This is where flags flew at half-staff in January

Introduction

If you are driving around and notice the American or Arizona flags flying at half-staff, you may wonder why. Sure, you know when a former president has died, but sometimes these are done in memory of a tragic event.

For all of 2020, we are going to tell you when and why the flags for the United States of America or Arizona are flown at half-staff. We'll also toss in those notices for other states as well.

The source for much of this information is FlagSteward.org

According to USFlag.org, which links to a copy of the United States Code, when the flag is flown at half-staff, it should first be hoisted to the peak and then lowered to half-staff. At sunset the flag should be raised back to full-staff and then lowered slowly all the way down.

The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff for the following office holders or former holders:

• President of the United States or former president: 30 days from the date of death.
• Vice President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, retired Chief Justice or Speaker of the House of Representatives: 10 days from the date of death.
• Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, President pro tempore of the Senate, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and Minority Leader of the House: From the day of death until the date of interment.
• Unites States Senator, Representative, Delegate or the Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: In the District of Columbia the flag will fly at half-staff on the day of death and the following day, in the state, congressional district, territory or commonwealth of the deceased, the flag will fly at half-staff from the day of death until interment.
• Governor: Within the state, the flag will fly at half-staff from the day of death until interment.

The Old Farmers' Almanac was also used as a source.

January 31, 2020

New Jersey: By order of the Governor, all flags at state buildings will fly at half-staff until sunset Feb. 2, 2020, in recognition and mourning of Colonel Justin J. Dintino, who, at 91, was the oldest living State Police Superintendent.

January 30, 2020

Hawaii: By order of the governor, all flags at state buildings will fly at half-staff Thursday Jan. 30, 2020, the date of her interment, in honor of Honolulu police officer Tiffany Victoria-Enriquez, who was killed in the line of duty Jan. 19.

Illinois: All flags across Sangamon County and the city of Springfield at county and city facilities will fly at half-staff (end date TBD) in honor of former Mayor of Springfield, Frank Edwards, and Sangamon County coroner, Cinda Edwards, who died in a plane crash Jan. 30.

January 29, 2020

Navajo Nation: As ordered by the President of the Navajo Nation, all flags will fly at half-staff Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, to honor the memory and service of the late Sophie Yazzie, Arizona's longest living Navajo Veteran, a WWII veteran who lived to 105 years old.

January 28, 2020

Ohio: All flags at county buildings in Hamilton County will fly at half-staff until his interment in honor of former, longtime County Commissioner Todd Portune.

January 27, 2020

North Carolina: By order of the Governor, all flags at state buildings will fly at half-staff from Monday, Jan. 27, to sunset Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in honor of Army Specialist Antonio I. Moore, who lost his life in an accident while carrying out operations in Syria. He was a Wilmington native.

Los Angeles, California: All flags at city buildings in Los Angeles will fly at half-staff until the date of his interment in honor of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and all of the victims of Sunday's helicopter crash.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: All flags at city buildings in Harrisburg will fly at half-staff until the date of his interment in honor of former, longtime Mayor Stephen Reed.

January 26, 2020

No new half-staff alerts.

January 25, 2020

Texas: By order of the Governor, flags atop the state Capitol and across Cameron and neighboring counties, will fly at half-staff Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in honor of U.S. Army Specialist Miguel A. Villalon, who was killed in action in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, while conducting operations as part of Freedom's Sentinel.

Illinois: By order of the Governor, all flags at state and governmental facilities will fly at half-staff Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in memory of U.S. Army PFC Miguel Villalon who was killed in action Saturday, Jan. 11, in Afghanistan.

Montana: By order of the Governor, all flags at state and governmental facilities will fly at half-staff Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in honor of Montana Air National Guard Pilot Lt. Col. Ian McBeth, who lost his life in the line of duty as a first responder Jan. 23, 2020, piloting a C-130 to fight the fires in Australia.

Jacksonville, Florida: All flags at government buildings in Jacksonville will fly at half-staff until the date of his interment to honor former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold, who served from 1978 to 1987.

January 24, 2020

Arizona: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in honor of the life and years of service of First Officer Paul Hudson, resident of Buckeye, who died in a C-130 crash while battling fires in Australia.

New Jersey: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in recognition and mourning of a dedicated and tireless public servant, State Senator C. Robert Sarcone.

Virginia: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in respect and memory of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ian P. McLaughlin, of Newport, News, who was killed in action in Afghanistan Jan. 11, 2020.

Wyoming: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in honor of Wamsutter Paramedic Michael Wilder, who died in the line of duty Jan. 11, 2020.

January 23, 2020

Michigan: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in honor of Army Specialist Bradley Walsh.

Texas: All flags at Bexar County facilities will fly at half-staff Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in honor of Judge Ray Olivarri.

January 22, 2020

Virginia: All flags at the Madison County Courthouse (and others across the county are invited) will fly at half-staff Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, in honor of former Madison County Circuit Court Judge James S. Chenault.

California: All flags in Torrance will fly at half-staff until the date of his interment in honor of former Mayor Ken Miller who served from 1970-78.

Texas: The city flag in Lewisville will fly at half-staff at government buildings until the date of his interment in memory of former Fire Chief Tim Little, who died Jan. 20, 2020, of cancer.

January 21, 2020

No new alerts.

January 20, 2020

Hawaii: By order of the Governor, all flags at state facilities across Hawaii will fly at half-staff from Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, until sunset Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in honor of Honolulu Police department officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama, who were shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 19, 2020.

January 19, 2020

No new alerts.

January 18, 2020

West Virginia: As ordered by the Governor, all flags atop the capitol Complex and across Roane County will fly at half-staff Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in honor of Clover volunteer firefighter Mark Horwich, who was killed in the line of duty Saturday, Jan. 11.

Wilmington, Delaware: All flags at governmental buildings in Wilmington, will flay at half-staff until sunset on the date (Jan. 27) of his interment in memory of former Wilmington Mayor and Delaware State Congressman Harry G. "Hal" Haskell Jr.

Blue Grass, Iowa: All flags at city buildings in Blue Grass will flay at half-staff Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, to honor Mayor, veteran and volunteer fireman, Larry Guy.

Commerce, California: All flags at city buildings in Commerce will fly at half-staff until sunset Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020 in honor of former Mayor and City Councilman Robert "Bob" Eula.

January 17, 2020

Minnesota: As ordered by the Governor, all U.S. and state flags at state and federal facilities will fly at half-staff Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, in memory of Fire Chief Daryl "Taddy" Drusch, of the Howard Lake Fire & Rescue Service.

Illinois: As ordered by the governor, all flags at state facilities and other locations that follow the Illinois Flag Display Act will fly at half-staff until sunset Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in honor and remembrance of U.S. Army Specialist Henry Jarret "Mitch" Mayfield Jr., of Hazel Crest, Ill., who was killed in action by terrorists at a base in Manda Bay, Kenya, Jan. 5.

January 16, 2020

Navajo Nation in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico: By order of the its President, all flags across the Navajo Nation will fly at half-staff Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, in memory of the Honorable John Perry Jr. and his service to the Navajo Nation.

January 15, 2020

Florida: By order of the Governor, all flags at the Polk County Courthouse in Bartow, the City Hall in Lakeland, the Lakeland Police Department and the State Capitol in Tallahassee will fly at half-staff Wednesday, January 15, 2020, in honor of Lakeland Police Officer Paul Dunn.

California: All flags across Los Angeles County and cities within the county will fly at half-staff Wednesday, January 15, 2020, in honor of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office Detective Amber Leist.

Alabama: As ordered by the Governor, all flags across Shelby and Jefferson counties will fly at half-staff Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020, in honor of Homewood Fire and Rescue Service Chief and former Center Point fireman John Bresnan.

January 14, 2020

There are no new half-staff alerts.

January 13, 2020

North Carolina: As ordered by the Governor, all flags at state facilities will fly at half-staff until Sunset, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in honor of U.S. Staff Sgt. Ian Paul McLaughlin of Virginia and Pfc. Miguel Angel Villalon of Illinois, who lost their lives while conducting combat operations on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

January 12, 2020

Texas: All flags at Lubbock County facilities will fly at half-staff until sunset Friday, Jan. 17 in honor of Eric Hill, of the Lubbock Fire Department, and Officer Nicholas Reyna of the Lubbock Police Department, both killed in the line of duty when struck by a vehicle Jan. 11.

Michigan: As ordered by the Governor, all flags atop the state Capitol Complex will fly at half-staff Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, in honor of the life and service of former state Senator Jack Faxon.

Maryland: As ordered by the Governor, all flags at all state facilities in Maryland will fly at half-staff Sunday, January 12, 2020, in honor of former Missouri State Senator and Delegate Ulysses S. Currie, who died Dec. 27, 2019.

January 11, 2020

Missouri: As ordered by the Governor, all flags will fly at half-staff at government facilities in Cass County, at firehouses across the state and at the Firefighters Memorial of Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, in honor of Firefighter -Paramedic Charles McCormick of the West Peculiar Fire Protection District, who died in the line of duty Jan. 5.

January 10, 2020

There are no new alerts.

January 9, 2020

New Jersey: As ordered by the New Jersey Governor, all flags at all state facilities will fly at half-staff Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, the date of his interment in Arlington National Cemetery, in honor of Sergeant 1st Class Michael James Goble, U.S. Army, who was killed in action Dec. 23, 2019 by a roadside bomb while on combat patrol in Afghanistan.

Kentucky: All flags in Louisville will fly at half-staff Jan. 9, 2020 in honor of Larry Kizer of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Oregon: All flags in Multnomah County will fly at half-staff until sunset Jan. 10, 2020, in honor of Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish.

January 7-8, 2020

There are no new alerts.

January 6, 2020

Pennsylvania: As ordered by the Governor, all U.S. and state flags will fly at half-staff until sunset Jan. 10 to honor former U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, 56 who died Monday, Jan. 6.

The Governor of Pennsylvania has also order all Commonwealth (state) flags at half-staff to honor Rostraver West Newton Emergency Services Paramedic Matthew Smelser, who was killed Jan. 5, 2020, while responding to a crash on Interstate 70.

South Carolina: All flags in Florence County will fly at half-staff until sunset Jan. 9, 2020, in honor of Florence County Regional Airport Public Safety Officer Jackson Winkeler, who was shot and killed in the line of duty Jan. 5.

South Dakota: As ordered by the Governor all flags atop the state Capital will fly at half-staff until sunset Monday, Jan. 6, in honor of George Blair, former state legislator from 1979-1986.

January 4, 2020

Massachusetts: All flags in Somerset will fly at half-staff  until the date of his interment Jan. 9, 2020, in honor of Somerset Fire Chief Scott Jepson, 54, who died unexpectedly Jan. 2.

January 3, 2020

New Mexico: By order of the Governor, state flags will fly at half-staff from January 2 until sunset January 3 in honor of Albuquerque City Councilor Ken Sanchez.

Maine: By order of the Governor, all flags in Bangor will fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset January 3, in honor of former fire chief Jeffrey Cammack of the Bangor Fire Department.

January 2, 2020

Texas: All flags across Panola County will fly at half-staff until sunset of the date of his interment in honor of Deputy Chris Dickerson of the Panola County Sheriff's office, who was killed in the line of duty December 31. Date of interment has not been announced.

Tennessee: All flags in Hendersonville will fly at half-staff until sunset on the date of his interment in honor of Master Patrol Officer Spencer Bristol of the Hendersonville Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty December 30. Date of interment has not been announced.

January 1, 2020

Maryland: All flags across the state will fly at half-staff from Dec. 31 until sunset January 4, in honor of Otis L. Isaacs Jr., of the North East Fire Company, who died in the line of duty.