Brownwood residents took part in the worldwide phenomena today, as Texas got a stellar view of the solar eclipse in its totality. Many school districts from Texas, Ohio, and other states decided to either shut down for the day or release students early to ensure safety during the event. Brownwood and Early ISD were still in session, but students and faculty were provided with the appropriate eyewear to safely witness the event. Aiden McCloskey, a Howard Payne University student-teacher at Early High School, watched the eclipse with the students. “The entire school got together out by the football field to enjoy the solar eclipse,” said McCloskey. “I’ve never seen the students so excited.”
The 2024 solar eclipse was quite an educational opportunity for everyone, as Nasa reported that this eclipse’s totality was longer than the previous one in 2017 and it induced heightened solar activity. As for state-initiated safety measures, Texas in particular issued numerous points of caution for travel. The Department of Public Safety released information on April 5th urging drivers to activate vehicle lights due to the lack of sunlight, and to expect traffic delays while on the road. In specific counties across Texas, oversize freight travel was not permitted from 12:01am April 8th to 12:01am April 9th.
