Sun Prairie Man's Bank Quip Earns Him Champion Liar Title (NY Times)

[Blogger's Note: Since Larry Lagro is from Sun Prairie, and his winning entry is about banks I say this qualifies as economic development news (or at least some fun PR). Congratulations Larry!]

A quip that pokes fun at struggling banks has been named the top tall tale of 2009. The Burlington Liars Club has bestowed its highest award for this line: ''I just realized how bad the economy really is. I recently bought a new toaster oven and as a complimentary gift, I was given a bank.''

The line gives Larry Legro of Sun Prairie the dubious -- but serious -- distinction of being this year's World Champion Liar. The 58-year-old health inspector says he's ecstatic.

A judge says Legro's lie won because it was both clever and topical.

The Liars Club began in 1929 after local journalists fabricated a story about a lying contest.

Click here for the article in the New York Times.

Click here for more information on this year's entries and the announcement of the winner from the Burlington Liars Club.

Click here to go to the home page of the Burlington Liars Club.

CTI Paper USA joins Chicago Climate Exchange (AmericanPrinter.com)

Sun Prairie's CTI Papers USA has joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a voluntary, legally binding integrated trading system to reduce all six greenhouse gases with offset projects worldwide. By joining the CCX, CTI will be able to meet its internal commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by offsetting 100% of the emissions associated with the production of its premium specialty papers, ASPIRE Petallics and Currency.

CCX Exchange Participants offset a prespecified number of tons of greenhouse gases associated with various activities, conferences, special events, or business activities, usually by offsetting electricity purchase or travel related to the activity.

Click here to read the full artcle at AmericanPrinter.com.

Click here for more information on the Chicago Climate Exchange.

Click here for more information about CTI Papers.

Royle Printing Awarded Prestigious Benny (Press Release)

Royle Printing in cooperation with MCD of Madison, Wisconsin was presented with the esteemed Benny – Best of Category for the Premier Print Awards.

This prestigious print competition held by Printing Industries of America has over 3,600 entries from printers around the world. The Benny was awarded for the submission of Flaunt Magazine 92 in the Magazines Category, Cover—Sheetfed: Interior—Web.

A board of high status judges reviewed the entries for the following characteristics:
• Even application of color
• Registration
• Degree of difficulty
• And the many variables that go into producing the final product

Click here to read the full press release from Royle Printing.

Click here for more information about Royle Printing.

Congratulations to all the employees at Royle Printing!

Cannery Grill Gets Positive Review (77 Square)

When the 6,100-square-foot bar and restaurant opened in July 2007, it got scant publicity in Madison. Yet, as I discovered recently, the Cannery deserves to be recognized for its food and its service.

Read the full review in 77 Square, the entertainment blog associated with Madison.com.

MATC Offers Busines Writing Course at Colonial Club (MATC Business Industry and Community Services)

Business Writing 1

In this class students will improve their skills in writing for a business setting. They will draft various correspondences such as letters, memos, and reports, learn to properly document telephone messages, and create meeting agendas. The final project will be to develop a presentation using graphics, pictures, clip art, etc., and present this to the class.

Class: #70311
Fees: $99.33
Days: W
Time: 6:00 PM-8:45 PM
Begins: 1/13
Ends: 2/24
Instructor: Staff
Location: Sun Prairie Colonial Club

Registration methods:

New students: Phone (608) 246-6240 or (608) 246-6210 or visit the Enrollment and Information Center at an MATC campus.

Returning students: Use either of the above methods OR phone the automated registration system at (608) 246-6220 OR register online... visit InsideMATC, login to your account, and use the Student Center to Add your 5-digit class number(s). First time InsideMATC users will need to activate their accounts.

For more information on Madison College training solutions or to discuss opportunities to offer customized training for businesses and organizations, please contact our Business, Industry and Community Services (BICS) department at customizedtraining@matcmadison.edu or call at 608-243-4479.

Predictions for Sun Prairie's Economy in 2010

While I carefully analyzed the Dane County Business Survey from this year to answer questions for Meghann Olson at the Star, I worked very hard to provide an objective commentary on how the questions in the survey reflected how Sun Prairie businesses would have answered. I pondered all sorts of scientific trends and correlations and emailed her some brilliant answers. Most of which didn't make the article. So much for the mumbo jumbo.

Meghann did however highlight my prognostications for Sun Prairie's economy in 2010 which I kind of threw in there for fun. Why not? If Jimmy can do the weather, I should be able to reasonably predict with some degree of accuracy what may happen in the world of development. Right?

Anyway...click here to read my predictions in the full article in the Sun Prairie Star.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays!

Council Approves Marcus Theatres Project in Under Two Months (Various)

[Blogger's Note: I'll let the news articles speak for themselves. We're very excited about the opportunity that the Marcus project brings to our community. It was fun to work on a project where the elected officials, staff, developer and the prospect we're all striving for the same goal. Now only if the economy will cooperate and help us get that building permit issued...]

Council gives final approval to Marcus plan (Sun Prairie Star)
http://www.sunprairiestaronline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=4416

Marcus Picks Sun Prairie Over Madison For New Theater (Channel3000.com)
http://www.channel3000.com/money/21988385/detail.html

Marcus theater project heading to Sun Prairie (The Daily Reporter)
http://dailyreporter.com/blog/2009/12/16/marcus-theater-project-heading-to-sun-prairie/

Sun Prairie council approves 16-screen theater project (Madison.com)
http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/article_c158f6d4-ea81-11de-9a48-001cc4c03286.html

Marcus Theatres project gets green light in Sun Prairie (WKOW 27)
http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11684376

Sun Prairie council approves new Marcus cinema (MSN.com)
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=ACBJ&date=20091216&id=10893936

Sun Prairie council approves new Marcus cinema (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/12/14/daily45.html

Madison leaders lament project losses (The Daily Reporter)
http://dailyreporter.com/blog/2009/12/17/madison-leaders-lament-project-losses/