WASHINGTON — Two credit union trade associations last week called for "significant changes" to NCUA's proposed rules on corporate credit unions.

LINCOLN, Neb. — A majority of consumers will move their checking account if their financial institution eliminates free checking.

LAUREL, Md. — While interchange rules have created debate around potential shifts in checking account marketshare, Tower FCU here continues to see strong response to an offer that pays up to $125 to new members.

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — One of the oldest methods of fraud could give credit unions bigger problems this year if attention isn't paid, cautions Fiserv.

LOS ANGELES — In a new sign of economic recovery, credit unions are moving tens of millions out of their loan loss reserves, enabling them to reduce red ink, and in some cases, move into the black.

TOLEDO, Ohio – A local man was arrested and charged with eight armed robberies between November 2009 and September 2010, including three at Sun FCU branches.

BRUNSWICK, Maine – In an unusual order of events, Atlantic Regional FCU has filed a civil suit claiming one of its employees stole as much as $520,000 from member accounts, even as federal investigators are continuing a criminal probe in the case.

GLENDORA, Calif. – America’s Christian CU, with a corporate match from Co-Op Financial Services, donated $23,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Deluxe Corp. reported strong fourth quarter financials, even as its core check-printing business continued to decline.

MINNEAPOLIS – FICO, creator of the ubiquitous credit score, reported a 10% decline in net income for its fiscal first quarter, to $16 million, even as revenues grew.

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration’s nominee to oversee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac withdrew his name from consideration yesterday amid opposition from Republicans in the Senate.

WASHINGTON – Long-term mortgage rates moved up slightly again this week, for the second week in a row, as bond yields moved up, according to Freddie Mac.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Credit unions, through Montana Credit Unions for Community Development, have partnered with the University of Montana to offer matched education savings accounts for students who begin saving some money directly for college expenses such as tuition and books.

ROSEBURG, Ore. – David Gilbert, prominent owner of a local Honda dealership, on Thursday was indicated by a federal grand jury on a check-kiting scheme that may have passed as much as $20 million between his account at Northwest Community CU and PrmeierWest Bank.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA is expected as soon as today to announced civil charges against third-party entities involved in the failure of WesCorp FCU, expanding the agency’s efforts to recover some of the $7 billion of losses estimated from the failure of the one-time $34 billion corporate.

WASHINGTON – The congressional fog over potential failures of Wall Street giants in the spring of 2009 allowed credit union backers in Congress to quickly pass corporate credit union legislation with no one knowing the full extent of the problems at the corporates, according to the chief sponsor of the bill, longtime credit union champion former Congressman Paul Kanjorski.

LOS ANGELES – A growing number of troubled big credit unions are reporting positive income for 2010, while others are slashing losses, an indicator of an improving economy, especially in the so-called Sand States.

NEW YORK – Summit Business Media, parent company to Credit Union Times, said this morning it filed a pre-packaged bankruptcy with an existing plan with its creditors to restructure its debt. The company, which publishes numerous other titles, said it has received approvals from 83% of its lenders for a debt restructuring plan that will cut its outstanding debt obligations by more than half, or approximately $135 million, and materially enhance its financial position. The New York-based publisher of 16 magazines, 20 websites and 150 reference titles filed for Chapter 11 protection late Tuesday with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware. Several affiliates of the business-to-business media company also filed. Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, controls 85 percent of Summit's equity, while management owns the remainder, the company said. Debt and general unsecured claims totaled about $252 million, the company said. The agreement by most of the company's lenders was achieved in advance of its filing of a voluntary petition for reorganization under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Summit said it expects to emerge from the restructuring during the first half of 2011. Summit said it will pay all vendors for goods and services received during the reorganization process, and that all Summit employees will receive uninterrupted wages and benefits. The company blamed the recession, downturns in some of the sectors it serves, and an acquisition binge that started in 2006 for contributing to its financial situation.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. – PinPoint Research on Wednesday announced the launch of MyCUsurvey.com, which it described as a new low-cost, web-based research tool designed specifically for the credit union industry.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Credit Union Network welcomed 20 participants into its 2011 Vendor Involvement Program.