SEATTLE–In some of his first remarks since being named chairman of NCUA, Michael E. Fryzel placed a little more emphasis on safety and soundness-related themes than is usually heard from board members at the agency when speaking to credit unions.

WASHINGTON — The Comptroller of the Currency is urging NCUA, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Office of Thrift Supervision, to make significant changes to a proposal to define unfair and deceptive credit card practices.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. –Credit union members continue to save more than they are borrowing as the economy stifles economic activity. Mid-year data released by NCUA shows savings were up significantly during the first half of the year at 7%, compared to 3.7% for loans. Overall assets grew 6.5%.

KEY WEST, Fla.–Although other areas of Florida further north are now dealing with the heavy rains and wind of Tropical Storm Fay, Keys Federal Credit Union is reporting it used an e-mail based alert system to stay in touch with its members and employees when the storm was lashing the Florida Keys.

WASHINGTON –Builders in the United States broke ground on the fewest houses in 17 years in July, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

NEW YORK –The Princeton Review Inc accidentally posted names, birth dates, ethnicity, assessment scores, and other sensitive information about more than 100,000 students on a public portion of its Web site.

DEER PARK, Texas–Shell Federal Credit Union has launched an exciting new youth program called iLife. iLife is different from other credit union related youth sites because it contains a strong focus and participation in community involvement and social responsibility. Young adults are encouraged and offered avenues of opportunities to participate in such events with the credit union under the Shell FCU (Further Community Unity) team.

SAN DIEGO –Mission FCU here said it will deploy the Learn.com LearnCenter platform to automate blended learning. Sunrise, Fla.-based Learn.com provides workforce development and productivity solutions and will use LearnCenter to provide training for its employees at 23 branches. The credit union reported it has integrated its HRIS system with the LearnCenter platform to create development plans and track critical employee HR data.

SAN FRANCISCO –Visa Inc and eight issuers are piloting a system that employs e-mail and text messages to notify cardholders of suspicious transactions.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Credit Union League said it will participate in a statewide “Financial Action Team” created by the state’s Chief Financial Officer, Alex Sink.

HOUSTON – Surcharge-free ATM access is gaining in popularity among debit card issuers, according to the 2008 Debit Issuer Study, commissioned by PULSE.

BOULDER, Colo. – The National Credit Union Foundation said it will posthumously present a Herb Wegner Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement to Bill Sterner, a long-time credit union pioneer who died earlier this year.

BOSTON – July saw a sharp decrease in online fraud against federal credit unions and banks nationally, according to new analysis from the RSA Anti-Fraud Command Center.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Credit unions now have an effective means of responding to member concerns over the safety of their savings.

SINGAPORE – As the global financial crisis worsens at least one large U.S. bank is going to collapse within the next few months, according to the former International Monetary Fund’s chief economist. Kenneth Rogoff said that despite hopes that the U.S. economy had turned the corner, it is "not out of the woods."

WASHINGTON – As reported earlier in Credit Union Journal, NCUA has indicated many credit unions will see a downgrade in their CAMEL ratings this year due to a combination of economic factors and the agency’s own tougher standards. Now the FDIC, which insures the nation’s banks, indicated it, too, is pushing other agencies to more forcefully downgrade the confidential rating – which is known only to regulators and bank management – of troubled financial institutions, according to people familiar with the talks.

WASHINGTON—Both major credit union trade associations are panning an NCUA plan to dramatically alter the current federal regulatory process for approving multiple group credit unions' applications to serve underserved areas. At the same time, the American Bankers Association indicated it supports NCUA’s plan.

RICHMOND, Va. – Kids from low-income families around the country are returning to school this week with backpacks full of supplies, thanks to various credit unions.

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. – The $2-billion Wings Financial FCU, which earned notoriety last year for its so-called “hostile takeover” bid for then-California-based Continental FCU, is expanding into Orlando, where it will open what will be its 18th branch.

WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – Truliant FCU here has become the latest to offer a “Fuel Efficient Auto Loan.”