Soon after Bill Hughes passed away in April 2021, a group of his ex-colleagues at Las Vegas CityLife put together a pitch to get him in the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame. We noted his long tenure in the state (nearly 30 years), how he blended art and photojournalism, and his domination of the Better Newspaper Contest. (Over a ten-year stretch—amid the golden age of alt-weeklies in Nevada—he won forty-three first-place awards.) He left behind a portfolio, we concluded, that is unmatched as far as quality, quantity, and uniqueness—one which tells the story of Las Vegas becoming what it is today.
Bill would’ve shrugged off such praise. He was humble, hardworking, and would never have sought this type of validation of his work. But we thought he deserved to be recognized as one of the best photojournalists to ever toil in Nevada (and that more of the work of alt-weeklies in general should be acknowledged)—and the Nevada Press Foundation Board of Trustees agreed. Bill will be inducted into the Newspaper Hall of Fame next month, along with seven other journalists.
Congratulations to Bill and his family! Congrats also to the three other inductees who I know personally and/or professionally: Mary Hausch, Jake Highton, and Charles Zobell.
