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Spanish-Language Newspaper to Debut Amid English-Only Ruling
By Jennifer Gelband, 10-02-06

Everyone seemed exited last week when it was announced a new Spanish-language newspaper was to debut in the Treasure Valley. La Prensa Libre (The Free Press) will be available weekly at grocery stores, restaurants and other places starting on October 6. The free paper will be published by the Idaho Press Tribune, a Nampa daily paper which services Canyon County, a section of the Treasure Valley with a lot of Hispanic presence.

"The time is right for such a publication," Publisher Stephanie Pressly told the Idaho Press-Tribune. "The market is growing and vibrant, businesses want to reach this important demographic, and we have the resources to devote to an independent publication.”

A recent story in the Idaho Statesman offered figures from the U.S. Census Bureau that stated the Hispanic population is surpassing the growth of other demographic groups. “The number of Hispanics increased 106 percent in Canyon County from 1990 to 2000” compared with the non-Hispanic population that grew only 37 percent in the same period. And that “Hispanics represent 9 percent of Idaho's population, but 20.5 percent of Canyon County's.”

These stats should come as little surprise to anyone ambling around the neighborhoods. Hispanic communities are flourishing, and the non-English speakers deserve to know the news too. La Prensa Libre will follow a pretty standard style with news, entertainment, sports and other news of interest to the Hispanic community.

The paper germinated from a recent ruling from the Canyon County commissioners who deemed English the only language allowed on county documents. That, of course, elicits a “Yikes!” but an even bigger “Yikes!” comes with the news that one Canyon County commissioner is suggesting that everyone cancel their subscriptions to the Press Tribune to boycott the new addition.

If lots of people stopped getting their news from the IPT it would be great for NewWest. They have to get the news somewhere, right? But it really won’t solve anything since my Spanish is limited to asking what’s for dinner and how to get to the beach. We wouldn’t be able to reach that market anyway.

Robert Vasquez, a former U.S. congressional candidate and major illegal-immigration opponent, is the man behind the boycott. He’s been quoted in various news outlets saying he thinks the new paper will create a rift in the area and that the paper is simply trying to profit from illegal aliens.

La Prensa Libre, which will print 10,000 copies each week, is free, and apparently, "Local businesses are eager to reach this market, and we have several long-term commitments,” Pressly told the Statesman. "National advertiser interest has exploded in the last decade, and major advertisers are supporting Spanish-language publications and media across the country."