With its credit problems deepening, Old Second Bancorp Inc. of Aurora, Ill., is slashing expenses and its dividend in an attempt to return to profitability and boost its tangible common equity ratio.

Sterling Bancorp of New York announced a deal Monday that it said would "substantially expand" its asset-based lending business.

The 10 largest portfolios of home equity loans at community banks. (To see the full ranking of 150 community banks by home equity loans, click here. To see how credit unions stack up, click here.)

With its survival on the line, CIB Marine Bancshares Inc. in Pewaukee, Wis., said it is willing to extend the deadline for investors to vote on a proposed restructuring of its trust-preferred securities.

First Community Bancshares Inc. of Bluefield, Va., plans to make its second acquisition in North Carolina in less than a year.

Centra Financial Holdings Inc. of Morgantown, W.Va., has become the fifth banking company to return its government capital.

Newnan Coweta Bancshares Inc. in Georgia said its auditor might issue a warning about its ability to survive.

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is infusing $20 million into a troubled Florida thrift to keep it afloat, buying time in hopes the Treasury Department will allow insurers to participate in the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Appalachian Bancshares Inc. in Ellijay, Ga., said it will restate its fourth-quarter results to show a bigger net loss after a routine Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. examination found additional loan problems.

Eastern Virginia Bankshares Inc. of Tappahannock said Friday that it has agreed to buy First Capital Bancorp Inc. of Glen Allen, Va., for $27 million in stock.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Altura Credit Union, which posted a $6.1-million loss in 2008, said it will shutter two branches and convert a third to an electronic branch, in the process cutting 35 jobs, or 15% of its workforce.Overall, the $958-million Altura CU has also chosen not to fill an additional 27 open positions over the past 12 months. The total number of eliminated and unfilled positions represents 20% of Altura’s staff.Mark Hawkins, Altura’s president and CEO, told Credit Union Journal the troubles in the regional economy have led to hardships for the credit union, but the recent special assessment from NCUA to bolster the corporate credit unions followed by the conservatorship of San Dimas-Calif.-based WesCorp have proven to be too much to handle without making reductions. “This has been tough,” he said. “Our area certainly has had its challenges during the economic downturn. The final straw was having to pay the NCUSIF and the corporates. We will have to pay more than $9 million, and that is on top of our loan losses. We sat down and looked at those branches we could live without, and those positions that were not absolutely critical to our moving forward.”Sixteen branch positions and 19 positions at Altura’s headquarters were eliminated as part of the downsizing. In an effort to minimize layoffs, Altura said it has implemented a series of cost-cutting measures. These include reducing benefits and compensation for all employees, including the senior management team. “Just like our members, every one of us is having to sacrifice during this economic downturn,” Hawkins said.

What Gets Measured, Gets Done: The following article is one of six that, as part of Credit Union Journal's ongoing series on growth, takes a look at measurement metrics. The other articles can be found in the related links box on the right.

What Gets Measured, Gets Done: The following article is one of six that, as part of Credit Union Journal's ongoing series on growth, takes a look at measurement metrics. The other articles can be found in the related links box on the right.

What Gets Measured, Gets, Done: The following article is one of six that, as part of Credit Union Journal's ongoing series on growth, takes a look at measurement metrics. The other articles can be found in the related links box on the right.

I recently kidded with manager groups that one small positive from the present economy is that it has turned "customer appreciation" from a catch phrase into an honest-to-goodness fact for many businesses.

Protective Life Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., has lost its deal for a struggling Florida banking company.

Peoples Community Bancorp in West Chester, Ohio, blamed the local economy and its nonperforming assets for its inability to meet the April 1 deadline for filing its annual report.

The shareholder votes needed for Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. of Elkin, N.C., to complete its acquisition of American Community Bancshares Inc. in Charlotte are back on.

More banking companies are warning they might not survive.