Elgin Street, Post Office Could Be Named After Fallen Marine

ELGIN, IL – A U.S. post office and street block in Elgin could be renamed after Marine Cpl. Alex Martinez. Martinez was killed in combat, the only Elgin service person to die since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, on April 5, 2012, while in the Helmand province in Afghanistan. A local resident who grew up with Martinez has collected signatures with the hopes of renaming a street block in town, the Daily Herald reports.

Anthony Ortiz submitted the petition with more than 40 signatures to the city council last week. He would like to see the street block where Martinez grew up, the 200 block of Melrose Avenue in Elgin, named after Martinez, according to the article.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, also filed a bill in March to rename the city's downtown post office after Martinez. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. If passed, the post office at 66 Grove Court in Elgin would be named the "Corporal Alex Martinez Memorial Post Office Building," according to the legislation.

Family members are touched by the efforts.

"It's a good thing they are trying to do," his widow, Julianna Martinez, told the Daily Herald.

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