NEW YORK—NerdWallet is predicting that in 2012 credit unions will focus primarily on pushing auto loans, while banks put their efforts into shedding unprofitable customers.

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco FCU is opening a branch, appropriately enough, in this city’s Financial District.

PLANO, Texas—With NCUA saying it will wind down the remaining components of U.S. Central Bridge Corporate, including payment services such as ACH and automated settlement, Catalyst Corporate issued a statement saying it will have no problems filling any void for its member CUs, as it began researching the offering of replacement services in 2010.

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah—CUMIS Insurance Society has filed suit against a former CU employee whom it alleges stole more than $200,000 using a scheme that opened bogus auto loans in the name of members.

PORTLAND, Maine--Police arrested young men, ages 14 and 15, and identified them as suspects in the robbery of University Credit Union here.

DETROIT—Detroit Metropolitan Credit Union announced it is paying an 8% rebate on any loan interest paid by borrowers during 2011, while also paying a 50-basis-point bonus on deposits during the fourth quarter.

SAN DIEGO—San Diego County Credit Union announced it will return as the 2012 title sponsor of the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, the only national college football bowl sponsored by a credit union.

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve this week is expected to issue a new raft of rules as part of the Dodd-Frank Act, but many may not be applicable to credit unions, at least not initially.

WASHINGTON—The deal Congress hammered out to extend a payroll tax for two more months will mean increased costs to borrowers for government-backed mortgages.

WASHINGTON—There were mixed signals last week on the strength of the economy and housing in particular. Freddie Mac reported it purchased $38.1 billion of mortgages in November, a 12% gain from the month prior, and its best acquisition month since February. Roughly 71% of its purchases were refinancings.

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah—An employee of American United Credit Union here was tied up by a gunman who then robbed the credit union.

MARGATE, Fla.—City County Credit Union here has rededicated its main office building in the memory of William “Bill” Marquardt, who was president and CEO of the credit union for 17 years prior to his death.

EL PASO, Texas—Children at the Center Against Family Violence, a refuge for individuals and families in unhealthy and violent relationships in El Paso, Texas, have gifts to unwrap this Christmas, thanks to the employees at El Paso Employees FCU.

APPLETON, Wis.--Capital Credit Union here offered a dollar-for-dollar match for all money dropped into local Salvation Army red kettles on one day, netting $57,240 for the charity in the Fox Cities.

EL PASO, Texas—The $300-million El Paso Employees FCU here will change its name to Evolve Federal Credit Union on Jan. 1.

SAN ANTONIO—Security Service FCU has rolled out a new ad campaign in which two “quirky characters” named Jimmy and George who work as SSFCU employees attempt to shorten the credit union’s name to just “Service.”

NEW YORK—E*Trade Financial Corp. has become the latest to settle a lawsuit filed against it over losses in its mortgage and home equity loan portfolios.

LOS ANGELES—The City of Los Angeles has filed a civil lawsuit against Deuthsche Bank claiming it has failed to maintain properties in foreclosure and has also illegally evicted several hundred low-income renters.

NEW YORK—One segment of the housing market appears to be quite robust, according to one new analysis.

WASHINGTON—Mortgage rates continue to fall even lower. Freddie Mac reported its recent weekly survey shows the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.91%, the lowest point in four decades and the sixth time a new low has been reached during 2011.