Iowa City Fire Department Continues to Investigate Jackson Avenue Fire: Iowa City Daily News Links, Jan. 24

When I woke up on Monday it was -2 degrees. When I woke up today it was 5 degrees. Progress!

On to the Links!

Mark Carlson of KCRG reports that authorities are still working on sussing out the cause of the devestating Jackson Avenue fire Tuesday evening. 

The defense in the Justin Marshall trial is claiming that the man who shot landlord John Versypt was Charles Thompson, the man whose trial the county prosecutor botched in 2011, reports Vanessa Miller of the Gazette.

Democratic lawmakers passed a 4 percent growth in school aid out of a senate committee for this coming budget year, but it remains to be seen what will happen to it as school boards start crafting their budgets. (Des Moines Register)

A new bill tightening teen driver rules in Iowa made it out of committee in the senate as well. (Des Moines Register)

57 percent of Iowans support an expansion of Medicaid, a poll shows. (Des Moines Register)

Shows to see this weekend from Jim Musser of the Press-Citizen, also the Press-Citizen's area events not to miss. 

City High's boys basketball has been struggling but their coach likes the progress he's seeing. (Press-Citizen)

Tara Bannow of the Press-Citizen writes that Iowa City was one of more than 1,000 beneficiary cities to receive rewards against a Swiss chemical company that was found guilty of polluting water supplies.

Daily Links Excerpt of the Day

Fire Marshal John Grier said the fire is believed to have started in one of two apartments attached to the back of the building. “That’s the way it’s looking right now,” Grier said. “But we still have some work to do.”

According to the Iowa City police activity log, the fire was originally reported as a “kitchen fire.” Grier said the initial report was made by a third party. Two people were inside one of the apartments when the fire started, both escaped safely.

Grier said the fire is one of the worst he’s seen in several years. “The conditions were bad,” he said. “This one was very tough for everyone.”

Featured Directory Listing of the Day: Iowa Gym Nest