NCUA's $1 billion assessment is not a surprise for most credit unions, but how it will affect bottom lines and future NCUA action is still unsure.CU Journal asked CU leaders what they expect to see as the future becomes more clear.

LAS VEGAS — It is difficult to make an impression among the bright lights in this entertainment and gambling capital, but Nevada Federal Credit Union already is garnering feedback from what it calls its "provocative billboard campaign."

WASHINGTON — With the Oct. 1 effective deadline quickly approaching, credit unions across the country are bracing for major changes to Regulation Z that lay down new rules for high-priced mortgages, create new escrow requirements and restrict advertising for both closed and open-ended home loans.

Have elections become even more bitter, nasty, chock full o'accusations and half-truths and spin? Or have elections from the earliest days always been partisan and acrimonious, and it's just the widespread access to media that has brought the rancor readily to our desktops, making it only seem worse.

First came the mortgages. Now come the credit cards. And the HELOCs and auto loans for that matter.

Like a lot of people today, I find myself wondering just how long it will take for the economy to fully recover from the difficulties of the past year. While there have been some glimmers of hope, I still feel some unease — not knowing what will happen in the next year, month, or even week.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The NCUA Board last week voted to assess credit unions a $1.06 billion premium to pay for growing losses in the corporate credit union network and among natural person credit unions.

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah — Family First FCU opened an automobile sales lot next to one of its branches here, and immediately welcomed swarms of potential buyers.

DULUTH, Ga. — Recent flooding due to heavy rainfall claimed nine lives and caused damage throughout the southeast, including several credit unions.

TAMPA, Fla. – A man suspected in yesterday’s armed robbery at Grow Financial CU was found dead with a bullet to the head after a SWAT team stormed a house he was hiding in late yesterday afternoon.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA Board members conceded yesterday the $1.1 billion premium they assessed will probably be supplemented with additional charges next year and in 2011 as problems continue to grow among natural person credit unions.

BROOKFIELD, Wis. – Fiserv said it has signed five new credit union clients to contracts for its Portico, OnCU and CubicsPlus account processing solutions.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Police are searching for thieves believed to have skimmed ATM information from as many as 90 area customers, including members of Alaska USA FCU and Arrowhead CU, as well as Desert Community Bank.

DALLAS – Town North Bank, owned by credit union, announced yesterday its long-time CEO John Reap is retiring and will be succeeded by Steven McDonald, its chief financial officer since Sept. 2008.

LONGVIEW, Wash. – Red Canoe CU donated $10,000 to the Albany Senior Center to celebrate the opening of the credit union’s newest branch in that town.

McLEAN, Va. – Mortgage rates were almost unchanged this week, holding steady at their lowest level since May, according to Freddie Mac.

INDIANAPOLIS – Twelve credit unions and banks have joined in an initiative aimed at signing up unbanked individuals to traditional banking accounts in a program sweeping across the country.

WASHINGTON – House leaders, frustrated with a growing number of banks raising credit card interest rates in advance of the new credit card law restricting such rate hikes, introduced a bill yesterday to move up the effective date of the new law 90 days to Dec. 1.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA yesterday appointed Scott Hunt, a 20-year veteran at the agency, director of its Office of Corporate CUs.

KEY WEST, Fla. – NCUA yesterday took under conservatorship Keys FCU, the largest credit union in the Florida Keys, which has been troubled by poor real estate loans.