Daylight-saving is coming to Indiana

Indiana is now enveloped in the dark guise of daylight-saving time.\nIt's about time. \nNow, visitors to the Hoosier state can't say, "When you come to Indiana you have to set clocks back 100 years." \nWell, at least it can't be said with as much accuracy. \nThe proposal, barely passed in a midnight session of the Indiana General Assembly, was our first attempt at rectifying this long-standing mistake. But we're glad it finally passed.\nOf course, the debate remains between those who long for a switch to the Central time zone and those who look forward to the pending alignment with the Eastern time zone. Either way, we're glad to see Indiana take a step forward. \nThe importance of this debate can't be overlooked, either. Changing our clocks every year is vital for our state's image in the eyes of modern business. Before this switch, a national or multinational business was forced to take into account Indiana's "special needs." To call during business hours, they had to be mindful of Indiana's fear of change. \nIndiana has shed the backward look in favor of a more forward-looking agenda. Now that we're on the same page as all but one of our continental neighbors, the stigma businesses (and potential future Hoosiers) carried lives only in history books. \nAs for the counties petitioning against the U.S. Department of Transportation's plan, we say stop. Only those counties undeniably and overtly tied to Illinois need to remain with Central time, if we do indeed continue to recognize Eastern time. This, of course, includes South Bend. \nBut, to our neighbor to the south, Bedford and the rest of Lawrence County, we say end your needless petition. There's no credible reason for switching with Evansville when you -- like Bloomington and Monroe County -- are undeniably tied to Indianapolis and its outliers. \nThe fight against daylight-saving time is a strange peek inside the way we have been conducting government in Indiana -- slowly and sometimes without reason. The issue speaks to the larger issues of economic and brain drain. We produce thousands of fantastically qualified students both at IU and throughout the state. If the General Assembly would like them to stay, it needs to get caught up. \nFortunately, daylight-saving time will put us an hour ahead.