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.

February 1, 2010 by ggackle

Bettendorf alderman Greg Adamson spent just over $6,900 on his 4th Ward election campaign last fall to unseat incumbent Patricia Malinee, according to his state campaign report filed January 17.

The amount spent on the 4th Ward contest is believed to be a record for an aldermanic contest in the city.

The only thing I remember, well the first thing that comes to mind I guess, about Mrs. Nichol's sixth grade music class is the way she'd draw a circle on the blackboard and make me stand there with my nose in it for most of the period. I mean who cared about Saint Saens, whole notes, or the fact Anton Dvorak had actually been in Iowa?

January 21, 2010 by editor

The Davenport Cement Plant near Buffalo is one of 13 Lafarge North America facilities nationwide that will be required to upgrade its air pollution control equipment under an agreement reached with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The consent decree announced Thursday (January 21) by the EPA requires the Davenport facility to install a dry absorbent addition (DAA) system to lower sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from its cement kiln.

Sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory illnesses particularly in at-risk populations including children, the elderly and asthmatics. The primary sources of SO2 emissions are fossil fuel combustion at power plants (66 percent) and other industrial facilities (29 percent), according to the EPA.