Half Staff

Flags in Illinois are to fly at half staff for two days.

The reason?

An American Hero from Kewanee (12 miles from me) gave the "last full measure of devotion" in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb exploded last week killing two.

Please keep the family of these heros in your prayers.


And it is absolutely right that this country and this state pay homage to our heros. One of the ways is when they fall, we lower our flags. And for the last 7 years we have all see our flags lowered on so many occasions. When I was commuting an hour each way to work, my drive took me past a state park and so many times, I would see the flag at half staff an wonder why or who had gone home.

Then tonight, I was at a Masonic Lodge degree in Kewanee. One of the Brothers at the degree is a Principal at school in the QCA. As we were walking out, he commented on the flag at the Lodge building being at half staff and that he had just received the e-mail today from the state that Gov. Pat Quinn had designated today and tomorrow to be the days the flag flys at half staff, as it should.

I commented that I wished there was a way to find out why the flags are lowered to half staff. Now, I consider myself to be reasonably well informed, but if we lose a Hero from somewhere more than an hour or two away, the odds are that I won't hear about it. But if there was a spot on a state website or something along that line where any current notes on flags flying half staff could be found, would be great help.

And while I am at it, I must give kudos to the Principal. Whenever he gets a notice to fly flags at half staff he shares the notice with the students. Bravo.