NEW YORK – The Retail Industry Leaders Association, which represents retail giants including Walmart Stores, Target and Home Depot, on Wednesday said it will not endorse the proposed $7.2-billion antitrust settlement with Visa and MasterCard, adding a major foe to the deal.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – A state court yesterday dismissed part of a civil suit brought by Polish & Slavic FCU claiming its real estate appraiser provided overvalued appraisals on two troubled, multi-million dollar properties in the high-priced Hamptons Long Island beach community, but will continue the suit on other counts.

LENEXA, Kan. – NCUA closed on the sale of the former headquarters of U.S. Central FCU, months after winding down the operations of the one-time $52 billion central bank for credit unions.

MIAMI – Two men wearing green medical scrubs and brandishing handguns held up a Jetstream FCU branch inside Mercy Hospital this morning and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

MIAMI – Two men wearing green medical scrubs and brandishing handguns held up a Jetsrean FCU branch inside Mercy Hospital this morning and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Allegacy FCU said this morning that W.K. “Ike” Keener has retired as CEO and will be succeeded as head of the $1 billion credit union by Cathy Pace, its credit union division president who has worked at the credit union for 34 years.

HONOLULU – Aloha Pacific FCU announced this morning that Wallace Watanabe retired Tuesday, after 40 years heading the now-$745 million credit union.

A selection of images featuring credit unions’ efforts in their communities.

PORTLAND, Ore. – CU Business Group is teaming with Paychex to connect credit unions and their business members with a suite of human resources and payroll products and services.

HOLYOKE, Colo. – Ron Goldenstein retired as CEO of Holyoke Community FCU, after 28 years at the helm of the $32-million credit union.

GRANITE CITY, Ill. – GSC CU announced its president and CEO, Mark Holshouser, is retiring after 34 years with the credit union, the last 28 years as chief executive of the now $320-million credit union.

WEST JORDAN, Utah – Mountain America CU has created an online Learning Center that contains tools and information to help members and others make informed financial decisions leading to the fulfillment of their financial goals.

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia CU League and the state’s credit unions have launched a statewide awareness campaign that focuses on social media outlets to educate consumers 18 to 35 about the benefits of banking at credit unions.

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay FCU has signed a multi-year contract with Connect Financial Software to implement the company’s suite of online banking, mobile apps and personal financial management channel solutions.

FAIRBORN, Ohio – Wright-Patt CU is returning to Columbus a dozen years after leaving the market, with plans to open as many as three new branches in the state capital, one in the next three months.

MADISON, Wis. – CUNA Mutual Group and its employees’ union, the Office of Professional Employees International Union Local 39, were expected to extend their old contract a fourth time last night as the two sides still grapple over terms of a new multi-year contract.

WASHINGTON – The National Association of State CU Supervisors on Wednesday joined CUNA in lobbying Congress for a seat on the NCUA Board.

MARIETTA, Ga. – LGE Community CU has launched a series of what it says are unique TV commercials that feature a talented parrot who sings a “stunning tenor” from the Italian opera Rigoletto.

WASHINGTON – Credit union executives called on Congress this afternoon to get the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to exercise existing powers to exempt credit unions from a growing list of new regulations being issued by the fledgling agency, or at least allow NCUA to override some of the new CFPB rules.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – CO-OP Financial Services announced this morning it is paying its members a $25.9 million patronage dividend this year, up 73% from last year’s $15 million, as transaction volume soared on the credit union-owned payments networ