The Des Moines Register (owned by Gannett, Inc.) has announced plans to begin charging for access to its online news site later this month.

The newspaper did not disclose how much it will charge for access, but print subscribers will receive full access to its online site, and non-subscribers will get a limited number of free articles each month before having to subscribe.

Lee Enterprises, owner of the Quad City Times and 48 other daily newspapers, reported a $26.5 million loss for its second quarter ended March 25.

The 54 cents per share loss reflects the company's $38.7 million expense from its recently completed bankruptcy reorganization and debt refinancing.

The loss would have been substantially higher if not for a $14.5 million income tax benefit recorded during the quarter. For the same quarter a year ago Lee reported a loss of 3 cents per share ($1.47 million).

Muscatine's Grain Processing Corporation -- already facing a civil lawsuit by the Iowa Attorney General on air and water pollution -- has been hit with a notice of violation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The notice sent to GPC Tuesday (March 27) alleges the corn processing facility with violating state air pollution laws over a four-year period, 2007 to 2011.

The top executive of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. (MEHC) was paid $9.9 million in 2011, while ex-chairman David Sokol will be receiving $1 million a year in retirement pay.

The information was disclosed in MEHC's 2011 annual report filed with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Feb. 27. MEHC is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, the Omaha-based conglomerate controlled by Warren Buffett.

A comprehensive study by the Pew Research Center found daily newspapers are losing $7 in print ad revenue for each $1 they gain in digital advertising income.

The study involving 38 newspapers from across the U.S. found that dailies of less than 25,000 circulation were losing print ad revenue at a slower rate, about one-third the rate than those papers with 50,000 subscribers or more.

Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. - owner of the riverboat casinos in Bettendorf and Davenport - reported a $1.2 million loss for its third quarter ended January 22.

The 3 cents per share loss was an improvement over the third quarter of 2010 when the firm incurred a $2.66 million loss, or an 8 cents per share decline.

A more than 2 percent decline in MidAmerican Energy's return on common equity in 2011 has prompted the utility to abandon a nearly decade-long rate deal and seek a two-year electric rate increase totaling $115 million.

The privately owned utility sent customers notices of the rate increase a week ago and MidAmerican is expected to file the rate case with the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) next week.

Bettendorf city officials say they see no reason to curtail an "aggressive" capital spending plan or reduce long-term debt because overall city property values continue to grow significantly from higher assessments and strong commercial and residential construction.

City Administrator Decker Ploehn told alderman at a recent budget session that "picking an arbitrary debt levy rate or debt margin to living within may not allow the growth needed to maintain or upgrade our existing infrastructure."

Two high visibility Bettendorf intersections -- 18th Street and Spruce Hills Drive and Middle and Belmont Roads -- would get major new commercial businesses under projects being reviewed by the city.

CVS pharmacy wants to build a new 13,000-square-foot store on the northwest corner of 18th and Spruce Hills and is seeking a special use permit for the drive-up window.

Calls to Iowa legislators by members of AARP Tuesday (1/31) apparently delayed the first vote on a controversial bill giving MidAmerican Energy authority to raise electric rates upfront to pay for construction of a nuclear power plant.

IowaPolitics.com reported Iowa members of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) flooded the state legislature with more than 1,500 calls opposing the bill now before the Iowa Senate Commerce Committee.