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WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 HermistonHerald.com ‘Worse than any fl u I’ve had’ Umatilla man experiences breakthrough case of COVID-19 INSIDE EasternOregonMarketplace.com EXPANDED EMPLOYMENT SECTION SEEKS TO LINK EMPLOYERS WITH JOB SEEKERS Area libraries, bookstores celebrate Banned Book Week By ERICK PETERSON Editor/Senior Reporter Two weeks after con- tracting COVID-19, Uma- tilla resident Andrew Morris is sick and feeling more than a little frustrated. He said he did everything right, includ- ing getting vaccinated, and he still became ill. Morris is one of the unlucky few breakthrough cases, people who were vac- cinated but came down with COVID-19 anyway. “This is worse than any fl u I’ve had,” Morris said. He had trouble recalling a comparable illness. After some thought, he compared it to Epstein-Barr virus infection, which also was painful. With COVID-19, Mor- ris’ body aches. He cannot taste his food, he cannot smell and his throat is sore. He spends most of his days and nights in bed, as even walking to the bathroom is diffi cult. Bedridden, he contin- uously questions himself: “What did I do wrong?” Joe Fiumara, Umatilla County Public Health direc- tor, said roughly 1 out of every 50 people hospital- ized with COVID-19 since January in the county were vaccinated against COVID- 19, or approximately 49 of 50 hospitalizations in the county this year were unvaccinated. Morris received his fi rst shot of the Moderna vac- cine in March, when it was fi rst available to him, then followed up with his sec- ond jab in April. Even after the fi nal shot, he continued to wear masks most of the See Breakthrough, Page A8 Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Kellie Lamoreaux, library aide, Susie Sotelo, library director, and Arianna Strong, library aide of the Umatilla Public Library, stroll Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, along StoryWalk at Hash Park in Umatilla. The StoryWalk features the banned book “The Story of Ferdinand.” ning the books on the ALA list include sensitive top- ics, profanity and even an author’s behavior. During Banned Books Week, book lovers cele- brate “the freedom to read,” as well as the “value of free and open access to infor- mation. According to the ALA, this year’s theme is “Books Unite Us. Censor- ship Divides Us.” By ERICK PETERSON Editor/Senior Reporter Activities and displays around the area are promot- ing “Banned Book Week,” Sept. 26 to Oct. 2. The path at Umatilla’s Hash Park is just one example of the cel- ebration. The path is lined with frames which con- tain pages from one banned book, “The Story of Fer- dinand” by Monroe Leaf, this month’s StoryWalk selection. Hermiston Public Library Banned books When many people think of a banned book, they think of books that are forbidden or removed by an institu- tion, or maybe even burned. Though this can be the case, Mark Rose, Hermiston Pub- lic Library director says a “banned” book has a diff er- ent meaning for his library and other libraries. People may “challenge” a book, asking for it to be removed, Rose said. Once the book is challenged, the book is “banned” regardless of whether it was removed Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Arianna Strong and Kellie Lamoreaux, library aides, and Susie Sotelo, library director of the Umatilla Public Library, on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, read pages from “The Story of Ferdinand,” a banned book. It is on display at Hash Park in Umatilla. from the library or not. It is then added to a banned book list, cautioning other libraries “that they might also experience a challenge or concern from their local citizens.” Though people are responding negatively when they initiate a ban, the ban can end up having the opposite intended eff ect. A ban, then, can be a badge of honor for a book as subver- sive or even important. The American Library Association released a list of the most challenged books in 2020. This list included “George” by Alex Gino; “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Renolds; and “Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice” by Marianne Cel- ano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard. Classics, such as “To Kill a Mocking- bird” by Harper Lee, were also on the top-10 list. Some reasons for ban- “This can be a divisive topic that I have seen cre- ate incredible problems for libraries in the past,” Rose said. Still, the Hermiston Public Library will move forward with Banned Book Week. Staff at that library will select materials and items to highlight. Rose said the library has been creating banned book dis- plays since he arrived, just over fi ve years ago. “It’s often a tradition in libraries to create these dis- plays at this time of year,” he said. See Books, Page A8 Hermiston farmers market continues past closure By ERICK PETERSON Editor/Senior Reporter Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Kraig Mueller, of 3rd Gen Farms, plays with his son, Kolton Mueller, on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, at a market in Hermiston. INSIDE A3 Part 3 of series looks at work- ers in manufacturing and hospitality A6 Lemonade Run brings clothes to foster kids Two farms on Thursday, Sept. 16, tried to make up for a farm- ers market that did not happen in Hermiston. They intend to attract others for a bigger market in fol- lowing weeks. The Maxwell Market in Herm- iston is a weekly farmers market in Hermiston at the Maxwell Event Center & Pavilion. The Thurs- day afternoon market, which can attract a dozen to 20 farm booths, sells local produce. The event, though, was can- celed, as organizers cited staff - ing problems. This market, and the remaining two markets of the 2021 season, would be cancelled because it could not fi nd workers for it. The COVID-19 pandemic has created this lack of staff . A Facebook post for the Max- well Market states, “Hope to see you for the 2022 season!” So orga- nizers intend to return next year. A7 Pokemon and comics big for Umatilla shop Still, a couple of local farms were undeterred by the market’s closure. They got together and set up their own market in McKenzie Park, outside and across the street from the event center. With only two vendors, it was not as large as the planned Maxwell Market, but the participants were glad to have a place to sell their produce, honey and baked goods. Kraig Mueller, 3rd Gen Farms owner, grows cucumbers, lettuce, melons, carrots and other row crops. A Hermiston resident, he has four fi elds in Hermiston, nine acres spread out “in all corners of Hermiston.” He wanted to see the market continue. After all, markets are how he makes his income. With the money he earns at markets, he buys seeds and equipment. “We’re market farmers, market gardeners,” he said. “We’re farm- ers, this is our income.” See Market, Page A8 A9 Judge Hill on short list for promotion