Thread: Decatur, AL: Fusion Cultural

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdail ... avor.shtml

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2006


Photo by Emily Saunders
Sylvia Aguilar, 8, plays with her nephew Ivan Arriaga, 1, at La Hacienda grocery off Austinville Road Southwest. La Hacienda is one of numerous Hispanic-owned businesses that have blossomed in Decatur during the last six years.

Decatur's Hispanic Influx
Fusion Cultural
Go tell it at the grocery: Latino flavor grows with population

Editor's note: This is the second of a seven-part series on Decatur's Hispanic influx.

By Martin Burkey
mburkey@decaturdaily.com· 340-2441

To see the growing Hispanic influence on Decatur, you need look no further than a booth at the city's newest Mexican restaurant.

There, at Mi Hacienda, Kathy Summerford is trying to expand husband Eric's culinary awareness beyond fast food and the fajita nachos dish to which he is accustomed.


Daily photo by Emily Saunders
Elizabeth Hernandez works at Las Novedades on Central Parkway Southwest. The store displays a wide variety of items of interest to Hispanic consumers.

"I had really not had that much Mexican food until I started seeing Kathy," he said. "I thought everything was spicy. I'd had Taco Bell. She got me started on fajita nachos."

Now, said Kathy, she is interesting him in quesadillas and chimichangas. Prompted by Kathy's enjoyment of Mexican food, his once-a-year visit to a Mexican restaurant is now once a week.

The Hispanic influence can be that subtle, like walking into a store's electronics section and seeing the "Música Latina" section for the first time or the English/Spanish instructions and warnings in businesses and government buildings, or the rush of Hispanic males cashing checks at convenience stores and check-cashing businesses Friday afternoon.

In this store, you will find first communion dresses, western boots, work jackets how fast change occurs. One store alone has a generous inventory to meet various needs, much like a combination 5&10 and department store of the 1950s.

The difference? Price.

In this store, you will find first communion dresses, western boots, work jackets, coming-out dresses, soccer uniforms and a plethora of items needed to live north of the border with a Hispanic identity.

There is a checkerboard of such businesses and groceries across the city, mainly along Sixth Avenue Southeast and in the Southwest. Decatur now has 10 Mexican restaurants that outnumber pizza places and are approaching the number of Asian and barbecue places. But Decatur's majority ethnicities sometimes find that chalupas and burritos go down a lot better than the other impacts of the growing Hispanic influence.

"I'm just seeing my city deteriorate," said Patricia Puckett, who was so worried that she wrote her city councilman about it, demanding action. "This illegal alien thing is destroying our city."

She has nothing against legal immigrants, Puckett said. But the illegal residents are driving the streets uninsured, causing accidents, throwing out beer cans and McDonald's bags, and living 30-40 to a house, she said.

"They are not in our culture of taking care of property," she said. "Do we not have a city ordinance that five families can't live in one house? Just those kinds of things are really grating on our nerves, that they are not respecting our country. I don't have a problem with people coming here legally and assimilating. These people are not assimilating."

City Councilman Ronny Russell, while acknowledging the impact on his district and the city, confesses most of what he knows comes from constituents, not from Hispanics. He gets complaints about uninsured drivers, property values "or just the sheer numbers."

The city is reluctant to get into the thorny legal issues of prosecuting illegal immigrants or extended families living in one house, Russell said. It hasn't seen much trickle-down help from state or federal officials, although Decatur police were able to get help this year from the two federal immigration officers assigned to the state.

"It's a very tight-knit community," Russell said. "The Hispanics in my district are not politically active yet. As a council member, I have incredibly small amount of contact or interaction. They're really just kind of below radar in a lot of what they do as a community. I think that will change, especially when their kids grow up in our society. I think we're all aware of that potential for changing the fabric of our society."

Local officials have few ways to determine exactly how the growing Hispanic population affects the city. Decatur schools struggle to address the influx. Decatur police work accidents and crime. Both, along with social service agencies, struggle with the language barrier.

Growing fast

Officials are certain only that the Hispanic community is growing fast.

Decatur's Hispanic population grew by 705 percent in the 1990s compared to 58 percent Hispanic growth in the U.S. for the same period.

They work in construction, agriculture and in industry, including three local Wayne Farms poultry processing plants, where 498 of the 1,380 employees are Hispanic.

The Rev. Aida Lee Barrera-Segura, a United Methodist minister, estimates the Decatur area has 10,000 or more Hispanic people, about 75 percent of them of Mexican origin.Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce Vice President Jim Page said the influx attracted the attention of a bank exploring the idea of opening a Decatur branch and marketing to the Hispanic community.

"I think they've done it in other areas of the state, and it's been fairly successful," he said. "From a business sense, they think there's a good market here. Also, this bank has said they feel like it gets the Hispanic population more acclimated to society when they actually use a bank and invest their money and save their money. It helps them possibly purchase homes and cars because they are more responsible with their money."

As the Hispanic community becomes more entrenched, it has also created more Hispanic entrepreneurs who sound American in their values, priorities and business philosophies. To them, Decatur represents opportunity and prosperity, education for their children and a better life for their families. They appreciate Decatur's small-town feel in ways that Huntsville cannot match.

Family business

Ines Magana, 45, moved to Decatur in March and opened Mi Hacienda restaurant June 24. He was a maintenance technician in the refinery business in California. He decided to move to Alabama for a better life. He is a first-generation citizen. Both he and his wife grew up in Penjamo in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, a city of 27,000.

He and his business partner are married to sisters. His partner was in the restaurant business in Mississippi for more than a decade and persuaded his brother-in-law in September to open a business in Decatur.

"The main reason is just to try something different," Magana said. "In California, things are getting tough. There are gang bangers and drugs wherever you go, but I wanted to find a better place to raise my kids. I was doing good. But money is not everything in your life. For myself, my kids are more important than money."

Raymond Barajas' story sounds similar. Originally from Texas, he moved to North Alabama six years ago, bought a house in Hartselle at 21 and opened his first business earlier this year at age 24. Hispanic friends here have opened barbershops and car dealerships, he said.

"Some are coming over to live a better life," he said. "It's a nice place to live. It's nice laid down kind of people. Life is a little more settled than down in Texas."

A third-generation citizen, Barajas worked for his brother's custom car business, saved some money, and decided to move to North Alabama after visiting his sister here. His handiwork is displayed in front of his Sixth Avenue storefront, Sin City Kustoms. He installs hydraulics and fold-up doors and eye-popping paint jobs, largely for a clientele of white and black customers. His advertising consists of hanging out where young people hang out.

"I'm kind of starting to get my reputation going," he said. "I pretty much do everything, unlike other businesses that do rims or paint. If I don't have it, I'll get it. I treat my customers the way I like to be treated when they stop into the store."

Yadira Sanchez, 19, tended the front counter at La Hacienda Mexican grocery on Bradley Street Southwest. She said her parents wanted more than a future in factory work. They opened the grocery four years ago. Along with a wide selection of spices, tortillas and other foods, customers can buy CDs and a jersey in the colors of the Cruz Azul soccer team.

"If you go to Huntsville, it's got a lot of traffic and more stuff going on," she said. "It's more tranquil here."

The 2005 Decatur High School graduate said she hopes to enroll in community college or night school classes in accounting.

Construction sector

Hispanics are now embedded in the construction industry in Decatur and elsewhere. Builder Steve Reeves said he sometimes has trouble finding good workers, regardless of ethnicity.

"I use them to clean up my job sites and just do manual labor like footings and backfilling slabs," he said. "I've got some guys that lay my tile. I really like them. They all seem to work hard, and they're appreciative, and they're glad to have the work. I pay them the same as I would pay anybody else, $8 to $10 per hour."

His only problems with Hispanic workers, he said, are the language barrier and finding workers with proper documentation.

"That's why I'm landscaping a yard by myself today," he said recently. "I'm just trying to play by the rules."

As for taking American jobs, Reeves said he has problems finding laborers for different reasons.

"I think a lot of our labor problem is just a drug problem," he said. "Like white people, (for example) I pick them up, but they don't last any time. They've got addiction problems, and so many personal problems they just don't last. Except for the occasional drinking, I haven't seen that in any Mexican I work. The attitude is the amazing difference, though. If they've got a good work ethic, I don't care if they're red, white or blue."

Decatur's Hispanic influx attracted Mexican missionary Barrera-Segura with the United Methodist Church. She serves the Hispanic community through La Casa Del Pueblo. In addition to religious services, the organization sponsors English and Spanish classes Monday through Thursday evenings. She spends about 30 percent of her time working immigration issues.

The ordained minister moved to Decatur six years ago. On May 23 this year, she became a U.S. citizen so she could vote.

Much of the Hispanic community here still consists of single men, but more men are bringing their families with them, she said. In most cases, their employers are deducting federal and state taxes, so it's not true that they aren't paying for public services. In many cases, they are bringing home $180 to $200 a week from jobs that most Americans don't want, she said.

The Hispanic people she sees most often rise at 5:30 a.m., work all day, then do housework and take care of children at night. Most live in a closed society because they do not speak English. Their employers do not encourage English speaking because they do not need language skills, just fast hands. Despite the economic and social obstacles, many attend language class from 6 to 8 p.m.

Barrera realizes illegal immigration is an emotional political issue. She believes the economics of shipping home thousands of illegal immigrants are more difficult than most Americans realize. But what she wishes most is that Americans knew more about the Hispanic community.

"I would love for them to pray, to put apart the politics. They can say, 'I would love to ship all the Hispanics back to their country, but as a Christian I want these people while they are here in Decatur to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. I'm going to help them in any way possible. Here is my money. Here is my time. Here are my resources.' Maybe, they are here to help us to have a better relationship with God, who knows?"

Hi Had Enuf,

Lotsa postings about Decatur, AL. They're playing with the "novelty" of having foreign nationals hanging around (and moving in); the "novelty" of multi-culturalism.

What will think of the "novelty" of foreign nationals when the MS-13 moves in?

Decent, hard working illegals head for the Decatur SANCTUARY!
to show the locals what "neighborly" is all about
So they won't mind the multi-culturalism the drug dealers bring?
The MS-13 has a nice surprise for their new Decatur neighbors!

They'll experience the "novelty" of paying for protection!
for buying into Senator Kennedy's proclamation that illegals are all
decent and hard working. yeah, sure

They're Southern Kennedy Liberals!

"They're all DECENT and hard working!"

Perhaps this will enlighten everyone as to why so many illegals are in Decatur AL.

http://www.foodprocessing-technology...yne/specs.html

Specifications - Wayne Farms Chicken Processing Plant, Decatur, AL, USA

Key Data
Construction started New chicken processing lines - August 2003; new processing facility - 3Q 2004
Location Decatur, Alabama, USA
Estimated investment New lines - $25.4 million; new facility - $55 million
Production Cooked chicken products (40 million lb/yr from the expansion and the same from the new facility)
Completion Expansion of production lines - May and July 2004; new facility second and third phases - 2006 to 2011
Key Players
Sponsors Wayne Farms, ContiGroup Cos Inc
Design and engineering Vaughn Coltrane Pharr and Associates
Lead contractors Turner Universal, FMC, Frigoscandia, Allen, Stein, Infor, FMC LINK system
Management systems Infor supply chain planning suite, Intelliship logistics management program, Introspec system
Financing Wayne Farms, ContiGroup Cos. Inc, tax incentives from Alabama State and Morgan County



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http://www.foodprocessing-technology.co ... cts/wayne/

Wayne Farms Chicken Processing Plant, Decatur, AL, USA
Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of ContiGroup Cos Inc - the fifth-largest chicken processor in the US - brought into production two new chicken processing lines at its Decatur facility in Alabama in May and July 2004 (the third expansion since the plant first opened in 199. The first of the lines (Line 45) is designed to produce fully-cooked roasted products, while the second (Line 46) produces fully-cooked breaded products (the first at Decatur). In June 2004, the company announced further expansion plans at the Decatur facility - a new chicken processing facility.

EXPANSION - CHICKEN PROCESSING LINES
The investment for this expansion was estimated at $25.4 million and has added a further 120 jobs to the previous workforce of 240. The new lines increase production capacity at the facility by 40 million lb/yr.

Planning for the expansion began in early 2003; however, a serious fire at the company's Oakwood, Georgia, processing facility in May 2003 accelerated the process, and construction of the expansion started earlier than planned, in August 2003. The Decatur site is an ideal location for Wayne Farms from a raw material supply and distribution stand point. The facility was designed in 1998 specifically to undergo expansion and since that time has increased its production capacity by over 200%.

CHICKEN PROCESSING FACILITY
A new three-phase processing facility is planned on a site adjacent to the original plant. The first phase began in the third quarter of 2004 and will be completed by the first quarter of 2006.

The 100,000ft² first phase (constructed on a 45-acre site adjacent to the original facility) will have two fully-cooked production lines and will be constructed to allow expansion in two further phases up to 2011 with four more production lines. The two initial production lines will include one for fully-cooked roasted strips and whole muscle fillets and the second for fully-cooked, breaded, formed and whole muscle fillets and tenders. The product lines from the new plant will extend Wayne Farms range into ready cooked prepared products as well as their previous fresh and frozen lines.

The new facility will feature a modular design that allows for enhanced allergen and microbial control. Fresh and further processing areas will be isolated with separate plant entrances with electronic identification, in keeping with the company's biological safety standards.

The plant will feature automated processing, tracking, temperature control and a whole range of other state-of-the-art features. The first phase is estimated to cost $55 million and will provide another 191 jobs to the local area. It will also gain company tax incentives from Alabama State ($877,000) and Morgan County ($173,000). The facility will create 344 jobs within three years; the initial economic impact to the area has been estimated at $48 million.

Wayne Farms manufacture products for Campbells, ConAgra Frozen Foods, Jack in the Box, Costco, Nestlé, Healthy Choice, Chick-Fil-A and Applebee's restaurants, as well as its own brands (e.g. Dutch Quality House, Platinum Harvest). Wayne Farms has stated that sales figures, already approaching $1 billion for 2004, show that demand for chicken products are up for the year due to price, health and versatility. The company's future strategy expects a 10% annual growth in sales for the next five years. This seems to be a reasonable expectation as per capita consumption of chicken in the US has risen from 28lb per person in 1960 to more than 80lb in 2002.

CONTRACTORS AND CONSTRUCTION

The engineering and design contractor for the expansion and the new facility is Vaughn Coltrane Pharr and Associates. The general contractor for its construction is Turner Universal.

The equipment supplier and installer for Lines 45 and 46 was FMC. FMC supplied and installed two DSI 624 Portioner systems with water jet cutting technology for portioning the de-boned chicken prior to further processing. In addition, there is a high capacity Thermofin Stein roasting system for both lines, as well as a Stein coating system and an Allen seasoning system for Line 46 to produce both American breadcrumb and cracker meal coated chicken products (the coating systems are specially designed to minimise blow-off and pillowing of the coating during the cooking process). Both lines are equipped with Frigoscandia chilling systems for the cooled cooked products prior to packaging.

The two lines are controlled using state-of-the-art FMC FoodTech LINK technology, a PC-controlled automation and inventory software system. This helps to achieve product consistency, optimises yield from raw materials and gives full process traceability. The system fully integrates and controls the entire processing line to allow full control over coating seasonings and recipes and full roaster temperature control and chilling control.

CHICKEN PORTIONING SYSTEM
The DSI 624 chicken portioning machine is computer controlled and fully integrated with the FMC LINK system and uses a high-pressure water jet (>50,000psi), which is precisely focused to a very fine jet to trim fat and portion the de-boned chicken. The water jet cutters can move both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of product allowing for full cut flexibility.

There is a library of cutting software with which the machine can be programmed to provide the exact portion size required for a particular product. The machine can run five different software routines simultaneously in order to maximize the yield for each piece of incoming chicken. The equipment also lends itself to easy maintenance and cleaning; since the water nozzles do not come into contact with the meat being portioned, hygiene is raised to another level. The system is fully compatible with the latest hydrogen peroxide cleaning methodologies.

INFOR SYSTEM
Wayne Farms will use Infor's supply chain planning suite to increase profitability and improve customer service levels by enhancing its ability to match fluctuating consumer demand with a fixed supply of high quality product. This system will enable Wayne Farms to improve forecasting and manage production and planning constraints while optimising supply against variable demand. The implementation of the system will integrate customer requirements directly to 13 plants throughout North America. This new system will operate alongside the recently implemented Intelliship logistics management program.

INTROSPEC SYSTEM
Wayne Farms will launch IntroSpec in the second quarter of 2005. IntroSpec is a system of inspection and standards designed to certify the safety and security of products for feed mills and field operations of Wayne Farms growers and facilities. The system, it is hoped, will encourage continuous improvement of controls and standards in production. The IntroSpec program combines intensive analysis, inspection and testing processes to ensure the safety and security of vendors who do business with the company. Vendors that supply feed ingredients and live production supplies must go through the IntroSpec program to be approved and certified.

I feel your pain. We have dozens of such little shops in town. Someone said they are calling the health department to report such places to be inspected.

Check the W.I.C. in the window of that place, very interesting....

Hi fedupinwaukegan,

Looks like Nuevo Laredo.

Originally Posted by Virginiamama

Check the W.I.C. in the window of that place, very interesting....

Chuckle, look at the WIC on this store. Rather prominent eh?!