LAWRENCE, Kan. - Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence will not have its traditional "avenue of flags" on Memorial Day because thieves stole a trailer full of flagpoles. The Lawrence Veterans of Foreign Wars reported the theft of the trailer with 300 flagpoles to police last week. The trailer was stored on the post's property.
      Post commander Fred Shockey says the VFW will still have its traditional Memorial Day ceremony and put flags on gravestones. The post will try to raise money in the next year to replace the flagpoles. Shockey says some of the poles included brass plaques honoring veterans.
     The Lawrence Journal-World reports post members have checked with area metal recycling businesses but no one has seen the plaques or flagpoles.