From an announcement at: https://en.geneanet.org/genealogyblog/post/2023/11/geneanet-dna-features-will-be-discontinued:

Geneanet DNA was launched in February 2020, ahead of its time, with a strong ambition: to build a free, universal DNA database, enriched with family trees.

Free, in order to facilitate for all the search for one’s origins, in accordance with Geneanet’s mission.

Universal, by offering the possibility to upload DNA from multiple companies so you could find even more genetic cousins.

Enriched with extended family trees to help Geneanet members identify their common ancestors, a key differentiator compared to other market players.

A number of innovative features were developed with these goals in mind (haplogroup identification, a chromosome browser, triangulation, etc.).

However, over the last several years, we have not seen the success we had hoped for and we have therefore made the difficult decision to stop Geneanet DNA in order to concentrate on more promising Geneanet features and services, better aligned with requests from our members. Despite this, we are proud to have helped you, over nearly four years, to find cousins around the world with the many features we offered.

For many years, the members of the Broad River Genealogical Society have been dreaming of a larger facility.

Ann Wright, researcher and member of the board of directors, said they have run out of room and cannot shelve their book collection and files. Many items remained boxed and unavailable to patrons. They purchased a storage building and locker to accommodate their growing needs, but it was still inadequate.

“Just in the past month, we received genealogy collections from three different families,” Wright wrote. “Our collection and membership continued to grow, but our facility remained the same.”

Until, Wright said, a miracle happened earlier this month when they received word that they were awarded a grant that would make their dreams possible.

“Several months ago we applied for a grant from the State of North Carolina with encouragement and guidance from our Senator Ted Alexander,” Wright wrote in an email to The Star. “We were advised the funding amount was unclear and would only be finalized when the new appropriations budget was completed. We anxiously ‘chomped at the bit’ awaiting news and finally received notification that we could expect at least $10,000.”

She said they were happy and grateful, but a little disappointed since it would not be sufficient to cover the cost of the new facility they desperately needed. 

Shortly after, Broad River Genealogical Society Vice President Dolores Ashworth got a call from Alexander requesting a meeting along with President Linda Carpenter and several others.

They were told Alexander and Speaker of the House Tim Moore had obtained a further grant of $400,000. 

Wright said they were speechless.

You can read more in an article in the shelbystar web site at: https://tinyurl.com/fx2m89ke.

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

Don’t miss your last chance to register for RootsTech 2024 at the lowest price of $99. Early bird pricing ends November 23, so register now! 

For $99 you will receive the full, 3-day conference pass and experience. This includes:

 • Hundreds of captivating classes

 • Inspiring keynote speakers

 • New cutting-edge technology that will enhance your genealogical pursuits

We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FYI: Next Thursday, November 23, is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. I plan to celebrate the day by taking the day off! I do not plan to post any new articles on that day.

My schedule will return to normal the following day, Friday, November 24.

Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies is pleased to announce the call for presentations for a conference: ‘Advancing genetic genealogy: how the past is informing the present through revolutions in genetic research’.

Date and Place of Conference

June 7-8, 2024, University of Strathclyde, Scotland and hybrid access

Guest Speakers

Conference Call for Presentations

The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies (SIGS) will hold an international academic genetic genealogy conference in Scotland at the University of Strathclyde, June 7-8, 2024. The conference will be hybrid with some events in person only, including DNA testing lab demonstrations and an evening reception. On June 6, a separate symposium on investigative forensic genetic genealogy will be held by the University’s Forensic Science department.

The conference will be interdisciplinary in nature, with a particular focus on the themes of autosomal DNA and Y-DNA, as well as on bioarchaeology, genetics and investigative genetic genealogy, emphasising their importance and value to the field of genetic genealogy. Presentations should be aimed at an audience with an intermediate to advanced level of knowledge and understanding.

This call for presentations seeks proposals which will tend to cover the more practical application of genetic genealogy, to supplement the more academic based keynote presentations, although more academic proposals will be considered.

Speakers from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds are invited to share their experiences and thoughts around the following themes:

Proposals out with these themes will also be considered. 

Recordings of the presentations will be made available for two months to conference participants.

Submission guidelines

The conference committee invites proposals for individual or co-presented presentations. Presentations can be 10 or 20 minutes in length and time will be set aside for questions and answers. Proposals must be submitted via email by January 08, 2024. Acceptance decisions will be sent out by end of January 2024.

Please submit an abstract (200-300 words), the time length desired (10 or 20 minutes) and a biographical note (100 words) for each presenter. Provide information on previous experience with presenting at conferences or other events.

Hybrid Option

We are planning for a limited number of slots for remote presentations in a hybrid setup at the conference. When submitting your abstract to claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk, please indicate that a ‘remote presentation will be required’. If you have any questions regarding this hybrid option, please email claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk .

Deadline for submissions: January 8, 2024

Please submit your abstract to claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk  

About the Advancing Genetic Genealogy conference and SIGS

The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies was established in 2022 to bring together a growing network of individuals and organisations to share knowledge and build a thriving academic genealogy community for all. Learn more about our genetic genealogy research projects, courses and events at https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/ .

Speakers at the conference are required to register and pay for attendance. (attendance awards for students tbc)

Contact email: claire.mcconnell@strath.ac.uk  

Amid the rise in disinformation today, journalists should look into legal measures adopted by countries around the world to combat it.

Brazil’s Agência Lupa is helping reporters do just that, this month launching an interactive map showing national and supranational laws globally intended to legislate disinformation online. The tool, called LupaMundi, provides details about the legislation while helping users better understand the nature of the laws and how they could be used against journalists.

“We need to learn from the work people are doing across the world,” said Natália Leal, executive director of Agência Lupa, during a recent ICFJ Global Crisis Reporting Forum session on tracking disinformation laws globally. “Lupa is focused on Brazil, but if you don’t look to other experiences [around the globe], it is impossible to have new answers for the same questions.”

You can read more in an article by Inaara Gangji published in the ijnet.org web site at: https://ijnet.org/en/story/new-tool-tracks-disinformation-laws-globally. 

The book "The Peoples of Utah" was published nearly 50 years ago by the Utah Historical Society. It explores stories of the lives of people from various cultures who came and settled in our state.

Now, there's a new project underway to build on the research conducted back then and inspire the next generation. It's called "The Peoples of Utah Revisited."

Each of the 14 chapters are devoted to specific ethnic communities that migrated to Utah.

The book covered a vast range of stories including those from the African American, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Serbian communities.

You can read more in an article by Jamie McGriff published in the KUTV web site at: https://tinyurl.com/56ekv8r4.

With a few clicks, people can now access Lexington history from the 1780s to the 1870s. University of Kentucky students have digitized nearly 80-thousand deeds and other records and posted it on the Fayette County Clerk’s website. Vanessa Holden is the director of UK’s African American and Africana studies. She said the Digital Access Project may be especially valuable interesting to folks interested in black history.

“Many black people didn't own property, because they were property. And so anytime an enslaved person changed hands, there is a record of them.”

Holden says the data also sheds considerable light on what she called Fayette County’s very vibrant free Black community. Several other groups helped fund the project, which is ongoing. Holden said the records contain a wealth of information.

“A place like Fayette County, one of the original three counties of the commonwealth, has an incredibly well kept set of records back to when it was still Virginia.”

Holden said the records include information about people who lived in more than three dozen other counties, because Fayette County wasn’t reduced to its present size until 1799.

Here is a list of all of this week's articles, all of them available here at https://eogn.com:        

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

Cumberland Baptisms 

The 65,252 new records are perfect building blocks for your family tree. Spanning over four centuries, they may help you find an ancestor’s name, baptism date and place, and a father’s name. Some also include a mother’s name, addresses and occupations. 

Cumberland Marriages 

For marriages, there are 68,211 new records to explore, covering 1547 to 1975. They will typically include both spouses’ names, ages and addresses, plus the place and date of the marriage, and the names of their fathers.  

Cumberland Burials 

Finally, there are 62,746 new burials to delve into, covering 1566 to 1992. You may find an ancestor’s name, burial date and place, and often their residence.   

Newspapers 

Did your ancestors make the news? One new title, updates to a further six, and 152,092 new pages make up this week’s newspaper release.   

New titles: 

·         Carrick Times and East Antrim Times, 1987, 1989, 1991-1999 

Updated titles: 

·         Edinburgh Evening News, 1946, 1982, 1992 

·         Larne Times, 1985-1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998-1999 

·         Lurgan Mail, 1990-1991 

·         Mid-Ulster Mail, 1991-1993, 1995, 1999 

·         South Wales Daily Post, 1999 

·         Ulster Star, 1984-1987, 1989-1999