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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 2017)
8A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 14, 2017 Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 14, 2017 WAITING FOR DARKNESS: the Eclipse of Polk County 2017 Organizations, cities and businesses have You have your spot chosen. You have the camera ready. been meeting for months — some as early When the eclipse arrives, you can simply look to the sky, right? Baily’s as 2015 — in anticipation of the Great Wrong. Doing so could have dire consequences. It’s never safe to look directly American Eclipse. The event is a once-in-a-lifetime for many, Beads – the effect of at the sun. Unfiltered sunlight will damage eyes and could cause permanent and certainly for those living in Polk County. blindness. Just because there will be an eclipse doesn’t change that fact. sunlight shining on the moon’s It gives us a chance to see a rare celestial event literally from our own backyard. Normal sunglasses will not provide sufficient protection. To view the terrain just before and after totality in a total Because we have such a good view with historically eclipse safely, use only approved solar filters (“eclipse glasses” or solar eclipse, creating bright points of light at the clear skies, chances are good that we will be joined by welders’ goggles rated 14 or higher). Don’t have either one? Eclipse many visitors from around the state — and the world edge of the moon’s disk. Corona – the outer glasses will likely be widely available in the months –— to take in the view. While it’s difficult to impossi- leading up to the eclipse. But if ble to know how many people will come, Travel atmosphere of the sun that is visible during a total eclipse Salem has estimated tens of thousands of tourists you don’t there are other as a white ring around the sun. Diamond ring – A burst of to the Marion-Polk area. ways to view the eclipse. Polk County vineyards are planning large sunlight that shines like a diamond on a ring, seen right before Telescopes, cameras and public and private parties for the event. Cities totality begins and as it ends. First contract – When the partial binoculars with approved are deciding how best to use public spaces to solar filters can be used to accommodate tourists the week before the phase of the eclipse begins. Penumbra – The lighter part of the eclipse as well as the weekend of the eclipse. safely view the big event. moon’s shadow. We stand in the moon’s penumbral shadow Businesses are coming together to discuss how A pinhole project (a card best to provide services to out-of-towners as during the partial phases of a solar eclipse. Shadow bands – with a small hole punched well as make a few extra bucks. in it will project an image of Faint, wavy bands caused by the bending of light in the Earth’s The opportunity for an economic boost is the sun) can also be utilized. palpable and exciting — but it’s difficult to tell atmosphere that move across the ground right before and after how real it is. Understandably, events being totality. Totality – When the moon completely blocks the sun planned around the Great American Eclipse are at different stages: How much time, effort and from view and casts a shadow on the Earth. Umbra – the money should go into getting ready for an event darkest part of the moon’s shadow, seen when the moon that will take less than 2 minutes? Help keep roads clear. Staying off the roads helps emergency vehicles get through. Ride your We have compiled what we know about events completely obscures the sun during a total solar bicycle when possible. Travel with friends. Joining friends and family for the trip to totality will happening in Polk County. Some of these events eclipse. Umbraphile – A person who loves reduce the number of cars on the road. Find carpool information at www.drivelessconnect.com. should be booked now if you’re interested in going Meet your needs in advance.Take care of those errands before Aug. 21. Limit your trips in the — we expect them to sell out soon. Some haven’t eclipses and will travel anywhere to see days immediately around the eclipse to help keep roads clear. Be prepared. If you’re traveling, completely materialized, while others have a few them. Source: “The Big Eclipse” plan for basic needs such as food, water and bathroom breaks. Expect traffic changes. kinks and fine tuning to work out still. Communities may close streets to through traffic or ban left or right turns to keep traffic moving, The Itemizer-Observer will publish a special sou- by Nancy Coffelt. especially around large events. Caution friends and family: If visitors are coming, warn them venir edition to honor the Great American Eclipse, to arrive early, stay put during the eclipse, and leave late afterwards so everyone doesn’t jump available at the Polk County Fair on Aug. 10 through on the highways at once. Consider working from home. Consider adjusting your work 12, which will have more details about events in the schedule in the days around the eclipse. To help alleviate congestion on the roads, Oregon area. Our reporters and staff will be scattered Department of Transportation will stop all construction and non-emergency maintenance on throughout Polk County on the morning of Aug. 21 state highways in the path of totality on Aug. 18-22, when eclipse watchers are here. to tell the story of the eclipse, with special coverage available on Aug. 23 in the newspaper. If you are planning an event for the Great Ameri- can Eclipse, let us know by sending an email to ionews@polkio.com, with Eclipse in the subject line. By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer ECLIPSE TRAVEL TIPS FROM THE ODOT MANY WAITING YEARS for these few dark moments On Feb. 26, 1979, it was overcast in the Pacific North- west. That was the last time a total solar eclipse dark- ened the skies over Oregon. It was visible in total in Northern Oregon, Southern Washington and parts of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and Canada. Totality in the Portland area was around 8:15 a.m. Salem resident Nick Liepins said “druids” enhanced his viewing experience of the 1979 solar eclipse. He watched and took photos of the event in Wash- ington, just across the Columbia River from Biggs, Ore. He took photos at Stonehenge replica where a pagan group was gathered to watch and celebrate the eclipse. It was cloudy there just moments before the eclipse. Whether it be coincidence or spiritual intervention, Liepins said the sky cleared as the groups chants got louder and he could see and photograph the eclipse without cloud cover. Dallas Kids Inc will be celebrating the solar eclipse with a Dunk Tank and Bounce House Roger Jordan Park August 19 - 20 Saturday 10-6 Sunday 9-5 Come down and support youth sports and have some fun! Nancy Coffelt, then living in Tigard, was in still in high school. Coffelt describes herself as a “kind of a science geek,” so the rare total eclipse held a fascination for her. “I know it was a school day, I was a senior in high school, but I don’t remember if I had permission to skip or not,” Coffelt said. Overcast skies did take took some of the visual spec- tacle out of the eclipse, but Coffelt still was impressed. During an eclipse, as the sky darkens, the temperature drops, and animals behave as if the sun is going down. “It did get noticeably darker,” she said. “Since it was February, it was already kind of chilly, so I don’t re- member much of a temperature drop. But the birds did get quiet. That was very cool… I remember that it looked like what the sky looked like just before sunrise – a kind of dark silver.” Pat Jarrott was climbing to 14,000 feet during the last total solar eclipse seen in the Willamette Valley. Jarrott was flying small airplane on the morning of Feb. 26, 1979. He and a photographer friend planned for an aerial view of the eclipse to avoid the cloud cover that threatened to block it for ground locations. He flew around until he found a break in the clouds over Forest Grove. Jarrott, of Keizer, had a camera, but had to pilot the plane, so his friend would adjust the settings of the camera for him to shoot without looking. “It was fun and hectic for a few minutes,” Jarrott said. Monmouth resident David Kasnick was 14 in 1979 and watched the eclipse from an observatory in Gold- endale, Washington along with many other astronomy enthusiasts. Partly cloudy skies that morning, didn’t allow him to see the entire event. It was still an experi- ence that began a lifelong interest in sky watching and eclipses. He said Oregonians should feel fortunate that solar eclipses 38 years apart have tracked over Oregon. “I feel pretty lucky,” he said. Witnessing the eclipse made a lasting impression for Coffelt, too. “I was awestruck,” she said. “It changed how I looked at the world around me – the universe around me,” Coffelt said. “It sparked a love of space science that in- cluded writing about space.” Coffelt is the author and illustrator of children’s space-themed books “Dogs in Space,” published in 1993 and the 1999 follow-up “Dogs in Space, the Great Space Doghouse.” Coffelt teamed up with Elaine Cuyler, the “chief eclipse officer” who is promoting the upcoming the Aug. 21 eclipse in the regions of the country on the path of totality. They published a Coffelt’s third chil- dren’s science book, “The Big Eclipse.” Those who witnessed the 1979 eclipse are eager to see what Aug. 21 has in store. Coffelt is looking forward to seeing the eclipse from a hilltop in her hometown of Baker City, which is on the path of totality. The stronger possibility of clear skies in eastern Oregon gives her a chance to see what she missed during the 1979 eclipse. “I look forward to seeing the sun disappear and the diamond ring effect just before totality,” she said. Jarrott will be on the ground this time, watching from his home in Keizer. Kasnick is hoping for good conditions. “Whatever god you believe in, pray for clear skies,” he said. Liepins be watching and taking pictures and video on Aug. 21 from his backyard observatory and thought if the druid chants worked once, they might work a second time. “I’m looking around for some of them to help with the weather in August,” he said. ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in Monmouth Monmouth will be celebrating with a concert fit for a solar eclipse, “The Dark Side of the Moon” on Sunday evening to put everyone in the spirit for the big event the next day. Monmouth Business Association and the city of Monmouth are presenting the outdoor concert at the Main Street Park Amphitheater. Pink Floyd tribute band Pigs on the Wing will play Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety – plus other Pink Floyd favorites. The concert is free. Indy ready to ‘Go Dark’ The city of Independence is ready to host as many visitors and residents as can be packed into the downtown area with its Indy Goes Dark Eclipse Festival, Aug. 17 through 21. Grab your blanket and head out to the Riverview Park to kick off the five-day festival on Aug. 17 and enjoy a space-themed movie for free. On Aug. 18, the concert in the park featuring Aeromyth Pump, an Aerosmith tribute band. Aug. 19, Indy Goes Dark will feature a Food Truck and Brew Fest, offering beer and cider from 20 different brewers and cider houses from all over Oregon. A 5-kilometer fun run, sponsored by Monmouth-Independence Networks, will raise money for AED devices for places who need them. Live concerts will be throughout the day, ending with Pyromania, a Def Leppard tribute band. Additionally, there will be inflatables, science demonstrations, interactive shows and telescopes. Fireworks will light up the sky after dark. Sunday, you can start the morning with a bike ride through Polk County, or yoga in Riverview Park. Food trucks will open again at 12:30 p.m. Live shows, science demonstrations and an evening concert also dot the schedule, topped with more fireworks. Sunday evening, a pay-to-play special edition Ghost Walk will be offered at three times: 5, 6 and 7 p.m. The walk will cost $10 for adults. Monday, Aug. 21, breakfast will be available for purchase in the park. Dr. Shimizu from Western Oregon University will explain the total solar eclipse at first contact. A post-eclipse concert will wrap up the event and keep people entertained while waiting for traffic to clear a bit. For information: independencegoesdark.com. Dallas Eclipse on the Square Dallas Eclipse Celebration on the Square will be from Aug. 18 to eclipse day Aug. 21, hosted by the Dallas Downtown Association, Dallas Area Visitors Center, Pressed Coffee & Wine Bar, Dallas Arts Association, the city of Dallas, and other downtown businesses. The kickoff party is Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. when vendor and food booths open downtown. Live music begins at 8 p.m. with Barracuda, All Fired Up and Madd Company (Heart, Pat Benatar, and Bad Company cover bands). Food vendors and wine and beer garden are open until 1 a.m. Aug. 19 and 20, the festival opens at 10 a.m. with vendors and daytime music. Pigs on the Wing (Pink Floyd cover band) plays at 8 p.m. on Aug. 19. Aug. 20, Steelhorse and Jukebox Heroes (Bon Jovi and Foreigner) are featured starting at 8 p.m. Food vendors and wine and beer garden are open until 1 a.m. both nights. On eclipse day, Jan Looking Wolf Band of Brothers will play from the roof of Pressed Coffee & Wine bar starting at 8 a.m. Vendors, food vendors and beer/wine garden open until 2 p.m. For information: https://dallaseclipse2017.com/. Falls City joins the eclipse party Details are still being hammered out, but Falls City is planning an event for the morning of Aug. 21. Organizer Laurie Britton said the plan is to shut down Third Street and hold a community breakfast starting at 6 a.m. and eclipse watching gathering continuing through the morning. Viewing glasses will be available. The event concludes at noon. Custom & Copywrited ECLIPSE ORNAMENT SPECIALS All Weekend! Genuine Solid Brass Phone Orders $10 each Call Elaine Ginter 360-508-5646 Mail Orders 2 for $23 includes shipping & handling 170 E. Ellendale Ave, Dallas Send order & payment to: Elaine Ginter PO Box 912 Dallas, OR 97338 Reservations: 503-623-4494 RV and Tent Campsites Available in Dallas, Oregon! Dark Side of the Moon “The Great Eclipse Concert” Pink Floyd Tribute Band: Join Us for the Eclipse! Presented by Celebration! Sunday, August 20th 8 pm - 10 pm • Small town hospitality • July 21-22 Citywide Garage Sale/Swap Meet • Largest 4th of July Fireworks Show in West Valley Area Beer • Wine • Food Free and Open to Public Main Street Park Amphitheater Monmouth, OR Celebrating 26 Years Coastal Hills Art Tour & Quilt Sale Nov 10 & 11, 2017 WillaminaOregon.gov Sponsored by Economic Improvement District (EID and City of Willamina Bring blankets, chairs and your enthusiasm for good music! RV and tent campsites are available to rent for the weekend of Saturday, August 19th through Monday, August 21st. The sites will rent for $300 for the weekend for RV sites and $250 for the tent sites. RV sites are 40’ x 80’ and tent sites are 40’ x 40’. Parking space on your camp site is available for up to two cars. Our location is; Trinity Lutheran Church, 320 Fir Villa Rd, Dallas, Oregon. • Excellent clear view of the eclipse • Free commemorative eclipse viewing glasses (two per site) are provided • Easy access for RVs • Clean indoor restroom facilities • Playground area for children on site Reserve your site today as sites are limited. Go to dallastlc.org/eclipse to make your reservation and answer your questions about hookups, pets and length of stay. If you have more questions, please send an email to dallaseclipse@gmail.com or call 1-503-623-2233. Welcome to Dallas, Oregon! 9A
