ASB Bancorp in Asheville, N.C., is facing a potential proxy fight from New Jersey activist investor Lawrence Seidman.

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to buy First Independence in Independence, Kan. The companies expect the deal to close in the fourth quarter, after approval from regulators and from First Independence's shareholders.

Southern States Bancshares in Anniston, Ala., has agreed to buy Columbus Community Bank in Georgia for $21.4 million.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors recently challenged college students to examine how community banks survived the financial crisis, and the contest highlighted innovative strategies used by Main Street banks such as Bank of American Fork in Utah.

Fair-value accounting and merger costs took big bites out of Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix last quarter.

Bank of Hawaii in Honolulu reported slightly lower second-quarter profits as expanded lending and mortgage banking was offset by higher payroll costs and other expenses.

Independent Bank Group in McKinney, Texas, has agreed to buy Grand Bank in Dallas for $80.1 million.

Suncrest Bank in Visalia, Calif., has agreed to buy Sutter Community Bank in Yuba City, Calif., for $9.4 million in stock.

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., has sold its indirect auto loan portfolio to MainStreet Bank in Fairfax, Va.

Old National Bancorp in Evansville, Ind., reported higher second-quarter profit as a result of recent acquisitions and on better fee income.

Pinnacle Financial Partners in Nashville, Tenn., plans to raise $60 million in subordinated debt in a private placement.

Signs of optimism are growing for acquisition, development and construction loans as banks hone strategies in a market transformed by the crisis.

First Financial Bancorp in Cincinnati has agreed to buy Oak Street Holdings, a provider of commercial financing to the insurance industry.

MainSource Financial Group in Greensburg, Ind., has named Erin Hoeflinger, president of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Ohio, to its board and to that of its MainSource Bank.

Sun Bancorp in Mount Laurel, N.J., has appointed wealth-management executive Grace Torres to its board and to the board of Sun National Bank. Torres will join the board's audit and risk committees.

South State in Columbia, S.C., reported higher second-quarter profit on improved levels of efficiency and a decline in merger-related expenses.

Sen. Susan Collins successfully added a measure to an appropriations bill that would allow the FDIC, OCC and Fed to exempt banks with less than $10 billion of assets from regulations that they deem unnecessary or burdensome, which some observers said could have a big impact.

A Senate bill passed late Thursday provides additional funding but it also requires enhanced reporting on lending and credit quality from SBA. The measure is headed to the House.