After the past few years, it's hard to believe that anyone wouldn't be looking forward to a new year and a new start, and yet for some, 2013 is a couple of Zantacs past trepidation.

Roger A. Licht, president of Credit Union One, on union workers' need to grow up.

The $2.1-million fraud at United Catholic Credit Union (CU Journal, Dec. 7) should raise questions about the two tier examination process.

How do credit unions continue to operate effectively and efficiently and serve your members well with the mounting compliance burden?

In 2013 many credit unions will continue a growing trend by transitioning from larger, more traditional branches to smaller, more efficient locations.

In the current challenging economic climate, with financial institution retail branch transactions falling (40.2%) and payroll costs rising (76.1%) over the past two decades, credit union CFOs will be searching even harder in 2013 for ways to improve their bottom lines.

PHILADELPHIA – Freedom CU is celebrating the grand re-opening of its branch inside a Sears department store.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregonians CU said Friday it will close its branch in Eugene on March 1.

LEBANON, Penn. – Lebanon FCU said Jeff Trickett has been promoted from chief operating officer to president and CEO of the $175-million credit union.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Fire CU has completed the acquisition of Bay Media FCU, a troubled credit union for San Francisco Chronicle employees and the latest newspaper employees’ credit union to run out of black ink

MENOMINIE, Wis. – WESTconsin CU paid members almost $1 million in bonus dividends and interest rebates on Dec. 31.

DENVER – The FBI is looking for an armed robber it believes is responsible for 13 area robberies, including six at local credit unions.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco FCU has launched its Financial Fitness Challenge, which will reward the winner with $5,000.

MANSFIELD, Texas – A troubled member of Neighborhood CU got a post-Christmas surprise Friday when she was awarded the credit union’s quarterly $25,000 savings sweepstakes winner.

WICHITA, Kan. – Focus of NCUA’s efforts to recover billions of dollars in losses for faulty mortgage-backed securities sold to five corporate credit union failures is slowly shifting to the federal appeals court here, which has been asked to determine whether the credit union regulator waited too long to file civil claims, some of them dating to securities sold as much as seven years ago.

WICHITA, Kan. – NCUA opened a new battle with Wall Street this afternoon by filing a new suit over the sale of faulty mortgage-backed securities to the failed corporates—the third one naming JP Morgan Chase as the defendant and ninth suit against a Wall Street entity.

WASHINGTON – The new Chairman of the House Financial Services Program opened the 113th Congress today by proposing an end to the federally subsidized flood insurance and a privatization of the program that was most recently soaked by losses from Hurricane Sandy.

MIDLAND, Mich. -- Dow Chemical Employees’ CU wrapped up its yearlong 75th anniversary celebration by paying members $11.5 million in in year-end rebates and rewards on loans and share/deposit accounts.

Featuring credit unions’ efforts in their communities.

CLEVELAND – Three more individuals were indicted yesterday for allegedly arranging more than $11 million in phony member business loans from St. Paul Croatian FCU as part of the biggest credit union fraud ever