Orozco is the radio talk show host of "Linea Abierta" (Open Line), an international program that reaches 100 affiliates throughout the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico. The series is part of Radio Bilingüe, a Fresno, Calif.-based public radio network that airs in Spanish.

Orozco and his crew from Radio Bilingüe hosted an hourlong show Friday from Radio KDNA, the Granger-based public radio station. KDNA 91.9 FM carries some of Radio Bilingüe's programs, including Orozco's, which airs weekdays from noon to 2 p.m.

Orozco, the tall, lapis lazuli- eyed, bespectacled host with streaks of gray in his dark beard, said he brought Linea Abierta to the Yakima Valley because he believes that Hispanic voters in Eastern Washington could be pivotal for the presidential elections, as well as today's caucuses.

Linea Abierta will be aired at
3 p.m. today. Orozco plans to cover the caucuses and do interviews.

During Friday's one-hour program, he repeatedly pointed out to listeners and his four local guests that it was Hispanics who gave Sen. Hillary Clinton the needed edge in her victory in California.

Orozco did not take sides, but one of his guests, Toppenish activist Tomas Villanueva, rooted for Clinton, while local rancher Sergio Marquez made the case for Sen. Barack Obama. Throughout the hour, callers phoned in to support one or the other.

"You hear more and more the name of Obama among young Latinos," said Ramon, a caller from Ore-gon who blamed many Democrats for having voted for a recent law that prevents undocumented immigrants from getting driver's licenses.

Instead, Maria, a caller from Toppenish, said she plans to support Clinton today during the caucus because she remembers the years during the Bill Clinton presidency as good economic times.

"I think she will do good," she said.

Many listeners called in to thank Orozco for coming to the Valley to air his shows from Granger.

Maria, another caller from Toppenish, said that what Linea Abierta was doing during the caucus was a good thing, believing that his local caucus reports will create awareness towards the plight of undocumented immigrants like her.

"We are so many that live in the shadow," she sobbed as the radio station studio grew silent. "We really need legalization."

Orozco said the sheer size of the Yakima Valley's Hispanic community and the fact that Radio Bilingüe has many loyal listeners will prompt him to put Yakima amongst the cities that he will be visiting through his election series, Hacia el voto 2008 (Towards the 2008 vote).

In addition, though Yakima has some distinctive problems such as dealing with pesticides, there are similarities in issues that link his listeners including poverty, lack of access to health care and immigration.

Ricardo Garcia, KDNA's executive director, who was one of Orozco's radio guests, said he was happy to have him visit the Granger station. He added that Linea Abierta will bring a needed spotlight to the Valley.

"This collaboration will allow our listeners and colleagues to reach audiences of fellow Latinos all over the nation," Garcia said.

Orozco, 52, has been with Radio Bilingüe since 1981. Born in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, a railroad town, he got his first chance as a union activist and a student leader.

Later he moved to Fresno, where he met his wife. There, he became a volunteer with Radio Bilingüe, a nonprofit radio station that began serving Hispanic farm workers in California's Central Valley.

"I started out working for free," he recalled in his deep, rich voice. "Later, I became the news director."

Orozco now lives in San Francisco, where he produces and hosts Linea Abierta live. The show is aired over satellite radio.

Though many commercial Spanish-language radio stations and talk show hosts are currently enjoying huge success, Orozco said he doesn't see them as competition. He added that helping callers like Maria from Toppenish is what has been driving his work since he began in radio.

"It's a desperate situation. The worst is that she doesn't see an end to it, perhaps due to these massive raids," Orozco said. "But we know that throughout these caucuses, there's going to be an opportunity to be heard."

* Joseph Trevino can be reached at 577-7730 or jtrevino@yakimaherald.com.