SPRINGFIELD — Springfield has been in the national spotlight this week with national media outlets reporting on the city’s immigration surge, presidential candidates discussing rumors about the city’s Haitian population, and a viral photo spreading on social media.
News Center 7 is staying on top of the worldwide attention on Springfield, digging into the issues impacting the community daily on News Center 7 at 5:00 and 6:00
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This week, several people have sent News Center 7 a picture showing a man walking around, carrying a goose. They’ve claimed it shows evidence of Haitian migrants catching and eating geese in Springfield.
We’ve uncovered that the photo is over a month old and wasn’t taken in Springfield, or anywhere in the Miami Valley.
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, the photo was taken on July 28 in Columbus. The street view from a mapping system showed that it was taken in the 4700 block of Cleveland Avenue in Columbus.
The picture was posted to social media and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said it caught the attention of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
“It’s clear now that that was in Columbus, Ohio. We’ve investigated that,” DeWine said on Wednesday. “We’ll probably continue to investigate it because that would be hunting out of season when you look at the date when that took place.”
It was one concern raised about the real challenges a sudden influx of an estimated 15,000 Haitian migrants has created in Springfield and Clark County.
Another video of a woman from Ohio accused of eating a cat is also gaining attention. News Center 7 confirmed it did not happen in Springfield and the woman is not an immigrant.
“I have great confidence in the people of Springfield. They are not anti-Haitian. They just are seeing problems. And they want elected officials that want all of us to do everything that we can to alleviate those problems,” DeWine said.
For months, News Center 7 has covered the strain the population surge is putting on police and fire services, schools, healthcare, and translation services, along with problems involving unlicensed or uneducated drivers. It’s a strain on so many in the community, including migrants like Viles Dorsainvil, who is a pastor in the Clark County Haitian community.
“We are resilient people, hardworking people,” Dorsainvil said. “And I think that we have a lot to offer to this community here.”
Dorsainvil loves philosophy and theology, it’s what him to study theology. People come to him for guidance and it’s been a long week for him in that department.
“And all of a sudden it was outrageous out there. People keep talking about Haitians in Springfield eating cats and dogs or things like this,” he said. “And all of a sudden, some friends of mine called me and ask, ‘Viles, what (do) we have to do now? Things are getting out of hand. I feel like leaving the community because I do not feel safe anymore.’”
As shown on News Center 7 at 6:00, Dorsainvil said he’s tried to calm his community.
He said Haitians want to work with the city and state to help them adjust to life here, including through one of the biggest concerns there’s been: driver training. He said they welcome community conversations about challenges; something the Springfield NAACP has been helping with.
“I suggested that we have a roundtable discussion separately from the city commission meeting to discuss the community’s concerns regarding the Haitians being within Springfield,” Denise Williams, Springfield NAACP President, said.
Dorsainvil feels the discussion could help lead to understanding and solutions.
“There would be less tension. And there would be a welcome environment and a safer Springfield where everybody is living at peace,” he said.
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