(Radio Iowa) — At a packed school board meeting last (Tuesday) night, many Denison residents spoke in support of high school teacher Crystal Holt, who’s been placed on leave after using a racial slur in a class discussion. Current students told how much Holt has helped them, while former student Monica Lara said Holt went to the authorities for her after she was sexually abused by a teacher. Lara said she felt “attacked and alone.” “However, Mrs. Holt was one of the few people who believed in me and uplifted me throughout the long legal process,” Lara says. “Because of her help, there is a man who will no longer be able to abuse another child in a school setting and a girl who got to reclaim her life back.”

The school board heard comments about Holt from more than 20 people as it investigates the situation. Another supporter, Rhonda McGregor says she’s known Holt for 12 years. “She is nothing but an encourager. She’s inspiring. She brings a lesson to life. She engages kids,” McGregor says. “She has taught me so much about just being able to interact.”

Some students at Denison High staged a walk-out on Tuesday, demanding an outside investigation of diversity at the school — and that Holt be fired.

(Reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate today (Wednesday), announced several new measures his office is taking to ensure the integrity of Iowa’s felon database. Felons are currently barred from voting in Iowa unless their rights have been restored by the Governor. Iowa’s felon database contains more than 90,000 files. The new steps to ensure the system’s accuracy include a manual review of all 90,000 files. Secretary Pate has repurposed existing staff for this project and will be bringing on additional staff soon. The goal is for the review to be completed prior to the November 3, 2020 general election.

Pate said “My team has put in countless hours to update the felon database, and many more hours of work are needed. I want to ensure every single file is accurate. That is going to take a lot of time, energy and resources, but we will get it done.” Secretary Pate is also working with the Iowa Judicial Branch to ensure information provided by the courts to the Secretary of State’s Office regarding felony convictions is accurate. This includes a six-step verification process. Three of those steps are new, and the others have been enhanced.

Another step Pate has taken, is the introduction of a new administrative rule that clarifies the roles of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Secretary of State’s Office and county auditors regarding the felon database. The rule was submitted to the State of Iowa’s Legislative Services Agency for review on Tuesday. Pate said “We are improving our processes to make sure eligible voters are not deterred from casting ballots. My staff is going to dig through every record, no matter how old, double and triple check the information with the courts, and make sure everything is correct. This is a team effort and we’ve asked the courts and all 99 county auditors to take the additional steps.”

Secretary Pate’s Office will utilize funds provided through the Help America Vote Act to pay for additional staff and review of the felon data. “The bottom line,” he said, “is we repeatedly ask election officials to use the provisional ballot option if there is any doubt about a voter’s status. We don’t want any eligible voter to be disenfranchised.”

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man has been imprisoned for the crash death of his passenger after his motorcycle ran into the back of a car in Mason City. Court records say 41-year-old Brandon Kellar, of Mason City, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the family of Shawn True. Police say Kellar was driving the motorcycle late on the night of Sept. 28, 2018, when his motorcycle hit the car. He and the 36-year-old True were thrown off the bike. True died from her injuries.

Kellar had pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide by reckless driving. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a charge of vehicular homicide while under the influence.

Officials with Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, have announced the Annual Holiday Christmas Lighting Contest “Deck the Homes,” is underway. The contest encourages the community to nominate their favorite merry and bright home. To nominate your favorite merry and bright home, call Atlantic Municipal Utilities at 712-243-1395. Winners will receive an Atlantic Municipal Utilities Voucher. Nominations are due by Monday, December 9th.

You can find a complete list of activities at www.christmasinatlantic.com.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from eastern Iowa was arrested Tuesday on an Atlantic Police Department warrant. 59-year old Sondra Dee Damewood, of Newton, was taken into custody on the warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Damewood was booked into the Cass County Jail, and later released on her own recognizance.

The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested on a trio of charges Tuesday night. 33-year old Anthony Wasson, of Creston, was taken into custody at around 8:20-p.m. at his home. Wasson faces charges that include Disorderly conduct, Interference with Official Acts and Assault on an Officer. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,600 bond.

(Radio Iowa) — More than 11-hundred school board members from across Iowa are gathering in Des Moines today (Wednesday) for the 74th annual Iowa Association of School Boards Convention. Spokeswoman Tammy Votava says there were more than 380 new school board members elected statewide on November 5th. “We’ve got really great programming planned for them at the convention,” Votava says. “We have new board member orientation workshops called ‘Thriving In Your First 90 Days.’ We have basic school finance workshops for them. We have a whole track for just new board members, so we’re ready for all of them to come.”

This year’s convention is focused on two primary issues. “One is mental health which is also one of our proposed priorities on our platform, so we have several sessions focused on mental health,” Votava says. “We have workshops on innovation and also Sir Ken Robinson, our leading keynote speaker, will be speaking a lot about innovation.”

Continuing with the focus on innovation, the second keynote speaker, Scott McLeod, will be presenting a talk called “Unleashing Innovation, How Should We Think About the Future.”  “We also have six school districts coming in for the Ignite Innovation Showcase,” Votava says. “It’s a new thing we’re going this year where attendees can go around to different stations and learn more about innovative programs from across the state.”

The convention is underway through Thursday at the Iowa Events Center. For more information, visit www.ia-sb.org.