August 21, 2017 will be a historic day in South Carolina and for many areas across the country as a rare total solar eclipse will be visible.
The eclipse will enter at Oregon and will travel diagonally across the United States exiting in South Carolina. It is predicted that the state could have as many as 500,000 to 2,000,000 visitors with most visitors traveling to Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston areas.
The eclipse will enter South Carolina at 1:07 p.m. Totality will begin at 2:36 p.m. Totality will end at 2:49 p.m. The eclipse exits the state at 4:10 p.m. The total centerline miles are 251 miles. The travel time is 10 minutes. The average speed is 1,505 miles per hour. The maximum duration is two minutes, 38 seconds.
While Dillon County is not in the path of totality, the county is expected to have 98.1 percent coverage from the eclipse.
Dillon County public schools will have an early release on August 21st. This will count as a half day for students.
Little Pee Dee State Park will hold a solar eclipse viewing at 11:00 a.m. Meet at the park office where they will discuss how eclipses occur and how to view them safely, after that, they will enjoy the eclipse. Participants will meet at the park office. Anyone with questions about this program may call the park office at 843-774-8872.
During the solar eclipse, the moon will move between the earth and the sun during its orbit, resulting in the moon casting a shadow on the earth, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
SCDNR said during the total solar eclipse, there will be complete darkness, a sudden drop in temperature, and a brief pick up in the wind. Additionally, nocturnal animals will likely come out as the sky darkens, bright stars and planets will become visible in the sky, and as the sun reappears, songbirds and other animals will be heard similar to how they act at daybreak, SCDNR says.
To safely view the eclipse, one must wear the proper eye protection. Failure to do so can burn your retinas and cause irreparable damage to the eyes. Sunglasses, including very dark sunglasses are not safe for looking at the sun. Solar eclipse glasses must fit properly and should meet or exceed ISO 12312-2. Solar glasses should not be torn, scratched, or damaged in any way. Children should be supervised, according to SCDNR.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol offers these safety tips:
* Do not stop in the roadway to view the eclipse;
* Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your viewing location;
* Take supplies such as water, snacks, medicines as though you are traveling on a long trip;
* Ensure you have a full tank of gas before leaving for your viewing destination;
* Call 911 only for life-safety emergencies;
* Watch out for disoriented/distracted drivers;
* Stay tuned to local media;
* Follow SCDPS social media for updates.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division offers tips to residents, visitors, and businesses.
Consider the following tips:
Residents
* Start planning now for where you will go to view the eclipse and make sure you’re prepared.
* Prepare in advance to take care of your normal weekend activities.
* Fill your car up with gas and buy groceries before the weekend.
* Even if you do not plan to participate in any eclipse-related activities, expect heavy traffic and extremely busy areas in much of South Carolina.

Businesses
* Merchants may want to adjust hours beginning August 18 through August 21.
* Encourage employees to have a full tank of gas prior to the time visitors begin to arrive in the area. Lines for fuel may occur and you’ll want staff to be able to get to work.
* Be prepared for more cash transactions and potential challenges with credit/debit card transactions taking longer than usual because of increased volumes. Consider having tills set up to accommodate more cash transactions.
* Be prepared for cell service overloads; there may be service disruptions due to the increase in visitors using networks. Visitors may have urgent requests to use your business telephone line if they are having trouble with cell service. Decide how you want to handle these requests and make sure employees know what to do.
* Talk to suppliers. Some suppliers may be considering delivery schedule changes due to the event(s). Suppliers may also be looking at how the increased traffic on rural roads may impact delivery times.
* It is advisable that viewers use eclipse glasses (sunglasses are NOT enough) when looking at the sun before and after totality.
To watch a live stream of the eclipse, visit eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

THE ECLIPSE IN DILLON COUNTY
LOCAL VIEWING EVENT:
Little Pee Dee State Park will hold a solar eclipse viewing at 11:00 a.m. Meet at the park office where they will discuss how eclipses occur and how to view them safely, after that, they will enjoy the eclipse. Participants will meet at the park office. Anyone with questions about this program may call the park office at 843-774-8872.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSING EARLY
DILLON DISTRICT THREE (LATTA)
Dillon District Three (Latta) is using their typical early dismissal day schedule with Latta Elementary School dismissing students at 11:30 a.m. and Latta Middle School and Latta High School dismissing at 12:20 p.m. All students are being issued at no charge a pair of certified solar eclipse glasses so they can observe the eclipse safely with their families at home.

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DILLON DISTRICT FOUR (DILLON AND LAKE VIEW)
Dillon School District Four schools will dismiss early on August 21, 2017 the date of the first total solar eclipse in the U.S. since 1979.
August 21, 2017 — Half Day for Students (breakfast served and attendance taken)
School Dismissal Time Bus Riders Pick Up Time
East Elementary 11:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
South Elementary 11:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Stewart Heights Elementary 11:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Gordon Elementary 11:15 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Dillon Middle School 11:15 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Dillon High School 11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.
Lake View Elementary 11:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Lake View High School 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

DRIVING TIPS
With millions expected to travel for the Monday, Aug. 21 solar eclipse, AAA Carolinas urges traffic safety during the historical event. A total solar eclipse is expected to be visible within a path that stretches from Oregon to South Carolina.
In South Carolina, Columbia, Greenville and Charleston are forecast to be in the path of totality and should experience the full solar eclipse. Other cities such as Anderson, Greenwood, Sumter and Orangeburg are also in the path of totality. Areas including Rock Hill, Beaufort, Florence and Myrtle Beach lie outside the path and will see a partial eclipse.
It’s projected that most of North Carolina will see a partial eclipse of 90 percent totality or more. Several counties in western North Carolina should see a total solar eclipse.
During the solar eclipse, depending on location, motorists could find themselves driving in the dark, or in low-light conditions during the day.
AAA offers the following driving safety tips during this unusual period of daytime low-light driving:
-Turn on your headlights well before the eclipse to help you be more visible to drivers and improve your visibility.
-Reduce speed so you’ll have more time to make an emergency maneuver.
-Watch out for pedestrians! There may be people standing in or along roadways and streets watching the eclipse.
-Be a defensive driver. Be especially aware of the possibility of nearby drivers swerving into your lane.
-Do not attempt to watch the solar eclipse when driving. (Get to your viewing location well in advance of the eclipse)
-Don’t depend only on cell phones for navigation. Cell towers could be bogged down and coverage could be spotty in some areas. Visit your local AAA location for maps (free to members).
Make sure you have a full tank of gas, first aid kit, water and any necessary medication, should you get stuck in traffic. Follow Department of Transportation (DOT) for info on roads, routes and closures

ECLIPSE GLASSES
FLORENCE – Before you peer towards the heavens to view the Great American Eclipse on Aug. 21, be sure you’re protecting your eyes with eclipse glasses – not sunglasses – that are properly ISO-rated.
A slew of bogus eclipse glasses have hit the market as the celestial event of the century nears. That’s led to some concerns, and a warning, from Francis Marion University Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Dooley Planetarium Dr. Jeannette Myers on the dangers of viewing the eclipse without proper eye protection.
Myers says the correctly rated glasses will block 99 percent of the ultraviolet light produced by the Sun during the eclipse, while incorrectly ISO-rated glasses will not. Attempting to the view the eclipse through the bogus eclipse glasses could cause permanent damage to viewers’ retinas.
“There are some glasses that have the markings of being ISO rated but are not dark enough to view the sun safely,” Myers says.
“The correct glasses for viewing the eclipse will block over 99 percent of the light. This means you can only see the Sun when you look through them. You should not be squinting when looking at the Sun through the glasses.”
Correctly rated glasses are almost opaque, except when viewing the Sun. But the real test is the rating, and the security of purchasing them from a competent vendor. Without proper protection while viewing the eclipse, damage to viewers’ eyes can occur over just a short period of time.