Altura Credit Union, Riverside, Calif., thismonth closed its branch office at E. Florida Ave. in Hemet, Calif.,and merging it with its second Hemet branch office at 320 S.Sanderson Ave., according to an announcement from Altura Presidentand CEO Mark Hawkins. As of Jan. 12, Altura will have 13 branchlocations throughout Riverside County: four in the city ofRiverside, two in Moreno Valley, two in Corona, and one each inHemet, Indio, Murrieta, Rancho Mirage and Temecula.

Atlanta Postal Credit Union,Atlanta, announced that it has opened the doors to a new branch-theSouth DeKalb Mall branch in Decatur, Ga. The new branch, formerly acredit union service center branch, will not only function as afull-service Atlanta Postal Credit Union branch for APCU members,it will continue to provide service to members of other creditunions who participate in the nationwide CU service centernetwork.

CAP COM Federal Credit Union, Brunswick, N.Y.,opened its 10th capital region branch at on Nov. 1. Like nearly allof CAP COM's branches, the Brunswick branch features a kids playarea, a member computer station and photocopier, free coin machine,and complimentary coffee and tea station.

Empower Credit Union, West Allis, Wis., held agroundbreaking ceremony for its new main office, deciding it wastime to move from its current location due to limited accessibilityby its members. The new site on W. Greenfield Ave. will provideeasy access from all directions within the Milwaukee area. The10,250-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will employ manysustainable green building systems and materials, and is expectedto be completed by the summer of 2011.

Freedom Federal Credit Union, Bel Air, Md.,celebrated its new Forest Lakes branch with a ribbon-cutting andgrand opening recently. This fifth Freedom branch in Harford Countyis located in Forest Hill and features two drive-thru teller lanesand one drive-thru ATM lane. The new facility occupies 2,565 squarefeet and operates as a full-service branch.

Hudson River Community Credit Union, GlenFalls, N.Y., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception for itsnew branch in Troy, N.Y. in November. The grand opening showcasedthe energy-efficiency of the facility, including its solarcollectors to produce on-site electricity, special roof shingles toact as a “heat island effect,” LED lighting, water saving fixturesand the extensive use of salvaged materials and recycled productsto build and furnish the branch. The facility also features twodrive-thru lanes, a 24/7 drive-thru ATM with depository andconvenient parking.

Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union,Poughkeepsie, N.Y., announced that it has opened its newest branchlocation in the town of Highland, N.Y. With approximately 5,000square feet of space, the branch offers members six teller windows,two drive-up teller windows, six offices for financial servicesrepresentatives, one drive-up ATM and one walk-up ATM. Brennan D.Williams, a credit union employee since 2001, has accepted theposition of branch manager for the new branch.

Kauai Community Federal Credit Union, Lihue,Hawaii, opened its Kukui Grove West office, representing anenvironmental milestone for Kauai. KCFCU's 21,000-square-foot homeoffice was the first LEED-certified credit union building in all ofHawaii and only the second certified building on Kauai. LEED standsfor Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the U.S.Green Building Council's program for certifying sustainabledevelopment projects.

Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union,Clinton Township, Mich., announced the opening of a new office inShelby Township. The office is the ninth location for the creditunion and is sandwiched between two of its largest membershipareas-Shelby and Macomb Townships. The Hayes Road office featurestwo drive-thru lanes, an internet kiosk for member usage, a coffeebar and a 24-hour access ATM.

Premier Members Federal Credit Union, Boulder,Colo., opened a new branch on Federal Blvd. on Nov. 8. The newbranch filled the void left by the Nov. 6 closure of its Del NorteSt. location. The credit union's leadership chose to move toprovide easier access for members and to maintain a presence in thearea. The new branch is less than three miles from the Del Nortelocation, which was acquired through the merger with ColoradoUnited Credit Union earlier this year.

Tower Federal Credit Union, Laurel, Md., openeda new branch in mid-December in the National Business Park, locatedin Annapolis Junction, Md. The new full-service branch featuresstate-of-the-art remote teller stations for safe and easy financialtransactions. Remote teller stations function as a walk-up versionof the drive-thru window. Inside the branch, members talk to livetellers through a screen and handset, and transactions occurthrough a pneumatic tube. The branch also offers a 24-hour walk-upATM and a self-service coin counter, free for Tower members.

WesTex Community Credit Union, Kermit, Texas,broke ground on their new branch in Alpine, Texas. The2,800-square-foot facility is a full-service branch with a two-laneaudio/visual drive-thru service as well as an ATM and nightdepository. This branch will serve the four Big Bend counties ofTexas-an area equivalent in size to Massachusetts, Connecticut andRhode Island combined.