Around the nation

Holocaust survivors’ melodies recorded

AKRON — Wire recordings of Holocaust survivors singing melodies at a refugee camp in France in 1946 are being heard for the first time in decades, thanks to university employees in Ohio who pieced together a device to listen to them.

University of Akron officials say the six songs were sung by survivors in Henonville, France, for psychologist David Boder, who was among the first to record Holocaust survivors telling their stories during the 1940s. He recorded on steel wire, capturing the melodies with lyrics in Yiddish and German.

“Dr. Boder was determined to give the survivors a voice,” said David Baker, a UA professor of psychology and executive director of the Center for the History of Psychology. “Dr. Boder is credited with being the first person to record testimony of Holocaust survivors.”

Boder conducted numerous interviews on wire recorders, which were considered state-of-the-art equipment at the time. He also recorded religious services, folk songs and counseling sessions in addition to his work with Holocaust survivors.

Michigan

No prison in case

of $224,000 fraud

DETROIT — A judge has ordered no prison for a southeastern Michigan woman linked to nearly $224,000 in illegal disability benefits from the federal government.

Prosecutors recommended a year in custody for Phyllis Adkins, but federal Judge Stephen Murphy III put her on probation for three years Friday.

For nearly nine years, Adkins collected disability benefits while working under a different Social Security number. Separately, benefits were paid in her daughter’s name based on Adkins’ disability record.

Adkins must repay about $224,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Particka called it “blatant, intentional” fraud.

Minnesota

Prosecutors: Woman put dirt in chicken

ST. CLOUD — A woman is facing charges for allegedly using dirt to contaminate chicken while working at a Minnesota processing plant.

Prosecutors allege Faye Slye, 36, contaminated chicken at the Gold’n Plump plant in Cold Spring in June, shortly before the plant’s owner recalled 27 tons of chicken for an “isolated product tampering incident” at the plant.

WJON-AM reported court documents allege Slye smuggled in sand and dirt from the parking lot. Another worker alerted authorities to dirty chicken in June. A second incident happened the next day.

Wire reports