WINNER OF THE 2020 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
HermistonHerald.com
EasternOregonMarketplace.com
Echo Sage
Trail Run
supports
women in
agriculture
‘It was brutal,’
says one winner
By NICK ROSENBERGER
EAST OREGONIAN
ECHO — With the sound
of shoes crunching through
rocks and sagebrush, a line
of runners disappeared on
Saturday, Sept. 25, into the
rolling hills of the Sno Road
Vineyards in Echo at the
Echo Sage Trail Run to raise
money for women in agri-
culture and to beat a chal-
lenging, rugged course.
The fun run, 5K and 10K
were open to anyone from
runners to walkers and was
organized by the Eastern
Oregon Women for Agri-
culture — an organiza-
tion dedicated to uplifting
and supporting the role of
women in agriculture. Pro-
ceeds from the event went to
their annual scholarship for
women pursuing agriculture
degrees.
Two courses split out
from the bottom of the hills:
a 10K winding its way south
along a ridge before meeting
up with the 5k course, which
looped north past the winery
and through rows of grape
vines.
“It was brutal,” said Ade-
laide Zumwalt, who took
fi rst place in the 5K with a
time of 32:54. Her father,
Tom Baker, took second
place with a time of 33:20.
Despite the diffi culty of
the course, many of the run-
ners, such as Dan Stein or
Gena Cook, who placed
third and fourth, felt good
about their race, even with
slower times than a normal
road 5K.
“It’s amazing what peo-
ple can do,” Stein said. The
Echo Sage Trail Run marked
his second 5K.
The winners of the 5k
and 10k received med-
als, while second and third
place received certifi cates.
Everyone who participated
received a green T-shirt
emblazoned with the Ore-
gon Women for Agriculture
slogan: “Almost everything
starts on a farm or ranch.”
COVID-19
setbacks
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
Dave Bender, RetroRagz shop owner, inspects “Stanley,” a wooden seal on Friday, Sept. 26.
2021. The seal was among items that he was selling in his Stanfi eld store prior to closing it.
Dave Bender closes RetroRagz without
having much of a chance to open it
By ERICK PETERSON
HERMISTON HERALD
In the days leading up to closing his Stan-
fi eld store, RetroRagz shop owner Dave
Bender was sorting out the antiques inside.
He was trying to fi gure which items he still
could sell, which he could give away and
which he could keep for himself.
Bender received two positive test results
for COVID-19 on separate occasions at Rite-
Aid pharmacies. The fi rst positive test was in
July 2020 in Everett, Washington. The second
was in Hermiston. But said he thinks he actu-
ally suff ered one case prior to the other two.
Multiple COVID-19 cases
Getting COVID-19 twice, according to
Joseph Fiumara, Umatilla County Public
Health director, is not unheard of.
“We consider everyone who is not vacci-
nated to be susceptible to infection, and this
includes individuals who have already tested
positive before,” he said. “Per Oregon Health
Authority guidelines, any individual who
tests positive, symptomatic or not, 90 days
after previously testing positive is considered
to be reinfected.”
People commonly think their fi rst infection
leads to developing antibodies, he explained,
which protect them from another infection.
But this is not the case, and the “immune sys-
tem is much more complex than that,” he said.
Verifi ed multi-occurrence cases of
COVID-19, though, are uncommon, Fiumara
said. His department claims there have been
116 such cases through Aug. 31.
“We do not have many documented rein-
fections, so I do believe it is rare,” he said.
“Three times is likely very rare.”
Bender’s troubles
Back in December 2019, Bender became
ill with what he thought was a common fl u.
It was strange, because he had unusual symp-
toms — loss of smell and taste, common
symptoms of COVID-19. But he did not,
then, think it was the emerging coronavirus.
At the time, the disease was in its infancy,
and reported cases were not in the U.S. So, he
did not get a test to verify it. He thought he
would recover a bit, work through the end of
his sickness and be fi ne.
His illnesses, and other personal issues,
delayed the opening of his new business. He
had started renting a storefront in downtown
Stanfi eld. Its location, across both a library
and a popular restaurant, made it attractive.
As he was an auctioneer with many con-
tacts in antiques and vintage clothing, he was
able to develop an inventory. He had paint-
ings, movie memorabilia and more. In addi-
tion, he possessed a collection of wood art,
which he carved, and inventions of his own
making. He fashioned a collection of bow ties
for dogs, and he was in the process of making
new clothing from used designer wear.
He was excited, and he even painted the
name of his new shop, RetroRagz, on his van.
His plan was to open in late 2019.
Illnesses, including what he believes to be
his fi rst bout with COVID-19, though, kept
him from opening his doors. He would later
feel better, but would then get sick again and
be unable to ready his store for a proper open-
ing. He opened for customers by request, but
he did not see much interest from the public.
“Who would want to come to an antique
store during a pandemic?” he said.
A couple of times, he brought items out-
side the front of his store for a sidewalk sale.
These sales, however, were not helping him
pay his bills. He maintained his online busi-
ness, selling antiques, but those sales were
not paying much, either.
He was falling behind on his rent, his
wife was in the hospital with multiple scle-
rosis and he kept getting sick. His problems
were piling up, and he could not fi nd the help
he needed.
See Store, Page A8
See Run, Page A8
HAC, HAC, Hooray for the Hispanic Advisory Committee
Hermiston Hispanic Advisory Committee members help
their community for Hispanic Heritage Month and every day
community for everyone, accord-
ing to the city’s website.
By ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Herald
Hermiston is a better place
because of Hermiston’s Hispanic
Advisory Committee, according
to committee members. As the
nation celebrates Hispanic His-
tory Month, Aug. 15 to Sept. 15,
HAC members refl ected on their
identities as Hispanic people and
the role of their committee in
Hermiston.
The committee is a bridge
between Hispanic people and city
government in Hermiston. Com-
mittee members seek the opin-
ions of local Hispanic people and
relay issues and concerns to the
Hermiston City Council and city
government. Committee mem-
bers also report their fi ndings
back to their community.
The goal of HAC is to solve
problems and strengthen this
INSIDE
Jose Garcia
Jose Garcia, committee presi-
dent since 2015, is proud of HAC
and of his work on it. As presi-
dent, he heads the group, which
includes three other members —
Mark Gomolski, Obdulia “Abby”
Munoz-Reyes and Nazario “Naz”
Rivera. A fi fth member is likely
to join the committee. A vacancy
review board recommended Agus-
tin Vega-Peters at the city council
meeting on Monday, Sept. 27.
Garcia, who runs a drug and
alcohol program in Hermiston,
said his friends caused him to join
the Hispanic Advisory Commit-
tee. Before that, he was active in
the Hispanic community in other
ways. He coached soccer and
served on a multicultural commit-
tee in Salem. His friends, though,
A3 Part 4 of series explores trade
workers
Also, he is a problem solver who
is concerned about Hispanic peo-
ple. The New Horizon Alco-
hol and Drug Program, which he
serves as program director, has
many clients, several of which are
Hispanic agricultural workers.
“I’ve been enjoying every min-
ute of it,” Garcia said.
He said he likes helping his
community and the city. The
mayor, city council and depart-
ment heads have all been solid
partners, he said.
At every meeting, he thinks
about HAC’s place in history.
Some of the decisions, he said,
may seem small, but they are sig-
nifi cant. For instance, when the
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Funland Playground was built, the
Lilly Alarcon-Strong is the city recorder for Hermiston and is a city Parks and Recreation Department
representative for the Hispanic Advisory Committee. She was hard at work sought the committee’s input. The
on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021.
committee answered by inviting a
local artist to paint a mural at the
suggested he should serve his local saw there was an open position and playground. This would make the
attraction more inviting to His-
community rather than drive to joined.
Salem.
It is a good fi t, he said. As an panic people.
In 2014, he read an East Ore- extrovert, he likes talking with
See HAC, Page A8
gonian story about the committee, people and making connections.
A7 Stanfi eld grad makes it big in
cartoons
A9 Possible health care crisis
nears
A10 American Legion hosts
picnic