BEND, Ore. (AP) — When Luz Reyes moved to Central Oregon last year from Salem, she was surprised at the lack of diversity in the area.
"Wow, I'm the only bean in a field of rice," she said.
Though she found everyone welcoming at Central Oregon Community College where she studies nursing, she still felt a little left out.
"You're pretty much on your own in terms of diversity," she said.
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Reyes, 20, is part of a growing population of Hispanics in Deschutes County who are changing the fabric of the area. From libraries to police, agencies are adapting to more diversity in the area and an influx of Spanish speakers.
According to U.S. census data released this month, the number of Hispanics in Deschutes County has more than doubled since 2000, jumping from 4,396 to 10,338.
The number of Hispanics is growing faster than the general population of Deschutes County, which grew by 41,843, or 36 percent, from 2000 to 2008.
The Deschutes Public Library system has seen an increase in the Latino community visiting its branches mainly in Redmond and Bend, said Todd Dunkelberg, the library system director. As a result, the library has a selection of Spanish-language books, videos, magazines and newspapers for users.
But there are some challenges to adapting to a growing Spanish-speaking population.
"It's not about letting them know we have resources, but letting them know there are free resources available to them in their own language," Dunkelberg said.
Along with information, people want to feel welcome at the library, Dunkelberg said.
"The biggest challenge is being able to have enough bilingual people on staff to be able to greet them and make them feel welcome when they come in," Dunkelberg said.
In 2007, the library received a Library Services and Technology Grant. Some of the money was used to add a half-time position largely focused on expanding outreach to the Latino population, and as a result, the system has gotten computer classes in Spanish going for residents.
The library also offers story times in Spanish and also conducts an annual "Dia de los ninos," a book day that advocates literacy for all backgrounds.
Deschutes County agencies are also reaching out to the Spanish-speaking population by printing a Spanish brochure with important listings such as police, fire, schools and health care, said Andie Lindgren, marketing manager with the Bend Park & Recreation District.
"We have kind of gotten to the point where we have seen that we need to do more," she said.
Lindgren said she hopes to get more bilingual people at the park district to communicate with Spanish-speakers.
Other agencies such as the police department and the justice system have either added more Spanish-speaking personnel or added incentives for Spanish classes.
Capt. Jim Porter with the Bend Police Department said the department started offering pay incentives in 2003 for officers to take classes to get them comfortable with conversational Spanish. Porter, who supervises the patrol division, said officers take classes or training on their own time and are offered a pay incentive when they pass a test.
Porter said he hasn't noticed a jump in the Hispanic population that's significant enough to impact the Police Department's operations, but he said the department is aware of the need to meet the growth.
"We're trying to get ahead of the trend," he said. "We're getting prepared for even more people from Spanish-speaking countries moving here."
The Police Department's staff members aren't the only ones trying to buff up their Spanish skills.
Anna Johnson, the communications director for Deschutes County, said the county offers free Spanish classes for its employees, and they are very popular. The classes started about a year ago.
"They usually have waiting lists," Johnson, who has taken the beginning Spanish class, said. "It's like survival Spanish for the workplace."
Carol Garibay, the court coordinator for Deschutes County, said that in 2004, as arraignments grew, the justice court started conducting two arraignment sessions per month where a Spanish interpreter is present.
If someone who speaks Spanish violates the law, they are assigned to the Redmond court offices.
"It's great," she said.
Garibay said that now people can enter into diversion plans to keep charges off their record, or enter into payment agreements.
"Before they didn't really understand what was going on, so they might pay the ticket or might not pay the ticket and leave the area," she said.
The Redmond offices also have a bilingual part-time judge who can help the Spanish-speaking population.
Garibay said the next step is to get the telephone greetings and forms in both languages.
Although Joaquin Rodriguez, 21, isn't a newcomer to Central Oregon he moved here when he was a toddler he does think that the region is becoming more friendly to Spanish-speaking cultures.
Rodriguez, who is president of Latino club at COCC, said he remembers a time when he would go to the hospitals with his mother and be the only one capable of translating for her.
When he was about 7 years old, he remembered a family friend fell down and he had to talk to the dispatcher on the 911 call, but didn't speak English well.
"Now in hospitals they've hired translators, but they are just on call," he said.
While growing up, Rodriguez and his mother would rarely see Latinos out shopping at grocery stores. It's different now.
"I've noticed there's a lot more Hispanics," Rodriguez said. He added with a laugh that there's even a "Hispanic food section" at grocery stores now.
Monica Tapia, a 21-year-old who is studying criminal justice and is active in the Latino club, said she participates in other Latino mentoring programs such as Oregon Leadership Institute because she wants to make a difference in her community, along with her club members.
"We want to send out a positive message that Latinos are contributing in a positive way," she said. "The positive's not out there."
Reyes, who has found friends and a sense of belonging in the Latino club, said it's open to everyone regardless of race, and it's a great way to network for students. The club, which wasn't active until Rodriguez and Reyes took it over, has about 10 members.
"I want the Latino club to be something that any Hispanic can know about," Reyes said.
She said she hopes to inspire other Latinos to go to college some day and make it easier for them to overcome language or cultural barriers.
"Little by little we're making a big difference in the community," she said.
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Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com