News and Information from Bond Buyer

Moody's Investors Service Monday revised its outlook to stable from negative on two Illinois-based health systems in recognition of the benefits of their year-old move to join forces.

The Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority signed off a $564 million contract to design and build a new convention center hotel and events center that will house an arena for DePaul University's Blue Demons basketball team.

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust is planning its first green-bond sale for the week of Dec. 8, according to state Treasurer Steven Grossman.

Moody's Investors Service has revised Wisconsin-based ProHealth Care Inc.'s outlook to negative after several years of softening operating results.

A task force examining the needs and funding options for Milwaukee's cultural institutions is floating a sales tax hike to fund capital improvements for regional attractions with the notable exceptions of a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks and convention center expansion.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is exploring alternatives to improve freight transportation across Manhattan waters and whatever plan is selected could impact future toll revenues in the region.

The municipal bond market looked ahead to next month's new wave of bond supply as November's activity faded away in the last few trading hours of the month.

Long-term municipal bond issuance rose for the fourth month in a row as volume increased 15.3% in November.

The Town of Brookfield, Conn. has disclosed that water facilities financed with some of its tax-exempt bonds may have private business use.

Facing continued deficit operations, Mills College in Oakland, Calif. received a downgrade to Baa3 from Baa2 from Moody's Investors Service.

Pennsylvania is seeking qualified companies to join a public-private partnership to fund and operate transit bus natural gas-fueling facilities.

Officials of Bell, Calif., the Los Angleles-area city where the former administration was jailed earlier this year for misappropriation of funds, said the tax-exempt status of $35 million in general obligation bonds that came under review by the Internal Revenue Service has been preserved.

Portland, Ore. is planning to sell $85 million of water revenue bonds to finance projects for its water system.

The Treasury Department auctioned $29 billion of seven-year notes, with a 1 7/8% coupon, a 1.960% high yield, a price of 99.446691.

The Internal Revenue Service is auditing bonds issued by the East Bay Municipal Utility District in 2003 and 2005.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board plans to begin collecting and publicly disseminating certain disclosures related to municipal asset-backed securities, such as in the housing market, on its EMMA site in January.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund's overall second quarter return was down 0.52% to $178.3 billion, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.

Municipal strategists say intermediate securities, premium bonds with short calls, and investment-grade paper, top their holiday wish lists of must-have securities as 2014 winds down, while they forecast continued steady performance by municipals into early 2015.

Municipal veterans Eric Vandercar and Peter Bianchini have been named to the 2014 Municipal All-Star Team by independent research firm Smith's Research & Gradings, while John Hallacy was chosen to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.