Review-Journal earns awards in national, regional journalism competitions
The Las Vegas Review-Journal received honors in this year’s National Headliner Awards and Best of the West journalism competitions, including recognition for reporting on loopholes in Nevada’s probate laws and fatalities caused by extreme heat.
The Review-Journal won two awards in the Headliner contest, one of the oldest and most prestigious journalism competitions in the country, and three awards in the regional Best of the West competition, which is open to newspapers, magazines and news websites in 14 western U.S. states. Both contests recognized the best journalism produced in 2024.
“We thank the National Headliner and Best of the West judges for placing Review-Journal work among the very best journalism of 2024,” Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “These are incredibly competitive contests with incredibly high standards.”
In the Headliner contest, Review-Journal reporter Eli Segall and former staff writer Michael Scott Davidson won second place in public service reporting not in a top 20 media market for “Lost Legacy,” an investigation of Nevada’s probate and estate laws. Reporters Alan Halaly and Katie Futterman took second place in environmental writing not in a top 20 media market for their series “A Fatal Forecast,” which examined the 500-plus deaths recorded by Southern Nevada officials in 2024 that were attributable to extreme heat.
In the Best of the West contest, Review-Journal photographer Madeline Carter’s photo spread for “Shooting stars: How an underdog Vegas women’s football team became a contender,” earned second-place honors in the feature slideshow category.
“This piece is a masterclass in local journalism done right,” judge Brian Powers, a freelance photographer based in Athens, Georgia, wrote of Carter’s work. “It delivers a compelling story with clarity and heart. The variety of images offer a wonderfully well-rounded view of the subjects. The photography feels intentional and immersive, drawing the viewer in and leaving them genuinely wanting more.”
Carter’s award-winning photos were for a story written by longtime Review-Journal reporter Jason Bracelin, who won third place in the Best of the West’s arts and entertainment writing category for his profile of Las Vegas-based magician and social media sensation Justin Flom. Des Moines Register Entertainment Editor Susan Stapleton, who judged the arts and entertainment category, praised Bracelin’s piece as an enjoyable read.
“I’ve always been a fan of Jason’s writing,” Stapleton wrote.
Review-Journal sports columnist Adam Hill took third place in the Best of the West special topic column writing category for his commentary on the spectacle that was the boxing match between all-time great Mike Tyson and YouTuber Jake Paul, Las Vegas’ coronation as a sports destination thanks to Super Bowl LVIII, and a profile on former high school rivals now teammates on the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Adam has quickly become a top-notch columnist with strong, smart takes on Las Vegas’ target-rich sports scene,” Cook said. “I’m thrilled he got this well-deserved recognition.”
Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.
