Local residents share views on clock changes

Massachusetts lawmakers are moving forward with a proposal to end the twice-a-year time change. 22 News reporter Sarah Ben-Amay spoke with local residents and a city councilor to gauge reactions across western Massachusetts. We always hate losing that hour, so getting it back this weekend was a huge relief for many. I'm just very happy when I wake up and I'm refreshed because it gets to sleep another hour. But for some Massachusetts residents, the tradition of changing the clocks twice a year never gets old. I get up in the morning, I realize all the clocks are wrong because my phone is right, so I fix the clocks on my oven and my microwave. Now state lawmakers are looking to put an end to it. If it ever gets memorialized at the federal level, I'm sure it would trickle down to the states and then the local communities, but at this point it's a federal talking point. In October, the Massachusetts Senate gave an initial approval to a bill that would move the state to Atlantic Standard Time year-round, meaning no more springing forward or falling back. I don't know how it's going to affect us if we do get rid of it, so I figure... If we want to try to do it, do it for a year and see what happens. Supporters claim the change will improve sleep, protect daily routines, and bring more evening lights in the winter. Other supporters just want to stick with standard time permanently for health and sleep reasons. When 22 News pitched those points to Ledford Brewing's owner, here's how he responded. It doesn't really affect me too much. I just go with the flow. Basically, that's the kind of person I am. If they get rid of it, great. If they keep it, I don't care. A similar response from another resident. I actually don't care either way. Whatever everybody wants. And even if everyone agrees on a time, the state still has a long way to go. Under the Senate proposal, Massachusetts would need support from neighboring states and federal approval before making the switch. So for now, residents will have to keep adjusting their clocks twice a year. If you're a New England person through and through, we've lived through this and expect this. This is part of the charm of New England. Working for you, Sarah Ben-Amey, 22 News.