RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- An Inland Empire union stepped up to place 2,400 flags at veterans' graves at Riverside National Cemetery.

The annual flag-placing event, which typically features a quarter of a million flags, was canceled due to limited staffing during the government shutdown . The cemetery is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is impacted by the shutdown.

The annual Veterans Day ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 11, was also canceled.

"This decision was not made lightly; it comes after careful consideration of the significant staffing reductions and various logistical challenges we are facing, including limited access to facilities, trash management and traffic control," Laura Herzog, founder of Honoring Our Fallen, which organizes the event, said i

See Full Page