Press Release, Oct. 12
Contact: James C. Webb (610-367-6041 ext. 243)

La Voz to Serve Reading-area Hispanic Community

Berks-Mont Newspapers, headquartered in Boyertown, Pa., announced that La Voz, a Hispanic (all-Spanish) weekly newspaper, will begin publication on Oct. 20.

James C. Webb, Berks-Mont publisher, said that La Voz will be the company’s ninth community weekly product and sixth in Berks County.

“La Voz represents the launch of an exciting publication for our Berks-Mont family. Early conversations with Hispanic and Reading area officials have echoed our enthusiasm about this brand-new local newspaper.”

Webb emphasized that La Voz will be almost entirely local in focus, with “a great deal of news about city government and schools, civic and church activities and neighborhood events. Local sports will also be part of the overall package.”

Awilda Castro, an experienced newspaper reporter and public relations professional from San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been named La Voz editor, according to Webb. “Ms. Castro will be bringing a wealth of writing and newspaper experience to Reading and Berks County. We are confident that she will be a major asset, as La Voz develops into a major communication piece throughout the Hispanic community.”

Webb noted that Alexander Gould, a veteran Berks-Mont staffer, will soon be named “regional manager” of Berks-Mont’s new suburban Reading office. Gould will be responsible for a staff which will include editorial, advertising sales and clerical personnel. (Westside Weekly, another new Berks-Mont publication serving the Wyomissing Area and Wilson school district regions, will also operate out of the new office.)

Berks-Mont’s other weekly Berks County publications include The Boyertown Area Times, The Southern Berks News, The Kutztown Area Patriot and The Hamburg Area Item. The company (with roots dating to 1857) also publishes The Community Connection, The Free Press (Quakertown area) and The Saucon News.

Destinations is a popular Berks-Mont tourist/visitors’ magazine, and the Oley Valley Sentinel is a quarterly newspaper mailed to all residents of the Oley Valley School District.

For specific information about La Voz and/or other Berks-Mont products, persons can phone 610-898-7887. The e-mail address is angould@berksmontnews.com.