Far West

The rain and snowstorms that hit California last weekend weren't enough to pull the state out of its drought emergency, according to Fitch Ratings.

Two Idaho Republican Senators are floating a proposal to repeal the state's sales tax on grocery food.

Idaho's Triple-A rated enhancement lessens the impact of a one-notch downgrade by Moody's Investors Service to a southeastern Idaho school district to A2 from A1.

A three-judge panel granted California a two-year extension on court-ordered efforts to reduce prison overcrowding reducing the likelihood the state will have to resort to early release.

The Oregon's State Debt Policy Advisory Commission said the state can issue up to $215 million in additional debt through fiscal 2015 without going over the recommended debt capacity, but urges prudence.

California revenue for the month of January was down from last year, but beat estimates in the state budget.

Former Bank of America executive Phillip Murphy pleaded guilt Monday in a North Carolina federal court to rigging municipal bond investment bids, while convicted bid-rigger Mark Zaino's sentencing has been delayed yet again in New York.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is examining the extent to which dealers using alternative trading systems and broker's brokers are engaged in anti-competitive practices such as blocking or filtering out competitors from being able to bid on their municipal securities.

Governors presented more optimistic outlooks of their states' economies and finances in their state of the state addresses this year, and many said they would pursue new spending, Moody's Investors Service said in a report.

California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow a water district on the central coast issue water rate relief bonds to help fund its Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project.