SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Alaska USA FCU, which entered the California market last year by acquiring two failed credit unions, is looking to expand its California network and is reported to be negotiating to buy as many as five branches from ailing Arrowhead Central CU.

NEWARK, N.J. – A federal court has rescheduled next week’s sentencing for U.S. Mortgage President Michael McGrath in the $140 million fraud at CU National Mortgage until April, when the one-time mortgage executive is expected to be given a long prison sentence.

WASHINGTON – In a unusual political situation, two of the three credit union giants that would come under the new consumer financial protection agency are saying they are okay with that, even while the two credit union lobby groups, CUNA and NAFCU, are committed to fighting Congress to exempt them from the scheme.

RIVERWOODS, Ill. – Discover Financial Services yesterday reported a loss of $104 million for its fiscal first quarter, compared to a $120 million net for the same period last year when the card company booked a $475 million payment from MasterCard Inc. and Visa Inc. to settle an antitrust lawsuit.

CHALMETTE, La. – Retail giant Wal-Mart opened its 1,000th in-store Wal-Mart Money Center this week, and plans to open another 500 of the bank-like branches this year.

CALABASAS, Calif. – Digital Insight, provider of the popular online banking platform for credit unions and banks acquired by Intuit in 2007, yesterday said it is changing its name to Intuit Financial Services.

CHANTILLY, Va. – A female believed responsible for recent heists at two local credit unions and a bank was arrested yesterday after she allegedly robbed an Apple FCU branch here.

MECHANICSBURG, Penn. – Members 1st FCU said it is rolling out a service that will offer customized websites for small businesses through Newtek Business Services.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – South Carolina FCU said it has selected Bluepoint Solutions’ ImagePoint Capture and Hub modules to electronically capture and aggregate check images.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In its latest concession to the region’s economy, Altura CU said it will close its Coachella branch and lay off the six employees there on March 24.

NEW YORK – Lower East Side People’s FCU was awarded $60,000 in funding from the Trinity Grants Program, which the community development credit union will use to provide loss reserves for small business loans in the Lower East Side and Central Harlem in order to create new jobs and retain existing jobs.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Ent FCU has launched its first free iPhone application, an Ent Service Center and ATM Location Finder, on iTunes.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – NCUA yesterday approved a charter for a new community development credit union for this city, to be called Inspire Community Development FCU.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA said it paid the U.S. Treasury $210 million last month as the first installment on a $1 billion NCUA capital note lent to U.S. Central FCU a year ago to help stabilize the central bank for credit unions.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU plans to roll out a stored value Visa card product later this month that will make it impossible for users prone to overdraft to spend more than they have.

PORTLAND, Ore. – OnPoint Community CU, a former teachers' credit union, will reward one of the community’s most innovative educators with a year of paid mortgage as part of its “OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education” contest.

WALL STREET – SS&C Technologies, a software provider for credit unions and investment companies owned by private equity giant Carlyle Group, plans to raise as much as $125 million with an initial public offering.

LENEXA, Kan. – A local man pleaded guilty yesterday to robbing a Credit Union of Johnson County branch a year ago, then shooting a member who tried to follow him while waiting for the police.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Consumers CU will open a branch in May in the South Kalamazoo Mall in the space formerly occupied by clothing retailer Lana’s Couture.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Teachers CU, the state’s largest credit union, has acquired land in Fishers where it plans to build a new branch.