SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - In a story July 27 about a statue of Abraham Lincoln with a broken arm, The Associated Press, relying on information from The (Springfield) State Journal-Register, misidentified the man who built it. His name was Carl Rinnus, not John Rinnus.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Illinois fairgrounds’ Lincoln statue fixed after losing arm
The 30-foot-tall statue of Abraham Lincoln that stands at the front gate of the Illinois State Fairgrounds is back in one piece after temporarily losing an arm
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The 30-foot-tall statue of Abraham Lincoln that stands at the front gate of the Illinois State Fairgrounds is back in one piece after temporarily losing an arm.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports (https://bit.ly/2v2KD0U ) an auto body repairman reattached Lincoln’s arm to the fiberglass statue. Ernie Ball of Ernie Ball Auto Body in Springfield says it appears the 50-year-old statue’s metal frame rusted, causing the arm to detach. The statue depicts a young Lincoln holding an ax with both hands.
Illinois Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Rebecca Clark says the statue got a fresh coat of paint while repairs were underway “so he can welcome visitors” to the fair, which opens Aug. 10.
Officials say department store display director Carl Rinnus built the statue at his home near Athens in 1967.
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