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Trump announces deal to end record-long shutdown

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FAA: Increase in sick leave causing flight delays

<p>While the government shutdown is wreaking havoc in the lives of federal workers, it appears that some services that genealogists use are impacted by it as well.</p><p>In a message superimposed over its website, the National Archives says &#8220;National Archives facilities are closed, websites and social media are not being updated or monitored, and activities are canceled.&#8221; However, the message adds, exceptions are made for a few functions, including the National Personnel Center, the storage place for military records of the past.</p><p>The shuttered website, though, does not make clear whether it is still possible for distance researchers to obtain materials from those offices.</p><p>The website for Ellis Island, which maintains immigration records on site, says that the island and its National Park Service companion, the Statue of Liberty, are operating via their own funding sources and face no problem, at least for the time being. But the website leaves open the possibility that this situation could change.</p><p>Here&#8217;s the bottom line. If you are seeking federal records, go online and see what is happening with that agency or site. But don&#8217;t be surprised if there is no recent information.</p><p><strong>Coal Industry History:</strong> The annual Anthracite Mining Heritage Month will wind up its activities over the next few days with two local presentations. Both are free and open to the public. The first one, is on Sunday 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Misericordia University&#8217;s McGowan Room of the Bevevino Library. It&#8217;s entitled &#8220;Writing Coal Country Literature: Commentaries on Fiction, Nonfiction, and Drama.&#8221;</p><p>The second focuses on the work of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. It&#8217;s entitled &#8220;The Contributions of SME to Anthracite Mining (The Jeddo Tunnel, Scranton Mine Cave Problems, Wilkes-Barre Historic District Homes, and Other Topics.&#8221; It&#8217;s set for the back room of Rodano&#8217;s Pizza &amp; Restaurant, 53 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, with social hour beginning at 4:30 p.m.</p><p><strong>Records:</strong> FamilySearch recently added millions more records, broadening its coverage of genealogical material all over the world. Among them are more than 79 million death records from South Africa and more than 8.6 million census records from Ireland of the early 20th century. The latest batch also includes more than 10 million from Germany going back to the early 17th century. Of course, there are many more, including millions from the United States. FamilySearch is the free online data base maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The site also has many images, such as those from Billion Graves.</p><p><strong>News Notes: </strong>The Bishop Library of the Luzerne County Historical Society (49 South Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre) has resumed operations after its holiday break. Note the schedule change from last year: noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and 10 am. to 2 p.m. Saturday.</p><p>By the way, the historical society will reprise its public discussion &#8220;Let&#8217;s go Shopping,&#8221; in which local people have a chance to talk about their memories of going shopping in downtown Wilkes-Barre of the past. It&#8217;s set for noon on Feb. 9 at the Historical Society Museum, right in back of the Osterhout Free Library on South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre. It&#8217;s a chance to learn a little more about the world of your local ancestors.</p><p>Remember that libraries and organizations catering to genealogists often follow the policy of the local school district with regard to weather closures and delays. Go to the website or Facebook page of the organization you are interested in and, see what its policy is.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Tom Mooney Out on a Limb </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TOM_MOONEY.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tom Mooney Out on a Limb </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Tom Mooney</p><p>Out on a Limb</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy columnist. Reach him at tommooney42@gmail.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Out On a Limb: Partial government shutdown could impact archive searches