Progress in Tax Debate, an Oakdale Investigation, and Max Price of New Jail Makes Some Uneasy: Iowa City Daily Links, Feb. 14

Happy Love Day!

On to the Links.

From this Site

Devotay is of Iowa City Patch's Valentine's Day restaurant challenge. Stay tuned for future challenges to come.

Occupy Iowa City had their renewal permit at College Green Park denied yesterday. More coverage here, here, and here.

MidAmerican Energy customers could be paying more soon depending on .

We have a new feature up profiling local places of worship. This week's profile is on .

Meet , a black cat that was a social butterfly in a previous life. He's our featured pet this week in need of a good home.

In this week's Parent Talk, we're asking if this parent as right to .

From Other Sites

For Valentine's Day, Lee Hermiston of the Press-Citizen writes about local chocolatier Eric Bochner.

Tara Bannow of the Iowa City Press-Citizen writes that Johnson County released its five-year roads plan. The two main things that jumped out about the plan? Not enough money from states and feds, and fixing county bridges.

You know what would help get more money for a roads plan? The gas tax. Speaking of which, the gas tax continued its progress in the State House of Representatives, even as some raised objections to elements of it, writes Jason Noble of the Des Moines Register. On the other hand, some interest groups are voicing strong approval for the plan.

An internal investigation of an Oakdale Prison employee is underway, writes Vanessa Miller of the Gazette.

Bannow also reports that the new Johnson County Justice Center, up for vote this fall, could cost up to $55 million.

The infamous chair that Coach Fran McCaffery slammed during the Michigan State game was auctioned off Sunday.

The big tax fight this year, the commercial property tax reform bill, now at least has a starting point, writes James Q. Lynch of the Gazette.

Kristen East of the Daily Iowan has an interesting article about why the University of Iowa and UI Community Credit Union broke off their partnership.

A Coralville man allegedly made things worse for himself after fleeing from Hope House.

Iowa City Daily Links Excerpt of the Day

Over the next five years, Hills Bank will pay more than $613,000 for branch rental space at the IMU and UI Hospitals and Clinics, according to documents obtained by The Daily Iowan. In all, the contract will cost Hills Bank more than $1 million in exchange for special perks like marketing to students at orientation.

Jim Kelly, a credit-union senior vice president of marketing, said UI officials informed the credit union in July 2011 they would solicit proposals from other providers. The credit union gave the UI two optional two-year extensions, but university officials didn't want to pursue either of those options.