Several local events planned for Monday during, after eclipse

If you're in town today to enjoy the eclipse, welcome. Thank you for picking up the newspaper.

We hope you find your stay enjoyable and for more reasons than the natural phenomenon that has captured our attention for many months. There are many things to do and enjoy in our area, and we hope you take some time to soak in the local culture.

If you're a daily reader of the Southeast Missourian, then you're already aware that tomorrow is the big day for the total solar eclipse. The hype and hoopla will finally arrive in the form of midday darkness just before noon when the moon moves directly in the path of the sun. The total eclipse will occur in Cape Girardeau at 1:30 p.m. Depending on where you are in the region, you'll see a period of about 2 minutes of total darkness. It should be a weird, surreal feeling.

Many organizations and entities have planned eclipse parties. We have many of them posted at www.semoevents.com. The biggest public watch party will take place at the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex near Center Junction not far from Cape Girardeau County Park North, just of Interstate 55 exit 99.

We know you're probably aware of the dangers by now, but it's worth repeating: Do not look directly at the eclipse while it's in its partial stage. We hope you've already found appropriate glasses to watch the eclipse. If you're around children, please watch them closely and make sure they don't take their eclipse glasses off. The light can burn retinas, which is permanent damage.

The influx of visitors to the region will put pressure on our public officials and businesses, so remember to be kind and helpful. Traffic will be busier than normal. Stores and shops will be a little more crowded. But this is a time for celebration, so keep that in mind.

We hope everyone enjoys the eclipse and enjoys their time in the shadow of the moon.