This evening, during the meeting of the city council for the City of Lake Forest, members of the city council re-elected Mark Tettemer to continue as Mayor. Also, Peter Herzog was re-elected Mayor Protem. The term of leadership as Mayor and Mayor Protem is one year. Mayor Tettemer was recently re-elected to a four year term on the city council. Mayor Protem Herzog has two years remaining on his current term as a city councilman.

Eight young U.S. Marines received two commendations during a special set of presentations at the City Council meeting. Describing the young men as heroes, the commendations read aloud described their bravery during a recent fire in a hotel. Each man was honored for saving the lives and personal property of several individuals while a two story building was being demolished by fire in Lake Forest. Three of the Marines are residents of the City of Lake Forest.

I have seen several presentations during my visits to the council meetings over several years. None have matched the enthusiastic, standing applause from the audience and the playing of the Marine Corp Hymn from a special prerecorded tribute that gave such a poignant meaning to the occasion.

Each Marine was called by name to come forward and stood at rest as the narrative of heroic actions was described by Mayor Tettemer, followed by another read by one of the ranking sheriffs of the County of Orange. Previously, the same Marines had received awards of commendation from the Orange County Fire Authority.

This evening, they were assured there is a place for each of them either as a fireman or sheriff in Orange County, when their tour of duty is completed and should they chose to retire from the Corp.