Miss USA visits Carson City

Nia Sanchez, the first Nevada nominee to become Miss USA, visited Carson City Wednesday, touring the Capitol and meeting briefly for a photo opportunity with Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Sanchez, a recent transplant form southern California, was criticized following an interview on a radio show in which she drew a blank when asked what the Nevada state capital was. But her public information spokesman Lauren Hudman said she is “very familiar with Nevada.”

Sanchez, who won the crown in May, will compete in the Miss Universe competition in December and, if she wins there, surrender her Miss USA crown to the First Runner Up in that competition.

She was greeted by the Carson High School cheerleaders before her tour.