Here Comes
~ by Bob Gustin
Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Brown County to witness a rare total solar eclipse on the afternoon of April 8. The celestial event is seen by some as a chance for the party of the year, by others as a massive traffic jam. Most agree it will be something special.
The county is directly in the path of the best viewing for the eclipse, which cuts a swath across the United States, from the southwest to the northeast. According to calculations for Nashville, the partial eclipse phase begins at 1:49 p. m., and totality will begin at 3:05 p. m., lasting for nearly four minutes.
Chad Jenkins, director of Brown County Emergency Management, said it’ s difficult to predict how many people will come here to view the eclipse. But based on projections, the number of visitors could hit 65,000. On a typical October weekend when leaves are at their peak and the weather is good, Brown County sees about 45,000 visitors, and the eclipse is expected to draw more.
“ County-wide congestion” is what Jenkins expects. Emergency resources will be strained and traffic snarled. Traffic jams will push drivers onto rural roads, and more people will probably become lost. With many visitors using cell phones, Jenkins expects cell service will be degraded.
” Be patient and welcome the visitors,” he said.“ Look at it as an opportunity.”
Jenkins also advises residents to stock up on groceries and needed items before the eclipse.
He is holding two town hall meetings to address the public’ s concerns. They will be at 1 p. m. and 6 p. m. March 5 at the Brown County Inn’ s meeting room. He said planning for the eclipse has been going on since February of 2023, and a dozen or so meetings have been held with local officials.
“ We know we can’ t solve every problem,” he said, but officials are also working on dealing with the aftermath of the visit, including trash removal. Sheriff Brad Stogsdill said his department will have“ all hands on deck,” with no vacations allowed. Overtime pay and reserve officers will
16 Our Brown County • March / April 2024