Bipartisanship a breeze for Slom

He had a good run as House speaker — 14 years — but now state Rep. Calvin Say is calling it quits while recommending Rep. Marcus Oshiro, chairman of the House Finance Committee, as his successor.

Unfortunately for him, it might not matter whom he recommends, as Rep. Joe Souki says he has enough votes from both Democrats and the tiny Republican ranks to secure the post. Oshiro says he thinks he can sway enough Democrats alone to vote for him, and therefore wouldn’t have to dilute the party purity of the House leadership.

Meanwhile, the lone Republican in the Senate, Sam Slom, seems to be getting along fine with his colleagues. Senate President Shan Tsutsui recently asked him to be vice chairman of the body’s Economic Development and Housing Committee — the first time a Republican has been named a chairman or vice chairman of a state Senate committee in about two decades.

Painful journey to say goodbye

The Facebook page of Drew Wheeler, Kahuku-based proprietor of ScubaDrew VideoWorks, now bears the photo of Benjamin Wheeler in its profile spot.

Wheeler reportedly will attend today’s services for the 6-year-old boy, his nephew, one of the 20 children killed in the mass gun killing at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

At a time when trips to the mainland to visit with family members are among the holiday season joys, this has got to be a difficult journey.

Everyone here surely sends their sympathies to the Wheelers, and all the families devastated in Friday’s tragic incident.