CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A two-stall garage caught fire on Sunday evening in Linn County. At around 6:20 p.m., Linn County Sheriff Deputies, Linn County Sheriff’s Rescue, Monroe Fire, Palo Fire, Hiawatha Fire, Marion Fire, Center Point Fire, Alburnett Fire, Robins Fire, and Hiawatha Ambulance responded to a call of a structure fire on Toddville Road. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders noticed fire coming out of a detached two-stall garage. Fire crews quickly contained the fire, but the building suffered severe damage. No one was home when the fire started, and the fire did not spread to the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
CEDAR COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – Two people were injured after a crash in Cedar County early Sunday morning. Iowa State Patrol said an Audi A6 left the roadway around 1:30 Sunday morning and entered a parking lot. The car then hit a parked semitruck in the lot. The driver and the passenger were injured and were taken to a local hospital. The crash is under investigation.
MARION, Iowa (KCRG) – One person has been arrested after a stabbing in Marion early Saturday morning. Authorities said they received a call for a male subject who had been assaulted with a knife at 400 Lindale Drive #31 in Marion around 5:10 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found an injured male with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities said the suspect, 33-year-old Edwin Rolando Ortiz Arequipa, fled the scene before they arrived. He was later located and arrested. He is charged with willful injury causing serious injury. Police said they believe this incident to be a targeted assault with no continued threat to the community.
CORALVILLE, Iowa (KCRG) – The Historic Iowa River Power Restaurant in Coralville is being revived, with a twist. The building has sat empty and gutted for almost two years. Now Eastern Iowa native and University of Iowa alumni Mark Kaufman is bringing it back to life. “I think it’s something that not only the community will receive really well, but be excited about. And I’m committed to the investment this building needs to bring it back to what it could be,” Kaufman said. Kaufman knows how to build a successful business as the founder and CEO of Athletico Physical Therapy. He said he’s committed to keeping the Iowa River Power building’s history alive. “I mean, this place started in 1844 as a grain grist mill. So there’s been something here for that long. That’s before the University of Iowa even existed,” Kaufman said. While the restaurant only utilized the building’s first floor while it was open, Kaufman said he’s planning on opening it up even more. “We’re working carefully and urgently on the second and third floor, and even a fourth floor concept that we hope will include a rooftop patio that will oversee the Iowa River, which I think would be amazing,” he said. Kaufman will handle the renovations while an outside restaurant group will operate the new restaurant and choose its name. But Kauffman said the building will keep its Iowa River Power name. “I don’t think the Iowa River Power name will ever go away. And it shouldn’t,” he said. While it’s unclear when the building will be ready to reopen, Kaufman says more details will be revealed soon.
