Bank failures reach 80 for the year

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators said four banks were closed this week, including the 20th bank closed this year in Georgia, which leads the nation in bank failures for 2011.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said the Piedmont Community Bank in Gray, Ga., has been closed by state regulators and State Bank & Trust Co., of Macon, Ga., will assume Piedmont's retail accounts.

The FDIC said the First State Bank of Cranford, N.J., also has been closed, making it the first New Jersey bank to fail in 2011. Northfield Bancorp Inc., of Staten Island, N.Y., would be taking over First State's accounts, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

In Illinois, Country Bank of Aledo was closed with Blackhawk Bank & Trust of Milan, Ill., assuming its deposits and buying $113.3 million of its assets.

Blue Ridge Savings Bank Inc. of Asheville, N.C., also failed this week, closed by the North Carolina Office of Commissioner of Banks.

Blue Ridge's deposits and most of its assets would be assumed by Bank of North Carolina, the Journal said.

The four banks push the nation's total for bank failures this year to 80.