WASHINGTON – A NAFCU director told Congress yesterday credit unions and banks should be exempt from the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency because NCUA and other regulators already regulate the products and services they offer.

TAMPA, Fla. – A clergyman and former branch manager at Suncoast Schools FCU was charged yesterday with identity theft and money laundering in connection with a $400,000 scheme to fraudulently funnel money to relatives and friends.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Newly released minutes of NCUA closed Board meetings earlier this year show the credit union regulator vastly under-estimating losses at U.S. Central FCU, even as it had a full-time examiner housed at the one-time $50 billion central bank for credit unions.

DETROIT – Michigan First CU, the one-time teachers credit union, awarded $1,000 scholarships to 82 graduating high school seniors during its annual student scholarship reception on June 24.

BATON ROUGE, La. – Neighbors FCU employees raised $30,000 over the past 10 weeks for the Baton Rouge Area March of Dimes Foundation’s 2009 "Walk for Babies."

DURHAM, N.C. – The Volunteers of America of the Carolinas dedicated a new transitional housing complex to benefit homeless veterans, a $2.7 million project financed by State Employees CU.

ALLENTOWN, Penn. – People First FCU will give away a 42-inch HDTV as part of the opening of its newest branch, the $300 million credit union’s sixth.

WICHITA, Kan. – Catholic Family FCU said it will build a second branch and house its administrative offices there.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – EPL Inc. said yesterday it has selected SEDONA Corp. as their partner to offer next generation member relationship management to their credit union clients.

TUKWILA, Wash. – BECU said yesterday it has signed with Golden Gateway Financial to provide reverse mortgage services to its members and those of hundreds of credit unions served through its Prime Alliance Solutions mortgage subsidiary.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA said yesterday it formally transferred the entire $6 billion corporate bailout program, including the emergency assistance for U.S. Central FCU and WesCorp FCU and responsibility for the Temporary Share Guarantee and Temporary Corporate CU Liquidity Guarantee programs from the National CU Share Insurance Fund to the newly formed Corporate CU Stabilization Fund.

SAN FRANCISCO – A fired employee of Pacific Postal CU was sentenced to almost four years in prison yesterday for robbing her one-time workplace of more than $76,000.

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Two more credit union members have filed suits against CUNA Mutual Group claiming the insurer engaged in a pattern of deceit to prevent it from paying claims on credit disability policies they purchased at their credit union.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The state’s biggest banks said yesterday they will stop accepting California's IOUs on Friday, giving a foot in the door to more than two dozen credit unions that plan to accept the state warrants indefinitely.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The expected consolidation and recapitalization of the corporate credit union system, hoped for by the end of 2009, is not expected to be enacted until the spring of 2010, at the earliest.

LOS ANGELES – The Department of Financial Institutions yesterday closed and liquidated Watts United CU, a tiny community development credit union serving the minority neighborhood of Watts.

PURCHASE, N.Y. – MasterCard said last week it will receive a discount on an antitrust settlement by making a $335 million prepayment on the $400 million remaining on the 2003 deal.

CHICAGO – The Members Loyalty Group released its first quarter Net Promotor Score benchmark results for member satisfaction.

PHOENIX – Desert Schools FCU said it awarded one member a $1,000 member referral award, part of $70,000 and 70 prizes the credit union will give out this year to celebrate its 70th anniversary.

LUTHERVILLE, Md. – After 40 years of service to First Financial of Maryland FCU, Director and former Chairperson J. Wesley Bone concluded his volunteer career in June. Bone has been named Chairman Emeritus of the $700 million credit union.