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'We want everyone to be prepared' | Killeen hosts Solar Eclipse community town hall

A total solar eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024, at 1:36 p.m. and will last just under five minutes.

KILLEEN, Texas — The City of Killeen hosted a Community Town Hall meeting ahead of the 2024 Solar Eclipse on Monday, Dec. 4. 

At least 30 people were in attendance as the City prepared a presentation to answer any questions business owners and residents may have had about the upcoming event.

Killeen Director of Communications Janell Ford explained how the city is expecting its population of 160,000 to double during the weekend leading up to and the day of the solar eclipse.

"This event isn't a disaster but residents may see similar inconveniences like the lack of essential items and heavy traffic ahead of the eclipse day," Ford explained. 

The eclipse in Killeen will occur on April 8, 2024, at 1:36 p.m. and will last just under five minutes.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun and blocks the view of the sun from the Earth.  During a total eclipse, the moon lines up perfectly to fully obscure the sun.

Ford mentioned how Killeen has over 40 hotels and all of them are nearly booked leading up to the day of the eclipse. 

"We're calling this the 'event of preparedness' because there will be a lot of inconveniences for the residents in this area," Ford added. 

Traffic is expected to increase the weekend before April 8, 2024, and continue for at least a few days after the eclipse. 

Some questions asked during the town hall were about parking for business owners and the ability to use drones during the eclipse viewing. Businesses who own their parking lot are allowed to charge for parking and drone owners are under the same restrictions per the city's code.

Business owners like the president of the Black Chamber of Commerce, Ronnie Russell, are hoping to collaborate to generate revenue and help people understand just how unique and diverse the City of Killeen is.

"We're looking to partner with other organizations like LULAC and KISD," Russell explained. "We're creating events as well and we're passing the information on to others."

Not all solar eclipse glasses are safe, so it's important to do your research when on the hunt for a pair. 

Visit here if you have any more solar eclipse questions leading up to the big day. 

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