LAKE JACKSON, Texas – Texas Dow Employees CU held a grand opening for its newest branch, in Pearland, the $1.5 billion credit union’s 18th branch and 22nd service facility in Texas.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – ESL FCU, the state’s largest credit union, will host a ribbon-cutting for its new $55 million headquarters which is eyed as a keystone to the renewal to the downtown area here.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – Wisconsin’s credit unions have set a goal of assisting as many as 5,000 low-income and underserved residents in the first year of a program that aims to boost saving for retirement.

OSHTEMO, Mich. – Consumers CU opened its 13th West Michigan location, in the Kalamazoo Mall in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo.

RACINE, Wis. – A member of Educators CU withdrew $70 from somebody else's account, one number off from his, and returned twice for more money, police said.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Inspire Community Development CU, which serves the city’s 50,000 residents, began business this week, the second CDCU to open its doors this year.

WASHINGTON – Senate leaders failed to obtain enough support to force a final vote on the controversial bank bill yesterday, meaning the three-week debate will continue.

WARRENVILLE, Ill. – Losses for corporate credit unions continue to pile up at an accelerated pace, raising doubts about some corporates’ ability to continue as “going concerns” and new questions about whether NCUA will be forced to go back to Congress and seek additional assistance for the corporate bailout.

SOMERSET, N.J. – Renaissance Community Development CU is partnering with local First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens to refinance high-rate auto loans at a lower rate.

EATONTOWN, N.J. – First Atlantic FCU has added MerdianLink’s automated loan origination system for origination and processing.

HELENA, Mont. – Helena Community CU has implemented AltiGen Communications’ Microsoft-based VoIP business phone systems and Unified Communications solutions.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Campus USA CU has implemented LenderLive Network’s web-based mortgage underwriting system to help it meet the underwriting standards of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

BALDWIN, N.Y. – Town of Hempstead Employees CU has extended its relationship with Integrated Media Management to include the company’s TotaleReceipts and TotaleChecks solutions.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – TIC FCU has opened a new branch in nearby Phenix City, its first in Alabama, which it acquired last year from Five Star CU.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU said it opened a new branch last week and plans to open two more.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Credit Union Journal is now accepting nominations for its 2010 Best Practices Awards.

WASHINGTON – The National CU Foundation, the leading charity for credit unions, named long-time industry figure Wendell “Bucky” Sebastian as its executive director.

WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moved to end three weeks of debate and move toward a final vote on the bank reform bill, setting up a final vote as early as today.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The biggest challenge for credit unions and banks in getting customers to opt-in to overdraft protection plans by this summer’s deadline is to make sure the customers pay attention to the forms and do not routinely discard them, according to a new survey.

SCRANTON, Penn. – Rep. Paul Kanjorski, the 13-term House member dubbed “Mr. Credit Union” for his reliable congressional support, easily held off two primary challengers yesterday, but is expected to face an even tougher fight in the general election as part of the anti-incumbent sentiment nationwide.