Feb 13, 2012--Pennsylvania Vital Records Become More Accessible

Many residents of Northeastern Ohio--like me--have ancestors who were born and/or died in Pennsylvania. Compared to Ohio, accessing birth and death records for ancestors in Pennsylvania has been something of a problem.

There's light at the end of the tunnel in this situation. When Pennsylvania Vital Records Bill SB-361 (Act 110 of 2011) goes into effect law on February 13th, 2012 it will make death certificates over 50 years old and birth certificates over 105 years old OPEN records. It will also transfer certificates to the Pennsylvania State Archives once they become open records.

This means that researchers will have access to these records at one place: the Pennsylvania State Archives. No longer will it be necessary to traipse across Pennsylvania to county records offices to obtain these records.

If you want to study up on this developing situation, go to the website for People for Better Pennsylvania Historical Records Access or PaHR-Access.

You might also want to go to the FAQs page where more detail is provided.

Learning About Using the Internet Safely

I have collected large files of information about Internet safety and about protecting my identity, and I use Norton 360 and a couple of other programs to protect three computers on my home network against intruders, but I am always interested in learning more about these two subjects that are so important today.

Expecting to learn more, I am looking forward to the Monday evening (5 Oct) meeting of the Cuyahoga Valley Genealogical Society that will feature Independence Officer Joe Vanecek talking about "Internet/ID Safety." According to the publicity blurb circulated by John Stoika, CVGS's newsletter editor and publicity contact, Officer Vanecek has been on the Independence PD for 31 years. In talking with John, I've learned that Officer Vanecek has given this talk to genealogists before.

The meetings will be at 7:30 in the very comfortable Willow Room of the Independence Civic Center, which is at 6363 Seelig Drive.

Oh yes, CVGS extends a warm welcome to guests, and refreshments will be served after the presentation.