Publisher, activist Miguel Sepulveda dies at age 59

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2000 | 3:57 a.m.

Sepulveda, who founded northern Nevada's Spanish-language newspaper Ahora with his wife Sheila, was stricken on Friday.

He started the newspaper in 1983 with a staff of one and several others who dropped in and out of the office to help, distributing it in Hispanic hangouts from Reno to Elko.

Sepulveda founded the Northern Nevada Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Reno's Salsa and Latin Jazz Festival and wrote the original grant application for what is today known as Nevada Hispanic Services, a non-profit agency serving northern Nevada's Hispanic community. This summer, he was instrumental in bringing Ricky Martin to Reno.

Julio Cisneros, news director for northern Nevada's Spanish-language television station, said Sepulveda's edgy news judgment made him a good journalist. "He was a person who was loved by some but not by others and that was because he told the truth," Cisneros said. "He didn't think twice to say what was on his mind."

His last story was critical of Washoe County School District officials and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid for forgetting to include Hispanic community members in a meeting last week. It was on the front page of the edition that arrived as friends walked into the office Friday.

Cisneros said Sepulveda was responsible for helping many of the Spanish-speaking journalists in Reno get their start in a new homeland.

"He gave me my first job as a reporter here," Cisneros said.

His daughter-in-law Kelly McDaniel said the Sepulveda family was in shock and grief and had not yet arranged burial plans.