INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (KCRG) – An Independence man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for illegal possession of multiple firearms. In October 2023, Ian Jon Duffy was traffic stopped by law enforcement officers due to concerns over his wellbeing. At the time of the stop, Duffy was in possession of multiple loaded firearms. Duffy was previously convicted for domestic violence, prohibiting him from possessing any firearms. After the traffic stop, Duffy’s wife obtained a Glock firearm for him. He also possessed multiple firearms in his residence later on, one of which included a sawed-off shotgun that Duffy had modified by changing the grip. Duffy was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment and must serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH/KCRG) – A Cedar Rapids assisted living center has been fined $7,500 for a resident death that occurred six months ago. State inspectors report that on Aug. 24, 2024, a 94-year-old male resident of the Grand Living at Indian Creek assisted living center was found on the floor of his apartment, bleeding from a head wound. He was taken to an emergency room, where doctors closed the wound with nine staples in his head. After the resident returned to the facility, the staff was tasked with checking on him every 30 minutes. On the morning of Aug. 27, 2024, the man was found on the floor again, bleeding from a leg injury and complaining of hip pain. The floor was covered with feces and urine, inspectors reported. The caregiver who found the man later explained she had not checked on him for roughly two hours because she had been busy assisting other residents, inspectors alleged. The man died 48 hours later. In a separate incident reported by state inspectors, a 77-year-old male resident of the home lost his balance on Jan. 31, 2025, fell backward, struck his head on the floor and immediately become unresponsive. The man was transferred to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics with severe head injuries, fractured ribs, and fractured vertebrae. State records give no indication as to whether the man survived the fall. The two residents lived in the Grand Living at Indian Creek memory care unit that is designed for residents with dementia, according to state records.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Eastern Iowa Airport opened a new 30,000 square-foot expansion just in time for the busy spring break travel season. The extension, which is part of phase 4 of the terminal modernization project, opened on March 3. It added four new gates, which airport leaders say are being primarily used by Delta and United. The project started in 2014. A large patio between gates 12 and 14 will open in May. Airport Director Marty Lenss said this will be the first complete terminal modernization since it opened in 1986. It’s expected to be completed this fall. Some jet bridges will be closed while construction is underway. The cost of the four-phase project is estimated at $121 million. Lenss said no local tax dollars were used to pay for the project. Lenss said the project is about “future proofing” the airport. “This will set up the region for the next 30 years of continued growth,” he said.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – People walking or driving in the area of Ellis Harbor in Cedar Rapids are seeing thousands of dead fish. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the fish killed are American gizzard shad, which are a weaker fish. Chris Mack, a DNR spokesman, says the department was notified and investigated the fish kill on February 28. Mack says the fish started to repopulate when the weather warmed up over a week ago. Then, when the weather got cold again, it shocked their system and they died. He said there is no evidence that any chemical caused this fish kill. He says gizzard shad are a forage or prey fish that are native to the Cedar River. Other animals, like birds and turtles, eat them. He added that they don’t usually bite on fishhook bait, but they will cause more catfish to come close to the surface of the water. The spokesperson says this fish kill happens every year to gizzard shad, and they reproduce very quickly.
