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September 14, 2015 • $1.00
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The Bears were right there against the Packers, but still fell short, 31-23 / B1, 4-5 NWHerald.com
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FOX LAKE OFFICER SHOOTING
Ex-cop accused of making threats Lake County Sheriff’s Office: Oak Lawn man called coroner’s office, wanted to harm officials of W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn, is accused of calling Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd’s office about 2 p.m. Friday and An Oak Lawn man and former Chica- threatening to harm him, as well as Lake go police officer has been arrested after County Major Crime Task Force Cmdr. allegedly making threats to harm those George Filenko, and all other investigators involved in the death investigation of Fox working the case, officials said. Lake Police Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz, the Lake Using a blocked phone number, he alCounty Sheriff’s Office said Sunday. legedly threatened to do harm unless Joseph A. Battaglia, 54, of the 5600 block Gliniewicz’s death is declared a suicide,
By ALLISON GOODRICH
agoodrich@shawmedia.com
Joseph A. Battaglia
according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division launched an investigation immediately after learning of the threats. Battaglia, who described himself as a “retired police officer,” was arrested during the weekend at his residence after a warrant was issued for two counts of disor-
derly conduct, Class 4 felonies. It was confirmed he is a retired Chicago police officer, and he has had no involvement in the Gliniewicz investigation, the release said. Battaglia made calls to other police agencies and media outlets in the past several days, the release also said.
See THREATS, page A6
Higher jury pay forces transfer
RECREATION CENTER CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
McHenry names manager of new facility
County Board set to restock fund because of state-mandated increase By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
By the numbers Construction of the new recreation center in McHenry is on schedule to meet a tentative opening date in spring 2016 . Here are some numbers:
18,200 square-foot facility
4,500 square-foot fitness center
Photos by H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
ABOVE: Working from a lift installing soffit, International Decorators’ Sean Meehan’s shadow is projected on the east wall of the new 18,200-square-foot recreation center Friday in McHenry. The facility, west of City Hall, is scheduled to open during the spring 2016. TOP: McHenry’s new recreation center at 3633 Municipal Drive is scheduled to open during the spring 2016.
Crystal Lake resident LaPorte brings experience as former facility supervisor By EMILY K. COLEMAN ecoleman@shawmedia.com McHENRY – With construction of a new recreation center underway, the city has made its first hire to run the place, a city official said. Matt LaPorte started last week as the recreation center’s manager, responsible for finalizing the budget, developing membership rates and categories, hiring employees, purchasing the fitness equipment, and building off the parks and recreation department’s current fitness offerings, Deputy City Administrator Bill Hobson said. The Crystal Lake resident, who worked as the facility supervisor for
“I want it to be a place where people can come as they are. It’s a center and location for everybody within the community, whether it’s a working professional, a retiree or a young family, perhaps where one parent stays at home with the children.” Matt LaPorte, Manager of new recreation center in McHenry the Lakeview Fitness Center in Vernon Hills, was chosen after a tworound interviewing process, Hobson said, adding that city officials are “just anxious for him to take that ball and run with it.” “There’s so much to be done right now,” Hobson said. “The construction is the easy part of it.”
Construction, which started this past spring, is on schedule to meet a tentative opening date in spring 2016 for the 18,200-square-foot facility, which will include a 4,500-squarefoot fitness center in addition to group exercise and dance rooms, locker rooms, a babysitting room and a large multipurpose room with
a service kitchen. The work, not including design and engineering, cost $4.1 million. “I want it to be a place where people can come as they are,” LaPorte said. “It’s a center and location for everybody within the community, whether it’s a working professional, a retiree or a young family, perhaps where one parent stays at home with the children.” LaPorte, who has experience opening a brand new community recreation center in Colorado in 2007, sees his mission as doing his part to help keep McHenry County healthy.
See RECREATION CENTER, page A6
LOCAL NEWS
SPORTS
LOCAL NEWS
WHERE IT’S AT
On the Record
Football notes
In memoriam
New Woodstock official Garrett Anderson ready for city to grow / A3
PR’s Samson Evans credits Nathan Griffin in Wolves’ win over CLC Tigers / B2
Local Harley-Davidson owner sets up veteran memorial / A6
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WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Board has to transfer money to replenish a fund that was prematurely depleted by a state-mandated increase in jury pay. A proposal working its way through committee before Tuesday Voice your evening’s County opinion Board meeting would transfer When is the $100,000 to the fund, which is al- last time you most empty with were called 2½ months left in to jury duty? the county’s 2015 Vote online at fiscal year and NWHerald.com. with at least three major jury cases expected to be heard in September and October. As of August, more than $153,000 of the $160,000 the County Board budgeted for jury pay this year has been spent, according to county records. A new law that took effect July 1 requires counties to pay jurors $25 for the first day and $50 for each additional day they serve, or a 300 percent increase from the county’s old rate. McHenry County jurors before July 1 were paid $5 a day, and $12.50 a day if they were seated on a trial, plus reimbursement for gas mileage. Supporters of the increase in Springfield argued that decreasing the size of civil juries from 12 jurors to six and eliminating mileage reimbursement would help defray the cost. But the officials who maintain county government’s pocketbook said the impending transfer proves it will not. The increase was signed into law in December by outgoing Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.
See JURY PAY, page A6
BY THE NUMBERS
$153,000 • As of August, more than $153,000 of the $160,000 the McHenry County Board budgeted for jury pay this year has been spent, according to county records.
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