Bill would allow ‘Hispanic-serving’ colleges to tap federal grants
A new bill by U.S. Rep. Joe Heck would allow “Hispanic-serving” colleges to tap federal grant money to help students trying to get into medical schools.
The measure could be of immediate help to the College of Southern Nevada, which just earlier this year became the first school in Nevada to qualify for federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution because more than 25 percent of its enrollment is Latino.
It also could help Heck, who announced Monday morning he’s running for U.S. Senate in Nevada, where Hispanics are a major voting bloc.
The three-term Republican congressman from Henderson, who also is an osteopathic physician, submitted the bill June 25 along with Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif.
Hispanic-serving schools are eligible by law to receive federal grants to train faculty and provide tutoring and other services to help students advance.
The Heck bill would add to the list of acceptable grant uses. It would allow federal funds to be used to design mentoring and counseling programs aimed at students studying for medical school.
— Steve Tetreault
MAYOR LEE: ‘I’M DONE’
North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee has continued to dodge questions about why he kept his business interests from voters for five years and shifted $50,000 from his campaign fund to companies he owns without disclosing his ownership until long after the fact.
A Review-Journal reporter approached Lee before Wednesday’s City Council meeting and referenced her attempts to talk to Lee. The newspaper has attempted to contact the mayor through phone calls, text messages and multiple emails.
At first, Lee simply shook his head “No” at the reporter.
He then said, “I’m done.”
When the reporter asked what that meant, he repeated it and eventually told the reporter he had to start his meeting. The reporter was in the way, he said. He then shooed her away with his hands.
The reporter tried again after the meeting, but Lee said he had an appointment.
“When can we make an appointment?” the reporter asked.
“I have a lot of appointments,” Lee said.
“Forever?”
Lee then walked into a back room without saying another word.
— Bethany Barnes
HILLARY EMAIL TIDBIT
A familiar Las Vegas name cropped up Thursday in a Mother Jones magazine story about some of the quirky stuff unearthed so far from more than 3,000 pages of emails released from Hillary Clinton’s time as secretary of state.
On Dec. 10, 2009, Las Vegas Sun owner and publisher Brian Greenspun sent Clinton a note about a rumor floating around suggesting she might be ducking the ambassador from a certain ally in the Middle East.
“I trust I am not violating a protocol, but word has it that the Israeli ambassador has been trying to meet with you to no avail,” Greenspun wrote. “I wanted to make sure you knew that was a belief being shared. I can’t imagine why your folks would want to keep you two apart. I hear he is solid. So, that’s the heads up.”
Greenspun concluded with this: “I am always available if there is a problem with which I can be helpful.”
The email collection apparently doesn’t include a response to Greenspun.
The Mother Jones piece notes that Greenspun was a “top fundraiser” for Clinton during her 2008 presidential run.
That support has not wavered. In an April 19 column championing Clinton’s current White House bid, Greenspun noted that his daughter, Amy, is now working in the Clinton campaign as a fundraiser.
— Henry Brean
$1.7 MILLION I-15 SETTLEMENT
The Nevada Department of Transportation wants to settle the price tag for land acquired to widen Interstate 15 at Warm Springs Road once and for all.
Construction was completed three years ago, but the state and owners of a parcel of land taken for the project are still haggling over the land price.
The Board of Examiners, chaired by Gov. Brian Sandoval, will consider paying $1.7 million to settle the matter when it meets Tuesday in Carson City.
The state already has paid $1.29 million for a “right of occupancy” on 2.5 acres needed for the project. It was part of a 66-acre parcel owned by a Wykoff Newberg Corp. and International Smelting Co.
The owners claim the value of their remaining land was damaged by the relocation of transmission lines.
The Transportation Department is recommending the state settle the case, which would bring the total land price to just shy of $3 million. Agency officials note that “severance damages” from various experts ranged from $340,000 to $4.2 million and that pursuing the matter in court could expose the state to a potential judgment of more than $6 million.
— Sandra Chereb
BLUE CARD SHREDDING
The Nevada Firearms Coalition has a reason to celebrate: Clark County blue cards aren’t needed any more for firearms owners in the valley. The coalition is planning a “blue card shredding event” to celebrate a change made to state law.
Senate Bill 175, passed by the Legislature this session and signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, abolished the county’s “blue card” ordinance requiring registration of firearms, a local law that has been on the books for more than six decades.
That’s where the shredding comes in because firearms owners no longer need the blue cards.
“This is monumental legislation for Clark County gun owners, and we commend the Nevada Legislature for bringing Clark County’s gun laws into alignment with the rest of the state,” said Don Turner, president of the Nevada Firearms Coalition, in a statement. “Since the passage of SB175, we’ve been asked what you should do with your blue cards, so we wanted to give them a nice sendoff … with the shredder!”
The National Rifle Association and New Frontier Armory are also involved in the event.
The bill also expanded and clarified Nevada’s justifiable homicide law and prohibited those with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions from possessing firearms.
The event will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 18 at 150 E. Centennial Parkway, Suite 110, North Las Vegas.
All are welcome. Food, prizes and vendor displays are planned. Tickets are free, and RSVP is required.
To register for tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blue-card-shredding-event-tickets-17499915719.
— Ben Botkin
Contact Review-Journal Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC. Contact Bethany Barnes at bbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Find her on Twitter: @betsbarnes.
Contact Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Find him on Twitter: @RefriedBrean. Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Find her on Twitter: @SandraChereb.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.
