The State Fire Marshal’s Office in Iowa has rescinded a burn ban for Taylor County. The ban was officially removed at 2-p.m. Thursday. The field and grass conditions in Taylor County no longer warrant a ban on outdoor burning. The ban was enacted on July 24th.  Burn bans remain in-place until further notice, for: Cass; Audubon; Pottawattamie; Mills; Montgomery; Fremont; Page; Madison; Crawford and Carroll Counties, in the KJAN listening area.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for October’s Harvest Fest, and putting out a call for entries into a barbequed ribs cookout contest. Harvest Fest takes place in downtown Atlantic, with the addition this year of a rib festival on Friday, October 12th.

The smell of barbequed spare ribs will permeate the air during this year’s Harvest Fest, in Atlantic!

The night will be filled with the aroma of hot ribs and sound of music, near the Rock Island Depot.

Registrations for rib cooking teams are being taken until noon on October 3rd. Forms can be found on AtlanticIowa.com or at the following sponsor locations: Atlantic Motor Supply (NAPA), Sears, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, Robinson’s True Value Hardware, and Connect-A-Dock. Competitors can choose to participate in one or several categories. A trophy will be awarded for people’s choice ribs, and cash prizes will be awarded for the top three places in beef brisket and pork butt. Chamber Director Megan Roberts says the event is non-sanctioned, meaning it’s “Perfect for those entry-level, backyard smokers or for those who have a few competitions under their belt.”  Roberts says “It’s a casual event, where bragging rights and a little cash go a long way.”

The new “ribtastic” event will be open to the public from 8 p.m. to midnight on October 12th, and there is no cover charge for the live music. Rib samples and a beer garden will be available. Organizers are encouraging football fans to come out after the game.

Meat smoking will continue throughout the night. Roberts says Saturday, October 13th will feature the same family-friendly activities as in past years and will conclude with a Harvest Feast comprised of the smoked pork butt and beef brisket entries, chips, and apple pie contest entries. The Atlantic Fireman’s Parade will process on Chestnut Street starting at 6 p.m.

Questions about Harvest Fest can be answered by calling the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at (712) 243-3017 or e-mailing chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met this (Friday) morning, to discuss, among other business, how they wish to proceed with plans for the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area, just north of the Atlantic City limits. Late last month, Kathy Schowalter with PlanScape Partners made a presentation to the Board on behalf of Ron Fagen, CEO of Granite Falls, Minnesota-based Fagen, Incorporated, with regard to the possible creation of a 25-million gallon Cellulosic ethanol plant.

Schowalter asked the Board to consider local assistance in the form of: a property tax exemption until production begins; 50% property tax exemption/rebate for ten years after production begins; and assistance with applications for State and Federal incentives.

Board Chair Duane McFadden told KJAN News no decision on the request was made during this (Friday) morning’s meeting, but the Board did discuss their concerns and other matters related to the property, and the next time Schowalter might appear before the board. He said the Board wanted to “Air out” between themselves what they want to do, and the consensus seemed to be that they would like to “Maintain going forward if there is someone who would purchase that site, to keep the development going on, and get the infrastructure built there and create jobs, for the best interest of the County.”

McFadden says CADCO Executive Director Russell Joyce will try and coordinate a time for Schowalter to reappear before the Board. Following Schowalter’s next appearance before the Board, a public hearing will take place on or about October 19^th. Afterward, it’s expected a motion on a proposal for the site will follow. McFadden says the Board is “pretty much united” in having something go forth at the site, given how fast the ethanol scene changes. And, he says Ron Fagen is probably the best qualified to take over the site. That’s because his company was the one who developed the site. He says Fagen probably has the most knowledge in how to use the infrastructure that’s currently in place, to its fullest potential.

Schowalter had said in August, that even with an agreement in-place, the permitting process would likely take up to a year once investors are secured, and construction on the plant itself would take 18-to 24-months.