The military banner that sparked controversy within the veteran community because it honored someone living outside Ceres has been removed from Whitmore Park.

The city initiated the “Hometown Heroes” military banner program in 2022 to highlight the men and women from Ceres who served in the military – past, present and future. So when a banner appeared for Merced resident Yolanda Whited, local veterans voiced their displeasure even though the featured veteran volunteers her time in Ceres as commander of the local American Legion post, 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 for a service member as part of the requirements.

Whited said it was Mayor Javier Lopez who suggested bending the rules to make her banner happen.

Not all veterans were opposed to Whited’s banner. In November Shawna Moore told the Ceres City Council that she supported the banner and didn’t see what the big deal was.

The flap prompted Councilman James Casey, who is a veteran and council liaison to the committee, to say if the mayor will ignore the rules that the committee should be dissolved.

City Manager Doug Dunford said Whited was considered a special case because she represents Ceres and “comes up here as a representative of the American Legion posts in Ceres.” He refuted veterans’ assertions that her inclusion means any veteran can have a banner posted in Ceres.

Because of the outcry expressed at the Nov. 13 City Council meeting, Whited asked that her banner be removed “because I don’t want the controversy in my post.”

“I’m glad it’s down,” Ceres resident Gene Yeakley told the council last week. “It was really misplaced. It shouldn’t have been up in the first place.”