I'm depressed reading this garbage. Unfortunately I have to see it everyday with my own eyes since I live in the area.

http://www.thevillagenews.com/story.asp?story_ID=7121



Latinos comprise 30% of Fallbrook’s population


Sarah Bates with Sayra Cisneros and Debbie Ramsey


9/22/2005 6:53:45 PM

Some Friendly Villagers now refer to parts of Main Street as “Little Mexico.� Has it gained that nickname because some businesses display signs in both English and Spanish? Or, have they seen colorful clothing, backpacks and piñatas swaying in the wind in the shop doorways? Is it the ever-increasing number of taco shops apparent along Fallbrook’s main thoroughfare?

With 30 percent of Fallbrook’s overall population now confirmed as Latino (SANDAG’s 2004 report), it should come as no surprise that more and more wise merchants are racing to provide goods to this growing faction of consumers.

Latinos number over 39.9 million in the United States and account for 13.7 percent of the nation’s total population. Fallbrook, like the rest of California, has seen a greater increase in the percentage of Latinos in the population than other states. However, sadly enough, 14 percent of Fallbrook’s population has an annual income below poverty level.

In July 2004, SANDAG reported Fallbrook’s Latino population at 15,017 with white and other races estimated at 27,625. A more recently released SANDAG report shows Fallbrook’s total population is now at 49,918. The fact is, the ethnic population in Fallbrook is growing and it is mostly Mexican. Statistics show 67 percent of Latino-origin people are of Mexican background. Of the remainder, 14 percent are of Central and South American backgrounds, nine percent Puerto Rican, four percent Cuban and seven percent other Latino origins.

These statistics, gleaned from US Census records, don’t reflect the burgeoning illegal population, so the actual numbers are likely to be greater. Reports show that 73.3 percent of Latinos who entered the United States before 1970 obtained citizenship by 2002. Only 29.9 percent of Latinos who entered this country between 1980 and 1989 obtained citizenship status by 2002 and a mere 7.3 percent of those entering between 1990 and 2002 had met requirements for citizenship.

A young Latino woman struggles through her first year of college, a graduate of Fallbrook High School before “No Child Left Behind.� Her verbal English is good, but she can’t write an essay with ease. Now she’s suffering through remedial English. Her parents speak only Spanish at home; their education ended when they were adolescents.

In 2003, SANDAG’s assessment of the Fallbrook Community Planning area reported 25 percent of Fallbrook’s population spoke only Spanish and nine percent spoke English “not well� or “not at all.�

Stacy Everson, director of special projects for the Fallbrook Elementary School District, says roughly 47 percent of their ethnic population, kindergarten through eighth grade, is Latino and 27 percent of all students enrolled in the elementary school district are English learners. “It’s fortunate we have a diverse population, because we qualify for state and federal funding under No Child Left Behind legislation,� Everson says. They use the funding for programs that benefit all students. Their free after-school program that offers remedial education and enrichment classes is an example. Even with the potentially insurmountable hurdle of educating its large non-English speaking population, the Fallbrook district meets the federal Title III funding criteria measurement benchmark. Title III focuses on schools that enroll large populations of minority and financially disadvantaged students. Everson says 33 percent of county schools who applied for Title III funding did not meet the criteria. The district also sponsors a program to teach parents English and improve their literacy skills. Sixty-five parents are currently enrolled. In addition, the district oversees the English Learners Advisory Committee, whose members are all Latino.

Again, the SANDAG report states 14 percent of Fallbrook residents live below the poverty line. While the percentage statistic does not distinguish ethnicity, in Fallbrook, it is likely the major portion is Latino. The impact of these statistics directly affects education. Patrick Donahue, district counselor at Potter Junior High School, believes socioeconomic issues are important in schooling children. For the most part, kids living in poverty don’t have a nurturing home life. “[Parents] send us the best that they have and we do the best we can with what they send us,� Donahue says. Keeping their children in school, making sure they get there on time and supporting their education, falls on the shoulders of Latino mothers, Donahue says. Ninety percent of family members attending student counseling sessions are women. “They will walk to school for their kids but can’t read the paper.� Because a student’s mother may not speak English, Donahue often sees a dangerous role reversal: kids as caregivers. Although a Latino child may start out translating for his or her parent, over time, if the mother or father doesn’t learn English, the child’s responsibility often turns to intimidating power.

Beyond the elementary school district classes, Mentoring Associates, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, takes over. Staffed by volunteers, Latino students having difficulty with class work, primarily English, math and science, meet after school at 1455 Alturas Road for remedial help and homework assistance. Mentoring Associates was founded ten years ago by Fallbrook resident Jerry Donohue. The accomplishments of the students and volunteers recently won the Channel 10 Community Achievement Award and The Freedom’s Foundation at Valley Forge Award. Donohue says Mentoring Associates is filling a need the schools do not provide. He says, “Educating children is the most patriotic act a person can do.�

Multi-cultures could benefit tourism

Community leaders have spent significant time and resources delving into what could make Fallbrook a more prominent destination for travelers. With the growth and prominence of Latino businesses downtown, some visionaries have voiced their thoughts that the multicultural aspect of Fallbrook could be beneficial to tourism, if non-Latino and Latino business owners work together toward the common goal.

Don McDougal, in a leadership role with the Destination Marketing effort, says, “Fallbrook’s history evolved around an agricultural foundation and this has included a diverse ethnic and cultural population. As a community we must continue to embrace this diversity as we move forward with the revitalization of the community at large. Working together we can improve and develop a beautiful, clean and Friendly Village that welcomes both residents and visitors.�

Using this unique aspect of the community to benefit the overall economy makes sense, theorized Julie Reeder, a member of the board of directors of the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce.

“The Destination Marketing Consultants coached us, as a town, to embrace the cultural differences we have on Main Avenue, work together and make it a joint effort that is beautiful, colorful and desirable. According to the DMI consultants, one of the things tourists look for in a destination is a variety of cultural experiences.�



Future of the Latino job market



Two women show up at a nighttime ESL class. They’re modestly dressed, neat and clean. Their eyes are tired. They’ve come straight from their jobs on the assembly line at Axelgaard to improve their English. There might be a promotion if they do. Studies show 43 percent of Latinos age 25 and up have not graduated from high school, compared to 12 percent of Caucasians.

Within Fallbrook’s growing Latino population are adults raising children in non-English speaking environments at or below the poverty level, so where do these women fit into Fallbrook’s economic prosperity plans? Sharion Hreha, manager of People to People employment services, says while agriculture, and nursery operations like Colorspot and Armstrong, along with construction, continue to employee mostly Latino men, companies like Axelgaard and Conibear employ both men and women. Hreha points out Latino women are also finding employment in the medical field and in home healthcare, due to the success of local ESL and ROP programs. “Second- and third-generation Latino women are not content to sit at home anymore,� she says, then adds, “They’re getting their Certified Nurses Assistant credentials.� Hreha now has two bilingual employees on staff to assist people seeking jobs.



Sufficient low-cost housing?



On Almond Street, cars park as tightly as possible in front of some homes, an indication of multiple family members or families stretching the boundaries of single-family dwellings. At night, clusters of men laugh and talk quietly in the yards, mindful of kids playing in the street. It is a known fact that Latinos live in family households that tend to be larger than those of non-Latinos. Statistics show 26.5 percent of Latino households have five or more residents, compared to only 10 percent of Caucasian households.

According to a local Realtor, examples of large Latino households are evident all over Fallbrook. Groups of Latino residents pool their money to meet mortgage payments. Tucked away in neighborhoods near the center of Fallbrook, apartment houses are bursting with Latino families. Some are new residents hoping to live here permanently; others are transient agriculture workers. Three low-cost housing projects came before the Fallbrook Community Planning Group in the last two years, according to Jim Russell, chairman of the group’s board. Funded by government grants to nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations, the housing consisted of rehabilitation and refurnishing existing structures. Twenty percent of the current occupants are farm workers, Russell says. “There is nothing pending now,� he adds.

Healthcare: free or nearly free



A dark-eyed young boy sits outside the Fallbrook Family Health Center idly pushing a baby in a stroller in a back and forth motion. It’s starting to rain; he shivers. His nose is running and the baby begins to fret. Their young mother, inside, pokes her head out the door to check on them.

Vi DuPre, administrator of the Fallbrook Healthcare District, points proudly to its various health-oriented organizations in Fallbrook that take care of the Latino population. One is the Fallbrook Family Health Center at 617 E. Alvarado. Known locally as “the clinic� by Latino residents, it offers healthcare to uninsured people on a sliding-scale fee basis and often at no charge. The district also funds the Fallbrook Community Project food bank and Paloma Family Counseling and contributes to healthcare programs focusing on nutrition, diet, childhood obesity and diabetes. For emergency care, Latino residents call on Fallbrook Hospital. Others go to Tijuana.



Consumers on a meager budget



Felix Avila has lived in Fallbrook for 20 years. “I always come to Major Market,� he says. “I know people here.� Many Latino families are loyal to Major Market, the first full-size supermarket here to answer their call for specialized grocery goods. Offering everything from popular everyday products to fresh baked goods, the market has not only done a fine job providing goods desired by this large segment of the population but has regularly given opportunity to Latinos in their workforce. Located conveniently in the center of town, the market is within easy walking distance for many without vehicles. As the cultural aspect of the community continues to change, Major Market has responded to the needs of the Latino community by expanding their inventory of favored products.

Flor Garcia is a savvy shopper. This 27-year-old mother of two who works at Jack in the Box walks slowly down the aisle at El Tigre Market looking for “specials.� It’s a weekly task in support of her family’s budget. “I go everywhere in town where prices are the lowest,� Garcia says in Spanish, watching her daughter select cans of tomato sauce from a shelf.

Local writer Carmi Cosmos shops at El Tigre, too. Though not Latino, Cosmos goes there for the tortillas. “They’re fresh,� she says, then comments about the unusual display of meats and cheeses in the butcher shop; so different than other supermarkets. Muhammad Rahman, owner of El Toro and M&M markets, says 40 percent of his customers are not Latino. Grocery stores that cater to Fallbrook’s expanding Latino population are increasing. The El Tigre chain joined El Toro Market and Bonita Foods last year. According to a December 2004 report in Progressive Grocer magazine, small chains like El Tigre expect to increase their Latino format locations by 36.4 percent in response to the growing Latino population.

Flor Garcia’s budget â€â€