TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare a resolution directing that the official flag of the City of Long Beach be lowered to half-staff for one day when a Long Beach resident is killed in active military service. Additionally, a City of Long Beach flag shall be given to the next of kin of the slain member of the military with a proclamation expressing the sorrow and gratitude of the citizens of Long Beach.
DISCUSSION
Throughout the Country flags are being lowered to half-staff to mourn the loss, and honor the service of our military men and women who have been killed in active military duty. California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, orders the Capitol flags to half-staff for one day, and Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan orders the flag across the entire state to be flown at half-staff for one day. In addition, the Governors of the following states have all ordered the American flag to half-staff to mourn the loss of a member of the military: New Jersey, Alaska, Minnesota, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, South Dakota, and Indiana.
The City of San Antonio has policy to lower the city flag to half-staff in tribute to San Antonio service members killed in military conflict. Locally, the City of EI Segundo lowered the flag to half-staff for one day when a resident was killed in Iraq. At the local level, the following cities have ordered flags to half-staff: Las Cruces, NM, Indianapolis, IN, Lincoln, NE, Eureka, CA, Dickson, TN, Mount Vernon, OH, Manteca, CA, Jackson, MO, Pocatello, 10, and West Lafayette, IN, American Canyon, CA, Byron, IL, Covington, KY, Baltimore, MD, Concord, ME, Biloxi, MS, La Habra, CA, Evansville, IN, Hemet, CA, Concord, CA, Aberdeen, SO, Birmingham, AL, and Camden, AR.
It would be a proper and fitting remembrance, that following notice to the City that a resident has been killed in military service, that the City of Long Beach flag be lowered to half-staff. We as a City would be making the symbolic...
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