At long last, digital copies of The Winchester Star dating as far back as 1896 are available online for free, courtesy of the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives at Handley Regional Library.

"When I took on the position of archives manager, one of my goals was to get The Star digitized because I know a lot of people come in here and want to look up articles," said Lorna Loring, who succeeded Rebecca A. "Becky" Ebert as lead archivist after Ebert retired in June. "It's really important because The Winchester Star is the newspaper of record for this area."

The Handley archives already had copies of almost every edition of The Star, but they were all on microfilm — reels of tiny images depicting newspaper pages that are enlarged when displayed on a microfilm reader — and could only be viewed at Handley Library in downtown Winchester. However, the individual stories printed in those editions were not cataloged.

"It's very challenging when someone comes in and says, 'I want to see a story about my uncle from, like, 1973 or '74,'" Loring said on Monday. "I have to sit them down and say, 'Here's a microfilm reader, here's 24 rolls of microfilm. You just need to go through them.'"

Now, that person can just type the uncle's name into a computer to find every Winchester Star article and photo in which he appeared.

Loring said there are still a handful of editions from The Star's 128-year history that need to be digitized, including those from the paper's first week of operations, but the project is 99% complete.

You can read more in an article by Brian Brehm published in the Winchester Star at: https://bit.ly/44gpgrm

The following announcement was written by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO):

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has added historical volumes of the United States Statutes at Large (Statutes at Large) to GovInfo, the one-stop site for authentic, published information for all three branches of the Federal Government. The newly added Volumes 1–64 (1789–1950) date back to 1789 and include the text of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, amendments to the Constitution, treaties with Indians and foreign nations, presidential proclamations, and treaties and international agreements approved by the Senate. GPO added these Volumes to the previously existing collection covering the years 1951–2018. The entire Statutes at Large collection now covers 1789–2018 (1st–115th Congresses).

Statutes at Large: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/STATUTE

“Congratulations to our GPO teammates on providing the public easy access to these historic documents. The American people are the real beneficiaries of having another collection on GovInfo that dates to our country’s humble beginnings,” said GPO Director Hugh Nathanial Halpern. “This digitization project is just another example of how GPO is delivering on its vision of an America Informed.”

The Statutes at Large is the permanent collection of all laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress. The Statutes at Large is prepared and published by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Volumes were added through collaborative digital imaging efforts between the Library of Congress and GPO.

Users may browse each volume on GovInfo by Bills Enacted into Laws, Private Laws, Presidential Proclamations, Public Laws, Treaties, and other levels of granularity. In addition to these digitally imaged files, GPO will also make available a version of each document in the United States Legislative Markup (USLM) XML schema in the future.

GPO is the Federal Government’s resource for publishing trusted information for the Federal Government to the American people. The GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of Congress, the White House, and other Federal agencies in digital and print formats. GPO provides for permanent public access to Federal Government information at no charge through www.GovInfo.gov and partnerships with approximately 1,100 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program. For more information, please visit www.gpo.gov.

Thanks to our partners at the Raleigh Fire Museum, NC Digital is pleased to announced that even more records from the Raleigh Fire Department are now available online! These records cover an amazing variety of aspects to the daily life and operation of Raleigh’s firefighters, including financial and municipal reports, fire academy graduation programs, and certificates of award. They will almost double our coverage of the Raleigh Fire Department, which ranges from as far as 1947 to as recent as 2002.

Without a doubt, the highlight of this batch is an issue of The N.C. Fire Service News, a state-wide publication created by and for North Carolina’s firefighters. The pages of this magazine are absolutely full of articles covering fire news, including stories on an antique model T fire engine, the annual fire conference in Asheville, and a story on firefighters in Durham “only” working 56 hours a week! Reading N.C. Fire Service News is a fascinating glimpse into a community of dedicated and passionate professionals supporting each other with advice on how best to protect the public. And, perhaps more superficially, the aesthetics of the 70’s make the pages of the magazine even more engaging.

You can read N.C. Fire Service News, along with the rest of the new records from the Raleigh Fire Museum, online at NC Digital here. Interested in learning more about the history of fire safety? Take a look at our partner pages for Raleigh Fire Museum and the Greensboro Firefighters History Book Committee online at NC Digital!

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan has launched a digital library of international documents, which contains information on the main directions of the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

The site is available in Turkmen, English and Russian. The online resource is designed to increase the availability of information about the activities of Turkmenistan in the global arena.

The virtual library contains extensive information about the neutral status of Turkmenistan, its participation in multilateral cooperation formats, and peace and security initiatives.

The resource docslibrary.gov.tm also highlights the country’s contribution to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, parliamentary, environmental, energy, transport and cultural diplomacy, as well as sports diplomacy.

From Slashdot.org:

The U.S. publishing industry is driven by celebrity authors and repeat bestsellers, according to testimony from a blocked merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. Only 50 authors sell over 500,000 copies annually, with 96% of books selling under 1,000 copies. Publishing houses spend most of their advance money on celebrity books, which along with backlist titles like The Bible, account for the bulk of their revenue and fund less commercially successful books.

The following is an announcement written by the folks at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy:

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is now accepting applications for Hive Minders for SLIG 2025 and Spring Virtual 2025.

Hive Minders help our virtual classrooms function smoothly, addressing challenges that arise. If you are comfortable with technology, consider applying to serve during one of the courses offered during SLIG 2025 or Spring Virtual 2025.

Hive Minder job responsibilities include:  

• starting Zoom for each weekly class session;

 • managing closed captioning, breakout rooms, polls, and recordings;

 • assisting faculty and students with light tech and announcements;

 • taking attendance with the provided Airtable attendance tracker;

 • keeping SLIG staff aware of classroom and student issues or concerns.

Hive Minders receive:  

• a tuition waiver for the course for which they serve as Hive Minder;

 • training to be a Hive Minder;

 • a Hive Minder reference packet;

 • assistance and support from SLIG's Virtual Coordinator, Tech Assistant, and Director for emergencies and questions.

Courses offered during SLIG 2025 may be viewed here. Courses offered during SLIG Spring Virtual 2025 may be viewed here.

To apply to be a Hive Minder during SLIG 2025 or Spring Virtual 2025, please complete the application at this Airtable link. The deadline for applying is June 30, 2024. All applicants will receive notification via email whether they have been selected.

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

In celebration of the landmark Supreme Court decision that altered the landscape of education in the United States, the National Archives presents “The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education, 70 Years Later” on Thursday, May 16, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. 

The program will feature a conversation with law clerks of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Speakers include Sheryll D. Cashin of Georgetown Law School and Randall L Kennedy of Harvard Law School, and the conversation will be moderated by Michael K. Powell, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. 

“The Brown decision was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, laying the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement and our ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union,” said Dr. Colleen Shogan, Archivist of the United States.  “At the National Archives we hold the records of this case, and all other Supreme Court decisions. So I’m glad we can bring together this panel of esteemed jurists who personally knew Justice Marshall to help us explore the impact and legacy of this watershed decision.”

Welcome and opening remarks will be provided by Dr. Shogan, Rodney Slater, chair and president of the National Archives Foundation, and Anthony Lewis, vice president of Public Policy at Verizon. The program will be livestreamed to audiences nationwide on the National Archives YouTube channel. 

"The Foundation is proud to commemorate the 70th anniversary of this landmark decision, and to delve into the demand for and significance of it,” said Rodney Slater, National Archives Foundation Board Chair. “The Foundation is proud to help bring these important conversations to the fore, highlighting moments throughout history that ultimately altered the landscape of our country."

The event will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building, located at 701 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC.

In-person attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street NW. Metro is accessible on the Green Line at the Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station. 

This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of Verizon.

About the National Archives

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent federal agency that serves American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our government so people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The agency supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries and online at www.archives.gov.

About the National Archives Foundation

The National Archives Foundation is an independent nonprofit that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage, and encourages citizen engagement in our democracy. The Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America’s records to people around the U.S. and the world. Learn more at www.archivesfoundation.org.

In April 1985, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in St. Johns County, Florida. Deputies with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene in Crescent Beach and located human remains buried in a shallow grave. Evidence collected at the burial site suggested that the remains had been buried for several years. It was determined that the remains were that of a white female between the ages of 30 and 50 years at the time of her death. The circumstances surrounding the discovery suggested that the woman's manner of death was homicide.

Between 2011 and 2012, renewed efforts on the case resulted in the University of South Florida developing a forensic composite of how the victim may have looked like during her life. Traditional DNA testing was performed and details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP3036. These efforts resulted in several leads over the years, however the woman could not be identified.

In 2022, investigators with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office attended a cold case homicide class in Orange County, FL where forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) was discussed. Believing this case may be a candidate for FGG, investigators secured funding in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help develop new leads about the woman's identity.

In 2023, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office submitted evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and utilized Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the homicide victim. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genealogical search to produce investigative leads in the case.

You can read more in an article in the forensicmag.com web site at: http://bit.ly/3UsfoI2.

If you have Irish ancestors, I bet you will be interested in this article:

One of Ireland's most popular museums has a service that allows you to uncover your Irish ancestry. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum tells the story of Irish emigration throughout the generations. 

It is a fascinating visit for any Irish American as it tells the story of why their family might have moved from Ireland to the United States hundreds of years ago. Many Americans can trace their heritage back to Ireland and for a large number of them, a vacation to Ireland feels like a visit home. 

But those wanting to go that bit further and learn exactly where they came from can do so at the EPIC museum in Dublin. A team of genealogists in the Irish Family History Centre here offer consultation to help people uncover their Irish roots and find out who they are descended from. 

A personalized one-to-one consultation begins with the genealogist finding out where you are on your research journey, what documents you have, and everything you know. From there, they go through available tools to develop a search strategy. 

According to David Cleary, EPIC's Sales & Operations Director, you will probably be surprised at what you can discover about yourself and your Irish roots. David spoke to IrishStar.com to explain how the process works and what sets it apart from other ancestry services. 

"Often when I go out and talk to people and meet Americans, they love to connect," he explained. "They love to tell their own stories. They love to say they're Irish and they've done their DNA [test]. It's a great conversation starter.

You can read the full article by Brian Dillon published in the irishstar.com web site at: https://bit.ly/3vTUx77.

Here is an article that is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However,  it is of concern to all Windows users and I suggest that all Windows users should be aware of this:

Microsoft is getting ready to annoy its faithful Windows 10 user base with yet another prompt. Microsoft wants Windows 10 users to switch from using a local account to their online Microsoft account. As first noticed by the outlet Windows Latest, the most recent Windows 10 update Release Preview includes some information about new notifications added to the operating system intended to make users switch from their local account to their Microsoft account. "New! This update starts the [roll out] of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts in Settings > Home," reads the update, originally from the official Windows blog, which then lays out its case for using a Microsoft account.

Comment by Dick Eastman: Rather than bowing to Microsoft’s marketing pressure to upgrade add thereby add more money to Microsoft, I would suggest that all Windows users should instead switch to Macintosh (which I use and like), Linux  (which I use and like), Chromebook (which I use and like), Android, Apple iOS, or any other operating system. The transition might be a bit difficult but, after using the new operating system for a while, I suspect you will be glad you switched.