STAFF REPORT
Barton Publications, Inc. announces that starting Saturday, June 2, a new weekly Spanish language newspaper will hit the streets. The Hays Free Press, owned by Barton Publications, will produce the newspaper called La Prensa Libre de Hays.
“History is written one day at a time,” said Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ray Hernandez. “The creation of La Prensa de Hays provides a pathway, so that a more inclusive and accurate story is captured and told for the entire community.”
La Prensa Libre de Hays, which translates literally as “The Press Free of Hays,” is the brainchild of Hays Free Press Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton and her son Zachary Barton. “The idea first started in the fall of 2011 when we realized that residents of Hays County who do not speak English did not have access to local news,” Barton said.
Until now, there has never been a locally produced totally Spanish newspaper available in Hays County.
Encouraged by Hernandez, Slovak-Barton and Barton met in late February with a group of local prominent Latinas to talk about the feasibility of creating a local Spanish newspaper. The attendees of the meeting included Esperanza Orosco, Belinda Hernandez, Rebecca Ybarra-Ramirez, Ofelia Vasquez-Philo, and Margie Villalpando. After seeing the excitement at the meeting, Barton and Slovak-Barton decided to move forward with the idea.
Barton, a graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in Spanish and Plan II, began to work on creating the new newspaper in March, and will now take the reins of the new publication.
Slovak-Barton serves as the publisher of the Hays Free Press and is also vice president of the South Texas Press Association.
Barton Publications also produces the award winning Hays Free Press, All Around Hays, www.haysfreepress.com and other area projects such as visitors’ guides, medical guides, and area maps.
“Adding La Prensa Libre de Hays,” said Slovak-Barton, “will allow us to bring news to a historically underserved segment of the community, as well as provide a way for local businesses to advertise specifically to the Latino community. In the end, helping our community and our advertisers also helps our business, which is why we strive to put out a quality product.”
La Prensa Libre de Hays will be available free in 50 locations along the Interstate 35 corridor of Hays County, with newspapers being available in stores or racks in Manchaca, Buda, Kyle, Uhland and San Marcos.
“One of the most exciting experiences for me has been the positive feedback I have received from Latinos in the local community,” Barton said. “For example, I spoke to one woman who spoke English perfectly, but expressed to me, in Spanish I might add, how nice it will be for her to read a local newspaper in her native language. It is conversations like that which make me believe in what we are doing.”
Orosco, a fourth-grade bilingual teacher, said she welcomes La Prensa Libre de Hays.
“For years there has been a steady increase in this area’s Spanish speaking population, yet little or no news has been available in a language other than English,” she said. “Presenting news and information in a professional, culturally appropriate, and timely publication will go a long way toward meeting the needs of our greater community. The establishment of a Spanish language newspaper will build bridges and further the foundation of inclusion.”
