INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AP) -- The federal government Wednesday granted the requests of eight Indiana counties to switch from the Eastern to the Central time zone, ending a long battle involving daylight-saving time.
Nine other counties that sought the change were turned down by the Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones.
The requests were prompted by a state law enacted last year that mandates statewide observance of daylight-saving time beginning in April. All but 15 of Indiana's 92 counties had rejected daylight-saving time for more than three decades, largely because it has been a highly emotional and divisive issue among residents.
The Transportation Department has said it bases its decisions on whether changes will benefit commerce. It looks at factors such as transportation, commuter patterns, and where areas get their radio and television signals.
Starke, Pulaski, Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin, Perry and Pike counties will begin following Central time April 2, when Indiana joins all states except Arizona and Hawaii in setting their clocks ahead one hour. Ten Indiana counties already had been on Central time.
Gov. Mitch Daniels pushed extensively for the law calling on all counties to follow daylight-saving time, saying it would eliminate confusion and boost commerce. It gained final legislative passage by a single vote in the House
Yes, but in a good way. It's good that we're finally getting with the times and going to daylight savings. I hate having people call me and having to clarify what time we're on during the summer. And I can understand why those counties would be approved to be on central time instead, because they're on borders where most of the business they do would be with people in the central time zone.
Yes! It means I can golf until 9:00 - 9:30 on a summer day!!!! We use to be on Eastern Daylight when I was a kid. I remember playing outside until nearly 10:00 and still have enough light to see. So April second we'll spring forward!
