WASHINGTON — Commercial banks and thrifts insured by the FDIC reported net income of $7.6 billion in the first quarter of 2009, a decline of 61%, from the $19.3 billion that the industry earned in the first quarter of 2008.

AUSTIN, Tex. — With rising crime and vandalism prompting one lender to bulldoze homes rather than incur increasing costs to carry the foreclosed properties, are some Florida houses owned by CUs and the NCUA next to be demolished?

MADISON, Wis.-The National Youth Saving Challenge more than doubled last year's record, with young CU members depositing $26,529,081 into their saving accounts and CDs. This year, 397 CUs reported receiving deposits from 139,669 young members, including 10,006 who opened new accounts. This year's results average out to $190 deposited per child. Last year's nearly $11.8-million savings total averaged $156 deposited per child, up from $87 per child in the 2004 inaugural year. For the first time, credit unions had the option of hosting the challenge throughout April, which is National Financial Literacy Month, instead of just during National CU Youth Week. CUNA also randomly selected 10 credit unions from those who reported their results to receive $100 each to award to the young saver of their choice. The winning credit unions are: PCM Employees CU, Green Bay, Wis.; St. Pius X Church FCU, Rochester, N.Y.; Good Shepherd, Lincoln Park, Mich.; Eastmill FCU, East Millinocket, Maine; Mountain Laurel FCU, Saint Marys, Pa.; Service Plus CU, Riverside, Calif.; Two Harbors FCU, Two Harbors, Minn.; Service 1 FCU, Muskegon, Mich.; Canton Police and Firemens CU, Canton, Ohio; and Portland FCU, Portland, Mich.

CHARLESTON, S.C.-The search is over for the voice of South Carolina's 18- to 25-year-old crowd. Josh Sutherland, 22, is the winner of South Carolina Federal Credit Union's ultimate job search and the first Young & Free South Carolina spokesperson.

ATLANTA -Credit unions and community banks are ahead of the curve in utilizing social media to connect with consumers a new report from the William Mills Agency stated as it sifted through over 1,000 "tweets" on Twitter posted by more than 60 different financial institutions. The study's author noted that usage varied greatly among FIs and broke the types of Twitter accounts into six categories: problem solvers, community activists, informers, communicators, social butterflies and placeholders based on how the accounts were primarily used.

ARCADIA, Calif.-Foothill FCU recently hosted an informative town hall-style breakfast meeting to help keep members in the loop about how recent events in both the CU industry and the broader economy have impacted the institution, touching on the conservatorship of WesCorp and U.S. Central as well as NCUA's move to insure deposits up to $250,000. President/CEO Brian Hall assured members of the $217-million credit union's "strength and stability," noting that it is still well-capitalized and has strongly performing loans and investments.

MADISON, Wis.-Bill Jolicoeur retired last month after 34 years with CUNA Mutual Group. Jolicoeur joined CUNA Mutual at the age of 23, as a sales rep in Massachusetts with more than 300 CUs in his territory. The 57 year-old plans to head back to his Michigan home with his wife, Sharon, and travel with his family. His full-time retirement may not be for long as Jolicoeur plans to start a "second career" dedicated to helping raise money for alternative housing for young adults with disabilities.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.-Service CU, one of the few credit unions with overseas operations, has introduced a youth financial education program to meet the financial literacy and readiness goals for students in Germany.

SEATTLE-Express CU is expanding into the underserved market with the help of 16 area non-profits groups that will provide their clients with on-site financial services through the CU.

PALO ALTO, Calif.-Addison Avenue FCU introduced what it calls a virtual Family Center to provide members and their children with educational information about managing money, student loan and scholarship offerings and recommendations regarding which accounts will help young members reap the rewards of saving early and often.

PLYMOUTH, Minn.-Teacher FCU will began its second 70 years of service under the new name of TruStone Financial CU, on June 1.

SOPOT, Poland — This country's credit unions have rolled out an ad campaign that has Poland's banks hopping mad ("Country's Bankers Not Happy with Campaign," April 6). The ads, in a reference to the economic downturn, read, "Don't blame us! We're not banks." Below, Grzegorz Bierecki, president of Poland's national trade association, the National Association of Coopoerative Savings and Credit Unions (NACSCU), talks to Credit Union Journal about the campaign, and other, larger issues in Poland.

CALABASAS, Calif. — Someday credit unions' e-services platforms will connect members with suppliers that can save them money.

Connex Credit Union, Wallingford, Conn., promoted Ryan Jetmar to assistant branch manager.

Meetings

WASHINGTON-President Obama signed into law the Credit Card Bill of Rights just before the Memorial Day recess.

WARRENVILLE, Ill.-Members United Corporate FCU said that losses of $511 million it reported the previous month erased $424.7 million of retained earnings and created negative retained earnings of $124.3 million.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA agreed to allow corporate credit unions to write-down 23% of their membership capital shares in U.S. Central FCU-instead of 63% estimated earlier-effectively giving corporates $500 million more than was expected.

SALT LAKE CITY — With the economy shedding jobs at an alarming pace, Mountain America CU proudly noted its business services department helped create more than 700 jobs in Utah last year.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Corporate bailout charges combined with the spreading recession that forced credit unions to move billions more into loan loss reserves, created the worst quarter ever for credit unions during the first three months of the year, according to NCUA.