OUR PLACE
We have to move on.
How do we all accomplish that, given the monumental loss of the three kids on Geneva Lake in that waterspout or tornado incident? The staff of the GSR spoke to many involved in all parts of that tragedy, and maybe the hardest part is that there was no fault that could be found.
The boat was a great boat, built by a terrific company. The pilot was seasoned, caring, and related to the kids. Everyone was wearing life vests. The loss is monumental, and we only write of this because the depth of your pain must equal the death of our own and, minimally, it helps to share the grief. We are all in this together, in the lake, on the lake, around the lake, and as a county. How do we all pull together to try to make it and us better? It’s impossible not to question God’s judgement, but where else do we have to go?
The US House voted Tuesday to pass a measure to enact year-round Daylight Saving Time across the country.
It will now head to the Senate for approval before going to the president for his signature, though its chances in the upper chamber remain unclear. Proponents argue it would spare Americans from having to change their clocks, disrupting young children’s sleep schedules and arguably causing more seasonal depression.
But detractors say it could have economic consequences, particularly for farmers who would have to wrestle with later sunrises. The House vote was 308 to 117. Many states are ready to embrace the shift. 19 states have enacted legislation to switch to year-round Daylight-Saving Time if Congress allows it. But the bill also allows states to opt out if they act before it takes effect, which could affect residents in Hawaii, much of Arizona, and various US territories who observe standard time. Proponents of Tuesday’s measure argue dropping the clock change would come with a raft of benefits, including sparing Americans from losing an hour of sleep in the spring and other inconveniences. They argue more work hours in sunlight means less seasonal depression, more recreational and economic activity, and less crime in the evenings.
But detractors of the change make the same arguments, pointing to economic benefits and the health of Americans. Lawmakers hailing from agricultural districts warn farmers could be devastated by long winter mornings that see the sun rise later, especially in districts where some won’t see sunlight until after 9 a.m. And some advocates argue it could endanger the lives of students who would commute to school in the dark. While the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent nationwide, the legislation faces an uncertain path in the Senate and requires presidential approval to become law.
Because the time change has not yet been finalized at the federal level, all Wisconsin residents should continue to follow the bi-annual clock changes. Congress has previously tried to move to permanent Daylight Saving Time, adopting a measure in 1974 as the US was experiencing an energy crisis. But lawmakers quickly reversed course amid deep unpopularity.
