Planning for April eclipse is ramping up
Preparations are taking off for a solar eclipse expected to draw plenty of sky-gazing people to Chautauqua County in less than two months.
A two-day event is being planned at Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport to celebrate the eclipse in which the moon will cast its shadow across a stretch of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and plunge millions of people into midday darkness.
Locally, the April 8 spectacle will begin around 3:15 p.m.
Shannon Fischer, manager of county airports, told members of the Jamestown City Council this week that a pancake breakfast will be held the mornings of April 7 and April 8 at the Jamestown airport. She also alluded to dozens of vendors who will be present.
Because Chautauqua County is in the eclipse’s path of totality, the area is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors.
“Regardless of weather, people are planning to come,” said Fischer, who told the Jamestown City Council that both of the county’s airports are expected to receive up to 100 aircraft each leading up to April 8. “We just had a video meeting on Friday for the airports. We plan to be busy.”
In a news release Wednesday from the county, Noel Guttman, county director of emergency services, alluded to the “critical need” for proactive planning. He previously recommended that students have off April 8 because the eclipse will occur when many schools will be busing students home.
“Though the eclipse itself is not a threat, inadequate preparation can present substantial challenges,” Guttman said. “Drawing from past experiences, we are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring Chautauqua County is thoroughly equipped to manage the surge of visitors, ensuring a secure and enjoyable environment for everyone. I’d prefer to be abundantly prepared and pleasantly surprised by this event, rather than underprepared and facing challenges on April 9th.”