Southeast

BRADENTON, Fla. — In its first municipal bond deal in two years, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corp. today will price $225 million of revenue bonds to take out a portion of its auction-rate securities.

BRADENTON, Fla. — After a more than two-year search, Jefferson County, Ala., has hired its first chief financial ­officer.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Georgia Department of Transportation Monday announced the appointment of Sandra Burgess as the new director of its public-private partnership program.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority in central Florida today hopes to begin retail pricing of a two-pronged transaction — including up to $250 million of fixed-rate refunding revenue bonds and a restructuring of $250 million of variable-rate bonds with the termination of associated swaps.

DALLAS — State economists told the Revenue Estimating Conference on Friday that Louisiana’s budget deficit for fiscal 2010 has ballooned by another $261.4 million from April’s revised lower estimate.

DALLAS — Louisiana Treasurer John N. Kennedy has urged Gov. Bobby Jindal to develop a financial contingency plan in case BP Corporation North America Inc. declares bankruptcy due to the enormous costs associated with its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

DALLAS — State and local officials dealing with the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico criticized BP’s response to the incident during Wednesday’s special two-hour briefing to the Louisiana Legislature.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Tennessee General Assembly late Wednesday ended its annual session after sending Gov. Phil Bredesen a $29.9 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Kentucky Turnpike Authority plans to begin pricing $334.2 million of new-money and refunding revenue bonds Monday for in-state retail investors. Final pricing is expected Tuesday.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida’s elected Cabinet yesterday expressed frustration at the failure of BP and the federal government to shut off the flow of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico and perform cleanup efforts.