News and Information from Bond Buyer

The New York State Gaming Commission voted Monday to issue licenses for three planned Upstate casinos that were first selected a year ago.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded to B1 from Ba3 the rating on the Chicago Board of Education, IL's $5.5 billion of Moody's-rated general obligation (GO) debt.

Municipal bonds finished steady to slightly stronger on Monday, traders said, as yields on some top quality maturities slipped by as much as one basis point. There were no major deals on the calendar in this holiday-shortened week.

Puerto Rico is paying its annual Christmas bonus amid concerns about whether it will pay all its bond debt Jan. 1.

The "gradual and contingent nature" of the California Public Employees' Retirement System plan to revise its investment return assumptions could mean substantial fiscal risk to California governments, Moody's Investors service said Friday.

The Federal Trade Commission has moved to block the proposed merger of Illinois-based Advocate Health Care and NorthShore University Health System citing to anti-competition concerns.

A Wisconsin town has won back its investment grade rating after renegotiating direct purchase contracts with its banks.

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board signed off on a 2016 Budget that counts on $1.3 billion in revenues for maintenance, operations, debt service, and capital costs.

An agreement to return control of the LA/Ontario International Airport from Los Angeles to an Ontario-based local authority is a positive for the Los Angeles airport but negative to the Ontario airport's credit, Moody's Investors Service said.

Oklahoma's projected 13% decline in revenues in fiscal 2017 illustrates how much low energy prices will stress budgets in oil and gas producing states, Moody's Investors Service says.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission won an upgrade of its subordinate bond credit after a new review.

New York City will end the fiscal year with a $963 million surplus, or $828 million more than Mayor Bill de Blasio's estimate, said the watchdog Independent Budget Office.

The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority issued more than $400 million of bonds in 2015, including a $30 million sale in December backed by strong retail demand.

A large operating loss cost the operator of Mission Regional Medical Center its investment-grade rating from Standard & Poor's, and notice of a technical default is expected.

With natural gas prices falling to record lows, public power utilities should benefit with stronger operating margins and more flexibility to adjust rates to offset other costs, according to Fitch Ratings.

Municipal bonds were a bit stronger at mid-session, traders said, as yields on some top quality maturities weakened by as much as one basis point in quiet activity.

Tender rates for the Treasury Department's latest 91-day and 182-day discount bills were lower, as the three-months incurred a 0.250% high rate, down from 0.280% the prior week, and the six-months incurred a 0.515% high rate, off from 0.585% the week before.

The University of Kansas will use the Wisconsin-headquartered Public Finance Authority as conduit for a $350 million lease-revenue bond deal instead of the Kansas Development Finance Authority.

The Treasury Department said Monday it will sell $45 billion of four-week discount bills Tuesday.

Texas Department of Transportation chief financial officer James Bass will move to executive director, a job he previously held on an interim basis.