Travel Oregon, OMSI share tips, resources to prepare for total solar eclipse
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Oregon
Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon,
in partnership with the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry (OMSI), is
helping residents and visitors prepare for
this summer’s total solar eclipse – the
first in the continental U.S. since 1979 –
that will make its way across Oregon on
Aug. 21, 2017.
During a total solar eclipse (aka total-
ity), the sun, the moon and the Earth align
in such a way that the moon completely
blocks out the sun, briefly turning daytime
into twilight for nearly two minutes. This
eclipse will cross the entire length of the
country on a 90-mile-wide path, known
as the “Path of Totality,” beginning on the
Oregon Coast and ending on the East
Coast near Charleston, S.C.
Touching down just north of Depoe
Bay on the Oregon Coast at 10:15 a.m.,
the moon’s shadow will race east, passing
through cities in the Willamette Valley
(Salem, Corvallis, Albany) and Central
Oregon (Madras, Prineville, Redmond),
ending its path in Eastern Oregon (John
Day, Baker City, Ontario).
Due to the rapid movement of the
moon around the Earth, the eclipse will tra-
verse the entire state in just nine minutes.
“The entire state of Oregon is for-
tunate to have such a rare opportunity to
watch the total solar eclipse,” said Jim
Todd, OMSI director of space science edu-
cation. “Oregon will be the first U.S. state
to view the totality of the Great American
Eclipse. Cities closest to the center of the
Path of Totality will have the best viewing
opportunities, particularly those east of
the Cascade Range, where clear skies are
most likely.”
Travel Oregon and OMSI are working
with other state agencies to inform visitors
and prepare communities and businesses
across the state for the thousands of visi-
tors anticipated to participate.
Travel Oregon is producing an eclipse
guide book with helpful tips and resources
that will also include a pair of eclipse
viewing glasses. The guide is set to release
in early April and will be available at
Oregon Visitor Centers, State Welcome
Centers and online at TravelOregon.com/
Getting-Around/OnlineGuides/.
“This is such an extraordinary event
that people will travel the world to see it.
We’re thrilled that Oregonians and our
visitors will have the opportunity for a
front row seat,” said Todd Davidson, CEO
of Travel Oregon. “With the eclipse tak-
ing place on a Monday, we’re encouraging
visitors to make a trip out of it and come
a few days early or stay a few days late.
We want everyone to enjoy this amazing
celestial occurrence while also ensuring
they take time to prepare and stay safe.”
Many hotels and campsites along
the path of totality are already booked on
the dates surrounding Aug. 21. Several
first-come, first-served campgrounds are
set to be temporarily converted to reser-
vation-only for the eclipse, so additional
campsites will be made available in the
coming months.
Regional tourism agencies are
encouraging visitors to look for hotels
in larger metro areas just outside the
path of totality, such as Portland, Eugene
and Bend. In addition to the OMSI Solar
Eclipse Viewing Party in Salem, other
communities are also planning events to
celebrate the eclipse, including the Oregon
Solarfest in Madras, the Oregon Star Party
in the Ochoco National Forest and Oregon
Eclipse Festival near Mitchell, Oregon.
Visitors and residents can find out
more at TravelOregon.com/Eclipse and
GreatAmericanEclipse.com/oregon.
Editor’s note: The Chairman’s Report will resume in a future issue of Siletz News.
Changes in how we mail Siletz News
From the editor:
Starting with the April issue, the Siletz Tribe will begin mailing one copy of
Siletz News to each physical address instead of one copy to each Tribal member
age 18 and older.
If you find that you need more than one copy in your household, please
email your name and address to pias@ctsi.nsn.us and you will start receiving a
second copy.
Thank you!
STRCP amends policy on number of loans,
sets new interest rates for 2017
The Siletz Tribe Revolving Credit Program (STRCP) is pleased to announce
that the Tribal Council has amended its Program Declaration of Policies with the
goal to further enhance Tribal member access to consumer, home improvement
and small business loans.
STRCP, in addition to reporting loans to TransUnion Credit Bureau on a
monthly basis with the goal of improving the loan recipient’s credit score, will
now allow applicants to get additional loans who meet all the conditions of their
previous loans per policy
Additionally, the STRCP Board of Directors set new base interest rates for
2017 as follows: Consumer loans are 8.75 percent, home improvement loans are
6.75 percent and business loans are 7.75 percent.
If you are interested in applying for a loan or would like more information,
please don’t hesitate to contact the STRCP credit administrator, Shani Gilila, at
541-994-2142 or 877-564-7298, or visit the STBC website at stbcorp.net.
Elders Council Meeting
Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12
annual subscription fee applies. Please make checks payable to CTSI and mail
to Siletz News.
Name: _______________________________________________________
March 4 • 1-4 p.m. • Chinook Winds Golf Resort
Siletz Elder potlucks are held monthly at 6 p.m. on the Monday before the regularly
scheduled Elders meeting. Please bring a potluck dish you would like to share.
For more information, contact the Elders Program at 800-922-1399,
ext. 1261, or 541-444-8261.
Address: _____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________
Change of address: Tribal members – contact the Enrollment Depart-
ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399, ext. 1258; or enrollment@ctsi.nsn.us.
All others – call the newspaper office.
Deadline for the April issue
is March 10.
Send information to:
Submission of articles and
photos is encouraged.
Siletz News
Please see the Passages
Policy on page 20 when sub-
mitting items for Passages.
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
541-444-8291 or
800-922-1399, ext. 1291
Fax: 541-444-2307
Email: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
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March 2017
Nuu-wee-ya’ (our words)
Introduction to the Athabaskan language
Open to Tribal members of all ages
Siletz
Siletz Tribal Community Center
March 6 – 6-8 p.m.
April 3 – 6-8 p.m.
Portland
Portland Area Office
March 13 – 6-8 p.m.
April 10 – 6-8 p.m.
Eugene
Eugene Area Office
March 7 – 6-8 p.m.
April 4 – 6-8 p.m.
Salem
Salem Area Office
March 14 – 6-8 p.m.
April 11 – 6-8 p.m.
Classes begin with basic instruction and progress over the year. They also
are a refresher course for more-advanced students. Come and join other members
of your community and Tribe in learning to speak one of our ancient languages.
We also have equipment in the Cultural Department available for use in
grinding and drilling shell or pine nuts or other applications. If you need to use
the equipment, call the number below to set up an appointment.
For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department
at 541-444-8320 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1320; or e-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us.