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Week in Review: Top News, June 9

The 27th special session of the Nevada Legislature ended quickly after it began, with lawmakers endorsing a bill allowing the Clark County Commission to increase the sales tax to raise money for more police.

“Public safety is extremely important in Clark County; the crime rate has gone up,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said. “I’ve had an opportunity to meet with Sheriff (Doug) Gillespie. This was an extremely important bill to him and the people of Clark County.”

It is still unclear when commissioners will enact the new tax, dubbed “More Cops.”

Monday

Actress in standofF

Former Broadway star Pia Zadora was arrested on charges she scratched and choked her autistic son, but the hours-long SWAT standoff that stemmed from the call was initiated by her husband, an off-duty Las Vegas police officer, it was revealed.

According to his wife’s arrest report, officer Michael Jeffries refused to come to the door when patrol officers from his department arrived at his home last weekend to investigate a domestic dispute.

The officers, who knew it was his house, left the home in the 60 block of Hawkridge Drive in Summerlin and waited for SWAT officers.

Jeffries’ biological son, Mike Jeffries Jr., 32, was also home.

Neither man spoke with police or was arrested. The junior Jeffries is set to go to trial later this year on a murder charge.

Tuesday

Gas taxes could rise

Legislators gave the Clark County Commission the authority to raise gas taxes by 3 cents per gallon to raise money to build new roads, but it’s unclear if commissioners will approve an increase.

If it is approved, the tax would pave the way for finishing the 215 Beltway, widening U.S. Highway 95, and connecting Las Vegas to Phoenix via a new interstate.

Wednesday

IRS agent sues feds

Las Vegas IRS officer Anthony M. Zecchino, 41, alleges in a federal lawsuit that the agency enlisted the help of the Nevada U.S. attorney’s office to target him in a criminal investigation in retaliation for discrimination claims he filed earlier this year.

The lawsuit says Zecchino, an IRS employee for 14 years, received a target letter from Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Newman after his lawyers filed a complaint alleging Zecchino’s supervisors made derogatory remarks about his Italian heritage.

Thursday

Gun bill reactions

Gov. Brian Sandoval’s office was barraged with phone calls from people asking him to veto gun-control legislation.

The governor had long promised to veto the bill, which would require background checks.

Locally, police reported an increase in gun registrations as the bill got widespread attention. This year, police said, registrations are up 25 percent over last year.

Friday

School ratings up

The state’s school rating system changed, and some local schools saw their ratings plummet as a result.

In phasing out the federal requirements of No Child Left Behind, the Nevada Department of Education also replaced the Clark County School District’s self-created star system

The state-created system ranked five Clark County schools as one-star campuses and gave two stars to 58 schools, a big change from the district’s own ratings.

The fundamental difference between the state and district systems was the weight given to schools’ scores for showing improvement.

The state designated 66 Clark County schools as five-star campuses. The district had awarded five stars to 92 of its 327 schools.

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