Shelly Sigo

BRADENTON, Fla. - Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., are preparing a counteroffer to be submitted to creditors holding $3.14 billion of defaulted variable- and auction-rate sewer warrants.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., Thursday once again delayed a decision on settling the county $3.14 sewer debt default or filing for bankruptcy.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., planned to meet Thursday to continue discussions about settling with creditors who own $3.14 billion of troubled sewer debt, or else file the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

The combined rebuilding program of Louisiana’s Orleans Parish School District and state-operated New Orleans Recovery School District needs to be reconsidered, a coalition of New Orleans business and civic groups said last week.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said last week that the state closed fiscal 2011 with a $156.8 million general fund surplus due to the strength of positive revenues that exceeded budgeted levels.

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad has chosen a toll road industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience to be the executive director of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

Florida’s elected Cabinet on Tuesday approved the issuance of up to $613 million of refunding bonds.

The Birmingham City Council Tuesday unanimously approved the issuance of $215 million of revenue bonds on behalf of the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Attorneys representing Jefferson County and a financial adviser for Alabama told the Securities and Exchange Commission Friday that there is room for improving disclosure practices while striking a balance with the needs of financially struggling issuers.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jefferson County, Ala., Thursday agreed to take the next week to review a counteroffer submitted by creditors holding $3.14 billion of variable- and auction-rate sewer warrants on which the government has defaulted.

The Jefferson County Commission has canceled a meeting today in which it was going to consider whether to file for bankruptcy.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jefferson County, Ala., on Tuesday hired a national bankruptcy law firm to help determine whether to proceed with the largest Chapter 9 filing ever in the United States.

Boone County Schools in West Virginia is asking voters to pass a bond referendum next month. The Board of Education wants to sell $45.2 million of general obligation bonds in two series with 20-year maturities. Early voting will be held Aug. 5-17. Election day is Aug. 20.

The West Virginia Economic Development Authority closed on the sale of $90.8 million of lease revenue refunding bonds that achieved a net present-value savings of $6.39 million over the remaining life of the bonds, officials said.

Standard & Poor’s last week upgraded Greenville’s general obligation bond rating to AAA from AA-plus. The agency also raised the city’s limited obligation bond rating to AA from AA-minus. The outlook is stable.

The Atlanta City Council is taking its message straight to constituents via social networking — an approach growing popular with local governments.

The Florida Supreme Court last week upheld a $28.3 million judgment against the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.. The award goes to the relatives of a Pensacola man who died 16 years ago.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., will again meet in a special closed-door session this week in Birmingham to discuss a wide range of issues, including the possibility of filing for municipal bankruptcy.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., hired the California law firm Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP as a consultant on strategies to resolve the county's financial crises.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The trustee for Lambuth University on Wednesday notified the bond market that the Jackson, Tenn.-based school filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy three weeks ago.