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Move clocks ahead one hour Sunday, April 2 at 2:00 a.m.
For the first time - time will change
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Indiana, and more particularly Ripley County, will join 47 other states on Sunday to observe daylight-saving time.

While residents of Ripley County have worked, shopped and enjoyed entertainment opportunities on daylight-saving or fast time, they have resided on Eastern Standard Time or slow time until now. No longer will Ripley County residents be asking, "Is that fast time or slow time?" They will observe the same time as others in the tri-state area, simplifying the time issue.

Students in area schools received paperwork notifying them that after spring break the buses would be one hour earlier. According to Ripley County Commission President Robert Reiners, all government offices will be moving their clocks ahead one hour as well on Monday. "Everyone will be on the same time," he noted.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce noted that DST or fast time, has been used worldwide since World War I and says a little change now will lead to big benefits. Some benefits they site include an extra hour for outdoor activities in the summer, a 3-4 percent reduction in energy usage and costs for consumers, 10 percent fewer violent crimes (which occur more frequently in darkness), and a seven percent reduction in traffic fatalities.

Information from the Indiana chamber further noted that going to DST is good for business. They claim that 84 percent of Indiana's export dollars go to nations that observe DST. They also note that more jobs will be created as companies will not be reluctant to come or to expand in the state of Indiana due to the time difference.

"The switch to DST for all of Indiana is great news to Indiana's homebuilders. From an economic development and quality of life standpoint, DST will make Indiana a better place to live," said Rick Wajda, CEO of the Indiana Builders Association.

Daylight-Saving Time for Indiana was a great debate in this year's legislative process. Governor Mitch Daniels was a proponent for Indiana moving to adopt Daylight-Saving Time. Many businesses and their lobbying groups backed the bill to change the time saying the time issue caused mix-ups over airline flights, conference calls and more.

Even though some legislators held out until the very last to not change the time, the ultimate end result is Ripley County will be thrust into a different time zone come Sunday, April 2, at 2:00 a.m.

So on Monday, when you want to do business in Ripley County, remember the time change. Government offices, schools and businesses will be rolling their clocks ahead one hour.