Southwest

Lower tax refunds helped lift Arkansas' March revenues $43.3 million or nearly 8% above forecast for the month, according to state Department of Finance and Administration director Richard Weiss.

A $110 million Glendale, Ariz., plant designed to turn debris into energy has fallen to the junk-bond category after the private operator required another $8 million of debt to make the plant operational.

Even under lowered expectations, Kansas’ revenues fell $11.2 million below projections in March, according to state Department of Revenue secretary Nick Jordan.

The Internal Revenue Service has determined that multifamily housing revenue bonds issued by the Tulsa County Industrial Authority in 2003 are taxable, but it is unclear to what extent bondholders will be affected by the Service's conclusion.

A day after the dedication of its new $1 billion hospital, Standard & Poor's downgraded Dallas' Parkland Health and Hospital System one notch to AA.

Despite an $11.5 billion backlog of maintenance at national parks across the country, the National Park Service continues to take on new properties in New Mexico and other states.

Craig General Hospital in northeastern Oklahoma continues to operate after filing for bankruptcy protection.

Williams, Ariz., the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon," is developing plans for a theme park that could cost $400 million and help the town of 3,023 capture more revenue from the more than 4 million visitors to the canyon each year.

Texas A&M University will take advantage of its top credit rating in a competitive sale of $289 million of Permanent University Fund bonds.

Williams, Ariz., the self-proclaimed “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” is working on a plan to sidetrack tourists to an amusement park and railroad museum that could be financed with $400 million of revenue bonds.