The Southtown Star has an article about a new fire chief in Oak Forest:

Oak Forest aldermen on Tuesday night approved the appointment of David Griffin as fire chief, replacing retiring Chief Terry Lipinski.

Griffin, who became the interim deputy fire chief last month, has served 14 years with the Oak Forest Fire Department and was in charge of training. He said Lipinski ran the department well, and “it’s going to be a fairly easy transition for us. I don’t think anything needs to be remodeled.”

Replacing Griffin as deputy chief will be John Janozik, a 28-year department veteran whom aldermen also appointed Tuesday night. He served as the department’s first deputy chief for one year in 1996.

Griffin was named interim deputy chief May 27 after aldermen removed Deputy Chief Charles Sopko from the position. Sopko had been on paid suspension since he and his wife were indicted in December, accused of embezzling about $352,000 over 30 months from the Palos Heights Fire Protection District where Michelle Sopko worked part time as an administrative assistant/bookkeeper.

Griffin said Charles Sopko still is employed by the fire department, but neither he nor Janozik were certain of Sopko’s status, specifically whether he remains suspended with pay.