Southeast

Louisiana’s economists projected Friday the state’s budget shortfall will be as high as $313 million, prompting Gov. John Bel Edwards to say the deficit clearly indicates the need for special legislative session.

A nearly $50 billion budget for Georgia in fiscal 2018 has been recommended by Gov. Nathan Deal, who is also requesting $1 billion of borrowing for state projects, education and transportation.

Kentucky’s credit outlook was revised to negative ahead of an upcoming bond deal, a change S&P Global Ratings said was triggered by the state’s unfunded pension obligations.

An eventful year lies ahead for Louisiana with a special legislative session potentially necessary to address yet another budget shortfall and continued recovery efforts from last year’s disastrous floods.

Ben Watkins, director of Florida’s Division of Bond Finance, will receive the third annual Jim Lebenthal Infrastructure Champion award at The Bond Buyer's National Outlook Conference in New York Jan. 31.

A federal judge denied a request by two Florida counties for additional documents about public financing for the All Aboard Florida private passenger train project, moving their lawsuits closer to a ruling on dismissal.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper took office Jan. 1 amid political turmoil that prompted him to file a lawsuit challenging a recently passed law restricting his election board appointments.

Financial problems at Toshiba Corp. are credit negative for new nuclear power plants under construction at Plant Vogtle in Georgia and VC Summer in South Carolina, Moody's Investors Service said.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has added attorney John W. Mills III as a partner in the firm’s litigation department in Atlanta.

Former Miami budget director Michael Boudreaux is asking a federal judge for a new trial over Securities and Exchange Commission charges that he committed securities fraud because he believes the previous trial was unfairly prejudiced against him.