County criticized after Indigenous history book re-classified as fiction 

Arts & Culture, Books

The re-classification of a children’s book on Native American history in a Texas library has caused an uproar among consumers, activists and library organizations nationwide.Last month, a citizen committee in Montgomery County, Texas made the decision to re-classify the children’s book, “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story” by Linda Coombs from children’s non-fiction to children’s fiction in the Montgomery County Memorial Library. Following weeks of public complaints, including an open letter signed by 13 organizations, about the decision, the Montgomery County Commission retracted the re-classification on Tuesday, moving the book back to the children’s non-fiction section of the library.Teresa Kenney, owner of Village Books in Montgomery County, said she was thrilled by the commissioners’ decision.”This move, to move it (the book) back into nonfiction was the right one, the only decision they could make,” Kenney told USA TODAY on Thursday.In addition to the book’s re-classification, the county commission approved the creation of a committee to revise the policy that created the citizens review committee and placed a hold on all committee actions made since Oct. 1. Established in March, the committee is made up of five Montgomery County residents who have the ability to provide oversight to the Montgomery County Memorial Library’s materials.Per requests made by community members, the committee is able to reassign material to a “more restrictive portion of the library” and remove material from library circulation altogether, according to the policy. The policy does not explicitly permit the committee to re-classify books.Published in 2023, “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story” tells the story of colonization in the New World from the perspective of the New England Indigenous Nations, according to publisher Penguin Random House. The book is intended for children ages 10 and up.The book was written by Linda Coombs, an author and historian from the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah. She’s written several books for the Boston Children’s Museum’s Native American Program and worked for 30 years in the Wampanoag Indigenous Program, including 15 years as the associate director. Today, Coombs is involved in museum consulting and cultural presentations.Kelly Delaney, senior editor of Crown Books for Young Readers and editor of “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story,” said she is relieved by the reversed decision announced on Tuesday.”The book is part of a series, ‘Race to the Truth,’ which tells the true history of America from the non-white, non-European perspective. This perspective is new to a lot of readers, and it can make them uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why it’s so important that we publish it,” Delaney said in a statement to USA TODAY. “As publishers, we are committed to amplifying historically underrepresented voices and narratives. We will always support our authors in telling their stories and histories, and fight for the public’s freedom to read them.”Why did the citizen committee try to re-classify the book?Per the policy that established the Montgomery County Citizens Review Committee, committee meetings are to be held privately, so the committee’s decision-making process is unknown. However, which books the committee discusses is public information.Montgomery County Commissioner James Noack, who presides over the precinct where the library is located, told USA TODAY that he is unsure why County Judge Mark Keough, who developed the policy, made it to where the committee meets privately. USA TODAY contacted Keough’s office but was unsuccessful in connecting with him for an interview.In early October, Kenney filed a public information request to obtain information about what books the committee had received reconsideration requests about since March. It was through this request that she learned of the committee’s decision to re-classify “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story.”Noack said the committee received a request for reconsideration on Sept. 10 and met to review the book on Oct. 3. Kenney added that, according to the information she received from her request, the library was instructed to move the book to the children’s fiction section by Oct. 10.State, national organizations join public rebuttalAs the committee’s final decisions are not shared with members of the public directly, Kenney felt the need to shed light on its decision. Initially, she contacted Penguin Random House and the Texas Freedom to Read Project, an organization that aims to mobilize community members against censorship and book bans in Texas.From there, “it very much took a life of its own,” Kenney said.On Oct. 16, 13 organizations shared a public letter to the Montgomery County Citizens Review Committee, asking its members to reverse the decision on “Colonization and the Wampanoag Story.””‘Colonization and the Wampanoag Story’ is a carefully researched, fact-based account of the Indigenous perspective of the tribes of the New England area on the impacts of European colonization,” the letter states. “Moving it to the fiction section communicates distrust of material that reflects the truth of our American history. It diminished the legitimacy of Coomb’s perspective as a member of the Wampanoag Tribe and the Indigenous educators who recommend its use.”The letter was signed by the American Indians in Children’s Literature, American Indian Library Association, Authors Against Book Bans, Authors Guild, Every Library, FReadom Fighters, National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN America, Penguin Random House, Texas Freedom to Read Project, Texas Library Association, Village Books and We Need Diverse Books.Laney Hawes, co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, said she was “really, really happy” about the commission’s decision made on Tuesday, but she remains worried about decisions moving forward.”It is unconstitutional for a government committee to arbitrarily decide what is fiction and nonfiction. It’s not right,” Hawes told USA TODAY on Thursday. “We think it’s really terrifying for the future, because if the government here − it’s a government-appointment committee, so we’re going to call it the government − is going to declare these stories and these perspectives … as fiction … what does that mean for all perspectives that may push back against the political ideology of those that are in power?”What happens next?As approved by the Montgomery County Commission on Tuesday, the citizen committee will be put on hold until the current policy is reviewed.USA TODAY contacted the Montgomery County Memorial Library but was unsuccessful in reaching a team member for comment.Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].

Conclave: The Biggest Changes Between Movie Starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci and the Book

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Note: this post contains spoilers for the book and film Conclave.
Conclave, director Edward Berger’s gripping drama about the cutthroat cardinals electing a new pope, is a largely faithful adaptation of Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name.

When the supreme pontiff — the head of the Catholic Church — dies, cardinals from all over the world gather in Vatican City to vote for a new pope from among their elite group. These holy men are senior clergy members appointed by the pope to the Sacred College of Cardinals, but their ambitions can bring out their devilish instincts.

Indeed, the vote depicted in Conclave is a highly choreographed affair involving pageantry, secret ballots — and plenty of backstabbing. Some of the men are so determined to become pope, they’re willing to ruin their colleagues’ reputations to get there. 

The movie, which is already getting Oscar buzz, stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and a large ensemble of actors.

‘Conclave’ by Robert Harris.
Amazon

Below, PEOPLE breaks down the biggest differences between the book and film.

Key details about the protagonist have changed
In the film, Fiennes, 61, plays the British Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, the dean of the College of Cardinals and a confidant of the late pope. He is tasked with overseeing the election of the next pontiff. 

Ralph Fiennes in ‘Conclave.’.
Courtesy of Focus Features

Harris’s novel, however, features an Italian main character: Cardinal Jacopo Lomeli, who is 75 years old and described as being a bit frailer than Fiennes’ more energetic depiction. When Lomeli stands after kneeling at the dead pope’s beside, he rises “on knees that creaked after seven decades of constant genuflection,” Harris writes. 

Cardinal Bellini is now American
Tucci’s self-doubting Cardinal Aldo Bellini hails from Italy in the novel. But he’s from the United States in the film version of Conclave. In both the book and the movie, Bellini and the dean are friends and allies. 

The cardinals’ quarters get an upgrade
When the cardinals assemble in Italy to elect the new pope, they must all bunk together at the Casa Santa Marta, a building described in the novel as “a grey stone rectangle lying on its side,” which reminds Lomei of “a Soviet apartment building.” Inside, the accommodations are basic. Each man is assigned a room with “plain white walls, a parquet floor and an iron bedstead.”

John Lithgow in ‘Conclave.’.
Philippe Antonello/Focus Features

On screen though, the rooms appear much grander, with marble walls and more comfortable-looking accommodations. (Hey, that’s the magic of Hollywood.)

A pivotal character gets a new biography
The mysterious Cardinal Benítez, who plays a major role in the events of the book and the film, is a surprise addition to the conclave. He shows up unannounced, having been made a cardinal by the pope in pectore — a Latin term meaning “in the heart” — so his elevation to the position was unknown by the others.

In the book, Benítez hails from the Philippines and served as Archbishop of Baghdad. The film changes Benítez’s country of origin to Mexico and alters his most recent post from Baghdad to Kabul, Afghanistan. Newcomer Carlos Diehz plays Benítez.

Sister Agnes amps up the drama
The nuns running the Casa Santa Marta are mostly seen and not heard. One exception is Sister Agnes, played by Rossellini in the film. In both the book and the movie, she is depicted as a stern woman who follows the rules, but isn’t afraid to stand up to the cardinals.

Isabella Rossellini in ‘Conclave.’.
Courtesy of Focus Features

In one heart-pounding scene, Cardinal Lawrence snoops in the dead pope’s private quarters looking for evidence of his colleagues’ misdeeds. He’s nearly caught by Sister Agnes, who is in the hallway outside. The book also depicts Lomeli also snooping, but there’s no mention of Sister Agnes nearby.

Conclave is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Lithuanian tourists provide a boost to south-eastern Latvia

Travel

Specialists in the field of tourism in Daugavpils and Upper Daugava districts admit that it is Lithuanians who are the most active foreign tourists and make up more than 10% of the total number of tourists.

Daugavpils fortress – home of the Mark Rothko Museum among other things – is undeniably the most popular tourist attraction in the city and in Latgale as a whole. The entrance door to the restored former water tower, where the Fortress visitor center is located, is decorated with an inscription in Latvian and English. Tourists from different parts of the world come here, said Vitālijs Petkuns, head of the Visitor Center of the Daugavpils fortress:

“The most frequent visitor to the fortress is the local Latvian tourist. Then there are Lithuanians, since the border is close, then there are guests from Poland, also from Estonia, recently they are starting to come more often, also big buses, tourists from the USA.”

Accordingly, the language of communication should be diverse and informative materials should also be prepared, adapting to the flow of tourists, the acting head of the Daugavpils fortress and museum administration, Artjoms Mahļins, said.

“More than 200,000 people visit the fortress annually, and around 60,000 visit the visitor center. These are visitors to the market, participants of various events and simply those who come here for information. The information is provided in the language required by our visitors and guests. for example, if Lithuanians start speaking Russian or English, then we answer in that language. If there are Ukrainian refugees or students from the USA, it is more often Russian.

Photo: Silvija Smagare / Latvijas Radio

This season was quite active. You can see that there are still leaflets about the fortress in Latvian, Polish, German and Estonian, but the leaflets in Russian, Lithuanian and English have been removed,” said Mahļins.

New information booklets about the Daugavpils fortress are currently being prepared based on the analysis of tourists’ demand and Lithuanians will not be forgotten, as their share accounts for more than 10% of all visitors.

“There is information available in printed form about the entire city of Daugavpils in the Lithuanian language. Now we are preparing new information about the fortress in Lithuanian, Russian, English, Latvian. The website “visitdaugavpils.lv” also has information in various languages.”

Lithuanian tourists are also attracted to the Upper Daugava region. Māra Kampāne, an employee of the Naujenes Museum, said that currently there are still a small number of booklets available about a joint Latvia-Lithuania international tourist route that tells about the history of the First World War, but the emphasis is still on information in the virtual environment:

“There were more booklets, now, at the end of the season, many have gone. Mostly everything is in Latvian, Russian and English. However, material in printed form is no longer in such demand. More people use the Internet, where information can be found in any language.”

Photo: Silvija Smagare / Latvijas Radio

About 5,000 tourists visit the Naujenes museum, and according to the data of the Daugavpils Public Relations and Tourism Department, more than 730,000 tourists visited Daugavpils and the region last year, which is 20% more than the year before. This year’s data is still being processed as the tourist season winds down.

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Lithuanian tourists provide a boost to south-eastern Latvia

Travel

Specialists in the field of tourism in Daugavpils and Upper Daugava districts admit that it is Lithuanians who are the most active foreign tourists and make up more than 10% of the total number of tourists.

Daugavpils fortress – home of the Mark Rothko Museum among other things – is undeniably the most popular tourist attraction in the city and in Latgale as a whole. The entrance door to the restored former water tower, where the Fortress visitor center is located, is decorated with an inscription in Latvian and English. Tourists from different parts of the world come here, said Vitālijs Petkuns, head of the Visitor Center of the Daugavpils fortress:

“The most frequent visitor to the fortress is the local Latvian tourist. Then there are Lithuanians, since the border is close, then there are guests from Poland, also from Estonia, recently they are starting to come more often, also big buses, tourists from the USA.”

Accordingly, the language of communication should be diverse and informative materials should also be prepared, adapting to the flow of tourists, the acting head of the Daugavpils fortress and museum administration, Artjoms Mahļins, said.

“More than 200,000 people visit the fortress annually, and around 60,000 visit the visitor center. These are visitors to the market, participants of various events and simply those who come here for information. The information is provided in the language required by our visitors and guests. for example, if Lithuanians start speaking Russian or English, then we answer in that language. If there are Ukrainian refugees or students from the USA, it is more often Russian.

Photo: Silvija Smagare / Latvijas Radio

This season was quite active. You can see that there are still leaflets about the fortress in Latvian, Polish, German and Estonian, but the leaflets in Russian, Lithuanian and English have been removed,” said Mahļins.

New information booklets about the Daugavpils fortress are currently being prepared based on the analysis of tourists’ demand and Lithuanians will not be forgotten, as their share accounts for more than 10% of all visitors.

“There is information available in printed form about the entire city of Daugavpils in the Lithuanian language. Now we are preparing new information about the fortress in Lithuanian, Russian, English, Latvian. The website “visitdaugavpils.lv” also has information in various languages.”

Lithuanian tourists are also attracted to the Upper Daugava region. Māra Kampāne, an employee of the Naujenes Museum, said that currently there are still a small number of booklets available about a joint Latvia-Lithuania international tourist route that tells about the history of the First World War, but the emphasis is still on information in the virtual environment:

“There were more booklets, now, at the end of the season, many have gone. Mostly everything is in Latvian, Russian and English. However, material in printed form is no longer in such demand. More people use the Internet, where information can be found in any language.”

Photo: Silvija Smagare / Latvijas Radio

About 5,000 tourists visit the Naujenes museum, and according to the data of the Daugavpils Public Relations and Tourism Department, more than 730,000 tourists visited Daugavpils and the region last year, which is 20% more than the year before. This year’s data is still being processed as the tourist season winds down.

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Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor
Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor

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Dorian Smith to Lead Business Development Efforts at 717

Business News

WARREN – Dorian Smith has been named the new senior vice president of business development at 717 Credit Union.

In the role, Smith will lead efforts to cultivate relationships in the community that will lead to new workplace partnership and membership growth.

Smith was the owner and principal of MarLee Strategies, a leading business development and strategy consulting firm. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Business Development for American Heritage Credit Union in Philadelphia where he directed sales activities and funding initiatives for one of the top 100 credit unions in the United States in both assets and membership size.

717 President and CEO John Demmler welcomed Smith as the first step of broadening 717’s imprint in the community.

“With more than 1,000 current workplace partners, we intend to reengage with those organizations and those leaders who are aligned with us to expand our mission of improving people’s lives financially and supporting the communities we serve,” Demmler said. “We know that Dorian (Smith) is the right leader for the job.”

Smith, who has already begun his role located at 717 headquarters in Warren, said he is excited he has joined a successful credit union like 717 and looks forward to building on 717’s rich history and “expanding our reach to strengthen our business community.”

 “My background in credit unions, coupled with my passion for the ‘people helping people’ approach allows me to foster relationships I believe will benefit all members and our surrounding communities. That will include offering financial literacy for our business partners’ employees because we know the healthier an employee is financially, the more productive an employee is at work,” Smith said.

He adds partnering with a financial institution should be about more than just products and services. 

“Banking on each other builds stronger communities,” he said. 

Singapore Tourism Board renews partnership with Expedia Group

Travel

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Expedia Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost tourism growth and foster digital innovation.
Aimed at reinforcing STB’s projection of 15 to 16.5 million tourist arrivals and S$27.5 to S$29 billion (US$20.8 to US$21.9 billion) in tourist spending, this multi-year partnership will focus on enhancing Singapore’s tourism landscape through three key strategic initiatives.
STB’s Juliana Kua and Expedia Group’s Greg Schulze at the MoU signing in Singapore
The first is a joint marketing campaign where both parties will embark on an Expedia Group Media Solutions global marketing campaign aimed at increasing visitor arrivals and expenditure while promoting Singapore’s unique tourism experiences across key international markets.
Next, by leveraging Expedia Group’s transformative technology, STB will partner Expedia Group to spearhead innovative approaches to engage travellers and enrich their Singapore experience.
Lastly, both parties will explore ways to enhance the distribution and marketing of Singapore as a destination through collaboration with tourism partners and initiatives to share knowledge and resources.

Singapore Tourism Board renews partnership with Expedia Group

Travel

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Expedia Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost tourism growth and foster digital innovation.
Aimed at reinforcing STB’s projection of 15 to 16.5 million tourist arrivals and S$27.5 to S$29 billion (US$20.8 to US$21.9 billion) in tourist spending, this multi-year partnership will focus on enhancing Singapore’s tourism landscape through three key strategic initiatives.
STB’s Juliana Kua and Expedia Group’s Greg Schulze at the MoU signing in Singapore
The first is a joint marketing campaign where both parties will embark on an Expedia Group Media Solutions global marketing campaign aimed at increasing visitor arrivals and expenditure while promoting Singapore’s unique tourism experiences across key international markets.
Next, by leveraging Expedia Group’s transformative technology, STB will partner Expedia Group to spearhead innovative approaches to engage travellers and enrich their Singapore experience.
Lastly, both parties will explore ways to enhance the distribution and marketing of Singapore as a destination through collaboration with tourism partners and initiatives to share knowledge and resources.

SITA appoints Nathalie Altwegg as SVP of business unit

Business News

SITA has named Nathalie Altwegg as senior vice president of SITA’s Airports business unit.
She will spearhead SITA’s further growth in the airports market, building on the company’s presence in more than 1,000 airports globally, as well as its drive to reinvent and digitalise operations and journeys across the world through technology and innovation.
With over two decades of experience in the air transport industry, Altwegg previously served as chief operating officer for SITA Europe for two years, bringing extensive management experience in strategy, commercial, people, and portfolio.