RJ wins 28 first-place awards in annual statewide journalism contest

Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Mary Hynes and photographer L.E. Baskow were named the top journalists in the state for their respective fields, and rjmagazine was honored as the Silver State’s best magazine Saturday night during the 2025 Nevada Press Foundation Awards of Excellence dinner in Fallon.

The Review-Journal’s twice-daily digital newscast, “7@7,” won first place for best Video Program or Series for the third straight year.

Rjmagazine’s General Excellence award in the magazine division was among the Review-Journal’s 28 first-place honors and 74 total contest awards in Nevada’s biggest journalism competition. Coverage of major news events across Southern Nevada — such as the shooting death of a prominent Summerlin attorney and his wife, and the death of longtime Review-Journal celebrity columnist Norm Clarke — along with crime, sports and opinion coverage, all received recognition in the contest’s Urban division.

Hynes was named co-Outstanding Journalist with the Las Vegas Sun’s Hillary Davis. Hynes’ report on the campaign of a convicted felon running for state Assembly won first place in Political/Election Enterprise Reporting. Baskow was named the state’s Outstanding Visual Journalist for the second consecutive year, and his spread accompanying John Katsilometes’ story on nonagenarian pianist Don “Pops” Friend won best Feature Photo.

“Mary Hynes and L.E. Baskow represent the very best in Nevada journalism and consistently deliver award-winning work for Review-Journal readers,” Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “They’re very deserving of top individual honors in the Nevada Press Foundation Awards of Excellence.”

The contest’s video judges raved about the structure and energy of the RJ’s popular “7@7” newscast, which is available on multiple platforms, including YouTube.

‘A high bar for video journalism’

“This entry stood out for its compelling storytelling, high-quality production, and strong connection to the community,” the judges said. “The episodes were well-paced and engaging from start to finish, with great use of visuals, sound, and editing that brought each story to life. The reporting was thorough and balanced, giving viewers both solid information and a real sense of place. Creative touches — like smart graphics and thoughtful b-roll — kept things fresh and memorable. Overall, it’s the kind of work that not only informs but also sticks with you, setting a high bar for video journalism in Nevada.”

Rjmagazine shared the General Excellence award in the magazine division with Edible Reno-Tahoe.

“The quarterly rjmagazine combines excellent long-form features, stunning photography and its annual list of the top 100 restaurants in Las Vegas,” Cook said. “It’s fitting that it was recognized as the state’s top magazine the night before its fall edition was distributed to Review-Journal subscribers. This is a product our company is exceptionally proud of.”

The Review-Journal’s Cowboy Central magazine, which previews the annual National Finals Rodeo, won first place in the Special Project category, Urban Division, for the second consecutive year. Editorial Page Editor John Kerr won first place in Editorial Writing, and the Review-Journal’s editorial page was named the best in the state.

Page designer April Robinson’s layout for the 2024 general election guide won the news Special Section category, while the newspaper also won best Page One Design.

Eli Segall’s story about a developer with close ties to a state senator who was selected for a $37 million state contract won the Investigative Story category, with the judge calling it a “textbook example of excellent investigative reporting.”

Noble Brigham won first place in the News Obituary category for his report on the death of a beloved Henderson journalism teacher and basketball coach.

Jason Bracelin’s rjmagazine piece about an east Las Vegas Valley shop with one of the largest year-round inventories of holiday decor was awarded first place for Feature Writing. Bracelin’s story on a viral and sometimes divisive Las Vegas magician earned the top honor in the Profile category.

“This reporter engages readers with his conversational style of writing,” one judge said of Bracelin’s writing. Another opined: “This reporter has repeatedly shown a knack for putting the reader right there in the middle of the action. An enviable trait.”

Category sweeps

The Review-Journal swept first, second and third place in some categories. Katelyn Newberg and Brett Clarkson’s story about an ex-congressional candidate and pro wrestler accused of murder won first place in the Police/Criminal Justice Reporting category. Clarkson and Laura Anaya-Morga’s interview with a man who recounted his brother’s killing won second place, and Newberg earned third place for a story that showed county officials failed to review messages suggesting an extramarital affair by an elected leader who subsequently murdered Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German in 2022.

Sports reporters Vincent Bonsignore and Callie Fin and columnist Ed Graney swept the contest’s Sports Feature Writing category with entries about Raiders 2024 first-round draft pick Brock Bowers, WNBA and Olympic champion A’ja Wilson’s candle business, and the Oakland Athletics’ departure from the Bay Area, respectively.

Alex Wright’s investigation of a Basic High School coach accused of bullying and smearing a student athlete was awarded first place for Sports Spot News Story.

“This is dogged reporting,” the category judge wrote. “Excellent use of documents and interviews.

Photographer Chase Stevens’ portrait of Bishop Gorman’s varsity offensive line was named best photo in the Portrait category, and a video produced by Rachel Aston and reporters Alan Halaly and Katie Futterman that examined deaths caused by extreme heat was recognized as Video of the Year.

David Ferrara, Jeff Burbank and Clarkson won the Breaking News Reporting category for their coverage of the Summerlin law office shooting, and Katsilometes took first place in Entertainment Spot News Story for his reporting on the death of Clarke.

Anaya-Morga, Aston, Burbank and Futterman no longer work for the Review-Journal.

The Review-Journal’s advertising department earned six first-place awards and 16 total honors in the Urban Division.

Henry Hernandez won for Best Print Ad Less Than Half-Page. Olivia Kuntz won first place for Best Digital Ad and Best Print Ad Half-Page or Larger. Angie Gutting and David Sly shared first place for Best In-House Advertising. Gutting and Sly also won for best Special Section or Campaign and Best Special Event, respectively.

Rural newspapers

The Review-Journal’s sister publications earned recognition in the Rural Division.

The Boulder City Review’s Ron Eland won first place in Sports Feature Writing for his story about the Badwater 135 ultra-marathon, a race in Death Valley he described as the “World Series, Super Bowl” and a climb up Mount Everest “rolled into one.” Eland also won the Profile category. Bill Evans won for Best Local Column. The Review won six total awards.

Pahrump Valley Times photographer John Clausen’s photos capturing rising rodeo stars competing in Nevada’s top high school rodeo won the Feature Photo contest in the Rural Division. Abigail Fitzpatrick of the Times’ advertising department was recognized for the best Special Section or Campaign for the 2024 Fall Festival Guide. The Pahrump Valley Times won nine total awards.

In total, Review-Journal publications won 91 awards, with 33 first-place honors.

The 2025 Nevada Press Foundation Awards of Excellence recognized work published between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. This year’s entries were judged by the Arizona Media Association. The awards were announced during a banquet at the Fallon Convention Center.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.