News and Information from Bond Buyer

Sponsors of a privately funded $10 billion high-speed rail project between Houston and Dallas opt for route with fewest landowner issues.

A Feb. 19 decision by Pennsylvania's School Reform Commission to only approve five out of 39 charter school applications in Philadelphia is a credit positive for the city's struggling district, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Standard & Poor's lowered its underlying rating to BB-plus from BBB on the general obligation bonds of the Dublin School District, Ga., citing its structural budget imbalance.

Forty-four state and local governments have failed to meet the deadline for their audits in fiscal year 2014, earning them a place on State Auditor Tim Keller's "At Risk" list.

Buoyed by a strong fourth-quarter finish, 2014 municipal bond issuance in the Southwest region was 15% higher than 2013 at $64.7 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds were flat at mid-session in quiet activity, traders said, ahead of the heaviest weekly supply calendar so far this year.

Easing Detroit Public Schools' debt burden is considered key to the district's revival and survival, and bankruptcy is possible, according to one of the reformers working on the turnaround effort.

Two Austin lawmakers are pushing bills that would allow increases in auto registration fees to finance road construction in Travis County.

Connecticut Treasurer Denise Nappier warned that reliance of $325 million of debt service to cover operating costs could generate a capital markets backlash.

The debate over the appropriate amount of public funding for professional sports facilities has been reignited in part because of growing revenue in the sports market, according to a report from Wells Fargo Securities.

While all of 2014 was good for bond insurance, it was during the second half of the year that things really took off: volume insured rose 124% in the third quarter 68.4% in the fourth.

While municipal bond volume was essentially flat by par value in 2014, there were significant variations from sector to sector.

Total long-term municipal bond issuance did what no one thought it would do in 2014: beat 2013's total issuance.

Note volume was 17% lower than it was last year as state and local governments continued a period of austerity, supported by a stronger United States economy that helped strengthen finances and curtail the need for short-term cash flow.

The ranking of the top 10 bond counsel firms in 2014 shifted significantly from the 2013 ranking, with only the top two and 10th firms remaining the same.

Monday, February 23 Issuer St Description Amount

Monday, February 23 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of February 23 Issuer St Description Amount

MISSOURI

ALABAMA