Military banners booted

The Chico City Council was asked at its Tuesday (Aug. 19) meeting to approve a resolution that would allow a veteran’s group to hang up to 500 banners on street lights lining public roads, including East and First avenues. The flags would honor local active-duty members of the military. A nonprofit group called Chico Military Heroes is behind the effort and said it would pay for all of the expenses related to the banners if the city waived the $2,100 permit fee.

At one point early in the discussion, City Council members Randall Stone, Mary Goloff and Tami Ritter said they should disqualify themselves because they live in areas near where the banners would be displayed. However, City Attorney Vince Ewing said there was no financial conflict of interest and as such encouraged them to vote. After 18 speakers, about half in favor and the other half opposing—not the soldiers, but rather what they viewed as the glorification of war—the council punted the matter to the Internal Affairs Committee.