BELLINGHAM, Wash.–Just in time for the holidays, Industrial Credit Union has slipped some $50 bills into its stack of $20 bills inside an ATM at Barkley Village. The credit union said the bonus $50 bills should be in place for at least the first three weeks of December.

NEW YORK–A new survey of consumers has found none-too-surprisingly that consumers are rating “financial stability” as their top priority when selecting a financial institution.

DURHAM, N.C.–Marin Eakes, the co-founder of Self-Help Credit Union and a prominent figure in this community and state as an opponent of predatory lending, was beaten and robbed by four men in a parking garage after leaving the credit union.

Credit Union Veteran To Retire At Year End

SYLMAR, Calif.-The fire that nearly burned down a small credit union in this bedroom community north of Los Angeles has been extinguished, but now the denuded foothills may unleash mudslides if a predicted Thanksgiving storm comes.

In the Oct. 20 edition, Jason Bane was incorrectly listed as having joined the Virginia CU League as VP for infrastructure operations. He was hired by Virginia CU.

For this holiday season, we are:

MADISON, Wis.-A new Filene Research Institute report delves into understand the psychology behind credit and debit card usage.

BROOKFIELD, Wis.-Fiserv Inc. has introduced a "UChoose Rewards" solution it describes as a "rewards and loyalty product that provides merchant-funded and issuer-funded rewards capabilities" for financial institutions.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Increasing loan losses forced credit unions to move billions of dollars of new funds to reserves in the third quarter and pushed the key profitability ratio, return-on-assets, down to just 0.12% for the quarter, the lowest in decades, NCUA reported.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-One card usage not expected to decline is that of debit cards, said Tom Gandre, chief debit officer for PSCU Financial Services in St. Petersburg, Fla.

PORTLAND, Ore.-More credit unions chose to hold onto their credit card portfolios rather than sell them off in the third quarter of this year compared to the same time last year, according to an analysis of card portfolio trends by AssetExchange.

ORLANDO, Fla.-Its home market often shows up in news reports as Ground Zero for the meltdown in mortgage lending, yet one credit union lender here is sounding a tone as sunny as the weather.

WASHINGTON-Retailers can expect a red Christmas if consumers make good on their plans to sharply reduce their holiday spending as reported in the ninth annual holiday spending survey conducted by the Consumer Federation of American and CUNA.

Bank, Thrift Earnings Tumble 94% From Year Ago

DALLAS-It's the most wonderful time of the year, but credit card usage is expected to be somewhat less "wonderful" than usual, so CU Journal asked cards experts what credit unions can expect this holiday season- and what they can do about it.

ORLANDO, Fla.-For Dale Frankhouse, the harsh reality of the mortgage market is all around him. As director of lending with Sun FCU in Maumee, Ohio, he confronts the reality every day of a home market with more than 3,200 homes in foreclosure.

DENVER, Colo.-Credit Unions in Colorado and Wyoming have launched a media campaign targeting consumers and stressing credit union safety and soundness. The new "Safe, Sound, Local" is being overseen by the CU Associations of Colorado and Wyoming. "We recognize the unique opportunity to communicate at a time when consumers have a heightened interest in financial services information," said CUACW CEO John Dill. The look and feel of the creative is designed to dovetail off of the "There is a Better Way" awareness campaign that has run in Colorado and Wyoming over the past two years. Messaging seeks to drive traffic to www.CreditUnionFacts.com.

ORLANDO, Fla.-Credit union membership has its rewards, and members of one central Florida CU are getting that message thanks to a new membership rewards program. Fairwinds Credit Union recently debuted a two-pronged promotion geared toward cultivating a deeper relationship with existing members and attracting new ones.

COCONUT GROVE, Fla.-Credit unions that serve firefighters have formed a new group called The Coalition of Firefighter Credit Unions. Formed during a meeting of firefighter CUs, the coalition is comprised of representatives from 26 of the nation's 105 identified firefighter credit unions primarily representing firefighters.