Caitlin Devitt

A plan to build a new hospital advanced last week when the Merrick County Board of Supervisors approved a plan by Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital to build a new $25 million facility and a $9 million long-term care facility.

The Michigan Department of Transportation last week put out a request for proposals seeking construction bids from companies interested in work on a new, $1.8 billion, bond-financed bridge across the Detroit River. The deadline for responses is March 17.

CHICAGO — The Michigan Department of Transportation last week significantly cut its five-year construction plan, warning the state faces the loss of $2.4 billion in federal aid through 2014 because it lacks matching dollars.

CHICAGO — Suburban Cincinnati’s largest mall has failed to make its last two debt service payments — and is not expected to make its upcoming payment in February — leaving the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and a pair of suburbs scrambling to figure out how to pay the debt once the reserve fund is drained.

CHICAGO — Cleveland’s single-A rated University Hospitals Health System Inc. plans to open a retail order period Monday for roughly $92 million of refunding bonds in a transaction that will shift a chunk of the system’s variable-rate debt into a fixed-rate mode.

CHICAGO — Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland used his fourth state of the state address yesterday to highlight a growing alternative energy industry he said would help spark an economic renewal and push lawmakers to approve a $950 million bond program that would finance a technology jobs program.

A state representative has introduced a bill that would require Michigan to detail the financial impact of all proposed new laws on local government and state revenues.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing last week appointed a pair of new city executives, including a former finance chief for the Bing Group.

Chippewa Valley Schools and Berkley Public Schools are seeking to borrow a total of roughly $260 million to finance capital projects. They plan to seek voter approval for the new debt on the Feb. 23 ballot.

An Indiana Senate committee was poised to vote late yesterday on a bill that would allow casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River to move onto land.

CHICAGO — Ohio’s Kenyon College will enter the market today with $102.4 million of refunding bonds to refinance all of its variable-rate debt into fixed-rate mode.

CHICAGO — Ohio would create up to 24 new bond-issuing authorities across the state with the ability to impose tolls to finance transportation projects under a bill the House passed last week.

CHICAGO — Indiana stands out “like a peony in a parking lot” among the states for the relatively small size of its budget problems, Gov. Mitch Daniels said in his annual state of the state address Tuesday night.

CHICAGO — The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority will enter the market today with $160 million of lease-backed taxable Build America Bonds to finance construction of a Hilton hotel in downtown Columbus, adjacent to the Ohio city’s convention center.

The Findlay City School District plans this week to sell $54.2 million of school facilities construction and improvement bonds. The debt includes $50.3 million of taxable Build America Bonds and $3.9 million of tax-exempt general obligation bonds. Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. is the underwriter.

Detroit businessman Manuel Maroun, who owns the only bridge spanning the busy trade route between Detroit and Canada, has bought a piece of land that could complicate a government plan to build a second bridge across the river.

A group of Michigan business leaders last week launched a campaign to overhaul the state’s tax structure.

CHICAGO — The Indiana Bond Bank Thursday plans to price $300 million of notes as part of its annual financing to help cover anticipated cash-flow shortfalls for local governments and school districts across the state.

CHICAGO — Ohio voters would get to vote on a plan to issue up to $950 million of general obligation debt to finance a popular jobs technology program under a resolution passed by the Democrat-controlled state House this week.

CHICAGO — Cincinnati-based Xavier University will enter the market today with $48 million of general obligation lease rental bonds.