The Nevada Independent placed in 18 categories and won four first-place awards in this year's Nevada Press Foundation awards.

We say it every year, but awards are not the reason we get up in the morning. But they're a welcome affirmation that our journalism is making a difference. We're also happy to celebrate awards won by fellow media outlets and support the overall state of journalism in Nevada, which ranks dead last in the number of journalists per capita of any state.

More than anything, this year's awards — which cover a contest period of April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026 — showcase the breadth of talent at The Indy. We had nine reporters receive awards this year, which is every full-time staff reporter during the contest period. It's a testament to the skill of this newsroom, which constantly punches above its weight.

We're also thrilled this year to celebrate Senior Reporter Howard Stutz's induction into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame. Howard is a friend and mentor to many on The Indy's staff, and this weekend is a wonderful chance to celebrate him and his decades of journalistic achievement before he retires at the end of the year. CEO Jon Ralston, a fellow Hall of Fame inductee who has known Howard for more than a few decades, wrote a beautiful column celebrating him.

We're especially proud of our first-place award in the Political Enterprise category, awarded to Tabitha Mueller and Isabella Aldrete for their standard-setting coverage of last fall's special legislative session. Judges called their work "exceptional" and said the "reporting combines extensive source development, legislative records and fiscal analysis to illuminate the pressures, alliances and procedural decisions operating behind the public debate."

Tabitha also helmed our legislative newsletter Behind the Bar, which won a second-place award for best newsletter — judges called it "valuable original work" that helped "readers understand a fast-moving and complicated legislative session."

The story behind the story of Howard first-place award in the News Obituary category for longtime tourism leader Rossi Ralenkotter is truly touching. Rossi, who died in October after a 16-year battle with cancer, was adamant that he wanted to talk to Howard and only Howard for this story that's almost more about an era in Las Vegas coming to an end. It showcases the deep level of trust and goodwill that Howard has earned through decades of hard work.

Eric Neugeboren's groundbreaking series on huge state tax breaks granted to data centers in exchange for relatively few jobs won a first-place award in the Business Enterprise category. Judges were impressed, calling it "Persistent, transparent and highly consequential journalism."

I also want to recognize our early-career journalists: Isabella, Oona Milliken and Kate Reynolds, all of whom are in the first years of what are very promising careers and were recognized across a wide variety of categories, including feature writing, profiles and business news. 

The below stories, which also include excellent pieces from Amy Alonzo, Rocìo Hernández and Mini Racker, are a great sample platter of the excellent journalism we produced in the last year. I'm so proud to be a part of Team Indy every day, and to celebrate all of the great journalism we've done and will continue to do.

First-place awards:

• Eric Neugeboren, Business Enterprise Reporting: Nevadans get few details into data centers receiving tax breaks — and it might be illegal // Have data center tax breaks helped Nevada's economy? Here's what we found.
• David Colborne, Local Column: OPINION: Tariffs are quack medicine — and they'll poison Nevada's economy first // OPINION: You're mad at policy, not AI // OPINION: Dissolve the unaccountable shadow governments from the bottom of our ballots
• Howard Stutz, News Obituary: Tourism leader Rossi Ralenkotter, known for 'unparalleled' love of Vegas, dies at 78
• Tabitha Mueller, Isabella Aldrete, Political Enterprise Reporting: How Nevada passed immigration protections through a Republican crime bill // Advocates called Nevada corporate homebuying cap a 'glimmer of hope.' Here's how it died. // Film tax fiasco: How a three-year push to create Hollywood 2.0 in Las Vegas cratered

Other Awards:

• Staff, Second Place, Email Newsletter: Behind the Bar
• Amy Alonzo, Second Place, Environmental Reporting: Central Nevada farmers, conservationist square off in battle between water and a rare fish
• Oona Milliken, Second Place, Gaming/Tourism Reporting: Where are Las Vegas taxi drivers a decade after Uber and Lyft shocked the industry? //Vegas resorts want to revive court geared at cleaning up Strip. Critics say it was a failure //Is Nevada short-term rental law an Airbnb 'ban in disguise' in Vegas? Critics say so.
• Oona Milliken, Isabella Aldrete, Second Place, Police/Criminal Justice Reporting: Vegas police are big users of license plate readers. Public has little input because it's a gift. //License plate reader cameras abound in Nevada. The state has no laws to regulate them.
• Howard Stutz, Second Place, Sports Feature Writing: Sacramento using the Vegas-bound Athletics as an audition for Major League Baseball
• Amy Alonzo, Second Place, Sports Enterprise Reporting: Permits, shuttles and reservations: Barriers to outdoor recreation on the rise in Nevada
• Tabitha Mueller, Third Place, Breaking News Reporting: 'It was a shock': Nevada water regulator speaks on why he was fired
• Kate Reynolds, Third Place, Business Spot News Story: Sex workers at Pahrump brothel are unionizing, alleging unfair contracts and conditions
• Rocío Hernández, Third Place, Education Reporting: Trump tax program could grow private schools. Critics fear it could tie Nevada's hands //Federal program could offer lifeline to Nevada's starved school choice scholarship program
• Mini Racker, Third Place, Explanatory Journalism: No Tax on Tips covers more than 440,000 Nevadans. Here's why few will actually benefit.
• Kate Reynolds, Third Place, Feature Writing: Content creation is a growing part of legal sex work. It has an unexpected dark side.
• John L. Smith, Third Place, Local Column: OPINION: Will Tonopah ever find its place in the sun? //OPINION: In rush to sell public lands, Amodei hurts Nevadans and exposes his loyalties //OPINION: As Epstein sleaze spreads, the specter of former Apollo CEO Leon Black reappears
• Amy Alonzo, Eric Neugeboren, Third Place, Government Watchdog/Accountability Reporting: Nevadans get few details into data centers receiving tax breaks — and it might be illegal //Have data center tax breaks helped Nevada's economy? Here's what we found. //Nevada likely to fall short of clean energy goals because of data centers
• Oona Milliken, Third Place, Profile: Partisan past, bipartisan future? April Becker's first year as Clark County commissioner