BOSTON – The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston warned yesterday that it may need to take additional write-downs on certain mortgage-backed securities.

CINCINNATI – Fifth Third Bancorp announced yesterday it has agreed to seel a 51% stake in its Fifth Third Processing unit, popular with credit unions, to private equity fund Advent International Inc., for $561 million.

PEARL RIVER, N.Y. – Palisades FCU said yesterday it has agreed to move the processing of its $5 million cards portfolio to TNB Card Services.

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PORTLAND, Ore. – OnPoint CU is setting up a Facebook-like website for its mobile banking user community and also plans to offer contactless mobile payments using US Tyfone’s microSD contactless-enabled memory card.

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MISSOULA, Mo. – Missoula FCU said it has acquired Diebold 220 Express Cash Dispensers.

WOODBRIDGE, N.J. – Central Jersey FCU said today it has signed with Dynamic Marketing Systems to implement the company’s web-enabled MicroMerchant to help it develop, customize and print marketing materials in-house using a centralized Web portal.

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HOUSTON – Pulse EFT plans to pilot a program to assess consumer acceptance of Internet-based PIN debit transactions sometime in the second quarter.

GREENFIELD, Wis. – Two local shared branching organizations in this state have merged, and are also becoming part of the larger, national CU Service Centers network.

LINTHICUM, Md. – State Employees CU has introduced a new money management tool, "The Buck Starts Here" (at www. YoungAdult.SecuMd.org).

TULSA, Okla. – Fire Fighters CU said it has deployed Edcomm Banker’s Academy’s web-based training solution.

THORNDALE, Penn. — Citadel FCU here is making more money off a broader chunk of its membership-and keeping 75% of its members "extremely satisfied" despite the nation's economic crisis.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-Electronic bills are suddenly extremely popular among members at The Golden 1 CU here-and the service helps keep fraud at bay.

WASHINGTON — One year after introducing its The Complete Credit Union Solution DNA release, Open Solutions reporting that 112 credit unions have now moved to the solution.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Credit unions are joining online auctions that allow banks to bid for the CU's investments-and are finding interest rates that are at least a half percent higher than other sources.

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J. — The Smart Card Alliance has released a white paper examining the security of smart cards. Titled "What Makes a Smart Card Secure?," it was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payment Council's Security Work Group to provide an overview of smart card security features and other security designs inherent in smart card-based systems. The report can be found for free at www.smartcardalliance.org.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Ditch the Microsoft Office suite in favor of open-source productivity software — that's just one tip from credit union technology managers who are bent on saving money as the economy flails.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Mobile banking at OnPoint Community CU will look a little different from mobile services at other credit unions, starting with a Facebook-style user community as well as access to mobile payments technologies.