Far West

Thousands of workers at the Federal Aviation Administration and airport construction projects around the country will be able to return to work this week because of a short-term funding extension.

For the second time in two months, the Internal Revenue Service has disclosed it is broadening an audit of student loan securities, focusing on the position that student loans should not be reallocated to different bond issues.

WASHINGTON - The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on Thursday filed proposed rule changes with the Securities and Exchange Commission that would subject municipal advisers to similar restrictions on gifts and gratuities that already apply to broker-dealers.

LOS ANGELES - The Port of Oakland accelerated a planned bond refunding to Thursday as municipal market yields plummeted during the financial gyrations that followed Congress' last-minute action to lift the federal debt ceiling.

WASHINGTON - State and local governments may soon face a difficult choice in the ongoing fallout from state investigations of bid rigging in the municipal securities market: cash in now, or wait and collect potentially larger payments later from antitrust lawsuits seeking treble damages from banks and broker-dealers.

SAN FRANCISCO - In one of the most complicated bankruptcy cases involving municipal debt, Las Vegas Monorail Co. bondholders are battling on multiple fronts to try and ­recover some of their money.

While the federal government and 42 states wrestled with tough economic decisions based on projected shortfalls, Montana officials were congratulating themselves for achieving a surplus this year.

The San Jose City Council on Tuesday declined to put a tax measure on the November ballot amid potential lukewarm support, according to a published report.

The troubled city of Vernon has made important reforms but still needs to do more, according to a watchdog report on the city released this week.

The board of the San Diego Association of Governments voted July 29 to purchase the State Route 125 toll road lease for $345 million, contingent on the agency performing due diligence and after officials hold a public meeting.