El Paso Matters took home seven first-place awards and eight other honors from the Texas Managing Editors convention this weekend, including first place Star Awards in the investigative reporting and breaking news categories for work covering controversial data centers in the region, and the emotional plea and sentencing hearings of the El Paso Walmart mass shooter, respectively.
The Star Awards are presented in partnership with the Headliners Foundation of Texas.
El Paso Matters also placed second in the Newsroom of the Year sweepstakes in Class AA for midsize newsrooms after winning the top award last year – the first online-only and nonprofit news organization to win the honor.
“While our focus is always on the work and the community we serve, it’s a wonderful honor to be recognized for it,” El Paso Matters Editor Cindy Ramirez said. “As the news landscape keeps evolving, we remain committed to deeply local, on-the-ground reporting – work made possible by a dedicated, talented team.”
El Paso Matters CEO Robert Moore won six awards, including first place in Star Breaking News Report andfirst in deadline writing for his coverage of Walmart mass shooter Patrick Crusius’ plea and sentencing hearing, which ended in families of two victims forgiving and hugging him.
Moore’s “ability to portray the anguish and abiding love of a community devastated by racist violence shows not only his outstanding ability to write beautifully under deadline pressure, but his unparalleled empathy and compassion for the community he covers,” contest judges wrote.
He also received second place in Freedom of Information in seeking documents related to the shooting. He and reporter Priscilla Totiyapunpgrasert took third place in Star Breaking News Report for stories that were first to share details about District Attorney James Montoya’s decision to not seek the death penalty in the Walmart shooting. The staff-produced online package for those stories received a Star Award honorable mention.
Moore placed second in general column writing for a series of data-driven columns about changes in El Paso, and third in feature writing for his story on the El Paso mother who was preparing to watch her daughter’s killer die on Texas death row.
Reporter Diego Mendoza-Moyers received first place in Star Investigative Report for his stories on the $165 billion data center in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
“Excellent job of doing investigative reporting on an evolving breaking news story,” contest judges said. “Mendoza-Moyers filled in gaps between what was being said and what is unknown and put figures being thrown out in perspective.”
Mendoza-Moyers also placed second in business reporting for his stories on the impact of drought and climate change on the Borderland’s pecan farms.
Another first place win went to Ramirez in specialty reporting for her coverage of immigration in the region. Judges said her stories “feature enthralling storytelling; reflect a true command of the subject matter; contain thorough, in-depth reporting; and include context and explanation that significantly advance the reader’s understanding.”
Assistant Editor Pablo Villa won first place in commentary for his review of “The Crossing: El Paso, the Southwest, and America’s Forgotten Origin Story,” by the late journalist Richard Parker.
“This has to be one of the most compelling book reviews I’ve ever read,” the judge wrote. “It did what it should do. It made me want to buy the book.”
Health reporter Totiyapungprasert won first place for community service for her coverage of the measles outbreak in El Paso and Texas; while the newsroom took first place in the team effort category for its voter guide and coverage of the 2025 school board elections.
Totiyapungprasert also won an honorable mention in the freedom of information category for her story on El Paso’s unspent opioid funds.
The El Paso Times and El Paso Inc. also took home several awards in Class AA and Class A, respectively.
The El Paso Times won 17 awards in Class AA, including the Michael Brick Storytelling Award for reporter Jeff Abbott, who also took second place in Star Reporter of the Year. Omar Ornelas placed first in photojournalism and third in Star Photojournalist of the Year. Overall, the paper won nine photography and video awards.
El Paso Inc. took home 14 awards in Class A, including first places in business reporting by Reyes Mata III, as well as feature and sports photography for Ruben R. Ramirez. Reyes Mata won three Star Awards, placing second in reporter of the year, second in investigative report of the year with Steve Escajeda, and third in investigative report of the year.
The Fort Worth Report won Newsroom of the Year in the midsize newsroom class, with the El Paso Times placing third.
In Class AAA for large papers, the Houston Chronicle won Newsroom of the Year, while the Odessa American won in Class A for small papers. El Paso Inc. was third in Newsroom of the Year for Class A.
Texas Managing Editors, an organization of news leaders across the state, held its annual conference in El Paso this year, drawing about 40 journalists to the El Paso Convention Center in Downtown.
The organization provides professional development and networking, awards scholarships to college students for summer journalism internships, and organizes the annual journalism contest. El Paso last hosted the annual conference in 2015.
The post El Paso Matters earns 7 first-place honors at Texas Managing Editors awards appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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