Teachers Ask for 7 Percent Hike, Tax Bills Pass Senate and House, High Density Apartments Could be Zoned Out: Iowa City Daily Links, Feb. 15

One and a half sunny days makes us lower our guard and then bam! Rain and snow tonight. But don't worry, there will be clear skies the rest of the week. So you think... (evil laughter)

On to the Links.

From this Site

Are you business? Have you claimed your Patch listing yet? why you should.

Republicans in the House were successful in passing yesterday, now it goes to the Senate. Democrats argued that the cuts would hurt school, city and county budgets too severely.

Occupy Iowa City had their renewal permit at College Green Park denied Monday. We have a asking if people agree with this or not.  

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 .

, our pet of the week, was adopted! Tune in this Saturday for another featured animal or check out and , who still need good homes.

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

From Other Sites

Josh O'Leary of the Iowa City Press-Citizen has a good profile up today about a former Iowa assistant basketball coach and his connection to the Tuskegee Airmen.

Alesha Crews of the Press-Citizen reports that the Iowa City teacher's union has proposed a 7 percent base salary raise to begin negotiations with the district.

Four Johnson County nonprofits may look to move under one roof, writes Tara Bannow of the Press-Citizen.

The Gazette and the Iowa City Press-Citizen are reporting that the city of Iowa City is going to be discussing changes to Zoning codes that will discourage the recent fad of high density apartments near the downtown.

Congrats to Lincoln chess!

President Barack Obama's student aid proposals get high marks from higher ed experts, writes Chastity Dillard of the Daily Iowan.

Tablet and smart phone use could eclipse laptop use for students soon, according to the University of Iowa.

With a commercial property tax bill passing the House yesterday, the Senate agreed unanimously to pass an Earned Income Tax credit boost. The bill has bipartisan support, but was vetoed two times by Gov. Terry Branstad last session, so stay tuned.

A bill requiring women seeking an abortion see an ultrasound of their unborn child and hear their heart beat cleared a House subcommittee and is heading to a committee for further consideration.

Catholic indignation about birth control requirements is not shared by Catholic students at the University of Iowa writes Beth Bratsos of the Daily Iowan.

It's Corridor Day today at the statehouse in Des Moines. Wait, are we still the Technology Corridor or is it the Creative Corridor now? I'm having a Corridor identity crisis.

Iowa City Daily Links Excerpt of the Day

Proposed zoning changes will include:

Cap the number of bedrooms allowed per multi-family dwelling unit at three and establish a maximum percentage of three-bedroom units allowed per lot within “university impacted zone” which will has yet to be defined but will most likely include older neighborhoods closest to University of Iowa campus and downtown.

Eliminating the option for more than three unrelated people in one dwelling unit.

Increase the parking requirement for three-bedroom multi-family units.