The inclusion of a Merced resident’s photo and name on a “Hometown Heroes” military banner hanging from a light post in Whitmore Park has sparked controversy between the city and the veterans’ community.
Several Ceres veterans appeared before the Ceres City Council last week to ask why a banner was approved for Yolanda Whited, an Army veteran living in Merced but who volunteers time in Ceres as commander of the American Legion, of which she has been a member for six years. The decision to allow Whited to participate in the banner program raised the ire of some veterans who in 2022 helped the city draft a policy about who could be featured on military banners. The policy called for proof of Ceres residency that the service member is from Ceres to be included.
Whited said it was Mayor Javier Lopez who suggested bending the rules for her.
“He was saying, ‘Oh well, you know what? That is wrong. Give me your information. Screw it, we’re gonna make your banner go up,’ ” Whited told the Courier.
Shawna Moore rose before the Nov. 13 City Council meeting to defend Whited’s inclusion and asked the council to relax the requirements that a veteran live in Ceres.
“I don’t see why I had to hear negative things about her banner being up,” Moore told the council. “As a fellow veteran, as a woman, as a volunteer in this community I work very hard and I just want to support her. I think any negativity that I’ve heard is absolutely wrong.”
Moore apparently held the minority opinion expressed that evening. Pete Samaniego, former commander of Ceres post of the American Legion, bristled at the breach of policy.
“I think there should have been a reasoning why we allow people from outside our geographical zip code area come into the area with their photos,” said Samaniego.
He claimed the city pre-empted the wishes of the ad hoc committee which helped the city develop the policy that only veterans from Ceres could be honored on Ceres banners.
“By the mayor or city manager or whoever made the decision to go above the committee’s suggestion and vote, all you did was create animosity among us veterans,” said Samaniego. “We don’t want that. If that was the case we should take any veteran if they submit their application (for a banner).”
Veteran John Warren said the banner committee submitted a set of rules, which specified that banners were for veterans from Ceres or a family member who is a veteran of a Ceres resident. He understood the Ceres school district boundaries were the area to be used.
“Those were the rules and if weren’t not going to follow the rules that were established and accepted then the public should be notified of what’s going to take place,” Warren said. “Right now as it stands – because of what just recently happened and has been alluded to – any veteran in the state of California can make application to the city of Ceres and have their banner posted in this city for recognition – because what you do for one person you have to do for all.”
Veteran Freddy Morales said he learned by accident that Whited has a banner.
“We never saw the application,” said Morales. “We were never allowed to vote, it was done outside the committee. So if that’s what the city chooses, there’s no need for a committee.”
Gene Yeakley said the city’s decision was a “disservice” and “disgusting, these things that go on behind doors.”
“Are they true? Are they false? I don’t know. It’s all hearsay most of the time,” said Yeakley.
Councilman James Casey, also a veteran to liaison to the committee, said in light of the mayor’s ignoring the rules, asked the committee to be dissolved or outline how members can resign.
City Manager Doug Dunford defended the banner, saying she was a “special case …because she’s representing Ceres and comes up here as a representative of the American Legion posts in Ceres.”
He disagreed with the veterans’ assertion that her inclusion means any veteran can, calling hers “a special case.”
Whited said she heard so much controversy, she asked for the banner to be removed “because I don’t want the controversy in my post.”
