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ByRussellContreras The Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. The growth of the U.S. Latino population — once the na- tion's fastest growing — slowed considerably over the past seven years and slipped behind that of Asian Americans amid de- clining Hispanic immigra- tion and birth rates, a study released Thursday found. The Pew Research Center study, which analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data, found that the U.S. Hispanic pop- ulation grew annually on average by 2.8 percent be- tween 2007 and 2014. That's down from the 4.4 percent annual growth from 2000 to 2007, before the Great Recession. By comparison, the Asian American population grew around 3.4 percent on av- erage annually during the same period. William H. Frey, a de- mographer with the Brook- ings Institution's Metropol- itan Policy Program, the slower growth is largely a factor of the economy. A slower economy is influenc- ing families to hold off on having more children, and it's discouraging migration amid stronger border en- forcement, he said. Kenneth M. Johnson, a senior demographer at the University of New Hamp- shire's Carsey School of Public Policy, said U.S. His- panic women between the ages of 20 to 24 have seen a 36 percent decline in birth rates. "That's by far the largest decline of any other group," Johnson said. Despite slowing pop- ulation growth, Latinos still accounted for 54 per- cent of the nation's popula- tion growth between 2000 and 2014, according to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. Regional growth pat- terns also have changed some following the eco- nomic downturn of 2007 reflecting the changing economies of states, the study found. Counties in the South continued to account for the largest share of the nation's Hispanic popula- tion growth — 43 percent between 2007 and 2014. Among the other fastest- growing counties for Lati- nos were Luzerne County in Pennsylvania, Beadle County in South Dakota, Duchesne County in Utah and Burleigh County in North Dakota. "Latinos are coming to Utah because the govern- ment here is doing a lot to create jobs," said Rog- elio Franco of Entre Lati- nos, a Salt Lake City, Utah advocacy group that works to integrate Hispanics into the state. Entre Latinos was not affiliated with the study. Franco said he thinks the declining birth rate is a re- sult of Latino millennials holding off on having chil- dren while pursuing their education. "They are planning more," Franco said. "They are focusing on other things." The growth in North Dakota's statewide Latino population nearly dou- bled to 18,000, making it the state with the highest Hispanic growth rate over seven years. Though small in numbers compared to states like California and Texas, the rise in Latino residents has put pressures on local governments and nonprofits to accommodate the new residents. For example, in 2014 Catholic nuns from Mexico were sent to North Dakota to help serve new Hispanic parishioners in that state. North Dakota had expe- rienced an oil boom until recently, attracting workers from around the country. It remains one of the least di- verse states in the country. "Latino population growth has become less concentrated in counties with historically large La- tino populations and whose Latino population grew by at least 10,000," the study's authors wrote. Though the growth has slowed in the last seven years, the Latino popula- tion in the South has ex- ploded when examined over 14 years. From 2000 to 2014, La- tino populations in Tennes- see and South Carolina, for example, nearly tripled. North Carolina also saw its population spike 136 percent since 2000, the re- port said. Mauricio Castro, an or- ganizer with the North Car- olina Congress of Latino Organizations, said Latino immigrants coming to the region tend to work in the construction or service in- dustry. Still, between 2007 and 2014, nearly 40 counties ex- perienced declines in the percentage of Latinos. Most of those counties were in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas — states with tradi- tionally large Hispanic pop- ulations. Frey said once the U.S. economy starts picking up, he expects to see a return of higher rates of immigration and increase births. "This is not the end of La- tino growth in the United States by any means," Frey said. DEMOGRAPHICS Study: Latino population growth slips behind Asian Americans PHOTOSBYRUSSELLCONTRERAS—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE Latino students at Albuquerque, N.M., High School protest on the campus a er walking out over taking a new standardized test. Santiago Maestas, 67, a farmer in the South Valley of Albuquerque, N.M., overlooks his land while he discusses how he and other Hispanic farmers are fighting against a planned development over water use. also competing for water with more people. There are more people living in forests and overall more peoplelivinginCalifornia. Frank Barron of Crane Mills was one of several local attendees. His con- cern has to do with the Forest Service reducing stand density. "We're here to support them and their efforts as neighbors," Barron said. "There's been some har- vest to get ahead of the beetles and our concern is how their management will affect our forest." Conversations have been going for about two to three years and the hope is the talks will soon progress to the next stage, Barron said. "Either you do the thin- ning or nature does," Bar- ron said. "It's about figur- ing out limited resources and where they will do the most good." Shane Edmonds of the CentralValleyWaterQual- ity Control Board said it was a good thing the for- est service was bringing the public in to give input in the early stages. Brenda Haynes, Dis- trict Representative for Rep. Doug LaMalfa, has attended the workshops for three years and said she encourages the Men- docino National Forest to take action now before it is too late. "Four years of drought has exacerbated bug in- festations and rapid ex- pansionofdeadanddying trees, resulting in poor forest health," Haynes said. "Our public forests are unable to survive cat- astrophic wildfire. The overgrown, crowded pub- lic forest is also drinking up precious water supply when, if trees were prop- erly thinned, that water would flow to our valleys." The Mendocino Na- tional Forest Service is figuring out the next steps and while the lo- cal field trip is the final one in the initial portion of outreach, there will hopefully be a meeting in about two months. In the meantime, the agency is working to put together a website ded- icated to tree mortality andthefourbeetlesproject that will be at http://www. fs.usda.gov/mendocino/. Forest FROM PAGE 1 "If counties and the state can't demonstrate the dif- ference it makes for indi- viduals, their families and California as whole, it may not survive," Nava said in a news release accompany- ing the report. The commission's find- ings echoed those in an Associated Press investiga- tion in 2012, a critical state audit in 2014, and the Lit- tle Hoover Commission's previous review in 2015. The AP found that tens of millions of dollars gen- erated by the tax went to general wellness programs for people who had not been diagnosed with any mental illness. Those pro- grams include yoga, gar- dening, art classes and horseback riding. The state auditor reported similar findings a year later. The state Department of Health Care Services, which oversees the mental health program, pledged last year to "work with county partners and oth- ers to ensure that the de- livery of these important services is accomplished in an effective and efficient manner." Spokespeople for the department did not im- mediately respond to a re- quest for comment Thurs- day. Voters approved a 1 percent tax on incomes over $1 million in 2004 as part of a ballot initia- tive that promised to boost funding to help the men- tally ill, including preven- tion and early interven- tion programs. Counties are responsible for choos- ing and running their own programs, but an oversight commission was not estab- lished until eight years af- ter the funding began, and it has little authority. Unlike other ballot ini- tiatives, Proposition 63's language allows the Leg- islature to amend it with a two-thirds vote and to clar- ify the law if it is deemed necessary. Spokespeople for the two top legislative lead- ers, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D- Los Angeles, and Assem- bly Speaker Anthony Ren- don, D-Paramount, did not immediately respond to re- quests for comment Thurs- day. Lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown approved a plan this year to divert a portion of the annual rev- enues from Proposition 63 to pay off bonds to build housing for the chronically homeless, aimed at those who suffer from mental illness. Mental FROM PAGE 1 RICH PEDRONCELLI — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Children and adults use a play parachute as part of an exercise activity during a wellness program run jointly by the La Familia Counseling Center INC., and the YMCA in Sacramento. Roxie Willett talks with attendees about her painting that she does on rocks at the 18th annual Fall Cra Fair. A Mexican flag flies outside La India Bonita Mexican Restaurant in front of the Lakota Trade Center in Kyle, S.D., on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. FILE PHOTOS CeeAnn Coombs talks with Rose Castor about a rooster made of forks, knives and spoons made by her brother, Bill Ranberg, at the 18th annual Fall Cra Fair last year. including tacos, hamburg- ers, nachos, coffee and tea. A new vendor will be joining the fair this year with lessons on teaching people, particularly women, self protection and defense and it is sure to be a popular booth, Gleason said. The auxiliary has raised more than $300,000 for the center and community grant programs since it be- gan 30 years ago, Gleason said. Goldie Watson, a well- known community mem- ber, was instrumental in getting the Red Bluff Com- munity Center built. Watson, along with other Goldie's Group members, began fundraising for the center by selling homemade pies and holding spaghetti dinners. One of the origi- nal members of the group is still in the auxiliary today. The auxiliary holds monthly bingo night fund- raisers that benefit the com- munity grant program, said Chris Hurton, Community Center and Recreation su- pervisor. Recent recipients of grants include the Back to School Project, Child Abuse Prevention Council, REACH and Veteran K-9 Connections. Fair FROM PAGE 1 A new vendor will be joining the fair this year with lessons on teaching people, particularly women, self protection and defense and it is sure to be a popular booth, Gleason said. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM | NEWS | 9 A