ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA reported yesterday it approved the mergers of more ailing credit unions, most of them with losses through the third quarter.

HARRISBURG, Penn. – The state Supreme Court yesterday overturned a lower court ruling and reinstated a controversial seven-county field of membership for Belco Community CU, the largest ever awarded by the Department of Banking.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The NCUA Board approved new powers yesterday for credit union-owned subsidiaries, known as CUSOs, but stopped short of letting credit unions set up their own auto financing acceptance corp., like GMAC, through a CUSO.

WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve this morning approved tough new restrictions on the rates and fees issuers can charge on credit cards, adding to the growing squeeze on credit union profitability.

WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve this morning approved tough new restrictions on the rates and fees issuers can charge on credit cards, adding to the growing squeeze on credit union profitability.

SHREVEPORT, La. – The former manager of the Bastrop branch of Shreveport FCU pled guilty Tuesday to stealing an estimated $460,000 from the branch.

CHICAGO – At least 50 members of the Chicago Patrolmen's CU have been targets of thieves who have used their debit card numbers.

AUSTIN, Texas – A key government advisory panel recommended expanded disclosures for state chartered credit unions Tuesday, passing the recommendations on for action by the state legislature.

LAKELAND, Fla. – Community First CU is building a green branch that is designed to wrap around an existing Bruster’s Ice Cream Shoppe (which will remain open during construction), increasing the area’s development density while minimizing changes to infrastructure and local traffic.

NEW YORK – Municipal Credit Union is offering 52 college scholarships for local high school students for a total of $60,000.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Despite market conditions, Altura CU is moving ahead with its expansion plans, having added three new service facilities over the past month.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Fort Campbell FCU announced yesterday it paid members a patronage dividend for the fourth year in a row, a $1.5 million payment this year.

VIENNA, Va. – Navy FCU has signed a licensing agreement with Ronald A. Katz Technology LP in order to settle a patent dispute over call center technology, the two parties announced yesterday.

BILOXI, Miss. – Keesler FCU announced yesterday it is paying its members a $3.5 million bonus dividend on New Year’s Day.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Royal CU, the state’s fifth largest credit union, will expand into Minnesota with a deal to acquire REAL Financial CU, a $29 million Minneapolis-based credit union that reported a $1.2 million loss for the first three quarters of the year.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA Chairman Michael Fryzel yesterday rejected a CUNA proposal that would have had the National CU Share Insurance Fund direct a credit union assistance program that would include buying distressed real estate loans from troubled credit unions.

GLASTONBURY, Conn. – Open Solutions Inc. said yesterday it has signed with Bluepoint Solutions to offer Bluepoint’s teller capture solution to its credit union and bank clients.

ELMONT, N.Y. – A member of Municipal CU was arrested Monday and charged with altering a stolen Social Security check for $801 to make it look like $6,801.

ATLANTA – A repeat bank robber who joined his brother in the August 2007 hold-up of Atlanta FCU was sentenced to life in prison under the federal three-strikes law, for repeat offenders of violent crimes.

LYNN, Mass. – A local man was arrested and charged with robbing two Western Avenue credit unions over the weekend.