Prospects for an ethanol plant project in Atlantic may be renewed thanks to a client of PlanScape Partners in Clear Lake, who is interested in building a 25-million gallon second-generation ethanol production facility in the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area.

Kathy Schowalter with PlanScape Partners explains the Cellulosic Ethanol plant project proposal.

Kathy Schowalter of PlanScape Partners made a presentation Friday morning to the Cass County Board of Supervisors on behalf of Ron Fagen, CEO of Granite Falls, Minnesota-based Fagen, Incorporated, for a Cellulosic ethanol plant.

Schowalter said no commercial cellulosic ethanol plants currently exist anywhere in the country, and there are only a trio of smaller projects in the works. If a cellulosic ethanol plant is eventually built in Atlantic, it would using corn stover. The by-poducts would be Lignin, which is a corn starch, and of course, ethanol. Schowalter says the end product is a clean-burning, high-octane fuel. She said stover for the plant would be collected from suppliers in a 50-to75-mile radius of Atlantic, and it would also be a boon to Cass County by bringing in younger workers, more families and quality jobs, and extra revenue for farmers.

Schowalter says it needs 350,000 tons of corn stover. It will cost about $250-million dollars to build, and create a conservative $25-million in new property tax revenue. She says the plant could also create some spin-off industries and make a positive impact on current businesses. It could employ 40 to 45-people, with a payroll of $1.8-million. Schowalter said in order for the project to be competitive with State and Federal incentives given to other ethanol plant projects…the funds for which she says are drying-up…there has to be a local contract for assistance.

Schowalter asked the Board of Supervisors 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. Even with an agreement in-place, the permitting process she says will take up to a year once investors are secured, construction on the plant itself would take 18-to 24-months. The Board took the proposal under advisement, and will render a decision by October 10th.

Class 3-A District 1               

• Atlantic 25, Carroll 20
• ADM 48, Winterset 20
• Creston 49, Clarinda 7
• Thomas Jefferson 28, Glenwood 26
• Harlan 21, Abraham Lincoln 7
• Lewis Central 48, St. Albert 0
• Boone 40,  Perry 14

Class 3-A District 2

• Kuemper Catholic 45, Denison 6

Class 2-A District 8      

• East Mills 42, Clarinda Academy 0
• Treynor 12, Red Oak 8
• Riverside 12, Shenandoah 6

Class 1-A District 2

• IKM/Manning 26, Logan-Magnolia 7

Class 1-A District 8

• West Marshall 33, Panorama 18
• Tri-Center 49, Underwood 9

Class A District 7

• Mount Ayr 41, bedford 14
• Woodward-Granger 35, DM Christian 6
• West Central Valley 34, Earlham 21
• Ogden 37, Guthrie Center 6
• Madrid 24, Van Meter 19
• Martensdale-St. Marys 46, Pleasantville 14
• South Hamilton 52, Woodward Academy 12

Class A District 8 

• A-H-S-T 36, Audubon 20
• East Mills 42, Clarinda Academy 0
• Griswold 7, Nodaway Valley 3

8-Man District 6

• *Adair-Casey 62, east Union 20
• *Murray 90,  Ankeny Christian 12
• Colo-Nesco 46, NE Hamilton 22

8-Man District 7

• River Valley 54, Ar-We-Va 19
•  Glidden-Ralston 58, Boyer Valley 24
• *Coon Rapids-Bayard 53, Heartland Christian 24
• Exira/EHK 27, Woodbine 19

8-Man District 8

• *CAM 50, Nishnabotna 14
• *Essex 47, Corning 36
• Fremont-Mills 62, Whiting 12
• *Lenox 56, Stanton 18
• *Sidney 64,  Villisca 20

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) say unseasonably warm weather and water temperatures have prompted concerns about microcystin, a product of blue-green algae. There are currently advisories for total microcystins for the beaches on Big Creek Lake near Saylorville, Green Valley Lake north of Creston, and Rock Creek Lake near Kellogg.  Blue-green algae can grow quickly and become very abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed surface water that receives a lot of sunlight – conditions that have been prevalent throughout the state this summer. Because the conditions are conducive to blue-green algae growth, people and pets should not be in contact with water that has a poor appearance.

The appearance can be a pea-green or blue-green color, but also a reddish-brown. It may appear with scum, foam or as a thick mat on the water surface. Blue-green algae can grow quickly and become very abundant in warm, shallow, undisturbed surface water that receives a lot of sunlight. The main risk to humans from microcystin is skin irritations and rashes, but if the water is swallowed or airborne droplets are inhaled during swimming, bathing or showering, symptoms could be worse. Those would include headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, seizures, liver injury and respiratory problems.

Precautions that should be taken to prevent health-related problems due to harmful algal blooms include:  Don’t swim, water ski or boat in areas where the water is discolored or if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water;  If you come in contact with water that might have a harmful algal bloom, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible; Don’t let pets or livestock swim in or drink from areas where water is discolored, of if there is foam, scum or mats of algae on the water; Don’t let pets (especially dogs) lick the algae off their fur after swimming in scummy water; Don’t irrigate lawns or golf courses with pond water that looks scummy or has a bad odor; Don’t drink the water. Boiling the water will not make it safe to drink.

Weekly pick ’em show for week 2 of the high school football season.

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Jim Field speaks with Atlantic Football Coach Nick Ross about the Trojans matchup at Carroll.

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The Iowa State Patrol has identified the victim of a fiery crash Friday morning on Interstate 80 in Cass County. Officials say 81-year old Joseph E. Moorman, of Omaha, died after the 2012 Ford Expedition he was driving on I-80 eastbound,crashed into burned at around 10:05-a.m.  The SUV left the road at the 72-mile marker, entered the median and continued east in the median before leaving the median and launching into the east embankment at 770th, under the overpass. The vehicle burst into flames after coming to rest upright. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

September 1st:

• Linda Graham of Wiota (Winner)
• Jessica Freund

September 2nd:

• Bonnie Bruner of Atlantic (Winner)

September 3rd:

• no birthdays

September 4th:

• Barb Humphrey of Atlantic (Winner)
• Darlene Planck of Atlantic
• Bernice Robinson of Exira
• Kathie Mailander of Witoa

September 5th:

• Ruby Towne of Griswold (Winner)
• Grace Christensen of Audubon
• Larie Erickson of Cumberland
• Jane Jensen of Urbandale
• Sue Muri of Atlantic
• Sharon Ludington of Atlantic

September 6th:

• Pam Curtis of Cumberland (Winner)
• Becca Denney of Anita

September 7th:

• Heater Waters of Atlantic (Winner)

September 8th:

• Sue Hoegh of Atlantic (Winner)
• Doris Evansof Elliott

September 9th:

• Tammy DeBord of Atlantic (Winner)

September 10th:

• Sherrill Clausen of Atlantic (Winner)
• Pam Smith of Harlan
• Marsha Prigge of Audubon
• Mickey Sybert of Atlantic

September 11th:

• Jean Hall of Fontanelle (Winner)
• LaVon Eblen of Atlantic
• Mary Jean Krummel

September 12th:

• Diana Munch of Exira (Winner)
• Ranae Schlater

September 13th:

• Clara Schmidt of Harlan (Winner)
• Ingra Henry
• Charlotte Smetana of Exira
• Bev Bennett of Atlantic
• Holden Jesen of Atlantic
• Audrey Nielsen of Lewis

September 14th:

• Gina Benton of Exira (Winner)
• Ronda Harry of Atlantic

September 15th:

• Matt Immel of Exira (Winner)
• Richard Hays of Adair
• Lyle Weber of Anita
• Danny Thompson of Exira
• Carolyn Kelly of Wiota
• Brooklyn Fiebelkorn of Exira

September 16th:

• Marlene Christensen of Elk Horn (Winner)
• Laura Wright of Atlantic
• Marcella Gaines of Atlantic
• Ron Kelly of Wiota
• Virginia Farley of Atlantic

September 17th:

• Amy Beschorner of Wiota (Winner)
• Tammy Schulz of Elk Horn

September 18th:

• Lilly Peterson of Adair (Winner)
• Dean Finkenof Atlantic
• Sally Fischer of Atlantic
• Stacey Armstrong of Crescent

September 19th:

• Kayla Nielsen of Atlantic (Winner)
• Cassidy Jensen of Exira
• Jessie Larsen of Kimballton
• Pam Pauker of Elk Horn
• Charlie Griffen of Atlantic

September 20th:

• Carol Schwarte of Atlantic (Winner)

September 21st:

• Erma Lange of Atlantic (Winner)
• Denise Kilworth of Exira

September 22nd:

• no birthdays

September 23rd:

• Rosie Hansen of Atlantic (Winner)
• Arlene Rainey of Atlantic
• Jessica Juelsgaard of Kimballton

September 24th:

• Jane Hoochins of Exira (Winner)
• Peter Schwab of Audubon

September 25th:

• Chelsea Hardisty of Cumberland (Winner)
• Maggie Wahlert of Exira
• Rosie Williams of Atlantic
• Amy Ostrus
• Jason Ostrus of Council Bluffs

September 26th:

• Val Hatcher of Atlantic (Winner)
• Thelma Fahle of Council Bluffs
• Emmery Chistoffersen of Kimballton
• Nick Knudsen of Atlantic

September 27th:

• Marge Turner of Atlantic (Winner)
• Bernice Matthews of Atlantic
• Mary Davis of Atlantic
• Justin Larsen of Kimballton

September 28th:

• Shelly Petersen of Exira (Winner)
• Jeff Munch of Exira
• Tracy Shriver of Atlantic
• Annabelle Lange of Atlantic
• Don Gerving
• Roxy Davis of Atlantic
• Colleen Hamilton of Atlantic
• Heen Pont of Griswod

September 29th:

• Shaley Winther of Anita (Winner)
• Jon Mosier of Lewis
• Dan Fauble of Exira

September 30th:

• Cindy Koll of Atlantic (Winner)
• Hannah Jessen of Exira

The hot and dry conditions at harvest time make for quick and explosive field fires. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees says anyone using farm equipment, ATV’s and other such off-road and/or in the field type of machines, to have a fire extinguisher handy at all times. McNees says keeping your combines and other such equipment clean, is also very important to preventing field fires, along with being aware of your surroundings. Thursday morning, a hot bearing on a hay bailer caused a field fire south of Wiota. No injuries were reported.