There's been no deal yet, but a dozen credit union groups, half from Colorado, may be bidding on the deeply troubled New Horizons Community Credit Union with a decision on a purchaser "weeks away," according to the state's top regulator.

Add the North Carolina Credit Union League to the list of CU bloggers.

The ratings numbers were not all in yet, but Indiana credit unions said they reaped plenty of positive response to Super Bowl ads and promotions as a result of the Indianapolis Colts' victory in Super Bowl XLI.

Saturation co-op advertising by credit unions gets a big boost late this month or in March when Washington State and Alaska CUs undertake a TV campaign featuring a whopping 40, 30-second advocacy messages a week.

Dealt a major regulatory setback in its bid to charter an industrial loan bank, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., insisted last week its application for deposit insurance remains unchanged adding, however, that its working relationship with credit unions remains positive.

With heightened opposition from the banking lobby and labor groups to Wal-Mart's entry into retail banking, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. appeared ready last week to extend its moratorium for another six months on the retailer as well as Home Depot stores from chartering industrial loan banks.

Indiana credit unions cashed in on Super Bowl hype savoring a big payoff in what one marketing executive here called "phenomenal ratings" for pre-game TV and radio ads as well as Internet tie-ins.

The two Tampa appointees to what is thought to be the lone credit union director's slot in the Federal Reserve System were speaking out last week on the need for a higher CU profile in the nation's central bank. "This is the best kept secret," declared Wendell "Bucky" Sebastian, president...