Angle goes directly to the people with three petitions

Conservative Republican Sharron Angle, who ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Harry Reid in his 2010 re-election campaign, is again taking her issues directly to voters with three initiative petitions to amend the state constitution.

Angle, a former member of the state Assembly, filed petitions last week seeking signatures on measures that would establish pupil information privacy requirements, abolish the state health insurance exchange and require voters to show photo identification to vote.

She has proposed such initiative petitions in previous election cycles but has failed to collect enough signatures to qualify them for the ballot.

To qualify for the ballot, Angle will have to obtain the signatures of registered voters that equal at least 10 percent of the voters who voted at the last preceding general election, which is 55,234.

Only registered voters of the county and petition district where the petition is circulated may sign the petition. Signatures have to be collected in all four of the state's congressional districts.

Angle has until June 21 to submit the signatures to the county clerks for verification.

If any of the petitions qualifies, voters would have to approve them twice, in November 2016 and 2018, before they could take effect.

— Sean Whaley

Chancellor probe costs extra

The Nevada System of Higher Education spent an extra $7,495 on "travel & operating" for its $50,000 investigation into Chancellor Dan Klaich. But that extra travel money doesn't include a trip to testify at the Sept. 10 Board of Regents meeting where regents have allotted 45 minutes to discuss the investigation.

San Francisco-based labor attorney Stephen Hirschfeld isn't able to make the meeting, but "will be available by phone to answer any questions the Regents may have," according to Nevada System of Higher Education spokesman John Kuhlman who also provided the investigation costs.

Board of Regents Chairman Richard Trachok had told political pundit Jon Ralston that Hirschfeld had agreed to cap his fees at $50,000.

Trachok also said on the PBS show "Ralston Live" that Hirschfeld had no ties to Nevada. That wasn't true either. His firm — which bears his name — has an office in Reno. That office is listed on the the letterhead used for investigation agreement.

The investigation stems from a June Review-Journal story that reported emails showed higher education system officials had withheld a 2014 report from lawmakers amid fears it would be used to "bludgeon" the agency.

Researchers rewrote the report at Klaich's request, but in the end kept it internal, emails show.

Hirschfeld's investigation cleared Klaich of wrongdoing, in part because he said he found no evidence the report ever was intended for legislators.

However, emails show system officials wanted the report expressly for that purpose.

— Bethany Barnes

Cortez Masto supports Iran nuke deal

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced her support for the nuclear treaty negotiated by the U.S. with Iran.

"After an exhaustive review, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is to support this agreement," she said in a statement. "At this moment in time, Iran is two to three months away from having the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. Under this agreement, the Iran nuclear program will be blocked for at least 15 years."

Cortez Masto is running to succeed U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, who is not seeking re-election in 2016. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., who also is seeking Reid's seat, recently criticized the deal.

Cortez Masto will not have a vote on the matter, since she would have to win the seat next year and could not take office until early 2017. She has been endorsed by Reid, who also announced his support of the treaty.

— Sean Whaley

Sandoval joins sportsmen's caucus

Gov. Brian Sandoval has joined the Governors Sportsmen's Caucus, a group of bipartisan governors from across the country who work to protect and advance the interests of America's sportsmen and women.

The caucus, which now has 32 members, is part of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation.

Each year, Nevada's nearly 163,000 hunters and anglers spend approximately $409 million, supporting more than 5,300 jobs and providing in excess of $38 million in state and local tax revenue. In 2014 alone, excise taxes paid by Nevada's sportsmen and women on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing tackle, motorboat fuel and related items generated over $19 million to support conservation efforts in the state.

The bipartisan caucus facilitates the communication and information exchange between participating offices in support of policies that promote and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping.

— Sean Whaley

Pancakes and parades

Gov. Brian Sandoval wraps up a Labor Day weekend spent in rural Nevada enjoying pancakes and parades.

The traditional end-of-summer holiday is typically a time for candidates to hit the campaign trail seeking votes before the general election. There is no election this year, but the second-term Republican made the trek to visit Nevada's outlying areas. He was joined by other politicians hoping to win in November 2016.

On Thursday, he attended the grand opening of Winchester Court, an affordable housing project in Elko. Afterward he tweeted a photo of him dining at the Star Restaurant, a Basque restaurant and locals favorite. Among those at the table were fellow Republicans U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, Rep. Joe Heck and state Assemblyman Paul Anderson. On Friday, Sandoval attended the Elko County Fair parade.

From there he went down the road Saturday to Winnemucca and the Tri-County Fair and Stampede Labor Day Rodeo parade.

Sandoval was to conclude the trip Monday in Fallon, starting the day at the Kiwanis Labor Day pancake breakfast and followed by the Lions International Labor Day parade.

— Sandra Chereb

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Follow him: @seanw801. Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Follow her: @SandraChereb. Contact Bethany Barnes at bbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow her: @betsbarnes