Be Aware! Be Wary! Email Scams Can Make it to Your Inbox

originally posted: Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 12:37 pm. Edited to add additional information.

We just wanted to share a quick reminder. When viewing your email, always be aware and be wary of those emails. Sometimes scams can get past built-in email provider protections.

If something seems unusual, hover your mouse pointer over the sender name (or what of it that shows), a pop-up should appear that shows you the full email address. BUT even this can sometimes seem correct but not be.

Ask yourself: Is this something that this known contact would actually do. In this case, send an electronic invitation. The subject may say something like: SPECIALLY INVITED BY..." but it might be worded differently by now. If this is not something this person would normally do, do not open the email and most importantly do not follow the directions.

Instead contact that person by sending them an email asking did they send this suspect email. Don't just hit the reply button to that suspect email. Physically initiate a fresh email to this person using their known email to verify is this something the person sent.

Delete suspect emails and/or mark them as spam.

For more information, see this FTC Consumer Alert. 

Did you follow the directions? Let everyone in your Contacts/Address Book know that you did not send that email. That they should just delete it or send it to spam. If they did open it before you warned them, they should do the same to those in their contacts/address book.

And, run some malware protection software. One such service is www.malewarebytes.com. The company has an article on this scam. It also offers some free tools. 

See you at our favorite library!
LE 

Take Action! Act to Help Save Access to OUR Records at NARA's Chicago's Facility!

We received this urgent message this week. Genealogy members and readers please take action.

 

"American Flag" by JeepersMedia is
licensed under CC BY 2.0. Altered: cropped

Stop the Closure of the Chicago National Archives!!

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has announced plans to close its Chicago facility and the Chicago Federal Records Center at 7358 S. Pulaski Road, alongside offices in San Bruno, CA, and Seattle, WA.

NARA claims this closure is a cost-cutting measure to reduce operating expenses and its real estate portfolio. However, they have provided no archival rationale, no plan for how public access will be maintained, and no consideration for the heavy toll this move takes on the public and NARA staff.

We need to act now. Demand that NARA and our elected officials halt this closure, reject the disinvestment of our cultural institutions, and protect public access to our history—especially as we approach the United States’ 250th anniversary.

Why This Matters

• Irreplaceable Public Records: The Chicago facility houses more than 140,000 cubic feet of historically significant federal records spanning six Great Lakes states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. These include Bureau of Indian Affairs records, Chinese Exclusion Act case files, Great Lakes maritime records, naturalization files, and the Trial of the Chicago 7 transcripts.
• Deep Connections to Local History: These archives directly complement regional repositories. For example, the facility holds dozens of federal court cases related to the Pullman Strike of 1894 (connecting to the Illinois Labor History Archives and Pullman National Historical Site); Bureau of Indian Affairs records detailing relationships with Indigenous communities (supplementing the Newberry Library and American Indian Center); and maritime records tracking ship movements and major events, including the 1919 murder of Eugene Williams in Lake Michigan that sparked the Chicago Race Riot.
• Most Records Are Not Online: Only a tiny fraction of these archives are digitized. NARA’s online portal is notoriously unreliable. If this facility closes, records will be packed onto pallets and shipped out of the region, forcing future researchers to travel cross-country or forgo these vital sources altogether.
• Loss of Vital, Lifeline Services: Everyday citizens rely on this facility to access naturalization papers to prove citizenship status, locate federal court records, research family genealogy, track military service history, and trace ancestors who attended government Indigenous boarding schools.
• Erasure of Expertise and Job Losses: The closure eliminates the livelihoods of 17 dedicated local staff members, including 11 union workers represented by AFGE Council 260. These professionals have spent careers developing deep institutional knowledge of regional history and uncatalogued collections. This expertise cannot be packed into a box and shipped away; once these professionals are displaced, that knowledge is lost forever.

Take Action Now

1. Contact Your Congressional Representatives

Call or write to your U.S. Senators and Representatives. Demand that they intervene to halt the closure and push for robust federal funding to keep regional archives open and fully staffed.

• Find your representative: www.house.gov/representatives
• Find your senators: www.senate.gov/senators

2. Message NARA Leadership

Tell NARA leadership that closing regional facilities directly undermines their mission to "promote public inquiry and strengthen democratic participation." Demand transparency regarding where these records are going and how they plan to maintain public access.

Physical Mailing Address: National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001

• Ed Forst, Acting Archivist of the United States (Head and chief administrator)
• Jay Trainer, Chief Operating Officer | Email: jay.trainer@nara.gov
• Chris Naylor, Executive for Research Services | Email: chris.naylor@nara.gov
• Corey Cooke, Acting Chief of Staff | Email: corey.cooke@nara.gov

3. Contact Congressional Oversight & Appropriations Committees

Because facility closures are driven by federal budget decisions and real estate assessments, reach out to the committees that control NARA’s policy and funding. Framed your letters around how closing this facility compromises government transparency, accountability, and local access. (Note: If you are a constituent of any of these Chairs or Ranking Members, highlight this clearly, and always copy your local representatives on the correspondence).

Operations & Policy Oversight

These committees monitor NARA’s management decisions and compliance with federal records laws.

• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC)
• Chair: Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)
• Ranking Member: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
• House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
• Chair: Representative James Comer (R-KY)
• Ranking Member: Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA)

Budget & Funding Oversight (Appropriations)

These subcommittees control NARA’s discretionary budget. Demand they allocate dedicated federal funding to keep regional branches open.

• Senate Committee on Appropriations (Subcommittee on FSGG)
• Full Committee Chair: Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
• FSGG Subcommittee Chair: Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
• FSGG Subcommittee Ranking Member: Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
• House Committee on Appropriations (Subcommittee on FSGG)
• Full Committee Chair: Representative Tom Cole (R-OK)
• FSGG Subcommittee Chair: Representative Dave Joyce (R-OH)
• FSGG Subcommittee Ranking Member: Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

Spread the Word

Share this alert with historians, genealogists, students, labor advocates, and community members. Our history belongs to the public, not in a locked warehouse across the country.

Please share any correspondence you receive to advocacy@chicagogenealogy.org .  Also, free to ask for any help to compose correspondence.  

Don’t let them bury our history. Fight the closure today!

 

This was originally posted by Barbara J. Mathews, CG® Emeritus, FASG who obtained it from the Chicago Genealogical Society.

 

See you at our favorite library!
LE 

Genealogists Prepare! It's Back-to-School Sale Time! Time to Restock Your Genealogy Supplies AND IT'S PRIME DAY TIME June 23-26, 2026, with Associated Sales by Various Competitors

It's time for our annual reminder ...
Back-to-School Sales on school supplies are not just for kids! These sales are for genealogists too!

Just a few of the many supplies a genealogist would use.

They're here ... Back-to-School sales are out there. So prepare yourself for these sales AND for Amazon Prime Day 2026 which started today June 23 through June 26 this year.

Anyone who uses a lot of common office supplies should keep their eyes and ears open for some extreme savings that are only around this time year for certain supplies. So be smart and pay attention to those Back-to-School Sales going on for the next couple months so you can partake in the savings too. 

What would interest a genealogist? The first things that come to mind are USB Flash drives (large sizes at great prices and small sizes at even better prices); printer/copier paper; pens and pencils; pencil lead (for those mechanical pencils); highlighters; file folders or pocket folders; paper and binder clips; index cards for those that like old school ways; plastic file boxes (keep that water damage away); sticky notes; binders; paper; computer accessories (like mice, computer bags, external hard drives for backups and backups for the backups or to just expand your file storage capacity, printers, software, large monitors, portable monitors, and more); etc. Even office desks and chairs can be found on sale. 

Yes, for some things it is best to make sure you get acid-free versions, but that can get expensive and sometimes compromises must be made. Note acid-free copier/printer paper is much easier to find nowadays. 

Computers and Associated Electronics
Also, at about this time of year (July/August/September) computer manufacturers are about to release their new models so good to great prices can often be found on this past year's models. (If your computer is really old and can not upgrade to Windows 10 11 because of old hardware or low-memory issues consider these sales. Also if your computer is more than five years old consider the changes currently taking place in Windows 10  11 updates that will not account for older hardware.) Why risk continuing to use old hardware -- step into the modern technology world. Just remember to get as large of hard drive and as much memory as you are able to afford, and keep an eye on processor speed/power. There are other factors to consider when buying a computer -- these are three key ones. While desktop computers are a little less expensive, laptops have the advantage of portability meaning you can take them with you to the library or researching. 

Laptops with DVD/CD readers/burners are much harder to find but you can find them though it may mean a larger laptop. Or consider getting a stand-alone DVD/CD drive to go with the laptop. Chrome books and tablet/laptop conversions can be cheaper but may not run your programs/applications. Make sure the device you are considering can handle your must-have program/applications. 

A new thing to consider is the number of USB ports included in the laptop/desktop and even which other ports are included. Many of today's computers are now using USB-C (that smaller port) rather than traditional USB so you also want to keep an eye out for a USB hub or docking station which allows you to expand your plugin options using just one USB-C port. Some hubs simply give you more USB ports others also add HDMI ports, SD-card ports, ethernet ports, audio/mic port, etc. there are many combinations out there. Also, look out for adapter/converter pack that change USB-A to USB-C and/or the other way around. Or even ones that besides converting A and C also add USB slots. 

And, do not forget about those external hard drives for additional storage space AND for backing up all your data. Lastly, you can always add a large-size monitor to make viewing the screen easier.

And for those who shop Amazon. Hopefully, you see this before the 2026 Prime Day begins. This time, Prime Day is June 23 to 26 -- four days of savings. You can also use this tip for Black Friday/Cyber Monday.  Put what you are eyeing in a shopping list and watch it for a while to see how the price drops or rises. Click on the price history to see what the price was for the last 1 month, 3 months, or 1 year. Great deals can be found so keep an eye out for those short term deals but remember to do your due diligence and make sure your sale price is indeed a good one.

And, don't forget to check out those "competition" stores that are holding similar sales during Prime Day time too -- Costco, Target, Walmart, Kohls, Best Buy, etc.  -- you may find the best deal at one of those sites.

May you find the deals on what you need, not on what you don't need. 

See you at our favorite library! 
LE

MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy Meets This Wed., Jun 10; Our Topic is Write It!

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) this Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Local History and Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Write It! Who's Done It, Who Wants To ... Let's Talk.

Our last Wednesday meeting of the season. Let's share and talk about writing our genealogy. Whether it is an ancestor profile, an article for a journal or newsletter, a blog post, or even a book -- just for family or the public at large. Let's discuss the why and the how. Let's discuss what programs or apps we have used or have wondered about, or processes we have used, or how should I approach this ... Let's Talk.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Our MCGG Friday Group Meets Tomorrow at 1 pm; The Topic is Lineage Societies

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) TOMORROW Friday, June 5, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Lineage Societies: What They Are, How To Join Them presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will overview lineage societies -- what they are and how to join them. There are a lot out there formed for various reasons. Some are based on an ancestor's military service, some on a location or time period, some because of from whom one descends. Each organization varies in qualifications to join and in what proofs are accepted for proving lineage facts/events. This is our last MCGG Friday meeting for the season.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

June MCGG Meetings -- Join Us!

A reminder about our Macomb County Genealogy Group June 2026 meetings. Please Join Us!

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) on Friday, June 5, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Lineage Societies: What They Are, How To Join Them presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will overview lineage societies -- what they are and how to join them. There are a lot out there formed for various reasons. Some are based on an ancestor's military service, some on a location or time period, some because of from whom one descends. Each organization varies in qualifications to join and in what proofs are accepted for proving lineage facts/events. This is our last MCGG Friday meeting for the season.

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Local History and Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Write It! Who's Done It, Who Wants To ... Let's Talk.

Our last Wednesday meeting of the season. Let's share and talk about writing our genealogy. Whether it is an ancestor profile, an article for a journal or newsletter, a blog post, or even a book -- just for family or the public at large. Let's discuss the why and the how. Let's discuss what programs or apps we have used or have wondered about, or processes we have used, or how should I approach this ... Let's Talk.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

RootsMagic Users Update or Upgrade to Latest Version; Ancestry API Changes

Users of RootsMagic genealogy software might want to take note of a very recent change. Especially if you have your RootsMagic tree file synced to an Ancestry Member Tree.

Ancestry.com has officially completed its transition to a new API—the system RootsMagic uses to communicate with Ancestry trees. As of yesterday, the previous API has been turned off.

This change is designed to improve reliability and performance when uploading and downloading your tree data. However, it also means that older versions of RootsMagic are no longer able to connect to Ancestry.

If you are using RootsMagic 11:
Good news—the required update (version 11.2.0 or later) is completely free. Simply download and install the latest update to continue syncing with Ancestry.

If you are using RootsMagic 10 or earlier:
You will need to upgrade to RootsMagic 11 to maintain your connection with Ancestry. To help with this transition, the company is offering a limited-time $5 discount on the upgrade.

The RootsMagic 11 Ancestry Upgrade Special saves you $5 on the purchase of the software for new users or the upgrade of the software for owners of previous versions (10 or earlier.) This sale ends in about 8 days.

Besides the banner on the RootsMagic home page, there is a blog post explaining the situation. Essentially the advice is to upgrade/update to the latest version. Continuing to run the old software will just create greater disparity between your program's tree file and its associated Ancestry member tree because of the inability to sync. If you are not syncing your RootsMagic tree file and Ancestry Member Tree, it may seem like there is no urgency but running old software can sometimes get you stuck, especially if you are trying to work with others at a future date.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

PGSM May Meeting is Open to Public; Learn about Finding and Using Alien Registrations for 20th-Century US Immigrants

The Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan's May meeting is a webinar format that is open to the public. Hosted in partnership with the Polish Genealogy Society of Connecticut and the Northeast, the meeting takes place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

Ryan Johnson will present Finding and Using Alien Registrations for 20th-Century U.S. Immigrants via Zoom. Invitations will be emailed to PGSM members.

Registration will be open to everyone at www.pgsm.org starting May 1. Pre-registration for this webinar meeting is required

Alien registration forms constitute an important federal immigration record series rich in genealogical details that was recently transferred from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to the National Archives Electronic Records Division. Join us to learn about why non-naturalized residents filed these forms just after the 1940 census and what information we might find in them about family members. We will then practice using a free database to identify and request these useful records.

Ryan Johnson, MAT, completed the National Genealogical Society's Advanced Skills in Genealogy Course and researches for clients in the Midwest. As the great-grandchild of eight 20th-century U.S. immigrants, he has special research interests in French Canada, Sweden, Italy, France, and the Baltic states.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Mother's Day and Genealogy ... Pretty Sales on DNA and Vivid-Pix!

Happy Early Mother's Day to All!

Regardless of whether you are a Mom or even female, there are genealogy-related sales this time of year that might be of interest to you. Rather than detail them all individually, consider this a scavenger hunt of sorts.

April had DNA Day and several sales that started then turn into Spring or Early Mother's Day sales so some deals have been going on for while. Without further ado, here is a list.

DNA

AncestryDNA is now on sale for $29 until May 11, at 10 a.m. ET with taxes and shipping extra. There are options: pay $30 for the DNA test and 3-months of Ancestry World Explorer (which will renew at $99.95 every 3-months unless cancelled before term renewal) or pay $39 for the DNA test and 3-months of Ancestry All-Access (which will renew at $149 every 3-months unless cancelled before term renewal.

MyHeritageDNA has returned with the lowest price ever of $19.90 on its regularly priced $89 MyHeritageDNA test. Taxes and shipping extra; free shipping for 2 or more test kits. This sale ends today, May 3, 2026. There is also an option to pay the same price and also get 1-month of Complete free trial of MyHeritage's data subscription* and get free shipping. (*After 30 days, you'll enjoy a 50% discount and be charged $299 $149 for the first year. The Complete subscription renews annually. You can cancel anytime.)

FamilyTree DNA extended its DNA Day sale until April 30 but now is running its Mother's Day sale which runs until May 11. Some of the pricing it still the same.

FTDNA's FamilyFinder (autosomal) test is on sale for $39, regulary $79. The mtDNA (mitochondrial/maternal for male and females) test is now $119, regularly $159, which is $10 better than the DNA Day sale. The FamilyFinder + mtFull Sequence bundle (for one person to test) is on sale for $149, regularly $229. This is $10 better than the DNA Day sale. 

The Y-DNA tests (for testing males only) are back to regular pricing but they will more than likely be on sale for Father's Day. The prices listed for this sale for Y-DNA tests were better during the DNA Day Sale.

23andMe's Mother Day sales goes until May 10. The Basic Ancestry test is 20% off so on sale for $79, regularly $99. Taxes and shipping extra; limit 4 tests. The Advanced Ancestry+Health test is on sale for $80, regularly $199. That is a savings of 55%. With this test the 23andMe+ Premium renews at $69 per year which can be cancelled at anytime. The Ultimate Health+ Advanced Ancestry is on sale for $399, regularly $499. With this test the 23andMe+ Total Health renews at $199 per year which can be cancelled at anytime. The last two test types are FSA & HSA Eligible.

LivingDNA is on sale for $69, regularly $124, plus taxes and shipping. This company is in England and for UK ancestry tries to go down to the county-level. 

With any of the DNA companies you can see prior posts that MCGG has written by using the labels in the left column. Just click on the label and see posts on prior sales and changes throughout the years with each company's testing.

Also running sales are: 

Vivid-Pix is using a coupon code Family2026 for its Mother's Day and Father's Day sale. Save $10 on its Vivid-Pix RESTORE software making it $39.99. Save $40 on the Memory Station Home Edition Software for Windows (includes Vivid-Pix Restore software) making it $159.99. See our past posts on Vivid-Pix using our labels in the left-hand column.

There are probably more out there. Good luck finding a sale on what you want.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

This Week is Our MCGG Friday Meeting on Handwriting Recognition using AI Internet Tools to Transcribe and Translate

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) this Friday, May 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Handwriting Recognition (HWR): Using "AI" and Internet Tools to Transcribe and Translate presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will continue the update for attendees on developments since she presented on AI in 2024. This month we concentrate on using AI and internet tools to transcribe and translate.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

May MCGG Meetings -- Join Us!

A reminder about our Macomb County Genealogy Group May 2026 meetings. Please Join Us!

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Handwriting Recognition (HWR): Using "AI" and Internet Tools to Transcribe and Translate presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will continue the update for attendees on developments since she presented on AI in 2024. This month we concentrate on using AI and internet tools to transcribe and translate.

MCGG meets in-person Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is the ... MCGG Combined Friday Group and Let's Talk...Genealogy Annual Summer Potluck.

Bring a dish (homemade or store bought) and join us for some social time. This events starts at an earlier time 5 p.m; dinner is at 5:30 p.m. We will announce any other details closer to the date.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Clarification: NEWEST LOW Sale for MyHeritage DNA Ends in 3 Days

Just spotted this morning that the newest lowest sale price for MyHeritage DNA ends in 3 days. So, probably Sunday, April 19.

See yesterday's post regarding the sale.

See you at our favorite library!
LE 

AncestryDNA FLASH Sale $39 TODAY ONLY

Ancestry is having a FLASH sale on AncestryDNA TODAY ONLY until April 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Remember taxes and shipping are extra. The regular price of an AncestryDNA test is $99.

There are three options with this sale.

Just the AncestryDNA test is on sale for $39.

For new subscribers or those without a current active subscription:

The AncestryDNA test and a World Explorer Membership for $1 has a total sale price of $40.

The AncestryDNA test and an All-Access Membership for $10 has a total sale price of $49.

These subscription memberships will renew at regular prices every three months until you cancel.

*Offers end 16 Apr 2026 at 11:59pm ET. Excludes shipping. Package offers are for new and returning subscribers only and not for renewal of current subscriptions. Limit one $1 subscription per user. Your World Explorer subscription will automatically renew at $99.95 or your All Access subscription will automatically renew at $149 every 3 months until you cancel by visiting your Account Settings or by contacting us. See our Renewal and Cancellation Terms for further details.

See our prior posts on AncestryDNA for the changes in what you can access for your DNA test without an Ancestry member subscription and what you can not. You can see past sale trends by selecting the topic label in the left column of this blog (for example, AncestryDNA) to see all past posts regarding AncestryDNA.

Good luck finding the sales you need!

See you at our favorite library!
LE

NEWEST LOW for MyHeritage DNA

MyHeritage DNA hit a new low.

For its Spring DNA Sale, which has been extended, the NEW LOWEST PRICE EVER is $19.90 for MyHeritage DNA. The autosomal DNA test is regularly $89. The site says sale ends soon but we can't find an exact end date/time. So don't wait too long if you are going to buy.

There are two options:

MyHeritage DNA test for $19.90, plus taxes and shipping. Usually there is an offer to purchase two test kits and get free standard shipping.

MyHeritage DNA test plus 30-day Complete free trail* for $19.90, plus taxes and free shipping.

*After 30 days, you'll enjoy a 50% discount and be charged $299 $149 for the first year. The Complete subscription renews annually. You can cancel anytime.

Remember, MyHeritage ended its DNA uploads of DNA test data from other DNA genealogy testing sites back in August 2025. So now you do have to test directly with MyHeritage DNA. And at this new low sale price it should not be a hard decision to get yourself or your tester into another DNA match pool.

In October MyHeritage announced it is transitioning to Whole Genome Sequencing of its MyHeritage DNA tests. We mentioned it in this post. From comments at RootsTech 2026 and the Q&A at the bottom of the sale page we believe that all tests are being processed with Whole Genome Sequencing.

See you at our favorite library!
LE 

Tomorrow MCGG Friday Group Meets at 1pm for Full-Text Search: Where to Find it, How to Use It -- Join Us!

 MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) tomorrow Friday, April 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Full-Text Search: Where to Find It, How to Use It presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will update attendees on Full-Text Search developments since she presented on AI in 2024, and where to find Full-Text Search now and how to use it.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

Tonight Our MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy Meets at 6:30pm; Topic: Organizing

MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group meets in-person (hybrid) TONIGHT Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Organizing: Our data, our projects ... ourselves.

Let's share and talk about organizing. Whether it is our research data, projects we have conquered or need to conquer, or ourselves (time management, etc.) Let's discuss what programs or apps we have used or have wondered about, or processes we have used, or how should I approach this ... Let's Talk.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

April and May MCGG Meetings -- Join Us!

A reminder about our Macomb County Genealogy Group April and May 2026 meetings. Please Join Us!

MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group meets in-person (hybrid) Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Organizing: Our data, our projects ... ourselves.

Let's share and talk about organizing. Whether it is our research data, projects we have conquered or need to conquer, or ourselves (time management, etc.) Let's discuss what programs or apps we have used or have wondered about, or processes we have used, or how should I approach this ... Let's Talk.

 

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Full-Text Search: Where to Find It, How to Use It presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will update attendees on Full-Text Search developments since she presented on AI in 2024, and where to find Full-Text Search now and how to use it.

MCGG meets in-person (hybrid) on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Handwriting Recognition (HWR): Using "AI" and Internet Tools to Transcribe and Translate presented by Lisa Eschenburg.  

MCGG Member Eschenburg will continue the update for attendees on developments since she presented on AI in 2024. This month we concentrate on using AI and internet tools to transcribe and translate.

MCGG meets in-person Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is the ... MCGG Combined Friday Group and Let's Talk...Genealogy Annual Summer Potluck.

Bring a dish (homemade or store bought) and join us for some social time. This events starts at an earlier time 5 p.m; dinner is at 5:30 p.m. We will announce any other details closer to the date.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

MCGG's Let's Talk...Genelaogy Meeting is Tomorrow Mar. 11, from 6:30 - 8 pm

 MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group meets in-person (hybrid) tomorrow Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... What Did We Learn from RootsTech 2026?

Let's share and talk about the online sessions you watched or have marked to watch from the RootsTech 2026 conference held March 5 to 7th. We'll also talk about the new things announced and if any conference sales are still taking place.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option. The Zoom meeting link (or registration link) will now be found on our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar and our Facebook page. The link will usually be added the night before or morning of the meeting. Members will receive a reminder email with the Zoom invite or a reminder that registration is required for a meeting.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE

RootsTech 2026 Deals In Expo Hall -- Check Them Out Before They are Gone!

It's RootsTech 2026 time! Besides catching the latest learning sessions do not forget to check out the Virtual Expo Hall. That is where the sponsors (vendors) have their own pages and most of them are offering sales and discounts on their products.

But be aware, many of them end when RootsTech ends Saturday. Though some sales may extend longer. Make sure you know when the sales in which you are interested end so you don't lose out. We've tried to note sale end dates when we could find them.

Or click on the "Browse All Deals" below the Top Deals section to see even more deals all on one page. 

Memberships

There are a lot of societies in the Society Sponsor area. Some are giving discounts on memberships to their organizations. The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) aka American Ancestors has a $25 off discount on a membership with promo code RT26. Or just click the link on its expo page to be taken to its own website with the discount code entered. The discount price will show as you go through the purchase process.

New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYGBS) has a $10 off membership with code ROOTS10.

Family Tree DNA

As you would guess there are DNA sales going on during RootsTech 2026. Check out Family Tree DNA's variety of tests and test bundles on sale by clicking the link that takes you to a special page of the FTDNA website. You can view a chart of the sale prices for tests, test bundles and upgrades in a PDF file. And then use the specialized code for the test, bundle or upgrade you want. The FamilyFinder autosomal DNA test is on sale for $29. Remember if you are upgrading or plan to add a test type to an existing test, you need to be signed into that particular test kit before placing the order. By the way there is a code to unlock a DNA uploaded test for free. These Family Tree DNA Promo Codes are good March 4-31, 2026.

Ancestry and AncestryDNA

There are a variety of things on sale from Ancestry. An autosomal DNA test is on sale for $29, regular price $99. Shipping is extra. You can get one month of ProTools for $5 instead of $10. There are 50% discounts on semi- and annual World Explorer and All-Access Memberships. There are discounts on its other websites (Fold3.com and Newspapers.com) as well as its new AncestryPreserve kits. Ancestry's sales end March 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MT.

23andMe

There is a 71% off sale at 23andMe. The Advanced Ancestry + Health: 23andMe+ Premium test which is regularly $199.00, has a RootsTech Discount bringing the price to $80. 

Family Tree Maker

Save up to 50% off at Software MacKiev. Family Tree Maker 2024 is regularly $80. It is $39.95 -- 50% off for the download. We have not spotted the sale end date for this sale so if you need it get it sooner rather than later. If you want a DVD or USB drive with that download, the discount is a bit less. The DVD+download is 45% off the regular price of $90 ($49.95 + $5.95 shipping and handling.) The USB drive+download is 40% off the regular price of $100 ($59.95 + $5.95 shipping and handling.)

The Companion Guide printed book is regularly $40, on sale for just $29.95 which is 25% off.

For the plug-ins at the MacKiev store, Family Book Creator 2024 is one sale for $39.95, which is 30% off the $60 regular price. Charting Companion 8 is regularly $50 and for this sale it is 20% off for new users so $39.95 and it is 40% off for existing users to upgrade so $29.95.

Family Book Creator 2024

On its own website, Family Book Creator is advertised 33% off with Promo Code RootsTech2026. This sale goes to mid-March 2026. A private license for Windows or Mac is $59.95 which would make the sale price about $40.17 for the download. 

RootsMagic 11

Though not as good a deal if you are in-person at RootsTech, the rest of us can save a little too. Save from Home: Save $5 on RootsMagic 11—just $34.95 for new users or $24.95 for existing users. Visit rootsmagic.com to claim your discount. This offer runs through Friday, March 13, 2026. See the claim your discount banner at the top of the RootsMagic website homepage.

Vivid-Pix

Vivid-Pix sales for RootsTech 2026 are on its sale page for the event. The coupon code is RT2026. This sale is good until March 30, 2026.

ArkivDigital

There is a 3 month special subscription pricing to ArkivDigital for those with Swedish ancestry.

Finland's Family History Association

Finland's Family History Association is giving free access during RootsTech. See that link in the Expo Hall for details.

So take a look there is a lot there. 

See you at our favorite library!
LE 

MCGG's Friday Meeting is This Week; Get Genealogy Help on Mar. 6, from 1-3 pm

MCGG meets in-person this Friday, March 6, 2026, at 1 p.m. 
in the Local History and Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic is ... Help! 

Got genealogical/local history questions? Bring'em to this Help Session, we will try to help. This meeting is for everyone no matter your genealogy experience -- from seedling to robust branch -- Join Us!

Feel free to bring a laptop/device so you can do some research or a USB drive to save your finds. Try out a database while in the library, or get some help with your genealogy program. Or get help with any other genealogy questions/problems. Or get help learning to use or some tips for using the Digitization Lab equipment. We have several MCGG members with a variety of genealogy backgrounds/experiences so we will likely have someone to provide some help.

March 6 is one of the days of RootsTech 2026 so we will likely have something playing on the large display. Join us for this time to advance your knowledge and/or research.

We will close/end the meeting about 3 p.m. but you can stay until the room/library closes at 5 p.m. The LH&G room opens at 10 a.m. on Fridays.

This meeting will be in-person only rather than hybrid.

Our plan is that our meetings will be hybrid meaning the meeting will be in-person with a virtual Zoom option when possible. The format of this particular meeting did not support Zoom easily so we decided to do in-person only. 

New attendees are always welcome.

See you at our favorite library!
LE