(The Epoch Times)—They live on separate sides of Springfield, but Rhonda Zimmers and Melissa Skinner noticed gradual changes to their neighborhoods in this Ohio city midway between Dayton and Columbus, starting around three years ago.
“Longtime residents who I used to see were no longer there. They moved out, and Haitian migrants moved in. They didn’t speak English. I started to see a lot of foot traffic on the streets. And you could see a dozen or more people coming and going from the houses. It was clear there were a lot of people living in the houses,” Zimmers told The Epoch Times.
Skinner, who serves with Zimmers on the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals, observed a similar transition in her neighborhood.
“We used to know everyone, and mostly everyone got along, but then we started seeing more turnover on our street. We no longer knew many of our neighbors,” Skinner said.
“It used to be a quiet and peaceful place to live. Now, we have several houses where several Haitian families are living in a home intended for one family. And sometimes we get harassed by people who are yelling at us in a foreign language. We have to be more cautious. This is not the Springfield I once knew,” Skinner said.
A blue-collar city that saw many of its factories shut down decades ago, Springfield’s population declined to less than 60,000—until the last few years. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian migrants have arrived here over that span.
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Residents have voiced concern and frustration over safety issues and a strain on resources. City leaders have acknowledged that changes must be made to effectively accommodate its residents and the migrants.
The conversation was mostly confined to Springfield and Clark County until the presidential debate earlier this week. At an Aug. 27 city council meeting, some residents alleged that Haitians were killing cats, dogs, ducks, and geese for food.
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former President Donald Trump’s running mate, said that his office had been inundated with those claims.
Vance wrote on X that “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
Early in the Sept. 10 presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump said, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
City officials and police said they had not received reports of Haitians eating animals.
Springfield Strategic Engagement Manager Karen Graves told The Epoch Times earlier this week, “There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
In a statement on Sept. 10, a Springfield police spokesperson said the same thing.
On Sept. 11, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost wrote in a post on X, “There’s a recorded police call from a witness who saw immigrants capturing geese for food in Springfield.”
He also noted that citizens testified to city council about incidents of Haitian migrants killing geese.
“These people would be competent witnesses in court. Why does the media find a carefully worded City Hall press release better evidence?” Yost wrote.
Over the last week, tension has risen in Springfield.
On Sept. 12, Springfield City Hall and an elementary school were evacuated after multiple city facilities received bomb threats, according to police. Clark County officials reported that every county building was closed that day out of “an abundance of caution.”
The next day, two elementary schools were evacuated and a middle school was closed in Springfield “based on information received from the Springfield Police Division,” according to school officials.
Outside of Ohio, many Americans had never heard of Springfield until Trump’s comments. Now, residents told The Epoch Times, it is drawing national attention for the wrong reasons.
“The animal reports are good for media clickbait, but the real story here—what has created a crisis—is how the residents are being negatively impacted,” Zimmers said.
“This wasn’t put to a vote. We didn’t ask for this, and our city leaders did not put proper infrastructure in place to prepare for the migrants and to address the challenges it would cause for the residents who are U.S. citizens,” Skinner said.
The Department of Homeland Security earlier this year announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians until Feb. 3, 2026, protecting them from deportation back to Haiti. This includes migrants who entered the U.S. illegally and those who overstayed their visas.
In 2023, the U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens to leave Haiti amid widespread violence and unrest after the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, in 2021.
The country is currently listed by the U.S. Embassy as “Level 4–Do Not Travel” because of crime, kidnappings, poor health care infrastructure, and unrest.
According to the city of Springfield “Immigrants with TPS are legally qualified to receive financial assistance, health and nutrition services, employment and education services, and housing services. Since immigrants granted TPS must apply for an Employment Authorization Document that can take up to several months to receive, they may need assistance until they can legally seek employment.”
Springfield had a small Haitian population before 2021, when illegal border entries began to break records. A shortage of entry-level and blue-collar workers made the city an ideal destination, especially because of its low cost of living compared to major metro areas.
Topre, a Japanese auto parts manufacturer, expanded in 2022, drawing Haitian migrants.
While companies needing to fill vacant positions welcomed the surge of Haitian migrants, challenges escalated in the city.
Kyle Koehler, a former state representative in the district that represents Springfield, is a candidate for state Senate in the region that covers three counties, including Clark, where Springfield is located.
The cultural differences between residents and migrants have resulted in tension, he said.
“They don’t understand the laws; they don’t understand some of our customs. We don’t understand some of their customs, and that clash and the overwhelming amount of people that have come at one point has really caused some issues,” Koehler said.
In a recent campaign speech, Koehler said that the Haitian migrants in Springfield receive between $600 and $1,600 a month on debit cards through the Refugee Cash Assistance program. They can also access public assistance programs available to U.S. citizens.
“As of this month, our local Job and Family Services has registered over 20,000 Haitian refugees in our county and city. Springfield, which had a steady population of 58,000 … now has an additional 20,000 new residents in and around Springfield—20,000 people in just under four years,” Koehler said.
He said that Springfield’s public school system now has more than 1,600 non-English speaking students.
“Our Federally Qualified Health Care (FQHC) called Rocking Horse is overwhelmed with the increase in Haitians that are automatically qualified for Medicaid services. City, county, and state leaders are overwhelmed with complaints that they can do very little about fixing,” he said.
Before arriving in Springfield, Haitian migrants had little or no health care services.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced earlier this week that he is dedicating $2.5 million toward expanding primary care access for Springfield residents. He has directed the Ohio Department of Health to work with the Clark County Health Department and other health care providers.
“We will continue to do everything we can to help the community deal with this surge of migrants,“ DeWine said at a Sept. 11 press conference. ”The federal government has not demonstrated that they have any kind of plan to deal with the issue. We will not walk away.”
Part of DeWine’s plan includes the creation of a school-based health clinic in the Springfield City School District, increasing support for vaccinations and health screenings through the local health department.
Also, allocating additional funds to the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services for translation services, providing funding to Clark State College for services to teach English to Haitians, as well as providing driving simulators, and offering driver education classes targeted to the Haitian community, and working with the Springfield School District.
DeWine implored the federal government to provide more resources.
“These dramatic migrant surges impact every citizen in the community—the moms who have to wait hours in a waiting room with a sick child, everyone who drives on our streets, and the children who go to school in more crowded classrooms,” the governor said.
“The federal government does not have a plan to give any support to the communities impacted by surges, and we have absolutely no indication that a plan is coming in the near future.”
Yost recently said he is ordering an investigation into ways to halt what he describes as “extreme population growth” attributed to migrants moving to Springfield.
“How many people can they be expected to take? What are the limits to the federal government’s power? Could the federal government simply funnel into Ohio all the millions of migrants flooding in under the current administration’s watch?” Yost asked.
“The problem is not migrants; it is way, way too many migrants in a short period of time,” he said.
“The problem is a massive increase in the population without any communication or assistance from the federal government.”
The immigration debate among residents, local officials, and migrants reached a breaking point last summer when 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed in a traffic accident that involved a Haitian migrant.
The boy was aboard a school bus that collided with a minivan that crossed over the dividing line driven by 36-year-old Hermanio Joseph.
Joseph was sentenced to nine to 13-and-a-half years in prison for first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and fourth-degree felony vehicular homicide.
Nathan Clark, Aiden’s father, chastised conservative politicians for using the child’s death for political gain.
“My son, Aiden Clark, was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti,” Clark said at a recent city council meeting.
“They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members,” he said. “However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark of Springfield, Ohio.”
Last December, a day after her 71st birthday, Springfield grandmother Kathy Heaton was killed when a car driven by a Haitian migrant struck her while she was gathering her garbage cans.
Prosecutors decided that the driver of the car, 38-year-old Robenson Louis, wouldn’t be charged.
At a city council meeting earlier this week, Mandy Heaton, Kathy’s daughter-in-law, said the decision left their family “devastated.”
Louis was operating a car with expired license plates.
On Sept. 11, DeWine dispatched the Ohio State Highway Patrol to help local law enforcement with traffic issues in Springfield.
Residents have complained for months that Haitian migrants are getting temporary driving permits but not getting licenses.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous because of her position in the public eye, told The Epoch Times that there are “several accidents every day,” and she has seen cars “drive into buildings and onto sidewalks, go the wrong way down one-way streets, make U-turns right in the middle of the road, and run over street signs and into yards.”
“They get behind the wheel with little or no education and training about driving laws here, and many of them don’t understand English, so they can’t read the street signs,” Zimmers said.
Malc Joseph arrived in Springfield last year with his 11-year-old son, Marcley. They fled from Haiti and lived in Philadelphia before moving to Ohio because of the lower cost of living.
“We were welcomed when we got here, and it was good because there was a big adjustment coming from a big city. After the accident, it started to change. I’m afraid for my safety. People are saying we are eating cats and dogs. That’s not part of our culture. We don’t do that,” he said.
Lindsay Aime is the treasurer for the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield. He told The Epoch Times that he acknowledges that there are cultural differences and encourages residents to be patient as the Haitian population adapts to American customs.
“Learning the language and the culture takes time. I don’t think Americans understand how difficult it is. We don’t have an established Haitian community here like in bigger cities. We need more time to integrate ourselves here. Just give us time,” Aime said.
“We are good workers, hard workers. We are paying taxes. We are customers for businesses. We want to have a positive presence here, and we’re here to stay. We can’t go back to Haiti.”
B.J. Newman is a pastor who works in Springfield. He told The Epoch Times he sympathizes with the Haitian migrants but also believes that residents should be shown more understanding.
“I’m extraordinarily compassionate to the plight of the immigrants. We just need to make sure that compassion goes in both directions. If you drive through Springfield, it doesn’t look like there’s anything out of the ordinary. This isn’t like the BLM riots, where there is violence and destruction on the streets. But there is a crisis. This happens when such a high number of refugees come here in a short time,” he said.
“Anytime you have a population jump of 20,000 in a short time, problems are bound to happen. The fact that they’re from a very different culture, I think, is what’s creating the real friction.”
Kelly Combs is a Registered Nurse who worked for a health care network on a team that provides perinatal outreach to at-risk families, including Haitians in Springfield.
She told The Epoch Times she empathizes with migrants and residents alike.
“They came here for a better life, but now many of them are afraid to leave their homes,” Combs said about the Haitian migrants. “Residents feel like it is an invasion because the refugees don’t know proper etiquette, and there is a drastic cultural difference that is creating tension.”
Combs works as a nursing instructor at Clark State Community College, which is located in downtown Springfield. She lives with her husband in a village five miles outside the city limits, so she is insulated from the migrant crisis there, but she worries about driving downtown.
“There is an intersection I pass through every day I’m at work, and there are accidents there seemingly every day,” Combs said. “You have to be attentive when you’re driving here. You can’t afford to get distracted.”
Housing is also a critical issue in Springfield.
Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck addressed the housing shortage in a July letter to U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.). Vance was copied on the correspondence. Heck wrote that the housing issue has presented a “crisis” for the city dating back to 2018, and the issue has worsened since the surge of Haitian migrants.
The number of affordable housing vouchers has declined as some landlords have moved to market-based rents, which increased amid higher demand.
Multiple residents told The Epoch Times that landlords have kept increasing the rents for local residents to the point they can no longer afford to pay, choosing instead to attract Haitian migrants.
Fred Stegner is president and founder of the Springfield Soup Kitchen, which serves a free hot meal to anyone who walks through the door on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
He told The Epoch Times that landlords raising their rents to a level where residents can no longer afford to pay has contributed to the homeless problem in Springfield.
“It makes me angry. I’m a veteran, and I’ve had many veterans come in here telling me they are getting evicted because they can’t pay their rent. This shouldn’t be happening to U.S. citizens. I know the migrants are escaping a difficult life, but there should be a compound set up for them to live. And landlords shouldn’t be allowed to drive out the residents because they know they can make a lot of money off the Haitians,” he said.
Stegner mentioned that homeless shelters in the community have closed, and he is concerned about the safety of the homeless population, with winter just a few months away.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
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