Eclipse meeting tonight to focus on preparations by businesses

WORLAND – A second meeting on preparing for the solar eclipse will be tonight at 5:15 p.m. in the Washakie Room of the Worland Community Center Complex.

The meeting, sponsored by the Worland-Ten Sleep Area Chamber of Commerce, is going to be focused on how businesses are preparing for the potential of many more visitors in August around the time of the total solar eclipse Aug. 21.

Chamber executive director Jenn Rasmussen said the chamber hopes that representatives from as many businesses as possible will attend to discuss how they are preparing and to gain suggestions on how to prepare.

While Worland is not in the both of totality, where the moon will cover the sun in totality, Thermopolis and Boysen State Park are in the path, and some of the overflow from visitors coming to the area has already been felt by campgrounds and hotels.

Prior to the first meeting, motels in Worland were reporting being sold out of rooms on Sunday, Aug. 20.

The eclipse, which will occur on Monday morning, Aug. 21, follows several celebrations and festivities in August including the 12th annual Pepsi Wyoming State Championship BBQ and Bluegrass Festival, Aug. 19-20, and Nowoodstock Aug. 11-13, county fair at the first of the month and battle of the bands.

About 20 people attended the first public meeting in Worland in March.

At that meeting, Rasmussen reported that she has heard estimates for the state from 500,000 to 750,000 visitors for the eclipse.

Boysen State Park Superintendent John Bass said at the meeting that NASA has touted Wyoming as the best place to view the eclipse because of Wyoming’s clear skies in August.

While the expectation is that on Aug. 21 those staying in Worland will be headed to Hot Springs, Fremont or even Natrona County for better viewing of the eclipse, Rasmussen said, “We hope to get people coming back here.”

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has prohibited leave around the time of the eclipse to assist with law enforcement around the state.

Autumn Swander, planning coordinator for emergency management for Washakie Medical Center, said in the March meeting the hospital has been working with corporate resources on what they need to do to be prepared. She said the immediate concerns will be rabies, dehydration and rattlesnake bites. She added that if they need to call nurses from another state they need to make sure they have the proper certification before being called up.

Rasmussen said at this meeting the focus needs to be making sure residents and businesses are preparing for the visitors. For residents, they are encouraged to do their weekly grocery shopping early and stock up on any supplies they may need during the eclipse weekend and a few days after.

She said she hopes business are considering ways to keep ATMs stocked, shelves stocked and making sure there is enough fuel.

Residents are encouraged to make sure they fuel up early in the week before the weekend of Aug. 19-20.

Rasmussen said businesses could consider extended hours on and around Aug. 21 to accommodate visitors as well.

Ten Sleep is also hosting a solar eclipse meeting. The meeting will be 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Ten Sleep Senior Center.

THE ECLIPSE

The southern part of Grand Teton National Park will be one of the best places in the entire country to view the eclipse, according to the website Eclipse2017.org. On the centerline, the park will experience 2:20 of totality at about 11:35 a.m.

The shadow will then cross Pavillion (at 11:38 a.m.), and Shoshoni and Riverton (at 11:39 a.m.) for about 2:23 before landing squarely on the city of Casper. The centerline will pass right over the intersection of Highway 220 and South Poplar Street in Casper at 11:42 a.m., and provides viewers there with 2:26 in totality.

Douglas, Glendo, Thermopolis (11:40 a.m. for about 53 seconds), Lusk and Torrington are other larger Wyoming towns that will experience a total eclipse.