IN BRIEF

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Woman who died in fire was teacher

A woman who died in a house fire Tuesday night was a veteran Clark County School District teacher.

City of Las Vegas firefighters responded about 7 p.m. to a blaze at 7217 Grand Palace Ave., near Ann Road and U.S. Highway 95. One woman died in the fire that was contained to a bedroom.

According to property records, the home was owned by Michelle Perch. The Clark County School District confirmed that Perch had died. She had worked in the district for 19 years and was a third-grade teacher at Mackey Elementary School in North Las Vegas.

The principal and other school staffers declined to comment Wednesday.

FALSE AUDIT REPORT

Ex-IRS official pleads guilty in bribery case

A former Internal Revenue Service compliance officer in Las Vegas has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe in exchange for preparing a false audit report, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office.

Fernando Cruz, 43, of Shady Grove, Ore., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of accepting a gratuity while employed as a public official. U.S. District Judge James Mahan is scheduled to sentence Cruz on Nov. 24.

According to the statement from the U.S. attorney's office, Cruz was employed last year as a tax compliance officer for the IRS in Las Vegas. IRS employees are prohibited from preparing tax returns for compensation, gifts or favors, and are required to report any attempted bribes to the IRS.

Around May 2008, Cruz was assigned to audit the tax return of a Las Vegas couple, who reported to authorities that Cruz had told the woman to call him if she ever had tax questions or wanted him to prepare the couple's taxes.

Cruz accepted $500 in cash from the woman and was told that he would receive another $500 if he could make the couple's tax liability go away.

On June 24, the woman met with Cruz at his IRS office, and Cruz prepared an IRS income form using false information. The meeting was electronically monitored.

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

Rulffes to seek waiver to pursue grants

The Clark County School Board has tasked Superintendent Walt Rulffes with asking the U.S. Department of Education for a waiver so it can apply for competitive grants for innovation in education.

Nevada school districts are ineligible because of a state law prohibiting test scores from being used in a teacher's evaluation. School officials don't think the law can be changed in time for the "Race to the Top" grants.

School board members also promised to work with teachers unions to protect teachers' rights.

"States are desperate for cash," said Ruben Murillo, the president of the Clark County Education Association, the local teachers union. "But I want to make sure they don't sell their soul to the devil."

WRONGDOING DENIED

Judge sets October trial date for Krolicki

A judge has set an Oct. 12 trial date for Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and a top aide on felony misappropriation of funds charges.

Krolicki said Thursday that Clark County District Court Judge Valerie Adair told lawyers she's reviewing the case file she took over this month, and hopes to rule next week on a request to move trial to Northern Nevada.

Prosecutors from the state attorney general's office remain on the case, although lawyers for Krolicki say they still might ask Adair to turn it over to a special prosecutor.

Krolicki and his chief of staff, Kathryn Besser, are accused of mishandling millions of dollars in the Nevada College Savings Program. Both have denied wrongdoing.