Escapee pleads not guilty to charges
KAHULUI — A 45-year-old man who evaded police capture for nearly three days last month pleaded not guilty to second-degree escape Tuesday during his initial appearance on the charge in 2nd Circuit Court.
On May 25, Gary Stephen Arrojo allegedly scaled a building, jumped over an inner fence and crawled under an outer fence at the Maui Community Correctional Center where he was held on a shoplifting charge. Following up on a tip, police and state sheriffs found Arrojo May 28 at a homeless encampment at Waiehu Beach Park and returned him to the Wailuku jail.
Arrojo made his escape alone, according to jail Warden Alan Nouchi.
Arrojo’s jury trial was scheduled for Aug. 25.
He continues to face a felony shoplifting charge for allegedly taking $410 in clothing with a 54-year-old Wailuku woman from Macy’s at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center on May 11.
Crews extinguish Puunene brush fire
PUUNENE — Firefighters worked into the night Monday to extinguish a fire that burned about one acre of brush at Maui Raceway Park in Puunene.
Reported at 6:45 p.m. at the end of the drag strip off Mokulele Highway, the fire was extinguished at 11:01 p.m. The cause was not determined.
New park restroom open at Kamaole III
KIHEI — A new restroom at Kamaole Beach Park III was officially turned over to the county Tuesday by developer Kai Malu Wailea LLC.
The company built the facility at a cost of about $550,000 as a condition of approval for the 150-unit Kai Malu at Wailea resort condominium project. Other requirements include a $98,000 payment to the West Maui Resource Center and $100,000 toward painting of Kihei Elementary School.
“Kamaole III is one of our island’s most popular parks for both residents and visitors alike, and this new restroom will be greatly appreciated by beachgoers,” Mayor Charmaine Tavares said.
Work on waterline will disrupt service
WAILUKU — A portion of Wailuku town will not have water service late Monday night and for an hour early Tuesday morning, the Department of Water Supply announced this week.
The outage is set to begin at 9 p.m. Monday and end at 1 a.m. Tuesday as water crews continue work on the installation of a 12-inch waterline. Customers affected by the water outage include those on Vineyard Street between Church and Market streets and those on Church Street from its intersection with Main Street to the north end of Waikahe Place.
Also, Vineyard Street will be open for one-lane traffic only between Market and Church streets from approximately 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on working days, and it may be closed at other times.
Customers may call the 24-hour service line at 270-7633, if a water problem occurs.
