Midwest

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Monmouth College by one notch to Baa3, the lowest investment-grade level, and assigned a negative outlook as the school grapples with a weakening market position and operating pressures.

Chicago has struck a labor agreement that calls for employees to participate in a wellness program with an estimated savings of $20 million in its first year. The pact was announced last week by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Federation of Labor president Jorge Ramirez.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Park District will enter the market this week with about $178 million of general obligation bonds to raise new money for its annual capital program and to refund debt.

CHICAGO - Ohio will take competitive bids Wednesday on $300 million of general obligation bonds to finance capital projects for schools across the state.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority is asking construction industry professionals and others to help it build the Ohio River Bridges Project faster and less expensively.

CHICAGO - Wisconsin will enter the market as soon as Monday with roughly $250 million of general obligation refunding bonds for both traditional economic savings and to restructure debt coming due in November for budgetary relief.

CHICAGO - In another move aimed at helping fiscally stressed municipalities enter the bond market, Michigan lawmakers have sent Gov. Rick Snyder legislation that would allow them to refinance outstanding financial recovery debt.

CHICAGO - A union between St. Louis-based Ascension Health and Arlington Heights, Ill.-based Alexian Brothers Health System advanced Thursday with the announcement that the two had signed a definitive agreement for Alexian's acquisition by the nation's largest nonprofit health care system.

CHICAGO - Chicago will hold its first-ever investor conference next month as new Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his chief financial officer, Lois Scott, seek to bolster the city's strained fiscal image with the buyers of its debt.

CHICAGO - The Illinois Finance Authority board this week approved Novi, Mich.-based Trinity Health Corp.'s issue of up to $600 million tied to its acquisition of Loyola University Health System in suburban Chicago, and advanced a Midwestern disaster area revenue bond issue for Cargill Inc.