You’ll recall that last month, a famous 20-year-old YouTube video publisher from Alabama was arrested in Honolulu when she broke quarantine following her arrival in Hawaii. Mika Salamanca traveled to Honolulu early in July and was seen four days later brazenly out in public. We hadn’t given this much thought, until looking at it again this morning and wondering if justice was best served.
Going rogue, Mika Salamanca published social media videos from Honolulu’s City Nails, Ala Moana Shopping Center (pictured above), at a nearby Korean restaurant, and when hiking in Lanikai. These videos, available to her millions of followers, were brought to the attention of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The matter was then turned over to the State Attorney General, after which Salamanca was arrested. Salamanca first claimed she was advised by law enforcement she could go out in public so long as she had a negative C0vid test. Attorney General Clare Connors said that was incorrect and that her having, “so many followers makes her actions that much more dangerous…”
Potential $5,000 fine and a year in prison reduced to $575 and 6 months probation.
She was originally released on $2,000 bail. Mika Salamanca subsequently agreed to and has now issued a PSA on her social media accounts. She apologized per a state-approved script. As a result, her fine has been reduced to $575, she is on probation for 6 months and has agreed not to return to Hawaii at this time. As an interesting side note, this is not the first time we have heard of penalties for these violations being greatly reduced or dropped entirely.
One of the infamous videos still online.
https://youtu.be/iFqjZK_geaE
PSA apology video.
The video below is in Tagalog as Mika has over 2 million subscribers largely in the Philippines. In it, she said (per Google Translate) “I admit that was a big mistake so I apologize to all of you my followers and the people of Hawaii… I admit in front of the court my mistake so I was given the opportunity to clear my name… I hope you understand me and I’m sorry for everything I did.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DA9436drzo
What’s your take?
Was justice best served in the way this is being handled? We’re not sure ourselves and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Aloha Rob and Jeff,
What’s most disturbing (to me) is reading posts by those who are proposing she should do jail time. All the while, States (Hawaii Included) are letting Criminals OUT of Jails/Prisons to go and commit more heinous crimes! This is a very slippery slope being created, and if this mentality continues, we are doomed as a Republic.
For Hawaii, these are Ige’s “Emergency Mandates”, which are not laws, as they were NOT voted on/in by the State Legislature, who was elected “by the people, for the people”. And, these orders are already pushing (some other States exceeding) the boundaries of our Constitutional Rights. In itself, what’s being done is borderline criminal, as we are technically being held hostage by these States (definitely debatable). Plus, it’s all based on insufficient, scientific evidence that Covid 19 is as deadly as originally thought. Yet here, some people are practically Demanding that She should do jail time, Seriously?! Those of you who feel this way, need a “check up from the neck up” and, you clearly need to snap out of this hypnotic MSM trance…😳
She was tested, apparently she was negative, and the State of Hawaii (nearly 6 months later) should have already established a policy in place to protect those who have tested negative, for travel purposes. It’s a blatant lack of decisive management within Governments that has caused this! It’s ironic that they actually did the right thing (this time), and some of you are out with your pitchforks, metaphorically, calling for her head on a platter, and honestly, that’s just whacked! 😞
Sure, she could have handled it better, but it’s this kind of Socialistic (in my opinion, half-crazed) mentality that will be the downfall of the individual freedoms that this Country was founded on. It’s a bit disheartening, and a real eye opener, to see how easily people have been molded into a socialist mentality, over the last few decades…
Mahalo You two!
Hi Jim.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Evidently you have not lost friends or loved ones. The “jail time” debate is a distraction. These health mandates are not intended foremost to protect a headstrong young woman from herself, but primarily to prevent her from harming other people whose safety was clearly unimportant to her.
Are the following governmental obligations also socialistic, half-crazed, unconstitutional: seatbelts, child car seats, motorcycle helmets, speed limits and stop signs?
More than 200,00 people have died in the US, alone. These emergency mandates reflect our moral obligations to each other.
Losing friends and loved ones is one of the things we all share. Not a good stick to wave in a discussion.
Aloha John,
Couldn’t have said it better myself…
Aloha Kaio,
I’ve lost dozens of friends and family to many things, just to clarify your inaccurate, presumptive analysis of my life.
People like you don’t seem to grasp that she had anegative test result, and she, in no way (None, Zero, Nada) was harming anyone. You aren’t grasping that this is far beyond senselessly punishing a healthy young woman, who didn’t have the disease to spread.
The “distraction” is
people like you trying to justify the actions of this inept Government, from their lack of progress in solving the problems that have arisen over the last 6 months. Hmmm, I find it interesting that you inflated the death count to 200k, when it just reached 171k, which, in itself, is still questionable, but I digress.
Exactly how do you rationalize using the number of deaths (for this disease), when the death rate is miniscule compared to many other diseases and forms of death, not only in this country but around the world? It’s even more asanine using these deaths to justify these ”mandates”, which aren’t even laws, voted in by our constituents, when the actual scientific data doesn’t support the original death rate projections to continue them, in their current form.
On top of that, you senselessly compare executive mandates to state and/or federal laws that were actually voted on by legislation??? 🤷♂️ Comparing apples and oranges isn’t an intelligent way to justify your point. It makes you look like an…well, let’s just say, it makes you look like a politician. 😂🤙
Seriously who cares, they’re so many other issues to be dealt with why waste time on this individual.
I wouldn’t have let her do a PSA it feeds right into what these YouTube celebrities want. The PSA validates her celebrity and frankly before reading this article I didn’t know who this fake celebrity was.
The best move would have been when caught to hustle her over to the airport and put her on the first flight off the island. I’m not talking home, but the first flight to anywhere now that would send a message.
The CCP does that, don’t they? Read a script on television admitting the fundamentally sinful nature of people and praising the strength and wisdom of the state. The only thing missing is the firing squad.
Not a good look for the home of aloha.
Please, shut down your beloved islands! That way no one will come, you will get what so many seem to want, which is complete isolation and separation from us low life mainlanders! Then? You’ll be left with social breakdown, even more lawlessness, serious crime, spikes in murder because, people will only stand by and take the heavy hand of government so long! Those of you who seem to think that the Hawaiian islands are so much more special than just about anywhere else on earth only create division and pride! So, when we all act and behave like petulant children on a blog, and think that our home is so much better than than anywhere else, we deserve the destruction, plague, Virus that comes.
Lock down please so I can be refunded!
JW
Weird.
And let us hope that neither you or one you love is driven to suicide or hopeless drug addiction as a result of the needless destruction of our local and the global economy. It is commonly acknowledged by those who study such things that the excess mortality that will result as a result of this foolish lockdown will far in exceed the excess mortality that will directly result from the Covid-19 pandemic. And while the victims of Covid-19 will be overwhelmingly the very old or infirm those that have thritlives cut short or blighted as a result of global economic collapse will be the very young and others in their prime years. Which is not to say depending on how long the economic devastation lasts that the old and infirm will not be affected as well.
Is this truly the world we want to live in? Where people are not free? In my opinion we don’t quarantine healthy people. My 3 cents. These are slippery slopes for a microbe with a 99.74% recovery rate. Peace.
She’s from Alabama?
Justice was not served.
Shameful
They always feel bad when they are caught. The state of HI should never have reduced the fine. Bottom line: she got away with it. It’s too bad she can’t be banned from the Islands.
I totally agree. It was all publicity for her blog etc. Ban her, keep fines high, track people. Otherwise what good does it do to “require” a quarantine.
She should have had to serve the original sentence. Had I, or anyone else broken the law we would have gotten a much stiffer sentence. Just because she has lots of followers does not give her the right for a reduced sentence.
No, justice was not served!! With the fines being drastically reduced, only leads to people taking the chance to come to Hawaii and break quarantine. The fines need to be stiff enough for people to NOT try and take a chance. This was someone who brazenly disregarded the rules and the Hawaiian residents. Her apology was meaningless. It is a slap in the face to those who followed the rules.
I came to Hawaii in May and the quarantine rules were very much set in stone. Never, was there an understanding that with a negative COVID test you could be free to move around. I do not believe she was ever told that. Although it is hopeful for September, even that has not yet happened. She did not deserve special treatment and a significantly reduced fine. Did my time and will do it again if I have to!
One must ask ones self. If this was a man from the mainland would he be released or still in jail. I do believe the quarantine message was well known to all. She played the innocent girl card and got out.
If she could prove that she was advised by law enforcement that she could stop her quarantine after her negative COVID test, her fine should have been zero. I don’t think she would be flaunting her presence, and posting it, for that matter, all over Hawaii if she knew she was breaking the law. Fine should be zero and no probation.
1. She can’t prove it because it didn’t happen.
2. Many others have violated the rules and posted their violations on line multiple times. What reason is there to believe that she is so different?
Frankly Oahu has increase of Covid cases. Now Maui does, too. We the residents are fed up with these folks who come here & disregard the masks—as in the Mika video. What about respect for our health & welfare. Mahalo for sharing the mishap in Honolulu!!
Hi MaryMargaret.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I’m of the opinion that the entire world has been educated and know the rules. Follow them or don’t, but please know that there are consequences and they need to be fully enforced. Wear a mask, socially distance and stay home. If travel is essential, understand what quarantine means and do it. Violate the rules and pay the price. Countries like New Zealand enforce the rules and look, not many cases at all, their curve has flattened, they have plenty of room in their medical facilities and the citizens enjoy a greater peace of mind.
I wish that we would do this on the Mainland too. It sure feels like this will never end, and that in large part is due to the careless people who continue spreading the disease.
it is not a bad flu. too many people are dying
A returning Hawaii resident who just finished my 14 day quarantine last Saturday. Frankly can’t get all that upset with this vlogger as clearly the quarantine should abolished. The eminent complete collapse of our economy is by far a greater public health threat than this covid virus. A virus that for the overwhelming majority of reasonably healthy individuals is no worse than bad case of the flu. At no time was our or an other health system in imminent threat of collapse as a result of big overwhelmed with covid-19 cases. And remember that the rationalization given for all these extreme measures was to flatten the curve so as to save our hospitals. Now we told our islands are full of super transmitters. I say lucky us that means we will get to herd immunity in no time. In Britain the government no longer gives daily covid case totals as they were caught faking the numbers. What number the Brits can’t fake is that hospital admissions as result of covid-19 are down over 90% since peaking in April. A peaking occurring when it would have anyway. And with out exception those most extreme in ginning up the hysteria are far leftists who wish to radically transform our societies. For them it’s perfectly okay to riot in the street while we can’t even go to the beach. Here in Hawaii these arancho-communists hate tourism and would see us all starve rather than we continue to have the visitor industry provide our livelihood. This is all very sad.
Let us hope that neither you nor anyone you love falls ill, as a result of laxity.
How did we get from comments about C-19 (and inaccurate ones at that) to conspiracy rants about leftists and “arancho-communists”(sic)? Is there a way to stay free of hateful politics?
Why worry about the rules and any fines if the state isn’t going to follow through and then get weak and lessen the fine and a slap on the wrist. All the while, residents are adhering to the rules most of the time.
She tested negative…that’s how you know this is political
Just like the teachers unions in LA, they won’t go back till the police are defended. What a ruse they have going!
165,000 deaths in the United States is not a ruse.
She is not to only one that came and bragged about it on social media. There are many I have seen do it in the last two months. Here’s one. Gus Caleb smyrnios , instagram handle, a MTV reality tv person came to Hawaii, didn’t quarantine, went everywhere including parks that were closed.. He posted everyday he was there. Nothing was done to him. Does that mean they have special treatment? Plenty of people complained to the governor by tagging his post and Private messages him on instagram. Nothing was done, he went unpunished. If we must follow the rules then everyone must do it including MTV Ppl.
This individual earns quite a bit of money from her millions of followers through You Tube. The State caved and should have hit her with a $5K fine AND maybe six months in jail. The fine levied and probation is “nothing” to this woman. She’ll make up the money in a matter of minutes online.
Dale G.
Hawaii’s enforcement of State Quarantine rules is a joke. No wonder the Covid-19 is getting out of control on Oahu. When did “pleading ignorance” become a valid reason for a 90% sentence reduction? That is not fair to the majority of Hawaii residents who are trying to follow the rules.
How do you expect people to follow the rules if you are not going to enforce the fines. This person intentionally did not follow the rules set by the state of Hawaii and should have been fined to the maximum. In addition this person should be prevented from returning to Hawaii for at least two years. She put people at risk of catching the Covid19 and did not care.
Selfish spoiled brat! She should have paid the entire fine and been locked up to make an example to all of her followers. Everyone knows that Hawaii is in a fight to stop the spread so they can get the economy back on track.
Ditto to what JOhn W, Robert H, and Nani C said! She had to know the rules and she chose to violate them to get attention for her vlog. She should have received the maximum punishment to discourage others from doing the same thing. The residents of Hawai’i deserve better.
It would certainly be a waste of resources to put her in jail so banning for a time from the State is fine. Penalty probably should have been reduced to upwards of $1,500 minimum so it is a little more substantial. I think it sets a good precedent for other “influencers”, as well as potential visitors, that violating the State’s rules and putting our residents at potential risk will not be tolerated.
She should not have been fined at all. Get over yourself people. This is a bad flu/cold, it will come, it will go. 98% of those that get the virus have mild symptoms, just like any flu, some will get it worse than others.
“WM”: what planet are you living on? Covid-19 can be deadly for those over 60, especially with a pre-existing condition. Those who do recover can have permanent heart, lung, and neurological impairments. Seriously. JW, M.D.
Your comment is not correct — This is a bad flu/cold, it will come, it will go. 98% of those that get the virus have mild symptoms, just like any flu.
165,000 people have died in the United States from this virus. Over 5 million people in the United States have tested positive. Is 2% of 5 million inconsequential?
Calling this a “bad flu/cold” that people should “get over” is an ignorant and foolish remark that deserves withering scorn.
Hawaii has been relatively spared, and that is because of vigorous shutdown efforts. Let us hope that self-indulgent vanity will not drag Hawaii down to the levels of disease that have ravaged the southern United States.
Mahalo Beat of Hawai’i.
You’re always looking out for everyone, with fair and honest reporting.
Aloha and keep up the awesome work.🌺
Hi Pam.
Thanks so much for your nice words!
Aloha.
Look at stats from regular flu! And other diseases! You act like this is only disease on the planet! Not to mention the hysteria msm causes!
She broke the rules and is frankly getting a break based on her celebrity status. That being said, if she has a negative test within 72 hours of arrival I am at a loss to see the major risk. Of course she could get it within that 72 hours. What does BOH think?
Mahalo!
Hi Jon.
Thanks. Perhaps the subsequent video apology served justice better than the fine and/or jail time. The rules are the rules and you couldn’t get much more flagrant in violation of them than she did. This is not the first time we have heard of penalties for these violations being greatly reduced or dropped entirely.
Aloha.