Murrieta To Honor Veterans At Memorial Day Ceremony

MURRIETA, CA — The city of Murrieta is inviting residents to gather at the annual Memorial Day Observance Ceremony on Monday, May 26.

The event will be hosted at 8 a.m. at the Murrieta Veterans Memorial in Town Square Park, the city said in a release.

The ceremony will open with a presentation of colors by the Murrieta Valley High School Marine Corps JROTC, followed by the National Anthem performed by Ryan Valenzuela. Chaplain Jacob Walton will lead the invocation, and Murrieta Mayor Cindy Warren will deliver opening remarks honoring the courage and service of military veterans.

The keynote address will be given by retired Superior Court Judge and U.S. Army Colonel Mark E. Johnson. Judge Johnson, who has served on the Riverside County Superior Court since 2009, was instrumental in founding the county’s Veterans Court in 2012. The program currently oversees about 50 veterans on probation, many of whom suffer from military-related trauma such as PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.

In his 28 years of military service, Johnson held multiple leadership roles and was deployed to Baghdad from 2003 to 2004, where he served as Chief of the Government Support Team with the 1st Cavalry Division.

The ceremony will end with the laying of wreaths by Mayor Warren and Mayor Pro Tempore Jon Levell.

"Attendees are encouraged to pay their respects to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country or in aid to others," the city said in its release.