6B — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020
COFFEE BREAK
New mother is on her own when it comes to child care
DEAR ABBY: My stepdaughter
is married to a selfi sh man. They
have a baby, and he refuses to
help her with the baby. He claims
that because he works, he isn’t
obligated. She cares
for the baby 24/7
and does all the
housework, cooking,
etc. If she asks him
to feed the baby
in the morning, he
says, “I have to have my breakfast
fi rst,” and he lets the baby cry. He
also refuses to change a diaper.
What can she say or do to
change his ways? It is unfair to
her to work 24/7 like this, and she
is EXHAUSTED.
— STEPGRANDMA
DEAR STEPGRANDMA: I
agree the treatment your daughter
is receiving is unfair. That her
husband would eat while his
infant is crying for food is beyond
insensitive; it’s
neglectful and
DEAR
cruel. She should
not expect this man
ABBY
to change his atti-
tude. This is who he
is, and he not only
won’t change, his self-centered-
ness will become worse with time.
If you can take in your grand-
child — and your stepdaughter —
and give her a chance to get some
rest, please consider it. And while
she is with you, point out that this
will be her future as long as she
remains with her husband.
DEAR ABBY: I have the most
wonderful, caring, loving hus-
band any wife could dream of,
and together we have a very sweet
dog who adores us both but my
husband a bit too much. When my
husband is relaxing on the couch,
“Peanut” likes to, umm, “love
on” his leg.
I know this is something dogs
do, and I have read that it’s a way
to establish the alpha, but my hus-
band doesn’t dissuade her from
this “loving” behavior. I fi nd it
disturbing, not so much because
Peanut does it, but because my
husband doesn’t mind or even
likes it. Is this normal?
— OTHER ALPHA
since changed the phrase to “The
odd thing is” to keep the peace.
How can I handle this without
creating a scene or argument? It
is annoying when we are alone
and embarrassing when we are in
public.
— UNFUNNY IN TEXAS
DEAR UNFUNNY: I am sure
it’s embarrassing. “Wonderful”
people do not correct others in
public. They wait and do it pri-
vately. This person may have
redeeming qualities, but tact and
a sense of humor are not two of
them. If telling him you don’t like
what he’s doing and that it’s inap-
propriate will cause a scene or an
argument, my advice is to reeval-
uate the relationship.
DEAR OTHER ALPHA:
According to the ASPCA website,
what Peanut is doing is normal
behavior for animals of both
sexes, including those that have
been spayed or neutered. Your
husband’s acceptance of it, in my
opinion, is less so.
DEAR ABBY: I know a man
who is a wonderful person, but
he has a habit that is very dis-
turbing. He gets angry when I
laugh. He says I shouldn’t be
laughing because he thinks what
I’m laughing at isn’t funny.
I used to start a phrase with,
“The funny thing is,” meaning
strange or odd, and he would cut
me off saying, “I don’t see why
you think that’s funny.” I have
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
Nude photos and
death threats:
Scandal topples
Alaska mayor
By Mark Theissen
Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska
— A stunning tale of inap-
propriate behavior between
a politician and a television
anchor, death threats and
nude photos culminated
in a joint police and FBI
investigation, the arrest of
the journalist and the res-
ignation of the mayor of
Anchorage.
Ethan Berkowitz, the
top elected Democrat in
Alaska, submitted his res-
ignation to the Anchorage
Assembly on Oct. 13,
just days after he vehe-
mently denied allega-
tions by YourAlaskaLink
anchor Maria Athens that
he posted nude photos of
himself on an underage
website.
The mayor’s resigna-
tion followed Berkow-
itz’s jaw-dropping admis-
sion Oct. 12 that he was
involved in an inappro-
priate sexting — he called
it “messaging” — rela-
tionship with Athens, the
anchor of a combined Fox/
ABC station in Anchorage.
“My resignation results
from unacceptable per-
sonal conduct that has
compromised my ability
to perform my duties with
the focus and trust that is
required,” Berkowitz wrote.
“I apologize to the
people of Anchorage for
a major lapse in judgment
I made several years ago
when I had a consensual,
inappropriate messaging
relationship with reporter
Maria Athens. I’m embar-
rassed and ashamed for
Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP
Anchorage, Alaska Mayor Ethan Berkowitz addresses the
Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Berkow-
itz on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, admitted to having an inap-
propriate relationship with TV reporter Maria Athens three
days after she made online allegations against him.
Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP
the hurt I’ve caused my
family and our commu-
nity. I take responsibility
for my actions,” Ber-
kowitz added.
The fi ve days that roiled
Alaska’s largest city began
the morning of Oct. 9,
when Athens allegedly
placed a profanity- and rac-
ist-laden phone call to Ber-
kowitz. The voicemail, a
copy of which was obtained
by The Alaska Landmine
online blog, started with
the caller announcing her-
self as Athens and rattling
off her various network
affi liations.
The caller claimed to
have learned from sources
that Berkowitz had been
posting nude photos on an
underage website, and that
she planned to report this
on that evening’s news. The
caller threatened to kill
Berkowitz, who is Jewish,
and his wife, in a diatribe
laced with racist insults.
“You either turn yourself
in, kill yourself or do what
you need to do,” the voice-
mail says.
“I can’t believe I am
TV reporter Maria Athens interviews Alaska’s congressional delegation at an event on
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Anchorage. Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has admit-
ted to having an inappropriate relationship with Athens and resigned. Athens threatened
to expose Berkowitz for posting nude photos online and threatened to kill him.
such a good person and
thought I loved you,” the
caller continued. “I don’t
even hate you. I will pray
for your Zionist f-----g ass.
… And I’m putting this
on the news tonight. Bye.
Have a great Friday!”
The caller also predicted
she would win an Emmy
for her reporting.
Later that day, Athens
taped a tease for the story
and posted it to her Face-
book page, prompting this
denial from the mayor’s
offi ce: “The slanderous
allegations from Your
Alaska Link reporter Maria
Athens are categorically
false and appear to be the
product of someone who is
hostile and unwell.”
The same afternoon,
Athens posted what she
claims to be a photo of Ber-
kowitz’s nude backside as
proof of her allegations.
Here is what happened
later that day, according
to the district attorney’s
charging documents:
Athens and the station’s
manager, who is described
as her boyfriend in the doc-
weather
uments, got into an argu-
ment while driving in
Anchorage. He made her
get out of the car and told
her she was barred from
returning to the station.
Athens nevertheless
went back to the televi-
sion studio and attacked
him. When police arrived,
she hit an offi cer trying to
arrest her and was placed
in full restraints after she
tried to kick out the back
window of the police
cruiser with her high heels.
Athens was charged
with assault, criminal mis-
chief and disorderly con-
duct, and released after
posting bail.
Anchorage police and
the FBI investigated the
allegations and the death
threat, but the FBI in a
statement reported finding
“no immediate evidence
to support a violation of
federal law; however,
the FBI Anchorage Field
Office continues to mon-
itor the situation.”
Athens told the
Anchorage Daily News
she and Berkowitz began
communicating in 2016
on the messaging platform
WhatsApp.
“When he slided into
my texts, he was so smooth
with his little witty slogans
and pictures,” Athens told
the newspaper. She has not
returned messages left by
The Associated Press.
Athens, a graduate
of Seton Hall Univer-
sity in New Jersey, said
she was feeling isolated
in Alaska, and Berkowitz
“gave me attention when I
was lonely.” She declined
to say whether the texting
relationship ever became
physical.
Athens said she deleted
the messages from her
phone, which she said is
now in the hands of law
enforcement.
Astoria
Longview
34/50
Vancouver
27/49
33/48
27/42
Condon
26/44
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
Sunshine, but
cold
Clouds and sun;
chilly
Mostly sunny
Nice with some
sun
47 19
54 28
59 30
Eugene
3
9
10
29/54
44 22
55 32
61 35
2
9
10
La Grande
17 35 11
Comfort Index™
Enterprise
0
0
0
11 30 12
Comfort Index™
0
51 32
58 36
3
9
10
0
ALMANAC
THURSDAY EXTREMES
TEMPERATURES Baker City La Grande Elgin
NATION (for the 48 contiguous states)
High Thursday
Low Thursday
High: 99°
Low: 7°
Wettest: 4.29”
48°
22°
50°
25°
PRECIPITATION (inches)
Thursday
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Normal year to date
0.00
0.01
0.41
3.00
8.05
0.00
0.01
0.81
13.40
12.39
0.07
2.12
1.03
28.16
16.96
HAY INFORMATION SUNDAY
35%
N at 7 to 14 mph
5.9
0.06
RESERVOIR STORAGE (through midnight Friday)
Phillips Reservoir
Unity Reservoir
Owyhee Reservoir
McKay Reservoir
Wallowa Lake
Thief Valley Reservoir
8% of capacity
23% of capacity
41% of capacity
33% of capacity
15% of capacity
8% of capacity
STREAM FLOWS (through midnight Thursday)
Grande Ronde at Troy
Thief Valley Reservoir near North Powder
Burnt River near Unity
Umatilla River near Gibbon
Minam River at Minam
Powder River near Richland
OREGON
High: 67°
Low: 15°
Wettest: none
Brookings
Burns
WEATHER HISTORY
AGRICULTURAL INFO.
Lowest relative humidity
Afternoon wind
Hours of sunshine
Evapotranspiration
Picacho, Ariz.
Plentywood, Mont.
Lone Rock, Wis.
In 1911, the World Series endured its
longest string of rainouts, six days. The
Philadelphia A’s and New York Giants
resumed play on Oct. 24. The World Series
was over by Oct. 26.
SUN & MOON
SAT.
Sunrise
Sunset
Moonrise
Moonset
7:21 a.m.
5:51 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
none
SUN.
7:22 a.m.
5:50 p.m.
3:58 p.m.
1:06 a.m.
MOON PHASES
965 cfs
0 cfs
16 cfs
48 cfs
87 cfs
16 cfs
Full
Oct 31
Last
Nov 8
New
Nov 14
First
Nov 21
Monument
17/37
14/35
19/37
13/34
14/33
Beaver Marsh
12/36
Roseburg
34/59
Brothers
29/50
Coos Bay
35/60
Burns
Jordan Valley
16/34
Paisley
15/38
Frenchglen
17/38
Diamond
Grand View
Arock
15/36
25/43
16/40
Fields
Medford
19/39
Klamath Falls
19/44
Lakeview
14/39
McDermitt
16/36
RECREATION FORECAST SUNDAY
REGIONAL CITIES
MON.
City
Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
Astoria
50/33/s 53/40/pc
Bend
32/14/s 53/28/pc
Boise
42/21/s 44/27/pc
Brookings
70/50/s 70/52/s
Burns
41/3/s 51/19/pc
Coos Bay
57/34/s 60/38/s
Corvallis
53/25/s 55/33/s
Council
40/14/s 45/23/pc
Elgin
36/13/s 44/22/pc
Eugene
54/25/s 53/31/s
Hermiston
43/18/s 44/23/pc
Hood River
42/23/s 46/29/pc
Imnaha
34/15/s 48/26/pc
John Day
37/16/s 52/27/pc
Joseph
29/12/s 42/26/pc
Kennewick
42/18/s 43/24/pc
Klamath Falls 44/12/s 55/20/s
Lakeview
39/8/s 52/18/pc
Boise
24/42
Shown is Sunday’s weather. Temperatures are Saturday night’s lows and Sunday’s highs.
SUN.
18/42
Silver Lake
19/42
35/63
50/70
Juntura
8/41
35/64
Brookings
Ontario
27/47
14/37
Chiloquin
Grants Pass
Huntington
13/33
14/32
Oakridge
17/40
25/44
Seneca
Bend
Elkton
Council
17/39
John Day
15/38
Sisters
Florence
Powers
20/42
Baker City
Redmond
35/51
36/53
Halfway
Granite
28/53
Newport
Enterprise
11/30
17/35
24/41
32/52
36/57
Comfort Index takes into account how the weather will feel based on a combination of factors. A rating of 10 feels
very comfortable while a rating of 0 feels very uncomfortable.
50°
20°
Corvallis
32/56
42 25
Elgin
17/36
La Grande
16/29
18/37
Idanha
Salem
21/33
21/35
Pendleton
The Dalles
36/50
33/48
Lewiston
Walla Walla
Hood River
Portland
Newberg
Mainly clear;
quite cold
0
Forecasts and graphics provided
by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020
18/35
TONIGHT
Comfort Index™
541-786-2421
24/42
Maupin
9
Where: Corner of Booth Lane and
Lower Cove Road
When: Friday and Saturday:
9am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-4pm
Monday-Thursday: By appointment
What you will find:
Small corn maze, several
varieties of pumpkins and gourds,
straw bales, corn stalks.
If you would like to schedule a
school field trip or other event,
please call the number listed below.
Like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/
PickNPatchFarm
farmkidsatoregonwireless.net
Please call
Kennewick
27/49
St. Helens
TIllamook
17 39
PICK’N
PATCH
OPEN!
AROUND OREGON AND THE REGION
32/50
Baker City
She also declined to
elaborate on her asser-
tion that Berkowitz was
involved in illegal activi-
ties, saying it was based on
what sources told her. She
did not say who the sources
were.
Berkowitz’s resignation
was effective Friday, Oct.
23.
City
Lewiston
Longview
Meacham
Medford
Newport
Olympia
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Powers
Redmond
Roseburg
Salem
Spokane
The Dalles
Ukiah
Walla Walla
SUN.
MON.
Hi/Lo/W
33/21/s
49/25/s
34/10/s
63/26/s
51/34/s
49/27/s
47/20/s
43/19/s
35/18/s
50/30/s
59/34/s
38/11/s
60/27/s
52/26/s
30/15/s
44/21/s
28/11/s
35/20/s
Hi/Lo/W
35/27/c
51/32/pc
42/20/pc
67/35/s
53/40/s
51/34/pc
48/24/pc
43/26/pc
40/24/pc
52/36/s
67/37/s
55/22/pc
60/34/s
54/33/pc
32/21/c
47/29/pc
46/22/pc
39/30/pc
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice
ANTHONY LAKES
PHILLIPS LAKE
Very cold
Sunny and cold
21
8
37
12
MT. EMILY REC.
BROWNLEE RES.
Sunny; quite cold
Sunny and colder
27
12
41
17
EAGLE CAP WILD.
EMIGRANT ST. PARK
Very cold
Sunny; very cold
21
2
27
8
WALLOWA LAKE
MCKAY RESERVOIR
Sunny; very cold
Sunny, but cold
29
12
32
17
THIEF VALLEY RES.
RED BRIDGE ST. PARK
Sunshine, but cold
Sunshine, but cold
39
9
35
11