Could the scourge of failing credit unions in the sand states be at last on the wane? Maybe, say those CEOs who've been in the trenches all year watching their brethren in Nevada,

The economic challenges facing the industry may be daunting but the Texas Credit Union League said its political action committee fundraising for 2009 hit record levels.

Operation Best Wishes, a campaign by military credit unions allowing families of the deployed to record videos for loved ones free of charge went into overdrive this week, concluding in Fort Drum, N.Y.

Despite Silver State Schools Credit Union's 2009 losses and low capital ratio, its board so far has not signaled any plans for an out-of-state merger, said a spokesman responding to Credit Union Times' query.

Nevada's largest credit union, the $883 million Silver State Schools of Las Vegas formally announced over the weekend the departure of President/CEO David Rhamy, who quit effective Friday.

FoolProof, the financial literacy advocacy project sponsored by credit unions, has joined nine national consumer organizations in filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against Facebook over privacy rules.

Stressing discussion is still "very much premature," the Virginia Bankers Association is exploring a bill in the next legislative session to allow banks to buy credit unions and vice versa.

Running counter to prevailing trends, the $1.4 billion Texas Dow Employees Credit Union detailed Thursday what it described as an "aggressive expansion and growth" plan encompassing five new branches in east Texas for 2010.