News and Information from Bond Buyer

About $23 million of lease-revenue debt issued for a hospital in southern Kansas has fallen below investment grade, according to Moody's Investors Service.

After a lengthy search, Texas Tech University has decided to keep interim chief financial officer Noel Sloan on a permanent basis.

While a nearly year-long dispute over the management of Charlotte Douglas International Airport continues former long-time director, Jerry Orr, plans to retire.

Standard & Poor's raised Broward County, Fla.'s GO bond rating to AAA based on the county's strong economy and "very strong" budget profile.

Maryland Transportation Authority will generate less than $10 million a year in toll revenue from express lanes on a $1.1 billion highway improvement project.

When Standard & Poor's downgraded Jefferson County, Ala.'s school warrants to D, some people said the action was misleading and others were confused.

Moody's Investors Service said it has upgraded the Delaware State Housing Authority's issuer rating to A1 from A2.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren, the lone dissenter from the Fed's plan this week to taper its bond purchases, said he isn't convinced the economy will improve next year.

CHICAGO - Detroit told the bankruptcy court Friday it may sue its interest-rate swap counterparties without a revised settlement to terminate the swaps under more favorable terms. The warning raises the stakes on mediation.

Moody's Investors Service said it has downgraded the borough of Glen Rock, N.J.'s general obligation rating to A1 from Aa3.

The municipal bond market continues to hold its levels in the shadow of a stronger Treasury market at the long end of the yield curve.

Outflows from weekly reporting municipal bond mutual funds persisted for the 30th straight week, at $1.71 billion.

The Harrisburg receivership team and many related parties anticipate closing a recovery plan aimed at keeping Pennsylvania's capital city out of bankruptcy.

Observers' views diverge on whether the impending introduction of casinos in New York will be a major fiscal plus for local governments.

Potential bond sale volume for next week is $14.995 million, down from total sales of $2,804.0 million this week.

Manufacturing activity in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's region " fell slightly in December, but producers' expectations for future activity improved modestly," according to the bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Friday.

Municipal bond traders are waiting to see if tax-exempt yields will follow Treasuries Friday and strengthen at the long end of the curve.

Businesses still expect inflation to run 1.9% in the coming year, same as they did last month, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's business inflation expectations survey, released Friday.

The Q3 GDP revision was to 4.1% growth, the fastest pace since Q4:2011.