SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Transportation Commission has voted to direct $286.4 million to finish expanding U.S. Highway 20 to four lanes in northwestern Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reports the commission voted for the fiscal year 2016-2020 plan at their monthly meeting on Tuesday. The expansion will happen on stretches of the highway in Woodbury, Ida and Sac counties.

The work includes $68.3 million for 12 miles in Woodbury County to be done by 2018, $138.1 million for 17 miles in Ida County for 2016 and $80 million for 11 miles in Sac County in 2017. Highway 20 Association President Shirley Phillips said the improvements will boost economic development and improve safety.

The Urbandale Police Department has cancelled an Iowa Amber Alert that was issued early this (Wednesday) morning. 

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Shortly after issuing the Alert concerning 9-month old Logan Habibovic, of Urbandale, and his father – 33-year old Elvis Habibovic, who was the suspect, Urbandale Police were contacted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol regarding the Alert. On Tuesday evening Missouri authorities located a burned vehicle in a conservation area in Harrison County Missouri. This vehicle matched the description of the one issued in the alert. Missouri authorities state the remains of an adult and infant were located within the vehicle.

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The Urbandale Police & Missouri State Highway Patrol believe this vehicle and remains are those sought in the Amber Alert. The Urbandale Police Department is continuing to work with Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators to make positive identifications.

An Iowa-based convenience store chain Tuesday, reported a record fiscal year. Bill Walljasper, C-F-O of Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores, says diluted earnings were $4.62 per share in fiscal year 2015, up from $3.62 one year ago. Walljasper said strong fuel sales were one reason for the positive report. “During the fourth quarter, we experienced a favorable fuel environment that caused the margin to rise above our annual goal to 16.9 cents per gallon, compared to 13.1 cents per gallon in the same period a year ago,” Walljasper said.

Motorists who bought gas at Casey’s paid an average of $2.27 a gallon during the company’s fourth quarter. That compared to $3.39 a gallon one year ago. Grocery and merchandise sales in Casey’s stores amounted to $436.6 million in the fourth quarter. “We experienced double-digit total sales growth in nearly every major area of this category, including cigarettes,” Walljasper said.

Casey’s also recorded record earnings in the fourth quarter in the category of prepared food and fountain drinks. “Total sales were up 19.5 percent to $194.7 million for the quarter,” Walljasper said. Casey’s gross profit for the fiscal year that ended April 30th was just over $1.4 billion. The Ankeny-based company is listed 382nd on the most recent Fortune 500 list. That’s up from 389 last year.

Casey’s General Stores will be growing even bigger in the coming year. Bill Walljasper revealed Tuesday that the company plans to build or acquire between 75 and 113 stores in fiscal year 2016. “In addition to these goals, we plan to replace 10 stores and complete 100 major remodels,” Walljasper said. The company currently operates 1,878 stores — mostly around the Midwest. Over the 12 months that ended April 30th, the company acquired 36 stores and opened 45 new stores. Around 100 Casey’s stores will be moved to a 24-hour format in the coming year, according to Walljasper.

“We converted 110 stores to this format in fiscal 2015, bringing our total to about 850 of our stores now open 24-hours,” Walljasper said. In addition to being the 10th largest convenience store chain in the country, Casey’s is the 5th largest pizza chain. In recent years, the company has started offering pizza delivery from stores in larger cities. “Our plan in fiscal 2016 is to convert about 100 more stores to the pizza delivery format,” Walljasper said. “We typically experience a 25-to-30 percent increase in prepared food sales upon the roll-out of a pizza delivery program to a store.”

Casey’s was founded in 1968 and became a publicly traded company in 1983.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

(IOWA) — Police have issued an AMBER Alert for a nine-month-old boy, who was abducted in Urbandale. Logan Habibovic is described as approximately two feet tall, with blond hair and hazel eyes.  He was wearing a light colored onesie when he was taken. The suspect, the boy’s father Elvis Habibovic, is driving a black 2003 Land Rover Discovery with the Iowa license plate DBG536.  He is possibly heading to Florida.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have called off the search for a man who witnesses say yelled for help in the Des Moines River. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says search and rescue crews ended their work Tuesday afternoon following an extensive search of the river. Searchers in boats were deployed with sonar equipment in the morning just south of Interstate 80 on the northwest side of Des Moines. Authorities responded Monday night to reports from witnesses who say a distressed man was in the river.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The city of Cedar Rapids plans to challenge orders by Iowa’s transportation department to stop using certain traffic enforcement cameras. The Cedar Rapids City Council voted in favor of asking a district court to overturn the recent decision by the state Department of Transportation. It’s unclear when a court may take up the issue.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials are investigating the cause of a small train derailment in northern Iowa. Union Pacific Railroad officials say two locomotives were being moved within a closed storage area in Mason City when they tipped off a track early Tuesday. No injuries were reported. It’s unclear what caused the derailment.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a Marion couple have pleaded guilty to enticing a 15-year-old girl into sexual activity. Sentencing hearings have not been set yet for 20-year-old Michael Darling and his wife, 27-year-old Jennifer Darling. Prosecutors say Michael Darling admitted that, between January and March, he persuaded the girl to engage in sexual activity. Prosecutors also say Jennifer Darling admitted enticing the same girl to engage in sexual activity, over the same weeks.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man has died after being shot by Des Moines police following a vehicle chase. The Des Moines Register reports the incident happened late Tuesday. Sgt. Jason Halifax said that an officer had pulled over a car for an unrelated traffic stop when another vehicle pulled up alongside so close that the officer couldn’t open the door. Halifax said the driver of that car got out and danced before driving off.

Authorities say the driver did a U-turn after a low-speed pursuit and stopped abruptly. Halifax said the driver got out and began to move toward another officer who had just arrived. The officer opened fire and shot the driver in the torso. The driver was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Halifax said he did not know if the driver was armed.

UPDATE: Alert cancelled 5:41-a.m. – vehicle and occupants located. No other details immediately available.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety has issued an AMBER ALERT for the abduction of a white male, 9-month old Logan Habibovic, from Urbandale.

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The suspect in the abduction is a white male, 33-year old Elvis Habibovic. The incident occurred at around 11-p.m. Tuesday. The suspect and child are believed to be traveling in a black 2003 Land Rover Discovery SUV, bearing Iowa license plate number DBG 536. The vehicle may be enroute to Florida.

Land Rover Discovery

Logan has blonde hair and hazel eyes. He is about 2-feet tall and weighs about 18-pounds. He was last seen wearing a light colored onesie. Elvis Habibovic has black hair, brown eyes, weighs 180 pounds and stands 6-feet tall. He was last seen wearing a t-shirt. No other clothing information was immediately available. The Amber Alert was issued at 2:09-a.m. Wednesday.

If you see the suspect, child and/or the vehicle, call 9-1-1 or the Urbandale Police Department, at 515-222-3321.