Two Massachusetts mutual thrifts have announced that they plan to merge.

United Security Bancshares Inc. of Thomasville, Ala., said that it has discovered evidence of potential fraud in a consumer finance unit.

First Citizens Banc Corp Inc. in Sandusky, Ohio, announced Friday that it has a deal to buy the $279 million-asset Futura Banc Corp. in Urbana, Ohio, for $63 million in cash and stock.

Highlands Bancshares Inc. of Dallas is planning an aggressive branch-building strategy in rural and urban markets to gather deposits it will deploy largely in the Dallas area.

Horizon Financial Services Corp. of Oskaloosa, Iowa, reported a loss for its fiscal third quarter, which ended March 31, and said its thrift subsidiary has consented to the terms of an enforcement order from the Office of Thrift Supervision.

It took AmericasBank Corp. of Towson, Md., nearly a decade to surpass the $100 million-asset mark, but it has embarked on a new strategy to jump-start growth: forming individually branded bank divisions in various Maryland markets led by well-known bankers there.

United Security Bancshares Inc. of Thomasville, Ala., announced late Thursday that it discovered evidence of potential fraud at one of its subsidiaries.

The battle over a proposed merger between two small Massachusetts thrifts is going to court.

MIDWEST

Community First Bancorp Inc. of Madisonville, Ky., announced late Wednesday that it is considering selling itself.

Credit union industry representatives are hoping to use a recent Government Accountability Office report on banks' profitability as ammunition in their fight to increase their business lending and revise their capital regulations.

NorCal Community Bancorp in Alameda, Calif., has opened a branch in Oakland that Stephen G. Andrews, its president and chief executive, thinks can bring in $15 million of deposits within 15 months.

Ending nearly a decade on the sidelines, Bangor Savings Bank in Maine is bulking up in the southern part of its home state.

Though many banking companies its size are struggling to expand earnings, UMB Financial Corp. in Kansas City, Mo., is coming off its best quarter in years and appears poised for a strong 2007.

The board of directors of the struggling Independence Federal Savings Bank in Washington has named John A. Hall president and chief executive officer.

Atlantic Capital Bank in Atlanta is not a typical start-up.

Community Trust Bancorp Inc. in Pikeville, Ky., has a deal to buy the $156 million-asset Eagle Bank Inc. of Williamstown, Ky., for roughly $37 million in cash and stock.

Seven law firms have filed suits seeking class-action status against Sterling Financial Corp. in Lancaster, Pa., which disclosed May 24 that a loan scheme at its equipment-financing unit would force it to take a charge of $145 million to $165 million against last year's fourth-quarter results.

Nineteen community banking companies have been added to the America's Community Bankers Nasdaq stock index, ACB announced Thursday. The index, established in late 2003, now includes 517 bank and thrift companies with a combined market capitalization of about $193 billion.

Carver Bancorp Inc. of New York said Thursday that earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter that ended March 31 jumped 23.5%, to $1.3 million. Earnings per share rose 22%, to 50 cents.