Loan quality continued to deteriorate at United Community Banks Inc. in Blairsville, Ga., contributing to its third consecutive quarterly loss and a decision to cut its staff by 9%, or 191 people.

Nonperforming assets shot up dramatically at Frontier Financial Corp. in Everett, Wash., resulting in a first-quarter loss of $33.8 million, or 72 cents per share.

Strategic Capital Bancorp Inc. in Champaign, Ill., has until June to come up with a plan to replenish capital, under its most recent regulatory order.

Though loans and deposits grew, Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. in Lititz, Pa., said Wednesday that its first-quarter profit plummeted 93%, to $1.9 million, or 2 cents a share.

First-quarter earnings at Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. in San Antonio slid 15% from a year earlier, to $45 million.

International Bancshares Corp. in Laredo, Texas, has proven that repurchasing common shares is not out of the question for recipients of government capital.

MIDWEST

Shares of BancorpSouth Inc. surged Tuesday after the $13.5 billion-asset Tupelo, Miss., company reported earnings that beat analysts' expectations.

After paying dividends on its government capital and hiking its provision for loan losses, Fulton Financial Corp. in Lancaster, Pa., said late Tuesday its first-quarter profit fell 81% from a year earlier, to $8.1 million, or 5 cents a share.

The deeply troubled Michigan Heritage Bancorp Inc. in Farmington Hills has lost its angel investor.

Finally, a banking company has something good to say about the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Nara Bancorp Inc. said Tuesday that it swung to a first-quarter loss of $3.2 million, or 16 cents a share, because of a higher loan-loss provision.

More community banking companies are abandoning student lending.

Southern Missouri Bancorp Inc. in Poplar Bluff, Mo., is entering northeast Arkansas by buying a $30.5 million-asset bank that has been under a regulatory order for more than a year.

Talk about going from bad to worse.

Ohio Legacy Corp., which is scrambling to raise capital or find a buyer, has joined the list of companies warning of possible failure.

Shareholders of both companies like the idea of Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. in Elkin, N.C., buying the $532 million-asset American Community Bancshares Inc. in Charlotte.

HARRISBURG, Penn. – The local board of commissioners voted last week to rezone 47 acres of conservation land here to allow Pennsylvania State Employees CU to build a new headquarters.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Pacific Marine CU is opening a full-service, mobile banking branch to support service personnel and families throughout Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

SAN DIEGO – North Island CU, which reported a $50.2 million loss for 2008, announced plans last week to close three branches and lay-off the employees at those facilities.