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Friday, August 25, 2006
News

Local Hispanic population rising fast
By Johnathan C. Ryan - Reporter


Juan Nunez pays Lucia Juarez for his purchase at El Cid, a Mexican tienda on West Meeting Street. As more Hispanic people move into the area, more shops catering to them are opening. El Cid, owned by Zincente Reyes, has been open for about four years. Aaron Morrison/staff photographer
The U.S. Census Bureau released its 2005 American Community Survey data last week, and the Charlotte metro continues to see great spikes in its Hispanic population.

Lancaster County, which is part of the metro area, is following the trend. There was a 9.1 percent increase here in the Hispanic population over 2004 figures. That's higher than South Carolina's 7.1 percent increase, which ranked third highest in the country for 2005.

This state now has 139,801 Hispanic residents, according to the survey, but researchers estimate the actual number is two to three times that.

"Look at what we have here - we have farming and construction," said Lancaster County resident Sal Estrada, an immigrant from Mexico, saying people are coming to the state from foreign countries, as well as other states. "What do you need for that? Some skills, but really just your two hands."

Estrada believes that Lancaster County's reported Hispanic population of 1,745 residents is below the actual number.

He said he organized a Hispanic soccer league, which now has 160 adult male players. But he said that many, and more, typically show up to watch the games.

"I would say yes, it's changing and increasing," he said about the county population.

Lancaster County School District spokesman David Knight said there are now 419 Hispanic students in grades K-12. Going into the 2005-06 school year, there were 295, but in 2000, there were only 59.

Of the counties in the Charlotte metro area, Lancaster County showed the greatest percentage increase - 77.3 percent - since 2000. Estrada said not only Mexican immigrants, but those from Honduras and Guatemala, continue to find the area attractive.

Employment center welcomes Hispanics
S.C. Employment Security Commission Director for Lancaster County, Lynda Burke, said her office helps Spanish-speaking individuals find resources that will

help them improve English skills and make them more attractive candidates for jobs.

And most of these people have some sort of documentation, whether a visa or guest worker verification, if they are not citizens.

"We ask people if they're citizens, and we get documentation," Burke said.

But she wouldn't say what would happen if documentation isn't provided.

"We've never really had a situation like that," she said.

She said local Hispanics continue to be good candidates for construction, textile, warehouse and customer service jobs in the area.

"Many of them have good work histories, whether here or in another country," she said.

Census data
The American Community survey continues to get down to the micro-level by including areas with smaller populations.

The 2005 data included metro and city areas with at least 65,000 people, a census spokesperson said Monday.

The survey, which replaces the long form of the 10-year census in order to provide policy makers with fresher data, does not ask whether respondents are legal residents, the spokesperson said.

"We just collect the data, we don't interpret it," the spokesperson said. "We count every person."

The survey is expected to cover all areas, regardless of population, by 2010.

Estrada said most illegal, Hispanic immigrants want to become citizens, and being considered illegal isn't something they take pride in.

"It's not only a desire, it's a wish," he said. "They don't like the illegal status, but there's not a system that will allow them to come out of the shadows."

North Carolina continues to show increases in its Hispanic population, as well. In terms of raw numbers, it now has 553,113 Hispanic residents, an increase from the 378,962 reported in the 2000 census.

"The future is a bilingual, bicultural generation," Es-trada said.

Contact Johnathan Ryan at 416-8416 or jryan@thelancasternews.com