A6 The BulleTin • Friday, april 16, 2021
Parking
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: A friend of 35
years recently accused me of
exposing her and her mother
to COVID. She told me she
thinks I did it on purpose
because I thought so little of
them. This is not true!
I had been home for eight
days and saw her on a Fri-
day. The following Wednes-
day I felt sick, so I got tested.
When my test the next Mon-
day came back positive, I
told her immediately. Since
then she has blocked me and
won’t talk to me to figure out
what happened. I don’t even
know if they got sick.
We have been good friends
and helped each other often.
I have done a lot for her, but
she still refuses to talk to me.
What should I do?
— Blocked by COVID
in California
Dear Blocked: When
people are frightened, they
sometimes act emotion-
ally instead of rationally. A
problem with COVID is that
people can be infected, with-
out symptoms, and spread
the virus without becoming
sick (yet) themselves. This
is why mask-wearing and
social-distancing are so im-
portant. From your descrip-
tion, this may be what hap-
pened in your case.
Give your friend time to
cool off and continue try-
ing to reach out to her. Then
hope that in light of your
long friendship, she’ll calm
down and you can recon-
nect.
Dear Abby: My ex and I
were together 17 years. He
was a cheater, a liar, and any
other way a horrible husband
can be described. I divorced
him six years ago.
My problem is a few of our
kids think he’s a wonderful
guy. The older one (25) lived
with him until a few months
ago. I don’t know how to
make her understand how
horrible he is. I think if she
stepped back for a while, she
would see it, but she (and
several of his other kids)
have been completely brain-
washed.
She’s very quick to ask a
question, but when I respond
in a way she feels is negative
about her dad, she suddenly
has to hang up or needs to go
do something. I’m lost trying
to make her see how their
part of the family looks like
a cult to everyone else in the
family.
— Knows the Truth in Ohio
Dear Knows: Trying to
reason with your daughter
is a waste of time. Trying to
“deprogram” your children
from the “cult” of loving their
father isn’t working, so quit
trying. By persisting, you will
only drive a wedge between
you. As you stated, once they
have stepped back, they may
begin to see the light without
help from you. Let it happen
on its own.
Dear Abby: I’ve never seen
you answer a question like
mine. I have a $20 bill that
was torn. At some point, the
two halves became separated
in my pocket, and I lost one
of them. Is there any way I
could get value for the half
that I still have?
— Poor in New Jersey
Dear Poor: I’m sorry, but
the answer is probably no.
If you had three-quarters of
the bill, you could take it to
a bank and exchange it for a
whole bill. But because you
have only half, you are out of
luck. Sorry!
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021: Passionate,
brave and steely, when you get into something, so does all your heart. This
year, you succeed at a challenging position. Money comes fast and furious,
so plug any leaks that might spring up on the spending side. Plan a family
vacation that offers something for everyone. If single, believe in love at first
sight. If attached, remember what attracted you to each other. SAGITTARIUS
makes you think.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Speak clearly and more directly than usual. Your no-nonsense mode
of expression can seem bold, but sometimes you just want to wake people
up. Do it with affection, and people will know you mean well. Tonight: Invite
a neighbor for tea.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
A luxury item you thought you could never afford will suddenly be
within reach. You deserve a treat now more than ever. A family dispute might
not be as serious as it seems. Talk things through. Tonight: Watch a televised
concert.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Find ways to connect with new people today. Network with a group,
or sign up for a golf, hiking or tennis league so you can grow your tribe. Your
personal appeal is at a high now. Tonight: Accept an offer.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Seek out solitude and filter out the noise. Listen intently, and you can
get a clear signal from your intuition. If you’re stumped at the prospect of
making a decision, trust your gut. Tonight: A friend pours their heart out.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Use your natural leadership abilities to inspire others. Team members
who are stuck or stalled appreciate your pep talks. A donation that you made
has been spent in a way that warms your heart. Tonight: Try out a healthy
recipe.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Don’t shun the spotlight today. It’s about time that you take credit for
your contributions, even though you usually prefer to work quietly behind
the scenes. A new friendship could develop now. Be open to it. Tonight: Buy
yourself flowers.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Re-read and revise a piece of writing that you are stuck on. Let a friend
who can provide helpful suggestions look at it. It may never be published,
but you want something that represents your voice. Tonight: Connect with
out-of-state friends.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Your insight into a friend’s problems will be a lifesaver. You know the
right things to say at the appropriate moments. A business proposition will
intrigue you. Research details and consult a financial adviser. Tonight: Create
your own video.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Center today’s plans around someone you love and who you have
missed being around. Get lost in a deep conversation about the recent past.
Promise yourselves that you will stay in touch on a regular basis. Tonight:
Write a note to yourself.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Someone could ask for practical advice on how to problem-solve. Be
firm and truthful, yet sensitive and caring, and you will have a positive im-
pact. Pace yourself and take a break whenever needed. Tonight: Take care of
someone’s needs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Be playful even if you’re frustrated and feeling cranky. Your sense
of humor will diffuse a tense situation. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Life is
too short to let little annoyances upset your day. Tonight: Play a game with
friends.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Your home needs your personal, loving touch. Make a list of repairs
that you can begin to implement. You are due for a call with parents or in-
laws. Share your news but continue to maintain boundaries. Tonight: Excit-
ing dinner date.
Continued from A1
Issues intensify during festi-
val season, Misley said. During
the height of the tourism sea-
son, the city has lots of people
camping in the rights of way.
Homes have had RVs camping
in front, sometimes setting up
shop for days at a time, he said.
There are several camp-
grounds for RVs in and
around the city, but they are of-
ten at capacity during festivals,
Misley said.
“It’s usually a capacity issue
more than people not inter-
ested in paying (for camp-
grounds),” Misley said.
The permit system would
allow property owners to ap-
ply for a permit that would let
someone park and use an RV
in front of their home for up
to 72 hours. A property owner
Lawyer
Continued from A1
The committee’s 27-page
opinion states that Ard’s con-
duct caused numerous people
to lose faith in the court sys-
tem, including Ard’s own cli-
ent, former Sisters High School
girls soccer coach Niklas Go-
ertzen.
“(Ard) burdened the court
by requiring it to expend its
limited time and resources on
his redundant motions and un-
necessary hearings, far in ex-
cess of what was warranted by
the legal issues,” the commit-
tee’s opinion read. “(Ard) has
damaged the reputation of the
profession with his bad faith
and harmful use of the legal
system.”
Ard did not return phone
messages or an email sent to
his address listed with the bar.
The Goertzen saga dates to
2012, when the Sisters School
District declined to renew his
coaching contract. In a subse-
quent lawsuit, Goertzen con-
tended a cabal of parents un-
fairly conspired to oust him
and damage his reputation,
despite his self-proclaimed suc-
cess with the team.
The suit was dismissed by
Bulletin file
Traffic moves along Cascade Avenue in Sisters.
could get a permit up to four
times a year.
The idea is to help prop-
erty owners and their visitors
attend events and festivals
during times of year when
most of the camping in the
area is booked up, Misley said.
“It’s a matter of keeping our
rights of way clear and safe,”
Misley said. “But I think the
RV permitting program is an
example of us saying, ‘How do
we support our residents who
don’t have a driveway, or our
festival promoters who are suc-
Deschutes County Circuit
Court Judge Beth Bagley. Go-
ertzen appealed, unsuccess-
fully.
Then, in 2013, Ard got in-
volved.
His first action as Goertzen’s
lawyer was to file a new lawsuit
on largely the same grounds
as the dismissed one, the dis-
ciplinary committee opinion
states.
The second lawsuit was dis-
missed, and Goertzen was or-
dered to pay $24,000 in attor-
ney fees to the soccer parents.
He later testified Ard did not
notify him this was a possible
outcome.
Ard went on to file numer-
ous motions alleging the par-
ents lied and falsely asserted
he had evidence to back his
claims. He called on the De-
schutes County district attor-
ney to investigate the parents
for criminal conduct and ac-
cused Bagley and other judges
of bias.
Against Bagley, he filed a
$1.25 million federal lawsuit,
which was dismissed, and an
ethics complaint with the bar,
which was also thrown out.
In one noteworthy episode,
spelled out in detail in the dis-
ciplinary committee opinion,
he accused Bagley of bias for
concealing an alleged friend-
ship with one of the soccer par-
ents, Merry Ann Moore.
To justify his allegation he
submitted screenshots of the
judge’s LinkedIn page, which
had a sidebar that showed that
some number of people who
had viewed the page had also
viewed Moore’s. The disci-
plinary committee’s opinion
notes this could be the result of
either Ard or Goertzen viewing
the two pages, thus creating the
“evidence” themselves.
“But regardless of who might
have viewed the two uncon-
nected pages, the leap from
that bit of information to proof
that the judge and Moore were
friends ... was, on its face, be-
yond logical extrapolation,” the
opinion reads.
The parents ensnared in
Ard’s legal filings became disil-
lusioned with the courts. Attor-
ney Carl Rodrigues, who tes-
tified in a deposition, spoke to
their frustrations.
“They keep asking me, when
does this end?” Rodrigues said.
“We keep winning, and he
keeps filing.”
Fighting Ard’s frivolous
claims cost the Sisters soccer
parents at least $120,000 in at-
cessful at bringing thousands
of people to town?”
The permit system is being
timed with an increase the city
is getting in law enforcement
resources, Misley said.
Historically, Deschutes
County Sheriff’s Office depu-
ties have dedicated 120 hours
a month to patrolling within
the Sisters city limits, said De-
schutes County Sgt. Jayson
Janes. A new contract now pro-
vides one lieutenant and three
deputies who are dedicated to
the city.
Last summer, the sheriff’s
office received eight parking
complaints, Janes said in an
email.
Misley said the city will re-
view whether the new code is
effective in the next six to 12
months.
e
Reporter: 541-633-2160,
bvisser@bendbulletin.com
torney fees, an amount they’ve
only partially recovered, ac-
cording to the opinion.
Goertzen himself revealed a
level of frustration and anguish
with the process when he was
deposed.
“I don’t freaking understand
how we got to this point, and
why somebody didn’t step in
and say, what’s going on here,”
he said. “I was relying com-
pletely, 100% on my attorney.”
Ard now has one final possi-
ble appeal: to the state Supreme
Court.
If he accepts the recom-
mended penalty, he would have
to go through a more formal
reinstatement process, because
his suspension is longer than
six months, according to bar
spokeswoman Kateri Walsh.
He would have to demon-
strate to the bar’s board of gov-
ernors he has the “character
and fitness” to practice law.
Last year, the disciplinary
council recommended sus-
pensions 13 times, according
to the council’s latest annual
report.
Three lawyers were dis-
barred during that same pe-
riod.
e
Reporter: 541-383-0325,
gandrews@bendbulletin.com