I worked out that direction. On my way home one day about seven years ago, I decided to stop by a Sears (I believe it was Sears) store. All the signs were in big Spanish words, with small English versions written below.
While I was there, one of the female employees came up to me and warned me that I should probably get out of the area. At dusk the parking lot turned into a big gang haven. She was concerned about my safety.
I grew up from the 70s, around the San Fernando Valley. In the 70s it was a white middle class area. At 3.5 million strong, it was the model for American Graffiti. I the 70s I used to cruise Van Nuys Boulevard.
Then one day in the early 1990s, I drive down Van Nuys Boulevard all the way, and took at good look at the vagrants, or close to it along the way. Some of the areas along the boulevard had been pretty upwardly movile in the 70s. Now it was inhabited by people who looked like they just got off the turnip truck from Tijuana.
Shopping baskets were being pushed down the sidewalk. The stores had taken on the character of a slum like look. The 3.5 million area, was now more illegal immigrant exemplary than middle-class.
I wouldn’t go into that area at night.
When I warn other parts of the country what illegal immigration winds up doing, they laugh. Never here, is their mantra. Well, let them learn the hard way.
Yes, Van Nuys is now a third world crap hole.
I guess “Valleyspeak” has changed, too.