Winter Storm Uri continues to blow through the bond market

A fierce winter storm that hit several states more than two years ago is still churning out bond-related events, with a Texas utility refunding taxable tendered debt with tax-free bonds thanks to a private letter ruling, and an Oklahoma deal falling short on a debt service payment.

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Watch the acceptance speeches and view some of the photos from our Deal of the Year event in New York City.?

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined Little Rock, Arkansas-based Crews and Associates $50,000 and its former head trader and chief executive Rush F. Harding $30,000 for their roles in selling municipal bonds with markups to an affiliated bank, with Harding having violated MSRB Rule G-18 on best execution and Rule G-17 on conduct and the firm violating Rule G-27 on supervision.

Save the date and get a preview for The Bond Buyer Infrastructure conference in Chicago this Sept. 12 and 13.?

Siebert Williams Shank & Co. LLC has hired veteran public finance banker Nathan Flynn to establish a branch office in Indianapolis with an eye on broadening the firm's coverage of borrowers in the Midwest and Southeast while also adding to the firm's project finance and structuring chops.

If you missed any of our ESG Week coverage, make sure to check our ESG special section which has all the articles, the podcast and a taped version of the Leaders event.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson won't say yet whether he intends to leave in place his predecessor's executive order earmarking a budget surplus for future supplemental pension contributions. In part, he’s awaiting the arrival of soon-to-be CFO Jill Jaworski and budget director Annette Guzman, a top aide says.?

Check out our most recent Rising Stars and the inaugural class of Muni Hall of Famers.

Some California lawmakers are betting voters have had a change of heart regarding the need for a statewide school bond measure. The state Senate has approved a $15.5 billion school construction bond that would go before voters in March. It’s similar to the $15 billion Proposition 13 of March 2020, which failed with only 47% voter support. The measure now heads to the Assembly.?

Fitch Ratings warned it may downgrade the United States' AAA rating amid brinkmanship over the country's debt limit. The rating agency put the nation's issuer default rating on rating watch negative amid the lack of progress on a deal to avoid breaching the nation's $31.4 trillion debt limit.

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