Lebanon School Board member Christina Haidari, third from left, speaks during a budget workshop held at the Lebanon Middle School in November 2015. Haidari was elected chairwoman of the board on Wednesday. At far right is former Chairman Jeff Peavey.
Lebanon School Board member Christina Haidari, third from left, speaks during a budget workshop held at the Lebanon Middle School in November 2015. Haidari was elected chairwoman of the board on Wednesday. At far right is former Chairman Jeff Peavey. Credit: Valley News — Geoff Hansen

Lebanon School Board Elects Chairwoman

Lebanon — The School Board elected Christina Haidari as its newest chairwoman on Wednesday night.

Haidari, 50, garnered the votes of five of the board’s nine members to defeat former Chairman Jeff Peavey in a secret ballot taken on pieces of scrap paper. She was first elected to the board in 2010 and previously sat on the district’s education, personnel and negotiations and staff development committees.

Members also chose Richard Milius to serve as the board’s vice chairman. He defeated Wendy Hall by a vote of 6 to 3.

Maine House Gives Initial OK To Public Vote on GMO Labels

Augusta, Maine — The Maine House of Representatives has given initial approval to a proposal that would allow residents to vote on whether packages of foods produced from genetically modified organisms should be labeled.

Maine has a GMO labeling law on the books, but it doesn’t kick in unless enough other states pass similar laws by 2018. Rep. Michelle Dunphy wants voters to decide whether to repeal that trigger provision and mandate labeling now.

The House approved the bill on Thursday.

                          — Staff and wire reports