The website Consumerist.com included a thread from a consumer explaining they had left a cellphone at her credit union, and when they returned it was missing. The member then asked her CU to review the security videos to see who took the phone, but the CU declined, saying it would not do so without a subpoena. Below the thread other consumers then reacted to the entry, with most noting there were good reasons not to allow someone to watch security videos.

At press time, the number of co-sponsors on the CURIA bill. 217 are needed to have a majority.

WASHINGTON - Legislation introduced in Congress last week would set new standards for mortgage escrow accounts, independent of real estate appraisals and mortgage servicing.

MADISON, Wis. - The Filene Research Institute's Young Adult Project has a new leader.

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The $1.5-billion Space Coast Credit Union has added a Platinum Visa card with a points reward program to its product menu. The rewards are earned through the Scorecard Rewards program that provides one point for every dollar and offers a catalog of products and travel where members can spend their earned points.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 19-year-old employee at VyStar CU was charged with bank fraud for selling sensitive member information. The teen, identified as Jaleesa Ide, worked as a document processor at the credit union. The information was used to transfer money from member accounts, police said.

EUGENE, Ore. - "Alandra," a SELCO Community Credit Union member, is browsing the Net for an opportunity as a volunteer in her community. Meanwhile, the Department of Human Services here is looking for helpers to drive foster children to visit their parents.

MOLINE, Ill. - More than one year into enterprise instant messaging (IM), Mary Slonecker, PC specialist at $550-million IH Mississippi Valley CU here, provided Credit Union Journal with her "Top Three Tips" for implementing the tool:

HOUSTON - Cardtronics, one of the main EFT gateways for credit unions, said it plans to raise as much as $115 million through an IPO. The operator of 30,000 ATMs said it will use most of the proceeds from the offering, $106 million worth, to repay debt from its revolving credit facility. The company expects to offer as many as 8.3-million shares for between $14 and $16 each. As part of the IPO, the company's two major shareholders also plan to sell an undetermined number of shares. That includes venture funds CapStreet LLP of Houston, which owns about 34% of the company, and TA Associates of Boston, which owns almost 30%. Cardtronics provides electronic funds transfer services to a majority of CUs, either through CO-OP Financial Services, Financial Services Centers Cooperative, or Credit Union 24, which all connect to members through Cardtronics machines, or through Allpoint National, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardtronics.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - CO-OP Shared Branching, a division of CO-OP Financial Services, reported it has developed "CO-OP Fast Branch," a self-service kiosk that supplies more services than a conventional ATM, including deposits by check (no envelopes, no deposit slips), withdrawals by check, loan payments and advances.

REIDSVILLE, N.C. - More than a dozen members-half of them founders-of American Partners FCU are seeking repayment of millions of dollars of funds a third-party investment advisor lost when he put the money in a failed investment pool that regulators have labeled one of the biggest Ponzi schemes ever.

HOUSTON - Instant messaging (IM) is steadily overtaking e-mail as the primary means of communication between employees, according to some credit unions.

New York State Credit Union League, Latham, N.Y., inducted Greg Card, Lorraine Jordan, Bill Myers and Beverly Towers into its hall of fame.

Merger Leads To Special Dividend

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Days after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation designed to hold retailers responsible for protecting consumer information, representatives from the California league said the governor's decision misses the point.

NOVEMBER

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. - DealerTrack, the provider of online solutions for indirect auto lending, said it plans to raise up to $100 million with an offering of two-million common shares. Funds raised may help underwrite acquisitions. DealerTrack said it is facing intense competition from CU Direct Corp. (CUDL) and from RouteOne, which is owned by the financing arms of Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -

WASHOUGAL, Wash. - Officials of Columbia CU will join local dignitaries later this week to break ground on the area's first financial institution built to LEED "Green" standards. The facility, the first of three green branches planned by the $800-million credit union for 2008, will incorporate environmentally friendly aspects and be rated under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.

GREENVILLE, S.C. - A new service is offering a personalized URL for every member targeted in lending promotions as a means of boosting response rates. Credit unions that have launched the tool, called PURLS (Personal URL System) are seeing response rates of 1% or higher, said CU Exceed, which has designed the system.