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‘Why can’t they just leave it alone?’

Remember to fix your clocks before retiring on Saturday night. It is time to spring forward by setting the clocks ahead by one hour. The time will go back to normal on Nov. 4.

I am not a fan of the time change. My least favorite part of the process is its effect on my husband.

“Why can’t THEY just leave it alone!” he will rail for at least the first few days. Then something else will catch his ire and he will forget about the daylight saving time, unless someone brings it up.

The correct term is daylight saving time, although many people tend to add an “s” to saving.

The concept of DST was first enacted by the federal government on March 9, 1918, during World War I as a way to conserve coal, according to Doyle Rice of USA Today.

Who but the feds could cypher if one took a stack of 12 logs, pulled one off the bottom of the pile and put it on the top, the load of wood, would be taller.

Benjamin Franklin often gets credit for the concept as he urged his fellow countrymen to work while the sun shined and sleep after dark to save money on candles. There is reportedly evidence the comment was tongue-in-cheek. Cracking jokes with the fellow on the $100 bill sounds like fun.

The United State Department of Transportation is in charge of time, including time zones and DST. It became the law of the land in 1966 with the passage of the Uniform Time Act. Arizona and Hawaii do not observe the process nor does American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Parts of Indiana didn’t observe DST until 2006 when it became a statewide law Rice said. In addition, 26 states are in favor of making it a year-round practice and Florida could be the first. During the energy crisis of the 1970s Congress ordered states to go on year-round between January 1974 and April 1975, Rice said.

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On Feb. 28, 1885, the Madera Mercury newspaper was founded. That was the first newspaper in Madera. Later the Madera News Tribune was founded and the two eventually merged. Next Saturday will mark the March 18, 2004, founding of Madera Printing and Publishing the parent corporation of today’s The Madera Tribune.

Madera has had its own newspaper for 133 years. I find that seriously impressive. I have been with the newspaper since June 12, 1995. Our graphic artist Shirley James is the only employee with more seniority than I have.

Working for The Tribune has always been much more than just a job for me. The mantle of keeping track of the history of my hometown, during my time, is a giant responsibility. The thought that at some point in the future a local historian will be sifting through the work we do now fills me with wonder.

People with children see their histories continue through their offspring. When the time comes for me to stagger off this mortal plain the things I have written for The Madera Tribune will have to serve as my legacy.

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Have a great weekend.

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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.

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