RULES FOR FLYING OLD GLORY
“I am proudly displaying the American flag in my yard in tribute to the recently deceased President Gerald Ford. How long do we keep the flag at half-staff and what are some of the other rules concerning flying Old Glory?”
RED PHONE
The proclamation signed by President George W. Bush states that we should fly the flag at half-staff (half-mast if you are on a marine vessel) from Dec. 26 to Jan. 24, which is the normally accepted 30 days. The other length of time is 10 days in the event of the death of a vice-president, other government official or foreign dignitary.
Flags may be flown at half-staff on May 15, Peace Officers Memorial Day (unless the date coincides with Armed Forces Day); Sept. 11, Patriot Day; and Dec. 7, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The flag is also flown half-staff until noon on Memorial Day.
A flag is properly hoisted to half-staff by raising it quickly to the peak for an instant and then lowering it slowly to half-staff. When taking the flag down, raise it to the top of the pole first and then lower it for removal.
As another form of respect, take care to never let the flag touch the ground. If it does, correct the situation immediately. If the flag gets soiled, it does not need to be destroyed. You may launder the flag carefully. When Old Glory has served its purpose and becomes worn, faded or tattered, consider donating the flag to your local Scout troop or VFW post for a proper retirement where the flag will be burned until fully consumed by fire.
While there are no penalties for violations of flying or treating the flag incorrectly, we are confident that the proper respect is being shown by the patriotic residents who display our country’s symbol.
For more information on
the American flag, the proper way to display it, or to
read the flag code, visit
www.ushistory.org/betsy.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE POST OFFICE FLAG?
“I am just wondering why the American flag has not been flying at the post office here in Morgan Hill for the past week-and-a-half?”
RED PHONE
The Red Phone was expecting an answer from the post office such as “the flag has worn out and we are currently replacing it with a new one” or “we lost the keys to the flagpole access panel.”
With all the rush of holiday mail and constant new roof construction noise going on (we at the Times can sympathize with that with the reconstruction we are going through), the staff at the post office got distracted and raising the flag slipped through the cracks.
Morgan Hill Post Office supervisor Karen Bamberg assured the Red Phone that the flag would be back flying over the building immediately.
TRYING TO GET HOME
“When will East Central Avenue between Butterfield Boulevard and Calle Mazatan be opened? Every now and then I see some construction equipment there, but no progress in work. Because of this unfinished street, current traffic pattern for the whole Central Park community goes right in front of El Toro Elementary School, not exactly the safest way to direct traffic.”
RED PHONE
Connecting Butterfield Boulevard to Calle Mazatan by laying the 100 yards of asphalt needed will certainly help relieve traffic congestion and improve safety concerns around El Toro School, just as you point out, caller. Unfortunately, Mori Struve, deputy director for the Morgan Hill Public Works and Operations, tells us that the city has no plans in the works for construction of this road. The heavy equipment you have seen at the intersection may have been associated with the construction of the nearby county courthouse.
Private developers may have their eye on this prime piece of property, and as the area is developed, streets, sewers and underground utilities must be installed as part of the project. The Red Phone will keep tabs on this area and report any plans for development.
JOB-SEEKING MOBS
“I guess everyone has noticed the daily crowd of day laborers in front of A-Toolshed on Main Street. I have nothing against those people looking for jobs, but I’m surprised the city allows them to gather in the town center. Not a very pleasant look or experience for the visitors of our town. Can these people be directed to some not-so-central location?”
RED PHONE
The central location where the day laborers meet is exactly why they chose that spot. It wouldn’t do much good for them to gather in a less-traveled area.
At one time the now-closed South County Dayworker Center in Morgan Hill, located on the corner of Monterey Road and Main Avenue, had computers to help the immigrants find work. A bilingual secretary would interface with contractors that needed to hire help. It also had restrooms and provided shelter for the dayworkers on days of inclement weather. Private funding eventually dried up, the center was closed and the building was torn down which left the laborers right where you see them today, hoping to find daily work.
Compliments, concerns, complaints … the Red Phone would like to hear them all. Contact us at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail re******@*************es.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
