Associated Bank to back Packers’ literacy foundation

Associated Bank will announce today details of a program to benefit Green Bay Packers player Mark Tauscher’s foundation to support child literacy.

Tauscher will announce the creation of Tauscher’s Reading Initiative For Every Child to Achieve, which will contribute $10,000 to Milwaukee Public Schools, with more donations to other school districts to follow.

Associated Bank will donate $10 for every Packers checking account opened from today until Jan. 31 to Tauscher’s foundation. The bank will contribute at least $50,000. A news conference will be at 1 p.m. in the library of Twenty-First Street School, 2121 W. Hadley St., Milwaukee.

— Press-Gazette

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.