A new round of watchdog reports says the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. could have been tougher in regulating three community banks that later closed.

Bankers formerly with large institutions are finding opportunities at smaller banks, particularly after their former employers failed or were merged into other companies.

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Twinstar CU has purchased an abandoned branch once occupied by First Independent Bank in the Van Mall here.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Knoxville TVA Employees CU has acquired a former elementary school and plans to renovate into a new headquarters for the $800 million credit union.

As large banks continue to be derided in the court of public opinion, community bankers have emerged as a more potent political force. They won a crucial exemption from a House regulatory reform bill and are expected to have a significant impact on the Senate debate.

U.S. revolving credit, 98% of which is credit card debt, fell to $874 billion in November from a revised total of $887.7 billion in October, the largest dollar-value drop since records began in 1968, according to a Federal Reserve G.19 report on consumer credit released Friday.

The Federal Reserve announced enforcement actions Friday against North Valley Bancorp in Redding, Calif. Under a written agreement, North Valley cannot, without prior Fed approval, directly or indirectly extend or renew credit to borrowers whose credit is deemed "doubtful" or "substandard," among other credit-related restrictions.

Sterling Bancshares Inc. in Houston has promoted Bob S. Smith to chief credit officer at the company's subsidiary bank.

Friday brought the first failure of the year as Horizon Bank in Bellingham, Wash., was closed by state regulators.

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Midwest Banc Holdings Inc. in Melrose Park, Ill., said credit quality continued to deteriorate at its subsidiary bank in the fourth quarter, and warned the bank's capital ratios are expected to fall from a well-capitalized level at the end of the third quarter to undercapitalized for the fourth quarter.

Given its performance and capital levels, Chemical Financial Corp. had long been thought of as a market consolidator in its home state of Michigan, but it remained on the sidelines — until now.

A Federal Trade Commission study of nine of the largest buyers of delinquent consumer debt has participants in this industry worried that a clampdown is coming.

The Federal Trade Commission today identified the nine debt-buying companies that it has ordered to turn over information about their purchasing and collection practices.

The Federal Reserve announced enforcement actions Friday against North Valley Bancorp of Redding, Calif.

Chemical Financial Corp. has agreed to acquire fellow Michigan bank O.A.K. Financial Corp. in an all-stock deal worth about $77 million.

Community Central Bank Corp. in Mount Clemens, Mich., said Thursday that it had raised $2.7 million in fresh capital. The investment was made through a private placement involving local investors who bought convertible perpetual preferred stock.

Regulators, with their reputations on the line and anxiety about the future, are forcing some banks to hold on to much of the capital. In recent months, some banks that wanted to fully repay the Troubled Asset Relief Program were allowed to return a fraction.

LOWER BURRELL, Penn. – A-K Valley FCU said its board has decided to close its Homewood branch after the outlet, robbed four times in the past two years, was burgled on New Year’s Day.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Affinity Plus FCU said it is renovating a former Starbucks location in Hasting into a new branch.