A8 The BulleTin • Friday, March 26, 2021 DEAR ABBY Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 Dear Abby: I used to be a successful working woman until I lost my husband of 30 years. After I became home- less, I met “Tom.” We’ve been good friends for the last five years, hanging out in the woods, sometimes getting hotel rooms. It’s a platonic relationship, but we rely on each other. I receive Social Security survivor benefits now, and I want to move on and get my own place. He says he’s fine with it, but I feel terribly guilty. He gets a small disabil- ity check but is not wise with money. How can I comfort him? — Guilty in Florida Dear Guilty: Tom has told you he is fine with you up- grading your living situation. I presume that you don’t in- tend to desert him. Believe him and stop flogging your- self for your good fortune. Help him when you can and encourage him to contact an agency that helps the home- less so he can get his life back on track, too. Dear Abby: I’m in a same- sex relationship with a woman I love and admire. But five months in, sex is be- coming impossible because I think I’m heterosexual. Leav- ing this relationship scares me because I can’t imagine a life without her. I told her I didn’t know if, for several reasons, sex would be a part of our relation- ship, but that I do love her. She doesn’t seem to mind at all. I’m not sure what to do. Please help. — Loving in Louisiana Dear Loving: What you need to do is be honest with your partner. It is possible that you are bisexual and need to explore relationships with men before making up your mind about any perma- nent relationship. If sex is im- portant to you, then the per- son you wind up with may not be this woman you love and admire, but someone else entirely. Dear Abby: My grandson died by suicide in 2019. My daughter, who lives in an- other state, hasn’t spoken to me since. Why? Because we did not call her on the phone. We were texting her, and she was texting us back. When I did try to call, she wouldn’t answer the phone. It has been more than a year now. She won’t respond to other family members, ei- ther. Please advise me what to do in this sad situation. Technical issues delay rental assistance for Oregon landlords BY JAMIE GOLDBERG The Oregonian Oregon will give landlords who applied for assistance earlier this month until March 30 to finish submitting nec- essary documentation after a faulty state website made it impossible for some to com- plete their applications on time. The state opened applica- tions for its new Landlord Compensation Fund on Feb. 17, nearly two months after lawmakers allocated $150 mil- lion to seed the program to help landlords whose residen- tial tenants had fallen behind on rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Landlords immedi- ately began complaining that the state website was distorting data or failing to allow them to upload necessary documen- tation. That prompted Oregon Housing and Community Ser- vices, the state agency admin- istering the program, to extend the deadline to apply until early March before promising to work individually with ap- plicants after the deadline to ensure their applications were completed. It could now take until May for those landlords to start re- ceiving the much-needed as- sistance due to delays caused by the faulty website. Kate Gonsalves, a spokes- person for the state agency, said landlords approved for the funding are likely to start seeing money show up in their accounts approximately 30 days after awards are an- nounced, which will happen sometime after the applica- tion process closes on March 30. It could take even longer for that money to reach landlords if local public housing author- ities responsible for delivering the money run into any prob- Carbon Continued from A7 — Wounded Grandma in Texas Dear Grandma: Not know- ing your daughter, I am hesi- tant to guess why she has iso- lated herself from everyone. She may have felt she was en- titled to more support from you all and didn’t receive it. As many people have pointed out in my column, while texts may be efficient, they are a poor substitute for a human voice. Because she refuses your calls, write her a letter telling her you love her and apolo- gize for letting her down af- ter the tragedy of losing her son. Whether it will help, I can’t guess — but at least the olive branch will have been offered. Cnes2021, Distribution Airbus DS YOUR HOROSCOPE By Madalyn Aslan This satellite image shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal Thursday,. The skyscrap- er-sized cargo ship wedged across Egypt’s Suez Canal further imperiled global shipping Thursday as at least 150 other vessels needing to pass through the crucial waterway idled waiting for the obstruction to clear, authorities said. Stars show the kind of day you’ll have DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021: Coura- geous, adventurous and original, the path forward involves being true to yourself while respecting the beliefs of others. This year, you can retain your independence and still be respected as a team player. Be discriminating when letting people into your inner circle. If single, be patient and the right fit will come along soon enough. If attached, let go of negative feelings and your love will endure. GEMINI makes you laugh. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Fresh air and exercise will serve you well today. Start a sensible and healthy eating plan. Prepare fresh salads and a fruit platter to munch on. You will feel lighter and more energetic. Tonight: Enjoy dinner with close friends. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Speak your mind, but be sensitive to the opinions of others. Tact will go a long way. Follow through on a promise you made to someone you love. They will be touched that you remembered. Tonight: Story time with kids. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Make your home warm and cozy. Get a house plant that is easy to care for. Be positive and patient when talking to parents and in-laws. This is not the time to bring up past frustrations. Tonight: Be creative with leftovers. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Strong opinions could get you in trouble. Play it safe and let a col- league have the last word. Siblings may have news to share. Get in touch even if it has been a while. Tonight: Snack, but not too much. Stuck Continued from A7 The vessel remained stuck as of Thursday night despite “continuous” efforts to refloat it, according to canal service provider Leth Agencies. Canal service provider Leth Agencies said at least 150 ships were waiting for the Ever Given to be cleared, in- cluding vessels near Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea, Port Suez on the Red Sea and those already stuck in the ca- nal system on Egypt’s Great Bitter Lake. Cargo ships already behind the Ever Given in the canal will be reversed south back to Port Suez to free the channel, Leth Agencies said. Author- ities hope to do the same to the Ever Given when they can free it. But many more ships al- ready are en route to the ca- nal. Using data from Automatic Identification System track- ers on ships at sea, data firm Refinitiv shared an analysis with the AP showing over 300 ships remained on the way to the waterway over the next two weeks. Some vessels could still change course, but the crush of ships listing the Suez Canal as their destination shows an even-greater backlog looms for shippers already under pressure amid the coronavi- rus pandemic. “Blocking something like the Suez Canal really sets in motion a number of dominos LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Paying bills could alter a harmonious mood. Find a money-making project that could evolve into a profitable business. Be generous with those you love, but stay within your budget. Plan an entertaining evening on a shoestring budget. Tonight: Update your calendar. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Get a makeover that includes a dramatic haircut. You may be surprised at compliments that come your way. Be prepared to present your ideas at a meeting. Review answers to challenging questions, and you’ll do just fine. Tonight: Ice cream. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Working at home looks more and more tempting. Do it if you can. Find a quiet place, free from distractions. Your family will appreciate you being around. Finish your day’s work before giving them your full attention. Tonight: Talk things over. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) People you know may be surprised at your strong public speaking skills. Think about taking a leadership role in an organization where you vol- unteer. Your ability to lead will emerge when faced with a meaningful cause. Tonight: Take time alone. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Wrap up unexpected problems, even if it means working overtime. A promotion or bonus may be in the offing. Plan the right moment to bring it up. Show your loved ones how much they mean to you. Tonight: Unwind and relax. Debt Continued from A7 That order remains in effect during the COVID-19 emer- gency period, which Brown has extended until May. However, Brown said in April that her order did not prevent money being seized because of criminal actions requiring restitution or civil judgments based on a criminal conviction. Past-due child sup- port can also be deducted from the payments before they are deposited in bank accounts. Brown announced in April that she was issuing the or- der to correct an “oversight in the federal legislation, ensur- ing that Oregonians can use the funds for their intended purpose: covering the costs of essential needs during the COVID-19 public health cri- sis.” Liz Merah, a spokesperson for Brown, confirmed Wednes- day that the state continues to bar debt collectors from seiz- ing the latest round of stimulus payments for Oregonians. She said individuals who believe their payments have been garnished in error should reach out to the Oregon De- partment of Revenue. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Continue to upgrade your professional skills, including learning new technology. Use this opportunity to gain more confidence in your abilities. The time may come when you seek out a new position and go on interviews. Tonight: Attend a new meeting. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Review the fine print of a contract or document. Take your time, even if someone pressures you to sign right away. A joint financial arrangement will start to bear fruit. Trust in its growth potential. Tonight: Make a journal entry. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Someone close may ask you to mediate a dispute. Be openminded and diplomatic. You do not want to upset those you love. Make this a teachable moment. Remind everyone to talk things through and open their hearts. Tonight: Early to bed. Bend’s boutique medical spa... fi nding beauty in the details. New location! 525 NW Colorado Ave QU S 541-209-0075 IN bendbulletin.com toppling each other over,” said Lars Jensen, chief ex- ecutive of Denmark-based SeaIntelligence Consult- ing. “The effect is not only going to be the simple, imme- diate one with cargo being delayed over the next few weeks, but will actually have repercussions several months down the line for the supply chain.” IRIE “Confronting the challenge of climate change and building a lower-carbon future will require a combination of government policies, industry initiatives and continuous innovation,” Amer- ican Petroleum Institute Presi- dent and CEO Mike Sommers said in a statement. The reversal comes as Presi- dent Joe Biden has made tack- ling climate change a top pri- ority, moving in his first days in office to suspend oil and gas lease sales from federal lands and waters and canceling the contentious Keystone XL oil sands pipeline from Canada. While industry critics ex- pressed suspicions over the sin- cerity of the move, Sommers emphasized that oil companies want “market-based solutions” such as a carbon tax or a cap- and-trade policy, rather than “heavy-handed government regulation.” The oil industry played a key role in the defeat of proposed cap-and-trade leg- islation in the Senate a decade ago, and its endorsement of a carbon price and other federal action marks a turnaround af- ter years of opposition to fed- eral legislation to address cli- mate change. Find it all online bendbulletin.com OBITUARY Owen Smith October 6, 1943 - January 8, 2021 Owen Smith (78) passed away on January 8, 2021 in Bend, Oregon. Owen was born in Glendale, California, and moved to Oregon in 1979. He loved camping and fl y fi shing as well as working in Sport Fishing in San Diego. He worked on the ship ‘Bett yLou’ and worked for Frito-Lay in both San Diego and Bend. His love of anti ques led to owning a restorati on business in Baker City and Bend. He is survived by his partner Jan Curry and her family, his ex-wife Jane and their two wonderful children, Laura McClain and Jeremy Smith, as well as his two grandchildren, Jack and May. David L. Hanson of Redmond, OR Nancy (Hazelwood) Lee Ariail of Bend, OR March 31, 1949 - March 18, 2021 Arrangements: Arrangement entrusted to Redmond Memorial Chapel. 541-548-3219. Please leave condolences at redmondmemorial.com Services: Services will be held at a later date. Contributions may be made to: Redmond Band of Brothers May 16, 1945 - March 21, 2021 Arrangements: Baird Funeral Home of Bend is honored to serve the Ariail family. Please visit our website, www. bairdfh.com, to share condolences and sign our online guest book. Services: A service will be held later in the summer for friends and family Contributions may be made to: Meissner Nordic https://meissnernordic.org/ donate/ PO Box 2032 Bend, OR 97709-2032 Phone: 541- 316-0831 Elaine M. York of Redmond, OR T E XT Find it all online lems distributing the funds. Those delays could create added stress for struggling landlords and tenants alike. Landlords who are approved for relief through the state pro- gram will receive assistance to cover 80% of the rent they are owed by residential ten- ants dating back to April 2020 if they agree to forgive 20% of unpaid rent. Tenants whose landlords win approval will have their unpaid rent bills for- given for the months the land- lord receives funding, helping them stay in their homes after the state lifts its ban on evic- tions. Jan 29, 1926 - March 16, 2021 Arrangements: Arrangements Entrusted To: Redmond Memorial Chapel www.redmondme- morial.com ; 541.548.3219 Services: Private Burial Services Contributions may be made to: Local Charity of Choice OBITUARY DEADLINE Call to ask about our deadlines 541-385-5809 Monday-Friday 10am-3pm Email: obits@bendbulletin.com