Yvette was a senior reporter, covering the Midwest. She earned a bachelors in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, began her reporting career at the storied City News Bureau of Chicago, and joined the Bond Buyer in 1997 leading Midwest coverage from her hometown Chicago.
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CHICAGO — An Iowa water district’s long-awaited plan to restructure $140 million of debt — including $83 million of water revenue bonds — is now on hold due to litigation filed by Bank of America Corp. in an attempt to block a pending asset sale.
February 28 - Illinois
CHICAGO — Illinois received $6.1 billion in bids from 128 investors on its sale this week of $3.7 billion of taxable eight-year general obligation bonds to cover its 2011 pension contribution, a level the state touts as a sign of investor confidence following an income tax increase.
February 24 -
IllinoisFormer Illinois congressman and presidential chief of staff Rahm Emanuel will take office as Chicago's next mayor in May, inheriting daunting fiscal challenges as a new era in city government is ushered in that could shake up the local public finance field.
February 23 - Wisconsin
CHICAGO — Wisconsin lawmakers reconvened Tuesday with the clock ticking on Gov. Scott Walker's plan to restructure $165 million of debt service due May 1.
February 22 -
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Hamline University's rating to Baa2 from Baa1 due to its highly leveraged balance sheet. The move affects $56 million of debt, including this week's $26 million issued through the Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority.
February 22 - Minnesota
The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission expects insurance to cover most of the $19 million price tag for a new roof on the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
February 22 -
A hearing has been pushed back a week to March 1 on Chicago's motion asking a Cook County Circuit Court judge to dismiss a suit challenging the city's authority to proceed with $3.36 billion worth of expansion projects at O'Hare International Airport without airline approval.
February 22 -
CHICAGO — Menasha would pay holders of $23 million of defaulted steam-plant bond anticipation notes $17.5 million under a proposed cash settlement that would end bondholder litigation and put the Wisconsin city on a path towards rebuilding its credit.
February 22 -
CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on Thursday questioned the sincerity of American Airlines and United Airlines' willingness to meet with him in an attempt to resolve differences over the timing and financing of $3.36 billion worth of expansion projects at O'Hare International Airport.
February 3 -
WisconsinCHICAGO — In his inaugural state of the state address, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker vowed to eliminate a budget deficit of more than $3 billion in the next biennium without “short-term fixes” like borrowing. He also called on state employees to shoulder a greater share of their pension and health care costs.
February 2 -
CHICAGO — The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the state’s request for a temporary stay against enforcement of a lower court decision invalidating the state’s $31 billion capital budget and the funding streams that support capital borrowing.
February 1 -
CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Richard Daley will meet with executives at American Airlines and United Airlines Thursday as a legal standoff over $3.36 billion worth of expansion projects at O’Hare International Airport drags on.
February 1 - Wisconsin
The Green Bay-Brown County Professional Football Stadium District earlier this month announced plans to prepay in February some of the bonds it issued for the 2003 renovation of Lambeau Field, putting the district on track to fully retire its bonds later this year.
February 1 - Illinois
The Yorkville City Council last week voted against asking residents to cover a $264,000 shortage in revenue needed in the city’s sewer fund to cover debt payments coming due next year, according to published reports.
February 1 -
Gov. Pat Quinn last week signed Medicaid reform legislation aimed at saving Illinois at least $624 million over five years.
February 1 -
CHICAGO — The University of Minnesota enters the market Tuesday with $388 million of general obligation bonds to raise funds for various projects and reduce its floating-rate exposure by refunding debt.
January 31 - Minnesota
CHICAGO — New Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton called on lawmakers Monday to support a proposed $1 billion capital bonding budget he billed as an economic stimulus package needed to create jobs while improving infrastructure.
January 31 - Illinois
Chicago wants more time to improve the funded status of its fire and police pension funds and increase employee contributions in order to reduce the burden on taxpayers of reforms signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn earlier this year.
January 28 -
CHICAGO — Allowing a lower court ruling invalidating Illinois’ $31 billion capital budget to take effect would “wreak havoc” on state operations and finances, the attorney general’s office warned Friday in its request that the state Supreme Court stay the decision.
January 28 -
CHICAGO — Chicago has backed off from its plan to sell $1.1 billion of O’Hare International Airport bonds next week as it fights a lawsuit filed by the airport’s two largest carriers challenging its authority to finish work on an $8 billion expansion plan without airline consent.
January 27
