Finally, a march

Posted May 1, 2006 by Heidi Hall

Updated May 1, 2006 at 04:12 PM

4:12 p.m.: Tampa protestors, who stayed in place for hours, ultimately marched up Dale Mabry, around the Raymond James parking lots and back and then back to a podium, where they’re having speeches in Spanish.

The crowd is fluid, some leaving as other arrive, and the grounds are spotless.—Mike Fechter.

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Growing Force

Posted May 1, 2006 by Vidisha Priyanka

Updated May 1, 2006 at 03:59 PM

A group of immigrants in Plant City departs for Tampa to join others in a May day demonstration. GREG FIGHT/Tribune

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‘We Are A Labor Force’

Posted May 1, 2006 by Vidisha Priyanka

Updated May 1, 2006 at 03:56 PM

People line Dale Mabry and Columbus to rally for immigration reform. PAUL LAMISON/News Channel 8

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Missing Latinos drop some schools’ attendance rates

Posted May 1, 2006 by Heidi Hall

Updated May 1, 2006 at 03:59 PM

Hillsborough County School District issued a media release just after 3 p.m. with attendance results. Overall, 23,518 students were absent, compared to 14,985 the previous Monday. Overall, that’s an 87 percent attendance rate compared to 92 percent April 24.

However, individual schools saw varying attendance. Plant High in south tampa saw 92 percent attendance today. Plant City High, in an immigrant-heavy area, saw 78 percent attendance.

The district even broke down attendance by ethnicity for some schools: “At East Bay High School on Monday 56 percent of the Hispanic students attended school. The previous week, 84 percent of the Hispanic students at East Bay High were in attendance.  At Plant City High School, 41 percent of Hispanic students were in attendance on Monday, compared to 91 percent the previous week,” the release read.—Heidi Hall

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Longer wait to get a shake, not a plant

Posted May 1, 2006 by Heidi Hall

Updated May 1, 2006 at 03:42 PM

It was a mixed bag of attendance at businesses and offices in South Hillsborough on Monday.

The line at the Collins Produce Shake Shak at State Road 60 and St. Cloud Road in Valrico moved a bit slower, but not unexpectedly. “My workers get to pick a day off and they chose today,’’ manager Bonnie Wilkins said. “It wasn’t like they left me holding the bag.’‘

She was short one worker, which accounted for the longer lines, but otherwise asked others to work in place of the four Hispanic employees that would normally have been there. “We have a good working relationship with our workers,” Wilkins said. “We give and we take. We try to accommodate each other and work together.”

At Emerald Hill Nursery, a plant farm north of Plant City where 15 of the 20 employees are Hispanic, it was business as usual, said owner Jim Haggard.

“Every one of them showed up,’’ he said. “They never even asked for the day off. ... Some of them just can’t afford to miss a day’s wages. We were happy they were here. We weren’t looking forward to today without them.’‘

Director Richard Harrison was the only employee in the office at Dover’s Adult Migrant Jobs & Education Program office Monday. Still, a few students trickled in.

“It’s dead compared to an average Monday,’’ he said. “We had five or six students show up.’’ On a typical Monday, he said, classes would host 35-40 students. The federal and state program helps migrant workers to hone their educational skills so they can pursue careers outside of the fields.—Yvette C. Hammett

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