Southeast

Standard & Poor's last week downgraded Hampton University to A-minus from A-plus based on increasing debt and business risk related to the university's Proton Therapy Institute.

Standard & Poor's Tuesday raised the underlying rating on the Lamar County School District's general obligation bonds two notches to A from BBB-plus based primarily on its rapidly expanding property tax base and good income levels.

Kentucky's general fund receipts fell 3.3% in January compared to January 2009, a decrease of $23.9 million.

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.'s board of directors last week selected lead designers for the BeltLine project and established the basis for future design and construction, the agency announced.

Vestavia Hills City Council president David Carrington has announced he will run for a seat on the Jefferson County Commission that is opening this year.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Friday unveiled a $24.2 billion operating budget for fiscal 2011 that is $5.5 billion less than the state spent in fiscal 2010.

WASHINGTON — The South Carolina-based issuer of $322.5 million of toll road revenue bonds that are in default appears to be preparing to file for bankruptcy, according to a disclosure ­document.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Owensboro Medical Health System in Kentucky this week is expected to price $545 million of fixed-rate revenue and refunding bonds as part of a finance plan to build a new hospital and terminate two swaps.

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission is defending its antifraud authority over certain interest-rate swaps and urging a federal judge not to dismiss its suit against two former JPMorgan bankers for allegedly making more than $8 million in undisclosed payments to secure swaps for the firm with Jefferson County, Ala.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Louisiana federal Judge Kurt Engelhardt has agreed to hear oral arguments April 21 from PaineWebber Capital Services Inc. and UBS Securities LLC on their motion to dismiss a suit filed by New Orleans involving the failed remarketing of its firefighters’ pension bonds.