North Carolina

The Local Government Commission needs to approve the proposed competitive sale.

The largest issuance the Local Government Commission approved was $387 million of bonds for Mecklenburg County.

The president of St. Augustine University in North Carolina called the loan a "necessary evil" as it fights to remain solvent and accredited.

Brad Briner said the state may need to issue short-term debt in the near future to pay for Hurricane Helene expenses.

Nashville, Tennessee, voters approved a $2 billion bond measure, while Lancaster County, South Carolina, and Cary, North Carolina, opposed the bond referendums.

Moody's believes Florida will sell bonds to help replenish the CAT fund this spring.

Large measures to authorize or support bonds are on the menu in several of the region's largest cities and suburbs.

The state lacks the money to widen the traffic-clogged highway on its own, officials said.

Recent EPA regulations mandating utilities remove lead pipes from distribution systems within 10 years will add to the financial burden.

In the long run, Helene and Milton may further drive already rising property insurance costs, while in the short-term S&P placed three utilities on CreditWatch.