The holidays have come and gone and the hectic shopping for last-minute gifts is a thing of the past. That means our Holiday Debit Card campaign has also come to an end and it’s time to announce the winners!

Astra Bank has been a proud part of the Plainville community for more than four years. With the upcoming acquisition of Midwest Community Bank, they will continue to provide a positive banking experience in a new location. Astra Bank will relocate from their West Mill location to the current location of Midwest Community Bank, 201 S. Main. Their first day of operation will coincide with the acquisition of Midwest Community Bank by Astra Bank on Monday, March 6.

Every year, millions of consumers fall victim to cybercrime. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center consumers lost more than $1 billion from scams initiated through the web in 2015. In recognition of Safer Internet Day on Feb. 7, we wanted to share seven tips to help consumers guard against online threats and maintain a safe and secure web environment.

Astra Bank is pleased to announce that Brendon Gross, Loan Officer, has been promoted to AVP Loan Officer and Market President for our Plainville location. Brendon has worked at Astra Bank as a Loan Officer since March of 2013. Prior to joining the Astra Bank team, Brendon worked at First National Bank in Goodland as a Loan Officer for three years. When presented with an opportunity to join the Astra Bank team, he was very excited about coming “back home” and working in the community where he grew up.

With the holidays right around the corner, the staff at the Belleville branch for Astra Bank decided to have some fun and ran an “ugly sweater” contest for their office. Starting on Wednesday the 21^st, Astra Bank-ers broke out their finest holiday attire and our customers were invited to cast their votes until Friday the 23^rd.