A family's plans to hang /*American Flags*/ in his memory are hitting a snag when they were told they'd have to pay to hang the flags in /*Shelter Island*/.
Parents who lose a child at war react in all different ways.
Frank Kestler has doubled down on patriotism. He's the town dentist on the tiny island.
Last June he lost his stepson, /*First Lieutenant Joseph Theinart*/, when a roadside bomb exploded in /*Afghanistan*/.
"The town just absolutely embraced us, hugged us, I can't say enough it's just one big family," he said.
Since then, town leaders decided to drape the island in flags to honor the 24 year old Theinert for the period between /*Memorial Day*/ and the /*Fourth of July*/.
Some of those flags, installed on utility poles and therein lies the controversy.
American legion commander /*Mike Loriz*/ says he was astonished when the town received a bill from the /*LIPA*/, charging to rent space on 19 poles.
LIPA claims it's just abiding by a state law. And the total charge is only about $23, but town leaders say it's a sign of disrespect for a local hero.
"To make just a patriotic gesture of putting up a flag to be something you have to pay the state for or pay LIPA for, just seems fundamentally not right," says Loriz.
LIPA says it's prohibited from giving away space on its poles, the law apparently intended for when other companies want to hang wire for cable TV or telephone, but doesn't distinguish between a wire, and a flag.
Kestler says it doesn't really bother him, he's actually glad this flag flap has raised awareness about his stepson's sacrifice.
"It's more publicity for our soldiers who are putting their lives on the line every day," he adds.
In a statement LIPA Chief Operating Officer says he's willing to pay for the fee that is due to his company because of the state rule.
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