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Weekly Spanish-language newspaper La Palma to close

PALM BEACH —
La Palma, an award-winning weekly Spanish-language newspaper in Palm Beach County, announced Monday that it will cease publishing in both print and online as of July 16.

"When we first created La Palma in 2004, we were seeking to find new ways to connect with the Hispanic community," said Tim Burke, publisher for Palm Beach Newspapers Inc., which owns La Palma. "Through the tireless efforts of many on our staff and through our strong partnerships with valued community leaders, we were able to ensure that La Palma's content was exceptional and our advertiser relationships were strong. The decision to cease publication was very difficult to make."

Despite the paper's commitment to both the product and the community as a whole, the business climate no longer makes the publication viable, Burke said.

"Everyone at La Palma is extremely honored to have had the opportunity to serve Palm Beach County's diverse Hispanic community for the past six years," said La Palma Editor Emily Mendez.

"Through our partnerships, sources and advertisers, we have all made valued connections with many of the amazing people who live here. We are very proud of the exceptional work of everyone on staff at La Palma," Mendez said. "But above all we would like to extend our gratitude to the Hispanic community for making La Palma engaging, interesting and relevant week after week."

The first edition of La Palma, which is free and publishes on Fridays, hit the streets Feb. 6, 2004, and reached 25,000 readers through home delivery and street racks.

Simultaneously, La Palma launched LaPalmaInteractivo.com, updated daily with local and Latin American news. The website has evolved into a family of sites serving the local demand for content related to entertainment, health, recipes, blogs, community opinions and photo sharing.

La Palma has received awards for coverage of issues affecting Hispanics in West Palm Beach and surrounding areas. The staff received the Best of Cox award for Spanish-language newspapers in 2006 and 2007, along with awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Society for News Design, Florida Press Club, the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors and the National Association of Hispanic Publications.

The parent company will continue to seek ways to engage the Hispanic audience through channels within The Palm Beach Post with efforts such as creating a Hispanic affairs reporter position, Burke said. He added that some La Palma staffers will be retained in other capacities at The Post.

Palm Beach Newspapers Inc. is owned by Cox Media Group, which is a division of Cox Enterprises Inc. The company includes the national advertising firms of Cox Reps, 15 TV stations, 86 radio stations, four metro newspapers, more than a dozen non-daily publications and more than 100 digital services.