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In less than 24 hours this story has gone from local television... to global attention.
A 90 year old war veteran, one of the oldest living Medal of Honor recipients, is fighting a battle with his homeowner's association over a flagpole. And he's collecting allies to help him win.
He's one of the nation's oldest Medal of Honor recipients, and he's still fighting. This time it's about keeping a flagpole in the front yard of his home in the Sussex Square community of Henrico County. "It is personal to me", says Col. Van Barfoot, "because I've had a flag at every home I've ever lived in."
The homeowner's association says it doesn't have a problem with Col. Barfoot's flag... it's his flagpole. They have rules against them in the neighborhood. Homeowners we talked with at Sussex Square wouldn't go on camera, but we know of at least one person who supports him, because they left a note in his door that reads, "I'm with you Colonel."
People across the country are reading about it on websites and hearing about it on national cable news programs. One neighbor we talked with says people have been calling her home and threatening her, from as far away as New York, even threatening to burn her house down. Neighbors living next to Sussex Square say let the pole stay. "He's a vet," says one man. "He wants to show the world he's a veteran of this country and he's proud of his country. So he wants to fly the American flag."
We were there when Senator Mark Warner called Col. Barfoot, promising he'd be in touch with the homeowner's association. And he came through. Late Thursday afternoon we learned the association is meeting with the Senator to find a compromise.
Senator Warner's office released this statement: "Today, the Sussex Square Homeowner's Association Board voted unanimously to ask Senator Warner's office to attempt to reach a reasonable solution in the dispute over a flagpole on property owned by Col. Van T. Barfoot. We intend to get to work right away to try to come up with a solution that's acceptable to both Col. Barfoot and to the Homeowner's Association."
A ceasefire if you will, but this battle isn't over yet.
This case is similar to one we covered about ten years ago when Richard Outlton, a Vietnam vet fought his homeowner's association over a 25-foot flagpole he put up in his yard. You may remember he lost in court. We'll be following this story closely and keep you updated.
A 90 year old war veteran, one of the oldest living Medal of Honor recipients, is fighting a battle with his homeowner's association over a flagpole. And he's collecting allies to help him win.
He's one of the nation's oldest Medal of Honor recipients, and he's still fighting. This time it's about keeping a flagpole in the front yard of his home in the Sussex Square community of Henrico County. "It is personal to me", says Col. Van Barfoot, "because I've had a flag at every home I've ever lived in."
The homeowner's association says it doesn't have a problem with Col. Barfoot's flag... it's his flagpole. They have rules against them in the neighborhood. Homeowners we talked with at Sussex Square wouldn't go on camera, but we know of at least one person who supports him, because they left a note in his door that reads, "I'm with you Colonel."
People across the country are reading about it on websites and hearing about it on national cable news programs. One neighbor we talked with says people have been calling her home and threatening her, from as far away as New York, even threatening to burn her house down. Neighbors living next to Sussex Square say let the pole stay. "He's a vet," says one man. "He wants to show the world he's a veteran of this country and he's proud of his country. So he wants to fly the American flag."
We were there when Senator Mark Warner called Col. Barfoot, promising he'd be in touch with the homeowner's association. And he came through. Late Thursday afternoon we learned the association is meeting with the Senator to find a compromise.
Senator Warner's office released this statement: "Today, the Sussex Square Homeowner's Association Board voted unanimously to ask Senator Warner's office to attempt to reach a reasonable solution in the dispute over a flagpole on property owned by Col. Van T. Barfoot. We intend to get to work right away to try to come up with a solution that's acceptable to both Col. Barfoot and to the Homeowner's Association."
A ceasefire if you will, but this battle isn't over yet.
This case is similar to one we covered about ten years ago when Richard Outlton, a Vietnam vet fought his homeowner's association over a 25-foot flagpole he put up in his yard. You may remember he lost in court. We'll be following this story closely and keep you updated.
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