An interesting article by Lizzie O’Leary can be found in the Slate.com web site:

"In April 2018, Sacramento County’s district attorney announced that after more than 40 years, investigators had found the Golden State Killer. And they’d done it by putting his DNA profile on genetic genealogy websites.

"Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested, pleaded guilty, and is serving 26 life sentences. His case marked a seismic shift in how investigators use DNA in cold cases. And yet, lurking in the background were concerns over the lack of regulation regarding police use of genetic genealogy. When cops want to peek inside your family tree, should anything stop them?

"On Friday’s episode of What Next: TBD, I spoke with Nila Bala, a senior attorney at the Policing Project at NYU Law School, about law enforcement and genetic genealogy technology—and what’s being done to regulate it. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity."

The full article my be found at: https://bit.ly/3gRCQKY.

The following announcement was written by AmaWaterways:

CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Luxury river cruise innovator AmaWaterways today announced a new partnership with the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, Ancestry^®. The groundbreaking collaboration provides a unique opportunity for guests to discover details pertaining to their specific family history while enjoying the incomparable river cruise experience that AmaWaterways is known for. With an uptick in consumers embracing heritage travel, the special Ancestry^® Experience  package allows travelers to further personalize and enrich their river cruise experience through pre-cruise private consultation and family history research, onboard presentations and curated excursions accompanied by an expert genealogist throughout the cruise.

“Having grown up along the legendary Elbe River in Germany, I am personally overjoyed by this new collaboration that provides our guests with a unique opportunity to connect with their European roots, through personalized research and specially curated experiences,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “Maintaining or creating cherished family connections is more important than ever, and this partnership with the industry-leading team at Ancestry^® provides the perfect setting to bring our guests’ treasured family stories to life.”

The first cruise in the series, Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience, will depart July 30, 2022, on board the 156-guest AmaStella. Guests will embark in Amsterdam on an unforgettable seven-night river cruise along the Rhine River, visiting Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland while tracing their roots and following along in their ancestors’ footsteps.

“At its core, Ancestry is a family history company, and we are constantly looking for new ways to help others uncover their own personal stories and to bring deeper meaning to their findings through genealogical research and heritage travel,” said Jon Lambert, director of global client relations for Ancestry. “We found this same passion for creating enriching life-changing experiences with AmaWaterways Co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst. Their European heritage and appreciation of cultural diversity fit perfectly with Ancestry’s mission to empower journeys of self-discovery to change lives.”

This enriching Ancestry experience begins as soon as the river cruise reservation is made with AmaWaterways. Each guest who signs up will be matched with an expert from AncestryProGenealogists^®, Ancestry’s professional research division, who will conduct a one-hour welcome call to discuss aspects of their family that are of particular interest. From there, the genealogist will conduct a five-hour consultation and research phase delving into family background and identifying places of interest that the guest may visit or pass by during their river cruise.

Once on board, an expert genealogist will offer presentations to provide insight into what life was like for guests’ ancestors and highlight the types of records that are available for them to learn more. As guests travel through different regions where their ancestors lived, the genealogist will explain the history behind those areas, providing an unparalleled understanding of the past and a glimpse of their ancestors’ everyday lives.

Rounding out this enriching experience, each guest will also receive a private onboard consultation with the expert genealogist to review their own family tree. They will also have the opportunity to enjoy an Ancestry-specific group excursion with their expert genealogist. In certain cases, travelers can delve even deeper with an optional add-on of an Ancestral Home Visit accompanied by an expert genealogist.

Taking guests into the heart of Europe, the elegantly appointed AmaStella, with her exceptional crew, offers the opportunity for guests to be pampered in spacious staterooms; indulge in delicious cuisine from a choice of dining venues including the intimate Chef’s Table Restaurant; and when not participating in one of the 23 included shore excursion choices, relax on an expansive sun deck, featuring a walking track and swimming pool with a swim-up bar. Active travelers will enjoy the onboard Wellness Program, which includes expertly guided fitness classes, as well as hiking and biking tours.

Reservations for the July 30, 2022, Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry^® Experience are now open, with prices starting from $5,399*. Reserve any AmaWaterways river cruise through Europe and customize your personalized heritage experience with Ancestry, from a pre-journey consultation with your expert genealogist to an Ancestral Home Visit for an additional fee.

*Per person prices (air and port charges not included). Visit AmaWaterways.com/ancestry for full details.

The following announcement was written by Victoria Macchi and published in the National Archives News:

 Local 1810 census records from Massachusetts, long missing from the collection of census records of the time, are finally in Washington, DC, after a 211-year delay, thanks to a social media post. 

A National Archives employee scrolling through Instagram saw a February post from the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) Library that connected archives, genealogy, and Black history, using the 1810 Essex County census record book.

Family researchers and history scholars can now view the digitized version through the National Archives Catalog. 

Jack Kabrel, an archives specialist with the Permanent Records Capture team and based at the National Archives at Boston, originally saw the post and reported it.

"The Permanent Records Capture team strives to work across various units to fulfill NARA's mission,” Kabrel said. “The 1810 census recovery was a perfect example of those units communicating and taking action to secure and protect an important part of America's past. This is a moment we can all be proud of."

Suspecting the records might be federal property and belong in the National Archives, the archives specialist flagged the post for supervisors. This set in motion the protocols the agency’s Holdings Protection and Recovery team and General Counsel use to address cases of records that may need to be reclaimed.

Researchers, collectors, or dealers often flag cases of missing federal property. In this and other instances, National Archives staff verify the origin of the records and decide whether they should be in the care of the National Archives.

Two long-time National Archives archivists determined that the marbled indigo notebook used by Assistant Marshal Ebenezer Burrell during the enumeration of Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, between August 6, 1810, and August 29, 1810, indeed was an official record that belonged in the National Archives.

Gary M. Stern, National Archives General Counsel, alerted the Peabody Essex Museum Library that this ledger, which they obtained between 1810 and the 1940s, would need to be handed over to the federal agency.

“I think the history was that the censuses would accumulate for 20 or 30 years before being sent to Washington. These never made it here,” Stern said. In this case, the Boston-area museum staff “was willing to cooperate right away,” he added.

With facilities shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alfie Paul, Director of Archival Operations at National Archives at Boston, drove 30 minutes from his home to the PEM facility in Rowley, MA, to take custody of the records.

You can read the full story at: https://www.archives.gov/news/articles/1810-census-massachusetts.

Frank Washington was making preparations to bury his aunt in a small family cemetery in the historic Virginia community of Thoroughfare when he found a gate barring access to the graveyard.

The town, an hour west of Washington, D.C., dates back to the 1800s, when it was settled by freed slaves and Native Americans. Small burial grounds are scattered throughout the area - some still in use, some forgotten entirely.

The ownership legalities behind many of these plots can be fuzzy, Washington said, but the discovery a few months ago of the gate belonging to a nearby brewery that owns access to the property still came as a shock.

“The deeds are so old that it’s hard to find some of these things,” Washington said.

“Most of these were family sites, and (ownership) was not documented the way it was for those who weren’t people of color,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

When Washington and other residents decided to look into the situation with other cemeteries in town, they found one bulldozed and more under threat, and also rediscovered several others.

The sense of crisis in Thoroughfare echoes a growing urgency across the country to stop the destruction of African-American burial grounds, said Kelley Fanto Deetz, co-CEO of the History, Arts and Science Action Network.

“People are absolutely starting to realize that these kinds of historical injustices need to be addressed now. So there is a change coming,” she said.

You can read the full story by Carey L. Biron and published in Reuters at: https://reut.rs/3gO5yMD.

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

A new and rather extensive collection of New Zealand family history records has gone on line. This free collection coordinated by Diane Wilson over the past 40 years includes records from many and varied sources to assist with your research.

This free Index includes all NZ marriages 1856-1956 and matching bridge/groom with +250,000 annotated for place of marriage. This is her current project and a work in progress. The Wilson Collection also includes electoral rolls, burial locations, early settlers and WWI records.

Diane and her many assistants researched and compiled these records over a long period with help from countless contributors. They generously gave their time, sometimes for many years. These volunteers who were not all genealogists donated time to transcribing, typing and collating information to create these indexes.

Diane would like to thank friends and family, especially her late husband, Murray, for their support in producing this novel and unique collection for public.

Also a special thank you to Mark Howard for his long and dedicated technical and innovative support over the years, and to Clearfield Software for their ongoing association with this project.

If you have New Zealand ancestry, you owe it to yourself to check out the Wilson Collection at https://www.wilsoncollection.co.nz.

The following announcement was written by the (U.S.) National Genealogical Society:

FALLS CHURCH, VA, 21 JUNE 2021—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) on-demand portion of its 2021 Virtual Conference— NGS 2021 On-Demand!—is available for purchase on PlaybackNGS.com.   Anyone may register for NGS 2021 On-Demand! and choose from three lecture packages. NGS Live! Recorded; the 20 On-Demand Package; or the 40 On-Demand Package offer incredible values and the ability to customize packages. An optional USB add-on including audio recordings of the 85+ sessions is also available with the 40 On-Demand Package. Registrants can view or listen on their computers or mobile devices, from the comfort of their homes or anywhere, at their convenience through 31 December 2021. For a full list of sessions, download the Sessions Guide and find the bonus sessions in the green box. To see descriptions for webinars and speaker bios, download the Program Brochure. The 2,600+ registrants who participated in the Family History Conference’s week of events in mid-May may activate their previously purchased package and select from more than 85 webinars presented by nationally recognized speakers. Each package includes 19 sessions from NGS 2021 Live!, 25 sponsored bonus sessions, and a virtual conference syllabus. That’s up to 84 hours of exceptional genealogy education from NGS and its expert genealogists.   Those who missed NGS Live! in May can now register on PlaybackNGS.com for one of these three package options:   NGS Live! Recorded Package includes 19 sessions from NGS 2021 Live!; an electronic copy of the virtual conference syllabus; and 25 sponsored bonus lectures. The 20 On-Demand Package includes 19 sessions from NGS 2021 Live!; streaming access to a choice of twenty NGS 2021 On-Demand! sessions; an electronic copy of the virtual conference syllabus; and 26 sponsored bonus lectures. The 40 On-Demand Package includes everything in the 20 On-Demand Package with an additional twenty sessions (a total of 40 lectures that you choose); plus, the 26 sponsored bonus lectures. An optional USB add-on is available with audio recordings of ALL the recorded sessions. That’s more than 130 hours of audio content that can also be streamed to a mobile device. Every NGS conference has a new program top to bottom so there is always more to learn and discover. For more information about NGS 2021 On-Demand! or to register, visit PlaybackNGS.com.

I was planning to write a Plus Edition article aimed at genealogy societies who wish to create a new web site or to improve an existing web site. While researching the article, I discovered that a similar article has already been written. The other article isn't specific to genealogy societies but the information in A Nonprofit's Guide to Building Simple, Low-Cost Websites is about 99% the same as I would have written in my article for genealogy societies.

Since most of the information I planned to offer is already available elsewhere, I will suggest any interested reader should first read the A Nonprofit's Guide to Building Simple, Low-Cost Websites article by Chris Peters at https://bit.ly/3gIP7A6. I will then offer the following comments to supplement the original article with the other 1% of the information that I wanted to write about.

First, I strongly support Chris Peters’ suggestion to use blogging software as the society's primary web-development tool. Most of today's blogging software offers a variety of options so that any genealogy society should be able to tailor any of the leading blogging products in a manner to meet the needs of the society. To be sure, there are more sophisticated products available, such as Joomla, Drupal, and others. However, if your society has the expertise to install, configure, and maintain one of these sophisticated products, you probably aren't reading this article on "How to get started!" If you are new to creating web sites, I suggest you start small and simple. You can always expand later.

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform available today. The company claims that WordPress now “powers” over a fifth of the Internet. There are other blog hosting services as well. However, I don't know of any service that is better than WordPress and its offer of free hosting. Additional options are available for WordPress for modest fees, however.

I have been using WordPress for several years and find it has been a "no brainer." It is easy to use and has proven to be very reliable. The couple of times I have had questions or needed something fixed, I sent an email message. The questions have always been answered and the problems resolved within a very few hours, including nights and weekends.

The only thing that is complicated about WordPress is the fact that there are two versions: a hosted blogging service at WordPress.com and software available at WordPress.org that you can download yourself and install on your own web server.

For a society that is just learning about web sites and available technologies, I strongly suggest you ignore any thoughts about creating your own web server and installing software on it. You can do that later after you gain experience, define the reasons for doing it yourself, and identify the webmaster(s) who are qualified to do the work. Until then, take the simpler approach: have someone else do all the technical work while you focus on adding your society's information. On WordPress.com, you can rapidly create a new blog entirely for free, with a reasonable amount of customization and very little technical knowledge required.

For the remainder of this article, I will ignore the idea of creating your own web server and installing software on it.

NOTE: Never have only one webmaster. People sometimes lose interest or get sick or otherwise become unavailable at inopportune times for a variety of reasons. If your only webmaster suddenly becomes unavailable, who will step in and take over? Have a backup.

First, go to https://learn.wordpress.com/get-started/ and read about the various options available. Also look at all the other "how to" articles listed in the column to the left at https://learn.wordpress.com/get-started/. You will find a lot of good information there.

Pick your choices and then create a free WordPress.com account.

You can select any of 200+ free themes with even more themes available for a fee.

You may want to add a custom .com, .org, .net, .info, .biz, .co, .me, .mobi, or .tv address, such as www.PodunkGenealogySociety.org or whatever is appropriate for your society's name. Doing so will cost $99 US per year. To be sure, you can simply use a free subdomain of WordPress.com, such as: www.Wordpress.com/PodunkGenealogySociety. However, doing so looks less professional and also makes your web site a bit harder to find. Of course, you can always build your site first free of charge by using the www.Wordpress.com/PodunkGenealogySociety subdomain and then upgrade to your society's own domain name at a later date.

Purchasing the society's own domain name also suggests the new online publication will be more permanent.

For frequently updated information, such as announcements of meeting dates, announcements of new society publications, field trips, and more, simply post the information in a blog post. You want visitors to the web site to see "What's New" when they first visit the home page.

Less time-sensitive information, such as transcribed census records, images of old homesteads, back issues of the society newsletter, FAQs (Frequently-Asked Questions), and more can be added to static pages in the same web site. You may want to add calendars of future events and more. WordPress itself has many options and then you can find hundreds of additional "plug-ins" (WordPress calls them "widgets") created by third-party producers that will add even more functionality to the site. You can find information about many WordPress widgets at https://en.support.wordpress.com/widgets/.

One word of caution: don't overdo it with widgets. Some web sites look as if the webmaster tried to add one of everything. I have seen web sites that are an eyesore. Simpler is often better. I suggest you start out with a simple design and then cautiously add new things as you gain experience.

Make sure the sponsoring organization is prominently mentioned. A public profile isn’t mandatory, but most societies will want to have contact information prominently posted. If the society owns a library or has a designated place for meetings, make sure that is quickly visible to every new visitor to the site. To edit your public profile in WordPress.com, click your Gravatar in the top right to head to Me → My Profile. When you comment on sites across WordPress.com, this is the information associated with your account.

Need an online chat room added to the web site? See https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/chatroom for information about 11 different available chat rooms that can be installed within seconds.

Eventually, the society probably will want to sell online ebooks of the society's publications or possibly sell tickets to upcoming seminars and conferences. You can find a variety of tools that will simplify such sales. Lots of web sites that will sell ebooks and e-pamphlets may be found by starting at http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/sell-ebooks/. For admission to conferences and events, almost everyone uses EventBrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/.

Adding an effective web site will enhance your society's image, attract new members, and broadcast the society's products and services to the entire world. It will be far more effective at publicizing the society's efforts than any printed brochures.

The time to get started is NOW!

More than 16,000 photos, videos, and historical documents detailing the history of Indianapolis Parks are now available to view on The Indianapolis Public Library’s digitalindy.org website.

The Indy Parks and Recreation Digital Collection is the newest addition to the Library's Digital Indy archive, which includes collections of documents, images, videos, and recordings that highlight local history. Digital Indy’s content may be printed or downloaded free for personal use, study, or research.

The new Indy Parks collection includes photographs of 86 parks and golf courses, videos of historic events such as the U. S. Women's Olympic Swimming Trials at Broad Ripple Park, and board meeting minutes ranging from 1908-2017. Community events, performances, and groundbreaking ceremonies make up the bulk of the collection, offering a unique visual record of Indianapolis’s past.

You can learn more at https://www.indypl.org/news-and-announcements/indianapolis-public-library-reveals-digital-archive-of-indy-parks-history.

The following is a message sent by the IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee and republished here with permission:

Court and Tribunal Judgements moved to a new website and the storage and publication of judgements will now be managed by the (UK) National Archives.

The website will host thousands of court judgments, saving time and money for lawyers, judges, academics, journalists, students and members of the public who require them for vital case preparation or research purposes.

Judicial Review rulings, European case law, commercial judgments and many more cases of legal significance from the High Court, Upper Tier Tribunal, and the Court of Appeal will be readily available to anyone from April 2022.

At present, there are multiple sources for court judgment publications, of which the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII) is the largest. The long-term aim is for all of them to migrate onto The National Archives website which has a track record in hosting digital files safely and securely.

BAILII will continue to provide free access to judgments, for other jurisdictions, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth as well as England and Wales, continuing their great service to date.

The UK National Archives website is: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/  Be mindful that the records will not be available until April 2022.

To read more see:

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/the-national-archives-to-publish-court-and-tribunal-judgments/

and

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/boost-for-open-justice-as-court-judgments-get-new-home

Jan Meisels Allen
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee