A lone white egret enjoys the Mississippi Riverfront near Lindsay Park, Davenport.

Take the broadband quiz and win a cupie doll

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 22:07   by Editor

What's with all the political hot air about broadband service in Iowa?

Even before President Obama visited Cedar Falls to talk about lack of competition among providers of broadband service, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and state legislators were pointing to expanding broadband to rural areas as an important issue to tackle in this year's legislative session.

Never mind that no one agrees on what "broadband" means. 

So in the interest of educating voters above age 25, here is today's "broadband" quiz:

Iowa greenhouse gas emissions declined in 2013; reflects lower production from coal power plants

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 22:04   by Editor
Greenhouse gas emissions in Iowa declined in 2013, thanks primarily to a decline in electric power plant production and greater use of wind power, according to a recently released report by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
 

Emails indicate bias by state ag department in inspections of troubled eastern Iowa zoo

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 22:01   by Editor

The two Iowa agriculture department employees primarily responsible for inspecting the troubled Cricket Hollow Zoo have been critical – in emails to superiors and on social media sites – of citizens filing animal welfare complaints against the facility near Manchester.

Exceedances of air quality standards in Iowa up in 2014; majority at Muscatine monitors

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 01:35   by Editor

Iowa air monitors recorded 91 exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards during 2014, with the vast majority (71) occurring at three locations in Muscatine.

Of the 76 exceedances of sulfur dioxide standards in the state, 66 were recorded in Muscatine at the Musser Park, Greenwood Cemetery and Muscatine High School air monitoring stations. Of the 15 exceedances of fine particulate matter (less than 2.5 microns) statewide, five occurred at Muscatine monitors.

City riverfront: salt dome or condos?

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 01:32   by Editor

The recently unveiled Bettendorf comprehensive plan painted a rosy future image of the city's riverfront highlighting possible locations for high-rise condominiums on city land adjacent to Leach Park.

However, just weeks later, the city council is considering a decidedly different development opportunity for the old lime pile property: a road salt storage dome.

Federal, state inspectors paint opposite views of animal welfare at troubled eastern Iowa zoo

on Tue, 01/27/2015 - 01:31   by Editor
Animal welfare inspections by state and federal agriculture officials of Cricket Hollow Zoo paint almost opposite images of the troubled facility near Manchester, Iowa.
 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors have cited the small rural zoo for repeated major and minor infractions of animal welfare regulations dating back to 2011, but Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship inspectors speak glowingly of the facility in emails and reports obtained in a Freedom-Of-Information request by bettendorf.com.
 

City debt tops $132-million as city council begins developing next capital spending plan

on Mon, 01/26/2015 - 23:56   by Editor
Bettendorf aldermen will begin discussing next year's capital spending plan later this month after closing the books on the past fiscal year with a mountain of debt – $132.2 million to be precise.

Used car dealer seeks city funds; has yet to complete landscape plan for high profile location

on Mon, 01/26/2015 - 23:33   by Editor
A used car dealer – forced to relocate because of the Interstate 74 bridge project – is seeking $15,000 from the city even though his business has yet to complete any of the promised landscaping of his highly visible new location on the east entrance to downtown Bettendorf.
 

Municipal odds and ends. . .

on Mon, 01/26/2015 - 23:17   by Editor
Bettendorf City Council members and city staff met recently to set goals for the coming year, but you won't find any information online about the sessions.
 

Riverdale initiates first TIF district to collect $16,700 from ALCOA and other firms in new urban renewal area along State Street

on Mon, 01/26/2015 - 23:16   by Editor
Riverdale's first Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district – aimed at diverting future property taxes that its largest taxpayer ALCOA would normally pay to Pleasant Valley schools and county government – will be set up before the end of the year to help fund municipal improvements of the 400-resident village.
 

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