The Monticello Herald Journal on DST

The Monticello Herald Journal has some coverage on Daylight Saving Time. Normally, coverage from this fine (I’m a subscriber) but small paper would not strike me as particularly significant. However, it is the paper of record for White County Indiana and all 3 Republicans, Representatives Lehe, Gutwein, and McClain, who switched their vote on DST serve parts of White County.

According to the Herald Journal:

Lehe, although the deciding factor, was not alone in the switch. Rep. Rich McClain (R-Logansport) and Rep. Eric Gutwein (R-Rensselaer) switched sides to bring about a 51-47 vote that will send the bill back to the Senate and likely to a conference committee to work out differences between the chambers.

All three had commented in the past they would not vote for the time change. For Lehe the latest comment was made last Saturday at a final Third House session in Carroll County.

The paper also captured White County reaction to DST. According to the paper, it ranges from “unconcerned” to “adamant about leaving time alone.” Not exactly something that suggests the voters will react happily to a pro-DST vote. (I’ve omitted the last names).

Some quotes:

[Vicki (local computer store employee)]:
“But in my opinion, leave it alone, I don’t want to change. What’s the point? I know Dave, my boss, isn’t happy with it either, and I think they should just leave it alone.”
. . .
For Eddie of Chalmers, in one way the time doesn’t matter.

“It doesn’t make any difference, I don’t work, I’m retired,” said Johnson. In another way he said his opinion doesn’t count.
“They’re going to do whatever the heck they want to do anyway, poor people don’t have any say, you know that.”
. . .

Some White County residents — although preferring to remain nameless, like several workers and customers at Excel Coop in Reynolds Tuesday — are adamantly opposed to a time change.

“For my own opinion, I like the time we’re on because it stays the same,” said one worker during a lunch break.

“Leave the (expletive) thing alone, they’ve got more important things to do than mess around with this time (expletive),” said another.

Well said, sir. Leave the (expletive) thing alone, indeed.