Questionable: Where is the bigger flag?
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“Does the City of Rhinelander still have the 30×60 foot flags that originally flew on the AT&T cell tower downtown? If so, why can’t they be flown for special occasions like Memorial Day or Veterans Day?”
– Bob, Rhinelander
The Star Journal asked Gunder Paulsen, City of Rhinelander Parks Director. Paulsen responded:
“We found out that there is certain flag protocol, and part of that protocol includes that a flag can only be one quarter of the height of the flag pole. The tower, or pole, is 150 feet high and the bigger flags were 60 feet long, so they were too big for the pole. The flag that is currently flying is 20×38 feet, so that is the proper size flag for this pole.
“Another issue is that the big flags would be dragging on the ground if it they were flown at half mast. I would also like people to know that the flag is very hard to handle, and I get lots of calls from people when it is tangled up. There really is nothing I can do when this happens, and the flag eventually untangles when the wind shifts direction or dies.
“In reality, the tower makes a better cell tower than a flagpole, but it has become a focal point for the city, and everyone really seems to love it. We do our best to make it look good.”
Editor’s note: Send in your questions to [email protected], or mail them to the Star Journal, 24 W. Rives St., P.O.?Box 558 Rhinelander, WI? 54501.
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