Butler County’s Delivery Man

Just a couple blocks away from the front door to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in Hamilton sits a thriving corner market with a sign outside that reads “Super Mercado y Carniciera.”

On any given day, numerous Hispanic men, women and children enter and leave the ramshackle little store in a tired-looking and dilapidated working-class neighborhood, taking a quick break to stop for groceries, soft drinks or cigarettes as they go about their daily routines.

Drive further into Hamilton or nearby Fairfield, and motorists will see a different and more ominous sign: large billboards featuring the image of Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones under the stern warning, “Hire an illegal, BREAK THE LAW!”

The signs reveal the changing face of Butler County as it struggles with the stresses and opportunities of assimilating an influx of Hispanic residents during the past decade. Between 2000 and 2006, the county’s Latino community grew by 72 percent — up to 8,197 residents from less than 4,800 just a few years ago, according to U.S. Census statistics.

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Butler County's Delivery Man
CityBeat