PEORIA, Ill.-CEFCU, the state's second-largest credit union, will be paying members a $7 million dividend this year, up from last year's $6 million.

ABILENE, Texas-Abilene Teachers FCU broke ground on a two-story building here that will serve as new headquarters and a branch for the $270-million credit union. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. The estimated cost of the project is $4.5 million.

LOS ANGELES-A man rode up to the Southland CU across the street from the new Los Angeles Police Department headquarters on a mountain bike and robbed the branch, before making his getaway on the bike. The bandit did not show a weapon but passed the teller a demand note, police said. The suspect peddled away on Spring Street.

PASADENA, Calif.-Wescom Central CU, still struggling with the southern California recession, announced plans to shut eight more branches.

AMARILLO, Texas-A member service rep at Texas Plains FCU who walked into the Amarillo Police Department and gave herself up, confessed this week to stealing $221,000 from the credit union. Authorities said Shannon Layton admitted she stole the money from a vault and altered the money count and other records to conceal the theft. Layton, 32, who stole the money beginning in 2002 and continued until August of this year, told police she was overcome with remorse when she gave herself up. Sentencing has not been scheduled.

PALO ALTO, Calif.-A team of thieves stole the ATM from the lobby of Stanford FCU, the second cash machine stolen from the credit union in the past month.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA said last week the reserve ratio for the National CU Share Insurance Fund continued to fall again last month, even as the agency was collecting $720 million in a special NCUSIF premium assessment.

BOULDER, Colo.-Former IBM employees credit union Premier Members FCU has received regulatory approval to merge $71 million Colorado United CU into it. Denver-based Colorado United reported a $927,000 loss for the first three quarters, after a $700,000 net for 2008. Premier Members has $320 million in assets and reported a $3.5 million net for the first three quarters, even after a $400,000 charge for the corporate credit union bailout.

LEAGUE CITY, Texas-Amoco FCU dropped 40,000 pounds of snow at its Tuscan Lakes Branch, inviting more than 1,000 kids and adults to build snowmen, have snowball fights and otherwise just enjoy the wintry white stuff.

WASHINGTON-The Maryland and District of Columbia Credit Union Association's largest advertising campaign to date accomplished two important goals in 2009-spreading the word about credit unions and helping CUs understand the power of cooperative advertising.

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla.-Slowly but surely NCUA has been moving off its books hundreds of houses that it was forced to take title to here and in nearby Cape Coral.

APPLE VALLEY, Calif.-In early 2009, one group of plucky women became a story when they banded together after being let go as part of a cost-cutting move by High Desert FCU.

SEATTLE-The $8.7-million Express Credit CU made a radical change earlier this year in an effort to survive, and so far the move is paying off, according to its CEO.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-Economists appeared to be squarely on the mark about 2009 as they saw negative growth extended through the first two quarters and a slow return to positive numbers in the second half of the year, but other predictions were not so accurate.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-It took a century, but America's credit unions finally did more than just take off the gloves in demonstrating how they are different from banks-during 2009, they got creative, too.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-Remember those "experts" who told CUs too much capital was a bad thing?

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-"Early, proactive measures" taken by the Golden 1 prior to the recession have had a positive, "notable impact" on the ability of members to repay debts, according to CEO Teresa Halleck.

NORTH POLE, Alaska-This town is home, of course, to Santa, but his elves can also do business at a branch of Alaska USA CU.

MADISON, Wis.-For Dave Colby, chief economist for CUNA Mutual Group, one of the most important lessons credit unions learned from the recession has been this: "Fundamentals are fundamentals for a reason."

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-Credit unions were atwitter like never before in 2009, as social media became a prime focus for marketing and member outreach strategies.