Shelly Sigo

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jeffrey A. Parker & Associates has expanded with three new employees who will help the infrastructure finance advisory firm on a wider range of transactions.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Jefferson County, Ala., must restructure its troubled debt or take “other significant reorganization activities,” according to the county’s first audit in three years.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Some municipal bond market observers say last week’s stunning five-notch downgrade of Georgia’s third-largest county highlights the importance of disclosure — or what Standard & Poor’s sees as insufficient disclosure in the case of DeKalb County.

Moody’s Investors Service Friday downgraded the Louisville Regional Airport Authority’s revenue bond rating to A2 from A1.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority announced Friday that Kevin Kelly will be the new Water Resources Division director.

A petition has been filed with the Florida Supreme Court challenging Gov. Rick Scott’s right to freeze state rule-making procedures, which is an action he took shortly after taking office in January.

Alabama officials are considering increasing the use of tolls to build roads in the state and replace the potential loss of $150 million in federal funds.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley last week ordered 15% cuts in the state’s general fund budget for the remainder of fiscal 2011, which ends Sept. 30.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Kentucky Turnpike Authority Wednesday expects to conclude a two-day pricing of $112.6 million of new and refunding revenue bonds.

MIAMI BEACH — A bipartisan effort is under way to eliminate the tax exemption on municipal bonds, attorney Rosemary Becchi, a partner at Patton Boggs LLC, said at The Bond Buyer and Bond Dealers of America’s Third National Municipal Bond Summit here Thursday.

MIAMI BEACH — While there are signs that state revenues are slowly growing again in the Southeast, experts here warn that negative budget pressures will persist in coming years as governments struggle to meet their obligations.

The Virginia Port Authority has released a request for proposals seeking firms interested in becoming managing and co-managing underwriters for deals.

The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority’s finance and construction committee was scheduled to meet this week to review the results of a two-day industry forum held in February that drew many international firms involved in public-private partnerships, as well as top investment banks.

Standard & Poor’s Monday lowered its long-term rating on DeKalb County, Ga.’s general obligation bonds to BBB from AA-minus.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 11.5%, down 0.4% from January, Agency for Workforce Innovation director Cynthia Lorenzo announced Friday.

Mobile is scrambling to find a replacement cruise liner because Carnival Cruise Lines has announced it will move its 2,052-passenger ship the Elation to New Orleans in October.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are moving forward to consolidate three toll-road authorities in a revised plan that now excludes the financially ailing Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority, which appears headed for a bond payment default this year.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Delta Air Lines Inc.’s 25% service reduction at Memphis International Airport could be a harbinger of future cutbacks at the Tennessee hub and other airports as carriers respond to sharply increasing fuel prices, according to rating agency analysts.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A Florida Senate transportation committee is entertaining a proposal to merge four expressway and bridge authorities with outstanding debt into Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

The Kentucky Legislature is in overtime trying to come up with an agreement to plug a $176 million deficit in the state’s Medicaid program this year.