COSTA MESA, Calif. – An article in Friday’s issue of The Credit Union Journal Daily Briefing incorrectly identified one of two privately insured credit unions being merged out. It is Pacific Coast CU, and not California Coast CU.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Focus FCU announced Friday that Kyle Roush, who has been serving as interim CEO, was made permanent president and CEO of the $70 million credit union.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A repo man working for Missouri CU who repossessed an SUV from a Columbia Wal-Mart this week had the vehicle only five minutes before it was stolen.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two men who attempted to rob Berrien Teacher’s CU a year ago, which ended up in the shooting death of a third accomplice, were sentenced to long prison terms Friday.

HELENA, Mont. – A local man was sentenced last week to 26 months in prison for stealing his brother’s identity and using it to open an account at Elkhorn CU.

LAKELAND, Fla. – A federal jury found Cornelius Bryant guilty last week of June armed robbery at MidFlorida FCU, while Bryant was out on parole from another bank robbery charge.

BILLINGS, Mont. – State regulators said last week the merger of Summit CU into Avanta FCU was precipitated by Summit’s charge-off of $2.7 million worth of indirect car loans, part of a $3.1 million loss the smaller credit union reported for the first three quarters of the year.

RALEIGH, N.C. – State Employees CU is coming home, at least temporarily, to where it started 71-years-ago in the basement of the North Carolina Agriculture Building, with 17 members and $437.

HONOLULU – Hawaii State FCU said it has paid $1.5 million to members in the form of bonus dividends earned on share accounts and loan interest paid by members from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30.

LIVONIA, Mich. – Co-op Services CU is offering matching savings to six high school students it chooses to compete in its "Financially Made" savings contest.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. – Spanish students at Santiago High School will get a big surprise when they return from winter break, a new classroom with new furniture and computers, courtesy of SchoolsFirst FCU.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The plunging markets for securities held by corporate credit unions has left NCUA between a rock and a hard place as it seeks to minimize potential losses among the corporate network.

HARRISBURG, Penn.-Being a "virtual" credit union has its advantages, says Greg Smith, CEO of Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union, who believes that operating almost "branchless" has helped his shop withstand the recession and grow loans by $250 million this year.

NAFCU Site Helps Consumers Find CUs

WASHINGTON-Despite predictions of big cut-backs in consumer holiday spending, apparently there's nothing like an economic downturn to increase charitable giving, according to one expert.

MADISON, Wis.-Despite the economic downturn there has not been an uptick in credit union robberies this year, according to CUNA Mutual Group.

In the Dec. 8 edition of CU Journal an article referred to Blackhawk Community CU as having $33 million in assets. The credit union actually has $300 million in assets.

CU Trade Groups Remind Congress of CU Loans

MADISON, Wis.-The Credit Union Executives Society has introduced a new component in its Directors Leadership Institute: CUES DLI Governance, to be held at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, June 8-11, 2009. The three-and-a-half-day institute, for credit union board members, will focus on issues at an organizational level.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-A webinar highlighting federal share insurance regulations attracted more than 3,300 participants an NCUA board member said. A NCUA attorney and an expert with Office of Examination and Insurance spoke about public confidence, public awareness and the current economic challenges.