Harry Wild star, Jane Seymour (Live and Let Die, East of Eden, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman). The four-episode investigative series, part true-crime and part genealogy, premieres on Monday, June 2 at 10:00 pm ET/PT on BBC America and Acorn TV. New episodes release weekly on Mondays. 

Each episode in this suspenseful new series will investigate an everyday American family's darkest mystery, aiming both to solve the mystery and explore how it shapes that family today. Colorful characters, rich cultural context and dramatic twists and turns abound in every tale, each of which connects the American family to their UK heritage. Along the way, we'll meet charismatic heroes and terrifying villains, ranging from a 99-year-old World War II veteran who worries his absence led to the murder of his grandmother, to the daughter of a serial killer desperate to carve out her own identity from her father's sordid past to a mother who abandoned her three children to start a new secret life. Host Seymour oversees the overall investigation in each episode, which is led by archaeologist Natasha Billson (The Great British Dig). 

Relative Secrets is an Acorn TV Original Series produced by Cream Productions (The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot, History of the Sitcom, Age of Samurai, Fear Thy Neighbor and Blue Rodeo: Lost Together) for AMC Studios, who is the exclusive international distributor of the series. The series is executive produced by David Brady, Kate Harrison Karman, John Ealer and Seymour. Ealer and Series Producer Felicity Justrabo serve as series writers and directors. 

BBC America  

BBC AMERICA is a hub of innovative, culturally contagious programming and the definitive television home and co-producer, in partnership with BBC Studios, of the most iconic natural history series and franchises including Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Dynasties, Eden: Untamed Planet, Frozen Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet and the forthcoming Asia. Wholly owned and operated by AMC Networks, BBC AMERICA's most notable series, including Killing Eve, Doctor Who, Orphan Black, Luther and The Graham Norton Show, among others, have attracted widespread critical acclaim and garnered Emmy(R) Awards, Golden Globes(R), Peabody Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, TCA Awards and more.  

About Acorn TV 

AMC Networks' Acorn TV is North America's largest streaming service specializing in premium British and international television. Acorn TV adds exclusive programming every week to a deep library of revered mysteries, dramas, and comedies - all commercial-free. Acorn TV's recent slate is comprised of critically acclaimed commissioned and original series including popular New Zealand detective series My Life Is Murder (Lucy Lawless), acclaimed Irish crime thriller Bloodlands (James Nesbitt, co-executive produced by Jed Mercurio), British crime drama Whitstable Pearl (Kerry Godliman), Kiwi romantic comedy Under the Vines and British detective drama Dalgliesh (Bertie Carvel), to name a few. Current and upcoming Acorn TV Original Series include UK detective drama Harry Wild (Jane Seymour), Signora Volpe (Emilia Fox), The Chelsea Detective (Adrian Scarborough) and many more. The above add to a growing catalog of popular bingeable dramas including Jack Irish (Guy Pearce), Doc Martin (Martin Clunes), Deadwater Fell (David Tennant, Cush Jumbo), all 24 seasons of fan-favorite Midsomer Murders and highly-rated drama The Nest, among others.     

"...glorious streaming service... an essential must-have" - The Hollywood Reporter  

"Netflix for the Anglophile" - NPR     

Acorn TV is available for $7.99/month or $79.99/year. Facebook: OfficialAcornTV - Twitter: @AcornTV - Instagram: @Acorn_tv  

About Cream Productions 

Based in Toronto, Cream Productions develops, finances and produces distinctive and award-winning content across a wide range of genres in North America and internationally. The company's many credits include An Optimist's Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, The Story of Late Night, History of the Sitcom, Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, nine seasons of the hit Fear Thy Neighbor and feature documentaries Nike's Big Bet and Beautiful Scars. The company has also partnered on several television projects with renowned filmmaker Eli Roth to produce Urban Legend, The Haunted Museum with Zak Bagans, Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life and Eli Roth's Haunted House: Trick VR Treat, a virtual-reality experience for META that stars Vanessa Hudgens.

The following is a press release issued by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) today released new records related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). These records were transferred to the National Archives from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in accordance with sections 1841–1843 of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 118-31). They are now part of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Collection at the National Archives. 

The release of these UAP records is part of the National Archives’ priority to maximize transparency, ensuring that this information is made available to the American people. NARA will continue to add UAP records to the Collection and make them available online through the National Archives Catalog on an ongoing, rolling basis as they are transferred from federal agencies. 

The Wabash Valley Community Foundation, through its Clay County affiliate, awarded $91,000 to seven non-profit organizations to benefit Clay County on April 24.

The award ceremony was held at the Buell Community Center in Clay City. The spring grant recipients’ projects will improve the lives of people living in Clay County by strengthening recreational and educational opportunities and meeting the needs of local children.

Funding allocations for the benefit of Clay County were awarded as follows:

• Clay City Youth League - $6,500 in support of new fencing around the ballpark.

• Clay Community Parks Association - $7,000 in support of the Craig Park Bridge landscaping and beautification project.

• Clay County Optimist Club - $4,500 in support of the Clothe-A-Child program, which provides essential clothing to children in need.

• Clay County YMCA - $12,000 in support of updating the youth programming space with new equipment and activities.

• Clay County Genealogical Society - $30,000 in support of the construction of a larger genealogy library.

• Terre Haute Symphony Association - $6,000 in support of music education tours to all seven elementary schools in Clay County.

• Town of Harmony - $25,000 in support of repurposing and restoring the tennis courts at Harmony Park into pickleball courts.

The funding for these grant awards is made possible through the generosity of individuals, families and businesses contributing to unrestricted community grant funds held by the Community Foundation. Earnings from these funds are awarded as competitive grants that focus on important charitable projects, enriching the lives of those in Clay County. Thanks to Lilly Endowment Inc.’s GIFT matching challenge grants, the amount available to grant has nearly doubled over the past ten years.

Donors currently have the opportunity to triple their gift and create a larger impact in Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties. Thanks to a new GIFT initiative, contributions to any new or existing community grant fund will be matched $2-for-$1, but only while matching dollars remain. Gifts of cash, stock, IRA rollovers and Qualified Charitable Distributions, along with many other types of charitable gifts, can be used to leverage the matching dollars. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the Community Foundation at 812-232-2234 or visit https://wvcf.org/gift-viii/.

During World War II, there were 288 fallen service members from McKean County. The day they died, their stories died too. For many, even the how, when and where of their deaths were lost.

Now a statewide writers’ group headed by Franklin County’s Kathy Harmon is telling their stories. For the past three years her volunteers with Stories Behind the Stars have been researching, writing and posting stories of the nearly 31,900 fallen from Pennsylvania. These memorials are posted on the veterans’ website Fold3.com. More than 8,100 of Pennsylvania’s WWII heroes have been remembered by these dedicated volunteer writers. Eighty-seven of McKean County’s WWII heroes have been memorialized so far.

This important project is part of a national non-profit organization called Stories Behind the Stars. The name refers to the Gold Stars that the fallen receive to honor their ultimate sacrifice. The goal is to tell the stories of all 421,000 Americans who died during WWII. Their memorial stories are posted on Fold3.com and are linked to Find-a-Grave’s phone app. Gravesite visitors will be able to scan the name on a headstone and read the fallen’s story on their phone.

Harmon is hoping to double her group of volunteer writers. Telling the story of a fallen hero’s life is rewarding and ensures that each sacrifice is never forgotten. Extra rewards come when messages of gratitude are received from descendants of the Gold Star veterans.

Harmon often receives expressions of thanks, including one from the nephew of Sgt. Charles B. Headland of Lawrence County, who was killed off Anzio, Italy, on Jan. 26, 1944. The relative requested reprints of an article about Headland’s memorial to share with family members. Another message Harmon received was from the cousin of Cambria County’s Pvt. George Victor Potts, who was killed on Attu Island on May 29, 1943, in a banzai charge. The cousin relayed the thanks of Potts’ daughter, “who is so thankful and grateful. She said no one would ever tell her anything about his death. And I guess they had no way of finding out. She said she cried all day.”

The niece of Franklin County’s Frederick Paul Smith, a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division who died on D-Day, had this to say: “Thank you so much for all the info on Frederick Paul Smith published in the local news. He was my uncle; my mother was Anna. A lot of info we didn’t know. You must have done a lot of research. It is greatly appreciated.”

Westmoreland County volunteer John Turanin has written memorials about every WWII Gold Star hero from Monessen. He was contacted by the namesake nephew of Pvt. Victor Albert Trilli, who was killed Jan. 15, 1943, in Tunisia. Trilli’s nephew extended thanks to Turanin for researching and writing his uncle’s story. “We know that other families will feel very grateful, just as we do, for the memorial stories of the sons of Monessen who lost their lives in service to our country.”

Montgomery County writer Chris Moyer was touched by the response he received from the nephew of Mifflin County’s Ensign William Henry Foucart, who was killed during the kamikaze attack on the USS Bunker Hill on May 11, 1945. “I greatly appreciated the article. My grandmother, Evelyn Foucart, and my father, Donald Foucart, did not discuss the loss of their son and brother other than that he died in that war. What a burden those generations endured.”

Harmon is the Pennsylvania director of Stories Behind the Stars. She is looking for more help to complete the stories of the remaining 23,700 fallen from Pennsylvania.

“Eighty years ago, thousands of brave Pennsylvania sons and daughters fought and died for our freedom. Telling stories for those who never could is very powerful,” says Harmon. “They deserve to be remembered.”

Harmon points out that volunteering is fairly easy. Writers work from home at their own pace. This could also be a group project for a history class, a historical society or genealogy project. A bonus benefit is the free access to research sites, Fold3.com, Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com. This three-site package would normally cost $479 per year. But it is free to members who can also use it to search for data on their own families.

For more information, Harmon can be contacted at kharmon@storiesbehindthestars.org. The project website is storiesbehindthestars.org. Discover military ancestors across more than a dozen wars and subjects at fold3.com.