HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF THEIR

							 >> HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME MAKE IT LOOK
EASY?   WE'LL GO BEHIND THE SCENES TO SEE THE WORK AND THOUGHT THAT CREATE
EXCELLENCE:   OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS HOPEFUL SHAWN JOHNSON, IOWA SUPREME COURT
CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHA K. TERNUS, AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER NEIL
RETTIG ON "ASSIGNMENT IOWA."

 FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS," THE IOWA PUBLIC
TELEVISION FOUNDATION; BY AARP IOWA, DEDICATED TO ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE
FOR ALL AS WE AGE, THROUGH INFORMATION, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE.   AARP IOWA...
THE POWER TO MAKE IT BETTER; AND BY THE VERMEER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION WHICH,
TOGETHER WITH THE EMPLOYEES OF THE VERMEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ENCOURAGES YOU
TO SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION.

 HELLO, I'M AMY JOHNSON BOYLE.   WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "ASSIGNMENT
IOWA." TONIGHT WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THE STORIES OF SOME OUTSTANDING
IOWANS.   ON THE SURFACE, THEY COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT:   A TEENAGE ATHLETE,
A CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, AND A VIDEOGRAPHER WHO CHERISHES THE
STUDY OF NATURE.   BUT PERHAPS BY THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, WE'LL SEE SOME
SIMILARITIES IN THE LIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THESE THREE DRIVEN PERSONALITIES.
LET'S BEGIN WITH OUR YOUNG GYMNAST, SHAWN JOHNSON OF WEST DES MOINES.      SHE'S
FOCUSED, ENTHUSIASTIC, AND JUST PLAIN TALENTED.   BUT AS WE'LL SEE, SHE'S ALSO
GLOWING WITH POTENTIAL AND HER VISIONS OF THE 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS ARE WAY MORE
THAN JUST PIPE DREAMS.

Shawn: I THINK EVERY CHILD WANTS TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS.   IT JUST MAKES YOU A
BETTER PERSON TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE WORKED TEN, TWELVE, FIFTEEN YEARS SO HARD AT
THIS, AND TO JUST GIVE UP ON IT WOULD JUST NOT MAKE SENSE.

 Zhaung: OUR GOAL IS THE OLYMPICS. SHE'S NUMBER TWO RANKING IN THE WHOLE WORLD
RIGHT NOW AND NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION.

Shawn: I NEVER IMAGINED THAT I'D BE ON TV OR WEARING THE USA LEOTARD, AND HERE I
AM.   AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO PUSH EVEN HARDER TRYING TO GET TO THE OLYMPICS
NOW.

Narrator: DURING THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD SHAWN JOHNSON OF WEST
DES MOINES HAS DOMINATED THE BEST JUNIOR GYMNASTS AND HAS ALREADY WON NINETEEN
GOLD MEDALS INTERNATIONALLY.   THIS SPRING SHE WON THE TYSON AMERICAN CUP IN HER
VERY FIRST SENIOR ELITE LEVEL COMPETITION.   THE EVENT WAS BROADCAST BY NBC
SPORTS.

Shawn: I DEFINITELY GET NERVOUS. I'VE NEVER GOTTEN LESS NERVOUS SINCE THE FIRST
DAY I STARTED.   I GET OUT THERE AND I'VE GOT BUTTERFLIES AND ALL THAT, BUT I
THINK WHEN I GET NERVOUS IT HELPS ME.   IT GETS MY ADRENALINE GOING.

Teri Johnson: IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE HER AND TO THINK THAT YOU HAD ANY PART OF
IT. SHE'S BEEN SELF-DRIVEN AND SELF-MOTIVATED IT SEEMS LIKE FROM DAY ONE, AS FAR
AS JUST EAGER AND CAN'T GET ENOUGH.

Narrator: SHAWN BEGAN WALKING WITHOUT EVER TAKING TIME TO CRAWL.   AT THE AGE OF
THREE HER PARENTS ENROLLED HER IN DANCE IN HOPES OF FINDING A RELEASE FOR HER
ABUNDANT ENERGY.   SOON AFTER THEY DISCOVERED GYMNASTICS WAS A BETTER FIT.    AT
AGE 6 ½ SHAWN JOINED CHOW'S GYMNASTICS, WHERE SHE CONTINUES TO TRAIN WITH THE
HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM OF LIANG CHOW AND LIWEN ZHAUNG. Chow: WE FELT THAT SHE
ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE IN THE GYM FROM THE START, AND SHE'S A VERY TALENTED
KID.   SHE'S STRONG AND ALSO SHE TAKES CORRECTIONS REALLY WELL.

 Doug Johnson: THERE WAS TIMES WHEN WE ASKED HER IF THIS WAS REALLY WHAT SHE
WANTED TO PURSUE BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD HER AT HOME
A LOT MORE.

Teri Johnson: WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY HOURS INVOLVED. I WANTED HER TO
ALWAYS BE DOING IT FOR HERSELF.   IT'S BEEN A GO FROM DAY ONE.

Shawn: I STILL TRY TO HAVE THE OTHER LIFE OF JUST A NORMAL TEENAGER. I LOVE
SHOPPING WITH, LIKE, MY FRIENDS AND MY MOM AND MY DAD. I LOVE SPENDING TIME
WITH MY FAMILY.   THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T GET A LOT, SO I CHERISH IT A
LOT. Narrator: SHAWN'S SCHEDULE IS DEMANDING.   IN ADDITION TO 25 HOURS A WEEK
OF GYMNASTICS TRAINING, SHE IS ALSO A NINTH-GRADE “A” HONOR ROLL STUDENT.    SHE
IS A MEMBER OF THE U.S. NATIONAL TEAM AND EVERY SIX WEEKS TRAVELS TO THE OLYMPIC
TRAINING CAMP NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS.

Shawn: YOU'RE DOING CONDITIONING, STRETCHING, AND NUMBERS OF ROUTINES THAT
PEOPLE DON'T EVEN DREAM ABOUT OR THINK OF.   THEY CALL US THE SURVIVORS OF OUR
SPORT JUST BECAUSE IT REALLY -- IT JUST -- IT PUSHES YOU TO YOUR PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL LIMIT. Chow: A GYMNAST PERFORMING THE VERY HARD SKILLS, THAT YOU DON'T
REALLY SEE HOW MUCH FOUNDATION, HOW MUCH WORK, WE'RE BUILDING THAT FOUNDATION ON
A DAILY BASIS. SHAWN, SHE HAS A LOT OF DIFFICULT SKILLS.

Zhaung: IN ORDER TO MASTER A SKILL, IT TAKES ABOUT A THOUSAND TRIES. THE VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT SKILLS, THEY CANNOT DO TOO MANY TIMES. BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
PRESSURE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY, THEY HAVE TO PREPARE WELL AND TRY CERTAIN
NUMBERS. IF THEY DO TOO MUCH, SOMETIMES TECHNICALLY WILL GO WRONG.

Chow: YOUR BODY CAN HANDLE SO MUCH HARD POUNDINGS.

Shawn: I LOVE THE BALANCE BEAM.    I DON'T KNOW WHY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY SCARY,
BUT I THINK IT'S BECAUSE IT'S SO SCARY AND SO CHALLENGING. I LOVE DOING MY
SERIES. IT'S THE BACK HANDSPRING, BACK HANDSPRING, BACK LAYOUT. IT'S
THREESKILLS IN A ROW WHICH HARDLY ANYBODY DOES JUST BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO
CONTROL THREE SKILLS WHEN YOU'RE NOT STOPPING TO REPOSITION OR ANYTHING.

Chow: COACHING FOR THIS LEVEL IS NOT A JOB.   FOR THIS LEVEL, COACHING FOR US
IS A PASSION.

Narrator: SHAWN'S COACHES, CHOW AND LI, HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING
HER POTENTIAL.   THE COUPLE MET IN THE LATE 1980S WHEN THEY WERE BOTH GYMNASTS
ON THE CHINESE NATIONAL TEAM. NATIVES OF BEIJING, THE HOST CITY FOR THE 2008
OLYMPICS, THEIR PASSION FOR GYMNASTICS LED THEM TO IOWA AND TO SHAWN.   THEIR
SKILL AS HER COACHES MAY TAKE THEM BACK HOME.

Zhaung: I THINK OUR RELATIONSHIP   -- SHAWN, CHOW, AND ME - IS A TRIANGLE, AND
WE'RE LIKE THESE THREE DIFFERENT POINTS. AND WE HAVE TO STRETCH EACH OTHER,
CORRECT EACH OTHER, AND MAKE EVERYTHING SO PERFECT. OUR TEAM IS VERY TIGHT.
WE JUST WORK TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.

Shawn: MY COACHES ARE LIKE MY SECOND PARENTS. I MEAN, THEY KNOW EVERYTHING
THAT'S THE BEST FOR ME, AND THEY NEVER TRY TO PUSH ME IN A DIRECTION THAT I
DON'T WANT TO GO.

Chow: I SEE THE KIDS ARE ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS, ACHIEVING THEIR DREAMS, THAT
MAKES OUR LIFE MUCH HAPPIER.

Shawn: GYMNASTICS HAVE MADE ME A BETTER PERSON, I MEAN ALL AROUND WITH SCHOOL
AND HOME AND APPRECIATING EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE. IT MAKES YOU REALIZE, LIKE,
WHAT YOU WANT AND HOW HARD YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK FOR IT. I EXPERIENCE
THINGS NOW, THOUGH, THAT A LOT KIDS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVER GET TO
EXPERIENCE. SO I LIKE THAT A LOT, BUT KNOWING THAT I HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH
FOR SO LONG AND KNOWING THAT THERE IS ONLY, LIKE, 400 DAYS LEFT TILL THE
OLYMPICS, AFTER I DO PLAN TO HAVE SOME MORE FUN AND JUST CHILL OUT FOR A WHILE.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, LIKE, HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, BUT STILL I CAN NEVER SEE
DROPPING THE WHOLE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS COMPLETELY.   I'LL BE IN GYMNASTICS SOME
WAY OR ANOTHER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.   I DO LOOK AT IT THAT IT WILL BE OVER
SOON, BUT YET IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

Johnson Boyle: BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON SHAWN'S ROAD TO BEIJING. HER SUMMER
IS GOING TO BE INTENSE, WITH THREE MAJOR COMPETITIONS COMING UP FOR HER THIS
JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER.    WHILE SHAWN JOHNSON HAS UPCOMING EVENTS TO KEEP
HER FOCUSED ON HER POTENTIAL, OUR NEXT GUEST HAS ALREADY GAINED THE HIGHEST
POST IN HER FIELD.   RECENTLY NAMED CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE IOWA SUPREME COURT,
MARSHA TERNUS IS TURNING HER SIGHTS ON HELPING AN ENTIRE JUSTICE SYSTEM REACH
ITS HIGHEST POTENTIAL. THE CHIEF IS HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH US, AND WE'LL SPEAK
WITH HER ABOUT HER GOALS IN A JUST MOMENT, BUT FIRST LET'S LEARN ABOUT HER
HISTORIC PLACE ON THE COURT. AFTER ALMOST 170 YEARS, GOING BACK TO THE DAYS
WHEN IOWA WAS A TERRITORY, THE CHIEF, MEANING THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE IOWA
SUPREME COURT, IS A WOMAN.

 Hi, guys.

 Good morning, Chief.

Johnson Boyle: MARSHA K. TERNUS, A NATIVE OF VINTON, RECEIVED HER BACHELOR'S
DEGREE WITH HONORS AND HIGH DISTINCTION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND HER LAW
DEGREE FROM DRAKE UNIVERSITY, ALSO WITH HONORS. APPOINTED TO THE COURT IN
1993, HER FELLOW JUSTICES CHOSE HER AS CHIEF IN 2006.      AND THERE IS MORE TO
THE JOB THAN RENDERING OPINIONS.   IOWA'S SUPREME COURT OVERSEES THE STATE'S
ENTIRE COURT SYSTEM, WITH A BUDGET OF ABOUT $130 MILLION. IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
ABOUT 1,900EMPLOYEES AND JUDGES, LICENSING AND DISCIPLINING ATTORNEYS, AND
PROMULGATING RULES OF PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE. AND ALL THAT IS TO PROVIDE
JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW EQUALLY TO ALL PERSONS. AND CHIEF JUSTICE TERNUS JOINS
US NOW IN OUR STUDIO.   AND, CHIEF, AS I SHOULD CALL YOU, CHIEF, WELCOME AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

Ternus: YOU'RE WELCOME.   IT'S NICE TO BE HERE.

 Johnson Boyle: NICE TO HAVE YOU.   I GUESS I WANT TO TALK FIRST ABOUT THE FOCUS
OF YOUR WORK.   ON THE COURT'S WEB SITE, IT SAYS THAT YOUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE
INDEPENDENT AND ACCESSIBLE FORUMS FOR THE FAIR AND PROMPT RESOLUTION OF
DISPUTES, ADMINISTERING JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW EQUALLY TO ALL PERSONS.   WELL,
YOUR REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATURE LAST JANUARY ABOUT CHILDREN SUGGESTS THAT
PERHAPS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED EQUALLY IN IOWA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM.   DO YOU
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT?
 Ternus: SURE.   I THINK WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS ENSURE THAT WE WERE DOING THE
BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT WE COULD DO AS A COURT SYSTEM.   AND SO WE'RE
EXAMINING HOW WE HANDLE CASES THAT AFFECT CHILDREN, TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE
HANDLING THOSE ON A PRIORITY BASIS SO THAT WE REACH A QUICK RESOLUTION FOR THEM.
CHILDREN -- TIME FOR CHILDREN GOES VERY SLOWLY, AND SO IF WE SAY IT'S GOING TO
BE ANOTHER WEEK BEFORE WE DECIDE SOME ISSUE THAT AFFECTS THEM, WHERE THEY'RE
GOING TO LIVE, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY TO THEM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
FOCUS ON THOSE CASES, THAT WE FIND PERMANENCY FOR THESE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN
REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES AS SOON AS WE CAN.   IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE THEIR
LIVES.

 Johnson Boyle: I IMAGINE IT DOES.   AND IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU'RE GOING TO BE
GETTING MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED FOR CHILDREN LEGISLATIVELY.   ARE YOU
SATISFIED WITH THAT?

 Ternus: WELL, THE LEGISLATURE'S RESPONSE WAS TREMENDOUS AND WE'RE VERY, VERY
PLEASED WITH HOW THEY REACTED TO OUR REQUEST IN OUR BUDGET FOR RESOURCES THAT
WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES MORE EFFICIENTLY AND MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SO, YES, I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR LEGISLATURE FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND
GIVING US WHAT WE NEEDED.   I'M SURE AS WE INSTITUTE BEST PRACTICES IN THE
COURTS AND HANDLE THESE CASES IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN, WE MAY FIND THAT WE NEED
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. AND WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE THE LEGISLATURE AWARE OF THAT IF
THAT'S THE CASE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN GREAT SO FAR.

 Johnson Boyle: YOU'RE CLEARLY QUITE PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING CHILDREN, AND I'M
CURIOUS AS TO WHY.

 Ternus: WELL, IT REALLY WAS JUST BY ACCIDENT, I HAVE TO ADMIT.   IT WAS NOT
PART OF MY PRIVATE PRACTICE WHEN I WAS AN ATTORNEY.   BUT IN 2005 THE FORMER
CHIEF ASKED ME TO GO TO A NATIONAL SUMMIT ON CHILDREN THAT WAS GOING TO BE IN
MINNEAPOLIS, AND I SAID I WOULD GO ON BEHALF OF THE COURT.   AND AT THAT SUMMIT,
ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE EDUCATED IN THE ISSUES AFFECTING THE COURT'S HANDLING
OF CHILD WELFARE CASES, AND IT MADE ME AWARE OF ISSUES THAT REALLY I HAD HAD NO
INVOLVEMENT WITH BEFORE.   AND SO LEARNING OF THE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND
KNOWING FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH RAISING MY OWN CHILDREN HOW VULNERABLE THEY
ARE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD CHILDHOOD, YEAH, IT DID, IT
MADE ME PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND NOW AS CHIEF, I'M IN A
POSITION I FEEL IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ACTUALLY OVERSEE AND COORDINATE AND
URGE OTHERS TO JOIN IN SO WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE BEST WE CAN.

 Johnson Boyle: BEFORE WE LEAVE THE TOPIC OF YOUR ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN, I DO
WANT TO MENTION THAT IN YOUR JANUARY STATE OF THE JUDICIARY SPEECH, YOU TALKED
ABOUT THE COURT'S EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT A CHILD IN THE SYSTEM ALWAYS HAS THE
SAME JUDGE.   YOU SAID FOR OLDER CHILDREN WHO COME TO COURT PROCEEDINGS, THEIR
JUDGE MAY BE THE ONLY CONSTANT FIGURE IN THEIR LIFE.   WITH 5,000 CHILDREN IN
FOSTER CARE CURRENTLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM GOES WAY BEYOND WHAT THE
COURTS CAN CERTAINLY DO.

 Ternus: WELL, WE'RE WORKING WITH DHS AND EVERY OTHER STATE AGENCY, THE PRIVATE
BAR ASSOCIATION.   EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED IN THESE CASES, WE'VE ALL BEEN
WORKING TOGETHER TO COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND HOW WE
CAN HELP THE OTHERS DO THEIR JOB BETTER.   SO WE'RE OFF TO A GREAT START, AND
EVERYBODY HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE.   IT'S BEEN VERY EASY TO WORK WITH THE
OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THESE CASES.

 Johnson Boyle: BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE MORE
TOPICS.   FIRST OF ALL, ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY.   THE COURT IS OBVIOUSLY MOVING -
- OR TRYING TO MOVE IOWA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM MORE TOWARDS ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AN UPSIDE BUT THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY PRIVACY CONCERNS; ARE THERE
NOT?

 Ternus: RIGHT.   WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO GO TO ELECTRONIC FILES SO THAT
ALL OF OUR COURT FILES ARE STORED ELECTRONICALLY.    THERE ARE A LOT OF
EFFICIENCY BENEFITS THAT WE CAN GAIN AS A COURT SYSTEM BY DOING THAT. BUT, OF
COURSE, THE COROLLARY IS THAT NOW IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR CITIZENS TO ACCESS
OUR COURT RECORDS, WHICH ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.    AND A LOT OF TIMES COURT CASES
INVOLVE VERY SENSITIVE ISSUES, AND SO WE DID ALERT THE LEGISLATURE IN THE STATE
OF THE JUDICIARY ADDRESS THAT THERE MAY BE CONCERNS BY THEIR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT
THE OPENNESS OF THOSE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS ONCE THEY CAN BE ACCESSED ON THE
INTERNET.

 Johnson Boyle: CAN YOU BRIEFLY JUST SPECIFY SOME SPECIFIC CONCERNS?

 Ternus: WELL, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM IN THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED TO
THE RULES THAT WE'VE ADOPTED THAT WILL FACILITATE THIS CHANGE, PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT DIVORCE DECREES AND NEIGHBORS LOOKING AT HOW MUCH THEY MAKE AND
HOW MUCH SUPPORT WAS PAID AND MAYBE WHAT THE ALLEGATIONS WERE OF ONE PARTY
AGAINST THE OTHER AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY NOT GO UP TO
YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND START ASKING THEM ABOUT BUT YOU WOULD MAYBE BE
SURFING THE INTERNET AND LOOK INTO IT.

 Johnson Boyle: THIS IS TRUE.   I WOULD REMISS AS AN INTERVIEWER IF I DID NOT
ASK YOU ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST WOMAN IOWA SUPREME COURT CHIEF
JUSTICE.   WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

 Ternus: WELL, IT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN THAT MUCH TO ME, THE FACT THAT I'M A
WOMAN.   I MEAN I'M VERY HONORED TO BE THE CHIEF.   AND THE FACT THAT I'M A
WOMAN, WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE I AM.   IT'S KIND OF IRRELEVANT TO ME.    BUT HAVING
SAID THAT, I DO KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS TO HAVE ROLE
MODELS.   AND SO I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE AS WHAT IT SAYS TO
THOSE AUDIENCES, AND THAT IS THAT YOU CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE.    YOU JUST
HAVE TO WORK HARD AND HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL WORK OUT FOR YOU.

 Johnson Boyle: THAT'S A GREAT MESSAGE FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO HEAR.   AND WHAT ABOUT
JUST THE LEGACY OF THE COURT? THERE'S 170 YEARS OF HISTORY IN YOUR JOB.     VERY
BRIEFLY, THE FIRST DECISION OF THE IOWA SUPREME COURT WAS WHEN IT WAS STILL A
TERRITORY.   IT SAID THAT NO MAN IN THE TERRITORY CAN BE REDUCED TO DO SLAVERY.
IN 1868 IT RULED THAT SEGREGATED SCHOOLS WERE UNEQUAL.   IS IT IMPORTANT AS YOU
-- IS IT OVERWHELMING TO YOU TO INHERIT ALL THAT AS THE CHIEF JUSTICE?

 Ternus: WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T REALLY THINK OF IT IN THAT WAY, BECAUSE IT
WOULD BE OVERWHELMING.   WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TAKE EACH CASE AND ADDRESS IT
WITH THE MOST INTEGRITY AND THE MOST FAIRNESS AND IMPARTIALITY THAT WE CAN
MUSTER.   AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE WILL CARRY ON A VERY PROUD TRADITION IN THE
IOWA COURTS.   REALLY IOWANS SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE IOWA SUPREME COURT
BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDRESSED SOME VERY TOUGH ISSUES WELL, LONG BEFORE THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT CAME AROUND TO THAT WAY OF THINKING.   SO WE'LL TRY TO
CARRY ON.

 Johnson Boyle: WONDERFUL.   WELL, CHIEF JUSTICE TERNUS, CHIEF, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US.   WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.   AND BEST OF LUCK.

 Ternus: THANK YOU.   THANK YOU.   IT'S BEEN NICE BEING HERE.

 Johnson Boyle: WHILE CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHA TERNUS HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO
BALANCING THE SCALES OF JUSTICE, YOU COULD SAY THAT OUR NEXT GUEST IS MORE
INTERESTED IN FINDING BALANCE WITH NATURE.    NEIL RETTIG IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE
WORLD'S FINEST NATURE CINEMATOGRAPHERS.    HIS WORK APPEARS ON OUR AIR IN THE PBS
"NATURE" SERIES, AND HE'S MADE "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC" SPECIALS AND IMAX MOVIES,
WINNING ALL THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS.    NEIL LIVES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER IN PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WISCONSIN, MAKING HIM AN HONORARY IOWAN. WE MET UP
WITH HIM NEAR DECORAH AND WERE STRUCK WITH HIS INTENSE INTEREST IN HIS SUBJECT,
A BALD EAGLE FAMILY LIVING NEAR AN EAGLE BUFFET.

 Rettig: THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THIS NEST IS THAT IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE
STATE FISH HATCHERY.    ALL THE FISH HATCHERY GUYS, THEY LAUGH ABOUT IT AND THEY
THINK IT'S KIND OF COOL THAT THEY SEE THEM GO DOWN AND TAKE THE TROUT ONCE IN A
WHILE.   THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS AWESOME BECAUSE THESE BIRDS ARE TOTALLY
USED TO PEOPLE ON LAWN MOWERS, BARKING DOGS.    AND I CAN SIT HERE WITHOUT BEING
IN A BLIND STANDING RIGHT HERE, AND THE EAGLES WILL BEHAVE TOTALLY NORMALLY.
YOU KNOW, AT FIRST WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS FEMALE, I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING
KIND OF FUNNY ABOUT HER HEAD.    BUT THEN I NOTICED, WHEN I GOT THIS LONG LENS
ON, THAT SHE WAS MISSING AN EYE.    AND TO ME THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE
THAT SHE IS SO SUCCESSFUL AT HUNTING AND TAKING FISH, BECAUSE A RAPTOR HAS TO
HAVE DEPTH PERCEPTION, AND WITHOUT TWO EYES IT'S JUST STAGGERING THAT SHE CAN BE
AS SUCCESSFUL AS SHE IS.    AND I'VE READ THAT THEY ACTUALLY WILL TAKE ROAD
KILLS.   AND ONE DAY I SAW AN EAGLE NEAR DECORAH COME DOWN AND TAKE WHAT I
THOUGHT WAS A WOODCHUCK OR SOMETHING OFF THE ROAD.    AND I THOUGHT, WOW, IF WE
COULD DOCUMENT THAT, THAT WOULD REALLY BE COOL.    THESE GUYS DO IT ON A REGULAR
BASIS.   WE'VE SEEN THEM TAKE RABBITS OFF THE ROAD AND SQUIRRELS AND ACTUALLY
FLY UP TO THE NEST CARRYING A RABBIT THAT MIGHT WEIGH 3 1/2 POUNDS.    IT'S
UNBELIEVABLE.   ONE THING I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT CONSERVATION IS THAT
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD STORIES OUT THERE, GREAT STORIES, SUCCESS STORIES.
THE BALD EAGLE IS ONE OF THEM.    THE PEREGRINE FALCON IS ANOTHER ONE.    I MEAN
TWENTY YEARS AGO IT WOULD MAKE THE NEWSPAPERS IF SOMEBODY SAW A BALD EAGLE IN
THIS PART OF IOWA OR IN WISCONSIN.    IN PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AND SOME OF THE
BACKWATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN MARCH, THERE CAN BE AS MANY AS 4-, 5-,
600 EAGLES IN ONE SMALL AREA.     YOU GET THE BIRDS MIGRATING FROM THE SOUTH
GOING NORTH.   YOU GET THE RESIDENT BIRDS.    AND THEY ALL STAGE UP AND THEY'RE
WAITING FOR GIZZARD SHAD, WHICH IS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE FISH, TO DEFROST OUT OF
THE ICE.   SO IT'S LIKE THEY'RE AT THE DEFROSTING REFRIGERATOR.    MY BACKGROUND
IN WILDLIFE FILMMAKING ACTUALLY STARTED WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID.    MY PARENTS
PUT CAMERAS IN OUR HANDS, LITTLE SPRING-WOUND BROWNIE, SUPER A, AND REGULAR A
CAMERAS. AND WE LIVED RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF A VERY RURAL AREA, AND WE HAD A
NEIGHBORHOOD ZOO.    AND IT HAD SNAKES AND TURTLES AND POSSUMS AND RACCOONS, AND
WE USED TO MAKE LITTLE MOVIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS OF
THE ANIMALS.   SO IT ALL STARTED WAY BACK THEN.    A LOT OF PEOPLE COME UP TO ME
AND THEY SAY, GOD, I WISH I HAD YOUR JOB, YOU KNOW. AND THEN I THINK ABOUT THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE IN AFRICA IN THE CONGO WHEN I WAS UP ON A PLATFORM BUILDING THESE
PLATFORMS ALONE TO TRY TO FILM GORILLAS COMING INTO A FRUITING TREE, BEING STUNG
BY BEES AND COVERED WITH INSECTS. YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD PHYSICAL
SHAPE TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE LUGGING AROUND HEAVY CAMERAS ALL THE TIME,
CLIMBING MOUNTAINS, CLIMBING TREES, LIVING OUTSIDE.     IT'S TOUGH.    A KEY WORD
WOULD BE PATIENCE, AND I CAN TELL YOU -- SOMETIMES I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I CAN
DO THIS BECAUSE I'VE SAT IN BLINDS FOR AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, 14, 15, 16 HOURS.
SOMETIMES I'VE SLEPT OVERNIGHT IN BLINDS, AND WITH ANIMALS LIKE EAGLES, IT CAN
BE BORING.    FOR EXAMPLE, THE FEMALE HERE HAS JUST BEEN SITTING FOR SIX HOURS,
HASN'T DONE ANYTHING.    SO THAT'S THE TOUGHEST THING.    IF YOU DON'T HAVE
PATIENCE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL FORGET IT.     IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.    THERE ARE
TIMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO REACT FAST OR YOU MISS SOMETHING LIKE -- SOMETIMES
YOU'VE GOT A SPLIT SECOND TO GET ON SOMETHING AND FOCUS UP AND HAVE IT
TECHNICALLY GOOD, AND THIS REALLY IS AN INTIMACY AND CONNECTION WITH YOUR GEAR
TOO.    LIKE, I CAN'T PICK UP A RENTAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WITHOUT PRACTICING WITH
IT FOR A WHILE, OTHERWISE I'M GOING TO BLOW IT.     AND THAT, IN COMBINATION WITH
WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT NATURE -- YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE BEHAVIOR, OTHERWISE FORGET
IT TOO.    IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.    FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A BIRD POOPS, OR
DEFECATES, IT'S GOING TO FLY, SO YOU KNOW TO START THE CAMERA.      AND THERE'S ALL
KINDS OF BODY LANGUAGE THAT TELLS YOU WHEN TO START AND STOP THE CAMERA.       ONE
OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES -- AND I SAY IT THAT WAY BECAUSE WE WERE
FILMING MOUNTAIN GORILLAS FOR IMAX IN THE EARLY '90S AND WE WERE CAUGHT IN A WAR
IN RWANDA BETWEEN THE HUTUS AND THE TUTSIS.     WE WERE RESCUED BY FRENCH
PARATROOPERS.    IT WAS SCARY.    AS FAR AS ANIMALS ARE CONCERNED, IT'S NOT
ELEPHANTS CHARGING AND IT'S NOT GORILLAS CHEST BEATING AND COMING AT YOU, IT'S
NOT CROCODILES.    IT'S INSECTS -- SMALL, TINY, LITTLE INSECTS.     WE WERE IN
GUYANA IN SOUTH AMERICA.    WE WERE COVERED WITH SEED TICKS.    I MEAN ITCHING
EVERYPLACE ON YOUR BODY.    YOU KNOW, INSECTS ARE BAD.    IN ALL MY TRAVELS, I'VE
SEEN A LOT, AND I'VE BEEN IN THE FIELD FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.      BUT EVERY DAY --
THIS IS THE HONEST-TO-GOD TRUTH, EVERY DAY I LEARN SOMETHING NEW.      Now, that
was a great demonstration, and that's what they do in the rain forest... NATURE
IS SO INCREDIBLE.    I'M EXCITED ABOUT EVERY NEW PROJECT.    AND THE PBS FILM
"RAPTOR FORCE," WHICH WE JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED, THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE.        I
MEAN I THOUGHT I KNEW ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE WAS TO KNOW ABOUT BIRDS OF PREY.
LIKE, THERE'S A CERTAIN FORMULA IN THE TEAR OF A PEREGRINE THAT KEEPS THE EYES
FROM DRYING OUT WHEN THEY'RE PLUNGING.     ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THIS FILM
BASICALLY WERE FALCONERS, AND ROB WAS ABLE TO MAKE THESE TINY LITTLE CAMERAS TO
PUT ON THE BACKS OF TRAINED BIRDS OF PREY TO GET, LIKE, AN OVER-THE-SHOULDER
SHOT WHEN THEY WERE DOING THEIR THING, WHETHER IT BE SWOOPING DOWN AT 180 MILES
AN HOUR OR CHASING A COTTONTAIL OR JUST SOMETHING SPECTACULAR IN FLIGHT.       AND
IT WAS JUST SO COOL TO HAVE THIS PERSPECTIVE.     WHAT I SEE AND WHAT I FEEL
THROUGH THE CAMERA IS A COMBINATION OF ALL MY EXPERIENCE IN THE WILD. AND I
KIND OF LIKE FEEL LIKE I'M DOING A PAINTING WHEN I TURN THE CAMERA ON, YOU KNOW,
EXPRESSING THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD.     IT'S A COOL, COOL FEELING.
WILDLIFE FILMS HAVE BECOME KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THEY'VE DONE SOME
AMAZING THINGS FOR CONSERVATION.     THEY'VE MADE PEOPLE AWARE OF THINGS THAT THEY
WOULD NEVER BE EXPOSED TO.     SO, I MEAN, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.    I FEEL LIKE
WHEN WE'RE OUT HERE FILMING BALD EAGLES OR FILMING GRIZZLY BEARS OR MOUNTAIN
GORILLAS, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING TO HELP PRESERVE A SPECIES, YOU KNOW.
I HAD A REOCCURRING DREAM AND IT WENT ON FOR, I THINK, YEARS -- I HAVEN'T HAD
IT RECENTLY -- BUT I'D RUN AND TAKE OFF AND FLY, YOU KNOW.      STRANGE.

 Johnson Boyle: AND THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR THIS EPISODE OF "ASSIGNMENT IOWA."   WE
HOPE YOU'VE GAINED SOME INSIGHTS INTO HOW THESE TOP INDIVIDUALS FOUND THEIR
PLACE IN THE SUN.   OUR EXPLORATION OF OUTSTANDING IOWANS CONTINUES ON OUR NEXT
TWO "ASSIGNMENT IOWAS" WHEN WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO IOWA'S OUTSTANDING ARTISTS.
WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF TALENTS WHO WILL OPEN OURS TO NEW
WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT OUR WORLD.   TUNE IN FOR A TWO-PART "ASSIGNMENT IOWA"
SUNDAY NIGHT, JUNE 17, STARTING AT 9:30 AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, BEGINNING AT
7:00.   UNTIL THEN DON'T FORGET TO VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT
IPTV.ORG/ASSIGNMENTIOWA, WHERE WE STREAM OUR ENTIRE SHOW AND ALSO SHARE
INTERESTING TIDBITS FROM AROUND THE STATE.   FOR EVERYONE HERE AT IOWA PUBLIC
TELEVISION, I'M AMY JOHNSON BOYLE.    THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR
"ASSIGNMENT IOWA."

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