Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/51649
4B Daily News – Tuesday, January 3, 2012 FEATURES Wicked woman wages word war, wreaks woe Dear Annie: I am a 17-
year-old girl with divorced parents. My dad lives with ''Heather.'' She is young, has three kids and is very irritating.
Heather seems to think she has to make fun of peo- ple. Her favorite targets are my mom and my father's family members. She's always touching my dad and constantly picks fights with my sister and me, and sometimes Dad, too. She is always checking the numbers he calls and texts, because she is afraid he's cheating on her. Once, Heather told me I was no longer welcome in her house. She told my father she hates me and would appreciate it if I left him alone. How can I tell her I don't like it when she makes fun of the people I love, and that I'd prefer it if she'd simply ignore me rather than be all nice one minute and a wicked step- mother the next? — Confused Teenager
and damaging. Annie's
Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar
Dear Annie: Recently, a dear friend and neighbor passed away. The family chose to have a get-together on Thanksgiving and invit- ed another neighbor and me. They understood that we would spend dinner with our own families and said it would be perfectly fine if we showed up afterward. They said they'd be home all evening. The family mentioned the event several times and called to be sure we were coming. They even asked permis- sion to use my driveway for their guests.
I had Thanksgiving dinner at my
Dear Confused: Heather sounds a little insecure about her relation- ship with your father, and it's unfortunate that you are on the receiving end. Right now, if you want to see your father, you'll have to put up with Heather. But you should talk to Dad about how unwelcome she makes you feel, and say you'd appreciate it if he'd ask her to keep her snarky com- ments about the family to herself. Such remarks are inappropriate
son's house. When I arrived home, there were no cars in my driveway. My neighbor said there hadn't been any cars there all day. I phoned the family twice and got voicemail. My neighbor and I rang their door- bell in case they couldn't hear the phone, but there was no answer. When the family returned home, my neighbor was outside and asked if they'd had a nice day. They said yes.
I am hurt and would like an
explanation. Apparently, they changed the location and didn't inform us. I would understand if they did that or decided just to have immediate family. But a phone call telling me this would have been nice, as I left my own family din- ner early. I called the family again and left a message, but still have received no response. I don't know
what to make of the situation. — Kentucky Dear Kentucky: Let's be charita- ble and assume the family changed the location and forgot to notify those who wouldn't also be attend- ing their Thanksgiving dinner. When they returned to hear your messages, they were too embar- rassed to call back and apologize. We hope you can forgive them. When there is a death in the fami- ly, people can sometimes be unin- tentionally inconsiderate.
Dear Annie: I read the letter
from ''Need School Assistance,'' whose second-grader was molested by a disruptive boy at his school. As a retired school social work-
er, all my red flags went up when I read this. ''Boyd's'' behaviors are indicators of possible sexual abuse in his own home. For this young child to be suspended twice in a single semester perhaps to spend more time in a potentially abusive environment is heartbreaking. You said you hoped the school had called child welfare services to look into his home life, and I would say a call is certainly in order. — Concerned in the Mid- west
Annie's Mailbox is written by
Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.
California Outdoors Q&As
When Special Fish- ing Regulations Differ on the Same River Question What are the bag limits for waters that have special regulations for trout? In some cases, specifically the middle fork of the Stanislaus River, the river is broken down into sections. For example, from the Beard- sley Dam down to the Spring Gap Bridge there are certain restrictions and the bag limit is two fish of at least 14 inches. From the same bridge down to New Melones Lake there are no special restrictions and the bag limit is two fish. If you fish on one side of the bridge following the special restrictions (only artificial lures and barbless hooks) and you keep two fish that are at least 14 inches, can you also be in possession of two fish from the other side of the bridge that allows any type of bait and hook? Meaning you would be in possession of four fish because they were caught essentially under the bag limit of the two different bodies of water based on the regu- lations. Also, how would you be able to prove to a game warden if they ask about the additional two fish that you caught up river beyond the bridge? (Larry G.) Answer You may not
exceed the daily bag or possession limit for the
location where you are currently fishing, regard- less of where you caught the fish. In your example, the daily bag limit is two fish, and you cannot exceed that limit on the same day even if you fish multiple segments of the river. For an alphabetical list
of waters with special fishing regulations, see California Code of Regu- lations Title 14, section 7.50. In the current Cali- fornia Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, they can be found beginning on page 30.
Combo shotgun and rifles
Question I was told recently by my gunsmith that it's illegal to use a double gun - a rifle/shot- gun combo, like the Sav- age Model 24 - when hunting birds in Califor- nia. Do you have any knowledge of this or any idea of who to ask? (Dave and Jim M.) Answer Combination rifle/shotguns used to be fairly common and are making a bit of a come- back. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Lt. Todd Tognazzini, they are legal to carry as long as the method matches the species being hunted. If the person is hunting for a species where the use of the rifle or shotgun is restricted or not permit- ted, they may not have
ammunition for the restricted barrel. For example, if a person is hunting turkey with a 12 gauge shotgun using No. 2 shot, but they also have .22 caliber ammo in pos- session, this could result in a citation.
Hunting with these combo guns also restricts the hunter to one shot. For example, if shooting turkeys with the shotgun barrel, the hunter would have to reload another shotgun shell if they missed or needed a back- up shot. If the other bar- rel is being used for any- thing except small game, lead restrictions would apply. And if hunting in the Condor Zone, lead restrictions would also apply!
Fishing for mussels? Question What are the
regulations for taking mussels? Can they be taken year-round or do they have a specific sea- son? (Tom W.) Answer Mussels may
only legally be taken by hand and there is no size limit, but only 10 lbs. of mussels in the shell may be taken each day. By law, mussels may be taken year-round, but the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) monitors and annually quarantines the take of mussels for human con- sumption to prevent cases of paralytic shell- fish poisoning and domoic acid poisoning.
The quarantine is usually in effect from May through October. Before you go, check with CDPH for daily updated information on quaran- tines and naturally occur- ring shellfish toxins by calling their Shellfish Biotoxin Information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553- 4133 or by checking online at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/ healthadvisory.asp