BOE inductees include 4 new faces

Seven newly elected state Board of Education members are set to be inducted, but the fate of their posts is unclear.

A ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. today at the Hawaii State Judiciary Building on South King Street.

The four new members are Maralyn Kurshals of the Leeward district, Leona Rocha-Wilson of Maui and Randall Yee and Pamela Young, who represent all of Oahu.

Reelected to the board are central district member Eileen Clarke, Oahu at-large member Kim Coco Iwamoto and Windward district member John Penebacker.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment this month allowing the governor to appoint the school board. However, the Legislature must first enact laws governing the appointment process.

Coming up

The registration deadline is today for voters who want to help choose a successor to former Honolulu Councilman Todd Apo. Completed forms for the District 1 contest must be postmarked by midnight. Registration forms are available at satellite city halls and U.S. post offices as well as on the Internet. The election will be conducted almost exclusively by mail, with about 46,000 registered voters receiving ballots starting Dec. 8. Results are to be announced Dec. 29.

NEIGHBOR ISLAND

Maui bill would govern fish-tank trade

Another bill that would regulate the collection of aquarium fish will be discussed Wednesday by the Maui County Council Public Services Committee, the Maui News reported.

The proposal, introduced by Councilman Mike Molina, would extend the county’s laws on animal cruelty to include provisions on live fish. It would require collectors to provide adequate food and otherwise treat the fish humanely.

A separate bill proposed by Councilman Wayne Nishiki and passed earlier this year created new regulations requiring people who collect aquarium fish from the ocean to apply for a license.

Because the state has jurisdiction over the ocean, Maui County has no authority to ban or limit fish collection. Instead, local officials have looked for ways to increase control over the industry on land.