DOON, Iowa (AP) — Crews are working to clean up a BNSF oil train derailment in Iowa that dumped crude into floodwaters, while officials seek to get a handle on the extent of the spill and its cause.

BNSF spokesman Andy Williams says 33 oil tanker cars derailed Friday just south of Doon, leaking oil into surrounding floodwaters from the swollen Little Rock River. He said Saturday that the cause of the derailment hasn’t been determined. The amount spilled also isn’t yet known.

Williams says crews have been skimming oil from floodwaters. They’re also building a road parallel to the tracks to try to get to the derailed and partially-submerged oil cars.

The train was carrying tar sands oil from Canada to Oklahoma for ConocoPhillips. ConocoPhillips spokesman Daren Beaudo says each tanker can hold more than 25,000 gallons.

The 2018 Cass County Relay for Life was held on Friday night at the Atlantic High School track. A great crowd was on hand on a beautiful night for the event. The evening began with the survivor meal where nearly 200 survivors gathered for a meal in the Atlantic High School commons provided by the Atlantic Hy-Vee.

After the meal, Survivors made their way out to the track for the opening ceremonies.  Pennants were read that loved ones had purchased in honor or memory of individuals who had battled or are battling Cancer. After those names were read the Survivors in attendance were honored and celebrated as they completed the opening lap around the track for Relay.

Cass County Relay for Life Co-Chair Carole Schuler was honored before the Survivor lap as well for her leadership of the event since it’s inception. This is the 20th year for Relay in Cass County and Carole has been leading the committee since year one. An honorary plaque was given to Carole by her Co-Chair Denise Coder from the American Cancer Society in recognition of Carole’s work and dedication.

The rest of the evening was filled with education, entertainment, and activities for attendees of all ages. At the end of the night Cass County Relay for Life Co-Chair Carole Schuler announced that this year’s fundraising efforts have totaled over $64,000 with funds still rolling in.

Thanks to everyone that had a hand in making Relay for Life a success in Cass County once again.

Residents of Le Mars were the first to see new stamps called “Frozen Treats.” U-S Post Office district manager, Mary Alt, talks about the new stamp. “There’s ten different versions, but they are ice cream frozen treats. So they are popsicles, different colors, different scents. It’s a scratch and sniff — so you’ll have a watermelon, a bubble gum, a chocolate, vanilla, a strawberry. But it’s one of our first scratch and sniff stamps,” Alt says.

Ice-cream-stamp

She says the concept for the scratch and sniff stamp started nearly two years ago, and it will be available at postal offices nationwide. She says there’s a simple reason Le Mars was chosen for the unveiling of the new stamp. She says the marketing group in Iowa asked that the stamp be unveiled in Le Mars because it is known as the “Ice Cream Capital of the World.”

Le Mars is home to Blue Bunny ice cream. The stamp was unveiled Thursday at the Le Mars Post Office along with a special postal cancellation mark. The cancellation says “Le Mars Ice Cream Capital of the World.” Alt says the special cancellation will be used through the month of August.

The stamps are the “forever” stamps as issued by the United States Postal Service. Each of the ten stamp designs includes two different treats.

(Radio Iowa)

An Iowa-based hospitality company is making its first venture into Nebraska. Hawkeye Hotels, headquartered in Coralville, is set to break ground on a new hotel on a busy corner of the Old Market area in Omaha. Hawkeye’s chief development officer Raj Patel says the structure was originally going to rise eight stories.

“Through working with city planners and historic preservation committees, we learned six stories would really be a better fit for the neighborhood so we took our height down to six stories,” Patel says. “We also took a lot of design inspiration from around the Old Market and our entire facade is going to be brick.” Patel says “The Moxy” is an affordable boutique hotel line that is designed to bring guests together.

“The room sizes are smaller,” he says. “That’s the trend of hotels is to do more fresh-design rooms but more immersive social spaces where guests can be more encouraged to hang out in the lobby or at the bar.” The 105-room hotel will cater to the design trends and preferences of millennial and business travelers. Patel says it’s an honor to be selected to build in the historic district.

“For our guests and anyone staying at the hotel, you’ll walk out of the front doors and within footsteps you’ll having dining, entertainment, live music,” Patel says. “That’s really a perfect fit for The Moxy brand as well as our company, Hawkeye Hotels, to be able to have that kind of location in Omaha.” Ground will be broken in August.

The hotel will add 40 jobs to the labor market in Omaha. Founded in 1982, Hawkeye Hotels is one of America’s fastest growing privately-owned hospitality firms with over $750 million in assets across the country.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating two separate robberies that took place Friday afternoon. Around 3:10-p.m., officers were dispatched to the bike trail north of Interstate 29 near the 55 mile marker. Upon arrival, they made contact with a woman who said she was robbed at gunpoint while running on the bike path by an unknown black male. The suspect, she said, grabbed her from behind, pointed a handgun at her and threatened to harm her. During the struggle, a round was fired out of the gun. The victim suffered minor injuries. The suspect stole some of her belongings then left the area eastbound towards North 25th Street on the bicycle. The suspect was described as a black male, in his late 20’s or early 30’s, with some facial hair, wearing a black shirt and black shorts, and riding a black mountain bike.

A little less than 90-minutes later (4:30-p.m.), officers were dispatched to 801 N 35th St. for a report of a robbery. Upon arrival, they made contact with a woman who said she was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot by two black males. She suffered minor injuries. Officers in the area located four possible suspects in the neighboring apartment complex (Featherstone Apartments).

Two were taken into custody right away; the other two were taken into custody after a brief negotiation through one of the apartments. After all parties were interviewed, two juvenile males (ages 16 and 17) were placed under arrest for Robbery 1st for today’s incident. Two juvenile males (ages 16 and 17) were arrested for warrants from an incident that took place earlier in the week.

Authorities say they do not think the two incidents are related. An investigation continues into both incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at (712)328-4765, or Crimestoppers at (712)328-7867, to remain anonymous.