View reporter named Journalist of Merit

North View reporter Sandy Lopez has been named a 2015 Journalist of Merit in the Nevada Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest.

The award is given to writers who have five or fewer years of professional experience to encourage them to stay in the industry.

Lopez has a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in Latino/Latina studies from San Francisco State University. Prior to joining the View staff in 2013, she was an intern at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and prior to that, a staff reporter at Mission Local newspaper and website, covering San Francisco's largely bilingual Mission District.

While at San Francisco State, she worked as a staff writer for the school's weekly paper and served as editor-in-chief of the paper at Citrus College in Glendora, Calif.

"Sandy has grown tremendously as a journalist and storyteller during her two years with View," said View editor Lisa Valentine. "She has tackled every topic from drug addiction to domestic violence to features with the same care and genuine curiosity that is the hallmark of every good reporter. Sandy is a joy to work with, and I look forward to reading her work for years to come."

Winners were announced Oct. 2 during a banquet at the Nevada Press Convention at the Sparks Nugget. Other View awards went to Las Vegas Review-Journal videographer Michael Quine, taking first and second place for Best Multimedia Story; and freelance columnists Deborah Wall (Outdoors) and Herb Jaffe (Summerlin Snapshot), taking second and third place, respectively, for Best Local Non-Staff Column.

Along with View, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and other GateHouse Media publications earned a total of 91 awards — including 31 for first place — in this year's contest.