MEMORIAL DAY

Today marks the celebration of Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, a patriotic holiday since the Civil War to honor the dead. It also has come to mark the start of summertime activities.

Closed: All government offices, courts, banks, stock and commodity exchanges, libraries, schools and many businesses. There will be no regular mail delivery. Southern California Rapid Transit District buses will follow Sunday schedules.

Monday’s Celebrations:

* The 99th annual ceremonies at the Veterans Administration Los Angeles National Cemetery, 950 S. Sepulveda Blvd., will begin at 10 a.m. U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) will speak.

* Services at the Veterans Memorial at Valhalla Park, 10621 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, will begin at 10 a.m. The speaker will be Navy Capt. J. A. Martin, commanding officer for the Armed Forces radio and television service.

* The Las Virgenes/Conejo Valley Memorial Day Service will begin at 10 a.m. at Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Lindero Canyon Road exit from the Ventura Freeway. State Controller Gray Davis will speak.

* Brig. Gen. Celes King will speak at 10:30 a.m. at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery, 16701 S. Central Ave., Compton.

* Services at Forest Lawn, Sunnyside Memorial-Park, 1500 E. San Antonio Drive, Long Beach, will be held at 11 a.m. and will feature Maj. Gen. James D. Delk, commander of the National Guard’s 40th Infantry Division.

* Navy Rear Adm. Bennett S. Sparks will speak at 11 a.m. at Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd.