Lifeguards return with new safety rules in place
HONOLULU — Oahu’s lifeguards returned to their towers dotting the island’s public beaches with new rules and strategies for preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
The familiar lifeguard uniforms of yellow shirts and red shorts now also include red face masks.
Cones also were placed in the sand to establish 10-foot buffer zones around lifeguard towers since they returned without fanfare nearly two weeks ago.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell closed city parks March 18, an order that also shuttered the city and county lifeguard posts. Caldwell reopened the parks April 25.
Ocean safety officers never stopped working, but only stepped down from the beach towers during the closures.
Lifeguards plan to extend their 12-foot surfboards end to end for those in trouble to hold at a safe distance while awaiting an officer on a personal watercraft to take them to shore.
COVID-19 has been added to the list of life-threatening factors lifeguards try to prevent, and the Honolulu Police Department has enforced no-lounging and no-gathering orders on the beaches.
High court makes history hearing remote arguments
WAILUKU, Maui — The Hawaii Supreme Court heard arguments delivered remotely for the first time in the court’s history in a case involving a dispute about water on Maui.
Five justices and four attorneys participated from separate locations Tuesday because of health restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The argument was streamed live on the Hawaii judiciary’s YouTube channel, with a counter indicating more than 450 people watched the proceedings.
The justices heard arguments in the case of Carmichael v. Board of Land and Natural Resources, which involves a decades-long dispute about water flowing from the East Maui mountains.
Attorneys argued about whether invalidating state water diversion permits in East Maui could result in a water shortage for the system serving 35,000 residents, businesses and farms.
Recktenwald said the court would take the case under advisement.