Community Bank of the Bay in Oakland, Calif., raised $5 million of fresh capital Monday, after closing the first tranche of a public offering.

Mercantile Bancorp Inc. of Quincy, Ill., said Tuesday that it narrowed its fourth-quarter loss to $4.3 million, from $6.7 million a year earlier.

As job creation is the ultimate objective of President Obama's plans to stimulate small-business lending, it is critical for community banks to maintain strict underwriting guidelines and adhere to the fundamentals of lending.

WASHINGTON — Atlantic Southern Financial Group of Macon, Ga., agreed to obtain Federal Reserve approval for paying dividends or taking on debt.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which seized Cleveland's faltering AmTrust Bank late last year, is seeking more than a half-billion dollars from the failed thrift's corporate parent in a dispute the agency says is of "critical importance" to the nation's taxpayers.

Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. is going back to square one in its recapitalization efforts after its lifeline collapsed — a situation that may be increasingly common for banks in distress.

But a closer look at the agency's loan-performance data suggests that underwriting — not the type of borrower, military or otherwise, not whether there is a down payment — is the reason some lenders in the program have succeeded while others have struggled.

First Chester County Corp. of West Chester, Pa., said that a top executive resigned from the board of directors, and that the company failed to file its annual report, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Eagle Bancorp Montana Inc. of Helena said Monday it completed the second step of its conversion from a mutual to a stock company.

Heritage Financial Group in Albany, Ga., is revising its fourth quarter and 2009 results after selling off its largest nonperforming loan.

First Midwest Bank in Itasca, Ill., wants to make it perfectly clear — it is not to be confused with Midwest Bank and Trust Co.

Add Independent Bank in Ionia, Mich., to the list of companies that have successfully renegotiated the Treasury Department's investment under Tarp.

NEW YORK — Uncle Sam could soon own a piece of Independent Bank Corp. The Michigan lender disclosed in a filing Friday it has paved the way for the Treasury Department to convert into common shares the $72 million the government invested in the bank through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or Tarp.

The Federal Reserve released written agreements with banks in Missouri and Florida on Thursday, limiting the firms' ability to pay dividends and boosting oversight of their operations.

United Community Banks Inc. has agreed to sell $100 million of nonperforming loans to an asset manager in order to rid illiquid assets and create capital as the bank continues to suffer from a credit crunch.

A research note from Sandler O'Neill & Partners LP last week said the $1.3 billion-asset company was required to increase capital levels, reduce problem assets, reduce exposure to construction and land loans and create a liquidity management plan.

The president of Frontier Financial Corp.'s bank unit said he was fired for trying to use vacation time.

Many smaller banks say they plan to keep offering such services because demand is strong and overdraft fee income is essential.

United Community Banks Inc. entered an agreement to sell $100 million of nonperforming loans to an asset manager in order to rid illiquid assets and create new capital as the bank continues to suffer from credit crunch.

The Federal Reserve announced an enforcement action against Atlantic Bancgroup in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., a move taken to help maintain financial soundness at the firm.