MIRAMAR, Fla. – Tropical Financial CU yesterday said it has broken ground on a new branch in nearby Pembroke Pines, with the branch scheduled to open this summer.

TUKWILA, Wash. – BECU introduced a new person-to-person money transfer service known as Popmoney by CashEdge.

METAIRIE, La. – Louisiana Corporate CU yesterday became the latest corporate credit union to report a loss for 2009 – of $7.4 million – due to the loss of its capital in U.S. Central FCU.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A new law signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire Monday will lift some of the burdens on credit unions for reissuing credit cards in data breaches by making the offending parties liable.

WASHINGTON – CUNA said its political action committee raised $112,000 last month and made $79,000 in campaign contributions, building its cash war chest to $953,000 as the two-year congressional campaign cycle heats up.

WASHINGTON – Frustrated by an 18-month federal conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac costing the government more than $6 billion a month, House Republicans yesterday introduced legislation that would privatize the two government sponsored housing enterprises over the next five years.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A report issued Tuesday by NCUA’s Office of the Inspector General found NCUA examiners failed to spot red flags predicting last year’s failure of High Desert FCU, a one-time $190 million credit union located in Apple Valley, Calif., that cost the National CU Share Insurance Fund more than $24 million in losses after the failed credit union was acquired by Alaska USA FCU.

RAPID CITY, S.D. – A federal judge Monday ruled a $6.2 million judgment against CUNA Mutual Group in a disability case to be excessive and unconstitutional and reduced the damages to a total of $2 million, but the judge had harsh words for the credit union insurer and called its behavior “reprehensible” in the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Golden 1 CU donated more than $57,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network.

BRADFORD, Penn. – Tiny Bradford Area FCU celebrated its 50th anniversary Saturday night with a history reading by manager/treasurer Leonore Rinfrette, who has been with the $5 million credit union for 48 of those years.

JOPLIN, Mo. – Great Plains FCU yesterday said it has introduced a new online brand with a website designed by T8 Webware.

NEW YORK – Municipal CU yesterday announced it has converted the processing of its 60,000 credit card accounts to PSCU Financial Services.

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Greater Nevada FCU said it has implemented Verint’s Witness Actionable Solutions to forecast member demand and cost-effectively schedule branch staff.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pentagon FCU yesterday said it is offering private student loans, a line of credit that will allow members to borrow for educational expenses at a competitive, low rate.

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. – Wings Financial CU yesterday announced it has been named the official credit union of the Regional Airline Association and will offer a full range of financial products and services to the employees of its 32 member airlines and qualifying associate members.

NEW LONDON, Conn. – NCUA last week filed suit against the auditors for New London Security FCU, a one-time $13 million credit union whose investment manager leaped to his death in July 2008 as NCUA examiners were closing in on his fraud.

TRACY, Calif. – In a precursor to a merger, NCUA has brought in managers from nearby Valley First FCU to operate troubled Tracy FCU, which it took under federal conservatorship last Friday.

HOUSTON – Private equity firm TA Associates, which financed Cardtronics Inc., plans to ride the company’s stock climb and sell half of its stake in the country’s largest ATM operator.

WASHINGTON – The escalating fighting between Republicans and Democrats that threatened passage of the healthcare reform bill now is jeopardizing financial services legislation.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-With losses growing among credit unions, the NCUA Board last week proposed reining in its popular regulatory flexibility program, known as Reg-Flex, which eases restrictions on healthy, well-run credit unions.