Midwest

Voters in Iowa's Johnston School District last week voted down a $51 million bond authorization that would have helped finance a new high school.

Illinois received 94 bids from 18 broker-dealers for $50 million of general obligation paper sold competitively last week.

The Omaha Public Power District, one of the country's highest-rated utilities, brings its largest borrowing to date to market this week as it continues to struggles with an extended shutdown of its Fort Calhoun nuclear plant.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster and local prosecutors announced the filing of criminal charges that includes securities fraud Tuesday against the former chief executive officer of Mamtek US., the company that abandoned a half-built bond-financed plant in Moberly.

Michigan State Sen. Mike Kowell plans to introduce bills to create a new statewide port authority that could issue bonds for economic development projects and expand powers of the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority.

Starved for capital funding, the Regional Transportation Authority of Illinois unveiled a $2.5 billion borrowing proposal Friday that relies on projected growth in existing revenue streams and maintenance savings to repay.

Moody's says Chicago Public Schools' already strained balance sheet can ill afford the added burden of its first teachers strike in 25 years with the "magnitude" of the union's demands and disruption negatively pressuring the credit.

Chicago's proposed new use agreement with Midway International Airport's airlines calls for more than $1 billion in capital and maintenance spending over its 15-year term as the city continues to weigh whether to privatize operations.

The Illinois Finance Authority advanced more than $345 million in new-money and refunding issues for healthcare, higher education, and cultural institutions.

The State Iowa Board of Regents will take competitive bids Wednesday on $190 million of bonds that will more than double its healthcare system's debt load as it raises financing for a new children's hospital.