Did you know that FlagandBanner.com was started in 1975 with one woman, Kerry McCoy, selling flags door-to-door in Arkansas? Over the past 40+ years it has grown into one of the largest online retailers of flags, banners, bunting, and pennants.
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Woman-Owned Company Raises Pink Flag For Breast Cancer Cure - PR Web
" Woman-owned company, FlagandBanner.com, will fly a pink version of the Arkansas state flag throughout the month of October in support of finding the cure for breast cancer. The custom made flag was manufactured onsite in 2017. The trend of flying a pink state flag began in 2015, when a FlagandBanner.com customer, Geoffrey Jackson, purchased a pink New Mexico flag in honor of his wife who lost her fight against the disease. His story was reported in FlagandBanner.com’s magazine, Brave, last October. After the story ran, pink state flag requests skyrocketed. FlagandBanner.com reports making pink versions of at least eight different state flags. "
Sold: The Flag That Hurricane Florence Shredded on Camera - Atlas Obscura
" FLAGS DON’T FARE WELL IN storms. Richard Neal knows this, because he’s been through it before. He always keeps a flag flying above the Frying Pan Tower, the decommissioned Coast Guard light station that he purchased in 2010, which marks dangerous shoals roughly 35 miles from the North Carolina coast. It’s hard enough out there for a flag, even under the best skies—the average one lasts about a month, he says—and storms just eat them up. Hurricanes Matthew and Andrew chewed through flags years ago, but Neal didn’t think Florence would have such sharp teeth, so he didn’t take the flag down. By the time he realized how strong the storm would be, it was too late. The flag would have to weather it."
P. Allen Smith to Appear on Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy - PR Web
"Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy radio show will host nationally known fourth-generation nurseryman and horticulturalist, P. Allen Smith this Friday on KABF 88.3 FM at 2 pm. Smith has also appeared frequently on The Weather Channel, the CBS Early Show, the NBC "Today Show" and other national TV programs teaching viewers gardening and design techniques. He has also written several books on gardening and contributes pieces to numerous publications. He is a former Board Member of the Royal Oak Foundation (the American partner of England's National Trust) and has contributed to preservation efforts at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon among other historic properties."
Resilient flag shredded by Florence off NC coast ‘represents who we are as America’ - The Charlotte Observer
"Richard Neal, the owner of a bed-and-breakfast 32 miles off the coast of North Carolina in old Coast Guard tower, says he fielded several angry calls from veterans as Hurricane Florence approached. That’s because his B&B at Frying Pan Tower is also the home of one of the many Explore.org live cams that have been documenting the storm as it rumbled toward the Carolina coast. And also because, that live footage at times has shown the tower’s American flag, being shredded by the devastating rain and wind the storm is bringing with it. “They told me, ‘this is disrespectful,’ and that I need to get out there and replace the flag right then,” Neal told McClatchy. “In the hurricane.” "
FlagandBanner.com Donate Replacement Flag to Frying Pan Tower - PR Web
" As Hurricane Florence bears down on the Carolina coast, cable news network CNN has been monitoring its approach from a historic Atlantic ocean lighthouse in North Carolina. Located 34 miles offshore from Cape Fear, North Carolina, the Frying Pan Tower - a former Coast Guard Light Station built in the 1960's and now a bed and breakfast, has been live streaming the storms approach. Each shot seen here shows the raging ocean and the flag, whipping fiercely in the howling winds. Richard Neal, owner of the Frying Pan Tower stated on air that the flag was "provided by the good people at FlagandBanner.com.""
CEO of Steve Landers Auto Group to Appear on Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy - PR Web
"Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy radio show will host local business man and philanthropist Steve Landers this Friday on KABF 88.3 FM at 2 pm. Landers is the CEO of the Steve Landers Auto Group which includes all dealerships under the Landers name in Arkansas and has a partial interest in McClarty Automotive. Tune in this Friday to hear Landers discuss business ownership, advertising, the Landers Award and scholarship program, his involvement with the Arkansas Racing Commission and love of horse racing as well as Landers' many community service and charitable projects including The Steve Landers Family Foundation which funds various charitable works throughout the state of Arkansas."
John Berman interviews Richard Neal regarding the flag at the Frying Pan Tower - CNN Transcript
FlagandBanner.com in the news
"You can see and you can hear the force of Hurricane Florence as it bears down here on this coast. This is coming from this light station, which believe it or not is privately owned. The man who owns it is Richard Neal. He joins us now. Richard, thanks so much for being with us. Before we get into the whys and hows of this station, explain to us what we are seeing and what we're hearing. What readings are you getting at this point? RICHARD NEAL, OWNER, LIGHT STATION (via telephone): Yes, certainly, John. Look, thanks for having me on. What we have right now is we have a camera about a hundred feet off the water where the wind is ripping up to 50, 60 miles an hour already. And the waves are rolling past, doing their best to knock us down. But we have been out here since 1964. We're not going anywhere."
Flag torn on Hurricane Florence live stream has hilarious Twitter account -Citizen Times / USA Today
FlagandBanner.com in the news
"Meteorologists have said Hurricane Florence has slowed down as it prepares to make landfall. Tell that to the flag. The flag sits on a former Coast Guard light tower just over 30 miles from the North Carolina. Named the Frying Pan Tower, the structure has been there since 1964. It now operates as unique bed and breakfast 80 feet above the water. But anyway, you were wondering about the flag?”
Company to donate American Flag to Frying Pan after Hurricane Florence batters Old Glory - ABC 12 News
FlagandBanner.com in the news
"Flag and Banner has offered to donate a new American Flag to Frying Pan after millions of people watched Hurricane Florence batter Old Glory. The tower is located about 34 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Richard Neal, owner of the tower, converted the retired navigation platform into a bed and breakfast several years ago… Thankfully, a flag company has stepped up to donate a new flag to the tower. "Many many thanks for FLAG sponsor https://www.flagandbanner.com/ who is stepping up to help the tower with new flags," Neal wrote.”
Bob Robbins Sits Down with Kerry McCoy on Up In Your Business - ABC 6 News
"Join Kerry McCoy this Friday on Up in Your Business to hear legendary Arkansas DJ Bob Robbins discuss his long history on the airwaves. Robbins has been a fixture of Arkansas radio since 1967, when he began working for KAAY in Little Rock and in 1979 moved to KSSN 96 FM. He stayed with KSSN until the end of 2013 when he left to go to sister station The Wolf 105.1. During that time, he was named Broadcast Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association, the people behind the CMT Awards”
American flags mowed down at Hatboro, Pa. cemetery - ABC 6 News
"Dozens of small flags honoring loved ones were mowed down at a cemetery in Hatboro, Pa. It all started with photos that were shared on Facebook by Montco News Feed. The initial poster saying this is how the landscaping crew at the cemetery, quote, "honors our flags and veterans." He termed it "unacceptable," and manager Wayne Sands did not dispute that opinion. "A number of them were shredded like when they get sucked up under a mower deck and spit out. Some were just knocked over," said Sands.”
Appleyard: French flag flew over Pensacola — briefly - CBC
"In 1949, a group of 20 men began discussions which soon led to the establishment of the Fiesta of Five Flags, to be a feature for attracting visitors to the community and to supplement the area's beaches. The Fiesta (and then the city's own flags symbol) sustained the French emblem, yet from that date to 2018, little has been made detailing the French presence, and properly so. However, that story deserves at least a brief detailing of why the colors were represented.”
Wait-list for Peace Tower flag now exceeds average Canadian lifespan - CBC
"All Mitchell Mader wanted was a meaningful piece of Canadiana when he signed up to receive one of the 250 Canadian flags flown throughout the year atop Parliament Hill's Peace Tower, but it's unlikely he'll live to see the day it arrives. The $150 Peace Tower flag is changed weekdays in Ottawa and once they're used, they are given to Canadian residents who request them. The limit is one flag per person and household. The current waiting time for Peace Tower flags is approximately 99 years, according to the Government of Canada's website. The wait time for flags flown elsewhere in the Parliament complex isn't much better — it's 86 years.”
Meet the DOT worker who keeps Brooklyn Bridge flags flying - Spectrum News, New York 1 - Video
"Cesar Pazmino's morning walk is not for the fearful. It's a dizzying, quarter-mile ascent along a narrow steel cable leading to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge 276 feet above the East River. Pazmino is not a daredevil - but a city employee responsible for taking care of the two American flags atop the iconic landmark. "It's beautiful. It's like, when you go underneath those two towers, it's like being in a cathedral," Pazmino said. Pazmino has worked for the city's Transportation Department for 30 years. For 27 of them, he's been taking care of the flags on the bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge is his favorite.”
Doppelgänger Flags: Do You Know Which Is Which?- New York Times
"All the countries of the world are different — but some of their flag designs are a little too similar for comfort. On Wednesday, those similarities came to the fore when New Zealand’s acting prime minister renewed calls for Australia to change its flag, saying it “copied” New Zealand’s. Flag confusion can lead to the occasional international faux pas or awkward Olympic ceremony. We’ve created this short quiz to help save you from any future flag embarrassment.”
Monday to bring flag he rescued to Arkansas - Arkansas Online
"Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding NFL players kneeling for the national anthem and the presentation of the American flag by our military comes some good new locally. One of our own, Rick Monday, is coming home to give a talk on the significance of the American flag. Many will remember April 25, 1976, when Monday -- then the center fielder for the Chicago Cubs -- saw two people in Dodger Stadium run onto the field carrying a flag, lighter fluid and a lighter. As they tried to set the flag on fire, Monday swooped in, grabbed the flag and carried it off the field. Monday, a native of Batesville, will bring that flag with him in November when he comes to Arkansas to raise money for the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History in Little Rock.
Confederate Flag License Plates Are Getting More Popular in Tennessee - Time
"The popularity of Confederate flag license plates in Tennessee has hit a 10-year high, according to data from the state’s department of revenue. There were almost 3,300 active Sons of Confederate Veterans plates in Tennessee at the end of June, the Nashville Tennessean reports. While that’s a small number overall — Tennessee has a population of around 6.7 million, and more than 5.6 million passenger license plates in circulation — it represents a 72% increase over the end of fiscal year 2015, the year debates about the Confederate flag broke out in earnest, according to the newspaper.
Vietnam veteran says man burned neighborhood's American flags - Fox 4 (Video)
"One Vietnam veteran woke up to a man burning the neighborhood's American flags in a gas grill. According to deputies, Joel Teltow had just been released from Salus Care before being arrested for the act. "It just meant something very special, regarding our country," said David Kaczmarek, the Vietnam veteran who says he immediately called Lee County Deputies after waking up to red flames outside his window. According to LCSO, Teltow was burning flags he had collected throughout the Bonita Springs neighborhood in a gas grill behind his mother's home..
Kansas officials seek altered US flag's removal from museum - AP News
"Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and a top GOP rival called Thursday for the University of Kansas to remove an altered U.S. flag from its campus completely rather than showing it in an art museum after complaints prompted an end to its being displayed publicly outside. Colyer and other Republicans saw flying the altered flag as a public art display as disrespectful. He said during a Fox News Radio interview Thursday that the piece should be returned to the artist.
American Dreamer, Meet Kerry McCoy - At Home In Arkansas
"Meet Kerry McCoy: An unlikely introduction to the history of American flags led this Little Rock entrepreneur on a lifetime adventure manufacturing and selling flags of every kind imaginable."
As Trump targets trade, a Chinese factory says it's been hired to make flags for Trump's 2020 campaign - Business Insider
"As the US's trade conflict with China heats up and President Donald Trump's reelection campaign gets underway, a Chinese manufacturer says his factory has been hired to create flags for Trump's 2020 bid. The factory, which used to make red scarves for the communist Young Pioneers before China opened up its trade, now makes about 100,000 international flags a day. "We also make flags for Trump for 2020," Li Jiang told NPR's "The Indicator" podcast. "It seems like he has another campaign going on in 2020. Isn't that right?" NPR said Li was making "blue-and-white Trump 2020 flags," though his factory and many others in the Zhejiang province in eastern China also made flags for Trump and Hillary Clinton during 2016. According to NPR, the Trump campaign was ordering so many more flags than Clinton's side that locals joked they were the first to know the businessman would become president.
Why synagogues started putting American flags in the sanctuary - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
"Jewish tourists from North America are likely to notice one big difference when visiting synagogues around the world. Though a plethora of symbols, such as stars of David and menorahs, may be displayed, national flags are rare inside the sanctuary. Meanwhile, in the United States and Canada, an American or Canadian flag (and sometimes both) are commonly displayed on the bimah, or ritual stage, often alongside an Israeli flag. When did this uniquely North American Jewish custom originate and why? According to historian Gary Zola, you can thank a patriotic wave during World War I and, later, the birth of Israel.
Eugene man celebrates Independence Day through symbolism of flags - KMTR 16 NBC (Video)
Friend of FlagandBanner.com
"While most folks celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks, one local Eugene man is going above and beyond to display his appreciation for America's freedom. "If you take care of your flags, your flags will take care of you. If you take care of them, they will continue to represent you." His name is Robin Hickman.
Local DAR chapter gives two tactile flags to blind Marine veteran - The Villages Daily Sun
"More than a dozen flags sat in front of the members of the John Bartram Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Friday. Two of them were especially important. On the day after Flag Day, the chapter gave two tactile flags to Rosalie Spada, a legally blind veteran of the U.S. Marines. The Village of Orange Blossom Gardens resident served in the Korean War and pursued a career in nursing after she was honorably discharged. She went to nursing school thanks to the GI Bill but eventually decided to be a teacher.
Woodchucks taking flags from local cemetery - ABC News 10
"Last week residents in Adams, MA were outraged after finding several flags missing from veterans’ graves at Bellevue Cemetery. They spent days trying to figure out who stole them, but now they think they found the culprit, who buried themselves in a big hole. Mark Paquette was watering flowers at Bellevue as he does often, when he couldn’t believe what he saw. "It was just flag poles on the ground broken," Mark said. He found flags missing from all of the veterans’ graves at the bottom of a hill, with poles left in their holders or broken on the ground. "Who would do something like this? And what would they be doing with the flags?" Mark said “I was concerned that it was vandalism.”
Flag Day: Las Cruces police chief reflects on history, freedom - The Las Cruces Bulletin
"Today is Flag Day. It celebrates the date in 1777 (241 years ago) when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. “What an appropriate day to ask such a question (What does the American flag mean to you?) – the 74th anniversary of D-Day (June 6),” said Las Cruces Police Chief Patrick Gallagher. “A day that says everything you need to know about our flag. A day when thousands of young men, mostly teenagers from all walks of life, half a world away from their homes, stormed the beaches of Normandy in the name of liberty to defend everything our flag represents.”
FLYING COLOURS World Cup flags – your group-by-group guide to the flag of every team at Russia 2018 - The Sun
" Impress your friends by checking out this handy A to H of national banners. A CHAOS of colour is flooding Russia as fans wave, paint or wrap themselves in flags to support their home side. But can you tell all 32 apart? Get familiar with the competing countries' stars, suns and symbols with our handy group-by-group guide."
Celebrate Flag Day 2018 with FlagandBanner.com, KSSN 96 and The Wolf 105.1- iHeart Media
"Celebrate Flag Day with Arkansas Flag & Banner, KSSN 96 and 105.1 The Wolf! On Thursday, June 14th, stop by and visit with Bob Robbins at the iHeartMedia Studios parking lot (10800 Colonel Glenn Rd., Little Rock, AR) starting at 6am to pick up your free American flag plus free coffee and donuts from Dunkin Donuts starting around 7:30am! Or you can also stop by the studios that afternoon for a chance to pick up your American flag and enjoy a burger or hot dog on the grill thanks to Safelite AutoGlass and a cold RC Cola, 7-Up, Sunkist, or A&W from 4-6pm! We will also be playing games in the afternoon for your chance to win Outlaw Music Festival tickets or Jake Owen tickets!"
Celebrate Juneteenth with a Tour of Historic Taborian Hall and her Dreamland Ballroom - PR Web
" On Saturday, June 16, 2018 the Friends of Dreamland and Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com will partner with the Mosiac Templars Cultural Center in their celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that historically commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery. Today, Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in most states and commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings."
A Wisconsin museum displays rare Civil War flag - WISN 12 ABC
"A 157-year-old flag from the Civil War is on display at a Green Bay museum. The flag with a "Great Star" pattern was hand sewn by a Green Bay woman and is on display at the Neville Public Museum, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. The flag is part of the "Our Brown County" display. It's believed to have flown for a rally at the beginning of the Civil War and to have been displayed over what was Fort Howard in Wisconsin until about 1865. "It was one of the last flags to fly over Fort Howard," said Lisa Kain, the museum's curator. "It's a rare pattern, significant to that time period so that also makes it so special." The museum acquired the flag in 1934, Kain said. It was recently rediscovered in the museum's archive, which has more than 300,000 physical items."
All NFL Players 'Shall Stand And Show Respect' For Flag And Anthem, League Says - NPR
" Unveiling a new policy after months of controversy and debate over players taking a knee or otherwise making statements during the national anthem, the NFL says all of its athletes and staff "shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem" if they're on the field. "Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room or in a similar location off the field until after the Anthem has been performed," the league said in its new policy. The possibility that the NFL might issue a blanket restriction on protests during the anthem has been discussed for months, and the buzz gained new momentum this week."
FlagandBanner.com Celebrates Our Military with an In Store Fearless Book Signing May 26 - PR Web
"May is military appreciation month. FlagandBanner.com will be observing Memorial Day weekend by hosting a “Fearless” book signing from 10 am until Noon on Saturday, May 26, with Kelley Brown, the wife of Hot Springs, Arkansas native, Adam Brown a deceased Navy Seal of Seal Team 6. Joining her will be Will Stevens, founder of the Fearless Rock underwater memorial that pays tribute to Navy Seal Brown. They will discuss the dive memorial and be signing the book “Fearless” the story of Arkansas Seal Team Operator Adam Brown by author Eric Blehm which has been adapted for a movie."
Gas station chain denies it stopped flying U.S. flag because it offended foreigners- The State
" Two weeks ago, a man who described himself as a trucker posted a video saying that he was done with a national chain of gas stations because one location in Texas was not flying the American flag. He said he asked an employee why there was no flag and was told it caused "foreigners come in here complaining, and they didn't want to lose the foreigners business." That explanation did not sit well with Dave Moore, and he shared his thoughts on the incident. His Facebook post went viral and the video was viewed more than a million times before it was removed from his page."
Jets fans say they weren't allowed to bring Canadian flag, Jets garb into Las Vegas arena- CBC.ca
"A Winnipeg Jets fan says she was forced to discard a Canadian flag in a waste receptacle after T-Mobile Arena would not allow it inside the venue. Lori Black said her Canadian flag wound up in the trash after security informed her she could not carry it into the arena on Friday, where the Jets played the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Black said she was given two choices: "Throw it out or take it back to my hotel," she said via Facebook Messenger."
A small Maine town wants its own flag - Bangor Daily News
"The Bristol selectmen on May 2 reviewed a draft design of a town flag, created by vexillologist Dave Martucci. According to Town Administrator Chris Hall, Lincoln Academy students have requested town flags to hang at the school. Bristol does not have a town flag. Hall contacted Martucci, who lives in Washington and has been involved in vexillology since 1966, to draft a flag design. Vexillology is the study of flags. The design includes diagonal sections or “gyrons” alternating between blue and white. This represents the light from the Pemaquid Point lighthouse, which “guides navigators, much as the people of Bristol guide their town into the future,” Martucci said in an email to Hall."
5,000 Israeli flags inscribed by well-wishers across world - Israel21c
"In honor of Israel’s 70th anniversary, 5,000 Israeli flags signed by 200,000 well-wishers from across the world will be placed in a time capsule at Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill historic site to be opened in 2048 on Israel’s centenary. At least 200 of the blue-and-white banners will hang from poles in the center’s main hall for several months starting on Jerusalem Day (May 13 this year) before joining the others in the capsule. They’ll be preserved in special envelopes and catalogued so signers can find their flags easily in 30 years’ time."
Iranian Lawmakers Burn U.S. Flag, Question Trump’s ‘Mental Capacity’ After Nuclear Deal Pullout - New York Magazine
"Iranian lawmakers did not take kindly to President Trump’s announcement Tuesday that the U.S. is walking away from the Iran nuclear deal, chanting “Death to America” and torching a paper American flag on the floor of Parliament in Tehran Wednesday. While the burning of Old Glory isn’t rare in Iran, this was the “first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself,” the AP reports."
Statewide collection underway for worn American Flags to be properly disposed - News 10
"The New York State Office of General Services is collecting worn and tattered American flags at locations across the state so they can be properly retired. The collected flags will be disposed of as part of the Memorial Watchfire hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 103, on Sunday, May 27th, 2018 at the New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY. "American flags should be retired with respect and honor and this collection program provides New Yorkers with a simple way to accomplish this," Governor Andrew Cuomo said."
A flag demonstration is getting attention at a Mercer County school - WYTV 33 (video)
"There are two sides to a flag demonstration that took place Thursday at Lakeview High School in Mercer County. Students put American flags on their cars before school. One student claims he was told to remove a Confederate and an American flag from his vehicle on Monday. The demonstration Thursday was arranged to show support for the country. District Superintendent Dr. Hendley Hoge said the student was asked to remove a Confederate flag because it could be viewed as racially insensitive. Hoge said the student willingly took it down."
Reno City Council chooses new official flag - KOLO 8 (video)
" Community input via the Reno Flag Project has led to the Reno City Council to choose a design for a new official municipal flag. Pending specifications, the design by Reno resident Tucker Stosic was chosen, with a star from the Reno Arch, the golden yellow depicting the high desert, a blue stripe representing the Truckee River under the Sierra Nevada, a semi-circle below for the Silver State."
Operation Fallen Flags unveils Glory Truck, new program to replace old flags in Rockford - RRSTAR.com (video)
"A first-of-its-kind program will send local veterans around Rockford to replace old or tattered American flags at no cost. Operation Fallen Flags kicked off Saturday with the unveiling of a tool that will keep flags from falling out of reach of replacement. It’s called the Flagship 1 Glory Truck, a 1989 GMC bucket truck that’s been completely restored and decorated with stars and stripes. An olive-green parachute, like the ones used to drop packages into deployment zones, covered the Glory Truck as it sat on the sidewalk in front of Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum, 211 N. Main Street, before it was unveiled. Veterans and the families of those currently deployed cheered as the parachute was lifted and a flag attached to the bottom of the truck’s bucket was raised high above the crowd."
American flags cover bridge over Interstate 680 in Boardman - WKBN 27(video)
"Another bridge in the Mahoning Valley was covered with American Flags on Sunday. Around 120 flags were put on the Western Reserve bridge over Interstate 680. The Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission wants the flags to welcome people to the area and let them know that we support our veterans here. They're also committed to making these flags a Valley mainstay. "This is our third bridge, and the flags were bought and paid for by the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission in support of veterans," said Susan Krawchyk of the commission."
Jacksonville man can keep flying military flags after he's issued warning - Action News Jax CBS 47 (video)
"A Jacksonville city worker has been placed on leave after she allegedly told a veteran his service to the United States didn't matter while giving a business a warning for flying military flags. The story quickly went viral and many people have come out in support of the veteran and Jaguar Power Sports."
Iran Caught in Global Cyber Attack That Left US Flag on Screens - VOA News
"Hackers have attacked networks in a number of countries, including data centers in Iran where they left the image of a U.S. flag on screens along with a warning: “Don’t mess with our elections,” the Iranian IT ministry said Saturday. “The attack apparently affected 200,000 router switches across the world in a widespread attack, including 3,500 switches in our country,” the Communication and Information Technology Ministry said in a statement carried by Iran’s official news agency IRNA."
"Flags may look simple, but the art behind them is surprisingly complex. First, they need to reflect a nation's identity. Second, they need to convey that identity in a clear, memorable and aesthetically pleasing manner. That's a tall order when you're dealing with a small rectangle and two to four colours (unless you're South Sudan). Some nations rise to the task beautifully (Canada, Wales, Japan). Others fall short. Others – specifically those listed below – fall so far short that they're underground. "
Blue Lights and Flags Honor Victims of Child Abuse in Pennsylvania - WNEP 16 News
"The state capitol building in Harrisburg is lit up and surrounded by blue, in honor of innocent children. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. On Saturday, volunteers and members of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance planted 4,416 flags around the capitol complex. The flags stand in honor of the children who are abused in the commonwealth in one year. The group also planted 46-black flags to honor the number of children killed by abuse. Event organizers hope this gives people a visual understanding of how important the issue is in Pennsylvania and that it prompts every person to step up and help. "I would just like to have families in Pennsylvania recognize that there is support and alternatives to the stressful moments when we may break as a parent, and that there are support mechanisms in place to help prevent the abuse that are children are facing," said volunteer Maureen Fairbanks."
"Flags Across America" celebrates the flag as seen through the eyes of Americans - New Day Northwest / K5 News
"The American flag is an iconic symbol and evokes strong of emotions for many citizens of the United States. The new book called Flags Across America celebrates the flag through the eyes of everyday people all across the country. From athletes to artists, from the heartland to outer space, the book shares their stories and dreams. Local co-authors, Karen Robbins and Dale Baskin join New Day Northwest to discuss their new book."
The Thin Line Between the Public and Danger, FlagandBanner.com offers Thin Line Flags to honor those who serve the public - FlagandBanner.com Press Release
"In the 1950s LAPD Chief Bill Parker coined the term “thin blue line” as the barrier between law and order and social and civil anarchy. By the early 1970s, the term had spread to police departments across the U.S. Use of the term became especially widespread following the release of Errol Morris' 1988 documentary film The Thin Blue Line. Recently other service branches have adopted Thin Lines in varying colors. Firefighters have adopted a red line, EMTs, a white one. “We have carried the thin blue and thin red line flags at FlagandBanner.com for many years,” says Kerry McCoy, President of FlagandBanner.com. “We have recently added to our Thin Line Flag collection for those who want to show support for those who protect and serve the public at great mental and physical cost.” The complete list of Thin Line Flags from FlagandBanner.com: …"
Two Little Rock sites get U.S. grants for civil rights; $1M set for ballroom, school - Arkansas Online
"A historic ballroom where the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Ray Charles and other prominent black entertainers sang and performed for hundreds of Little Rock residents decades ago is a step closer to returning to an entertainment venue accessible to the public. The Dreamland Ballroom in Taborian Hall at 800 W. Ninth St. is the recipient of an almost $500,000 federal grant that will allow its nonprofit board to install an elevator for the building and put centralized heating and air in the third-floor ballroom. "
Dream comes true: Dreamland Ballroom gets big restoration grant - Arkansas Times
"The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service will award a $499,668 improvement grant to Dreamland Ballroom in the historic Taborian Hall building at Ninth and State streets, now the home of Little Rock Flag and Banner. The ballroom, a booming place in the African-American business district back in the day, hosted such famed performers as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Earl "Fatha" Hines, B.B. King and Ray Charles. It was so dilapidated when Kerry McCoy bought the building in 1991 that it was on the verge of collapse. "
Interior and National Park Service Announces $12.6 Million in Grants to Preserve African American Civil Rights History - National Park Service
"The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service today announced $12.6 million in grants for 51 projects in 24 states that preserve sites and highlight stories related to the African American struggle for equality in the 20th century. "An integral part of the Interior and National Park Service mission is to help preserve and tell America’s story,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “These grants will benefit places across the nation that help tell an essential piece of that story through the African American struggle for civil rights and equality."
Mesmerizing, Or A Hot Mess? Why Maryland’s State Flag Looks So…Distinct - WAMU/American University Radio
"…Whether you’re a Maryland flag lover or hater, the red, white, black, and gold pattern is hard to forget. But the history behind it is less well-known. The story of the Maryland state flag started about 400 years ago, and it’s one that fascinates historians, vexillologists (flag experts), design buffs, and regular citizens alike. Maryland’s flag is comprised of four distinct quadrants. In the first and fourth, black and gold (yes, it’s gold, not yellow) stripes alternate, and a diagonal stripe of opposite colors cuts down the middle. This design comes from the coat of arms of George Calvert, also known as the first Lord Baltimore. In the early 1630s..."
Bolivians unfurl massive flag in support for sea access claim - Laramie Boomerang
"Bolivia unfurled a nearly 200-km long (124 miles) bright blue flag on Saturday in a show of support for the landlocked country’s bid to regain sovereign access to the sea. Tens of thousands of Bolivians held the so-called“flag of maritime revindication,” which stretched like a long ribbon along a highway in the Andes between the towns Oruro and Apacheta, on the outskirts of La Paz. The display of patriotism aims to cheer on Bolivia’s legal team ahead of oral arguments it will deliver at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the country’s claim to sovereign access to Chile’s Pacific coast. Bolivia lost its access to the Pacific Ocean in a late 19th century war with Chile, ..."
‘People still love America’: Flag cruises show support for military, first responders - Laramie Boomerang
“A 2005 Dodge Ram comes roaring past, catching the attention of the pedestrians and other drivers in its vicinity. A pickup is not an unusual sight in the rural state of Wyoming, but the large American, Prisoner of War and state flags rippling proudly over the truck bed are. Behind the wheel is Jaren Long, a Wyoming Army National Guardsman who said he wants to show his support for the military, law enforcement and first responders. “Growing up, everything was so patriotic, you know, and I feel like we’re living in a world now where patriotism is shown to kids as a bad thing in a lot of circumstances,” he said.”
Oscars 2018: Here's why stars are wearing orange American flag pins on the red carpet - USA Today
Awards show red carpets have become a place for celebrities to express their support for timely initiatives. At Sunday's Oscar Awards, we're seeing a new addition: Orange American flag pins. Stars will don the accessory from the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety in support of gun violence prevention after the Florida school shooting. "Tonight, actors and allies will #WearOrange pins and ribbons on the #Oscars red carpet to bring awareness to gun violence prevention in the wake of the Parkland school shooting," the organization confirmed via Twitter Sunday. The shooting, which occurred on Feb. 14, killed 17 students and staff and injured 14 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Lin-Manuel Miranda was one of the stars wearing the orange pin.
An American flag was destroyed and replaced with an ISIS flag at a Utah high school - The Washington Post
As territory for the Islamic State shrinks to ribbons around the Euphrates River in Syria, the militant group has repositioned itself in western Africa, Yemen and southwestern Utah. Wait, back up. Where? Officers in Hurricane, Utah, said Thursday that an American flag was ripped from a flagpole, desecrated, slashed and replaced with something resembling the notorious black ISIS banner. Authorities also discovered a truncated message scrawled on a wall: “ISIS IS COMI.” Police said that they referred the criminal act to the FBI, which concluded the incident was probably not connected to anyone in the terrorist group. Classes at Hurricane High School were held as scheduled Thursday and are expected to continue Friday, with police in the St. George suburb saying they are confident there is no danger to students or teachers.”
Local Group Displays Thousands Of Flags For Victims Of Gun Deaths - Indiana Public Media
“In the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting, a group of local activists is bringing attention to gun violence by displaying thousands of flags only half a mile away from Jasper High School. One Dubois-County is an action-oriented community group. Members setup 2,400 white flags this week to represent gun deaths since 2014. Each flag represents 25 people who died from a gunshot, not including suicides, gang or domestic violence. There are another 695 orange flags forming a heart in the middle of the display. They represent victims killed in mass shootings since Columbine, and include the victims’ names and ages. The group describes a mass shooting as an incident where more than four people die, not including the shooter. Nancy Habig is a member of One Dubois-County.”
Woman Assumes Olympics Fan Is Flying a Confederate Flag. It Was Norwegian. - Time
"A news tip earlier this week that reported a Confederate flag flying beneath an American flag in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, Washington was discovered to be a mistake — because the red and blue-striped flag was actually a Norwegian flag. The Seattle Times received the following tip from New York Times best-selling author Rebecca Morris after she believed that she saw a Confederate flag flying in her neighborhood: "Hi. Suddenly there is a Confederate flag flying in front of a house in my Greenwood neighborhood. It is at the north-east corner of 92nd and Palatine, just a block west of 92nd and Greenwood Ave N. I would love to know what this ‘means’ … but of course don’t want to knock on their door.”
Editorial: Black Lives Matter flags banners of hope - Burlington Free Press
"The raising of the Black Lives Matter flag at Burlington High School on Monday should serve as a banner of hope in a time when our society seems so divided over race. The BLM flag should be seen as a call to recognize the everyday racism, big and small, faced by people of color in the community, and as a call to have the honest discussion about race that needs happen throughout the state. Those who shout back, “all lives matter” in response to the Black Lives Matter banner deny the very real racism that is the daily reality of many black and other people of color, even in Vermont. Those who smear Black Lives Matter as a movement of racists and terrorists are merely reflecting their own hate triggered by having to confront their privilege. The Black Lives Matter has never been about placing black lives above all others. Violence against police has never been a part of the mainstream movement. Stray calls to “kill cops” recorded at a few massive rallies hardly represent the vast majority who seek justice and an end to racial violence. The Black Lives Matter movement is a plea in the face of evidence that the dominant culture in this country continues to devalue the lives of black people.”
"Hi, I’m Kerry McCoy, president of Flagandbanner.com. I was born and raised in North Little Rock, Arkansas and attended Northeast High School. I attended one semester of college at UCA and realized it was not for me. Then, at my mother's suggestion, I attended a one year vo-tech school (Miss Wade’s Fashion Merchandising College), and received a diploma. Once I was grown up and look back I realize I was lucky to have such a normal family, with no alcoholism or other abuse of any kind. My father was a small entrepreneur and my mother was his book keeper. We were very middle class and thrifty. A series of bad luck led me to the path I'm on today (more on that later), but I think it has worked out pretty well! Give us your elevator pitch…“
Shaun White apologizes for letting American flag drag on the ground after winning gold - The Washington Post
"Shaun White apologized Wednesday for letting an American flag drag on the ground in the aftermath of his dramatic victory in the snowboard halfpipe. White authored what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most indelible sequences of the PyeongChang Olympics Wednesday, winning his third Olympic gold medal with a masterful final run and immediately launching into a highly emotional celebration. However, that happy moment was marred for more than a few viewers because of the way the 31-year-old handled the flag. At a news conference in PyeongChang Wednesday afternoon, the four-time Olympian said he wasn’t aware he’d let the flag touch the ground. “I remember being handed the flag. I was trying to put my gloves on and hold the flag and the board,” he said. “Honestly, if there was anything, I definitely didn’t mean any disrespect. The flag that’s flying on my house right now is way up there. Sorry for that. But I’m definitely proud — very proud — to be a part of Team USA and being an American and to be representing for everyone back home.”
Mike Ashley bans Newcastle flags display v Manchester United? – 100% predictable - The Mag
"Sunday morning has seen the Newcastle fans behind the Flags displays reveal that there won’t be anything on show at the Manchester United match today. The ‘Wor Hyem’ fans group have used their Twitter account to inform everybody that due to ‘restrictions’ they are ‘unable to put on a display today’. When the excellent flags banner was revealed before the Burnley match, using the Kevin Keegan quote about Mike Ashley (see below), most supporters assumed that this would mean the end of the flag displays. However, local media then claimed that Mike Ashley wasn’t going to ban them, only now for this mornings news to appear to contradict that.. Reading between the lines, the fan group are being very diplomatic in what they are saying, so maybe safe to assume that this is maybe a yellow card rather than a red issued by the Fat Controller. "
Lisbon plans Founder’s Day pancake - Morning Journal News
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"Lisbon’s 11th annual Founder’s Day will be celebrated on Saturday with a pancake breakfast at the Methodist Church. The breakfast will run from 8-11:30 a.m. The cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and free for those 5 and under. The Founder’s Day event will celebrate the birthday of Lisbon, which is Feb. 16, 1803. This year’s event will celebrate the Lisbon flag with two flags of Lisbon being presented later at village hall. Proceeds from the breakfast will go toward paying for the flags, which were a part of a similar anniversary celebration more than 100 years ago. According to The Ohio Patriot — a newspaper from Sept. 12, 1913 and provided by Stevie Halverstadt — Lisbon celebrated Lisbon’s Old Home Week with the adoption of a new flag. Held as a celebration of the 110th anniversary of the founding of the town, it reportedly was an event attended by hundreds."
American Flag That Flew Over Groton Flown To Olympics With Skeleton Crew - Caledonian Record
"An American flag that briefly flew over the Groton Fire Department last fall made its way this week to the site of the Olympic games, contested later this month in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The flag was one of four sent throughout the country as part of the Team USA Bobsled and Skeleton American Flag First Responders Relay. It is a project created by Matthew Troy, a filmmaker serving as the videographer for the bobsled and skeleton teams, based in Lake Placid, N.Y. The idea for the project came to Troy last summer, when he was with the Olympic athletes for a “flag etiquette” presentation given by one of the athletes (and member of the US Military). “Attending that presentation reminded me of my time with the National Honor Guard Academy, and the pride that came with learning how to properly handle and display a symbol of unity and pride in our nation,” Troy stated."
Business owners concerned rules over fluttering flags could mean fluttering business - WINK News
"Fluttering, feather flags, pennants and other signs are a common sight along the US-41 business corridor in Charlotte County. For business owners like Tonya Marx, the additional signage is a tool to get people through the door. “Before we ever had those signs, nobody even knew we were here,” Marx said, “Now that we have the signs up, we get people stopping here and I’m like ‘how did you find out about us?’ and they say from the signs out front.” But soon you’ll see fewer of these signs in Charlotte County. Starting April 1, signs can only go on display for 90 days a year, broken into two 45-day periods and business owners have to get a permit each time. Charlotte county zoning official Shaun Cullinan said, “We were starting to get a lot of complaints … that it was starting to look kind of dumpy, trashy. People felt that it was too much. … we felt it was time to improve the aesthetics of our commercial corridor.” But business owners say the new rules will hurt their bottom line."
First World War-era hospital flags to “fly again” thanks to generous donation - North Norfolk News
"They once marked the location of two temporary First World War hospitals in North Walsham where the Red Cross nursed injured troops. Today the white and red pennants have turned grey with age, and languish in the parish church where they have been stored for years. But a joint initiative between the vicar and the Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital is providing replicas to remind people of the town’s nursing heritage. And it has been made possible by a donation from a well-known local shopkeeper and musician with connections to both organisations. A collection in memory of musician Denis Payne, who died in November 2016 aged 86, is being used to provide two £300 replicas for the church where he used to play keyboards at funerals, and where he gave visitors tours of its history."
Daily Mail apologises to Nicola Sturgeon over flag story - BBC News
"The Scottish Daily Mail has published an apology to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over its story about flying the Union flag. It had reported that Ms Sturgeon "decreed" that the flag should not be flown over dozens of public buildings to mark royal events. The Mail said it was "happy" to clarify that the decision was taken by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2010. Ms Sturgeon said the original story was "utterly false". In its clarifications and corrections section, the Mail said: "We are happy to clarify that the decision to change the policy on flag flying was taken and implemented by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2010. "The Protocol and Honours Team updated operational guidance in December 2017. "We accept that the policy did not change under Nicola Sturgeon and that she had no involvement in the Protocol and Honours Team updating the operational guidance on flag flying for 2018."
Oklahoma School for the Blind receives Braille American flags - The Norman Transcript
"Raised stars and stripes can help Oklahoma School for the Blind students gain a better understanding of the American flag, officials said. WoodmenLife, a fraternal insurance carrier, presented 20 tactile Braille American flags, plus a framed Braille flag, to OSB history students Tuesday. Fraternal Coordinator Billie Floyd said the company is helping the Braille flag's creator, Randolph Cabral, reach his goal of placing a flag in each school for the visually impaired in the United States. OSB is the first school to get such flags, Floyd said. "WoodmenLife has distributed more than 3 million (regular) American flags," Floyd said. "We started the patriotic program in 1947... We're adding on to our patriotic program with the Braille flags. OSB Principal Lynn Cragg accepted the donation. "It's an honor that visually impaired students, who maybe are Braille users, can access the flag and understand how it is set out," Cragg said. OSB student John Duong, 15, said he plans to put his flag in his room. "It means freedom and peace for me," Duong said. "
Why won't Team USA dip its flag at Olympic opening ceremonies? - PRI
"It's an Olympic tradition: As teams from around the world parade in a grand opening ceremony, they briefly lower their flags in a show of respect as they pass the host nation's officials. But at the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, you'll notice that Team USA won't lower their flag. Indeed, the United States has a long tradition of ignoring this gesture. Legend says it all started in 1908, when flag bearer Ralph Rose, an Irish American shot putter, refused to dip the US flag at the London Olympics. "The suspicion is that because the Irish team then had to compete under the Union Jack, he refused to dip the flag to the Union Jack and to British officials, in protest," says Edgar B. Herwick III, who runs the Curiosity Desk at WGBH. For a while after that, US flag protocol at the Olympics was a hodgepodge. "We dipped it in Sweden in 1912. We didn’t dip in Belgium in 1920. We dipped again in Paris in 1924," says Herwick. It became a solid tradition for the United States to not dip the flag in 1936. Then, both the Summer and Winter Olympics were in Germany. Hitler’s Germany."
North, South Korea agree to march under ‘unification flag’ at Olympic opening ceremony - TheStar.com
"The rival Koreas agreed Wednesday to form their first unified Olympic team and have their athletes parade together for the first time in 11 years during the opening ceremony of next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, officials said. The agreements still require approval from the International Olympic Committee. But they are the most prominent steps toward rapprochement achieved by the Koreas since they recently began exploring co-operation during the Olympics following a year of heightened tension over the North’s nuclear weapons program. During their third day of talks at the border in about a week, senior officials reached a package of agreements including fielding a joint women’s ice hockey team and marching together under a “unification flag” depicting their peninsula during the opening ceremony, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said."
Mississippi could become the first US state to have 2 official flags because of a dispute over the Confederacy - Business Insider
"A Mississippi lawmaker is proposing a solution that he hopes will finally bring an end to one of the state's most divisive issues, The Wall Street Journal reported. Earlier this month, Republican Rep. Greg Snowden filed a bill that would allow two flag designs to officially represent the state. If the measure passes, Mississippi would be the only US state with two flags. Mississippi's current flag, which features the symbol for the Confederacy, would be left untouched. A proposed second flag would bring back an old design used on the state's official flag from 1861 until the end of the Civil War in 1865. That design features a magnolia tree in the center of the flag and a white star against a blue background in the top-left corner, replacing the controversial Confederate emblem currently in its place."
Curious Texas: Why can Texas fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag? - Dallas News
"Jerry Hilton from Arlington asks: Is Texas the only state that can fly its state flag at the same height as the U.S. flag? Also what is the height of the Capitol? Texans are special for a lot of reasons, but this isn't one of them. As the oft-repeated story goes, because Texas was once an independent nation, it is the only state that can fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag. The story isn't exactly right. All states can fly their flags at the same height as the U.S. flag, with some stipulations. The U.S. Flag Code is a set of guidelines that recommend how to display the flag. Although there is no penalty for breaking the code, it stipulates that no other flag may be placed in "superior prominence" to the U.S. flag. For example, if multiple flags share the same pole, the U.S. flag must fly at the peak."
New resting place available for flags that have served their time - Morning Journal
"Whether flown over the graves of veterans until faded, frayed from months of flapping outside halls of justice or worn from being trundled up and down the flagpole in a working family’s front yard each morning and night, American flags that have served their time can be disposed of with dignity, thanks to a local veterans’ group. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1064 of East Liverpool provides special flag boxes in several locations for those whose American flags need replaced, and one of those boxes has now been relocated for better access to the public. According to members Ray Talbott and Bill Ash, the box which had sat in the entryway of the local Elks Lodge for some time was moved onto the sidewalk when the Elks enclosed the entry. "
Flag & Banner ringing in 2018 with new shiny, golden tradition - THV 11
"A large, metallic gold flag flies high above the headquarters of Flag and Banner to ring in the new year. It was the idea of Flag and Banner founder, Kerry McCoy, after seeing similar flags in New York on a recent trip. “I went to Rockefeller Center in New York last month and was in awe of the shimmering, gold flags that were flying on their flag poles,” said McCoy. “It’s hard to describe the effect. The cloth is very lightweight, which means the flags really move in the wind, and the gold color is almost luminescent.” So, she came home and had one made for Flag and Banner. Constructed of an extremely lightweight lamé material with a metallic gold thread, the flag is a show stopper. She has been getting numerous calls a day since the flag went up asking about its significance and how to order one. McCoy’s hope is that a new tradition will begin where each January of every new year gold flags will fly as a symbol of hope."
PATRIOTIC HONOR PROMPTS BIG RESPONSE - Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press
"A spontaneous, final honor for a veteran who had died has sparked widespread praise and prompted Post Falls residents to donate flags and money so the act can be repeated for other veterans who die in the city, outside a medical facility. When Post Falls Police Department personnel were investigating the death by natural causes of Bill McRory, 70, on Thursday, Detective Neil Uhrig used his own money to have officers purchase an American flag to honor the veteran with respect, Chief Scot Haug said. “When the funeral home arrived, our officers and detectives covered the veteran with the flag as he was transferred to the funeral home vehicle," Haug wrote in an online comment. "We had not done this before, but after listening to the impact this had on the officers and the family, we are considering it for all future death investigations involving veterans.” The gesture that Haug highlighted also had an impact on community members who responded over the weekend by dropping off flags and monetary donations to buy them for similar future cases. Mia McRory, a daughter of Bill’s, said her family was extremely thankful for the gesture. Bill served in the Navy from 1965 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. He loved the Pittsburgh Steelers, watching football, fishing, woodworking and spending time with his children and grandchildren."
EU flags appear in 'peaceful protest' against Brexit in Worcestershire - Worcester News
"EUROPEAN Union flags have appeared across Worcestershire as part of a 'peaceful protest' against Brexit. Activists have targeted landmarks around Malvern and also planted smaller flags on Worcester's Whittington roundabout. Worcestershire County Council has pledged to remove the signs on the roundabout as soon as possible. The EU Flag Mafia has claimed responsibility for draping the flags over Malvern's Elgar statue and the Malvern Link railway station footbridge. A spokesman for the group said: "Our official stance is that the EU is not perfect, but Brexit is not the answer. "Hanging flags is peaceful protest, cheeky British humour with a serious message." It is not yet clear who planted the mini-EU flags on Whittington roundabout. Steven Mather, a spokesman for Worcestershire for Europe, said: "We are not aware that the EU flags were planted by any of our members, so we assume it was a member of the public."
The 50-Star American Flag Began as a High School Project—and It Only Got a B - Reader’s Digest
"After learning about Betsy Ross, you probably didn’t give much thought to how the subsequent U.S flags were designed. It might seem like a no-brainer; flagmakers just added a new star for every new state, right? Well, turns out it’s not that simple. Each new flag has a very careful design, and the arrangement of the stars must be precise and symmetrical. And for the flag we know today, that arrangement was designed by a high schooler—before Alaska and Hawaii were even states. In 2009, the designer, Bob Heft, told his tale to StoryCorps. It was 1958, and America only contained 48 United States. The flag at that time featured six rows of eight stars. Heft’s history teacher assigned a class project where each student had to bring in something they made. Having been “inspired by the Betsy Ross story,” and hearing rumblings that Alaska and Hawaii could both soon gain statehood, Heft decided to make a 50-star flag. So he made some adjustments to his parents’ 48-star flag, brought it in, and triumphantly placed it on his teacher’s desk."
John Berman interviews Richard Neal regarding the flag at the Frying Pan Tower - CNN Transcript
FlagandBanner.com in the news
"You can see and you can hear the force of Hurricane Florence as it bears down here on this coast. This is coming from this light station, which believe it or not is privately owned. The man who owns it is Richard Neal. He joins us now. Richard, thanks so much for being with us. Before we get into the whys and hows of this station, explain to us what we are seeing and what we're hearing. What readings are you getting at this point?
RICHARD NEAL, OWNER, LIGHT STATION (via telephone): Yes, certainly, John. Look, thanks for having me on. What we have right now is we have a camera about a hundred feet off the water where the wind is ripping up to 50, 60 miles an hour already. And the waves are rolling past, doing their best to knock us down. But we have been out here since 1964. We're not going anywhere."
Flag torn on Hurricane Florence live stream has hilarious Twitter account -Citizen Times / USA Today
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"Meteorologists have said Hurricane Florence has slowed down as it prepares to make landfall. Tell that to the flag. The flag sits on a former Coast Guard light tower just over 30 miles from the North Carolina. Named the Frying Pan Tower, the structure has been there since 1964. It now operates as unique bed and breakfast 80 feet above the water. But anyway, you were wondering about the flag?”
Company to donate American Flag to Frying Pan after Hurricane Florence batters Old Glory - ABC 12 News
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"Flag and Banner has offered to donate a new American Flag to Frying Pan after millions of people watched Hurricane Florence batter Old Glory. The tower is located about 34 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Richard Neal, owner of the tower, converted the retired navigation platform into a bed and breakfast several years ago… Thankfully, a flag company has stepped up to donate a new flag to the tower. "Many many thanks for FLAG sponsor https://www.flagandbanner.com/ who is stepping up to help the tower with new flags," Neal wrote.”
Bob Robbins Sits Down with Kerry McCoy on Up In Your Business - ABC 6 News
"Join Kerry McCoy this Friday on Up in Your Business to hear legendary Arkansas DJ Bob Robbins discuss his long history on the airwaves. Robbins has been a fixture of Arkansas radio since 1967, when he began working for KAAY in Little Rock and in 1979 moved to KSSN 96 FM. He stayed with KSSN until the end of 2013 when he left to go to sister station The Wolf 105.1. During that time, he was named Broadcast Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association, the people behind the CMT Awards”
American flags mowed down at Hatboro, Pa. cemetery - ABC 6 News
"Dozens of small flags honoring loved ones were mowed down at a cemetery in Hatboro, Pa. It all started with photos that were shared on Facebook by Montco News Feed. The initial poster saying this is how the landscaping crew at the cemetery, quote, "honors our flags and veterans." He termed it "unacceptable," and manager Wayne Sands did not dispute that opinion. "A number of them were shredded like when they get sucked up under a mower deck and spit out. Some were just knocked over," said Sands.”
Appleyard: French flag flew over Pensacola — briefly - CBC
"In 1949, a group of 20 men began discussions which soon led to the establishment of the Fiesta of Five Flags, to be a feature for attracting visitors to the community and to supplement the area's beaches. The Fiesta (and then the city's own flags symbol) sustained the French emblem, yet from that date to 2018, little has been made detailing the French presence, and properly so. However, that story deserves at least a brief detailing of why the colors were represented.”
Wait-list for Peace Tower flag now exceeds average Canadian lifespan - CBC
"All Mitchell Mader wanted was a meaningful piece of Canadiana when he signed up to receive one of the 250 Canadian flags flown throughout the year atop Parliament Hill's Peace Tower, but it's unlikely he'll live to see the day it arrives. The $150 Peace Tower flag is changed weekdays in Ottawa and once they're used, they are given to Canadian residents who request them. The limit is one flag per person and household. The current waiting time for Peace Tower flags is approximately 99 years, according to the Government of Canada's website. The wait time for flags flown elsewhere in the Parliament complex isn't much better — it's 86 years.”
Meet the DOT worker who keeps Brooklyn Bridge flags flying - Spectrum News, New York 1 - Video
"Cesar Pazmino's morning walk is not for the fearful. It's a dizzying, quarter-mile ascent along a narrow steel cable leading to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge 276 feet above the East River. Pazmino is not a daredevil - but a city employee responsible for taking care of the two American flags atop the iconic landmark. "It's beautiful. It's like, when you go underneath those two towers, it's like being in a cathedral," Pazmino said. Pazmino has worked for the city's Transportation Department for 30 years. For 27 of them, he's been taking care of the flags on the bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge is his favorite.”
Doppelgänger Flags: Do You Know Which Is Which?- New York Times
"All the countries of the world are different — but some of their flag designs are a little too similar for comfort. On Wednesday, those similarities came to the fore when New Zealand’s acting prime minister renewed calls for Australia to change its flag, saying it “copied” New Zealand’s. Flag confusion can lead to the occasional international faux pas or awkward Olympic ceremony. We’ve created this short quiz to help save you from any future flag embarrassment.”
Monday to bring flag he rescued to Arkansas - Arkansas Online
"Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding NFL players kneeling for the national anthem and the presentation of the American flag by our military comes some good new locally. One of our own, Rick Monday, is coming home to give a talk on the significance of the American flag. Many will remember April 25, 1976, when Monday -- then the center fielder for the Chicago Cubs -- saw two people in Dodger Stadium run onto the field carrying a flag, lighter fluid and a lighter. As they tried to set the flag on fire, Monday swooped in, grabbed the flag and carried it off the field. Monday, a native of Batesville, will bring that flag with him in November when he comes to Arkansas to raise money for the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History in Little Rock.
Confederate Flag License Plates Are Getting More Popular in Tennessee - Time
"The popularity of Confederate flag license plates in Tennessee has hit a 10-year high, according to data from the state’s department of revenue. There were almost 3,300 active Sons of Confederate Veterans plates in Tennessee at the end of June, the Nashville Tennessean reports. While that’s a small number overall — Tennessee has a population of around 6.7 million, and more than 5.6 million passenger license plates in circulation — it represents a 72% increase over the end of fiscal year 2015, the year debates about the Confederate flag broke out in earnest, according to the newspaper.
Vietnam veteran says man burned neighborhood's American flags - Fox 4 (Video)
"One Vietnam veteran woke up to a man burning the neighborhood's American flags in a gas grill. According to deputies, Joel Teltow had just been released from Salus Care before being arrested for the act. "It just meant something very special, regarding our country," said David Kaczmarek, the Vietnam veteran who says he immediately called Lee County Deputies after waking up to red flames outside his window. According to LCSO, Teltow was burning flags he had collected throughout the Bonita Springs neighborhood in a gas grill behind his mother's home..
Kansas officials seek altered US flag's removal from museum - AP News
"Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and a top GOP rival called Thursday for the University of Kansas to remove an altered U.S. flag from its campus completely rather than showing it in an art museum after complaints prompted an end to its being displayed publicly outside. Colyer and other Republicans saw flying the altered flag as a public art display as disrespectful. He said during a Fox News Radio interview Thursday that the piece should be returned to the artist.
American Dreamer, Meet Kerry McCoy - At Home In Arkansas
"Meet Kerry McCoy: An unlikely introduction to the history of American flags led this Little Rock entrepreneur on a lifetime adventure manufacturing and selling flags of every kind imaginable."
As Trump targets trade, a Chinese factory says it's been hired to make flags for Trump's 2020 campaign - Business Insider
"As the US's trade conflict with China heats up and President Donald Trump's reelection campaign gets underway, a Chinese manufacturer says his factory has been hired to create flags for Trump's 2020 bid. The factory, which used to make red scarves for the communist Young Pioneers before China opened up its trade, now makes about 100,000 international flags a day. "We also make flags for Trump for 2020," Li Jiang told NPR's "The Indicator" podcast. "It seems like he has another campaign going on in 2020. Isn't that right?" NPR said Li was making "blue-and-white Trump 2020 flags," though his factory and many others in the Zhejiang province in eastern China also made flags for Trump and Hillary Clinton during 2016. According to NPR, the Trump campaign was ordering so many more flags than Clinton's side that locals joked they were the first to know the businessman would become president.
Why synagogues started putting American flags in the sanctuary - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
"Jewish tourists from North America are likely to notice one big difference when visiting synagogues around the world. Though a plethora of symbols, such as stars of David and menorahs, may be displayed, national flags are rare inside the sanctuary. Meanwhile, in the United States and Canada, an American or Canadian flag (and sometimes both) are commonly displayed on the bimah, or ritual stage, often alongside an Israeli flag. When did this uniquely North American Jewish custom originate and why? According to historian Gary Zola, you can thank a patriotic wave during World War I and, later, the birth of Israel.
Eugene man celebrates Independence Day through symbolism of flags - KMTR 16 NBC (Video)
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"While most folks celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks, one local Eugene man is going above and beyond to display his appreciation for America's freedom. "If you take care of your flags, your flags will take care of you. If you take care of them, they will continue to represent you." His name is Robin Hickman.
Local DAR chapter gives two tactile flags to blind Marine veteran - The Villages Daily Sun
"More than a dozen flags sat in front of the members of the John Bartram Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Friday. Two of them were especially important. On the day after Flag Day, the chapter gave two tactile flags to Rosalie Spada, a legally blind veteran of the U.S. Marines. The Village of Orange Blossom Gardens resident served in the Korean War and pursued a career in nursing after she was honorably discharged. She went to nursing school thanks to the GI Bill but eventually decided to be a teacher.
Woodchucks taking flags from local cemetery - ABC News 10
"Last week residents in Adams, MA were outraged after finding several flags missing from veterans’ graves at Bellevue Cemetery. They spent days trying to figure out who stole them, but now they think they found the culprit, who buried themselves in a big hole. Mark Paquette was watering flowers at Bellevue as he does often, when he couldn’t believe what he saw. "It was just flag poles on the ground broken," Mark said. He found flags missing from all of the veterans’ graves at the bottom of a hill, with poles left in their holders or broken on the ground. "Who would do something like this? And what would they be doing with the flags?" Mark said “I was concerned that it was vandalism.”
Flag Day: Las Cruces police chief reflects on history, freedom - The Las Cruces Bulletin
"Today is Flag Day. It celebrates the date in 1777 (241 years ago) when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. “What an appropriate day to ask such a question (What does the American flag mean to you?) – the 74th anniversary of D-Day (June 6),” said Las Cruces Police Chief Patrick Gallagher. “A day that says everything you need to know about our flag. A day when thousands of young men, mostly teenagers from all walks of life, half a world away from their homes, stormed the beaches of Normandy in the name of liberty to defend everything our flag represents.”
FLYING COLOURS World Cup flags – your group-by-group guide to the flag of every team at Russia 2018 - The Sun
" Impress your friends by checking out this handy A to H of national banners. A CHAOS of colour is flooding Russia as fans wave, paint or wrap themselves in flags to support their home side. But can you tell all 32 apart? Get familiar with the competing countries' stars, suns and symbols with our handy group-by-group guide."
Celebrate Flag Day 2018 with FlagandBanner.com, KSSN 96 and The Wolf 105.1- iHeart Media
"Celebrate Flag Day with Arkansas Flag & Banner, KSSN 96 and 105.1 The Wolf! On Thursday, June 14th, stop by and visit with Bob Robbins at the iHeartMedia Studios parking lot (10800 Colonel Glenn Rd., Little Rock, AR) starting at 6am to pick up your free American flag plus free coffee and donuts from Dunkin Donuts starting around 7:30am! Or you can also stop by the studios that afternoon for a chance to pick up your American flag and enjoy a burger or hot dog on the grill thanks to Safelite AutoGlass and a cold RC Cola, 7-Up, Sunkist, or A&W from 4-6pm! We will also be playing games in the afternoon for your chance to win Outlaw Music Festival tickets or Jake Owen tickets!"
Celebrate Juneteenth with a Tour of Historic Taborian Hall and her Dreamland Ballroom - PR Web
" On Saturday, June 16, 2018 the Friends of Dreamland and Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com will partner with the Mosiac Templars Cultural Center in their celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that historically commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery. Today, Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in most states and commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings."
A Wisconsin museum displays rare Civil War flag - WISN 12 ABC
"A 157-year-old flag from the Civil War is on display at a Green Bay museum. The flag with a "Great Star" pattern was hand sewn by a Green Bay woman and is on display at the Neville Public Museum, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. The flag is part of the "Our Brown County" display. It's believed to have flown for a rally at the beginning of the Civil War and to have been displayed over what was Fort Howard in Wisconsin until about 1865. "It was one of the last flags to fly over Fort Howard," said Lisa Kain, the museum's curator. "It's a rare pattern, significant to that time period so that also makes it so special." The museum acquired the flag in 1934, Kain said. It was recently rediscovered in the museum's archive, which has more than 300,000 physical items."
All NFL Players 'Shall Stand And Show Respect' For Flag And Anthem, League Says - NPR
" Unveiling a new policy after months of controversy and debate over players taking a knee or otherwise making statements during the national anthem, the NFL says all of its athletes and staff "shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem" if they're on the field. "Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room or in a similar location off the field until after the Anthem has been performed," the league said in its new policy. The possibility that the NFL might issue a blanket restriction on protests during the anthem has been discussed for months, and the buzz gained new momentum this week."
FlagandBanner.com Celebrates Our Military with an In Store Fearless Book Signing May 26 - PR Web
"May is military appreciation month. FlagandBanner.com will be observing Memorial Day weekend by hosting a “Fearless” book signing from 10 am until Noon on Saturday, May 26, with Kelley Brown, the wife of Hot Springs, Arkansas native, Adam Brown a deceased Navy Seal of Seal Team 6. Joining her will be Will Stevens, founder of the Fearless Rock underwater memorial that pays tribute to Navy Seal Brown. They will discuss the dive memorial and be signing the book “Fearless” the story of Arkansas Seal Team Operator Adam Brown by author Eric Blehm which has been adapted for a movie."
Gas station chain denies it stopped flying U.S. flag because it offended foreigners- The State
" Two weeks ago, a man who described himself as a trucker posted a video saying that he was done with a national chain of gas stations because one location in Texas was not flying the American flag. He said he asked an employee why there was no flag and was told it caused "foreigners come in here complaining, and they didn't want to lose the foreigners business." That explanation did not sit well with Dave Moore, and he shared his thoughts on the incident. His Facebook post went viral and the video was viewed more than a million times before it was removed from his page."
Jets fans say they weren't allowed to bring Canadian flag, Jets garb into Las Vegas arena- CBC.ca
"A Winnipeg Jets fan says she was forced to discard a Canadian flag in a waste receptacle after T-Mobile Arena would not allow it inside the venue. Lori Black said her Canadian flag wound up in the trash after security informed her she could not carry it into the arena on Friday, where the Jets played the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Black said she was given two choices: "Throw it out or take it back to my hotel," she said via Facebook Messenger."
A small Maine town wants its own flag - Bangor Daily News
"The Bristol selectmen on May 2 reviewed a draft design of a town flag, created by vexillologist Dave Martucci. According to Town Administrator Chris Hall, Lincoln Academy students have requested town flags to hang at the school. Bristol does not have a town flag. Hall contacted Martucci, who lives in Washington and has been involved in vexillology since 1966, to draft a flag design. Vexillology is the study of flags. The design includes diagonal sections or “gyrons” alternating between blue and white. This represents the light from the Pemaquid Point lighthouse, which “guides navigators, much as the people of Bristol guide their town into the future,” Martucci said in an email to Hall."
5,000 Israeli flags inscribed by well-wishers across world - Israel21c
"In honor of Israel’s 70th anniversary, 5,000 Israeli flags signed by 200,000 well-wishers from across the world will be placed in a time capsule at Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill historic site to be opened in 2048 on Israel’s centenary. At least 200 of the blue-and-white banners will hang from poles in the center’s main hall for several months starting on Jerusalem Day (May 13 this year) before joining the others in the capsule. They’ll be preserved in special envelopes and catalogued so signers can find their flags easily in 30 years’ time."
Iranian Lawmakers Burn U.S. Flag, Question Trump’s ‘Mental Capacity’ After Nuclear Deal Pullout - New York Magazine
"Iranian lawmakers did not take kindly to President Trump’s announcement Tuesday that the U.S. is walking away from the Iran nuclear deal, chanting “Death to America” and torching a paper American flag on the floor of Parliament in Tehran Wednesday. While the burning of Old Glory isn’t rare in Iran, this was the “first time political observers could remember anything being burned inside the parliament itself,” the AP reports."
Statewide collection underway for worn American Flags to be properly disposed - News 10
"The New York State Office of General Services is collecting worn and tattered American flags at locations across the state so they can be properly retired. The collected flags will be disposed of as part of the Memorial Watchfire hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 103, on Sunday, May 27th, 2018 at the New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY. "American flags should be retired with respect and honor and this collection program provides New Yorkers with a simple way to accomplish this," Governor Andrew Cuomo said."
A flag demonstration is getting attention at a Mercer County school - WYTV 33 (video)
"There are two sides to a flag demonstration that took place Thursday at Lakeview High School in Mercer County. Students put American flags on their cars before school. One student claims he was told to remove a Confederate and an American flag from his vehicle on Monday. The demonstration Thursday was arranged to show support for the country. District Superintendent Dr. Hendley Hoge said the student was asked to remove a Confederate flag because it could be viewed as racially insensitive. Hoge said the student willingly took it down."
Reno City Council chooses new official flag - KOLO 8 (video)
" Community input via the Reno Flag Project has led to the Reno City Council to choose a design for a new official municipal flag. Pending specifications, the design by Reno resident Tucker Stosic was chosen, with a star from the Reno Arch, the golden yellow depicting the high desert, a blue stripe representing the Truckee River under the Sierra Nevada, a semi-circle below for the Silver State."
Operation Fallen Flags unveils Glory Truck, new program to replace old flags in Rockford - RRSTAR.com (video)
"A first-of-its-kind program will send local veterans around Rockford to replace old or tattered American flags at no cost. Operation Fallen Flags kicked off Saturday with the unveiling of a tool that will keep flags from falling out of reach of replacement. It’s called the Flagship 1 Glory Truck, a 1989 GMC bucket truck that’s been completely restored and decorated with stars and stripes. An olive-green parachute, like the ones used to drop packages into deployment zones, covered the Glory Truck as it sat on the sidewalk in front of Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum, 211 N. Main Street, before it was unveiled. Veterans and the families of those currently deployed cheered as the parachute was lifted and a flag attached to the bottom of the truck’s bucket was raised high above the crowd."
American flags cover bridge over Interstate 680 in Boardman - WKBN 27(video)
"Another bridge in the Mahoning Valley was covered with American Flags on Sunday. Around 120 flags were put on the Western Reserve bridge over Interstate 680. The Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission wants the flags to welcome people to the area and let them know that we support our veterans here. They're also committed to making these flags a Valley mainstay. "This is our third bridge, and the flags were bought and paid for by the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission in support of veterans," said Susan Krawchyk of the commission."
Jacksonville man can keep flying military flags after he's issued warning - Action News Jax CBS 47 (video)
"A Jacksonville city worker has been placed on leave after she allegedly told a veteran his service to the United States didn't matter while giving a business a warning for flying military flags. The story quickly went viral and many people have come out in support of the veteran and Jaguar Power Sports."
Iran Caught in Global Cyber Attack That Left US Flag on Screens - VOA News
"Hackers have attacked networks in a number of countries, including data centers in Iran where they left the image of a U.S. flag on screens along with a warning: “Don’t mess with our elections,” the Iranian IT ministry said Saturday. “The attack apparently affected 200,000 router switches across the world in a widespread attack, including 3,500 switches in our country,” the Communication and Information Technology Ministry said in a statement carried by Iran’s official news agency IRNA."
"Flags may look simple, but the art behind them is surprisingly complex. First, they need to reflect a nation's identity. Second, they need to convey that identity in a clear, memorable and aesthetically pleasing manner. That's a tall order when you're dealing with a small rectangle and two to four colours (unless you're South Sudan). Some nations rise to the task beautifully (Canada, Wales, Japan). Others fall short. Others – specifically those listed below – fall so far short that they're underground. "
Blue Lights and Flags Honor Victims of Child Abuse in Pennsylvania - WNEP 16 News
"The state capitol building in Harrisburg is lit up and surrounded by blue, in honor of innocent children. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. On Saturday, volunteers and members of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance planted 4,416 flags around the capitol complex. The flags stand in honor of the children who are abused in the commonwealth in one year. The group also planted 46-black flags to honor the number of children killed by abuse. Event organizers hope this gives people a visual understanding of how important the issue is in Pennsylvania and that it prompts every person to step up and help. "I would just like to have families in Pennsylvania recognize that there is support and alternatives to the stressful moments when we may break as a parent, and that there are support mechanisms in place to help prevent the abuse that are children are facing," said volunteer Maureen Fairbanks."
"Flags Across America" celebrates the flag as seen through the eyes of Americans - New Day Northwest / K5 News
"The American flag is an iconic symbol and evokes strong of emotions for many citizens of the United States. The new book called Flags Across America celebrates the flag through the eyes of everyday people all across the country. From athletes to artists, from the heartland to outer space, the book shares their stories and dreams. Local co-authors, Karen Robbins and Dale Baskin join New Day Northwest to discuss their new book."
The Thin Line Between the Public and Danger, FlagandBanner.com offers Thin Line Flags to honor those who serve the public - FlagandBanner.com Press Release
"In the 1950s LAPD Chief Bill Parker coined the term “thin blue line” as the barrier between law and order and social and civil anarchy. By the early 1970s, the term had spread to police departments across the U.S. Use of the term became especially widespread following the release of Errol Morris' 1988 documentary film The Thin Blue Line. Recently other service branches have adopted Thin Lines in varying colors. Firefighters have adopted a red line, EMTs, a white one. “We have carried the thin blue and thin red line flags at FlagandBanner.com for many years,” says Kerry McCoy, President of FlagandBanner.com. “We have recently added to our Thin Line Flag collection for those who want to show support for those who protect and serve the public at great mental and physical cost.” The complete list of Thin Line Flags from FlagandBanner.com: …"
Two Little Rock sites get U.S. grants for civil rights; $1M set for ballroom, school - Arkansas Online
"A historic ballroom where the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Ray Charles and other prominent black entertainers sang and performed for hundreds of Little Rock residents decades ago is a step closer to returning to an entertainment venue accessible to the public. The Dreamland Ballroom in Taborian Hall at 800 W. Ninth St. is the recipient of an almost $500,000 federal grant that will allow its nonprofit board to install an elevator for the building and put centralized heating and air in the third-floor ballroom. "
Dream comes true: Dreamland Ballroom gets big restoration grant - Arkansas Times
"The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service will award a $499,668 improvement grant to Dreamland Ballroom in the historic Taborian Hall building at Ninth and State streets, now the home of Little Rock Flag and Banner. The ballroom, a booming place in the African-American business district back in the day, hosted such famed performers as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Earl "Fatha" Hines, B.B. King and Ray Charles. It was so dilapidated when Kerry McCoy bought the building in 1991 that it was on the verge of collapse. "
Interior and National Park Service Announces $12.6 Million in Grants to Preserve African American Civil Rights History - National Park Service
"The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service today announced $12.6 million in grants for 51 projects in 24 states that preserve sites and highlight stories related to the African American struggle for equality in the 20th century. "An integral part of the Interior and National Park Service mission is to help preserve and tell America’s story,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “These grants will benefit places across the nation that help tell an essential piece of that story through the African American struggle for civil rights and equality."
Mesmerizing, Or A Hot Mess? Why Maryland’s State Flag Looks So…Distinct - WAMU/American University Radio
"…Whether you’re a Maryland flag lover or hater, the red, white, black, and gold pattern is hard to forget. But the history behind it is less well-known. The story of the Maryland state flag started about 400 years ago, and it’s one that fascinates historians, vexillologists (flag experts), design buffs, and regular citizens alike. Maryland’s flag is comprised of four distinct quadrants. In the first and fourth, black and gold (yes, it’s gold, not yellow) stripes alternate, and a diagonal stripe of opposite colors cuts down the middle. This design comes from the coat of arms of George Calvert, also known as the first Lord Baltimore. In the early 1630s..."
Bolivians unfurl massive flag in support for sea access claim - Laramie Boomerang
"Bolivia unfurled a nearly 200-km long (124 miles) bright blue flag on Saturday in a show of support for the landlocked country’s bid to regain sovereign access to the sea. Tens of thousands of Bolivians held the so-called“flag of maritime revindication,” which stretched like a long ribbon along a highway in the Andes between the towns Oruro and Apacheta, on the outskirts of La Paz. The display of patriotism aims to cheer on Bolivia’s legal team ahead of oral arguments it will deliver at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the country’s claim to sovereign access to Chile’s Pacific coast. Bolivia lost its access to the Pacific Ocean in a late 19th century war with Chile, ..."
‘People still love America’: Flag cruises show support for military, first responders - Laramie Boomerang
“A 2005 Dodge Ram comes roaring past, catching the attention of the pedestrians and other drivers in its vicinity. A pickup is not an unusual sight in the rural state of Wyoming, but the large American, Prisoner of War and state flags rippling proudly over the truck bed are. Behind the wheel is Jaren Long, a Wyoming Army National Guardsman who said he wants to show his support for the military, law enforcement and first responders. “Growing up, everything was so patriotic, you know, and I feel like we’re living in a world now where patriotism is shown to kids as a bad thing in a lot of circumstances,” he said.”
Oscars 2018: Here's why stars are wearing orange American flag pins on the red carpet - USA Today
Awards show red carpets have become a place for celebrities to express their support for timely initiatives. At Sunday's Oscar Awards, we're seeing a new addition: Orange American flag pins. Stars will don the accessory from the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety in support of gun violence prevention after the Florida school shooting. "Tonight, actors and allies will #WearOrange pins and ribbons on the #Oscars red carpet to bring awareness to gun violence prevention in the wake of the Parkland school shooting," the organization confirmed via Twitter Sunday. The shooting, which occurred on Feb. 14, killed 17 students and staff and injured 14 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Lin-Manuel Miranda was one of the stars wearing the orange pin.
An American flag was destroyed and replaced with an ISIS flag at a Utah high school - The Washington Post
As territory for the Islamic State shrinks to ribbons around the Euphrates River in Syria, the militant group has repositioned itself in western Africa, Yemen and southwestern Utah. Wait, back up. Where? Officers in Hurricane, Utah, said Thursday that an American flag was ripped from a flagpole, desecrated, slashed and replaced with something resembling the notorious black ISIS banner. Authorities also discovered a truncated message scrawled on a wall: “ISIS IS COMI.” Police said that they referred the criminal act to the FBI, which concluded the incident was probably not connected to anyone in the terrorist group. Classes at Hurricane High School were held as scheduled Thursday and are expected to continue Friday, with police in the St. George suburb saying they are confident there is no danger to students or teachers.”
Local Group Displays Thousands Of Flags For Victims Of Gun Deaths - Indiana Public Media
“In the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting, a group of local activists is bringing attention to gun violence by displaying thousands of flags only half a mile away from Jasper High School. One Dubois-County is an action-oriented community group. Members setup 2,400 white flags this week to represent gun deaths since 2014. Each flag represents 25 people who died from a gunshot, not including suicides, gang or domestic violence. There are another 695 orange flags forming a heart in the middle of the display. They represent victims killed in mass shootings since Columbine, and include the victims’ names and ages. The group describes a mass shooting as an incident where more than four people die, not including the shooter. Nancy Habig is a member of One Dubois-County.”
Woman Assumes Olympics Fan Is Flying a Confederate Flag. It Was Norwegian. - Time
"A news tip earlier this week that reported a Confederate flag flying beneath an American flag in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, Washington was discovered to be a mistake — because the red and blue-striped flag was actually a Norwegian flag. The Seattle Times received the following tip from New York Times best-selling author Rebecca Morris after she believed that she saw a Confederate flag flying in her neighborhood: "Hi. Suddenly there is a Confederate flag flying in front of a house in my Greenwood neighborhood. It is at the north-east corner of 92nd and Palatine, just a block west of 92nd and Greenwood Ave N. I would love to know what this ‘means’ … but of course don’t want to knock on their door.”
Editorial: Black Lives Matter flags banners of hope - Burlington Free Press
"The raising of the Black Lives Matter flag at Burlington High School on Monday should serve as a banner of hope in a time when our society seems so divided over race. The BLM flag should be seen as a call to recognize the everyday racism, big and small, faced by people of color in the community, and as a call to have the honest discussion about race that needs happen throughout the state. Those who shout back, “all lives matter” in response to the Black Lives Matter banner deny the very real racism that is the daily reality of many black and other people of color, even in Vermont. Those who smear Black Lives Matter as a movement of racists and terrorists are merely reflecting their own hate triggered by having to confront their privilege. The Black Lives Matter has never been about placing black lives above all others. Violence against police has never been a part of the mainstream movement. Stray calls to “kill cops” recorded at a few massive rallies hardly represent the vast majority who seek justice and an end to racial violence. The Black Lives Matter movement is a plea in the face of evidence that the dominant culture in this country continues to devalue the lives of black people.”
"Hi, I’m Kerry McCoy, president of Flagandbanner.com. I was born and raised in North Little Rock, Arkansas and attended Northeast High School. I attended one semester of college at UCA and realized it was not for me. Then, at my mother's suggestion, I attended a one year vo-tech school (Miss Wade’s Fashion Merchandising College), and received a diploma. Once I was grown up and look back I realize I was lucky to have such a normal family, with no alcoholism or other abuse of any kind. My father was a small entrepreneur and my mother was his book keeper. We were very middle class and thrifty. A series of bad luck led me to the path I'm on today (more on that later), but I think it has worked out pretty well! Give us your elevator pitch…“
Shaun White apologizes for letting American flag drag on the ground after winning gold - The Washington Post
"Shaun White apologized Wednesday for letting an American flag drag on the ground in the aftermath of his dramatic victory in the snowboard halfpipe. White authored what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most indelible sequences of the PyeongChang Olympics Wednesday, winning his third Olympic gold medal with a masterful final run and immediately launching into a highly emotional celebration. However, that happy moment was marred for more than a few viewers because of the way the 31-year-old handled the flag. At a news conference in PyeongChang Wednesday afternoon, the four-time Olympian said he wasn’t aware he’d let the flag touch the ground. “I remember being handed the flag. I was trying to put my gloves on and hold the flag and the board,” he said. “Honestly, if there was anything, I definitely didn’t mean any disrespect. The flag that’s flying on my house right now is way up there. Sorry for that. But I’m definitely proud — very proud — to be a part of Team USA and being an American and to be representing for everyone back home.”
Mike Ashley bans Newcastle flags display v Manchester United? – 100% predictable - The Mag
"Sunday morning has seen the Newcastle fans behind the Flags displays reveal that there won’t be anything on show at the Manchester United match today. The ‘Wor Hyem’ fans group have used their Twitter account to inform everybody that due to ‘restrictions’ they are ‘unable to put on a display today’. When the excellent flags banner was revealed before the Burnley match, using the Kevin Keegan quote about Mike Ashley (see below), most supporters assumed that this would mean the end of the flag displays. However, local media then claimed that Mike Ashley wasn’t going to ban them, only now for this mornings news to appear to contradict that.. Reading between the lines, the fan group are being very diplomatic in what they are saying, so maybe safe to assume that this is maybe a yellow card rather than a red issued by the Fat Controller. "
Lisbon plans Founder’s Day pancake - Morning Journal News
Our Customers in the News
"Lisbon’s 11th annual Founder’s Day will be celebrated on Saturday with a pancake breakfast at the Methodist Church. The breakfast will run from 8-11:30 a.m. The cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and free for those 5 and under. The Founder’s Day event will celebrate the birthday of Lisbon, which is Feb. 16, 1803. This year’s event will celebrate the Lisbon flag with two flags of Lisbon being presented later at village hall. Proceeds from the breakfast will go toward paying for the flags, which were a part of a similar anniversary celebration more than 100 years ago. According to The Ohio Patriot — a newspaper from Sept. 12, 1913 and provided by Stevie Halverstadt — Lisbon celebrated Lisbon’s Old Home Week with the adoption of a new flag. Held as a celebration of the 110th anniversary of the founding of the town, it reportedly was an event attended by hundreds."
American Flag That Flew Over Groton Flown To Olympics With Skeleton Crew - Caledonian Record
"An American flag that briefly flew over the Groton Fire Department last fall made its way this week to the site of the Olympic games, contested later this month in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The flag was one of four sent throughout the country as part of the Team USA Bobsled and Skeleton American Flag First Responders Relay. It is a project created by Matthew Troy, a filmmaker serving as the videographer for the bobsled and skeleton teams, based in Lake Placid, N.Y. The idea for the project came to Troy last summer, when he was with the Olympic athletes for a “flag etiquette” presentation given by one of the athletes (and member of the US Military). “Attending that presentation reminded me of my time with the National Honor Guard Academy, and the pride that came with learning how to properly handle and display a symbol of unity and pride in our nation,” Troy stated."
Business owners concerned rules over fluttering flags could mean fluttering business - WINK News
"Fluttering, feather flags, pennants and other signs are a common sight along the US-41 business corridor in Charlotte County. For business owners like Tonya Marx, the additional signage is a tool to get people through the door. “Before we ever had those signs, nobody even knew we were here,” Marx said, “Now that we have the signs up, we get people stopping here and I’m like ‘how did you find out about us?’ and they say from the signs out front.” But soon you’ll see fewer of these signs in Charlotte County. Starting April 1, signs can only go on display for 90 days a year, broken into two 45-day periods and business owners have to get a permit each time. Charlotte county zoning official Shaun Cullinan said, “We were starting to get a lot of complaints … that it was starting to look kind of dumpy, trashy. People felt that it was too much. … we felt it was time to improve the aesthetics of our commercial corridor.” But business owners say the new rules will hurt their bottom line."
First World War-era hospital flags to “fly again” thanks to generous donation - North Norfolk News
"They once marked the location of two temporary First World War hospitals in North Walsham where the Red Cross nursed injured troops. Today the white and red pennants have turned grey with age, and languish in the parish church where they have been stored for years. But a joint initiative between the vicar and the Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital is providing replicas to remind people of the town’s nursing heritage. And it has been made possible by a donation from a well-known local shopkeeper and musician with connections to both organisations. A collection in memory of musician Denis Payne, who died in November 2016 aged 86, is being used to provide two £300 replicas for the church where he used to play keyboards at funerals, and where he gave visitors tours of its history."
Daily Mail apologises to Nicola Sturgeon over flag story - BBC News
"The Scottish Daily Mail has published an apology to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over its story about flying the Union flag. It had reported that Ms Sturgeon "decreed" that the flag should not be flown over dozens of public buildings to mark royal events. The Mail said it was "happy" to clarify that the decision was taken by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2010. Ms Sturgeon said the original story was "utterly false". In its clarifications and corrections section, the Mail said: "We are happy to clarify that the decision to change the policy on flag flying was taken and implemented by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2010. "The Protocol and Honours Team updated operational guidance in December 2017. "We accept that the policy did not change under Nicola Sturgeon and that she had no involvement in the Protocol and Honours Team updating the operational guidance on flag flying for 2018."
Oklahoma School for the Blind receives Braille American flags - The Norman Transcript
"Raised stars and stripes can help Oklahoma School for the Blind students gain a better understanding of the American flag, officials said. WoodmenLife, a fraternal insurance carrier, presented 20 tactile Braille American flags, plus a framed Braille flag, to OSB history students Tuesday. Fraternal Coordinator Billie Floyd said the company is helping the Braille flag's creator, Randolph Cabral, reach his goal of placing a flag in each school for the visually impaired in the United States. OSB is the first school to get such flags, Floyd said. "WoodmenLife has distributed more than 3 million (regular) American flags," Floyd said. "We started the patriotic program in 1947... We're adding on to our patriotic program with the Braille flags. OSB Principal Lynn Cragg accepted the donation. "It's an honor that visually impaired students, who maybe are Braille users, can access the flag and understand how it is set out," Cragg said. OSB student John Duong, 15, said he plans to put his flag in his room. "It means freedom and peace for me," Duong said. "
Why won't Team USA dip its flag at Olympic opening ceremonies? - PRI
"It's an Olympic tradition: As teams from around the world parade in a grand opening ceremony, they briefly lower their flags in a show of respect as they pass the host nation's officials. But at the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, you'll notice that Team USA won't lower their flag. Indeed, the United States has a long tradition of ignoring this gesture. Legend says it all started in 1908, when flag bearer Ralph Rose, an Irish American shot putter, refused to dip the US flag at the London Olympics. "The suspicion is that because the Irish team then had to compete under the Union Jack, he refused to dip the flag to the Union Jack and to British officials, in protest," says Edgar B. Herwick III, who runs the Curiosity Desk at WGBH. For a while after that, US flag protocol at the Olympics was a hodgepodge. "We dipped it in Sweden in 1912. We didn’t dip in Belgium in 1920. We dipped again in Paris in 1924," says Herwick. It became a solid tradition for the United States to not dip the flag in 1936. Then, both the Summer and Winter Olympics were in Germany. Hitler’s Germany."
North, South Korea agree to march under ‘unification flag’ at Olympic opening ceremony - TheStar.com
"The rival Koreas agreed Wednesday to form their first unified Olympic team and have their athletes parade together for the first time in 11 years during the opening ceremony of next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea, officials said. The agreements still require approval from the International Olympic Committee. But they are the most prominent steps toward rapprochement achieved by the Koreas since they recently began exploring co-operation during the Olympics following a year of heightened tension over the North’s nuclear weapons program. During their third day of talks at the border in about a week, senior officials reached a package of agreements including fielding a joint women’s ice hockey team and marching together under a “unification flag” depicting their peninsula during the opening ceremony, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said."
Mississippi could become the first US state to have 2 official flags because of a dispute over the Confederacy - Business Insider
"A Mississippi lawmaker is proposing a solution that he hopes will finally bring an end to one of the state's most divisive issues, The Wall Street Journal reported. Earlier this month, Republican Rep. Greg Snowden filed a bill that would allow two flag designs to officially represent the state. If the measure passes, Mississippi would be the only US state with two flags. Mississippi's current flag, which features the symbol for the Confederacy, would be left untouched. A proposed second flag would bring back an old design used on the state's official flag from 1861 until the end of the Civil War in 1865. That design features a magnolia tree in the center of the flag and a white star against a blue background in the top-left corner, replacing the controversial Confederate emblem currently in its place."
Curious Texas: Why can Texas fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag? - Dallas News
"Jerry Hilton from Arlington asks: Is Texas the only state that can fly its state flag at the same height as the U.S. flag? Also what is the height of the Capitol? Texans are special for a lot of reasons, but this isn't one of them. As the oft-repeated story goes, because Texas was once an independent nation, it is the only state that can fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag. The story isn't exactly right. All states can fly their flags at the same height as the U.S. flag, with some stipulations. The U.S. Flag Code is a set of guidelines that recommend how to display the flag. Although there is no penalty for breaking the code, it stipulates that no other flag may be placed in "superior prominence" to the U.S. flag. For example, if multiple flags share the same pole, the U.S. flag must fly at the peak."
New resting place available for flags that have served their time - Morning Journal
"Whether flown over the graves of veterans until faded, frayed from months of flapping outside halls of justice or worn from being trundled up and down the flagpole in a working family’s front yard each morning and night, American flags that have served their time can be disposed of with dignity, thanks to a local veterans’ group. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1064 of East Liverpool provides special flag boxes in several locations for those whose American flags need replaced, and one of those boxes has now been relocated for better access to the public. According to members Ray Talbott and Bill Ash, the box which had sat in the entryway of the local Elks Lodge for some time was moved onto the sidewalk when the Elks enclosed the entry. "
Flag & Banner ringing in 2018 with new shiny, golden tradition - THV 11
"A large, metallic gold flag flies high above the headquarters of Flag and Banner to ring in the new year. It was the idea of Flag and Banner founder, Kerry McCoy, after seeing similar flags in New York on a recent trip. “I went to Rockefeller Center in New York last month and was in awe of the shimmering, gold flags that were flying on their flag poles,” said McCoy. “It’s hard to describe the effect. The cloth is very lightweight, which means the flags really move in the wind, and the gold color is almost luminescent.” So, she came home and had one made for Flag and Banner. Constructed of an extremely lightweight lamé material with a metallic gold thread, the flag is a show stopper. She has been getting numerous calls a day since the flag went up asking about its significance and how to order one. McCoy’s hope is that a new tradition will begin where each January of every new year gold flags will fly as a symbol of hope."
PATRIOTIC HONOR PROMPTS BIG RESPONSE - Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press
"A spontaneous, final honor for a veteran who had died has sparked widespread praise and prompted Post Falls residents to donate flags and money so the act can be repeated for other veterans who die in the city, outside a medical facility. When Post Falls Police Department personnel were investigating the death by natural causes of Bill McRory, 70, on Thursday, Detective Neil Uhrig used his own money to have officers purchase an American flag to honor the veteran with respect, Chief Scot Haug said. “When the funeral home arrived, our officers and detectives covered the veteran with the flag as he was transferred to the funeral home vehicle," Haug wrote in an online comment. "We had not done this before, but after listening to the impact this had on the officers and the family, we are considering it for all future death investigations involving veterans.” The gesture that Haug highlighted also had an impact on community members who responded over the weekend by dropping off flags and monetary donations to buy them for similar future cases. Mia McRory, a daughter of Bill’s, said her family was extremely thankful for the gesture. Bill served in the Navy from 1965 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. He loved the Pittsburgh Steelers, watching football, fishing, woodworking and spending time with his children and grandchildren."
EU flags appear in 'peaceful protest' against Brexit in Worcestershire - Worcester News
"EUROPEAN Union flags have appeared across Worcestershire as part of a 'peaceful protest' against Brexit. Activists have targeted landmarks around Malvern and also planted smaller flags on Worcester's Whittington roundabout. Worcestershire County Council has pledged to remove the signs on the roundabout as soon as possible. The EU Flag Mafia has claimed responsibility for draping the flags over Malvern's Elgar statue and the Malvern Link railway station footbridge. A spokesman for the group said: "Our official stance is that the EU is not perfect, but Brexit is not the answer. "Hanging flags is peaceful protest, cheeky British humour with a serious message." It is not yet clear who planted the mini-EU flags on Whittington roundabout. Steven Mather, a spokesman for Worcestershire for Europe, said: "We are not aware that the EU flags were planted by any of our members, so we assume it was a member of the public."
The 50-Star American Flag Began as a High School Project—and It Only Got a B - Reader’s Digest
"After learning about Betsy Ross, you probably didn’t give much thought to how the subsequent U.S flags were designed. It might seem like a no-brainer; flagmakers just added a new star for every new state, right? Well, turns out it’s not that simple. Each new flag has a very careful design, and the arrangement of the stars must be precise and symmetrical. And for the flag we know today, that arrangement was designed by a high schooler—before Alaska and Hawaii were even states. In 2009, the designer, Bob Heft, told his tale to StoryCorps. It was 1958, and America only contained 48 United States. The flag at that time featured six rows of eight stars. Heft’s history teacher assigned a class project where each student had to bring in something they made. Having been “inspired by the Betsy Ross story,” and hearing rumblings that Alaska and Hawaii could both soon gain statehood, Heft decided to make a 50-star flag. So he made some adjustments to his parents’ 48-star flag, brought it in, and triumphantly placed it on his teacher’s desk."
