Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Store owner allowed to keep painted flag

|
|
 
  
Published: Nov. 3, 2009 at 1:59 PM

NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Officials in a Florida town voted to allow a shopkeeper to keep the big U.S. flag she painted on the outside wall of her consignment store.

Elena Johnson told the North Palm Beach Code Enforcement Board she painted the 13-foot by 40-foot flag on the outside wall of True Treasures to draw people to her business after the village denied her permission to paint stripes on the building, The Palm Beach Post reported Tuesday.

Johnson said the flag served dual purposes of drawing attention to her business and expressing her patriotism.

"I'm very proud of the flag. It represents liberty and entrepreneurship," said the 80-year-old businesswoman who emigrated to America from Italy 53 years ago.

However, Christopher Ryder, vice chairman of the board and the lone dissenter in the 6-1 vote, said the flag is purely an advertising measure.

"(Mrs. Johnson) is disguising advertising in the American flag," Ryder said.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The making of the Oscars Cheerleaders of 2012 The Chicago Auto Show
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China The Most Desirable Women of 2012 The best kisses
Additional Odd News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
1 of 21
President Obama Signs Smuggling Prevention Act at White House
View Caption
fark
All fifth graders who want to go see "Red Tails" please step forward. Whoa not so fast there girls...
If we timewarped back by 2000 years, what job would you be most qualified to do? No, you can't bring...
BAD: getting caught in a landslide while hiking. WORSE: getting struck by lightning while trying...
Weepy eyes, hot chix, Jersey Shore Ronnie and a guy with mini fishing reels stuck in his beard....
French roadbuilders find 21 German WWI soldiers...and 1 goat
Photoshop this crazy old coot in the cold