One man's vision: Hispanic newspaper in the works.

• Author: Cutler, Debbie
• Position: From the Editor

Jose Peguero has a vision: to create a monthly Hispanic newspaper for the Anchorage community focusing on education, health, employment and housing among other issues relevant to the growing community.

Peguero, who has attended or graduated from vo-tech, college and university programs in Alaska, New Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, has a diverse background, to include working at a laundry mat, on the Alaska Marine Highway and as a directional driller; dredging for gold, in construction technology, as a legislative aide; buying real estate; and his current position as school district custodian.

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A LONG WAY FROM HOME

He was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, which is on an island that includes Haiti. He left when he was 16 and arrived in New York City. By his mid-20s he was in Alaska, where he has spent most of his adulthood, sans a trip down to New Mexico where he attended college and worked in the oilfields in what he calls "cactus drilling," and a stint in Puerto Rico where he had 18 apartments.

One of his fondest memories is as a legislative aide for Betty Cato, who was from Valdez and led the House Transportation Committee. "She taught me a lot," he said. "She said old age and trickery overcome youth and skill."

But there are no tricks in his bag, other than to make his dream happen. "I've always been an avid reader," he says. "I like to write also."

He's seen several attempts at Spanish newspapers come and go, but he is determined, his, "Hispanic Alaska," is here to stay. As editor and publisher, he hopes to utilize talent from high school and college journalism students, as well as reporters he knows from out of state. He plans to print the publication, which will have a look much like the "Anchorage Press," through a nonprofit university press.

With nearly 40,000 Hispanics living in Anchorage...