New interim fire chief in Antioch
John Nixon's tenure as chief of the Antioch Fire Department ended Friday after 6½ years. Nixon recently announced he was leaving to accept a new position as chief with Fox River and Countryside Fire Rescue District. Nixon was at the helm during a turbulent time in the district that included the dissolution of the Antioch Rescue Squad and a narrowly successful tax hike to fund ambulance service in the village and Antioch Township. "With the residents' help, the Antioch Fire Department has risen to meet the growing demand on the resources for quality fire and emergency medical care," he said. Deputy Chief Jon Cokefair, who has 28 years of fire service experience, was appointed interim chief. Cokefair joined the Antioch Fire Department in 2007 and previously served in Wauconda, Round Lake and Grayslake.