DULUTH, Ga. – Singer LeAnn Rimes is the new voice and face of Georgia credit unions, as the Country-Western star is featured in a new series of television commercials throughout the state which debut today.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – With the sale of Norlarco CU and the remnants of the once-$360 million credit union, NCUA has left as many as two dozen credit unions wondering what will become of the almost $200 million in loans Norlarco sold off as participations.

WASHINGTON – An economic stimulus bill that passed the House last week could add much-needed liquidity to the mortgage markets by allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy jumbo loans in certain hard-hit real estate markets, such as Southern California.

WASHINGTON – As credit union losses mount across the country, experts are urging managers and boards to be measured in their response.

LOS ANGELES – More California credit unions last week reported large losses for 2007, putting an exclamation point on one of the worst years ever for credit unions.

HOUSTON – Cardtronics, which has become the largest provider of ATM services to credit unions, yesterday said it has agreed to provide ATM services in 650 Safeway supermarkets.

DAYTON, Ohio – ATM manufacturer NCR Corp. said fourth quarter earnings declined 55% due to costs related to its spin-off of its Teradata data warehousing unit and higher taxes.

PURCHASE, N.Y. – MasterCard Inc. yesterday reported fourth quarter earnings rose seven-fold to $304.2 million, or $2.26 a share, on the strength of earnings in a Brazilian investment.

MERCED, Calif. – Merced School Employees FCU yesterday said it has donated $25,000 to start an endowed scholarship fund to benefit students at the University of California at Merced.

PHOENIX – Desert Schools FCU yesterday said it has contracted with First Data Corp. to provide merchant payment processing. The deal will allow the $3 billion credit union to offer expanded services to its business members, including credit, debit, check and gift card programs.

WASHINGTON – Credit union executives are expected to hold more of their mortgages in portfolio after March 1, when Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac implement new surcharges on lower-rated borrowers.

McLEAN, Va. – Mortgage rates rose significantly this week, after falling to a four-year low over the previous week, according to Freddie Mac.

MIRAMAR, Fla. – In one of the biggest credit union losses ever, Eastern Financial Florida CU reported a fourth quarter loss of $49.5 million, putting it into the red to the tune of $45.2 million for the year.

WASHINGTON – Two of the nation’s largest credit unions, Navy FCU and Pentagon FCU, were able to float against the prevailing tide among credit unions last year to post healthy bottom lines.

ALBANY, Ore. – Two police officers caught a robber inside Linn-Co FCU yesterday morning as the suspect was preparing to bind a female employee with duct tape.

HOUSTON – Police were searching last night for as much as $300,000 that went missing from their own credit union, Houston Police FCU.

CHICAGO – A long-time employee at Synergy Partners CU was charged with stealing $37,400 from member accounts to pay her own bills.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Employees at West Michigan CU foiled an attempted robbery Tuesday after they recognized a man entering the building as the one who robbed them three weeks ago – so they locked the door before he could get in.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Wheeling-Pittsburgh Community FCU, formed to serve steelworkers, has converted charters to serve surrounding Jefferson County.

BOISE, Idaho – Boise U.S. Employees FCU yesterday announced it has promoted long-time executive and current vice president Steve Titus to be its president and CEO.