(Radio Iowa) — A new documentary will begin airing next week on Iowa Public Television that highlights the many different landscapes and features of Iowa — from a bird’s eye view. Andrew Batt is the executive producer for the hour-long production called “Iowa Land and Sky.” He says they used drone-mounted cameras to do the filming, while the inspiration for the project was several years in the making. “We all have seen those social media posts of that one neat shot from a drone from someplace,” Batt says, “but we thought, what if we could put together an entire documentary of the entire state from those unique perspectives.”

A wealth of planning was involved in the project to determine which locations were not only going to be filmed but which shots would also make the final production. “We cannot have an hour documentary and be in every county, but we can be in the Loess Hills. We can be in cities along the western rim of Iowa. We can go up and down central Iowa, south-central Iowa and all along the Mississippi,” Batt says. “We wanted to have geographic diversity and some of these cultural icons that make us Iowa.”

He says the initial process involved learning how to use the equipment while also learning the project was at the mercy of Mother Nature. Shooting was often called off because of strong winds, rain and other foul weather. “It took about two years and most of that wasn’t necessarily all flying,” Batt says. “Most of the first year was preparing, training, getting certified, acquiring gear and getting our drone legs under us. Then, the second year we got around to a lot of the places, a lot of the seasons, and just hoped for some good fall color and a nice spring.”

The documentary will begin airing on IPTV on March 6th at 6:30 P-M.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — School officials in the Des Moines suburb of Norwalk say they will ask voters to approve $11 million for a new sports facility. The Des Moines Register reports the Norwalk school district plans to put the proposal before voters in February 2020. Two years ago, voters approved a $32 million bond referendum to pay for a new elementary school and renovations to three other buildings.

The proposed Norwalk Physical Education and Competition Center would be adjacent to the high school, with completion expected in 2022. The 80,000-square-foot addition would include two gymnasiums, a wrestling room, walking track, classroom space and locker rooms. A community group would raise about $3 million toward the project.

The plans reflect growth in the district, which has added more than 600 students in the last decade.

(Radio Iowa) — Executives with seven large pharmaceutical companies were testifying about bounding prescription drug prices this (Tuesday) morning before the U-S Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley. Prices for insulin, used in treating diabetes, have jumped 500-percent or more and Senator Grassley says the reasons why are unclear, as the drug itself hasn’t changed in many years. “Last year, I contacted several insulin makers to understand what led to these extreme hikes in prices,” Grassley says. “Today’s hearing will explore the complex pricing schemes of drug companies and the industry practices that are behind the price of prescription drugs.”

The federal government is the largest consumer of prescription drugs, and according to Grassley, the largest victim of the bounding prices. He says pharmaceutical companies receive billions of dollars a year from federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid.  “It seems like I hear about high drug prices almost every one of my county meetings that I have, even recently, last week in nine different counties,” Grassley says. “So this is an important issue for Iowans.”

Grassley says patients and taxpayers deserve to hear from the industry leaders about what’s behind this “unsustainable trend” and what can be done to lower costs. Research and development is expensive, he acknowledges, but prices on drugs that haven’t changed in decades shouldn’t suddenly jump 300, 400 and 500-percent or more without cause. “Under our free market system, they have a right to not only set their price, but if they can get away with it, to gouge,” Grassley says. “I’m not sure at this point that I want to make that latter accusation but I can make it from the standpoint of my constituents thinking so.”

This hearing is an opportunity for companies that produce life-saving medications to explain how they price these treatments, Grassley says, and whether the status quo is acceptable. Top executives from seven major pharmaceutical companies will testify, including AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer and Sanofi.

Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday evening, approved early retirement requests from two, long-time teachers. Superintendent Casey Berlau told KJAN News, one request was from Bev Johnson who teaches Business and Family and Consumer Science at the CAM High School. The other was from Peg Wheatley, 3^rd Grade Teacher at the South Elementary School. He said it’s difficult to see them go because each has over 30-years of experience.

Johnson has been in education for 36-years, while Wheatley had served for 38-years. In other business, the CAM School Board approved contracts for Barbara Coston as para-educator at the North Elementary, and Jeff Hoover, who will serve as a long-term Sub, filling-in for the vacancy created when Rex Mehrhoff passed away earlier this month.

And the Board set a Public Hearing on the 2019-2020 School Calendar as their next meeting on March 17^th. They also made some changes to the current school year calendar to account for snow make-up days. He said “Basically, we’re moving the end of Quarters to the end of March. Instead of March 17^th, the end-of-quarter will be March 21^st. March 22^nd will be a half-day for students and a half- Teacher work day.” The Board also decided school will be held the Monday after Easter, as a make-up day.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office report a man wanted on a Pott. County warrant for Possession of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon, was picked-up from the Mills County Jail, Monday. 42-year old Michael Lee Butcher was transported to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond. And, a 35-year old woman was transported from the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York, NE., to the Pott. County Jail, this (Tuesday) morning. Amber Rae Bergantzel was wanted on a warrant for Forgery, and on a hold from another correctional facility.

The Alzheimer’s Association is offering a free educational class for the general public on Friday, March 1st, at the Atlantic Public Library, 507 Poplar Street, Atlantic, IA 50022. The class, entitled “10 Warning Signs,” will be held from 2:00-until 3:00 p.m. The meeting is designed for you to learn the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Organizers will separate myth from reality and address commonly-held fears about Alzheimer’s in America. You’ll hear also from people who have the disease, and find out how to recognize the signs in yourself and others.

Spokesperson, and class facilitator, Amanda Brophy says, “This class will be very beneficial for anyone who wants to know what to look for with regards to Alzheimer’s disease or has questions about Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our goal is to equip our communities with the knowledge, resources, and support they need as they age or continue on the journey of living with this disease. We want to connect them to a community of people who care and understand what they are going through, as well as provide them with the resources and information necessary to understand the disease.”

For more information about this educational program and to register, contact Amanda Brophy at abjrophy@alz.org or 712.454.5035. You can also visit alz.org/crf to find out more.