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Residents of the Central Boulevard complex were surprised by weekend switch
By KIT BRADSHAW
kit.bradshaw@scripps.com
March 29, 2006
The Stars and Stripes have been replaced by the Mexican flag at Chasewood North, and residents of the condominium community off Central Boulevard are puzzled as to who made the switch.

"I woke up Sunday morning and looked up from my patio and then realized that the American flag wasn't on the flagpole," said Sue Miller a Chasewood North board member. "What captured my attention were the colors — at first I thought it was an Italian flag, but one of our residents said it was the Mexican flag.

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"I went to the flagpole, to see if the American flag was maybe on the ground, but they took it, and they cut the rope to get the American flag down and the Mexican flag up as well."

A best estimate of when the switch took place is Saturday night. Chasewood South, which also has a flagpole at its entrance was untouched; its American flag was still flying from its 20-foot flagpole.

At the present time, Congress is in the midst of a debate about immigration, seeking to radically change the immigration laws, perhaps by allowing the approximately 11 million illegal immigrants in the country to have a path to citizenship. But Miller said she can't figure out why this national debate would result in the American flag being stolen and replaced by a Mexican flag in Chasewood North.

"I'm flabbergasted that someone would do this, and I'm wondering why here," Miller said. "We have some Hispanic residents here, but not a large Hispanic population, and I'm curious if this occurred anywhere else in town."

It may be several weeks before the Stars and Stripes once again fly over Chasewood North, according to Miller, who at one time was the resident manager of the complex.

"We tried to get the flag down but couldn't, so we need to hire a company with a boom truck to get up there and replace the rope and put up the American flag," she said. "I would guesstimate that this would cost $500 or more to do."