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Pulaski County changing time zones
WINAMAC, Ind. (AP) - The time-zone switch by northwestern Indiana's Pulaski County will be a brief one as federal officials have approved its request to return to Eastern time.
It was among eight counties in the state that moved from Eastern to Central time last April when Indiana began observing daylight-saving time for the first time - and was among six counties where officials have since changed their minds.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones, issued a ruling this week moving Pulaski County to Eastern time effective March 11, when the next change to daylight-saving time happens. At that time, Pulaski County residents will move their clocks forward two hours.
A decision has not been issued on five southwestern Indiana counties seeking a change.
The agency's ruling said the Pulaski County switch “serves the convenience of commerce” and that 93 percent of the 272 comments about the county's request favored Eastern time.
State Sen. Thomas Weatherwax, whose district includes Pulaski County, said Wednesday that local officials were “thrilled to death” with the approved change.
Nineteen counties across the state sought the time-zone change, but the federal agency in January 2006 rejected 11 counties included four that adjoin Pulaski County.
Weatherwax said federal approval of moves by Pulaski and Starke, the county to Pulaski's immediate north, to Central time but rejection of requests from Cass, Fulton, Marshall and White counties left Pulaski “the odd man out” with its four neighbors to the east and south that remained on Eastern time.
“Now it's all back together,” said Weatherwax, R-Logansport. “We're pleased with that.”
Starke County did not seek a return to Eastern time.
In August, Gov. Mitch Daniels sent a letter to federal officials backing the requests by Pulaski, Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin and Pike counties in southwestern Indiana, to move back to Eastern from Central time.
State Rep. David Crooks, D-Washington, said Wednesday he had been told by an official from the federal agency that a decision on the southwestern Indiana counties might not come until summer.
Crooks, whose district covers parts of four counties seeking a zone change, said those who responded to a questionnaire he sent out supported moving back to Eastern time by a 2-to-1 margin.
Perry County, the other Evansville-area county that was switched to Central time last year, did not request a move.
Ten other counties - five in the northwest and five in the southwest - were in the Central zone before last year's changes and have not sought any adjustments.
WINAMAC, Ind. (AP) - The time-zone switch by northwestern Indiana's Pulaski County will be a brief one as federal officials have approved its request to return to Eastern time.
It was among eight counties in the state that moved from Eastern to Central time last April when Indiana began observing daylight-saving time for the first time - and was among six counties where officials have since changed their minds.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones, issued a ruling this week moving Pulaski County to Eastern time effective March 11, when the next change to daylight-saving time happens. At that time, Pulaski County residents will move their clocks forward two hours.
A decision has not been issued on five southwestern Indiana counties seeking a change.
The agency's ruling said the Pulaski County switch “serves the convenience of commerce” and that 93 percent of the 272 comments about the county's request favored Eastern time.
State Sen. Thomas Weatherwax, whose district includes Pulaski County, said Wednesday that local officials were “thrilled to death” with the approved change.
Nineteen counties across the state sought the time-zone change, but the federal agency in January 2006 rejected 11 counties included four that adjoin Pulaski County.
Weatherwax said federal approval of moves by Pulaski and Starke, the county to Pulaski's immediate north, to Central time but rejection of requests from Cass, Fulton, Marshall and White counties left Pulaski “the odd man out” with its four neighbors to the east and south that remained on Eastern time.
“Now it's all back together,” said Weatherwax, R-Logansport. “We're pleased with that.”
Starke County did not seek a return to Eastern time.
In August, Gov. Mitch Daniels sent a letter to federal officials backing the requests by Pulaski, Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin and Pike counties in southwestern Indiana, to move back to Eastern from Central time.
State Rep. David Crooks, D-Washington, said Wednesday he had been told by an official from the federal agency that a decision on the southwestern Indiana counties might not come until summer.
Crooks, whose district covers parts of four counties seeking a zone change, said those who responded to a questionnaire he sent out supported moving back to Eastern time by a 2-to-1 margin.
Perry County, the other Evansville-area county that was switched to Central time last year, did not request a move.
Ten other counties - five in the northwest and five in the southwest - were in the Central zone before last year's changes and have not sought any adjustments.