A16
East Oregonian
PEANUTS
COFFEE BREAK
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
DEAR ABBY
BY CHARLES M . SCHULZ
Birth mother reconnects
with biological son
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
BY LYNN JOHNSTON
B.C.
BY JOHNNY HART
PICKLES
BY BRIAN CRANE
BEETLE BAILEY
BY MORT WALKER
Dear Abby: When I was an
stay with me every night. Am I
doomed with this man? By the way,
unmarried 18-year-old, I had a
child out of wedlock. Unsure that
he’s been married four times. —
I could provide for him, I chose to
Wants More in Michigan
place him for adoption so he would
Dear Wants More: Wake up.
The man you have been dating
have a chance for a better life. This
year, we connected through DNA.
isn’t going to change. He has
The reunion has been great, even
struck out at marriage four times
Jeanne
and may have “plans” during the
though I choose to remain in the
Phillips
background because his mother is
week that do not include staying
ADVICE
still living.
with a “Sleeping Beauty.” If you
Would it be appropriate this fall
want more companionship than
and winter to include him in my holi-
what you’re getting, you are going
day festivities as long as it doesn’t interfere
to have to seek it elsewhere.
with the time he should be spending with his
Dear Abby: My daughter is getting
family? And, after his mother passes away,
married. Her father and I never married,
what role should I play in his life? His father
but legally he’s listed as her father. For the
past 40 years she has used my last name.
is deceased, and he and his adopted brother
Well, her wedding invitation arrived today
are estranged. — Bio Mom in Texas
Dear Bio Mom: Your son should
and her father’s name is on it. Mine isn’t
even mentioned!
have told his adoptive mother about the
reunion, regardless of who initiated it. I
My parents and I raised her. Her dad was
think it would be better for everyone if she
around but never an active father. I raised
was included. A way to do that would be
her, but he gets the glory and the privilege
to thank her for taking such good care of
of walking her down the aisle? She says I’m
your son and helping him to become the
being “a wacko.” Must I accept this and let
man he is today. I do not think secrecy is
it go? I feel so hurt that I really don’t want
healthy. If it backfires, there will be deeply
to go to the wedding. — Loving, Left-Out
hurt feelings because of the subterfuge. At
Mom
this point in your son’s life it’s too late for
Dear Mom: I understand your feelings.
you to be his mommy. However, you can be
If you haven’t asked your daughter why
a good friend, since his only family now is
she chose to do this, you should. At the
least, you deserve an explanation. Please
the woman who loved and raised him.
Dear Abby: I have been dating a man
understand that if you refuse to go to her
for almost three years. He’s retired; I’m still
wedding, it could create a permanent rift.
working. He refuses to stay with me during
There may be grandchildren and mile-
the week because I need to go to bed early. I
stones you also could miss. Of course, the
see him only on the weekends. Am I wrong
decision is yours to make, but since you
for wanting him to stay with me during the
asked me to weigh in, I’m suggesting you
week? I feel like we really don’t have a rela-
take the high road, attend and support your
tionship. My previous boyfriends would
daughter on “her” day.
DAYS GONE BY FROM THE EAST OREGONIAN
GARFIELD
BLONDIE
BY JIM DAVIS
BY DEAN YOUNG AND STAN DRAKE
100 Years Ago
Aug. 24, 1921
That Louis Ragains was shot at some spot
outside of the Wright cabin and was taken
to the cabin after his death and the body
placed in position on the floor is a theory of
the tragedy that has been current following a
trip to the cabin yesterday by three carloads
of people who made a careful examination
of the premises. That there were blood stains
on Ragains’ own saddle and that a stain on
the shoulder of his horse is thought to be
blood are two startling indicators that are
taken as establishing the plausibility of the
theory.
50 Years Ago
Aug. 24, 1971
Nellie Hoyt, who may be in her mid-60s,
but carries on a multitude of activities that
might go with an active 30-year-old, racked
up another bunch of award ribbons this year at
the Umatilla County Fair. The Umatilla artist,
wife of Clyde Hoyt, has no idea how many
ribbons she has won at fairs with her paint-
ings. She started years ago and in addition to
the Umatilla County Fair has received awards
at the Columbia County Fair in St. Helens
and the Tri-Cities Water Follies. “There’s not
enough hours in the day to do what I want
to do,” says Mrs. Hoyt, who raises a garden,
does some writing and manages the Umatilla
School cafeteria, in addition to her artistic
pursuits.
25 Years Ago
Aug. 24, 1996
If you can type, perform other standard
clerical tasks and speak Spanish and English,
you should have no trouble finding a job in the
Hermiston area. Area employers and employ-
ment agencies say the need for bilingual
workers with office skills is growing right
along with the growing Hispanic population.
Umatilla County is one of 10 in the state in
which at least 30 percent of new residents
are Hispanic, according to figures released
early this summer by the Center for Popula-
tion Research and Census at Portland State
University. In neighboring Morrow County,
Hispanics make up 63 percent of new resi-
dents.
TODAY IN HISTORY
DILBERT
THE WIZARD OF ID
LUANN
ZITS
BY SCOTT ADAMS
BY BRANT PARKER AND JOHNNY HART
BY GREG EVANS
BY JERRY SCOTT AND JIM BORGMAN
On Aug. 24, 1814, during
the War of 1812, British
forces invaded Washington,
D.C., setting fire to the Capi-
tol (which still was under
construction) and the White
House, as well as other public
buildings.
In A.D. 79, long-dormant
Mount Vesuvius erupted,
burying the Roman cities of
Pompeii and Herculaneum
in volcanic ash; an estimated
20,000 people died.
In 1932, Amelia Earhart
embarked on a 19-hour flight
from Los Angeles to Newark,
New Jersey, making her
the first woman to fly solo,
non-stop, from coast to coast.
In 1949, the North Atlan-
tic Treaty came into force.
In 1954, President Dwight
D. Eisenhower signed the
Communist Control Act,
outlawing the Communist
Party in the United States.
In 1981, Mark David
Chapman was sentenced in
New York to 20 years to life
in prison for murdering John
Lennon. (Chapman remains
imprisoned.)
I n 19 8 9, Ba seba l l
Commissioner A. Bartlett
Giamatti banned Pete Rose
from the game for betting on
his own team, the Cincinnati
Reds.
In 1992, Hur ricane
Andrew smashed into Flor-
ida, causing $30 billion in
damage; 43 U.S. deaths were
blamed on the storm.
In 2003, the Justice
Department reported the U.S.
crime rate in 2002 was the
lowest since studies began
in 1973.
In 2008, on the final day
of the Beijing Games, Kobe
Bryant hit two 3-pointers in a
big fourth quarter to help the
United States defeat Spain
118-107 and win the men’s
basketball gold medal for the
first time since 2000.
In 2019, police in Aurora,
Colorado, responding to a
report of a suspicious person,
used a chokehold to subdue
Elijah McClain, a 23-year-
old Black man; he suffered
cardiac arrest on the way to
the hospital and was later
declared brain dead and
taken off life support. (Three
officers were placed on leave
but returned to the force after
prosecutors found insuffi-
cient evidence to support
charging them.)
Today’s Bir thdays:
Composer-musician Mason
Williams is 83. R&B singer
Marshall Thompson (The
Chi-Lites) is 79. Actor Anne
Archer is 74. Former Arkan-
sas Gov. Mike Huckabee is
66. Baseball Hall of Famer
Cal Ripken Jr. is 61.
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
BY DANA SIMPSON
BIG NATE
BY LINCOLN PEIRCE