U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings continue to increase, jumping 11% for the first nine months of year, the American Bankruptcy Institute reported today.

From joining walkathons to landscaping front yards for the disadvantaged, Michigan's Community Choice Credit Union has come up with a method of aiding local charities--the "Give Big Weekend."

The $705 million Financial Partners Credit Union of California announced Thursday it has formally merged the $12 million Santa Fe Springs City Employees CU in a transaction months in the making.

The $1.6 billion Westerra Credit Union and its Denver partner, Nice Enterprises Inc., have begun offering their two-year-old merger guide online, it was announced this week.

Pulling out all the stops, the credit union trades were in damage control mode all last week to tamp down public worries about credit union safety and soundness and a "credit union bailout,"

The $950 million Elevations Credit Union through its foundation announced Wednesday it has now distributed more than $81,000 to victims of a devastating Sept. 8 Boulder, Colo. Wildfire.

The decision-making process began in earnest last week among credit union managers and the leaders of state leagues on the next step in dealing with possible alternate vendors for wholesale services as a result of the corporate seizures.

The industry buzz about fallout from those "bailout" headlines showed no sign of a letup this week.