A10
COFFEE BREAK
East Oregonian
Saturday, November 14, 2020
DEAR ABBY
Relatives pressed into manual labor by aunt
Dear Abby: Ten months ago, my
out getting her upset or angry? Is it my
aunt’s 66-year-old live-in
place to say something to her
boyfriend died unexpect-
mother and siblings? She has
edly. She has no children and
been very emotional since
is left with a four-bedroom,
the death, and we’ve all been
two-bathroom house to take
walking on eggshells, but she
care of by herself. She has
won’t go to therapy. — Over-
always been in debt (I think),
whelmed Nephew
and his fi nal expenses only
Dear Nephew: Your aunt
made it worse.
may not need a therapist as
Since his death, she has
much as she needs a grief sup-
J EANNE
expected my family (mostly
port group to help her work
P HILLIPS
ADVICE
me) to complete a list of chores
through her loss. Her mood
every time I visit. I have been
swings, which I am sure
asked to hook up her garden
surge and wane from day to
hose, plant grass, exterminate bees,
day, are magnifi ed by her money prob-
replant fl owers, vacuum — even move
lems. Because the house and yard are
her boyfriend’s ashes from the original
now too much for her to handle alone,
bag to a more permanent urn. So far, I
it might make sense for her to down-
have managed to avoid taking care of
size and put the money she gets from
her pool and cutting her grass, but it’s
selling the place to work for her. Of
only a matter of time before the neigh-
course, she should run the idea by her
bors stop doing it for her.
attorney or accountant before making
I love my aunt, and she has done a
any decisions, but it might be the solu-
lot for me over the years. I realize she
tion — not only to her problem, but
has no kids to take care of her, but I
also to yours.
don’t think I should be expected to
Dear Abby: My husband and I
be her lackey for the next 30 years.
bought a house and moved in literally
How do I tell her I can’t be responsi-
the day COVID was announced as a
ble for taking care of her house with-
national emergency. I had planned to
go around to our new neighbors and
introduce ourselves, perhaps with a
small gift (I’m a professional baker).
That obviously hasn’t been possible.
We’ve had some over-the-fence inter-
actions with a couple of neighbors, but
I feel bad I haven’t reached out to the
others.
My husband and I are private, intro-
verted people, but I still want to make
ourselves known as approachable. Is it
too late? What’s the protocol on intro-
ducing yourselves to neighbors? Given
that everything is in fl ux and we still
don’t know if it’s safe, I don’t want to
let that become an excuse to put it off
indefi nitely. — Neighborly in New
Mexico
Dear Neighborly: It is not too late.
A charming way to introduce your-
selves would be to deliver — or have
delivered — a small plant to each of
your neighbors, with a short note
explaining that you are new to the
community, you are a professional
baker and you regret that the quar-
antine makes it impossible to reach
out in a more personal way. Be sure
to include your address and phone
number.
DAYS GONE BY
100 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Nov. 14, 1920
At the recent election in Salem, the people voted down a
proposition for fi nancial relief for the city government and in
consequence nearly every branch of city affairs has been hit.
It will be necessary to cut down the police force, curtail on
street cleaning, defer fi re department changes and stop pav-
ing street intersections. Pendleton people took the opposite
course by approving three measures by overwhelming major-
ities, thus clearing the way for improved conditions here.
Moral — If you wish to live in a fi rst class town that believes
in its future, step this way. We are crowded but we can always
make room for more.
50 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Nov. 14, 1970
“The freeway is coming! The freeway is coming!” The cry
was reminiscent of Chicken Little’s warning shouts. In the
name of progress, and like it or not, Interstate 80-N pushed
its way to Pendleton, side-stepped the town, and continued on
its way to link with other non-stop routes across the nation.
Many thoughts were summed up by one who remembers say-
ing, “The town is going to dry up. All those cars will go right
on by.” Salvation? “Don’t worry,” the Gods of the Great Road
said. Included in the $9 million bypass were four exits for
those travelers who wanted to stop in town. This wasn’t much
consolation for Pendleton merchants who, until a year ago,
enjoyed captive tourists with no choice but to drive through
the main streets of town and into the waiting business dis-
trict. But B-Day (By-pass Day) is long gone and Pendleton
is still on the map. The 1970 Round-Up set new attendance
records and more tourists visited the Pendleton Woolen Mills
than ever before. Bill Hubel, owner of the Longhorn Motel,
has enjoyed an increase in business every month since the
completion of the by-pass. “As roads get better, more people
travel,” he says. “And they’ve got to stop somewhere.”
25 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Nov. 14, 1995
“Jackson Sundown,” a documentary video about the leg-
endary Indian cowboy who won the Round-Up saddle bronc
riding title in 1916, debuted Saturday on the Umatilla Indian
Reservation. The documentary, which features historical
video clips, still photographs and old East Oregonian clip-
pings of Round-Ups past, is the emotionally charged work of
Cedric Bill and Tania van den Houten, both of Pendleton. In
1916, at the age of 50, Sundown won the Round-Up title. Two
Indian men interviewed in the documentary — Phil Lane,
a Sioux who grew up in the Dakotas, and Silas Whitman, a
Nez Perce — talked about Sundown as a hero. Both saw the
fi lm for the fi rst time Saturday and were impressed. Lane
said Sundown represented Native Americans, no matter what
tribe or band they were from, and the documentary showed
the strength of Sundown. “Things like this (documentary) are
going to heal the wounds,” he said.
Commitment to
Umatilla County’s
COVID-19 Recovery
(A Social Contract)
In order to protect the health of Umatilla
County residents, provide equitable educational
opportunities for our children, and restore economic
growth for the benefit of our workforce, we, the
undersigned, will:
1. Promote the proven measures that protect the
health of all individuals, including face coverings,
physical distancing, and regular hand washing.
2. Work to reduce the spread of coronavirus by
encouraging testing and quarantining for those
who may have been exposed, and cooperation
with local contact tracers to better understand and
contain the impact on our communities.
3. Commit to the long-term health of our
communities by staying vigilant to the risk of
a coronavirus resurgence and making good
health practices part of our ongoing mission and
operational procedures.
It is in the best interest of Umatilla County that every
individual understand that his/her personal health
choices impact the greater community good. We are
committed to championing all efforts that benefit our
continued recovery.
Gary George
Robert Echenrode
Billy Nerenberg
Chief Executive Officer,
Wildhorse Resort & Casino
General Manager and CEO,
Umatilla Electric Cooperative
Chief Executive Officer,
Cayuse Holdings
Dave Tovey
Fred Ziari
Joseph Franell
President,
IRZ Consulting
President,
Blue Mountain Networks
Executive Director,
Nixaawii Community
Financial Services
Kimberly Rill
Cheri Rosenberg
Susan Bower
Chief Executive Officer,
Hermiston Chamber
of Commerce
Chief Executive Officer,
Pendleton Chamber of
Commerce
President,
Eastern Oregon
Business Source
Tanner Hawkins
Randy Bracher
Kat Brigham
President,
Happy Canyon Co.
President,
Pendleton Round-Up
Board of Trustees Chair,
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation
Dennis Bailey-Fougnier
Kathryn Brown
President,
Blue Mountain
Community College
Owner,
East Oregonian and
Hermiston Herald
Angela Pursel
Owner and GM,
KOHU/The Q
Harold Geller
Brian Sims
Joe Fiumara
Chief Executive Officer,
St. Anthony Hospital
President & CEO,
Good Shepherd
Health Care System
Public Health Director,
Umatilla County
Mark Mulvihill
Tricia Mooney
Chris Fritsch
Superintendent,
InterMountain ESD
Superintendent,
Hermiston School District
Superintendent,
Pendleton School District
Aaron Duff
Heidi Sipe
Beth Burton
Superintendent,
Umatilla School District
Superintendent,
Stanfield School District
Raymon Smith
Troy Jerome
Darrick Cope
Superintendent,
Echo School District
Superintendent,
Pilot Rock School District
Superintendent,
Helix School District
Dave Drotzmann
John Turner
Lewis Key
Mayor,
City of Hermiston
Mayor,
City of Pendleton
Mayor,
Milton-Freewater
Bill Elfering
John Shafer
George Murdock
Commissioner,
Umatilla County
Commissioner,
Umatilla County
Commissioner,
Umatilla County
Superintendent,
Milton-Freewater
School District