Latest news with #Banek
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Skipper plans to appeal conviction for creating waves at Labor Party fundraiser
A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June.
San Francisco Chronicle
10-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Most US adults say child care costs are a 'major problem,' a new AP-NORC poll finds
Americans overwhelmingly view the cost of child care as a significant issue, and most support initiatives to offer free or low-cost day care and to require employers to provide paid family leave for parents of babies, according to a new poll. But they're divided over how to solve the problem and what role the government should have in that solution. About three-quarters of U.S. adults see child care costs as a 'major problem,' but only about half say helping working families pay for child care should be a 'high priority' for the federal government, according to the June poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The coronavirus pandemic was a tipping point, revealing the child care industry's vulnerabilities. The latest congressional package of tax cuts included tax credits and benefits for parents and businesses that assist employees with child care. Those changes have been praised by some, while others say millions of families at lower income levels wouldn't get the full credit and would be affected by cuts in Medicaid and food stamps. The poll findings help explain the difficulty advocacy groups, elected officials and families navigate in trying to address the high costs of care: While most agree it's a problem, there isn't a simple fix. For instance, while government-funded child care is popular, that might not be everyone's first choice. Many U.S. adults also think it's better for children with two parents to be cared for full time by a parent. 'Everyone kind of agrees that it's a problem that we need to address,' said Sarah Rittling, executive director of the First Five Years Fund advocacy organization. 'By having this issue out there, it really is driving a lot of bipartisan conversations.' Most Americans support initiatives to offer child care or additional time for working families to spend with babies. About two-thirds support providing free or low-cost day care for children too young to attend public school, and a similar share favor requiring employers to provide paid family leave for new parents. Women are more likely than men to support the proposals, and Democrats are more likely than Republicans, but each is popular across the board. Mary Banek, a nurse anesthetist of Midlothian, Texas, said she helps take care of her 1-year-old grandson so he doesn't need day care. When she had her kids, she left the workforce and got a license to start a day care from her home to watch 12 children, including her own, so she could generate income. Banek said she's surprised at the high fees at day cares these days. 'I don't know what's happened and why it is so expensive,' Banek said, adding maybe there's a way to cap costs. She doesn't feel the government should foot the cost. Many think parents should be caregivers While many solutions focus on families with working parents, there isn't broad agreement this is the best arrangement for children. Just under half of U.S. adults, 45%, say children with two parents are better off when one parent doesn't have a job and raises the children. Only about 1 in 10 say children are better off when both parents work full time, and about 4 in 10 say it doesn't make a difference. Vice President JD Vance has tried to push for ideas that would encourage Americans to have families but has opposed government spending on child care, saying children benefit from having a parent or family member at home as a caretaker. About half of men say children with two parents are better off when one is the full-time caregiver, compared with about 4 in 10 women. Stephen Yip-Wineman, 45, a high school teacher from Murrieta, California, who describes himself as a moderate, said he feels society doesn't see the value of parents choosing to be caretakers. 'A lot of people are pushed into the idea that everyone in their family is going to work and that's the way of being a productive member of society,' Yip-Wineman said. 'They think staying home and taking care of the kids is somehow not contributing.' Yip-Wineman has two children ages 12 and 14, and their mother stays home, but he says his ideas of having a parent do the caretaking don't have to do with making the mother the primary caretaker. 'Having a parent raise the kids is not about pushing traditional Christian values and trying to keep women out of the workplace," he said. "It's about trying to be more personally engaged with each other.' Are changes happening? Many Democrats and Republicans have endorsed expansions to the child tax credit as a way to support families and lift children and young families out of poverty. While campaigning as Donald Trump's running mate, Vance raised the possibility of increasing the child tax credit to $5,000, saying that would help more parents stay home with their children. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults said they'd support increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 for parents who are U.S. citizens, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll from June found. Republicans and Democrats were similarly likely to support this: About 8 in 10 of each were in favor. In the final bill, however, the child tax credit increased to $2,200. Beyond expanding the child tax credit, the package also increased a benefit allowing most working parents to claim a higher percentage of their child care expenses and get more tax credits. Organizations want increased funding for federal early-learning and care programs, including a child care program for low-income families and an early-education program called Head Start. Trump's Republican administration backed away from a proposal this year to eliminate funding for Head Start. Other groups, including Child Care Aware of America, have pointed out the new law's cuts in Medicaid would result in a loss of health coverage for many child care workers. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Most US adults say child care costs are a ‘major problem,' a new AP-NORC poll finds
Americans overwhelmingly view the cost of child care as a significant issue, and most support initiatives to offer free or low-cost day care and to require employers to provide paid family leave for parents of babies, according to a new poll. But they're divided over how to solve the problem and what role the government should have in that solution. About three-quarters of U.S. adults see child care costs as a 'major problem,' but only about half say helping working families pay for child care should be a 'high priority' for the federal government, according to the June poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . The coronavirus pandemic was a tipping point, revealing the child care industry's vulnerabilities. The latest congressional package of tax cuts included tax credits and benefits for parents and businesses that assist employees with child care. Those changes have been praised by some, while others say millions of families at lower income levels wouldn't get the full credit and would be affected by cuts in Medicaid and food stamps . The poll findings help explain the difficulty advocacy groups, elected officials and families navigate in trying to address the high costs of care: While most agree it's a problem, there isn't a simple fix. For instance, while government-funded child care is popular, that might not be everyone's first choice. Many U.S. adults also think it's better for children with two parents to be cared for full time by a parent. 'Everyone kind of agrees that it's a problem that we need to address,' said Sarah Rittling, executive director of the First Five Years Fund advocacy organization. 'By having this issue out there, it really is driving a lot of bipartisan conversations.' Some consensus on free day care and paid family leave Most Americans support initiatives to offer child care or additional time for working families to spend with babies. About two-thirds support providing free or low-cost day care for children too young to attend public school, and a similar share favor requiring employers to provide paid family leave for new parents. Women are more likely than men to support the proposals, and Democrats are more likely than Republicans, but each is popular across the board. Mary Banek, a nurse anesthetist of Midlothian, Texas, said she helps take care of her 1-year-old grandson so he doesn't need day care. When she had her kids, she left the workforce and got a license to start a day care from her home to watch 12 children, including her own, so she could generate income. Banek said she's surprised at the high fees at day cares these days. 'I don't know what's happened and why it is so expensive,' Banek said, adding maybe there's a way to cap costs. She doesn't feel the government should foot the cost. Many think parents should be caregivers While many solutions focus on families with working parents, there isn't broad agreement this is the best arrangement for children. Just under half of U.S. adults, 45%, say children with two parents are better off when one parent doesn't have a job and raises the children. Only about 1 in 10 say children are better off when both parents work full time, and about 4 in 10 say it doesn't make a difference. Vice President JD Vance has tried to push for ideas that would encourage Americans to have families but has opposed government spending on child care, saying children benefit from having a parent or family member at home as a caretaker. About half of men say children with two parents are better off when one is the full-time caregiver, compared with about 4 in 10 women. Stephen Yip-Wineman, 45, a high school teacher from Murrieta, California, who describes himself as a moderate, said he feels society doesn't see the value of parents choosing to be caretakers. 'A lot of people are pushed into the idea that everyone in their family is going to work and that's the way of being a productive member of society,' Yip-Wineman said. 'They think staying home and taking care of the kids is somehow not contributing.' Yip-Wineman has two children ages 12 and 14, and their mother stays home, but he says his ideas of having a parent do the caretaking don't have to do with making the mother the primary caretaker. 'Having a parent raise the kids is not about pushing traditional Christian values and trying to keep women out of the workplace,' he said. 'It's about trying to be more personally engaged with each other.' Are changes happening? Many Democrats and Republicans have endorsed expansions to the child tax credit as a way to support families and lift children and young families out of poverty. While campaigning as Donald Trump's running mate, Vance raised the possibility of increasing the child tax credit to $5,000, saying that would help more parents stay home with their children. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults said they'd support increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 for parents who are U.S. citizens, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll from June found. Republicans and Democrats were similarly likely to support this: About 8 in 10 of each were in favor. In the final bill, however, the child tax credit increased to $2,200. Beyond expanding the child tax credit, the package also increased a benefit allowing most working parents to claim a higher percentage of their child care expenses and get more tax credits. Organizations want increased funding for federal early-learning and care programs, including a child care program for low-income families and an early-education program called Head Start. Trump's Republican administration backed away from a proposal this year to eliminate funding for Head Start . Other groups, including Child Care Aware of America, have pointed out the new law's cuts in Medicaid would result in a loss of health coverage for many child care workers. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Most US adults say child care costs are a ‘major problem,' a new AP-NORC poll finds
Americans overwhelmingly view the cost of child care as a significant issue, and most support initiatives to offer free or low-cost day care and to require employers to provide paid family leave for parents of babies, according to a new poll. But they're divided over how to solve the problem and what role the government should have in that solution. About three-quarters of U.S. adults see child care costs as a 'major problem,' but only about half say helping working families pay for child care should be a 'high priority' for the federal government, according to the June poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The coronavirus pandemic was a tipping point, revealing the child care industry's vulnerabilities. The latest congressional package of tax cuts included tax credits and benefits for parents and businesses that assist employees with child care. Those changes have been praised by some, while others say millions of families at lower income levels wouldn't get the full credit and would be affected by cuts in Medicaid and food stamps. The poll findings help explain the difficulty advocacy groups, elected officials and families navigate in trying to address the high costs of care: While most agree it's a problem, there isn't a simple fix. For instance, while government-funded child care is popular, that might not be everyone's first choice. Many U.S. adults also think it's better for children with two parents to be cared for full time by a parent. 'Everyone kind of agrees that it's a problem that we need to address,' said Sarah Rittling, executive director of the First Five Years Fund advocacy organization. 'By having this issue out there, it really is driving a lot of bipartisan conversations.' Some consensus on free day care and paid family leave Most Americans support initiatives to offer child care or additional time for working families to spend with babies. About two-thirds support providing free or low-cost day care for children too young to attend public school, and a similar share favor requiring employers to provide paid family leave for new parents. Women are more likely than men to support the proposals, and Democrats are more likely than Republicans, but each is popular across the board. Mary Banek, a nurse anesthetist of Midlothian, Texas, said she helps take care of her 1-year-old grandson so he doesn't need day care. When she had her kids, she left the workforce and got a license to start a day care from her home to watch 12 children, including her own, so she could generate income. Banek said she's surprised at the high fees at day cares these days. 'I don't know what's happened and why it is so expensive,' Banek said, adding maybe there's a way to cap costs. She doesn't feel the government should foot the cost. Many think parents should be caregivers While many solutions focus on families with working parents, there isn't broad agreement this is the best arrangement for children. Just under half of U.S. adults, 45%, say children with two parents are better off when one parent doesn't have a job and raises the children. Only about 1 in 10 say children are better off when both parents work full time, and about 4 in 10 say it doesn't make a difference. Vice President JD Vance has tried to push for ideas that would encourage Americans to have families but has opposed government spending on child care, saying children benefit from having a parent or family member at home as a caretaker. About half of men say children with two parents are better off when one is the full-time caregiver, compared with about 4 in 10 women. Stephen Yip-Wineman, 45, a high school teacher from Murrieta, California, who describes himself as a moderate, said he feels society doesn't see the value of parents choosing to be caretakers. 'A lot of people are pushed into the idea that everyone in their family is going to work and that's the way of being a productive member of society,' Yip-Wineman said. 'They think staying home and taking care of the kids is somehow not contributing.' Yip-Wineman has two children ages 12 and 14, and their mother stays home, but he says his ideas of having a parent do the caretaking don't have to do with making the mother the primary caretaker. 'Having a parent raise the kids is not about pushing traditional Christian values and trying to keep women out of the workplace,' he said. 'It's about trying to be more personally engaged with each other.' Are changes happening? Many Democrats and Republicans have endorsed expansions to the child tax credit as a way to support families and lift children and young families out of poverty. While campaigning as Donald Trump's running mate, Vance raised the possibility of increasing the child tax credit to $5,000, saying that would help more parents stay home with their children. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults said they'd support increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 for parents who are U.S. citizens, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll from June found. Republicans and Democrats were similarly likely to support this: About 8 in 10 of each were in favor. In the final bill, however, the child tax credit increased to $2,200. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Beyond expanding the child tax credit, the package also increased a benefit allowing most working parents to claim a higher percentage of their child care expenses and get more tax credits. Organizations want increased funding for federal early-learning and care programs, including a child care program for low-income families and an early-education program called Head Start. Trump's Republican administration backed away from a proposal this year to eliminate funding for Head Start. Other groups, including Child Care Aware of America, have pointed out the new law's cuts in Medicaid would result in a loss of health coverage for many child care workers. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Chicago Tribune
30-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Law & Order column: Zion man charged in restaurant robbery
Authorities say that they have charged a Zion man for an armed robbery of a fast-food restaurant in Beach Park. Shane L. Lones, 41, of the 1800 block of Jethro Avenue, was arrested by Lake County Sheriff's Office detectives on May 23, the day after the robbery in the 38900 block of North Lewis. Police said that a man entered the restaurant at about 7:35 p.m. on May 22 and produced a knife before taking money from the cash register and fleeing. Neither employee at the business was hurt. Detectives traced several leads that indicated Lones was the perpetrator, including security camera footage that shows Lones entering a nearby vehicle after the hold-up, police said. The following day, detectives found Lones in his car near his residence and took him into custody. A subsequent search turned up clothing police say Lones wore during the robbery. He has been charged with one count of armed robbery, and was ordered detained until trial, according to court records. Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek recently earned her master's degree in health administration, which she said she hopes will help her perform her duties. Banek, who is an advanced practice nurse, completed her degree through George Washington University. 'As both an advanced practice nurse and a public official, I pursued this degree to better advocate for systemic improvements, enhance interagency coordination, and bring forward-thinking leadership to my office and to Lake County as a whole,' she said. Lake County Board Chairman Sandy Hart lauded the coroner. 'Jennifer's pursuit of an MHA is a testament to her commitment to strengthening public health infrastructure in Lake County,' Hart said. 'Her clinical background, combined with advanced administrative training, gives her a unique and powerful perspective as our coroner.' State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said Banek's investment in advanced education, 'shows the kind of proactive leadership that builds stronger, healthier communities. We applaud her initiative and look forward to even deeper collaboration between our departments.' Grayslake Police Chief Jeff Myrha is the guest on the latest episode of the 'Discovering Grayslake' podcast. Myhra, according to the podcast, discusses his life in law enforcement, and 'his passion for fostering a safe, connected community.' Myhra was appointed chief in August 2024 after serving as deputy chief for 10 years. He started as a community service officer in 1997, and worked his way up through the ranks before replacing Phil Perlini, who retired. A link to the podcast is available on the Grayslake police Facebook page. The city of Highland Park held a reception to recognize the law enforcement, first responders and medical professionals who provided emergency care to a man suffering a heart attack this spring. The city presented commendations to Office Ginger Stokes and dentist Dr. Michael Czarkowski, and recognized the professionalism and lifesaving contributions of Highland Park firefighter/EMTs Kevin Best, Andrew Beverly, Trevor Mount, and Nick Traske, and Dr. Benjamin Feinzimer of Endeavor Health's Physician Response Vehicle Program. August Swanenberg, who suffered the medical emergency and is recovering, was on hand at the City Council chambers. He was leaving the Chicago Botanical Garden on March 11 when he suffered a cardiac event while driving. Stokes used her department-issued defibrillator and, along with bystanders, including Czarkowski and paramedics, was able to re-establish Swanenberg's heartbeat. 'I am one lucky bird,' Swanenberg told the City Council and members of the audience at the May 27 event.
