LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles FCU has formed a partnership with Shop LA to launch a new Visa card that will establish LA as a retail shopping destination by offering triple rewards points on any purchases made within the city.

ATLANTA – Processing giant First data Corp. on Wednesday said it is partnering with Zoot to offer its credit union and bank customers Zoot Enterprises’ account opening and loan origination solutions.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Velocity Community CU has selected VSoft’s home/office and mobile remote deposit capture solutions.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Technology CU has implemented Online Banking Solutions’ OBS Messenger Financial Center for the delivery of business information and payment services online.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Employees FCU has installed Integrated Media Management’s TotaleAtlasWeb secure Web-based document delivery and remote digital signature capture technology.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Credit Union 1 has signed with Geezeo to deploy the company’s Referral Engine solution.

AUSTIN, Texas – Greater TEXAS FCU is partnering with North Texas Higher Education Authority and Higher Education Servicing Corporation to offer private student loans.

POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State University CU is issuing MasterCards that double as student identifications to 15,000 students at the university’s campus this fall.

SEATTLE – Three men were charged yesterday with skimming as much as $500,000 from automated teller machines at BECU, Watermark CU and First Tech CU, as well as Chase Bank ATMs.

SUITLAND, Md. – Andrews FCU on Wednesday announced it is rolling out a Globe Trek Visa Rewards credit card with both magnetic strip and the Europay, MasterCard and Visa EMV technology, also known as Chip and PIN.

MADISON, Wis. – Credit union executives will be able to vote for the best of the latest slew of innovations proposed by the Filene Research Institute in an online “Idea Idol” being aired by the credit union think tank Sept. 14.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA examiners failed to heed the warnings of independent audits flagging potential fraud at Certified FCU, contributing to the failure of the one-time $52 million Commerce, Calif., credit union at a cost of an estimated $9 million to the National CU Share Insurance Fund, according to a new report issued yesterday by NCUA’s Office of the Inspector General.

WAVERLY, Iowa – Credit union and individual policyholders overwhelmingly approved a new mutual ownership structure for CUNA Mutual Group at the 2011 annual meeting of policyholders yesterday.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Slow NCUA action to in identifying and addressing examination problems at Constitution Corporate FCU were among the chief reasons for the failure of the one-time $1.7 billion corporate credit union last year–one of five corporate failures to plague the credit union industry–according to a new study released this afternoon by NCUA’s Office of the Inspector General.

SAN FRANCISCO – Biometric card manufacturer SmartMetric filed suit today against Visa and MasterCard claiming technology the card giants are piloting infringes on their patents covering chip-based “contact” and “contactless” smart card technology.

DANVILLE, Penn. – Service 1st FCU raised a record $22,500 for three local charities at its 18th annual charity golf tournament at Frosty Valley Country Club.

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Members CU raised more than $73,000 in a school supply campaign which will provide 3,500 backpacks and school supplies to underprivileged children.

EUGENE, Ore. – SELCO Community CU on Tuesday said it signed with Geezeo to implement the company’s personal financial management and integrated online marketing solutions.

PHILADELPHIA – American Heritage FCU will open a new branch next Monday in a ShopRite supermarket in downtown Philadelphia.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pentagon FCU said its Pentagon Foundation is offering up to $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance in the purchase of a first home.