New housing starts in Bettendorf were up 8 percent in the third quarter compared with 2011, while new construction home sales for the Iowa Quad Cities jumped 20 percent compared with the third quarter last year.

That's according to statistics compiled by Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors of Bettendorf in its quarterly market update.

Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Virginia McDowell could receive up to 857,143 shares of the company's stock if she's able to boost shareholder returns and the gambling firm's stock price over the next three years.

The restricted stock options would be worth more than $5 million at today's stock price of $6.08.

McDowell was awarded 545,455 in restricted stock options Oct. 24, according to the filing with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission.

The Rising Knights youth football program was told to look at reducing the number of teams using Bettendorf's Meier Park next season and to obtain a special event permit for any park use at least a month before the start of practice next year.

The directive by the Bettendorf Park Board at its September meeting came in response to neighborhood complaints about the three Rising Knights football teams using the park three and four times each week during the fall.

Residents will have a chance to meet and hear from candidates running for the two Iowa House seats in the November election at a forum Thursday, Oct. 18, hosted by the Iowa Quad City Rotary Club at the Bettendorf Public Library, 2900 Learning Campus Drive.

The forum begins at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Quad City Times Editorial Page Editor Mark Rudolfi. Democrat Maria Bribriesco, a retired attorney, is challenging Republican Linda Miller in House District 94. Republican Mark Nelson, a real estate appraiser, is running against incumbent Democrat Phyllis Thede, an employee of the Davenport School District.

MidAmerican Energy's two-year $115-million surcharge to recover added environmental and coal fuel costs has received approval from the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB).

Electric customers of the state's largest utility have been paying a portion of the higher rates since last March under an interim rate increase provided under IUB rules.

The settlement, issued Monday by the IUB, allows MidAmerican to collect $38.7 million in electric revenue in 2012, and $76 million in electric revenue in 2013.

A new Culver's Restaurant is coming soon to Bettendorf's Cumberland Square, Spruce Hills Drive and 18th Street.

The building at 2312 Spruce Hills Drive, next to Valley Bank, has been vacant for more than three years after the Fazoli's Italian Restaurant there closed.

The Quad City Times will begin charging for online content beginning September 20, a move expected since its parent company Lee Enterprises began switching to the paywall model at its other newspaper properties more than a year ago.

Unlimited online subscriptions to qctimes.com will be $5.95 per month, while current newspaper subscribers will pay $1.95 per month for unlimited access to the online site.

The Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. – owner of Bettendorf's riverboat casino – reported first quarter earnings of 17 cents per share, up from a loss of 6 cents per share for the same period a year ago.

Net revenues for the three-month period ended July 29 were $236 million, up nearly 4 percent from $228 million in revenue during the first quarter of 2011. Net income for the first quarter was $6.7 million, compared with a loss of $2.3 million a year ago.

Berkshire Hathaway's ownership of both MidAmerican Energy and BNSF Railway have complicated the examination of the utility's electric rate adjustment request before the Iowa Utilities Board.

One of the primary reasons for the two-year $115-million rate adjustment requested by MidAmerican is to offset anticipated increases in coal fuel and coal transportation expenses for its Iowa electric generating plants.

Bettendorf and Davenport would agree to make an estimated $160 million in sewer system upgrades over the next 20 years under a proposed consent order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

The agreement, currently under review by both cities, would address so-called sewage "bypass" flows at the Davenport treatment plant, which is one-quarter owned by Bettendorf.

During periods of heavy rain, water infiltrates sewer lines, creating flows which the plant can't handle and resulting in the dumping of partially treated sewage into the Mississippi River.