News and Information from Bond Buyer

Week Of August 10 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of August 3 Issuer St Description Amount

CALIFORNIA

ARKANSAS

Municipal issuers no longer consider bankruptcy to be taboo and distressed governments are increasingly likely to consider it an option, Moody's analysts said in a report.

Rutgers University in New Jersey announced on Aug, 5 that it raised a record $187.9 million during the 2014-15 academic year fueled by a surge in donations at the end of a lengthy fundraising campaign.

Minnesota's flush coffers and structural budget balance led Standard & Poor's to revise its outlook on the state's AA-plus rating to positive from stable.

Government

The U.S. Supreme Court has granted Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's request for more time to consider whether to appeal the state's high court voiding a 2013 state pension system overhaul.

The San Diego County Water Authority prevailed in a lawsuit targeting, among other things, the $1 billion Carlsbad desalination plant expected to begin operations later this year.

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service have included two new bond-related projects on their priority guidance plan for 2015-2016.

California leaders marked the final payment on $15 billion in bonds issued in 2004 to close a deficit.

The Wayne County, Mich. board of commissioners is scheduled to vote Thursday on how to resolve its financial emergency.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered its rating to A-minus from A-plus on Freedom Town (Outagamie County), Wis.'s existing general obligation bonds.

St. Louis voters Tuesday rejected a $180 million bond measure that the city had promoted as needed to help get deferred infrastructure work completed.

Trading activity in the municipal market for the second quarter of this year was 14% higher than the previous quarter as well as the second quarter last year, with several Puerto Rico bonds among the most traded, according to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

Prices of top-shelf municipal bonds closed weaker in secondary trading on Wednesday, traders said, as the state of Minnesota sold more than $1 billion of bonds in the competitive arena.

Moody's Investors Service dropped Richmond, Calif. to junk late Tuesday with a three-notch downgrade that brought the city's implied general obligation rating to Ba1.

The North Carolina House puts a proposed $1.7 billion road infrastructure plan on fast track.

Prices of top-shelf municipal bonds were weaker at mid-session, traders said, as the state of Minnesota sold more than $1 billion of bonds in the competitive arena.