Most Bettendorf residents have never driven along Devils Glen Road, north of Interstate 80, where it crosses Spencer Creek.

Devils Glen Road south of I-80 is one of the main north-south city thoroughfares with heavy traffic, but the Devils Glen north of the interstate is a gravel and asphalt road serving three farm homes. It connects with Utica Ridge on the east and to 215th Street on the north.

At least it used to connect to those streets.

After an inspection more than a year ago, the city closed the Spencer Creek bridge because of its deteriorated condition.

Lee Enterprises, Inc. – owner of the Quad City Times – reported first quarter earnings Thursday (2/5) of $10 million, down more than 17 percent for the same three months a year ago.

Revenue for the period declined less than 1 percent to $176 million, but operating expenses increased nearly 2 percent and interest expenses and debt financing costs were up 1.3 percent for the three-month period ended Dec. 28, 2014.

An animal rights group has taken its efforts to close the troubled Cricket Hollow Zoo near Manchester, Iowa to the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

In their lawsuit filed last fall, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Tracey Kuehl, of Davenport, and Lisa Kuehl of Des Moines, argue the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a "pattern and practice of rubber-stamping the renewal of the zoo's AWA (Animal Welfare Act) license each year, despite the zoo's serious and flagrant violations of applicable AWA standards. . ."

A key legal hurdle is whether the USDA can grant renewal of Cricket Hollow's license without determining if the facility is in compliance with USDA regulations. USDA attorneys have asked the court to dismiss the case. The two sides have been given until March 12 to file arguments for and in opposition to the USDA motion to dismiss.

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).

The IDNR greenhouse gas inventory issued Dec. 29 reported total emissions were 130.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, down a half percent from 2012 levels and 6.78 percent below the statewide greenhouse gas emission peak recorded in 2007.

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.

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.

State inspectors of the facility also refer with contempt to citizens who have reported bad conditions at the zoo, calling them "the complaint crowd," and suggesting to superiors they would file complaints even if none existed.

Lee Enterprises – owner of the Quad City Times and 45 other daily newspapers – posted a $3.2-million profit in its fourth quarter ended Sept. 28, and finished its fiscal year in the black for the first time since 2010.

The Davenport-based company posted a $7.7 million profit – 6 cents per share – for the 2014 fiscal year. That compares with a loss of $1.71 per share for fiscal 2013 when the firm recorded a $171-million impairment charge. For fiscal 2012, the company reported a loss of 6 cents per share.

Lee Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Junck noted the company reduced its debt by $10.3 million during the fourth quarter. As of Sept. 28, Lee's debt was $804.7 million, down nearly $43 million from a year ago.

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.

Riverdale officials have asked the Scott County Auditor to establish a TIF district that will generate $16,700 in "incremental" taxes from the recently established Urban Renewal Area along State Street, which includes the sprawling ALCOA aluminum rolling mill with an assessed value of more than $40 million.

Based on the current tax levy rates, the new TIF will mean Riverdale will receive approximately $7,100 which would otherwise go to the Pleasant Valley School District and about $3,000 which would have been paid Scott County. Riverdale's portion, based on its own tax levy, would be approximately $6,000. Incremental property taxes due the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency and assessor's office also would be paid to the village.