(Radio Iowa/Clear Lake) — Two North Carolina men are planning a movie about Buddy Holly and they hope to start filming early next year — partly in Iowa. February 3rd, 2019 will be the 60th anniversary of the Iowa plane crash that killed the singer and three others. Patrick French says they’re calling their film “Clear Lake” because Holly’s last performance was at “The Surf” ballroom.

“There will certainly be some filming in the Clear Lake area, without question. I don’t think you can tell the story without doing it and while Hollywood is magic — you can make a lot of places look like a lot of places — we’re not going to do that,” French says. “In terms of the percentage, hard to say.” French and his production partner will focus on Holly’s role in one of the first racially integrated musical tours.

“A lot of these artists came together on ‘The Biggest Show of Stars’ tour which started in the fall of 1958…where you had white, black and brown all on the same bill, which was fairly unheard of during that time,” French says. “We thought it was important to kind of explore how that tour came together, how the artists interacted with one another and supported one another, how unlikely friendships were formed — you know, kind of tell a little bit of that backstory.”

According to a news release, the movie will focus on Holly, who was white, and Clarence Collins, the founder of Little Anthony and the Imperials, who was black. Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and “The Big Bopper” J-R Richardson died in the plane crash near Clear Lake after performing at The Surf Ballroom. Buddy Holly’s widow and the company that is the custodian of Holly’s musical catalog are part of the production team for “Clear Lake” — the movie.

(Radio Iowa) — Small business owners from across Iowa are invited to attend one of this week’s three roundtable talks to offer input about how federal regulations impact their operations. Emily Theroux, a spokeswoman for the U-S Small Business Administration, says a serious effort is underway to eliminate outdated and ineffective federal regulations.

“We began this roundtable initiative to help put small business owners at the forefront of the regulatory reform discussion,” Theroux says. “If federal agencies are getting rid of regulations anyway, let’s first consider the regulations that are most costly to small businesses.” Theroux says the agency has held these talks in 17 states in recent months and the reactions are similar everywhere.

“Really, it’s difficult to find a small business that’s not impacted by regulations,” Theroux says. “We’ve almost gone over time listening to small businesses talk about the regulatory environment and how regulations are causing a lot of harm to their ability to grow.” It’s more than just an opportunity for small business owners to vent, according to Theroux. She says the grievances being aired can lead to immediate action, and it doesn’t take an act of Congress to get regulations changed or erased.

“So far, we have written 14 letters to heads of agencies, pointing out very specific regulations that we’ve heard about at our roundtables,” Theroux says. “While it’s not always eliminating the regulation entirely, sometimes it involves giving small businesses more time to comply than some of their larger competitors.” Roundtable talks with the S-B-A are planned tomorrow (Tuesday) in Council Bluffs, Wednesday in West Des Moines and Thursday in Dubuque.

To register for an event, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/sba-office-of-advocacy-10657546234 and if you can’t attend, offer input at: https://www.sba.gov/advocacy/regulatory-reform-input

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers and agricultural economists are worried that president Donald Trump’s trade, immigration and biofuels policies will cost farms billions of dollars in lost income and force some out of business. Even before Trump began talking tariffs earlier this year, the country’s overall farm income was expected to drop to just under $60 billion, or about half of what it was five years ago.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Minnesota company is studying the feasibility of moving a historic northern Iowa train depot that otherwise faces demolition. The Globe Gazette reports that Thein Moving Co. has begun a feasibility study on relocating the Mason City Depot. The city’s planning and zoning manager says the study will determine if the building can be moved and how much it would cost. She says the study costs $4,800.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A teenage father is facing charges after his 8-month-old girl died after being hospitalized with serious injuries. Des Moines Police say the girl was taken to the hospital Friday afternoon with internal injuries and head trauma. She died Saturday evening, and her 17-year-old father was charged with first degree murder and child endangerment.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River will likely remain above normal throughout the summer and fall to reduce the amount of water held in reservoirs along the river. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased the amount of water being released from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border in late June because more spring rain and more snow fell in the mountains.

At least four area school district Boards of Education have their meetings set to take place Monday evening. The Griswold School Board meets in the Central Office at the Middle School High School Building, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Among Old Business on their agenda is update (as available) from KPE Architects and Estes Construction, the second reading of various Board Polices, approval of the Middle School/High School handbook changes, and a School Culture update. Several administrative matters will be acted upon as well, during the “New Business” part of their agenda.

The Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will meet at 6-p.m., Monday, in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn building. New business includes an update on construction, and action on: bids for Exira playground equipment; Chromebook bids; 2018-19 Handbook changes; bus salvage bids; The continuation of a sharing agreement with Tri-Center, and other administration matters.

The CAM School Board will meet 6:30-p.m., Monday, at the CAM HS Media Center. The Board will receive a presentation from the CAM High School Journalism Class, and later act on milk/bread bids, lunch prices and student fees. They’re also expected to consider the formation of a committee to study compensation systems and make recommendations to the CAM School Board. Other topics for discussion include a City of Massena Annexation plan, and, facility projects.

And finally, the Audubon School Board will meet in the High School Board Room, beginning at 7-p.m., Monday. Their “Action” items include: the 1st reading of a Policy pertaining to “Assistance Animals, and a revision to a Policy for “Animals in the Classroom”; the 1st reading of policies pertaining to – Instruction at Post Secondary Institution, Purchasing bidding, and the Suspension and Debarment of Vendors. The Audubon Board will also act on a revision to the School Nutrition Program policy, and on the acceptance of a Foreign Exchange Student.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers and agricultural economists are worried that president Donald Trump’s trade, immigration and biofuels policies will cost farms billions of dollars in lost income and force some out of business.

Even before Trump began talking tariffs earlier this year farm income was expected to drop 7 percent from last year to just under $60 billion. That’s half of farm income reported just five years ago.

In addition to falling corn, soybean and pork prices caused by the tariff dispute, the administration’s ethanol policy has reduced the use of corn by hundreds of millions of bushels, helping to push prices below profitability and immigration actions risk hampering expansion plans in pork industry.

Some are saying the resulting blow to agriculture could create the worst farm financial crisis since the 1980s.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River will likely remain above normal throughout the summer and fall to reduce the amount of water held in reservoirs along the river.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased the amount of water being released from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border in late June because more spring rain and more snow fell in the mountains. Officials expect the amount of water in the Missouri River this year will be 157 percent of normal.

The releases are expected to remain near 60,000 cubic feet per second through the summer, but they may be adjusted in response to downstream flood concerns.
Roughly 25 percent of the flood storage space in the river’s reservoirs remains available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A teenage father is facing charges after his 8-month-old girl died after being hospitalized with serious injuries. Des Moines Police say Raija Straight was taken to the hospital Friday afternoon with internal injuries and head trauma. She died Saturday evening, and her 17-year-old father was charged with first degree murder and child endangerment.

While the Associated Press generally doesn’t name juveniles accused of crimes, KCCI identified the suspect as Jayden Straight, who turned himself in to authorities early Sunday morning and was arrested.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man from Nebraska early this (Sunday) morning. Authorities say 22-year old Seth Brenden Peterson, of Omaha, was arrested at around 12:55-a.m. at the intersection of Highway 34 and T Avenue, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Peterson was being held at the Montgomery County Jail in Red Oak, on a $1,000 cash bond.

Red Oak Police report the arrest at around 7:25-p.m. Saturday, of 57-year old Tony Joe Christensen, of Red Oak. Christensen was taken into custody for Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:10 a.m. CDT

EVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials in northwestern Iowa are investigating the death of a South Dakota woman whose body was found in a camper. The Sioux City Journal reports that Clay County sheriff’s deputies were called to a rural area near Everly late Thursday night for reports of an unresponsive woman. Arriving deputies found 30-year-old Casey Blaine Eleeson, of Huron, South Dakota, dead in the camper. Investigators say her dead is suspicious.

COLO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two men are recovering after being struck by lightning near a central Iowa golf course. Story County Sheriff’s deputies tell Des Moines television station KCCI that the men were in the Twin Anchors Golf Course parking lot near Colo on Friday afternoon when they were struck by lightning.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A project being funded by Microsoft and federal grants will provide free internet to the Valley Junction area of West Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that the three-year pilot project will provide free Wi-Fi to area students, businesses and residents. The project is expected to launch in October. As part of the project, T-Mobile will also be providing portable wireless devices known as Mi-Fis to about 200 low-income students from Hillside Elementary over the next two years.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa charity is seeking donations to provide new, fully-stocked backpacks to children in the foster care system. Families Helping Families of Iowa says donations are being collected through July 23 at places around Cedar Rapids. The backpacks will be handed out to around 400 children on Aug. 4 at the Families Helping Families office in Cedar Rapids.

A high-speed pursuit early Saturday morning in northeast Iowa’s Fayette County, resulted in the death of a Missouri man. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy was in pursuit of a 2008 KIA Spectra at around 1:45-a.m.  The car, which was traveling north on Mills Street in the City of Wadena, crossed the shoulder and oncoming lane before colliding head-on with a parked and unoccupied 2007 Dodge Ram pickup.

The driver of the KIA, 28-year old Jared Hill, of Jefferson City, MO., died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. It’s not clear why he was being pursued.