A three-year veteran of the Maui Police Department was arrested in California yesterday. John Salomon, a 39 year-old Pukalani resident, was arrested for “Drunk in Public” in Newport Beach, CA, by the local PD.

John Salomon. (MPD Booking Photo)

According to Facebook posts on MauiWatch by Salomon’s mother and brother, the man was arrested for J-walking and being intoxicated. The incident happened while Salomon was on a day pass from a local rehab facility.

The report released by MPD noted that, at the time of this incident Solomon was on unpaid, administrative leave. Family members say Salomon also suffers from PTSD.

Newport Beach Police Department documented this incident under report #15-5485.
Bail was set at $500.00. No further information is available at this time. The (new) mug shot is currently not available.

Salomon was arrested for DUI on Maui June 11. He was also charged with refusing to submit to field sobriety tests.

PAIA – At 8:42 p.m., Friday evening, firefighters responded to reports of two separate brush fires near Hana Highway and the Paia mini-bypass.

Firefighters arrived three minutes later and found only a single fire about a quarter-acre in size, burning in a sugar cane field just Kahului side of the mini-bypass and mauka of Hana Highway. It appeared to be an unscheduled cane fire since the field did not appear to be prepped for harvest. The Paia mini-bypass was closed temporarily.

While waiting for HC&S representatives, the Paia fire crew and a Kahului water tanker were able to contain about 80 percent of the fire using large fire streams from fire trucks outside the field. Crews do not send firefighters on foot into cane fires because of unwarranted risks.

HC&S crews arrived and confirmed that it was an unscheduled fire. About four acres had been burned by the time firefighters left the scene at 9:40 p.m. and handed over responsibility to HC&S.

The fire is considered suspicious. This is the second unscheduled cane fire to occur in the same area two nights in a row. Cause of the fire could not be determined. There were no injuries and no structures threatened.

Washington, D.C. – While conservative and religious leaders fume, many are rejoicing at Friday’s Supreme Court ruling on the nationwide lift of any ban on gay marriage.

(Photo Courtesy CBS News)

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai’i) released the following statement Friday after the Supreme Court ruled in a landmark decision that states must recognize the marriages of same-sex couples.

WAILUKU – At approximately 4:30 p.m. Friday, pre-trial detainee Samson Hill attempted to escape from the Maui Community Correctional Center (MCCC).

WHAT IN THE SAM HILL? – Pre-trial detainee Samson Hill tried to climb out of MCCC Friday. No can. Click to enlarge. (DPS Photo)

The 26-year old man tried to scale the 14-foot fence and was caught in the razor wire.  Corrections officers pulled him down from the fence and quickly restrained him.  Hill was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries. No lockdown was initiated.  Maui police were immediately notified.

“I commend our staff for quickly responding to prevent the escape and bringing the situation under immediate control,” said PSD Director Nolan Espinda.

Hill is awaiting trial for Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle.  An Escape 2 charge is expected to be added.

PAIA – An “unscheduled” cane burn Thursday night lit the sky near Baldwin Beach Park in Pa’ia.

LIME KILN GLOW – An “unscheduled” cane burn lit up the sky near Lime Kiln at Baldwin Beach Park Thursday night. Click to enlarge. (Photo courtesy MauiWatch)

According to Maui Fire Department’s Fire Services Officer Edward Taomoto, Thursday night at 7:34 p.m., firefighters were called to a possible brush fire near Baldwin Beach Park in Paia.

Firefighters arrived five minutes later and found a one acre fire burning within a sugar cane field near the old Lime Kiln, just east of Baldwin Park. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company employees were not in the area and it appeared to be an unscheduled cane fire.

The Paia fire crew and a Kahului water tanker kept the fire from spreading any further until HC&S representatives arrived. Once HC&S crews arrived, they confirmed that it was unscheduled. Fire crews left the scene at 9:18 p.m., when they handed over responsibility to HC&S.

Cause of the fire was undetermined. There were no injuries and no structures were threatened.

By Jeff King

With 11 more arrests Wednesday on the Big Island as the movement to stop construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), Governor David Ige has been put in the position of issuing statements followed by retractions. On Tuesday – in advance of the scheduled construction restart, Hawai’i State Chief of Staff Mike McCartney issued this statement on behalf of the governor – who is in Washington, D.C. attending an energy forum:

ARTISTS CONCEPT – The TMT is still just that…a concept after Mauna A Wakea protesters blocked the effort to restart construction Wednesday. Click to Enlarge. (Image Courtesy TMT)

“It is our belief that there will be mutual respect and aloha on Wednesday and in the days ahead as TMT restarts construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.

“TMT has the approvals needed to proceed with construction. We respect those who oppose the project and their right to peaceably assemble and to protest in an orderly and civil manner.

“The State of Hawai‘i’s primary concern is the health and safety of its people. The state and Hawai‘i County are working together to uphold the law and ensure safety on roadways and on Mauna Kea, while allowing the people their right to peacefully and lawfully protest.”

After hundreds of Mauna A Wakea protectors blocked construction crews and vehicles, Police and DLNR enforcement officers encountered little resistance – but were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. In total, 11 people were arrested. Also, “somehow,” large boulders were strewn across the rugged access roads leading to the TMT site – forcing vehicles back. After that news made to D.C. last night, Governor Ige’s Chief of Staff said:

“Eleven adults were arrested by the Hawai‘i Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE) Wednesday, during a protest to stop construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea.

“The arrests are unfortunate, but the state’s number one priority is the safety of the people on Mauna Kea – from TMT workers to protestors who are exercising their first amendment rights to peaceably assemble and protest in a civil manner.

“We are disappointed and concerned that large boulders were found in the roadway leading to the summit of Mauna Kea. This action is a serious and significant safety hazard and could put people at risk.

“Because of this, we are making an assessment to determine how to proceed.

“We will be working to clear the roadway tomorrow. Therefore, construction is on hold until further notice.”

STOPPED – The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope is more than half-complete. Wednesday night, opponents of the project successfully block the delivery of huge construction payloads. Click to enlarge. (UH Image)

On Maui, a rapidly arranged but largely attended gathering Wednesday night tried to block large trucks from transporting building materials to the summit of Haleakala to complete the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. The group gathered at the entrance of the Central Maui Baseyard along Mokulele Highway from 8 p.m. until well after midnight. A video, recorded at 2:38 a.m. today, appears to show a representative of the planned trucking project addressing the crowd, confirming the overnight-haul was cancelled. View the clip here.

An unintended consequence of the scheduled haul was the closure of the road to the Summit – preventing early risers from viewing today’s sunrise from the peak of the House of The Sun. The road is set to reopen at 2 p.m. today.

On a semi-related topic, activists on Maui are being particularly active lately. Tonight in Kihei, a community forum has been set from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the topic of cane burning. Details on the planned event are available here.