Neighbors in the news: Retired police officers takes on new role as crime author
• After 41 years in law enforcement, John Good of Schaumburg has applied his experiences as a police officer to author a book titled "Blood on the Badge."
Good uses his book to give readers an inside look into a small police force and the real-life dramas that impact their lives and abilities.
Good's fictional police force in Greenfield, Illinois, is rocked by the deaths of two officers, one during a routine traffic stop and one while on vacation. Are they related? Can the protagonist, Officer Matt O'Neal, solve these deaths and recover his bearings?
"Blood on the Badge" has readers guessing until the end.
During his police career, Good served as a patrol, field training and juvenile officer, Honor Guard, defense driving instructor, bicycle officer, crime scene technician and school resource officer.
He is credited with creating the position of Officer Friendly/Crime Prevention Officer, which won him the prestigious Glenview Public Safety Award in 1986.
Good also shares his perspective with students as an adjunct faculty member at a community college in the Chicago area, and works as a law enforcement consultant for a major cable channel.
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Grace Hong Duffin, president and CEO of Elk Grove Village-based Kenneth Young Center, was elected to the board of the National Council of Mental Well-being to represent the Midwestern region of the United States.
The National Council of Mental Well-being is a nonprofit association of more than 3,100 organizations across the United States that provide mental health and substance use services. For more than 53 years, the council has worked to ensure equitable access to high quality services for Americans of all ages.
They advocate for legislation that strengthens substance use and mental health care systems, and work to increase the understanding of mental well-being as a core component of comprehensive health.
Duffin has been elected to represent Region 5, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Each region has just two delegates elected by agencies across the region.
Duffin's election to this board positions her to impact the future of substance use and mental health treatment across the country.
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North Suburban YMCA's Aquatics Director Missy Contri received the Stormy Webster Award for Outstanding Aquatic Leadership at the recent Illinois YMCA Alliance Staff Rally.
The Stormy Webster award recognizes a YMCA Aquatics director in the YMCA Illinois Alliance who displays exceptional leadership, commitment and the attributes of being a cause-driven leader in aquatics.
"Missy is a talented, hardworking leader who is very deserving of this award. It's always wonderful to see a member of our amazing, dedicated staff recognized for their expertise and their commitment to the community," said Kathy Fielding, CEO of the North Suburban YMCA, Northbrook.
Contri began working in aquatics more than 20 years ago. In 2002, she fulfilled her passion to became a certified lifeguard instructor, and worked on and off at the NSYMCA and other aquatic facilities before returning full-time to the NSYMCA to direct its aquatics program in 2017.
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Austin Hopkins has won Male Single of the Year for his song "Crush" at the International Singer Songwriters Association Awards, held Aug. 6 at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
"It's such an honor to win and be part of this awards show," said Austin Hopkins.
This is Hopkins' second ISSA award. Last year, he won the Male Rising Star Award.
Hopkins, a lifelong Bartlett resident, has been a singer-songwriter since he was 23. He has had his music played on country radio stations all over the world, been on ABC's Windy City Live and performs live at venues all around the Chicago area.
He also travels to Nashville to record his music and play songwriter rounds.
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