Giant flag makes debut at Vikings’ gym

The national anthem has a new centerpiece at the Garfield-Palouse High School gym.

Dedicated in a ceremony before the boys’ varsity game Saturday night, a 12 by 18-foot flag unrolled from the ceiling for the first official time, a gift to the school from Monty and Bev Nearing.

After seeing similar flag displays at Troy, Genesee and Pomeroy, Bev suggested to Monty that Palouse should have one. Monty and Jeremy Hodson, a local farmer, built the flag roller with help from various others in the Nearings garage at Palouse beginning in December.

They ordered a flag from Valley Forge Flag in New Stan...