In Scott Township, near Scranton, Pa., sewer authority board members this week agreed to hire debt collection firm Portnoff Law Associates LTD to collect an estimated $133,000 in delinquencies.

The FTC has long accused banks of contributing to problems in documents collectors use to support demands that consumers repay card debts. But a lack of jurisdiction over banks meant its concerns had little weight.

Two dozen former mutual thrifts, including OmniAmerican, have reached or are nearing the end of a three-year ban from selling themselves. Let the M&A chatter begin.

Conversion activity has declined in recent years, though some observers believe mutual thrifts could find market conditions more accommodating in coming months.

Citigroup's private wealth management division has agreed to sell a trust bank subsidiary to Reliance Financial in Atlanta.

Management expressed frustration about expense control during a conference call to discuss quarterly earnings.

Require megabanks to pay their stealth subsidies into a reserve available only to creditors and the FDIC. Market discipline will do the rest, as shareholders demand that the banks shrink.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) announced another small acquisition to expand its operations in Illinois, saying it would buy First Lansing Bancorp, which has seven branches, $370 million in assets and $325 million in deposits.

The industry trade association released the results from its simulation of an "orderly" Dodd-Frank wind-down, as well as a paper endorsing the FDIC's resolution approach.

Naftali Bennett, co-founder of security firm Cyota, heads the Jewish Home Party slate in Israel's parliamentary elections.

The Columbus, Ga., company reported higher quarterly earnings, helped by a $800 million deferred tax asset, and quieted M&A talk for now.

PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) in Medford, Ore., took a loss in the fourth quarter as it sought to remove dead wood from its balance sheet.

Valley Bank in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will get an assist from its parent after facing a capital shortfall.

A breakup perhaps has never ended so well as when the local investors bought out Capitol Bancorp's majority stake in three Colorado banks more than two years ago.

Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) in Marietta, Ohio, reported increased profit despite a shrinking net interest margin.

The city council in Knoxville, Tenn., is considering Tuesday whether to join the ranks of city's hiring collection agencies to recover unpaid court costs and property taxes.

FirstMerit (FMER) in Akron, Ohio, posted stronger quarterly results largely because of higher fee income and lower expenses.