'Voice of Postville' One of Few Talking

By Josh Hinkle, Anchor/Reporter

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By Josh Hinkle

Story Created: Sep 7, 2008 at 11:50 AM CST

Story Updated: Sep 7, 2008 at 11:50 AM CST

POSTVILLE - Passing through Postville, it still looks like most small towns in northeast Iowa. But a closer glance reveals how a raid can really change residents.

Four months ago, people you met on the street wanted to share their opinion about what happened at Postville's largest employer. Now, they barely say a word, let alone go on camera.

From the radio airwaves, a familiar voice sounds, "It's three o'clock. You're listening to member-supported KPVL 89.1 Postville."

One of the only people opening his mouth these days is the station's news director/host, Jeff Abbas.

He says, "It's definitely a different town than it was pre-raid."

Things here change daily. Listeners turn to his station - the only one in town - for the latest word on the 400 workers arrested at Agriprocessors and the families moving away. Postville is slowly losing a familiar face - it's Hispanic population.

Some Hispanic businesses are combining services to cut costs. Others are cutting back hours, and some are shutting down altogether.

Abbas says, "You don't see a lot of people patronizing the bakery, a lot of people patronizing the individual businesses downtown anymore, because the cultures are now so different."

Agriprocessors now has replacement workers... new neighbors... strangers to this city. Abbas hears the stories about the new hires and the trouble many bring with them.

"People telling me they're locking their doors, telling me they're afraid to let their kids go out after 6pm to go to the park or do anything."

It's a revolving fear, because many of the plant's new workers don't stick around.

Abbas says, "That's not a community. We're still a town, but it's not a community."

Without a steady stream of employees, residents still worry Agriprocessors might join the other businesses closing shop.

Abbas and his radio station though are main-stays. He only hopes Postville pushes through, so his voice can carry through to the future.

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