Eclipse changes commission agenda

The solar eclipse of Aug. 21 is quickly approaching, and the Board of County Commissioners now plan to change their agenda slightly for meetings that day in order to be able to view the rare event.

The board normally meets in workshop for non-action items on the first, third and fifth Mondays of the month at 9 a.m. in the conference room at the courthouse, followed by a board business meeting in its chambers at the courthouse at 10 a.m.

The eclipse, however, will occur during those meeting times. According to an interactive map on timeanddate.com, the eclipse is expected to begin in Colfax at approximately 9:12 a.m., with the maximum eclipse able to be observed at 10:27 a.m. and it ending here at 11:46 a.m. The duration here is listed as two hours, 34 minutes and 52 seconds.

The eclipse here is expected to be 94 percent.

Maribeth Becker, clerk of the board, plans to schedule a recess from approximately 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. during the eclipse.

“We’ll have a recess when it’s darkest,” said Becker.

Board meetings are open to the public.

To view the eclipse, special eclipse glasses are needed. Those glasses are available free of charge at all the branches of the Whitman County Library. The glasses were provided by NASA.

Kristie Kirkpatrick, library director, recommended patrons get their glasses soon because “supplies are running a little low.”

Forecast for Monday in Colfax predicts a sunny day with a high of 82 and low of 57.