Thursday Morning Read: Remove swastika from city hall mural, candidate asks; UI grad students protest tax measure; defendant in rest stop killing asks to represent herself

TODAY'S WEATHER — Mostly sunny, a bit windy. High 49, low 25.

REMOVE SWASTIKA FROM CITY HALL MURAL, CANDIDATE ASKS — A Cedar Rapids City Council candidate says a swastika painted into a Native American scene in the Depression-era mural in the city's council chambers has no place in City Hall, despite its historic context in native culture. Read more: http://bit.ly/2iniz4u

UI GRAD STUDENTS PROTEST TAX MEASURE — Higher education-related provisions in the House version of a federal tax reform bill have incited student protests and prompted Iowa's public university presidents to co-pen a letter to the state's congressional delegation warning, 'We are deeply concerned.' Read more: http://bit.ly/2AmbHeG

DEFENDANT IN REST STOP KILLING ASKS TO REPRESENT HERSELF — A woman charged with killing a Monroe truck driver at an Interstate 80 rest stop near Victor in September will ask a judge this week to remove her public defender because she wants to represent herself at trial. Read more: http://bit.ly/2imW7IO

IOWA WOMEN FALL JUST SHORT OF BIG UPSET — If there was bitter postgame disappointment in the locker room, Chase Coley wasn't having it. 'These are the fun games. These are the games you want to play,' Coley said after 11th-ranked Florida State rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit and edged Iowa, 94-93, in a women's basketball Big Ten/ACC Challenge encounter before 4,202 Wednesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Read more: http://bit.ly/2jyB82f

QUOTABLE — 'He was the most amazing man I've ever known, the most giving and selfless person and genuine good person that I ever knew. He really focused on empowering people, building people up. He just wanted people to be the best that they could.' Josey Swanson, sister of Jake Swanson, a well-known local martial arts instructor who died this past weekend at age 37. Read more: http://bit.ly/2ilmdvQ