Why are flags at half-staff this weekend? US states honor public servants

US flags are lowered across Kansas and New Jersey to honor the passing of public servants Evora Wheeler and Dick Zimmer.

Published on: Jan 17, 2026, 05:55:14 IST

By Shirin Gupta

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US flags are being flown at half-staff this weekend in Kansas and New Jersey to honor the passing of two public servants, Evora Wheeler and Dick Zimmer, from the respective states.

Flags are lowered across Kansas and New Jersey to honor the passing of public servants Evora Wheeler and Dick Zimmer. (Getty Images via AFP)

Flags lowered in Kansas to honor Evora Wheeler

Evora Wheeler passed away at the age of 92 on January 2 after decades of public and community service, according to KVOE.

Wheeler served as the Mayor of Emporia and was a community volunteer. Wheeler was known for her consistent dedication to community service.

She was involved in various local organisations such as David Traylor Zoo, the Parent Teacher Association, the Lyon County Historical Society and many more.

To honor Wheeler's passing, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly declared that on Saturday, January 17, from sunrise to sunset, flags in Lyon County will be flown at half-staff in remembrance of Evora Wheeler in compliance with Executive Order #20-30.

She added, “For decades, Evora Wheeler was a committed leader in Emporia, from her time serving as mayor to her extensive community engagement. My condolences go out to her loved ones and the community during this difficult time”

Flags lowered in New Jersey to honor former Rep. Dick Zimmer

Richard Alan “Dick” Zimmer, a former three-term U.S. Congressman from New Jersey, died last year on December 31, 2025, at 81.

His obituary notes that Zimmer was elected to Congress in 1990 to represent New Jersey’s 12th district. Zimmer served three terms in Congress, chaired key committees and authored the influential Megan's Law public-notification statute.

To honor his passing, Governor Phil Murphy ordered all state departments and agencies to fly the U.S. and New Jersey state flags at half-staff from Friday, January 16, until sunset on Saturday, January 17.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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