Motorists traveling the West Dodge Expressway near the west city limits soon will be greeted by a huge American flag at the site of Dino’s storage. The City Council approved a zoning waiver on July 10 to allow Dino’s owner to erect a 125-foot tall flagpole on the hill at 204th & West Dodge.
The Omaha Planning Board had previously approved installing the pole, which will be roughly 12 stories high. Paladino had said he wanted to fly the American flag and, on Nebraska football days, the N flag of Nebraska football. The council, however, said only the Stars and Stripes may be flown from the pole.
Zoning regulations allow no more than a 75-foot flagpole, but that was waived for Dino’s new flag pole. Paladino said construction will begin immediately.
Paladino said he wants to express his own patriotism and bring Americans together by flying the Stars and Stripes high atop the Elkhorn hill, a place of prominence on the west end of Omaha. “We just want to send a statement that we just need to be more patriotic,” said Paladino, who also puts Bible verses on message boards at his storage businesses. “I wish Americans loved America as much as other countries love America.”