Thanks to the Internet and the Iowa Attorney General's office, Iowans can read for themselves the charges filed recently against the former director of the Iowa Film Office and two Minnesota film producers in connection with state tax credits.

CLICK HERE to download the complaint filed Feb. 8 against former Iowa Film Office Director Thomas Wheeler.

March arrived like a lamb today with mild temperatures and no wind, rain or snow. Snowfall is more than 20 inches above "normal" this winter. And, with no January or February thaw, the area still has more than a foot of snow on the ground as of March 1. Not surprisingly, flooding along the Mississippi River is predicted this spring.

A new database web site from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a fast and easy-to-use source to obtain detailed information on local air and water emissions and local businesses and industries operating under EPA permits.

The site (http://www.epa.gov/myenvironment) can be searched by industries, types of emissions and EPA programs.

Bettendorf forward Morgan Lintz shoots a freethrow during the first half of Tuesday night's (2/23) playoff game against Linn-Mar. The Bulldogs' season ended with a 58-40 loss to the unbeaten and top-ranked Lions. The Bulldogs finished the season 18-5. Meanwhile, the Pleasant Valley girls basketball team punched its ticket for next week's state tournament with an overtime victory over Iowa City West, 65-55.

Relocation of River Gulf Grain from Davenport to Bettendorf's riverfront has moved a step closer with approval of the project's site development plan Feb. 17 by the city's planning and zoning commission.

The new Scott County Emergency Communications Center, a smaller residential tax assessment rollback by the state and more bonds (debt) to fix city streets will mean a property tax increase for Bettendorf residential property owners of more than 20 percent in the coming year.

Water monitors at three Duck Creek locations over a 5-year period show the stream is in nearly continuous violation of "E coli" bacteria standards, according to a draft Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) report released this month.

Fine particulate matter pollution in Iowa exceeded national air quality standards at 34 locations during 2009, including six instances in Muscatine, five in Davenport and five in Clinton.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 micograms or less) is a 24-hour average of no more than 35.4 micrograms per cubic meter. The NAAQS represents the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's best estimate of the threshold for adverse health effects.

The 34 exceedances statewide for PM 2.5 compares to 25 instances in 2008 and 44 in 2007.

The Bi-State Planning Commission is updating its long-range transportation plan for the Quad Cities region and you can add your comments to the process by filling out a survey form and emailing it to the agency.

Two public hearings already have been held, but comments will be accepted until May 30. Click here to download a transportation survey form.

In preparation for updating the long range Bi-State transit plan, the agency conducted a survey of residents last summer. Click to download the survey.

Because of high fine particulate pollution levels today (Feb. 5) in excess of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health thresholds, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is recommending Iowans with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

The EPA’s 24-hour health threshold for fine particles is 35 micrograms per cubic meter. As of noon Friday, fine particle levels averaged in the low 40s across Iowa, with readings of 44 in Davenport, 43 in Muscatine, 43 in Iowa City, 41 in Cedar Rapids and 43 in Des Moines.