Economy

Adventist Health closed a deal Monday to take over the formerly bankrupt Sierra Kings Heath Care District’s Central California clinics and hospital.

CHICAGO - Two large Chicago-area health care systems announced Wednesday they have finalized a merger that will create the largest Catholic health care network in Illinois.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Broward County, Fla., has reached a milestone in its effort to move forward with an $800 million financing to support the $1.5 billion cost of a major runway extension and other improvements at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Moody’s Investors Service has revised its outlook on Mercy Hospital’s A2 rating to negative from stable due to a decline in operating performance.

Moody’s Investors Service last week affirmed its Baa2 rating on King’s Daughters’ Hospital and Health Services but revised the outlook to negative from stable, warning that the facility faces volume and operating pressures.

DALLAS - Arkansas will be able to repair and upgrade more than 400 miles of Interstate highway with proceeds from $575 million of Garvee bonds being decided by voters on Tuesday, up from earlier estimates of 300 miles.

CHICAGO - The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority plans to issue $14.4 million of bonds to finance a takeover of Toledo's parking system in a deal that gained final City Council approval last week.

SAN FRANCISCO - Washington anti-tax and initiative crusader Tim Eyman has filed a lawsuit to try to void the state's $519 million bond deal for a floating bridge project.

Highmark Inc. announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to affiliate with West Penn Allegheny Health System Inc.

A political action group has been established to oppose a plan to increase the Arkansas severance tax on natural gas that could be on the November 2012 ballot.

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe used his Saturday radio address to ask voters to support a $575 million road bond plan in the Nov. 8 special election.

DALLAS - Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe urges voters in a 30-second television ad being aired statewide to renew a $575 million Garvee highway bond program at next week's special election.

With the appointments two weeks ago of Joseph Lhota and Patrick Foye as heads of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, respectively, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has his own people in charge of the two major agencies.

CHICAGO - Cleveland Hopkins International Airport plans to price $75 million of passenger fee-backed revenue bonds Wednesday, its first new-money borrowing in 10 years.

Auditor general Jack Wagner called for increased investment in Pennsylvania’s crumbling roads and bridges, echoing suggestions made by Gov. Tom Corbett’s advisory commission over the summer.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $30.1 billion of outstanding debt contains about $5.2 billion of variable-rate debt, of which $3 billion is in synthetic fixed-rate mode achieved through interest-rate swaps, according to a derivatives portfolio report.

DALLAS - With financing already in place, the Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday agreed to begin seeking design-build credentials for an $815 million network of interstate highway interchanges and bridges in Dallas.

A new poll shows that a statewide ballot initiative to limit highway tolls in Washington has lost traction with voters, according to the Seattle Times.

Fitch Ratings downgraded more than $370 million of debt issued for Eisenhower Medical Center to BBB from A-minus.

San Diego-based Rady Children’s Hospital received an A-plus from Fitch Ratings on $150 million of bonds to be sold through negotiation the week of Nov. 7.