WaMu, 'Magic' Open Miami Loan Centers

Washington Mutual, Seattle, has announced the grand opening of two home loan centers and a loan processing center in Miami, the latest phase in its joint commitment with former basketball great Earvin "Magic" Johnson to boost homeownership in underserved communities.The openings also mark the beginning in Miami of Solid Start, a free, four-part financial education and credit building program available in English and Spanish. WaMu said it has now opened 25 home loan centers in eight cities across the country in conjunction with Johnson Development Corp., of which Mr. Johnson is chairman and chief executive officer. Two more centers are scheduled to be opened this year, one more in Miami and one in Newark, N.J. WaMu can be found online at http://www.wamu.com.