Postville, one year later
I covered the immigration raid at Agriprocessors a year ago, so it was only appropriate that I return this month for the ‘year after’ story. You can read my post from last May here. Jim Slosiarek covered the day after, and former intern Courtney Sargent went out four days after the raid. Orlan Love’s story and my slideshow will publish Sunday, but for now, here’s a preview… is up on gazetteonline here.
The continuing economic impact is a major concern for the town. Several semis were parked outside the plant a couple weeks ago, and the plant was quiet. Agriprocessors employed more than 900 full-time workers a year ago and now has about 350 part-time workers.
Gabay Menahem stands in a rental property with $14,000 in damage, one of 109 empty properties out of 129 he owns in Postville, on Friday, May 1, 2009. Menahem says that transient workers who came to Postville after the raid were evicted for not paying rent, and left rental property badly damaged.
A for sale sign hangs in the window of the bakery in Postville on Friday, May 1, 2009. Since the raid last year, the population of Postville has dropped by several hundred people, and businesses have been struggling or closing.
Rabbi Aron Schimmel, who directs the Judaic Resource Center in Postville, said most Postville Jews bear no hard feelings toward the Rubashkin family. Photographed at the Judaic Resource Center in Postville on Friday, May 1, 2009.
Marta Veronica Cumez Solovi, left, talks with Father Paul Ouderkirk at St. Bridget’s Church in Postville on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Ouderkirk and Hispanic Minister Paul Rael (in background right) provide financial assistance, help with translation, billing issues and other services twice weekly to a group of women who are still living in Postville with ankle monitoring devices while they wait for court hearings or for work visas to come through. The church has also added a bilingual counselor to the services they provide.
One thing I didn’t photograph, but wish I had: Sabor Latino is still open (yum!), but their grocery store is a shell of its former self – shelves packed with Hispanic foods and produce have been replaced with pool tables.
-liz
Leave a Reply