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There may be many remaining of a certain age who remember when the nation’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, was feted on his own birthday holiday — Feb. 12.
But then the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, passed in 1971, shuffled various holidays to fixed Mondays, ensuring a long weekend. Among these was Washington’s Birthday, Feb. 22, which according to federal law is still the legal name of the holiday that Hawaii and 22 other states celebrate on the third Monday of the month as “Presidents Day.” Honest Abe, sadly, lost his own namesake day in the process. Sorry, Mr. Lincoln.
After the storm, stay out of that brown water
If you’re planning to spend part of today’s holiday anywhere near the shoreline, watch your step — and check for a state-issued brown water advisory. The odds are good that the recent blast of wet weather is resulting in stormwater draining to Oahu’s near-shore waters.
The state Department of Health advises avoiding murky areas that can be flowing with pathogen-dotted contents, such as runoff from overflowing cesspools, sewers and manholes as well as pesticides and flood-related debris. Last week, advisories were in place along the North Shore, from Kaena Point to Kahuku and in Waimanalo; also at Yokohama Bay, Niu Beach and Waialae-Kahala Beach.
