diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 141ae7ddb..fe44371e5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2008-01-02 Jim Sack <jgsack@san.rr.com>
+	* src/const.py.in : change embedded copyright sign to unicode \u00A9
+	and eliminate call to unicode(), as well as the "coding cookie"
+	at the top of file, since there is no longer any non-ASCII
+
 2008-01-02 Benny Malengier <benny.malengier@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/Filters/SideBar/_PlaceSidebarFilter.py: correct string, bug #1275
 
diff --git a/src/const.py.in b/src/const.py.in
index cf57c1eb6..e449d1955 100644
--- a/src/const.py.in
+++ b/src/const.py.in
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #                                                     -*- python -*-
-# -*- coding: iso-8859-1 -*-
 #
 # Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
 #
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ else:
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 PROGRAM_NAME   = "GRAMPS"
 VERSION        = "@VERSIONSTRING@"
-COPYRIGHT_MSG  = unicode("© 2001-2006 Donald N. Allingham", "iso-8859-1")
+COPYRIGHT_MSG  = u"\U00A9 2001-2006 Donald N. Allingham"
 COMMENTS       = _("GRAMPS (Genealogical Research and Analysis "
                    "Management Programming System) is a personal "
                    "genealogy program.")