MADISON, Wis. - Credit union loan quality remains extremely high in spite of problems in the overall credit and mortgage markets, according to analysis of July 2007 data released by CUNA.

ABDEREEN, Md. - No sticks. Carrots only.

MONTPELIER, Vermont - In a move that state officials say is a compromise to minimize regulatory burdens while still protecting consumers, Vermont is proposing a regulation that would permit credit unions to operate with only one staffer licensed to sell insurance.

ALBANY, N.Y. - As its final act before being absorbed in a merger by Capital Communications FCU, the $82-million Excelsior CCU said it will pay a bonus dividend and a refund to those who were members ECU prior to the merger. The $750,000 payout will be divided among borrowers and savers based on interest earned and interest paid from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 of this year. (c) 2007 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The FBI is looking for a man who allegedly threatened employees and customers at U.S. New Mexico FCU and Bank of America with bombs, the latter after he kidnapped two bystanders and attached fanny packs purported to be explosives to them to rob the bank.

SEPTEMBER

NEWARK, Ohio - Fred Longstreth is sometimes reluctant to talk about his career at Fiberglas Federal Credit Union, but it's not because the former CEO, who retired July 1, has anything to hide.

The headlines tell us that thousands of families across the nation are headed to foreclosure each month- some parts of the country are hit harder than others. Why is this happening now and how could credit unions be an important part of the solution?

Comment

It is said that in polite company there are several things you don't bring up at dinner, chiefly politics and religion. If it's a dinner of credit union folks there's a third topic that comes around about as often and dependably as the meter reader that is also supposed to be taboo: "member vs. customer."

D. Hilton Announces 2008 Survey

HARRISBURG, Penn. - Since the Credit Union Better Choice program's launch last October, 54 CUs have agreed to offer the loans designed to be an alternative to payday lending, and 41 of those CUs have made 1,661 loans-totaling $869,149.

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers threw around several proposals last week to help alleviate the ongoing crisis in the mortgage markets, but it was clear any initiatives will take months-if not much longer-to develop.

Tower FCU, Laurel, Md., elected Alan P. Smith, Kurt J. Zahnen and Melodye H. Valliere to its board.

MADISON, Wis. - CUNA Mutual Group has reached an agreement to purchase a minority ownership share in Producer's Ag Insurance Group (Pro Ag), an Amarillo, Texas-based crop insurer.

MADISON, Wis. - The oft-lamented lack of awareness of credit unions by young people is the target of the latest initiative from the Filene Research Institute-known as the "30 Under 30" Group.

MONTPELIER, Vt. - Vermont State Employees Credit Union is dealing with some unexpected, and very negative, publicity after announcing the end of a nearly 50-year-old insurance product.

The considerable turmoil in the credit markets this summer, especially with respect to residential mortgage-backed securities, has sent ripples virtually throughout every aspect of our economy and captured the full attention of the financial services industry, legislators, regulators and the world at large.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Credit union open-ended loan programs could take a hit if the Federal Reserve Board's proposed changes to Regulation Z take hold.

During the recent National Directors Conference I presented a lot of data and analysis in a very short period of time and perhaps this made for a lack of clarity in your Aug. 27 report.