WASHINGTON – The federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced Friday that single family conforming loans limits for the two secondary mortgage giants will remain the same in most markets, $417,000, but will be lower in some high-priced markets where the limits were raised last year.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Education announced steps Saturday to add liquidity to the student loan market by buying up more loans that it backs.

WASHINGTON – With growing losses on their mortgage securities, corporate credit unions are tapping into additional sources of liquidity to help tie them over until the markets turn up.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm unveiled an economic stimulus package Thursday that includes making $150 million available to credit unions and banks to support lending to the state's small businesses.

The Credit Union Journal salutes nearly two-dozen credit union for best practices. Click on the links below to read about this year's winners.

DENVER-Bellco CU, the state's second largest credit union, announced is has agreed to acquire Great American Community CU, an ailing $22-million credit union in Grand Junction.

MANCHESTER, N.H.-With the full red carpet premiere treatment at the Palace Theatre here, the video "100 Years of Building Financial Futures" made its debut here last week.

NEW YORK-Long-time president of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, Cliff Rosenthal, has agreed to postpone his planned retirement in light of the new challenges CDCUs face in the midst of the ongoing financial crisis.

Earlier this Spring, cujournal.com asked readers to predict where the 2008 World Series champ would come from. Just 13% of readers correctly predicted the National League East, home to the Philadelphia Phillies.

MADISON, Wis.-The CUNA Lending Council has named its new board officers. They are: Chair, Lloyd Gill, EVP/CLO at City County CU of Fort Lauderdale; Vice Chair, Aaron Bresko, VP-lending for BECU in Tukwila, Wash.; Secretary/Treasurer, Bill Vogeney, SVP/CLO for Ent FCU in Colorado Springs, Colo. Joining the board are Vicki Lovett, VP-oan operations for Suncoast Schools FCU in Tampa, Fla.; and Chuck Anderson, EVP-business lending for Arizona State CU in Phoenix.

CORVALLIS, Ore.-OSU Federal Credit Union was named the national Community Credit Union of the Year by National Association of Community Credit Unions during its annual meeting in San Diego last week. The award recognizes a community credit union that best exemplifies the principles of the credit union movement while serving as a positive influence in its field of service. "This humbling honor bestowed by our peer credit unions further supports the trust and loyalty of our five-county membership that is now more than 57,000 strong," said CEO Richard S. Hein.

DENVER-The Colorado and Wyoming CU Association has launched "FoolProof," a web-based program providing free financial literacy programs. FoolProof is designed to teach people of all ages about money, financial responsibility and the realities of the free enterprise system while promoting credit unions as safe and sound financial institutions.

NAPERVILLE, IL.-Illinois credit unions are beginning to provide free income tax filing help through the IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free help to low- and moderate-income people. Credit unions can become VITA sites themselves or opt to partner with an existing site somewhere else. At a minimum, a CU can hang posters advertising the program, which are free from the IRS, in the lobby.

CHEYENNE, Wyo.- Operation Best Wishes, an annual holiday program headed by WesCorp that allows families to send special web greetings to their loved ones deployed in the military, kicked off its fifth annual tour last week at national last week at Meridian Trust FCU.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.-One credit union here is trying to make a sweeping contribution toward digging this state out of the financial doldrums.

APPLETON, Wis.-Prospera Credit Union is now offering its GoodMoney not-for-profit payday loan alternative program to other CUs nationally, and reported that two have already signed on: Superior Choice Credit Union, Superior Wis., and Delta County CU in Escanaba, Mich. Prospera said that for a "reasonable start-up fee," credit unions will have access to comprehensive training, advertising support and marketing materials. Also included is customized software provided by CU*Answers. PCU, which launched GoodMoney in 2005 and has since received a Herb Wegner Award, among other accolades, and partnered with Goodwill Industries and others to make the payday loan program available. It has since processed more 12,000 loans for more than $4.5 million. CU Journal readers can read more in-depth coverage at cujournal.com. For info: 920.882.4800 or www.goodmoneystore.com/consulting.

LAS VEGAS-The Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) inducted seven people into its Hall of Fame during its CEO Network here. All were recognized for their "significant contributions" to CUES and credit unions.

WASHINGTON-During the two-year election cycle CUNA's political action committee continued to rank among the most active PACs on Capitol Hill with almost $3 million in contributions to congressional candidates, but this election marked a new role for CUNA during the campaigns in several ways.

MINNETONKA, Minn.-Credit unions here were already happy to support Republican Eric Paulsen, but that decision became all the more important after they learned of his opponent's proposal to repeal the credit union tax exemption.

DEARBORN, Mich.-The $2-billion DFCU Financial Credit Union will distribute a bonus dividend of $17 million to its members in January. Over the last three years the credit union has declared special patronage dividends of more than $50 million.