Jessica Hill’s best of 2023: Telling Nevada’s untold stories

By Jessica Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal

11 months ago

Loved ones of Anna Scott, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, gather a year after her de ... — Loved ones of Anna Scott, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, gather a year after her death for a memorial at the Nixon Cemetery on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Nixon, Nevada. Scott was found dead on Feb. 3, 2022 by a fatal gunshot wound in a burned vehicle on the I-580 freeway between Carson City and Reno. Her murder is still unsolved. The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates 4,200 missing and murdered cases are unsolved across the United States. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt

Owyhee Combined School Assistant Principal Lynn Manning John, left, gives a tour of the campus within the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in January 2023 in Owyhee, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Dave Crete, an Air Force veteran, outside his home in Las Vegas, Thursday, April 27, 2023. Crete is working with Congressman Amodei to introduce legislation that will compensate veterans who worked at the Nevada test site after he and hundreds of others have reported health issues they attribute to working at the base. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @rookie__rae

Michael J. Lindell, director of My Pillow, on the ReAwaken America Tour on Aug. 25, 2023, at Craig Ranch Regional Park in North Las Vegas. (Daniel Pearson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

When people think of Nevada, dazzling lights and clinking coins often come to mind. They envision Las Vegas, the entertainment mecca of the world, as a place where performances, gambling and booze are in unlimited supply.

While those qualities make Nevada unique, there are many untold stories buried throughout the state, waiting to be uncovered, from people whose lives and voices aren’t featured in media accounts as often as others. Here are some of the stories they shared in 2024.

Seeking answers and justice

The murder of a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe highlighted the complexities Indigenous missing and murdered persons cases face. Anna Scott’s family allowed the Las Vegas Review-Journal to attend her memorial ceremony and share her story in hopes of bringing her case to justice.

‘This is my home’

The Review-Journal also highlighted a Nevada tribe’s efforts to build a school, since its current school on the reservation could be linked to numerous cancer deaths in the tribe. Legislation was passed giving the tribe funding for a new school.

Shedding light on conflicts

Holding government accountable is one of the pillars of journalism, and reporters Jessica Hill and Taylor Avery did just that with a piece on legislators giving funds to nonprofits to which they had ties. The story examined Nevada’s ethics laws and legislators’ relationships with nonprofits. Some legislators have since announced they are not running for re-election.

‘We were never told’

This area is known for its role in the country’s development of nuclear weapons. Lesser known are those who played an integral part at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. Veterans came forward to share their stories of experiencing illnesses after working in contaminated areas and how they are seeking compensation for their medical bills. Federal legislation is currently in the works.

For God, country and Trump

The Review-Journal also covered a controversial convention that came to town this summer called the ReAwaken America Tour. Just a couple of days before, the former president had posed for a mugshot at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia after being indicted on racketeering and other charges. The article captured how many Donald Trump supporters felt about a significant moment in history.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.