WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Credit Union Journal is now accepting entries for its 2011 Best Practices Awards.

DALEVILLE, Ala. – Army Aviation Center FCU donated $15,000, most of it raised at its annual golf tournament at Silver Wings Golf Course at Fort Rucker, for Fort Rucker’s Army Emergency Relief Fund.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A branch manager for Star FCU last week was charged with using false information to obtain $80,000 in loans from the credit union.

POTTSVILLE, Penn. – A former employee at Hidden River CU last week pleaded guilty to stealing more than $58,000 from the credit union.

PADUCAH, Ky. – I.B.E.W. Local 816 FCU has signed with Banker’s Academy for an additional three years of online compliance training for employees.

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. – First Citizens’ FCU has launched its first annual Model Citizen Award program utilizing Facebook, a popular social networking site, to seek nominations.

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – Navy FCU will open a new branch this morning near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The former CEO at Community Link FCU claims he was fired as head of the $20 million credit union because he shared information with NCUA examiners on potential conflicts of interest on the board of directors and other regulatory violations.

MINNEAPOLIS – A local mortgage broker last week was convicted of orchestrating a loan fraud that cost local lenders, including Anoka Hennepin CU, losses of more than $4.6 million.

WASHINGTON – New rules being finalized by the Federal Reserve will require all credit unions and banks to provide next-day availability for the first $200 of a deposit not otherwise subject to next-day availability.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Numerous reform groups are urging NCUA to tighten proposals on executive compensation, posing new dangers of credit unions being swept up in efforts to rein in pay practices on Wall Street.

NEW YORK – A state appellate court yesterday rejected the shield of the federal tax exemption for federally chartered credit unions and upheld a lower court ruling that Hudson Valley FCU and all of the state’s federally chartered credit unions are liable for millions of dollars in New York State mortgage recording taxes.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Credit Union Journal is now accepting entries for its 2011 Best Practices Awards.

HIGHTSTOWN, N.J. and COLUMBIA, Md. – The Maryland and District of Columbia CU Association and the New Jersey CU League said they will not pursue a merger and will remain independent of each other.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA yesterday banned the CEO of a Virgin Islands CU that was shut down last December by Colorado regulators for selling questionable above-market-rate CDs in the state.

LANSING, Mich. – A state court yesterday agreed to shorten the sentence of the CFO of Cascades Community FCU, who in 2008 was convicted of embezzling $339,000 from the Leoni Township credit union to cover his losses in the stock market.

WICHITA, Kan. – Central Star CU has created a CUSO that will offer mortgages and insurance.

WASHINGTON – Fixed mortgage rates declined for the seventh consecutive week, to their lowest levels since December, Freddie Mac reported yesterday.

HOUSTON – Smart Financial CU launched a new mobile banking platform that allows members secure, easy access to account information from a variety of mobile devices and smart phones.

BRAINTREE, Mass. – Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis will provide autographed photos today to members of Liberty Bay CU who have opened a new checking and savings account or applied for a loan at the credit union within the last 20 days.