Beginning in 2007, Daylight Saving Time is extended one month and begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the Second Sunday in March to 2 a.m. on the First Sunday of November.

The new starts and stop dates were set in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Daylight Saving Time - for the U.S. and its territories - is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and by most of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona).

Indiana, which used to be split with a portion of the state observing DST and the other half not, is now whole. In the past, counties in the Eastern Time Zone portion of the state did not observe DST. They were on standard time year round. A state law was passed in 2005 that has the entire state of Indiana observing DST beginning in April 2006.

One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. Energy use and the demand for electricity for lighting our homes is directly connected to when we go to bed and when we get up. Bedtime for most of us is late evening through the year. When we go to bed, we turn off the lights and TV.

In the average home, 25 percent of all the electricity we use is for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, VCRs and stereos. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, we can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day.
Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country's electricity usage by about one percent each day during Daylight Saving Time.

Under the new law, Daylight Saving Time begins three weeks earlier than previously, on the second Sunday in March. DST is extended by one week to the first Sunday in November. The new start and stop period begins March 2007.

The original House bill would have added two full months, one in the spring and another in the fall. According to some U.S. senators, farmers complained that a two-month extension could adversely affect livestock, and airline officials said it would have complicated scheduling of international flights. So, a compromise was worked out to start DST on the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November.

The Daylight Savings Time change could cause a bunch of problems for items of technology and peopole depending on them. Some devices like clocks, VCRs, and DVD recorders will still work with the old Daylight Savings Time schedule possibly making people be late and the recording of TV shows to be missed. Microsoft plans on coming out with patches for computers to work with the new schedule. Who knows what systems out there will have to be fixed for the schedule change. People have started comparing this to the Y2K problem back in 2000.

Newer VCRs and DVD recorders have built-in calendars to automatically adjust for daylight time based on the existing standard. Users would have to override them, switching to "manual" to ensure shows continue to record correctly.
Computers with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating systems would need to obtain updates. Though most affected applications would likely be taken care of by the Microsoft fix, calendar systems will need to be checked to ensure that appointments already entered get properly adjusted.

The change in DST will affect some computers, which communicate with other communities and time stamp the communication or file transfer. If the machines are now indicating the same date, it may be programmed to execute certain procedures, such as backups or restores.
For Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft will release a single global time zone update which will include changes for the United States DST change. This time zone update will also include changes for other related DST changes and time zone behavior and settings that will take place in 2007 or have taken place since these versions of Windows were originally released. It will include some changes that have previously been released as individual hotfixes (such as the Sri Lanka change in time zone offset) or have been individually documented in prior Knowledge Base articles. These updated time zone definitions will also ship with Windows Vista.

Windows Vista will have these changes included in the release-to-market version of the operating system. Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 will require the update. Windows XP SP1 and older operating system versions have passed their end of support dates and will not be receiving the update. Windows 2000 has passed the end of mainstream support and will not be receiving an update without an Extended Support Hotfix Agreement.

HUNTINGDON (December 28, 2006) The trial of Brandon Rankin is scheduled for February 28, 2007 in Carroll County Circuit Court. The trial or trials are expected to take two to five days. Rankin is charged with first-degree murder in the September 24, 2004 death of Jessica Julius and the September 2, 2004 aggravated burglary of Chuck Spivey's residence. Rankin is also charged with accessory after the fact to murder in the death of 33-year old Bobby Petty, Jr. of Huntingdon.

During a motions hearing Thursday, defense attorney Matt Maddox said Rankin is charged with accessory after the fact to first in the Petty case. Co-defendant Wesley Simmons pled guilty to second-degree murder in that case during a November 2006 plea agreement. Maddox questioned if Rankin can be charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder when the principal pled guilty to second-degree murder.

Judge Creed McGinley said case law would probably support a reduction of charges. McGinley said he has some recollection that a co-defendant cannot be charged with a greater charge that the co-defendant pled guilty to.

McGinley agreed to severe the Petty case from the other murder case, possibly creating a need for two trials, said Maddox. The Julius case will be tried first, said Maddox.

The defense's motion to question the potential jurors separately and away from other prospective jurors was overruled by the judge.

Maddox submitted a motion for a change of venue. The documents supporting Maddox's motion included volumes of newspaper and Internet accounts of the charges against Rankin. Included in the motion were the printed findings of an investigator, who conducted opinion surveys of Carroll County citizens.

McGinley, who said the county of Carroll has unique geography and a diverse population comprising a potential jury pool, overruled a motion for a change of venue. He did reserve the privilege to change venue if, during the voir dire process, the selection of jurors is difficult.

Also denied was the defense's request for certain prosecution witnesses to provide summaries of extensive lab reports to the defense. Maddox said he wanted to determine the witnesses' opinions of the evidence prior to the case to allow the defense to seek alternate opinions if needed.

The prosecutors indicated the defense will receive full reports from all expert witnesses and may interview the experts prior to the trial.

A request for a reduction in the $750,000 bond was also denied (at this time). McGinley said he is not inclined to reduce the bond on such a serious matter. The bond could not possibly be reduced enough for the indigent defendant to pay, said the judge.

The defense and prosecution agreed to work together to streamline the case by uniformly numbering the exhibits. Maddox requested that only black and white photos be exhibited of the crime scene. The judge said in all likelihood, the defense would lose its request to limit to black and white since he has "no problem" with color photos. McGinley said he did not want any duplicity in photographs.

During a previous hearing, Maddox said Rankin suffers from a mental deficiency, scoring 35 out of 100 on a Global Assessment Function to determine his ability to function as an adult. The score would indicate Rankin is developmentally disabled, said Maddox.

The interrelated cases of the homicides of Julius and Petty, the burglary of Chuck Spivey's residence, where guns were stolen, and the armed robbery of Bill's Florist in Huntingdon were investigated by a collaborative effort of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Carroll County Sheriff's Department, and the Huntingdon Police Department.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Agent Chris Carpenter said he arrived at the 625 Colvett Road address and found 17-year-old Jessica Julius lying face down at the door of the rural home. Sheriff Bendell Bartholomew requested the assistance of the TBI in the case after Julius' brother discovered the body during the early morning hours of September 24. Julius' mother was working at Raceway convenience store in McKenzie at the time. At the hearing Thursday, Julius' mother had a photograph of her late daughter lying in her casket. The photo was laying on the bench beside her and never available for public display.

The Huntingdon High School senior was 22 weeks pregnant with a female fetus, believed to be the baby of Adam Mann, age 24, of Huntingdon, who pled guilty to second-degree murder in the case and has agreed, along with James Wesley Simmons, to testify truthfully during Rankin's trial. The agent said Mann indicated that the child was his. Jessica had already named the baby Autumn Devine.

Details of the Julius homicide surfaced when Brandon Rankin was captured shortly after the armed robbery at Bill's Florist, where he reportedly demanded money from Bill Gwaltney at gunpoint. The weapon, used in the robbery, was located by a Huntingdon city employee near the former Carroll County Health Department on Paris Street. Huntingdon Police Officer Walter Smothers captured Rankin within minutes of the robbery.

Simmons, age 20, charged with two counts of first-degree murder of Jessica Julius and Bobby Petty, II, age 33, pled guilty to reduced charges of two counts of second degree murder and one accessory after the fact for sentences of 40 and two years to run concurrently. Petty was killed November 12, 2004 at his home. All other charges were dropped against Simmons.

Mann, age 26, of Lakewood Drive, Huntingdon was originally charged with first-degree murder in the Julius and Petty cases. Age 24 at the time, Mann was additionally charged with aggravated burglary of Chuck Spivey's residence on September 2, 2004 and armed robbery at Bill's Florist on November 16, 2004. In a previous hearing, Mann was described as the person who organized the crimes.

In November 2006, Mann pled guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder in both the Julius and Petty cases and aggravated burglary of the Spivey residence. He received a sentence of 17 years for each homicide and four years in the burglary, all to be served concurrently. He will be eligible for parole in 14-1/2 years.

 
The end of 2006 recorded a grim milestone for the war in Iraq, with a total of 3,000 U.S. soldiers killed there and Henry County has recorded a grim milestone of its own: a 20-year-old Paris man was killed December 28 in "hostile fire" in Iraq.

Lance Corporal William D. Spencer was one of three Marines killed while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, according to the Department of Defense Web site.

Spencer, the son of Ervin Spencer and Julia Lockaby, was assigned to the Marine Forces, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. The other two Marines killed were Lance Corp. William Miller and Corp. Christopher Esckelson and all three of them signed up at the Marine Reserves office in Nashville.

According to the Marine Corps Web site, all three were killed in "hostile fire" in Fallouja, west of Baghdad.

None of the Paris funeral homes have been contacted to provide funeral services for Spencer and it is unclear where the funeral will take place.

Neither the Henry County Veteran's Services office nor the Marine Corps Recruitment Office in Paris could provide information on Spencer's death or funeral arrangements. Calls to the Marine Corps office in Nashville were not returned.

According to the Marine Corps website, letters of condolence can be mailed to: CACO-Sgt Micheline, Communications, H&S Battalion, 4th Marines, 3190 Gilbert Ave., Cincinnati, 45207.

Carroll and Henry counties November unemployment rate increased slightly during the November reporting period, while Weakley county remained unchanged according to latest statistics released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Carroll County’s jobless rate increased to 6.3 percent, up from the October rate of 5.2 percent.

“There was some decrease in the education/health services sector,” said Judith Bradberry, labor market analyst for the state.

From a labor force of 13,700, a total of 12,840 were employed, leaving 860 unemployed.

Henry County’s unemployment rate for November is 6.5 percent, which is an increase from the October rate of 5.8 percent. That county showed decreases in the professional/business services, education/health services, and leisure/hospitality sectors.

From an available work for of 13,780, a total of 12,890 were employed, leaving 890 unemployed.

Weakley County’s jobless rate is 5.6 percent, the same as October.

From 16,330 available workers in that county, 15,410 were employed and 920 were unemployed.

Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November is 5.0 percent, up from the October rate of 4.5 percent, according to Commissioner James Neeley. In 2005, Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of November was 5.5 percent. The national unemployment rate for November is 4.5 percent, up from the October rate of 4.4.

“Tennessee’s unemployment rate had increased slightly from last month due to a large increase in the number of people looking for jobs in November,” said Commissioner Neeley. “We continue to see job growth in both the household and business survey.”

The October-to-November business survey shows employment increase in retail trade, up 8.800 jobs. Employment in government also increased by 2,200 and food services and drinking places employment increased 900 jobs. Seasonal month-to-month employment decreases took place in arts, entertainment and recreation with 1,400 jobs lost. Manufacturing lost 1,200 jobs and administrative, support and waste services decreased by 300 jobs.

From November 2005 to November 2006, trade/transportation/utilities jobs increased by 9,700. Jobs in leisure and hospitality rose by 8,800 and educational and health services jobs increased by 7,300. Employment decreased in manufacturing by 8,600, food and beverage stores by 1,400 and administrative/support/waste services jobs by 1,200.