With the sounding of a siren at 8pm on Monday, Israel begins the commemoration of Memorial Day, remembering soldiers killed since the establishment of the first Jewish settlements in Palestine in 1860, through Israel's many wars with its neighbours and attacks on Palestinians, up to those who died enacting its genocide in Gaza.
Speaking of which, a wall at the Korean War Memorial contains the inscription, Freedom Is Not Free, which reminded me of Alameda's recent Memorial Day Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.
"Bourgoyne held off a surging Ben Oliver, winning his first race in the stars-and-stripes jersey, reflecting his recent success at the US Pro criterium championship."
"It's really a tragedy that this happened today," Sgt. Corin Usinski told WEWS. "They had numerous people on the float and alongside the float. I've been doing this for 25 years as a police officer and I've never heard of this happening ever before."
Memorial Day is a balance of solemn remembrance and celebration, encouraging listeners to appreciate the significance of the holiday while still enjoying the festivities.
Traffic on the roughly 11-mile beach-hugging stretch from Santa Monica through Malibu, which averages more than 40,000 vehicles daily during the summer travel season, has been restricted to residents and construction vehicles since the blaze.
Outdoor movie series are in full swing, showing classic films and new releases, making the Memorial Day Weekend a fantastic way to kick off summer activities.