Tucked into the Obama administration's regulatory reform proposal is a plan to lift restrictions on interstate branching, an issue that could end up dividing community bankers.

The blank-check company Global Consumer Acquisition Corp. said Friday that it is in talks with BB&T Corp. to acquire the Nevada operations of the failed Colonial BancGroup Inc.

Industry insiders are crying foul over the possibility the FDIC may choose to withhold information on losing bids on failed banks from the public.

Lorain National Bank selected VINtek in December and began implementation earlier this year of the vendor's electronic lien and title technology.

Guaranty Bank, a $13.5 billion-asset Austin thrift, failed on Friday and was scooped up by a Spanish-owned bank.

Tower Bancorp says it will offer up to $50 million in shares as it joins a number of other companies in recent months taking advantage of increased investor interest in the stock market to raise cash.

Here's why fair-value accounting is not good for community banks.

IMGCAP(1)]

Appalachian Bancshares Inc. in Ellijay, Ga., is warning that it might be unable to survive. In belatedly filing its second-quarter results with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, the $1.2 billion-asset company said that its bank unit is undercapitalized and that it is uncertain whether it can satisfy a regulatory order to raise capital.

Guaranty Bancorp in Denver is going out of its way to distance itself from Guaranty Financial Group, the Austin company that has said its failure is imminent.

Facing increased pressure to improve their data security, a growing number of small and midsize banks are looking for outside help.

Nearly out of capital, CIB Marine Bancshares Inc. in Pewaukee, Wis., is pursuing an unusual route for a bank parent: bankruptcy.

Guaranty Bank in Austin is set to be sold to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA on Friday.

Federal regulators told bidders for Guaranty Financial Group Inc. that they have chosen a winner to take over the crippled Texas bank, according to people familiar with the situation.

MIDWEST

First Bancshares Inc. in Mountain Grove, Mo., and its First Home Savings Bank have signed regulatory orders with the Office of Thrift Supervision requiring plans to improve earnings and preserve capital.

National Consumer Cooperative Bank in Washington said Tuesday that its lenders had waived financial requirements on a credit line for 90 days in exchange for a higher interest rate.

IMGCAP(1)]

The proposed merger of two Pennsylvania companies with ties to Vernon W. Hill 2nd has been touted as the second coming of Commerce Bank. But more than nine months on, regulators have yet to bless the deal.