MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Fast-growing Members 1st FCU said it plans to build two more branches, making a total of 40 outlets for the $1.7 billion credit union.

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Bethpage FCU will host a turkey and trimmings collection to benefit Island Harvest – Long Island’s leading hunger relief organization – tomorrow at the front parking lot of its headquarters.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Gateway Metro FCU has agreed to acquire two small local credit unions, HNJ Catholic CU and St. Ferdinand CU.

ROSEVILLE, Minn. – Spire FCU, which reported big losses this year, said its president and CEO John Gisler has resigned and been replaced by chief financial officer Dan Stolz, who will be acting CEO.

McLEAN, Va. – Home loan rates continued to fall again this week, boosting lending activity, according to Freddie Mac.

WASHINGTON – The FDIC yesterday passed a rule that will require banks to prepay three years of special assessments, a total of $45 billion, to pay for the growing number of bank failures.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The NCUA Board is expected to issue for public comment next week new rules covering capital requirements, risk, investments and governance of corporate credit unions.

WASHINGTON – The credit union lobby, which is fighting legislative proposals to require opt-in on overdraft protection programs, criticized rules adopted by the Federal Reserve yesterday that will require opt-in for debit card and ATM transactions.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve today adopted new rules that will require credit unions and banks to obtain permission from customers for overdraft protection programs on debit cards and ATM transactions.

MADISON, Wis. – Summit CU said it raised more than $18,000 to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as part of its eighth annual fundraising drive.

NORMAL, Ill. – ISU CU has selected TRC Interactive to deliver online instruction through CreditUnionTrainingOnline for its credit union-wide training needs.

BATAVIA, N.Y. – Tonawanda Valley FCU awarded a $1,000 grant under its “Pay it Forward” promotion to The Crossroads House, a comfort home for the dying.

SEATTLE – BECU said it is opening a new branch in the community of Lower Queen Anne in a site formerly hosting a Taco Del Mar fast-food shop.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Fire CU will relaunch an investment program through CUSO Financial Services, LP, the credit union announced yesterday.

FAIRBORN, Ohio – Wright-Patt CU has a different twist on its second Savings Race – members will vote on the $10,000 grand prize winner this year.

ALBANY, N.Y. – SEFCU, formerly State Employees FCU, has joined the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation's Student Loan Marketplace.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Credit unions and banks are being invited to participate in an expanded program organized by the state Treasurer’s office which provides soldiers with low-cost loans after their service.

PINE BROOK, N.J. – Evidence is mounting that U.S. Mortgage/CU National Mortgage chief Michael McGrath frittered away an estimated $140 million of his credit union clients’ money trading in Fannie Mae securities – mostly mortgage-backed securities – as a last-ditch effort to save his foundering company.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA said yesterday it is instructing its examiners to put less emphasis on the "E" or earnings component in the so-called CAMEL code, as long as a credit union has a long-term strategic plan to weather the current economic environment.

ATLANTA – S1 Corp., a provider of customer interaction financial and payment solutions, said higher revenues led it to an 11% increase in third quarter earnings, to $6.9 million.