One of the most cherished print publications of the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company of Canada, Ltd is now a digital publication.

The Trail Museum and Archives and Teck Trail Operations announced Wednesday that the “famed” Cominco Magazine — first issued in February 1940 until 1971 — will remain a valuable record of company operations, staffing and culture but in a digital format.

“The Trail Museum and Archives is thrilled to finally make this important collection digitally available,” said museum and archives manager, Sarah Benson-Lord, in a statement.

“Through our supportive partnership with UBO Okanagan Library’s archivist team and their B.C. Regional Digitized History program, the Cominco Magazine is another addition to our growing collection of digital assets made available for public research and enjoyment.”

Teck Trail Operations is happy that the Cominco Magazine collection is now available online, said Matt Parrilla, general manager.

“This remarkable archive is a window into the company’s history and showcases innovation, progress, and community across sites including Trail, Yellowknife, Pine Point, Kimberley and Potash (Saskatoon).

“For many, it will be a nostalgic resource offering opportunities to explore family connections and to see how jobs and the operations have changed and evolved. The collection offers a broad view of the company’s foundation and the legacy we continue to build on, now accessible to families, historians, and anyone interested in our shared past.”

The Trail Museum and Archives said Teck Trail Operations granted online access and funding for the digitization of 356 issues of the magazine, which occurred in summer 2024.

The collection can be viewed and searched within the Trail Museum and Archives pages on the B.C. Regional Digitized History website at https://bcrdh.ca/islandora/object/kcdh%3Aroot.

Cominco Magazine

First published in February 1940 in the S.G. Blaylock era, The Employees’ Magazine was a journal intended to document, feature and celebrate Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company of Canada Ltd. (CM&S/Cominco) employees, their families, and company operations.

It also served as supportive outreach to the many military service members overseas during the Second World War, of whom CM&S sent thousands. Adopting the title Cominco in April 1940, it finally took the name Cominco Magazine in August 1945. The magazine grew from 18 pages to as many as 32 pages over the years.

Cominco published the magazine monthly with a dedicated staff. Familiar names like Lance Whittaker, James Cameron and Craig Weir are just a few of the many editors, while renowned photographers Mickey Brennen and Jack LaRocque visually documented the era.

Joe Cushner’s unique safety posters are also prominent features.

Beginning in spring 1968, publication reduced to bi-monthly. Only one issue was published in 1971, the final edition of a storied legacy. In total, 356 issues of the publication were printed and distributed over 31 years.

The Peterborough Town Library will host “Family Archiving: Essentials Edition” on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 5:30 p.m. at 2 Concord St.

The free workshop, led by Program and Outreach Librarian Rebecca Enman, is designed to help participants organize and preserve their family’s history. Adapted from the library’s three-part “Family Archiving 101” series, the condensed session will provide practical strategies in a single evening.

Enman will cover how to sort through collections, decide what to keep or donate, preserve documents and photos and explore digitization. Participants will leave with an action plan tailored to their family archives.

Enman holds an MLIS in Archives Management from Simmons University and worked for 10 years as a professional archivist before joining PTL. She also draws on personal experience clearing family homes to offer practical advice.

Space is limited and registration is required. To sign up, visit peterboroughtownlibrary.org or call 603-924-8040.

Registration for the 2026 RootsTech Conference opened Wednesday, Sept. 24, FamilySearch announced.

The annual family history conference will take place March 5-7, 2026, both online and in-person in Salt Lake City, with select content available in multiple languages, according to a news release.

Early-bird tickets are $99 for a three-day pass and $69 for a one-day pass. Individuals can also tune in online for free. Register for the in-person conference on the RootsTech website or register for the free online option.

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced a funding opportunity aimed at increasing the prosecution of violent cold case crimes in the United States where suspect DNA has already been identified.

With an anticipated budget of $6.5 million, this program seeks to help law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies resolve cases that have remained unsolved for years, bringing justice to victims and their families.

The funding supports investigative and prosecutorial activities, along with advanced forensic and crime analysis that can directly contribute to the successful prosecution of violent cold cases. Eligible uses include traditional law enforcement work, the formation and sustainment of multidisciplinary case review teams, advanced DNA testing, forensic genetic genealogy, and other specialized analyses. It also provides resources for prosecutors, including training, expert witness support, and trauma-informed services for victims and families.

By focusing on cases with existing DNA profiles, the initiative leverages scientific evidence to move stalled investigations forward. Forensic techniques such as genetic genealogy, mitochondrial DNA analysis, and digital evidence analysis are expected to play a key role. These tools, combined with enhanced investigative approaches, create opportunities to connect the evidence to suspects and resolve complex cases.

The program makes up to sixteen awards, with each award capped at $500,000. The period of performance will extend for up to three years, beginning October 1, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that are realistic and aligned with their project goals while ensuring they have the capacity to manage funds responsibly.

Eligibility extends to a wide range of applicants, including state, county, city, and township governments, federally recognized and non-recognized Tribal governments, prosecuting agencies, and law enforcement agencies. U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also eligible.

Priority consideration will be given to projects that demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing public safety, protecting children, supporting victims of violent crime and trafficking, and aligning local efforts with federal law enforcement initiatives. The program’s design reflects an effort not only to solve cold cases but also to strengthen trust in the justice system by holding offenders accountable.

This opportunity provides law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and their partners with vital resources to revive unsolved cases. It emphasizes the importance of combining advanced forensic science with investigative and prosecutorial expertise, offering hope to families who have long awaited justice and closure.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Reuters has just published an article written by Echo Wang which will be of interest to many genealogists. It seems that Blackstone is weighing strategic options, including an initial public offering or a sale, for Ancestry.com.

If you are interested, "Exclusive: Blackstone weighs options for Ancestry.com, including sale or IPO, sources say" my be found at: https://tinyurl.com/38s42spw.

It's faster, smarter, and packed with new search features to help researchers and family historians uncover history like never before.

The new Elephind has already indexed over 13 million pages, with another 15 million being added next month and 15 million more before the end of the year. Beyond that, another 150+ million pages are queued for inclusion.

Augusta Genealogical Society 

Augusta, Georgia 

October 18, 2025 Virtual Genealogical Program

DNA Basics: Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy

Presented by Dr. Adina Newman, EdD

Have you just taken a DNA test? Can't make sense of your results? Still considering taking the plunge? This presentation is for you! Learn about the different types of DNA testing, how the testing process works, what to expect from your results, and best practices to incorporate DNA into your traditional research.

Dr. Adina Newman, EdD, the creator of My Family Genie, is a professional genealogist and educator. Her specialties include Jewish genealogy, genetic genealogy, social media, and New England, and she presents on these topics in a variety of venues, from major genealogy conferences to local genealogy societies. Her findings have received international media attention, such as mentions in The Daily Mail, Washington Post, AP News, TODAY, Us Weekly, People, and The Times of Israel, and she has made appearances on several news outlets, such as NPR and I24NEWS. She co-founded the Holocaust Reunion Project, a program to raise awareness about the potential of DNA testing within the Holocaust survivor community and provide survivors and their children with free commercial DNA tests and consultations. She volunteers as a Team Lead for the DNA Doe Project, which uses investigative genetic genealogy to identify unidentified deceased persons, and as a moderator for a popular Jewish genetic genealogy Facebook group. She was also a 2020 recipient of the AncestryProGenealogists scholarship.

When:  Saturday, October 18, 2025

Where:  Online 

Price:   FREE to AGS members and $10 for nonmembers

The registration deadline is Thursday, October 16.

AGS October Program - Augusta Genealogical Society

Click the above link to register

Limited seating is available to view the virtual presentation at the Adamson Library in Augusta, Georgia.  ​To reserve a seat, please call (706) 722-4073.

JOIN AGS NOW and enjoy the benefits of programs that are free to members.  

The Augusta Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization founded in Augusta, Georgia , in September 1979.

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

Lincoln issues the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation (1862) On September 22, 1862, after the Union’s victory at the Battle of Antietam, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This proclamation formally alerted the Confederacy of his intention to free all persons held as enslaved people within the rebellious states. One hundred days later President Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln recognized that the Emancipation Proclamation needed to be followed by a constitutional amendment to guarantee the abolition of slavery. This resulted in the passage and ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865. The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, has all 27 amendments, including the 13th Amendment bearing Lincoln's original signature, on display until October 1, 2025. Plan your visit to see the full U.S. Constitution.  Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, page 1, September 22, 1862. NAID: 350916735 Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, January 31, 1865. NAID: 1408764 Burma Launches America250 with Support from the National Archives Burmese students interact with a 10-ft replica of the U.S. Constitution, created using high-resolution scans of the original document from the National Archives, with Burmese translations, at the U.S. Embassy in Yangon to celebrate U.S. Constitution Day, September 17, 2025. On September 17, 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Yangon hosted over 500 participants at the American Center Yangon (ACY) to celebrate U.S. Constitution Day and launch the year-long America250 campaign. The event featured a 10-foot replica of the U.S. Constitution, created using high-resolution scans of the original document from the National Archives, with Burmese translations. This event showcased the international celebration of America 250, and emphasizes the important role of the National Archives in making records available to the public.  Public Interest Declassification Board Announces October 2025 Public Meeting The Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) is pleased to announce its fall public meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m ET. The PIDB public meeting will be held in the Senate Visitor Center, located within the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, DC. Additional details about in-person and virtual attendance at the PIDB Public Meeting are available via PIDB’s Transforming Classification blog and by following the PIDB on X. About the Public Interest Declassification Board: Established by Congress, the PIDB is an independent advisory board that advises the President and executive branch on the identification, review, and release of historically significant records, with a mission to advance transparency while safeguarding national security.

The Placer County Genealogical Society is holding its general meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the LDS Church, 1255 Bell Road in Auburn: What do I do with all this STUFF?

Are you the collector or keeper (willing or unwilling) of all your family's treasures? Do your kids tell you they don't want any of your stuff? Get some ideas on how to organize, preserve and maybe (gasp!) dispose of some of that stuff, along with ideas on how to preserve it for future generations, whether our kids want it or not

Betty Lemley has loved genealogy and family history since her grandmother introduced her to it when she was a teenager. Lemley has a certificate from BYU-Idaho in Family History Research and thoroughly enjoys helping others discover their roots and preserve their family stories. Her favorite thing about family history is collecting stories and memories and then sharing them with her eight children and 20 grandchildren. She also enjoys teaching and attending Family History classes.

Everyone is welcome to attend in person or by Zoom. Refreshments provided. Please enter from the back of the main building.

For further information on the society, meeting location, or to obtain Zoom access information for any meetings, check the society's website at www.placergenealogy.org.