Metro Bancorp Inc. in Harrisburg, Pa., plans to sell $75 million of its common stock, in an offering that could help smooth its pending acquisition of Republic First Bancorp Inc. in Philadelphia.

While stock sales by large publicly traded banks have been in the spotlight this year, smaller banks have also been on a capital-raising binge.

The failures of $2.7 billion-asset Irwin Union Bank and Trust Co. and $493 million-asset Irwin Union Bank were estimated to cost the Deposit Insurance Fund a total of $850 million.

WASHINGTON — Under pressure from lawmakers not to charge banks another special assessment, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said the agency would consider other alternatives — including some obscure ones — before it decides to act.

James Gutierrez, chief executive of Progress Financial in San Jose, believes he has found the key to reaching unbanked Hispanics — credit.

The failures of $2.7 billion-asset Irwin Union Bank and Trust Co., of Columbus, Ind., and $493 million-asset Irwin Union Bank, of Louisville, Ken., were estimated to cost the Deposit Insurance Fund a total of $850 million.

A survey published last week by the Independent Community Bankers of America said 52% of community banks increased their budgets for payments projects from 2007 to 2009, while only 11% cut spending.

A year after the Troubled Asset Relief Program came along, a growing number of community banks the government spurned are on the brink of failure.

VICTORIA, Texas – Texas Dow Employees CU broke ground Tuesday on a 4,900-foot branch full-service branch.

DURHAM, N.C. – Latino Community CU has acquired a 11,895 square-foot building in the downtown where it plans to build new offices.

These institutions did not cause the current financial crisis; their woes are the product of failures triggered by the activities of under- and unregulated entities and entities with more leverage and capital markets expertise.

KETTERING — Fairmont High School is partnering with FirstDay FCU for a student-run credit union inside the Fairmont library.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

As the tally of failed banks continues to grow, so does the list of institutions with similar names that have had to calm down confused customers and business partners.

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Community Trust Financial Corp. in Ruston, La., is expanding into Mississippi. The $1.2 billion-asset company has a deal to buy the $65 million-asset Madison Financial Corp., which would add three branches in the neighboring state.

Michael E. Kelly, the billionaire who built FBOP Corp. by snapping up ailing banks around the country in the 1980s and 1990s, now may have to give up some control of this far-flung empire — or lose all of it.

WEIRTON, W.V. – First Choice America Community FCU is remodeling a one-time Stone & Thomas department store in the downtown into new administrative offices.

MILLVILLE, Tenn. – Thunderbolt Area FCU opened a new branch at the entrance to Millville Municipal Airport in a former branch of TD Banknorth.

MB Financial Inc. picked up the pieces of Corus Bank after its seizure Friday and now plans to spend the rest of the year integrating what was a sizable hometown acquisition.