NEWARK, N.J. – A man responsible for digging up Social Security numbers and other personal data that was used to siphon millions of dollars from home equity lines of credit from dozens of credit unions and banks was sentenced yesterday to almost 11 years in prison.

WASHINGTON – One of the key lawmakers who convinced the Financial Accounting Standards Board last spring to change mark-to-market rules as banks and credit unions were toppling vowed yesterday to end his push to change accounting rules.

SAN DIEGO – An employee at USA FCU pleaded guilty to stealing about $1.5 million and has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for bank fraud, authorities announced yesterday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The North Carolina Minority Support Center, which is funded by five North Carolina community development credit unions, has launched a local radio campaign to promote CDCUs.

GREELEY, Colo. – College Credit Union of Greeley, chartered to serve students and employees of the University of Northern Colorado and Aims Community College, has applied to state regulators to expand to a community charter serving 52,000 residents in surrounding Weld County.

PORTLAND, Ore. – A middle-aged robber who favors institutions up and down the Columbia River has apparently struck again, this time at Albina Community CU.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – CO-OP Financial services said yesterday it has entered into a reseller agreement with Online Resources Corp. for Internet banking, bill payment and other online services.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – OMNI Community CU purchased 500 backpacks and invited members and area students to make donations of school supplies at any of its branches during the credit union’s fifth annual Project Backpack.

MECHANICSBURG, Penn. – Members 1st FCU will open its 34th branch today, the fifth new branch since last’s court decision striking down the credit union’s vast expansion plans.

FAIRFIELD, N.J. – Polish & Slavic FCU, which serves the sprawling Polish-American population in New York and New Jersey, is planning to open four branches in the Chicago area over the next two years.

WASHINGTON – NCUA Chair Deborah Matz told credit union executives and directors yesterday she plans to bring a greater focus to the credit union regulator or consumer protection and protecting members from predatory lending practices.

WASHINGTON – NAFCU directors yesterday rejected the latest CUNA bid to merge the two credit union trade associations, saying NAFCU's 800 members overwhelmingly prefer independence.

WASHINGTON – Legislation that would require an ‘opt-in’ on overdraft protection plans or bring fees charges for the program under the Truth in Lending Act discourage credit unions from offering the popular programs, also known as bounce protection, credit union executives and directors said yesterday.

MECHANICSBURG, Penn. – Members 1st FCU prevented a tax sale of the troubled Coliseum Entertainment Megaplex in Hampden Township last week by paying $102,000 in overdue property taxes on the property, according to county tax records.

AUSTIN, Texas – A former Austin Police Department officer pleaded guilty last week to the last year’s armed robbery at Austin Telco FCU, and a separate bank heist.

CHICAGO – A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged shortly after last Wednesday’s armed robbery at Consumer’s Cooperative CU, in the northwest Chicago community of Mundelein when $266,786 was stolen.

WASHINGTON – CUNA reported Sunday that its political action committee raised $143,000 last month and made just $48,600 in contributions, allowing it to build its cash reserves near an all-time high of $709,000.

DETROIT – Jim Press, the deputy chief executive at Chrysler, has been sued by Western FCU for failing to repay more than $400,000 on a mortgage loan dating back to his brief stint as chief of Toyota’s U.S. operations.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees’ CU said 26,500 of its members socked away $93 million this summer through a special account providing a 12th months of savings for public school employees paid on 10- or 11-month schedules.

PENSACOLA , Fla. – The Santa Rosa County Tobacco-Free Coalition has cited PenAir FCU for designating all of its campuses as “tobacco free.” As of August 1, smoking was prohibited in all outdoor areas, including the parking lot, sidewalks and drive ups of Pen Air FCU.