Polk County Eclipse
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 14, 2017 7A
Parlez-vous
Francis? Espanol?
Itemizer-Observer staff report
CHARLES FULCO/for the Itemizer-Observer
Total eclipses can attract thousands of visitors from around the world.
CHS grad comes home for eclipse
From Independence, Iowa, Smith family plans to travel for solar event
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa —
Eric Smith is far from an
eclipse expert.
“I think I recalled back to
hearing something when I
was in first grade, but that
was a long time ago,” Smith
said with a chuckle.
But the Great American
Eclipse has been on the
Smith family’s radar for sev-
eral years now — all thanks
to their son, now 17.
“Three or four years ago,
he first picked up on this
eclipse,” Smith said. “He’s
talked about it since. We
thought it sounded very in-
teresting and unique.”
The Smiths will be headed
to Monmouth come August
to take in the view, but the
trip will also serve as a
homecoming.
Eric graduated from Cen-
tral High School in 1990 and
his parents still live in Mon-
mouth.
The chance to see a
unique event in their old
backyard was too good to
pass up — even if it meant a
tight schedule.
“The eclipse is on Mon-
day, we fly home on Tuesday
and school starts on
Wednesday,” Eric said. “We
considered staying closer to
home but it seems like a
good opportunity to see my
parents.”
The Smiths will arrive
early to take a trip to places
across the state, including
Crater Lake, and will arrive
in Monmouth on Saturday.
The Smiths have done
their research and Eric, his
wife and three children, are
excited to be a part of some-
thing that people across the
country will be flocking to.
“It’ll be our first experi-
ence with this whole eclipse
thing,” Eric said. “We’ve
been paying attention to
some of the feeds on eclipse
websites, and it seems like
it’s something people will be
taking advantage of.”
Whether the Great Ameri-
can Eclipse inspires the
Smiths to become eclipse
chasers remains to be seen.
But Eric said they are excited
to share the moment with
loved ones.
“You read about it, how
people in ancient times did-
n’t understand why the sky
went dark,” Eric said. “To ex-
perience something they’ve
only read in literature will be
awesome. I think it’s pretty
cool that there will be three
generations of Smiths expe-
riencing the eclipse.”
POLK COUNTY — Calling all volunteers: As the Great
American Eclipse nears, each event will need the help of
volunteers for things to go smoothly. One way you can
help is if you are bilingual in English and another lan-
guage.
If you will likely be around the Dallas area during
the eclipse event and celebrations from Aug. 18
through 22, and are willing to help police, fire and
other service groups for a few minutes if needed and
called upon, sign up to be an interpreter during the
eclipse.
While the exact number of tourists who can’t speak
English well is unknown, Dallas Police Department Lt.
Jerry Mott is collecting names and contact information
for people who could help tourists if they need it.
“The most efficient and personable way to do that is to
have a person who can speak their native language and
may be familiar with their native customs available to
help us,” Mott said in a press release.
If you are willing to volunteer, give the Dallas PD a call.
Your name and phone number will be added to a list of
resources available. If things change and you can’t help
out, just let them know and they will take your name off
the list.
“We will ask our local hotels to let us know what lan-
guages are represented in their guest reservations as we
get closer to the event, but it would also help if folks who
are hosting or know of a large group of non-English
speakers visiting us let us know what language resource
we should try to have available,” Mott said.
Volunteers would potentially help with things like giv-
ing directions, reuniting lost children with parents and
answering initial first-aid questions.
They would not be asked to assist with significant
criminal investigations.
Languages expected to be represented include:
American Sign Language, Spanish, German, Japanese,
Korean, languages of China, East Slavic languages, and
Swedish.
If you can help with these or other foreign languages,
call Mott at 503-831-3516 or email jerry.mott@dallasor.
gov.
Buy One Breakfast
and 2 Drinks and
Get A Free Breakfast
Offer good Tue-Fri till 11 am
$6 Breakfast Specials
(3 to choose from)
50
$1 Biscuits & Gravy $1 Coffee
$10 Delicious Burger, Fries & Drink
Limit one per customer. Expires 6-30-17.
Not to be combined with any other offer.
154 S. Main St, Independence 503-837-0394
Solution on Page 6A
PUBLIC NOTICE FOR A CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION
The Oregon Health Authority - Drinking Water Services has determined that the
proposed drinking well #5 water pump house, treatment facility, and pipeline
expansion for the Luckiamute Domestic Water Cooperative conform to the
criteria and requirements of Oregon Administrative Rules 333-061-0063 and the
supporting guidance manual "Environmental Review Process Handbook".
The project involves building a 140 sq. ft. pump house, 120 sq. ft. treatment
building, and approximately 1.5 miles of pipeline connecting well #5 to the
existing system, is therefore categorically excluded from further environmental
review as allowed in the above reference rules. A copy of the Categorical
Exclusion and information upon which it is based is available for public viewing at:
Oregon Health Authority
Drinking Water Services
800 NE Oregon Street; Suite 640, Portland, Oregon 97232
Additional copies are available for review at:
Luckiamute Domestic Water Cooperative
8585 Suver Rd., Monmouth, OR 97361
www.polkio.com
(June 14, 2017)
9 am Bike Ride Begins
Visit Airlie Winery,
Emerson, Treos
1 pm BBQ @ Redgate
3 pm 3 hour Ty Curtis
Concert Begins
$65 Inclusive
Pencil
us in!
www.polkio.com
$30 Ty Curtis
& BBQ
Sign up online at
redgatevineyard.com
Visit our website, www.polkio.com
for local news, sports and community events.