Mullard is certain that one is false.
"The media has called to confirm if riot troops are standing by," he says. "I said, 'No.' We initially anticipated violence toward BHP. But there would be no reason for hostilities. There's still a chance someone could come in and buy the mine. Burning the railroad ties isn't the way to impress a new corporation."
Paolo Vescia
San Manuel's dormant copper industry looms large over the town.
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San Manuel is small, but not immune to crime. Mullard says that the local police face residential burglaries, thefts, drug trafficking for casual users and illegal aliens. A curfew keeps kids under 17 from causing trouble late at night.
"Domestic violence hasn't increased yet," says Mullard. "Because of stress, it may go up. I think an increase in crime will be because of a result of opportunity. People who move out are going to use their residence as a storage facility."
Mullard doesn't anticipate any of the laid-off workers suddenly favoring a life of crime. The people who were criminals before will just take advantage of the situation.
"Someone who is going to steal a lawn mower would have done it anyway," he says. "I would say that well into 99 percent of the population pays their bills, is hardworking and takes care of their families."
Three kids drop their BMX bikes outside of Chris' True Value Hardware. They don't bother to chain up their rides when they go inside.
Chris' True Value is next to Gordon's grocery store in the strip of shops. The True Value sells everything the food store doesn't. Garden hoses, fish food and dust brooms are some of the items on the shelves.
The store's namesake, Chris Valdes, owns all the buildings on the strip along with business partner Vern Stover Sr. Chris' son Todd manages the True Value. The younger Valdes has lived in San Manuel for all of his 28 years. He's been visiting other small towns that went through similar circumstances. Valdes wanted to gauge how the shutdown might have an impact on the local economy.
"Well, they did make it, and their town is still there," says Valdes. "It already has affected business here. Sales have dropped because people are saving their money."
Valdes says staples like toothpaste and toilet paper are still being bought. It's the extras collecting dust on the shelves. Before BHP closed the mine, Valdes had considered expanding the True Value. Those plans will wait until a decision is made on the mine.
"If sales continue to drop, we'll have to see what happens," says Valdes. "It affects us, but it's not like we're putting the whole family in the store and laying off the staff."
Most of Valdes' graduating class went on to work at the mine. He attended the University of Arizona and got his degree in engineering. Sketchy periods are the norm in the copper industry. Valdes says the current troubles are the worst he's seen.
"When Magma was here, all the people making decisions lived here," he says. "BHP is a foreign company. They had efficiency issues and people didn't like the changes. There've been union strikes before, but you knew there would eventually be a resolution. It was more of a pissing contest. This is not a sure thing."
Besides owning the storefronts with the elder Valdes, Stover Sr. also owns the Fast Stop and Tastee-Freez convenience stores. He moved to San Manuel in 1956 and graduated from the high school in 1959. He met his wife at the school. His kids went there, and his grandchildren will, too.
He's already had to cut back hours at one of the stores. Stover Sr. can only guess what a long-term closure will do to business and the town.
"It would be a big blow to the community if the copper company stayed closed," he says. "We'll lose a lot of our younger families and, of course, the school system and retail businesses will be affected. I think eventually copper prices will go up and they'll open back up the smelter."
Stover Sr. was as shocked as the miners when BHP made its announcement. He'd heard the rumors of the mine possibly being closed, but not the entire operation. Waiting around for the problem to fix itself wasn't an option.
"We've been meeting with state and county representatives to see what industries we could bring to San Manuel," he says. "Anyone we can get."
Almost 3,000 employees plan for the last of their severance checks. Everyone in the tri-community waits to hear what BHP has planned for them.
Approximately 300 workers are still employed by BHP, but they're bringing the operation closer to care and maintenance status. The closer they get, the more will be laid off. The target number of permanent employees is 130.
"The severance package put together by BHP has been extraordinary," says BHP's Norman. "They get 60 days administrative leave. They're still employees, but they don't have to come in to work. They draw pay and full benefits and can draw unemployment during that period. This has hurt management as much as the employees. It's not a case of management wiping their hands and saying, 'That's the end.'"
If that happened, at least San Manuel would know it was the end and deal with it. Instead, the rumor mill continues to churn.
Contact Matthew Doig at his online address: mdoig@newtimes.com
