Community Profile: Sam Rodriguez

 

From Bell Gardens contamination site

Sam Rodriguez owns a small steel spinning shop directly across the street from the contaminated parcels of land in Bell Gardens. On the weekends, he says he likes to relax with a few beers as he fixes his cars.

Rodriguez, 26, has lived in Bell Gardens all his life, and he doesn't plan to leave anytime soon. 

"I love this place, man," he said. "I grew up here. It may not be much but It's home." 

From Bell Gardens contamination site

When the subject of the contamination came up, Rodriguez groaned as he recalled it. 

"Oh, man I forgot about that," he said. "And my little daughter goes to school there."

He joked about the prospect of putting her in a private school, but then admitted that he had no such resources. 

As Rodriguez remembers, there were four people who became ill as a result of the contamination in Bell Gardens. Cases of cancer or other illness in connection with the incident could not be confirmed by the state, but Conti, of the DTSC, did not rule out the possibility that isolated cases might have arisen.

"It was really bad, man," he said. "Everyone heard about these four people who were sick. But as far as I know, nothing really came of it." He paused. "Man, I haven't thought about that in years."