Attorneys for the Pennsylvania Banking Department and the state's Department of Banking told the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that bankers ought to end their legal challenge to credit unions' tax exemption and pursue legislation instead.

WASHINGTON - An effort to grant automakers and other commercial firms a waiver from a ban on commercially owned industrial loan companies is facing increasing scrutiny.

PL Capital Group of Naperville, Ill., has voiced its opposition to proposed changes in the stock option plans of Lake Shore Bancorp Inc. of Dunkirk, N.Y.

MIDWEST

Berkshire Hills Bancorp in Pittsfield, Mass., moved closer Tuesday to its goal of becoming a regional banking company with a deal to enter Vermont.

Danversbank in Massachusetts caters to business owners, but many of those customers have personal accounts elsewhere, often at online banks that pay high rates on savings accounts.

Baylake Corp. of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., said Monday that it lost $2.3 million in the first quarter after it was forced to boost its loan-loss provision to nearly $6 million.

SAN FRANCISCO - Credit unions looking to cut costs and increase efficiencies at their branches may want to take a page from the credit union movement's overarching cooperative spirit and apply it to branch management.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - When it comes time to decide between building new or working with you have, return on investment (ROI) is a big part of the equation-but there are some hidden things that can factor into the equation as well.

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - As credit unions race to expand their branch networks, they need to beware of cannibalizing their existing branches and even undermining their own brand.

LAS VEGAS - There are indirect members and there are credit union branches, and often the twain never do meet.

MARIETTA, Ga. - Why is branching still king? Because not only are branches a primary way members measure convenience, but they should also be one of your best marketing tools.

With declining net interest margins, rising operating expenses and unprecedented merger and acquisition activity, credit unions face a challenging landscape to remain competitive.

PITTSBURGH - Credit unions talk about "marketing on a shoestring," but can branch expansion be done on a shoestring?

ST. LOUIS - The economy isn't the only thing that's cyclical: credit union branching should be, too.

First Keystone Corp. in Berwick, Pa., said Friday that it has a deal to buy the $133.6 million-asset Pocono Community Bank in Stroudsburg for about $33.6 million in cash and stock.

Mid-Wisconsin Financial Services Inc. of Medford said it would take an after-tax charge of 22 cents a share this quarter, because of bad loans.

Even bank trade groups concede that a bill being proposed in New York to tax federally charted credit unions could not override a federal law granting the tax exemption.

For more information on this data, visit Novantas LLC and Market Rates Insight.

The tornado that destroyed most of Greensburg, Kan., last week also leveled two of the town's three bank branches.