Editor’s Note: Questions about stay-at-home orders can be submitted to tinyurl.com/TFIQ-A and The Garden Island staff will do our best to find you an answer.
LIHU‘E — Yes, you can bring your car to the mechanic, enjoy solo outdoor activities, and yes, you can even sell fish along the side of the road. But, no, you can’t lay out in the sun on the beach, go sightseeing or enjoy a motorcycle joy ride for the time being.
These are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions the Kaua‘i Police Department has been asked regarding Mayor Derek Kawakami’s Emergency Rules No. 5 and stay-at-home orders.
The department released a nearly 30 question frequently asked questions document on Monday to limit the number of calls coming into the non-emergency line.
“Our dispatchers are receiving a significant volume of calls every day regarding questions related to the emergency orders established by the Governor and Mayor,” said KPD Chief of Police Todd Raybuck said in a statement. “We appreciate the public’s desire to follow the law; however, each call requesting clarification on the orders places a significant strain on our dispatch center to answer 911 and non-emergency public safety calls.”
Many of the answers remind readers that essential tasks like grocery shopping and moving homes are allowed, but to continue practicing social distancing and refrain from activities if sick. It is suggested that if you do fall ill to seek somebody else to do tasks for you while remaining in self-isolation.
The FAQ breaks up questions by topic, and further explains what tasks are allowed and prohibited. For example, landscapers can continue their work as long as it’s for “emergency-related activities like cleaning our fallen trees or any other public safety matter.” Landscapers are not allowed to go about routine garden maintenance, since regular lawn care is considered “non-essential.” Driving to enjoy outdoor activities like swim and surf are allowed, but team sports like soccer or baseball are a no-go.
As of the end of March, the KPD has issued seven criminal citations and one misdemeanor arrest for violating the state-wide 14-day quarantine. One stay-at-home order was also issued for an operating cosmetic business.
While many businesses are closed down, the KPD suggests online payments for vehicle registration renewals, sewer renewals and utilities. The Department of Motor Vehicle kiosk at Safeway remains open.
The full FAQ can be seen on the kauai.gov/COVID-19. For further clarification, the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency can be reached at 241-1800.
“Landscapers are not allowed to go about routine garden maintenance, since regular lawn care is considered ‘non-essential.’ ”
This illustrates a classic problem when bureaucrats pretend to be able to make rational decisions for thousands of people. They can’t; the harder they try, the further down the rabbit hole they go with more and more irrational, counterproductive “measures”. The term “essential” itself is subjective and means different things to different people. Isn’t earning a living “essential”?
What is the possible benefit of prohibiting a landscape maintenance person from doing healthy work in fresh air and sunshine? They are obviously not anywhere near other people and are then able to support themselves without having to burden the state unemployment roles…which will be put in a position of becoming overwhelmed and depleted. (this will require added taxes for employers when things are back to normal).
All commonsense has been abandoned.
RG DeSoto
Did the law changed about illegal vending on public roadways? ANYONE can sell in these areas now?
Kauai Landscaping trucks are all over the place