Reno in Review: The issues and people who shaped 2025

In the final episode recorded in 2025, This Is Reno’s Bob Conrad and Kristen Hackbarth look back at the stories, controversies and figures that defined the year in northern Nevada. From local leaders making waves to overlooked investigations and courthouse drama, this year-end wrap-up highlights Reno’s big moments — the good, the bad and the quietly consequential.

🗞️ The newsmakers of the year

We spotlight four individuals who generated headlines in 2025:

• Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch for her community advocacy and challenge to the state’s “Hollywood handout” session.
• Commissioner Mike Clark, known for demanding transparency and mellowing his approach in 2025.
• Olivia Tanager, Sierra Club Toiyabe director, credited for reinvigorating local environmental advocacy.
• Manny Becerra, Reno planning commissioner, recognized for pushing for guardrails on data center developments.

The underreported stories of 2025

We highlight 10 major local stories that went largely unreported elsewhere:

1. Reno’s legislative maneuvering to allow city council members to fire planning commissioners.
2. Fire board legislation that would have allowed property “assessments,” criticized as an end-run around voters.
3. Peppermill Casino’s AI facial recognition error, leading to a wrongful arrest.
4. TMCC’s $300,000 settlement after an academic freedom case loss.
5. Reno’s skyrocketing employee costs and city budget transparency.
6. City travel audit failure (80% error rate) and elimination of the auditing office.
7. Councilmember Devon Reese’s ethics case, covered in depth beyond press releases.
8. Recurring radon issues in the Washoe County courthouse.
9. City landscape maintenance failures and fire hazards in public spaces.
10. Secret Service raid on Washoe County’s Department of Alternative Sentencing — the most underreported local story of the year.

Top-read stories of 2025

Based on web traffic, the most-read This Is Reno stories were:

10. Washoe prosecutor fired over disturbing videos.

9. Toro Bravo opens in downtown Reno.

8. City removes expiration on sewer fee credits.

7. McCarran Boulevard fatal crashes highlight safety concerns.

6. Investigation into Washoe County’s DAS department.

5. Early closures of local elementary schools.

4. School district lawsuit over special education funding.

3. SOBER 24 and DAS fallout.

2. Arrest of former Reno police commander Tom Robinson on child solicitation charges.

1. Rupert Murdoch trust case sealed in Washoe County, later reopened by Nevada’s Supreme Court — our most-read story of the year.

Looking ahead to 2026

We preview next year’s political landscape:

• Major races: Reno mayor, district attorney, attorney general and governor.
• Ongoing coverage: data center growth, fire study results and development oversight.

We close by urging candidates to be transparent — and early — with information as election season approaches.

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This summary was generated with the assistance of AI and edited by us.