NORTH HIGHLANDS, Calif. — The CEO of SAFE CU here, which offers members a courtesy pay program, sees the issue of costs on such programs as more complicated than is generally recognized in many media reports.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — At Telcoe FCU, concern over what limits on courtesy pay fees might mean to its bottom line is limited.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It doesn't take long for one person here to calculate the cost any limit on overdraft fees would be for his credit union.

PLAQUEMINE, La. — All the talk of limiting or eliminating fees related to overdraft programs is missing a number of key points, observes one CEO.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Individual credit unions and their trade associations need to generate greater consensus and a more in-depth plan for alternative capital if they expect Congress to take action anytime soon, according to NCUA board member Mike Fryzel.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — The influence of Apple Computer's iPhone on the delivery of financial services continues to be evident with two major credit union service providers rolling out "apps" for the iPhone recently. CO-OP Financial Services has added the device as a means of accessing CO-OP's mobile banking option, which is integrated with CO-OP's Next Generation Network.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA said last week it will insure CDs issued to non-member municipalities through a third-party placement service, such as the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service, the well-known CDARs service that places municipal CDs in several states.

AUSTIN, Texas — A unique social media experiment helped one credit union here achieve its new account goals and develop its long-term strategy for utilizing this new medium.

WASHINGTON-Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd introduced a draft of a new regulatory reform bill that would combine the four banking regulators - but not NCUA, maintaining the credit union agency's independence, for now.

Events

Julia Davis of St. Vrain Valley CU, Longmont, Colo., received the "Excellence in Marketing" award from Toastmasters International.

WASHINGTON-The military lobby is fighting a proposal that would charge the nation's largest institutions - including two of the three largest CUs - to wind down failed financial giants.

SEATTLE-The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, which reported a $93.8 million loss for the third quarter, remains "undercapitalized," a move that will prevent it from paying dividends or repurchasing capital stock, regulators said.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The head of USAlliance FCU's brokerage CUSO pleaded guilty to stealing more than $2.5 million from member accounts over a nine-year period.

DES MOINES, Iowa-The Iowa CU League has received a $257,920 grant from the Assets for Independence Individual Development Account Program to help fund CU IDA accounts. The grant makes a total of $1.2 million the league will be providing in matching funds for its IDA program. The additional funds have allowed the league's foundation to expand the program to an additional nine credit unions, bringing the total number of credit unions participating to 18, reaching 91 of Iowa's 99 counties.

SAN DIEGO — There's an emerging challenge for credit unions when it comes to lending: dealing with the "Newly Credit Impaired."

SAN DIEGO — Another tried-and-true pillar of lending has been tried in this recession, and is not proving true.

SAN DIEGO — Even a credit union that acknowledges it has been lucky to serve a relatively stable market during the recession has also had to make some changes to its loan underwriting.

WEST MIFFLIN, Penn. — While the Congress debates healthcare reform, small credit unions insist they need resolution soon to cope with rising healthcare costs-but are uncertain if the current proposals deliver the answers.

SAN DIEGO — Credit union representatives from two cities that have taken heavy hits from the run-up and subsequent collapse in real estate prices are reporting slight improvement in the last three months.