CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – A large fire burned at an apartment complex near Coral Ridge Mall Wednesday afternoon. The Coralville Fire Department received a call regarding the fire at 4:09 p.m. The fire burned on the second floor of the building, located in the 900 block of Boston Way. The Coralville fire department said 22 people are displaced from the building, and the Red Cross is helping them find shelter. Crews were called in to help from West Branch, Solon, Tiffin, and more. The fire department reported there are no injuries to residents of the building, but several pets died in the fire. Two firefighters had dry wall fall onto them, resulting in non-life threatening injuries. One firefighter was sent to the hospital, while the other stayed on the scene. The fire department stayed at the scene overnight investigating the cause of the fire, but the fire is not suspicious.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa WARN is reporting nearly 500 US Cellular employees will be laid off across the state. The layoffs are part of US Cellular’s nationwide layoffs announced Tuesday. A total of 4,100 layoffs are expected across the country. Iowa WARN reports nearly 300 of the layoffs are in eastern Iowa, including 214 in Cedar Rapids, 11 in Waterloo, and 8 in Cedar Falls. The layoffs are expected to begin in June. US Cellular said it is selling its operation to T-Mobile. In the notice released Tuesday, US Cellular said it is planning to offer jobs to “a majority” of the affected workers, with similar pay and benefits expected. The layoffs will also impact workers in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin, among other states.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – A Dubuque man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing meth and fentanyl pills. 45-year-old Dubuque resident Ian Bonnette pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in July 2024. Evidence provided at his sentencing hearing revealed that Bonnette also invited women over to his home and offered them free methamphetamine in exchange for sex. Many of the women Bonnette invited over were homeless or had limited resources. Bonnette used his financial position to take advantage of these women. Evidence also showed Bonnette threatened a woman with a knife, accusing her of owning drugs that were stolen from him. Bonnette was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison. He must also serve four years of supervised release following his imprisonment. There is no possibility for parole.
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – A man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison after firing a gun in a Dubuque neighborhood in April 2024. 30-year-old Dubuque resident Datreon Adams pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon in September 2024. Earlier that year, Adams drove through a Dubuque neighborhood, firing a gun. He did not hit anyone or anything while shooting the gun. Following the incident, Adams returned to a motel he was staying at. Officers found Adams’ gun in his motel room and determined that he was a felon. Adams now faces three years in federal prison. He must also serve two years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no possibility of parole in the federal system.
