A lawsuit filed on Dec. 19 in the Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that Beverly Hills fertility specialist, Hal Danzer, M.D., impregnated a woman with a stranger’s sperm rather than her husband’s sperm without the couple’s consent. The woman gave birth to twin girls but did not discover until this year that her husband had no biological relationship with them. 

The twins are now in their late 30s.

Plaintiffs in the case are the unnamed couple, described in the complaint under the pseudonyms “John Doe” and “Jane Doe.” They claim that for nearly 40 years, the family believed that the husband was the biological father of the twins, one of whom now has a child of her own. 

The complaint states that as a young couple, the plaintiffs turned to Danzer, a well-known fertility specialist, to help them start a family. They underwent successful treatment in 1986. Unbeknownst to them, the sperm used to conceive the twins belonged to a stranger named Dennis Goldman. 

The twins made the discovery about their paternity after tests through Ancestry.com and 23andMe revealed no relation to their father. The suit alleges that the actual sperm donor, Goldman, produced several other biological children through Danzer and his now-shuttered fertility clinic, Los Angeles Fertility Institute.  Moreover, the complaint states that Goldman suffered unspecified medical issues and died young, raising the specter of health concerns for the twins.

The complaint alleges causes of action for battery, fraud, infliction of emotional distress, professional malpractice and breach of contract. It states that Danzer co-founded and currently practices at the Southern California Reproductive Center in Beverly Hills. 

After more than three decades, police have made an arrest in the brutal 1992 slaying of 19 year-old Amy Hooper.

On Dec. 17, a Franklin County Grand Jury indicted 57 year-old Washington State man Bruce Daniels for the murder and rape of Hooper, according to Franklin County Court records.

He was arrested earlier this month after investigators matched Daniels’ DNA, taken from his trash by Washington investigators, to DNA from the crime.

It’s unclear what led police to Daniels although many high-profile cold cases have been solved recently using genetic genealogy, a field that uses genealogical DNA banks to identify possible suspects.

Hooper was killed on March 9, 1992, after her bound body was found on the floor of her Lincoln Village apartment. She was bludgeoned and stabbed to death. 

Investigators have previously stated that they believed Hooper knew her attacker, although police have not publicly confirmed any connection she may have had with Daniels, who was 25 at the time.

A North Texas police department used genetic genealogy technology, similar to what's used in over-the-counter ancestry tests, alongside DNA evidence to find a suspect in a 33-year-old cold case.  

Plano Police has arrested 64-year-old Nicholas Ray Carney in Ardmore, Oklahoma, for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old child in 1991. 

The 1991 Plano cold case

On August 15, 1991, police say the victim was walking with another child to a neighborhood pool just before 6 p.m. in the alley behind Lake Hill Lane, near Tree House Lane and Country Place Drive. A man got out of his car and asked for help finding his lost dog, then grabbed the victim and forced the child into his car.

Police said the man sexually assaulted the minor, who turned up in Garland about five hours later. Police issued a description and a sketch of the suspect, but he was never found.

In 2004, the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences at Dallas tested evidence from the case for DNA and found a match to a 1999 case from Dallas in which a 9-year-old was abducted and sexually assaulted. A sketch and description from the Dallas case were similar, as well. Still, there was no progress in identifying the suspect.

New DNA technology sheds light on the case

In May 2023, a Plano PD detective started investigating the department's cold cases to see if genetic genealogy, a relatively new tool, could produce new leads.

Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing combined with traditional genealogical methods to trace family relationships, identify ancestors, or confirm familial connections. Genealogy tests are over-the-counter products that can easily be purchased online or in retail stores. Companies like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and others sell these DNA test kits.

The department worked with the Texas Rangers to submit evidence preserved from the 1991 and 1999  cases to an outside laboratory through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which works to clear the backlog of thousands of DNA samples linked to unknown suspects.

A family tree connection leads to a suspect in Oklahoma

On October 19, 2024, Bode Technology, the forensic firm that tested the DNA, found a possible family tree for the suspect, including his mother and a brother who died in a Utah prison while serving a life sentence for murder.

One of the people in that family tree was Nicholas Carney, police said. 

Detectives discovered that the Garland Police Department had run Carney's name in November of 1991 for an unknown reason. They also found that he lived in Dallas in 1999, just 1.2 miles away from where the second victim was abducted. A 1996 drivers license photo also resembled the police sketches from both cases.

Google could soon add a feature that makes it super easy to learn about a file. 

Rumors and reports online suggest that the tech giant could be working on a feature that'll let you attach a file then search within it, in order to then analyze the document. 

As spotted by Android Authority, this new, rumored tool from Google would let a user upload a file in the search bar with the familiar paperclip icon, then parse through that document. Users would be prompted to "ask anything about the file" via the regular Google search bar. 

In effect, you could take any local file and comb through it via Google search, receiving answers with the help of AI. Of course you'd have to trust Google to keep your documents private and that its AI tools would spit out accurate responses. 

The tool was spotted and posted on X and by Khushal Bherwani, an SEO analyst who frequently posts about this sort of thing of the social media site.

Governor Roy Cooper has announced the launch of the state’s Tech Resource Finder, a new website that provides more than 1,100 resources that help North Carolinians use the internet, find public computers and Wi-Fi and access technical support and digital skills classes across the state.

"All North Carolinians need the resources to access high-speed internet and use it safely and effectively,” said Governor Cooper. “This website will help ensure that more people can be part of the growing digital economy to work, learn, access telehealth and connect with others online.”

The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity collected information about all organizations in North Carolina offering these services to help people get online and identify gaps within communities for future initiatives.

Tech Resource Finder users can search for local offerings by county, zip code or type of resource and can select a map view or table view. Each resource includes a description, address, website, contact information and directions. The division is also partnering with NC State University’s William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation to keep the Tech Resource Finder’s offerings up to date.

"The internet is essential in almost every aspect of today’s world," said State CIO and NCDIT Secretary Jim Weaver. "Our goal is to ensure that North Carolinians are aware of nearby resources available to help them get online and build their digital skillsets.”

As part of the division’s partnership with the United Way/ NC 211, the Tech Resource Finder offerings will be integrated into the NC 211 system, so their trained community resource specialists can connect callers to these verified community sources. NC 211’s service is available in most languages and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

For more information about the NCDIT Division of Broadband and Digital Equity and Governor Cooper’s plan to close the digital divide, please visit ncbroadband.gov.

Pastfinders is thrilled that Cari Taplin will join us to discuss using Google Maps for Genealogy. The Presentation “Using Google’s My Maps as a Research and Analysis Tool” will be hosted by Pastfinders on Thursday, January 9 at the Cooper Memorial Library located at the Lake-Sumter State College, South Lake Campus in Clermont, Florida and Zoom from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The public is welcome to attend any of the free classes given by our society.  You must register to use Zoom or just arrive early at Cooper Memorial Library in room 108 to enjoy the program and meet other like-minded individuals. 

Program Description: Did you know you can create your own maps using Google’s My Maps? Many of us use Google Maps for travel or locating a place. My Maps allows users to create custom maps, making it a fantastic and easy-to-use research and analysis tool. Maps can be shared with others making it a great way to present your research to family and friends. This webinar will give an overview of My Maps, examples for why and how it can be useful for genealogy, and will go in-depth to demonstrate to the audience exactly how to create custom maps, including inserting lines, shapes, images, text, and more. 

Speaker Bio: Cari Taplin is the owner of  GenealogyPANTS, she provides speaking services. She also lends help and shares her expertise as an administrator on the highly popular Facebook Group “The Genealogy Squad.” Cari currently works for Ancestry ProGenealogists. Cari’s research focuses on midwestern and Great Lakes states. Her family told her she was related to Roy Rogers. As a result, finding her true heritage has been her focus since the year 2000. She is a native of Wood County, Ohio but now lives in Longmont, Colorado. Cari holds the Certified Genealogist® credential and has served in various volunteer and leadership positions for state, local, and national societies. 

Registration Form: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleMapsJan9430pmest

Visit PastfindersSLC.org for more details.

Gov. Dan McKee called the deadline given by hackers who installed malicious malware on the RIBridges system and demanded a ransom a “moving target” at a press conference late Saturday afternoon.

This article was originally published by Rhode Island Current.

Time is of the essence for hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders to take steps to shield their digital identities after state officials Friday acknowledged a major cyberattack on the state’s system for enrolling on Medicaid and other social service programs or signing up for commercial-based health care plans.

Gov. Dan McKee called the deadline given by hackers who installed malicious malware on the RIBridges system and demanded a ransom a “moving target” at a press conference late Saturday afternoon.

“Based on our latest information we have, the data could be exposed in the near future as early as this coming week,” McKee said.

State officials declined to comment on the ransom amount.

RIBridges, formerly known as the Unified Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP), serves approximately one third of the state’s population. That includes more than 46,000 individuals enrolled in health plans through the state’s health insurance marketplace, HealthSource RI, as well as over 8,000 more through the small group options offered to employers in the state. But the data breach could impact people who have applied for but are not receiving benefits. And it’s unclear how many years of data could have been exposed.

Rhode Island has nearly 1.1 million residents, according to the 2020 Census.

No representative from Deloitte, the vendor that manages the RIBridges system, was present at the news  conference.

McKee relinquished the podium to a federal cybersecurity expert who strongly encouraged residents to enable multi-factor authentication on their bank or credit card accounts, sign up online for free credit monitoring services through major credit bureaus and use passwords that are 10 to 12 characters long.

“In talking with the governor, it is possible that we’re going to have some additional credit monitoring provided by Deloitte as part of the partnership and work that they’re doing together,” said Michael Tetreault, cybersecurity advisor at CISA U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The RIBridges system is used to serve vulnerable residents who rely on assistance for health care, food, child care, adult day care and emergency housing.

The system was taken offline Friday afternoon after Deloitte confirmed a major security threat had occurred and that there was a “high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files with personally identifiable information from RIBridges.” Networks are typically taken offline to prevent further intrusion on systems.

Effective Monday, the Department of Human Services will revert back to paper application processing, said Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito.

“We formerly used to do this and are confident that we’ll be able to help individuals in need of human service benefits and services,” Merolla-Brito said.

Merolla-Brito said Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cardholders can place a freeze on their cards to prevent the card or benefits associated with the account from being used via the ebtEDGE online portal. Cardholders who lost or misplaced their cards or fear they may have been compromised can also call the EBT customer service line at 1 (888) 979-9939.

State officials learned of the possibility that the system was the target of a potential cyberattack on Dec. 5 from its vendor Deloitte. At that time, the FBI and the Rhode Island State Police were notified.

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Deloitte confirmed there had been a breach of RIBridges based on a screenshot of file folders sent by the hacker to Deloitte. On Friday, Dec. 13, Deloitte confirmed there was malicious code present in the system, prompting the shutdown of the system.

The state will provide updates at https://admin.ri.gov/ribridges-alert.

Update: This story has been clarified to reflect that the data of applicants and not just current beneficiaries could have been exposed.

In a rare joint statement, the archivist and deputy archivist of the United States said Tuesday that the 1970s-era Equal Rights Amendment cannot be certified without further action by Congress or the courts, as Democrats press President Joe Biden to act unilaterally on its ratification before he leaves office next month.

The five-decade push to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex remains stalled. Congress sent the amendment, which guarantees men and women equal rights under the law, to the states in 1972 and gave states seven years to ratify it, later extending the deadline to 1982. But the amendment wasn’t ratified by the required three-quarters of states before the deadline.

Four years ago, however, Virginia lawmakers voted to ratify the amendment, becoming the 38th and final state needed — albeit nearly four decades after the congressionally mandated deadline for ratification.

More than 120 House Democrats, led by Reps. Cori Bush and Ayanna Pressley, called on Biden on Sunday to direct the archivist to certify and publish the amendment despite the missed deadline. 

“Solidifying your legacy on equal rights with a final action on the ERA would be a defining moment for the historic Biden-Harris administration and your presidency,” they wrote to Biden.

But the archivist, Colleen Shogan, and her deputy, William J. Bosanko, who are responsible for certifying and publishing new amendments once they meet the required ratification threshold, say neither they nor Biden can act without Congress or the courts lifting the deadline.

“In 2020 and again in 2022, the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed that the ratification deadline established by Congress for the ERA is valid and enforceable,” they said in a joint statement. “The OLC concluded that extending or removing the deadline requires new action by Congress or the courts. Court decisions at both the District and Circuit levels have affirmed that the ratification deadlines established by Congress for the ERA are valid.”

They added: “Therefore, the Archivist of the United States cannot legally publish the Equal Rights Amendment. As the leaders of the National Archives, we will abide by these legal precedents and support the constitutional framework in which we operate.”

Congress tried last year in the latest push to lift the deadline to allow for the amendment’s ratification, but the measure didn’t reach the required 60-vote threshold in the Senate. 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is leading the effort among Democrats in the Senate, insisted in a statement that the archivist’s analysis was flawed and said she was “wrongfully inserting herself into a clear constitutional process, despite the fact that her role is purely ministerial.”

She encouraged Biden to ignore the OLC memo and certify the ERA anyway. “OLC memos are advisory in nature and can easily be disregarded by the current administration,” she said.

The Biden White House has been discussing the possibility with lawmakers and in internal meetings, according to a person familiar with the matter, but believes the best path forward is for Congress to lift the deadline and thereby eliminate the risk of a legal challenge to the amendment.

White House spokesperson Kelly Scully said: “President Biden has been clear that he wants to see the Equal Rights Amendment definitively enshrined in the Constitution.”

“Senior Administration officials have and will continue to engage with key Congressional leaders and other stakeholders on this issue in the weeks ahead,” she added. “It is long past time that we recognize the clear will of the American people.”

Lee esta historia en español aquí. 

Josie Cavazos was 15 when her mother died of ovarian cancer. 

Nearly five decades later, the 62-year-old still wishes she could have asked her mother about her childhood or how she came to wait tables for 20 years at Home Cafe, which became Andy’s Home Cafe in 1977.

“I didn’t realize when I was that young that there was such a finite window to get these stories and talk to my family about their history and their families,” she said on a recent Tuesday.

Josie and her 44-year-old daughter, Christina, were among a dozen people who gathered at the Leonel J. Castillo Community Center earlier this month to learn about genealogy and how to research their family history. The two-hour workshop was specially designed for Hispanic and Latino families, who sometimes face hurdles in tracking down their ancestors. 

Carlos Cantú, an adjunct history professor at the University of Houston and co-founder of the Collective of Progressive Educators (COPE), which hosted the workshop, said Hispanic and Latino heritage has not been cataloged and inventoried to the extent that European heritage has.

“There is plenty of information out there. But not everything has been inventoried, not everything has been gone through,” Cantú added. 

According to its Facebook page, COPE’s mission is to “uncover, preserve, and promote underrepresented histories, build partnerships with advocacy groups, non-profits, institutions of higher learning, and resource centers, and provide safe learning spaces for all communities.”

To that end, the nonprofit partnered with AARP to host the workshop and brought in four speakers to teach the basics of genealogy.

Dr. Ramiro Contreras introduces the basics of researching genealogy using ancestry.com on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Houston. The Collective of Progressive Educators and AARP hosted a Latino Genealogy Workshop to help participants find and share resources for tracing their family history. (Joseph Bui for Houston Landing)

Ramiro Contreras, an independent researcher, advises budding genealogists to start their research project by gathering basic information about their immediate family and creating a family tree. Using online repositories like Ancestry.com, search for people who were alive around 1950 and work backward from there.

“The bureaucracy of documentation is strong by 1950,” Contreras said.

“These records are telling us a story,” he added. “They’re talking to us, and when you click on them they’re going to speak to you and tell you something about your ancestor’s life.”

If looking for records from Latin American countries or Spain, the experts recommended going to FamilySearch.org. The website, run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has an extensive collection of international records, said Carl Smith, manager of the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library. 

Smith said that the Museum District research center, as an affiliate partner of the Mormon repository, has access to records that would otherwise be kept private.

Smith also said that the research center has one of the largest collections of published and unpublished family histories in the country, containing more than 100,000 volumes and 3,000 periodicals.

“The vast majority of records still are not online. It won’t be in our lifetime,” he added.

Marina Flores Sugg said she attended the workshop to learn more about how she can research both sides of her extended family. As a fourth-generation Texan, Flores said she knows little to nothing about her Mexican heritage. “We’ve lost many contacts that we used to have to Mexico because we’ve been here for so long,” she said. 

One thing she does know is that her great-grandmother brought Flores’s grandfather to Houston because she didn’t want the then-12-year-old to be recruited by the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. She also remembers someone telling her that her grandfather became a meat cutter upon moving to Texas.

“He’s the one that cut the meat into steaks, different types of steaks,” Flores said. “The butcher just kills the animal.”

Marina Flores Sugg poses for a photo after attending a workshop about genealogy on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Houston. The Collective of Progressive Educators and AARP hosted a Latino Genealogy Workshop to help participants find and share resources for tracing their family history. (Joseph Bui for Houston Landing)

Flores also remembers her great-grandmother having a house on Canal Street in Houston’s East End, and a large machine the matriarch used to press clothes.

“My mother tells me ‘there’s no way you can remember that, Rena, because you were two or three. I said ‘mom, I remember,’” Flores said.

Cavazos said her mother grew up in Dewalt, Texas, got married young and worked as a waitress at Andy’s, the longtime Houston restaurant. Other than that, she doesn’t know much else about Guadalupe Castillo Waterhouse or how she lived her life.

Cavazos hopes that by learning more about her mother, she will learn more about that side of the family and what brought them to Texas.

“I have little bits and pieces but I never sat down with anybody in my family to get the full story.”

Long Lost Family is presented by Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall

US pubcaster PBS has picked up 12 seasons of the UK version of long-running genealogy format Long Lost Family from Dutch distributor Lineup Industries to help feed its slew of new FAST channels.

PBS unveiled a major expansion of its activities in the free ad-supported streaming TV market last month with the launch of more than 150 channels on Amazon’s Prime Video in the US.

Now, the organisation’s PBS Distribution subsidiary has signed a deal with Lineup for Long Lost Family archives, plus seven seasons of spin-off series What Happened Next, to help power new FAST channel, PBS Genealogy, available on Pluto TV in the US, as well as via PBS Passport, available via the PBS app.

Over the course of two decades on air, since its launch on NPO1, Long Lost Family has been produced locally for channels including TLC in the US, Sweden’s TV4, Reshet in Israel, Ten in Australia, DR Denmark, and RTL in Hungary. Produced by Wall to Wall, the UK version originated on ITV, where it has been recognised by awards from BAFTA, Grierson, National TV and TV Choice and inspiring spin-off shows What Happened Next and Born Without Trace.