ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Honolulu judge restrains man who jumped on bench

HONOLULU

A judge took matters into his own hands when a man jumped onto his bench and broke a flagpole.

The Department of Public Safety says District Judge Lono Lee knocked the man down and put him in a chokehold. Steven Michael Hauge was charged with disorderly conduct, obstruction of government operations and criminal-property damage.

Sheriff Shawn Tsuha says Hauge was from courtroom to courtroom in the Honolulu District Court building screaming. He is accused of grabbing the Hawaii state flag and breaking the staff while swinging it around.

Public-safety spokeswoman Toni Schwartz confirmed the incident. Hauge couldn’t be reached at Oahu Community Correctional Center where he is being held on $1,500 bail.

Kitten hitches hair-raising ride over Golden Gate Bridge

SANTA CRUZ, Calif.

A stowaway kitten is safe despite taking an 85-mile ride in a van’s engine compartment that included a trip across California’s Golden Gate Bridge.

A Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter spokesman says the 8-month-old female feline was probably just looking for a warm place to sleep.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported that the van’s road-tripping driver left from Marin County and spent the night in a Mill Valley parking lot before heading out last week for Santa Cruz.

He didn’t stop until he reached a gas station in the beachfront city, where he heard a distinct meowing.

He opened the hood and found the kitten with a blue, studded collar and blue bell but no identification.

The shelter is trying to locate the owner.

City manager says he’s not needed, so he lays himself off

KELLER, Texas

The administrator of a North Texas city believes he’s not needed and has laid himself off.

Keller City Manager Dan O’Leary announced his decision last week.

O’Leary says the Fort Worth-area city of nearly 40,000 has two assistant managers and does not need a third administrator. He earns about $176,000 annually as manager of the city, which is about 20 miles north of Fort Worth.

The 57-year-old O’Leary, who was hired in 2007, says he has no plans to retire. His last day on the job will be April 20.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that O’Leary informed city council members of his decision during a closed session Tuesday. Elected officials did not say who will assume his responsibilities.

Associated Press