It's the best thing to happen to this area in years. And now, the gas station at Park and Riverview is being converted to a bona fide Phillps 66 and convenience store. My guess is that this is due to Chas. Ball Market moving from 18th and Central. WhooHoo! It's been a cash only gas and cigarette station for eons and now it will really change that corner. Any chance the Kansan can check on that for us?

They deserved it. They did a good job until now. Making the place safer.
business alarm systems

I agree, that the area looks great, and has excellent eye appeal, however, what about the new eye sore that has been created from Chas Balls vacating there original location, one of which my family had trade with for years.
I am sure this my upset both readers and members of the community with my next statement, however I was both shocked with disbielf when I entered the Chas Ball, and the isles were all labeled in spanish.
Yes I understand the entire area is under a new movement and progress, however, forgive me for saying, but we are in the US, and English is the language.
I as a caucasin male, I felt misplaced and out of my element when strolling thru the store. I have no problems with other races or diversities, however I feel Chas Balls has decided to cater to the spanish community rather than the American Community.
Wyandotte County has always been a divierse community, from Afro-American, Polish, Irish, Russian, Spanish and so many more. I do not ever remember Wyandotte County paying more attention to a small majority as they are now.
When traveling down Central avenue in my reccent trip to KC, the area of 10th and Central made me think of East LA.
I do appluad the effort of change, and curb appeal. It was a job well done with the new contruction of the old truck stop, but with Central Avenue's dying ecconomy, I think another location would have made a better choice.
I am not hating, as I have friends and family in all shades of the rainbow, but when we begin to cater to one, we forget the options of others.

Mr. Scott, I agree with you 100%. Never has the United States catered to any othe ethnic group like they have the hispancis. No other immagrants had the luxery of going to the store, getting their drivers license's etc. and had everything written in their language. I have never seen lables in German, Polish, Russian or any other language. I think this country has done a disservice to the Ameican citizens. Why do we have to learn Spanish? Why aren't they required to learn Engilsh? Why do they allow Hispancis to take Spanish class in high school even though a teacher told me it isn't the Spanish they speak? If they can't speak English then they should learn it before they are allowed into our schools. I refuse to learn Spanish in America. I think it is absolutley wrong that some school districts are making the children learn Spanish. If I wanted my children to learn it, I would have chosen it for them. One of my children took it in high school the other one didn't. It should be a choice, not a necessity. If the children can't even read when they leave high school, why have them learn Spanish. How long will it be before the traffic singals will be in Spanish? To me that will be stupid. If they want to drive they should be able to know English. Take a poll, how many people have been in wrecks with Hispanics and they took off and didn't wait for the police, or didn't have a drivers license, or didn't have insurance? I know there are people of all races that do these things, but I have been involved twice and my son once in hit and runs and they were all Hispanics. You think they were driving legally? NOT. Did they wait for the police, no way. Why? I bet they were breaking the law by driving anyway. This isn't the United States of Spain it is the United States of America. If they want to be in America as a true American citizen, put them boys in the military just like ours. Let them fight for all these freedom's they want. Don't just hand it to them.

I guess that according to Mr. Scott-- San Antonio, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and oh, maybe a thousand other cities should change their Spanish names. I am for immigration reform... And I want to hammer these Central American inspired gangs... but we are a country of many languages... Always have been...

Mr. Thomas, it is true we are a country of many languages, but has the US catered to the other languages like it has Spanish? No. Can you walk into the grocery store and see things written in German, Polish, Russian or any other languages besides English? I think not unless it is a specialty store. I have no problems with immigration, however I do have an issue when these people want everything we have, but don't want to do it legally. What is wrong with these people that want to come to the USA to live, but don't learn English and become US Citizens? If they want to come here they should do it legally. You can be assured Mexico won't have us and give us the freedom, financial assistance, housing, etc. that they get here. They come across the border to have babies and guess who pays for them? We do. The crime has definitly increased, and the gangs are terrible. How do you suppose we get rid of them? Do you live in the inner city where all this is going on? Have you ever been a victim of a crime by these illegals or gang members? My family has. You know what punishemnt they got? Nothing, nada, zero. Taken to jail and then walked out. Know what it cost us? Over $2000.00. Now, if you want to reemburse me for the $2000.00 feel free to do so. We sure can't get in back any other way. What is your proposal to rid the country of these gangs? I really want to know. Those criminals that destroyed our property were illegal. Why weren't they sent back to Mexico where they came from? They didn't serve any time in jail, never even went to court. Let go to do it again. How do you plan to stop that? I would really like to know. Yes, we are a country of many languages, however if they come to our country, they should learn English just like the other immagrants have done. Do you know how much of our US dollars are going back to Mexico? Work at a grocery store or any where they have Western Union and it should make you sick. It does me. They come here, they work, and send lots of it back home. I personally think that is wrong. Don't come to this county illegally, get a job no matter what the pay, then send that money back to your family in other countries. Spend it here where you made it. If you want to support your families, have them come to the US legally, becomes a citizen yourself, then take care of your families. That is all I ask.

I've shopped at that store and I never noticed labels in Spanish, except in the Ethnic food isles and for produce, it has bilingual signage.
I am a Hispanic woman- my mother was born in South America and became a citizen during the bicentennial year (1976 - and it's on the citizen's test) I know plenty of immigrants who have come to America legally and yes, there are many who are illegal. Guess what? American business owners hire them. Cheap labor, cash only. They are your problem first by giving the job. Then you have the criminlas who create the illegal SSNs for some. They use the fake ids to get jobs at WalMart, McDonalds, etc.
On another note, when I was in sixth grade (that was around 1982/84) my Social Studies teacher told our class if we were going to chose to learn a foreign language, choose Spanish, because this country is most likely to adopt it as a second language, even over French. Amazing how right she was.
I thought we Americans were resilient? Sound like a bunch of crybabies.
Sorry you were a victim of a crime, but it's not only mexicans that are here illegally.

I don't speak a word of Spanish, I even took French in HS, so I have absolutely no exposure to the language whatsoever.

However, somehow I'm able to shop at that store about once a week and fill my grocery cart without issue.

Think of how easy it would be if they had signs in English!!

Oh wait...

If you haven't noticed labels in Spanish then you aren't very observant. Hiring cheap labor isn't my problem because I don't hire them. Are you meaning to say it is the white people's problem because white business owners hire them? You can bet if I find out any illegals are working anywhere I would be sure to turn the business owner in. Not that it does any good. People hiring the illegals should be punished and the illegals sent back to where ever they came from. My family are German immigrants that became US citizens and you never saw the U.S. label groceries in German, have the test to take your drivers license in German or any other language for that matter. Or change anything for any other immigrants like they have done for the hispanics. I never said only Spanish immigrants are here, as a matter of fact there are several 100,000 Irish immagrants here. And who knows how many others. The difference is that these people get jobs, work hard, have asked nothing from the government. They have not brought the drugs and gangs to the U.S. like the hispanic gangs. That you can't dispute. Americans are resillent, but we shouldn't have to change our country to another Mexico. You may call us crybabies if you want, but we are speaking the truth and apparently you can't handle it or you don't want to accept the truth. I am sure you know illegal inmagrants, any of them your family members? Would you turn them in? I didn't think so. If you want to call me a cry baby go right ahead. I speak for a lot of Americans, some just fear for their safety so they won't speak out. As far as the crimes that were committed against us, that has nothing to do with others here illegally. It had to do with a crime and who committed it and that nothing happened to them. How would you feel if it happened to you?

Spanish language signs at Ball's have nothing to do with illegal immigration. If you owned a store and Spanish speaking signs would increase your sales, you would do it too. Is illegal immigration a problem? Yes, a huge one.

But if you were a Mexican or Central American husband and father of indigenous descent, you may be compelled to bring your family here by any means necessary.

You want to talk social injustice and racism? Mexico and Central America are centuries behind us. A single digit percentage of Anglo Spanish controls 80-90 percent of the wealth. A short statured dark person of Mayan heritage is a second class citizen there with almost no possibility of integrating equally.

Bush and Obama both have had no motivation to reform immigration. I suspect the line of thinking is, "Instead of exporting the jobs and moving the factories, import the laborers."

No strong policy addresses it. It is a federal issue. There are there illegals among us here, but we can't start crashing down doors.

John McCain said it best. He did not want to deport some grandmother whose grandson, naturalized, is fighting in Iraq.

I am not saying it is right, but everyone knows that the cat is out of the bag, and it is not going back in. We need better "go forward policies."

Please tell me the alternative to the Hispanic businesses on Central Avenue? I just have a hard time getting riled over bakeries and ice cream stores, that seem to be doing very well.

Either way.. there are a half a billion Spanish speaking people who can reach the U.S. over land. Getting ticked over signs will not stop this problem. Addressing extreme social injustice in Latin America is a better way to go.

Mr Thomas,
Yes these are Spanish named cities...they are spelled in ENGLISH

If I owned a business of any kind in the U.S. it wouldn't have signs in any language but English. Why don't they have signs in other languages? German, Vietnamese, etc.? They never did it for any other immigrants just Hispanics. I would say that is a prejudice. It doesn't matter who comes to this country to live, the point is they should do it legally and become American Citizens and learn to speak English. What is so wrong with that? I am not getting riled up about any business, but if they spoke English then their business would be even better. Why should we have to go to any business in the U.S. and not be able to communicate to the staff because they don't speak English? There is no good answer as to why they won't learn to speak English and a lot of them know how but won't do it. The end point is, if they are going to come to this country, do it legally and learn to speak English.

You have a hard one for anyone who is hispanic, Duncan. Seriously, get a grip.
Are you part of a neighbodhood watchgroup because at last check- the organized crime "gangs" that are on teh watch list are WHITE PEOPLE.

And if you know so much about geography, to the South of us (including TEXAS and OKLAHOMA) were lands with Portuguese and Mexican people. The countries soith of the US speak either Spanish or Portuguese and English.
To the north- Russian, French, Dutch and English are spoken, but recent trends in the north have added Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai. And guess what, there are isles where those foods are sold in stores that the items are in one of those languages. (I'll go look and give you aisle #s and stores for your to avoid)

Your ignorance and racist attitude about a culture because "beaners" robbed you is so extreme. As a hispanic woman, why don't you just go ahead and call all of us beaners, cause you surely have no issue assuming we don't belong and we're illegal oh and we can't speak English.

BTW- The check out people speak english to me just fine and occasionally I shoot them something in Spanish. For some it's acknowledging our culture, for many its comfortable, and I'm okay with that.

I was born in the USA but do not forget where my family came from. I agree we have a problem with immigration but selecting a group as the illegals- you are sooooo wrong.
Ever seen what illegals come into LAX or Seattle? Yeah, learn something about immigration.
And Mr Scott, they are Hispanic city names, because some cities were not named by Spanish explorers, some were Portuguese, which changes the vowels.
Gracias

Ms Thompson,

I believe you got my piont...regardless too the orgins...they are words translated to English.

I never used the word hispanic, I said Spanish, regardless if they where born in Spain, or South America. Personally I find the word "Hispanic" rather rude, as most people have a negative reflection of the word. Maybe I am wrong, but I trust you will correct and educate me.

I have been known to wish "Erin go Braugh" a time or two myself.

Acknowledgement of ones culture or hertiage was never a concern of mine in my original post, nor was imigration.

This is the land of immigrants, land stolen/taken from the Indians/Spanish...or purchased from the French or defeated by the English.

My maternal line arrived from Ireland in 1767 aboard the Admiral Hawke, a Bounty ship that arrived in South Carolina.

My paternal line arived from Scotland in 1782 and arrived Baltimore, Maryland.

My conncetion to Wyandotte County was as early as 1886.

My goal was never to insteal a debate, or judgement. It was a statement of disbelief, that the area inwhich I grew up had changed so drastic, including yet another vacant building left my Chas Ball in recent years and that signage was now in both English and Spanish, which I still find very hard to belive...and not just Balls, but the CVS at 38th and Minnesota Ave.

Chas Balls is a captive audience, it is one of, if not the only grocier east of 38th street. I am still shocked that due to this fact catering to 1 monirity. They are squezing out the old Spanish Family grociers from Armourdale and Argentine area's as well. Where my family traded for spices and cheese's, and shells.

I was born in Wyandotte County, and proud of it. My circle of friends include an extremely large divierisity, inwhich I treat everyone with respect. African, Afro-American, Indian, Greek, Itialian, Middle Eastern, Asian, Polish, Jewish, and yes, Spanish...just to name a few.

I treat others as I want them to treat me, I hope you do as well, which it appears like you do.

Thompson,I have nothing against Hispanic's which I used to call Mexican's but a Hispanic friend of mine said they prefer Hispanic for staters. I have a lot of friends that are Hispanic, and I am far from racist. I am a very big part of our nieghborhood watch group and keep in contact with the community police on a weekly basis. I don't know what group you are in nor do I care. There are gangs on the watch list and they consist of white, black and Hispanic. I don't know why your group just has the white gangs on your list nor do I care. A gang is a gang no matter the color of their skin. I do know Geography and I don't care about other countries. I don't live in them. I don't use the term "beaners" nor would I ever. I have respect. I have traveled inside and outside of this country, and I am well aware of the languages other people speak. I don't need you telling me what stores to avoid because I don't shop the grocery stores in KCK. Another FYI for you is that there are plenty of Hispanics that live on our street that I am quite close to. And yes, they can speak Spanish but choose not to for various reason's. I am not against Hispanics or anyone else living in the U.S. I just believe they should do it legally. And my other point that you just don't get is that the United States of America has never gone to the extremes to cator to any other nationalality like they have the Hispanics and that is wrong. I have never seen a book to study for your drivers license in any other language but English until now. Store signs, billboards, etc. You tell me why with all the immagrants that have come and continue to come to the U.S. that is? Why are they doing for the Hispanics things they have never done for any other nationality? I don't forget where my family come from either. I know my heritage. Where your ignorance comes in at is that you don't know me. You are making pure assumptions because you are not reading with an open mind what I am saying. You calling me a racist and you don't even know me? That is big of you. But you are free to say what you want as this is a free country.

Thompson...by what I have read and reread....I would take Duncan to be racist too. Duncan...I see Hispanics every weekday taking English classes to better themselves. Do you realize how long it takes to learn a new language? Years! And your comment about letting illegals out of jail. You must be ill informed. I know for a fact since I did work classifications at the detention center, that ICE is informed when illegals are admitted into the jail. ICE will then interview them and make the decision to send them back to their home country. Most do come back though since alot have family here. By the way...the gangs come in all colors. Some of the worst and most violent criminals I knew where white.

It is funny that you think I am racist. My mother is Hispanic and my father Caucasian. One half of my family is Hispanic. I would really enjoy meeting you, Shawna and Thompson. You would be shocked to find out I am of mixed race. I just wanted to see how quick it would take before I was called racist and before this whole issue became a race issue. That is half the problem with the country today. Shawna sounds like you hang out with the wrong crowd beings you said some of the worst and most violent criminals you knew were white. If you read my reply eariler I said there are white, black and hispanic gangs. I know how long it takes to learn a new language, I speak English, Spanish and had to learn German for the 4 years I lived there. And because English has so much slang it is the hardest to learn. I have been to Donnelly College and seen the number of Hispanics in the class to learn English. I have also seen the number of servicemen that have to learn different languages before they are sent to other countries. That is the reason I know German. I didn't say all illegals are let out of jail. I know how the system works. I work for the court system in WYCO. I still want to know why no one has yet to answer the origional question and that is why should the U.S. have everything written in English and Spanish when they have never done that for any other immagrants that have come to the United States? Not a one of you have yet to attempt to answer that. There is no answer. To me that is racist what they are doing by doing that. Why do for one nationality, what you won't do for another? Simple question I take it neither of you can answer. Call me racist or whatever you want I don't care. It's those that call one another racist that are the real racist.

The only answer I can come up with is that its a numbers game. More Hispanics than Germans in my neighborhood, so why have translations for Germans? Never seen it here, but I lived in Houston and they actually do have street signs in many different languages. (they were all placed in the specific ethnic neighborhoods)

Shawna, I am not talking about now, I am talking about over the years. When the U.S. started getting all the Vietnamese they didn't do it for them either. Just a question.

I would like to add to this discussion, by stating first that I am not calling anyone a racist.

In my opinion, If the western and southwestern part of the U.S. in the past was for the most part Spanish speaking (The English arrived in 1620. The countries from Mexico to Central American and the Carribean for the most part are Spanish speaking countries.

If for example those were Polish speaking people instead, I would expect a lot of Polish to be spoken in the west and southwest of the U.S. - down to the countries of South America. Spanish was the most spoken language in North America - long before the arrival of all the Europeans. If god-forbid, we were suddenly under the control of say the Chinese would anyone here in North America jumnp at the chance to learn the new language of those now in control(Chinese)?

To me it makes good sense for business to cater to the Spanish Speaking. Federal and state governments have always tried to be the model in services to the community. Studies have shown that Hispanic youth have always learned the language of the U.S.

I am old enough to remember how Hispanics were treated in Kansas in the past. We will never go back to that.

Rudy Padilla.

I too remember how Hispanics were treated in Kansas in that past as I grew up in those area's. As a mixed race I still see some of that as well as I see how it is turning just the opposite and how the white's are becoming the minority. You can go places and see that they are being treated differently in a lot of places. It is funny how differently I get treated when I am with my mother who is Hispanic and my father who is white. Businesses are free to cater to whomever they want. My issue is that no other race ever got catered to like the Hispanic's no matter how many came to the country. This isn't about the world or the past, it is about the present. How is it fair that there are drivers license books in Spanish but they never printed them in any other language. As well as other things. I just believe that if you do for one you should do for all. I know that isn't reality, but it should me. Although the U.S. has never really designated Engilsh as the language of this country it is assumed it is. I am glad the U.S. can be a diverse country. I just think it should be what we do for one we do for all. And when you really think about it, we should really be thinking about the Indians. No matter what, I would still like to go into a store and be spoken to in English. I would like to place an order at a resturant and have the person taking my order understand what I am saying. And I believe the same for the Hispanics. For anyone to have to try and figure out what the other person is saying is not professional in the work place if you ask me. But then who am I? Just a person trying to find an answer to a question no one can answer. I can speak Spanish fluently, but we were raised not to in public because everyone spoke English. I respect my parents for that. I think this subject has been beat to death and I had no intention on making anyone mad. If my first response was read there were just a question or 2 I wanted anwered and never dreamed I would be called a racist or anything else. But, that doesn't bother me. All those that have called me that don't know me and a name is a word. I don't take any of that personally. That's childs play. Thanks for your information and input Rudy and I wouldn't be offended if you thought I was a racist. I am too old to worry or care about that. Just one more FYI, we moved from Argentine to the Central Avenue area to get away from the gangs and crime that were over t here as did a lot of our friends and neighbors. Not moving again until the violence gets too bad and Central is getting pretty bad. Just hope it stays there and not in our neighborhood.

Another part of the problem, particularly along Central Avenue, is that the new-immigrant owned businesses don't really need English speaking customers. There are a few exceptions, but generally, I do not get the best service in some of those places and it seems intentional.
I guess I felt I was treated like a new-immigrant who just got off his roofing job and walked into Tivol.

I have never posted on this site but I have to wade in here.

Duncan I totally agree with what you are saying, and see the basic question.

Why don't we cater to other immigrants the same as we do Hispanic immigrants ?

Good question and I for one don't have an answer, but I do see the effects almost daily, I have worked all areas of Wyandotte County for the last 18 years in the utility industry, trying to take care of a customer problem when they can't understand anything I say is frustrating to say the least and if it a serious or dangerous problem I have to use MY cell phone to get a Spanish speaking rep to translate what is going on. And NO I WILL NOT learn Spanish or Croatian or German or Korean or any other language to accommodate these people, while I have nothing against them or any other immigrant, I totally agree they should learn the language of the country they want to live in and the government should not bend over backwards for any immigrant no matter where they come from.

As far as Illegal Immigrants, "ILLEGAL" say's it all !

We are letting in 1 million people per year as it is, come to this country legally and assimilate (but remember and cherish your heritage)like all the other LEGAL immigrants or go home. As it is our economy cannot take this kind of strain with a 10% unemployment rate, and for those people that say the only jobs illegal take are the jobs no American will do is ridiculous. Of all the ICE raids recently the jobs were filled within days by Americans.

And before any calls me a racist, I am a Native American belonging to the Cherokee Nation and my Great Grandfather was black, but none of that matters, I'm an American with conservative values who has friends of every color under the sun also OMG I have gay friends.

Thank you Richard for someone has finally seeing the basic question I was askiing that started this uproar that I had no intention of starting. I agree with you 100%. I wonder if a person likes Chevy's and not Fords if they are considered racist?

Your welcome Duncan.

And if you like Fords, yeah your a racist ;)

"I would really enjoy meeting you, Shawna and Thompson. You would be shocked to find out I am of mixed race. I just wanted to see how quick it would take before I was called racist and before this whole issue became a race issue." Your quote Duncan.

"Thank you Richard for someone has finally seeing the basic question I was asking that started this uproar that I had no intention of starting." Your quote Duncan.

So which is it Duncan? Did you really bait your comments on purpose like you said....or the latter? Just curious.

I wanted the answer to the origional question. I don't consider myself baitng the comments. You just assummed, as did others that I was not of the Hispanic race. You became defensive and called me a racist without knowing anything about me. How can we rid the world of racism when just by reading some comments, you called me a racist? Just a point I wanted to make.