WPPI Energy Establishes $10 Million RLF for Energy Saving Projects (Sun Prairie Star, WPPI Energy Press Release)

WPPI Energy has established a $10 million revolving loan fund to make zero-interest loans to help its members lead by example in the areas of energy efficiency, conservation and the use of renewable energy. The WPPI Energy Member Loan Program is designed to help members implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on utility and other municipally owned property, thereby lowering operating costs and meeting members' local energy needs with local renewable resources.

Typical projects will include:

• Building or equipment efficiency upgrades;
• Meeting U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards for building projects;
• LED street lights and traffic signals;
• Efficient fleet vehicles; and
• Photovoltaic solar panel systems.

Only projects involving property owned by WPPI Energy member utilities or municipalities may qualify. Eligible projects include those that will reduce local energy costs as well as those that visibly demonstrate developing or cutting-edge energy technologies.

In each member community, WPPI Energy will lend up to $500,000 at zero percent interest for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Each member borrowing under the program will make 120 equal monthly payments over 10 years. WPPI Energy Services representatives will help members identify qualifying projects and assist with the member loan application process.

The zero-interest, revolving loan program is designed to be used in conjunction with WPPI Energy's other incentive programs. WPPI Energy's member utilities have access to a variety of WPPI Energy conservation and efficiency programs and services, including project consulting and grant funding. Projects receiving loan funding also will be eligible for other WPPI Energy programs.

Click here for the full story posted by the Sun Prairie Star.

Click here for the press release from WPPI Energy.

Shoppers Tailgate Before Target Opening in Sun Prairie (NBC15.com, Sun Prairie Star)

Target Stores are bucking the bad economy and opening new locations across the country including bringing nearly 200 jobs to the Madison area. Sun Prairie's newest store is a prototype for the next generation of Target stores. As of 5:30 p.m. today, they're open for business!

Taking a cue from Badger Saturdays, a group of Sun Prairie mothers partied in the parking lot in anticipation.

Target had their ribbon cutting on Tuesday March 3rd, and will have its official grand opening on March 8th.

Again...the store is open for shopping so stop by and spend some money!

Read more about these Target Tailgaters at NBC15.com.

UPDATE: Click here for full coverage of the Target store opening in Sun Prairie from the Sun Prairie Star Online.

UPDATE: Click here for coverage from CNN.com on Target's 27 new openings across the U.S.

UPDATE: Click here for the full article at Channel3000.com.

UPDATE: Click here for the full articl at madison.com.

Coakley Brothers Unit Datastore Expands in Sun Prairie (Madison.com, Busines Journal of Milwaukee, Sun Prairie Star Online)

A Milwaukee-based company that stores and protects data has opened a new, 87,000-square foot facility in Sun Prairie while adding 10 new jobs here. Datastore, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coakley Bros. Co. of Milwaukee, has opened a newly constructed, 87,000-square-foot records and operations center in Sun Prairie. The facility is located in the Sun Prairie business park off of U.S. 151.

The building is specifically designed for housing vital information records and operations. It is located in the Sun Prairie Industrial Park and will allow Datastore to expand its services to the Madison area. The warehouse-like building provides security and fire protection. It allows customers to store boxes of paper records but also provides digital imaging services to convert conventional documents into electronic records. In addition, Datastore provides information destruction and shredding, along with content and document management services.

“As Datastore continues to expand both in regional coverage and in breadth of service offerings, we felt that we could elevate the standards for information services and facilities in the Madison market,” Mike Ball, president of Datastore, said in a press release. "As we continued to expand, we felt we could elevate the standards for information services and facilities in the Madison market."

Founded in Milwaukee in 1973, Datastore serves more than 500 customers in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. It has about 65 total employees.

Click here for the story at madison.com.

Click here for the story at bizjournals.com.

Click here for the story at sunprairiestaronline.com.

Sun Prairie Target Opens March 8th!

Finally. After the 8th of March, I won't have to answer one of my most often asked questions anymore. Residents have been waiting for this one a long time. Again...welcome them to Sun Prairie and shop there often. It will only help grow our Westside!

Sun Prairie's Target is located at the corner of Hoepker Road and Grand Avenue (County Hwy. C).

Sun Prairie's Comprehensive Computer Consulting Lands $1.8 million Federal Contract (Madison.com)

A Sun Prairie information technology firm has been awarded a five-year, $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Geological Survey to work on a new national data system. Comprehensive Computer Consulting Inc. will help build the national Biological Data Management System, which will provide centralized data management capability on stream ecology information.

Isthmus Review: Sun Prairie's Cannery Grill: Yes We Canned! (Isthmus.com)

Cannery Grill received a nice write up in Isthmus last week. Congratulations!

Click here for the full review at Isthmus.com.

Smells Like Money! Statz Farms Invests in Anaerobic Digester (madison.com)

The Statz Family is making good use out of the manure produced by their 2,000 cows. They have been constructing a state of the art digester that is now operational. They have begun to produce enough biogas to produce and sell electricity to Alliant Energy. This is a great example of how green technology is impacting the local economy.

Click here to read the full article at madison.com.