Far West

Troubled North Las Vegas received two downgrades to its already junk-rated debt after a judge ruled against a state of emergency the city employed last year to avoid honoring union contracts.

Muni finance veteran Catherine Bando has been appointed as executive director of the California Statewide Communities Development Authority.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says the state legislature must take action next month to move forward with the Columbia River bridge replacement project or it will die in March.

The city of Stockton, Calif. now has a new city manager, Kurt Wilson, to help guide it through the remainder of its bankruptcy process.

Sentencing for convicted bid-rigger David Rubin has been pushed back until March 6 because his attorney will not be able to be present during the previously scheduled Feb. 3 date.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the issuer rating on Fresno, Calif. to Baa1, and about $300 million of related debt a notch further into junk territory.

The Alaska Municipal Bond Bank is planning to sell $62 million of taxable and tax-exempt bonds next week to help local governments finance new projects.

A bipartisan agreement on a farm bill includes a one-year extension of funding for the federal payments in lieu of taxes program through fiscal 2014.

The state of California has chosen San Jose and the Santa Clara Unified School District to purchase an 81-acre former mental institution property.

Oakland, Calif.-based KNN Public Finance, a division of Zions First National Bank, announced on Friday it has opened a Southern California office in Irvine with new hires Blake Boehm and Justin Rich.