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From:
Subject: Interesting
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 19:43:38 EST


FLOODING FORCES EVACUATIONS IN QUEBEC TOWN
The Sainte-Anne River, near Quebec City, overflowed its banks Saturday
night, forcing the evacuation of about 20 homes in the town of
Saint-Raymond-de-Pontneuf, including a seniors' residence, which is home
to 16 people.
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(HAPPY BIRTHDAY RENEE CUMMINGS)
N.H. Now Gives Adoptees Birth Certificates


CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - In a bittersweet moment, a half-dozen adults adopted as
children lined up Monday to take advantage of a new state law to get copies
of their birth certificates. Among them: a state lawmaker who was herself
adopted.

Jack Ferns, 53, of Loudon, had hoped his father's name would be on the
certificate, but it wasn't.

``I was hoping it was, but I was a realist, too,'' he said a few minutes
after getting his certificate.

Ferns said he knew his birth mother's name, and she died two years after he
was adopted. He said he also knows some of his relatives - his uncle came
with him to the Division of Vital Records to offer support.

It was his father's name he sought.

``I just want to know,'' he said.

The law took effect on New Year's Day, giving Ferns and other adult adoptees
access to their original birth certificates if they were born in New
Hampshire. Monday was the first day they could obtain the certificates after filing
out a request form and paying a $12 research fee.

First in line Monday was Ferns' 51-year-old sister, State Rep. Janet Allen,
who pushed hard for the state to change the law though she had identified her
own birth parents several years ago through other means. Allen and Ferns
were adopted by the same couple, but have different birth parents.

``I spent three years going through probate court arguing and fighting. I
probably petitioned that judge eight times,'' she said.

Allen said getting a copy of her birth certificate was a matter of civil
rights for adoptees. She got it in five minutes; the victory brought tears and
smiles.

``I should have brought gold bullion,'' she said.

New Hampshire becomes the fifth state to allow adult adoptees unfettered
access, joining Oregon, Alabama, Alaska and Kansas. Delaware and Tennessee also
allow access, but with some restrictions.

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY RENEE CUMMINGS)

Under another provision of the law, birth parents can indicate whether they
wish to be contacted.

State Registrar William Bolton said a handful of parents have sent the
contact forms to the bureau since the Legislature passed the law. He said perhaps
three dozen people filed requests for the certificates in recent weeks in
anticipation of the law taking effect.

Answering requests may take a few minutes to a few weeks, depending on
whether the information is in Concord or in a sealed file in the town where the
person was born, Bolton said.

In Allen's case, the judge refused to give her the copy of her birth
certificate even though her birth parents were dead. He did tell her her birth
mother's last name and where she was born, allowing Allen to track down a birth
brother through genealogy and public library records.

``I was the youngest of nine,'' she said.


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