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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

High flying US flag in N. Idaho will remain

Associated Press
COEUR d’ALENE — The U.S. Forest Service says a U.S. flag with a light shining on it that someone attached to the top of a large ponderosa pine tree on Fourth of July Pass will remain because it’s too dangerous to remove. Idaho Panhandle National Forest spokesman Jay Kirchner tells the Coeur d’Alene Press in a story on Tuesday that the agency has no idea who put the flag atop the tree next to Interstate 90 in North Idaho. Kirchner says the agency sent professional tree climbers to remove it but the flag is so high and attached to such a skinny part of the tree an attempt was deemed too risky. Kirchner says the agency respects the patriotism, but doesn’t want more people putting up displays on public land.