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The romance between American voters and the bodacious, burgeoning Trump economy has intensified. The political implications are many and none other than CNN spells things out.

As 2019 comes to a close, the U.S. economy earns its highest ratings in almost two decades, potentially boosting President Trump in matchups against the Democrats vying to face him in next years election, writes Grace Sparks, an associate producer for CNN.

Its not just loyal Republicans who are swooning over the economy, though. A new poll from the network found that 76% of Americans overall say the economy is good, That includes 97% of Republicans, 88% of conservatives, 75% of independents, 80% of moderates, 62% of Democrats and 56% of liberals. Everybodys pretty happy.

Another 68% overall say the economy will still be good a year from now. That includes 89% of Republicans, 84% of conservatives, 68% of independents, 69% of moderates, 52% of Democrats and 48% of liberals.

The CNN poll of 1,005 U.S. adults was conducted Dec. 12-15, right in the middle of the impeachment wars.

As perceptions of the economy have brightened, the poll also shows matchups between the top Democrats vying for the 2020 nomination and Trump tightening. In October, four Democrats tested in hypothetical head-to-head contests with Trump among registered voters lead by anywhere from six to 10 percentage points. Now, just two of those candidates hold edges, Ms. Sparks advises.

They are Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who lead by five and four percentage points, respectively.

The tighter margins against the president come as favorability ratings appear to be sliding for the top Democratic contenders, Ms. Sparks writes.

IMPEACH-MESS

Merry Impeachmas remains the rallying cry of the moment among Democrats. The phrase, tweeted out by Washington Post reporter Rachael Bade, became a strategic social media hashtag.

And then there is Merry Impeach-mess.

The phrase was coined by Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who says the mess part belongs to the Democrats.

This entire impeachment charade isnt serious and neither are its advocates. Think about it: This is the first modern impeachment without a scrap of bipartisan support. Not a single Republican voted in favor of the articles and worse for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, multiple Democrats voted against them, Mr. Perkins notes.

So when Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch goes on television and wishes people a Merry Christmas, the Left isnt upset about December 25th. Theyre upset about every other day of the year that President Trump is moving faith and the freedom of religion forward. When you get right down to it, liberals dont have many options. This impeachment is their last-ditch effort to preserve the Lefts secular domination of the culture. And they have everything to lose, Mr. Perkins explains.

THE BORDER EFFECT

The Federation for American Immigration Reform has revealed a potential effect of immigration on the U.S. House. Things could change.

The presence of all immigrants (naturalized citizens, legal residents, and illegal aliens) and their U.S.-born minor children will redistribute 26 seats in the House in 2020. To put this number in perspective, changing the party of 21 members of the current Congress would flip the majority in the U.S. House, the independent research organization says in a new report.

Of the 26 seats that will be lost, 24 are from states that voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Of states that will gain House seats because of immigration, 19 seats will go to the solidly Democratic states of California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Texas is the only solidly Republican state that gains, while Florida is a swing state.

Elsewhere, Ohio will have three fewer seats in 2020, Michigan and Pennsylvania two fewer seats. Those states predicted to lose one state each: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, California will gain 11 seats, New York and Texas four each, Florida three; New Jersey two. Illinois and Massachusetts each gain one additional seat. The findings are based on the patterns of new arrivals. Most of the immigrant populations take up residence in a limited number of states.

If immigrants were evenly spread throughout the country, they would have no impact on the distribution of House seats, the research said.

BOOKMAKERS: TRUMPS GONNA WIN

Despite officially being impeached, President Trumps odds of reelection have slightly improved, according to betting aggregators US-Bookies.com. Over the past week, Mr. Trump went from 1/1 to 10/11 to win the 2020 presidential election, the organization said.

Despite all the fanfare about the presidents impeachment, the reality is that this is highly unlikely to materialize into a conviction, says industry analyst Alex Donohue. The betting markets now suggest the upshot of this entire process is that Trump is more likely to win 2020.

The bookmakers live election tracker currently gives Mr. Trump a 47.6% chance of winning, up from 40% at the beginning of December.

The odds that Mr. Trump gets convicted by the Senate are currently 8/1. While this isnt a dramatic long shot, the 1/16 odds that he wont get convicted by the Senate suggest that its much more likely that the impeachment wont pass. Trump also has 1/10 odds to finish his first term in office, indicating that he should be here to stay, says Mr. Donahue.

POLL DU JOUR

33% of Americans are paying a lot of attention to the 2020 presidential election; 31% of Republicans, 28% of independents and 42% of Democrats agree.

27% overall are paying some attention to the election; 29% of Republicans, 25% of independents and 28% of Democrats agree.

24% say they are paying only a little attention to the election; 28% of Republicans, 23% of independents and 22% of Democrats agree.

15% overall say they are paying no attention at all to the election; 12% of Republicans, 24% of independents and 8% of Democrats agree.

Source: AN ECONOMIST/YOUGOV poll of 1,500 U.S. ADULTS conducted Dec. 14-17.

Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.

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Inside the Beltway: 76% of Americans say the economy is good - Washington Times

The top San Antonio stories of the year included allegations of domestic violence involving a top mayoral candidate, the immigration crackdown at the border and its impact on the city, and repeated questions about the slow-moving $450 million makeover of Alamo Plaza.

Greg and Annalisa Brockhouse at the Brockhouse election night party at Violas Ventanas on June 8. The couple now says Annalisa Brockhouse filed a false police report and a 2009 domestic violence incident didnt happen. But evasions during the campaign make it difficult to know what to believe.

A top story prize goes to Greg Brockhouse, an ambitious former councilman who would have bested Mayor Ron Nirenberg at the ballot box if not for an unfortunate incident in his past that he thought he had nipped in the bud.

In 2009, Brockhouses wife, Annalisa, called 911 to report that her husband, who had recently lost his job and had been drinking a lot, grabbed her and threw her to the ground. She told police that Brockhouse was trying to hit her and she kept trying to push him off, according to a police report.

After the Express-News obtained the report and revealed its contents in March inconveniently, in the heat of the mayors race Brockhouse repeatedly denied to local media that he knew anything about it. Likewise, city officials insisted the report did not exist.

Story:Past domestic violence allegations emerge against mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse

Amid the candidates evasions, a local movement sprang up dubbed Met: Diversity Defeating Violence, bringing renewed focus to the issue of domestic violence here, where at least 29 people were killed in family violence incidents last year.

Eventually, after Brockhouse lost the runoff election in June, he and his wife acknowledged in a television interview that she had called police and accused him of domestic violence. But Annalisa Brockhouse blamed herself and her postpartum depression for an argument that she said escalated to the point that she made a false police report against her husband.

Brockhouse admitted that he and his wife had arranged to have the report legally expunged: a process they initiated shortly before Brockhouse launched his first campaign for City Council.

Related:Annalisa Brockhouse says she called police on her husband in 2009 even though he never harmed her

This rendering shows the appearance of Alamo Plaza under a master plan that would include an interpretation of the south wall and historic main gate of the mission and 1836 battle compound, made of structural glass. Other features include a 135,000-square-foot museum; historic footings of the historic walls displayed under structural glass; and interpretation of an acequia, or water canal, on the west end of the plaza.

After years of planing and fundraising, the project finally got a green light for construction to begin, despite litigation involving historic cemetery claims, opposition to potential building demolitions and lingering concerns about pedestrian access to one of San Antonios most cherished public spaces.

The Texas General Land Office and nonprofit Alamo Trust now manage a portion of the citys Alamo Plaza that falls within the historic footprint of the Mission San Antonio Valero and 1836 Alamo compound. The $450 million, public-private renovation includes $100 million committed by the state and $38 million from the city.

Under the plan, much of the plaza that had been within the walls of the mission-fort will be lowered 18 inches and enclosed with a 42-inch-high wall. The projects first phase may start in February with the relocation of the 1930s Cenotaph from its current spot to the south end of the plaza.

Story:Legal battle looming over Alamo cemetery in downtown San Antonio

The Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation and Alamo Defenders Descendants Association have lawsuits pending against the Land Office, city and Texas Historical Commission that seek to force the project to include comprehensive studies on the location and boundaries of cemeteries at the Alamo, among other matters. Bones and partial skeletons have been found during excavatons in the Alamo church.

Another concern is possible demolition of the 1921 Woolworth Building for a museum to house a $15.5 million collection donated by rock singer Phil Collins. The building once housed one of several local lunch counters that peacefully integrated in 1960.

Related:After listening to intense criticism, San Antonio commission approves first phase of Alamo overhaul

A Border Patrol Agent rescues a seven year old boy from Honduras after he fell out of a make shift raft and lost hold of his mother as Border Patrol agents respond to three rafts crossing the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, on Friday, May 10, 2019.

The border was in turmoil all year. Immigration courts were closed due to the government shutdown and reopened, the citys migrant center opened and closed, and the fates of asylum-seekers after crossing the border altered drastically from getting released into the country as their court cases played out, to being detained and sent back to Mexico or Guatemala.

In the spring, the federal government proceeded with plans for more border wall, which was expected to slice through protected habitat, a butterfly center and the grounds of a small church. Environmentalists and indigenous groups began sounding the alarms, worried the steel bollards and 150-foot enforcement of the border wall would destroy their land. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, eventually added language in a budget deal protecting many, though not all, of the threatened areas.

By the end of March, tens of thousands of migrants were crossing the border and presenting themselves to the Border Patrol: the highest monthly arrest figures in years. They overwhelmed Border Patrol stations, and the Trump administration began releasing hundreds every day in communities all along the border.

Story:'No other solution': With children in tow, mothers' journey ends in death at the border

Meanwhile, San Antonios bus station downtown became a highly trafficked way station as migrants arrived from the border on their way to stay with family sponsors around the country.

To deal with the influx, the city ran an emergency Migrant Resource Center, where it provided food, clothes, toiletries, toys and medical services. The migrants slept at Travis Park Church. Overall, the city - in partnership with Catholic Charities, the Interfaith Welcome Coalition and the Food Bank - aided more than 32,000 migrants. Most were asylum-seeking families from Central America, though waves of Cuban, Haitian and African migrants also arrived.

The flow of migrants slowed down in the fall, and the Trump administration issued a new, controversial policy: Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as Remain in Mexico. Border Patrol agents stopped releasing migrants into the U.S. and instead began sending them back into Mexico to await their hearings. There, migrants are being kidnapped and extorted by gangs and have little to no access to legal representation.

Related:Kidnapped and attacked in Mexico, migrants are giving up their asylum claims

Julin Castro, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, carries a rose given to him by a supporter as he leaves a rally at Hemisfair Park in San Antonio April 10. His campaign should be measured with different yardstick.

Among the crop of Democratic candidates for president this year, arguably none was more fixated on the plight of undocumented immigrants than former Mayor Julin Castro, who visited an encampment of hundreds who were stranded by the Remain in Mexico program.

Castro has struggled to gain traction in the polls, but his ongoing candidacy is big news here, where he was born and raised and served as mayor for more than two terms.

Story:San Antonios Julin Castro aims at the rich with wealth inequality tax

Hes the only Latino whos running. He also was the first Democrat with an immigration plan. He called for decriminalizing border crossings, a proposal that transcended conventional arguments for immigration reform. He earned a burst of attention after the first debate when he lectured former El Paso Rep. Beto ORourke on a section of federal law that made crossing the border a criminal offense.

Long after ORourke dropped out, Castro remains in the race but didnt meet the polling threshold for the December debate.

Related:Julin Castro sees lift in polls despite being knocked off debate stage

Lake Dunlap property owners have created a model of collaboration with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority that could work for other nearby lakes.

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority planned to drain lakes McQueeney, Placid, Meadow and Gonzales until more than 300 property owners sued to stop the agency from doing so.

Two other lakes on the Guadalupe River have disappeared after spill gates on the aging dams there collapsed without warning: Lake Wood in 2016 and Lake Dunlap in May. The GBRA, which owns the dams, ordered the four remaining lakes to be drained, saying the structures were old, unsafe and lacked funds for repair. The state agency also outlawed recreational activities at the lakes.

Story:End of an era: Imminent danger along the Guadalupe will force the drainage of four lakes

The legal action saved the lakes, and some of the bans on recreation have since been lifted. But the conflict is far from resolved. Those who are suing the GBRA argue the agency must repair or replace the six dams it owns, while the GBRA argues the law does not require replacing those structures.

Lake Dunlap property owners arent waiting for the courts. In October, they agreed to form a water control and improvement district and place it on a ballot, perhaps in November. If approved, the owners would tax themselves and the GBRA would kick in some money to repair the dam and refill the lake.

Related:Quest to limit GBRAs spending fails

Texas Organizing Project supporter Kevin Lemelle had his thoughts on his cape. Lemelle celebrated with fellow supporters after the San Antonio City Council voted 8-3 to pass a revised sick leave ordinance on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. City Council members Rebecca Viagran, Manny Pelaez and Clayton H. Perry voted against the ordinance.

Another seemingly endless court battle the fight over paid sick leave roiled the City Council.

An ordinance requiring San Antonio employers to provide paid sick leave to an estimated 354,000 workers who dont get the benefit was scheduled to take effect Dec. 1. But that was before state District Judge Peter Sakai sided with a coalition of local firms and business groups that wanted to stop the law from taking effect while they challenge it in court.

Story:Judge stops San Antonios paid sick leave ordinance from taking effect

The law would require all companies and nonprofits to give part-time and full-time employees one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Progressive groups had gathered more than 140,000 signatures to put the matter to a vote in November 2018, but the City Council adopted the ordinance outright last August.

The coalition sued the city in July to invalidate it, arguing it violates the state constitution by requiring employers to do more than the states minimum wage law requires. The lawsuit was paused to allow a council-appointed commission to make revisions, but business groups revived their lawsuit in November.

Related:Over business leaders objections, San Antonio City Council approves revised sick leave ordinance

FILE PHOTO Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values, leads a press conference for Save Chick-fil-A Day for religious freedom in the central court outdoor rotunda at the Texas State Capitol.

Only slightly less controversial than paid sick leave was the City Councils decision in March to cut Chick-fil-A out of an airport concessions contract. Councilman Roberto Trevio led the charge to exclude the fast-food chain, citing its history of donating to faith-based organizations that oppose same-sex marriage.

Mayor Nirenberg, meanwhile, said the chain was excluded because it doesnt open on Sundays, when a lot of travelers pour through the airport.

Story:Chick-fil-A Alamodome: New documents shed light on S.A. City Councils controversial vote and a never-before-seen proposal

Coming amid the mayors race, this put some wind in the sails of Brockhouse, who was looking to distract voters from that pesky, previously mentioned police report. It also inflamed conservatives across Texas and led the Legislature to pass a bill that prohibits government entities from taking adverse action against a person or business based on an affiliation with a religious organization.

But Chick-fil-A flipped the script in November when it announced its foundation would halt donations to three faith-based groups, causing formerly sympathetic conservatives to suddenly spit out their chicken nuggets.

Related:Brockhouse apologizes to Chick-fil-A for San Antonios decision to remove restaurant from airport plan

Another major story this year explored evictions San Antonios high rate of evictions. Between 2011 and 2018, the number of eviction lawsuits filed in Bexar County rose by more than one-third, the largest jump among Texas's five most populous counties.

Teresa Garcia says the couple can barely make ends meet on their monthly income from Social Security and disability checks for Joe, who lost a leg from diabetes complications.

During that time, almost 86,000 cases ended with families losing their homes.

Story: Kicked Out: An Express-News investigation into evictions

Experts say the figure could be low because its impossible to know how many tenants left before going to court. Records dont show why people were evicted, either. But housing advocates suspect the growing number of evictions can be blamed on a number of things, including rising housing costs that have placed more people in financial jeopardy in San Antonio, recently ranked as the poorest large city in the country.

Housing advocates say some landlords are driving and profiting from the city's eviction epidemic. One San Antonio landlord, Bexar Met Property Management, was behind more than 900 eviction filings last year. The company controls 21 properties in San Antonio and has been accused of failing to make repairs and keeping shoddy accounting practices, even though it receives millions of dollars in federal rental subsidies each year.

Related:Kicked Out: How we reported this series

Another bad-news story this year was that of King Jay Davila, an 8-month-old infant who was reported kidnapped by his purported father, Christopher Davila, in early January after Davila stopped at a gas station.

The maternal grandmother of baby King Jay Davila watches with sorrow as doves are released during a Feb. 2 ceremony to remember her 8-month-old grandchild.

Police immediately noticed that Davilas story was suspect. Moments before he went inside the gas station, Davila checked twice to make sure the driver door to the car was unlocked, according to surveillance footage. Moments later, a woman later identified by police as Davilas cousin walked directly to the vehicle without hesitation, opened the drivers door, entered the vehicle and drove away.

Several days later, Davila changed his story and claimed King had died after the car seat holding the boy fell off a bed and hit the floor. He said he did not call 911 because he panicked. He led police to a Northeast Side field, where he had buried King in a backpack.

Story: Family of missing S.A. baby slam SAPD as authorities search a West Side park

Davila was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, along with two other unrelated charges.

Police also charged Davilas mother, Beatrice Sampayo, 64, and his cousin, Angie Torres, 45, with tampering with evidence for their roles in allegedly trying to cover up the death by helping stage the fake kidnapping.

Related:'That's my blood': Stunned to learn of King Jay's death, San Antonio man says baby is his son

Yet another high-profile crime occurred Jan. 10, when San Antonio hairstylist Nichol Leila Olsen and her two daughters were found shot to death in a luxury home in a gated subdivision in North Bexar County.

The relationship between Nichol Olsen and her boyfriend, Charles Wheeler, has come under intense scrutiny since Olsen and her two daughters were found shot to death in Wheelers home near Leon Springs on Jan. 10.

The deaths remain shrouded in mystery because the case is still open as the Bexar County Sheriffs Office and the FBI continue investigating. Authorities havent yet released any findings on what provoked the violence or who was responsible.

Olsen, 37, and her daughters, Clark High School cheerleader Alexa Denice Montez, 16, and Leon Springs Elementary student London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, were found close together in an upstairs hallway at a million-dollar house in the Anaqua Springs Ranch development. At the time, the residence was owned by Olsens boyfriend, Charles Edward Wheeler, now 32, a former rodeo competitor turned business owner in the oil field industry.

Story:A single mother, her millionaire boyfriend and how their storybook romance ended in horror

The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office quickly ruled Olsens death a suicide and her daughters deaths as homicides. Autopsies found Olsen and Montez had each been shot once in the head. Bribiescas suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck. A handgun was found near Olsens body.

Within days of the shootings, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar described Wheeler as a person of interest, but not a suspect. More than 11 months later, sheriffs officials havent publicly cleared Wheeler, but now say they cannot discuss who is or isnt a potential person of interest in the case.Wheeler has never been charged. His attorneys denied that he committed any crime and said they welcomed the FBIs involvement in the case.

Related:Mourners reject suicide ruling in triple shooting at gated San Antonio-area community

Staff writers Silvia Foster-Frau, Peggy OHare, Emilie Eaton, Scott Huddleston and Marina Starleaf Riker contributed to this report.

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The Express-News Stories of the Year 2019 - San Antonio Express-News

LibreOffice 6.4 includes QR code generation

The LibreOffice team is testing the first release candidate of version 6.4, which is set for release at the end of January.

What's new in version 6.4? There are numerous fresh features; most are small, but they do include the ability to insert QR codes into any document. The Generate QR Code feature lets you enter a hyperlink (or any text) and generate a QR code with four options for complexity. A low complexity is better for long URLs while high has better error correction if there are errors in reading.

Another neat feature is called full sheet previews. This is for spreadsheets, and lets you specify that you want an entire sheet on one page in PDF export. In effect this is a "shrink to fit" option that is handy if you are frustrated to find that your spreadsheet has been broken into separate pages, ruining its appearance. If your sheet is hundreds of rows long though, it will be rendered unreadable, so use with caution.

When you select all the rows in a table in a word processor document, and then choose Cut, should it cut all the text but leave the table? Or cut the table? LibreOffice used to do the former, but now does the latter. In Word it would do the former, unless you specifically "select table". The new LibreOffice behaviour is probably what the user expects, but it is a tricky issue, particularly since if you select online one row and choose Cut, it only cuts the text, not the row. Table-editing controls have also been added to the Writer sidebar.

There are improvements in compatibility with Microsoft Office formats. Endnotes can now be shown on the last page of text as opposed to on a separate page, and SmartArt is more likely to import and export correctly, as are gradient backgrounds in PowerPoint.

The history of LibreOffice goes back to 2010, after Oracle completed its acquisition of Sun Microsystems. This included OpenOffice, an open source Office suite originally known as Star Office. Sun had picked up the Star Division, the company behind Star Office, in 1999, and published the suite as open source in an effort to reduce the dominance of Microsoft Office.

In September 2010 a group of OpenOffice contributors who were unhappy about Oracle's tight control of the project announced The Document Foundation along with a fork of OpenOffice 3.3, which they called LibreOffice. Oracle was asked to transfer OpenOffice to the new group but refused. A few months later more former OpenOffice contributors declared their support for the new fork.

The following year, Oracle decided that OpenOffice had no commercial future and in June 2011 transferred the project to the Apache Foundation, where it continues, with a claimed 1.6 million downloads of version 4.1.7, released in September. LibreOffice had the momentum though, and has been developed more rapidly.

2020 is therefore the 10th anniversary for LibreOffice and it is planning "a year long celebration."

Has LibreOffice succeeded? The software is popular and highly valued by users, and unlike Microsoft Office works well on Linux. It is free software and also lets you adopt the OpenDocument Format (ODF) in place of Microsoft Office formats. LibreOffice still has a place for organisations (not least the EU) concerned about retaining or recovering "digital sovereignty."

That said, Microsoft Office remains the business standard and today's battle is more between Office 365 and Google's G Suite, than between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice. Most Office 365 subscriptions bundle Microsoft's desktop software with email and other online services, making it hard for LibreOffice to break in.

LibreOffice then has not changed the software world, but it has perhaps made it a better place.

Sponsored: Your Guide to Becoming Truly Data-Driven with Unrivalled Data Analytics Performance

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LibreOffice 6.4 nearly done as open-source office software project prepares for 10th anniversary - The Register

A huge amount of the worlds audio has been digitized, but many veterans of the Analog Age still have out-of-print albums, lectures and other content locked on vinyl records, cassettes and CDs. Converting the audio to digital formats for personal use is much simpler than it used to be, though, thanks in part to gadgets that connect to a computers USB port.

In addition to making files that play on your smartphone or media server, digitizing your analog audio creates an electronic archive you can store online for safekeeping. The steps for converting your old recordings vary on the formats and equipment you have, but heres a general outline of the process and the equipment you may need.

No matter what type of analog media youre converting, you need software to digitize it. Capturing the audio to a computer has been a common approach for decades, and free programs to do the job include Apples GarageBand for Mac and the open-source Audacity (for Windows, Mac and Linux), which has its own guide for converting records and tapes. Commercial software is also available, like Roxios $50 Easy LP to MP3 or the $40 Golden Records from NCH Software.

Choose a digital format for recording. Uncompressed or lossless formats like WAV, FLAC and AIFF preserve more of the original audio for higher-quality sound, but compressed formats like MP3 create smaller files.

Follow the softwares instructions for importing audio. After you capture the whole album, you can use the program to slice up the recording into individual tracks, label the songs, and clean up hiss, pops and other noise.

If your stereo equipment is long gone but you held on to your old records for sentimental reasons, using a compact USB-based conversion turntable that connects directly to the computer is one approach. You may not have ultimate control over the recording quality, but its usually the easiest process to convert the vinyl yourself.

For the less technically inclined, ION Audio makes several conversion turntables, including the $110 Premier LP, which connects to the computer with a USB cable and includes its own conversion software. Audio Technica, Crosley and Sony also make USB turntables.

If you still have a turntable with a headphone jack or a port labeled line (or a stereo receiver with a phono input for the record player), a device called a USB phono preamplifier links your hardware together with audio and USB cables to pump the sound into the computer for recording. ART Pro Audio USB Phono Plus ($100) and Reloop iPhono 2 USB Recording Interface (about $100 in the United States) are two options.

For USB-based recording using older turntable systems without the headphone jack or line output, youll most likely need to include a separate phono preamplifier box to boost the audio signal as well. The $50 Rolls VP29 and the $66 ART Pro Audio DJPRE II are two models to consider.

No tape deck? Tape players with USB connections for the computer or flash drives can be found online starting at around $20. These devices can be quite efficient for digitizing old lectures, family history and other recordings.

If you still have a tape deck, check its jacks. A cable with a 3.5-millimeter plug on both ends or an RCA-to-3.5mm cable are common for connecting to a computers line-in port (if it has one), or you may be able to use a USB interface box like those used for digitizing vinyl.

Still have CDs you want to transfer but no CD player or computer disc drive? External USB-based CD players sell for as little as $20 online. Once you connect one, spin up those discs and import the tracks with Apples Music app for Mac, Microsofts Windows Media Player or another free CD-ripper app.

The do-it-yourself approach is not for everyone, but audio conversion services will happily digitize your old analog media for you for a price. This can range from $15 to $35 for each record or tape converted, but some companies include restoration and sound-cleanup services as well. Memories Renewed, Ever Present and DiJiFi area among the many conversion companies to check out.

While not a surefire solution for a fully digitized library, some unreleased and obscure recordings turn up online eventually, as did tracks from Jeff Buckley and Prince this year.

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Get Those Records, Tapes and CDs Onto Your Smartphone - The New York Times

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire OverDrive, Inc. (OverDrive or the Company), the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools, from Rakuten USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten, Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Serving a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in more than 75 countries, OverDrive delivers the industrys largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to millions of readers around the world. With its proprietary platform, the Company securely allows these institutions to acquire and manage premium and differentiated digital content from a strong publisher network OverDrive has built over more than 25 years.

KKR is delighted to be investing in OverDrive, a premier digital content platform that serves libraries and library patrons around the world, said Richard Sarnoff, Member at KKR. OverDrive provides digital tools and services to libraries and schools so that they can lend the widest variety of digital books, audiobooks, and other materials, while at the same time respecting and compensating authors and publishers through the widest range of access models. It is a privilege to work with an industry leading team, including founder and CEO Steve Potash, on growing this special franchise in the decade to come.

At a time of accelerating digital adoption throughout libraries and schools, OverDrive offers its growing user base a best-in-class technology platform and reading experience something were excited to be a part of, said Ted Oberwager, Managing Director at KKR. We look forward to working with the Company to further grow its portfolio and network, and continue to build on its status as a recognized leader in the digital content space.

OverDrive is very excited to work with the world-class KKR team due to their track record of accelerating digital media and technology businesses in global markets, said Steve Potash, founder and CEO of OverDrive. This provides access to an extraordinary network of capabilities to empower our institutional partners for the benefit of the communities and readers they serve.

KKR has a long history of successfully investing in market-leading businesses in the digital media and content sectors. KKRs recent and related investments include Epic Games, AppLovin, RBmedia, Pandora, WebMD, UFC, Leonine, BMG Rights Management, Next Issue Media, and Nielsen, among others.

KKR is making the investment in OverDrive from its KKR Americas XII Fund.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and LionTree Advisors served as financial advisors to KKR and Simpson Thacher and Bartlett served as legal advisor to KKR.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at http://www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide. Named one of PCMags Best Free Software of 2019 and one of TIME's Best Apps of 2018, the award-winning Libby is the "one-tap reading app" for libraries. Sora, the student reading app, was honored as one of TIMEs Best Inventions of 2019. We are dedicated to a world enlightened by reading by delivering the industrys largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in 76 countries. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. http://www.overdrive.com

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KKR to Acquire Leading Digital Reading Platform OverDrive - Business Wire