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Edmund Fitzgerald sank 40 years ago
“It’s hard to compare the bad storms throughout the years, and shipping has changed over time, with better weather reporting and safety procedures,” remarked Lynn. “But there’s no doubt that the 1975 storm was clearly one of the worst.”.

Breakfast of a champion
To such names as A.L. Ide, Ira Weaver and George Celani (who in the 1980s invented an express air package service out of thin air!), we should now add to Springfield’s roster of distinguished inventors that of Mike Murphy, who devised a process to turn an English muffin into a $25,000 check.

How much ‘free speech’ can you buy?
Bizarrely, the Supreme Court decreed in its 2010 Citizens United ruling that money is a form of “free speech.” Thus, declared the learned justices, people and corporations are henceforth allowed to spend unlimited sums of their money to “speak” in election campaigns.

LETTERS
In his Oct. 29 letter, Steve McGrew said that in 1970, CEOs made 14 times as much as the average worker and now they make hundreds of times that. That may be true for top CEO’s but it is certainly not the norm. I have heard the 300-times number by the anti-right-to-work-groups, Hillary and others so I looked it up.

Prevailing wage debate rooted in ideology
For months now, Gov. Bruce Rauner has said he won’t negotiate a state budget unless his “Turnaround Agenda” demands are met.

ONE LESS SPEED TRAP
The Jerome Police Department has one less place to catch traffic scoffl aws since Michael Lopez, president of the village board, was caught using his cellphone while driving last month. Sgt.

COAL ASH CONUNDRUM
Sitting just across East Lake Shore Drive from Lake Springfi eld and the city’s electrical utility are a few ponds you wouldn’t want to swim in. They contain coal ash, the byproduct of burning coal for energy, and they’ve long been seeping toxic substances like arsenic, lead, boron and cadmium into the groundwater.

Workers’ comp changes cut costs
The findings come amid wrangling in the Illinois Statehouse over whether workers’ compensation and other issues should be addressed before the state’s budget impasse is resolved. While the Democrat-controlled Illinois General Assembly is loath to make further changes yet, Illinois’ Republican governor wants action now.

From Russia with gloves
Kuznetsov is one of the dozens of hockey players who come to Springfield from all over the world to take their game to the next level, both literally and figuratively. The Springfield Jr. Blues hockey team is an incubator of sorts, taking talented players and honing their skills in preparation for bigger goals.

Historic changes
In a September memo to supporters of the project that is digitizing every document read or written by Lincoln, project director Daniel Stowell said that the project’s funds had been frozen and that the executive inspector general’s office would conduct an investigation into the project’s finances.

Modern fur traders
The technique involves poking a hole in an arm of the critter in question, between the hide and flesh, inserting the compressor nozzle and then blowing the creature up, not unlike one would a basketball. Compressed air will almost instantly separate the pelt from the body, accomplishing in seconds what takes considerably longer with a knife.

At 92, a Springfield poet faces the future
In his 23rd book of poetry, Springfield poet John Knoepfle uses his voice – customarily cagey and perhaps even more intimate than usual – to deliver quietly crucial insights about what it is to be a thoughtful nonagenarian in the U.S. in the 21 st century.

Paul Prudhomme, in memoriam
Blackened chicken? Blackened steak? Credit Prudhomme, who invented the technique of blackening. In the 1970s and ’80s, when American food and cooking were experiencing a revolution brought about by such people as Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck on the West Coast and Julia Child and James Beard in the East, Prudhomme roared into national prominence.

Cuisine Scene
Mess Hall Restaurant - American Legion 32.

Gross miscalculation buries Truth
Having just broke the story on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, Mapes (Cate Blanchett) is seen as a journalist who can do no wrong, one who’s given carte blanche by her producers at “60 Minutes” who are eager to see what she’ll turn up next.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Guts Club
Lindsay Baker, a former child beauty queen and inventor of incredibly adventurous and artistic videos with songs attached, is Guts Club, all by her lonesome. For a look into the life and times of this gifted and gallant singer and songwriter, check out the YouTube video of “Marine Biologist” from The Arm Wrestling Tournament,.

PUB CRAWL
Dates, times and locations are subject to change, so we suggest calling before attending an event..

Sangamon Auditorium
Along with our listings of usual and incredible music shows around town this week, we have an apology to make and an award to give. In last week’s Best of Springfield issue we inadvertently left out the category of Best Venue (Big) in the Arts and Entertainment section (sorry).

THE CALENDAR
Hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child on a quest to fi nd his birth father and spread the true meaning of Christmas. Based on the 2003 New Line Cinema hit movie. sangamonauditorium. org. Sangamon Auditorium, UIS, 1 University Plaza, 206-6160. Greg Tamblyn.

CHILDREN’S CORNER | Walk among dinosaurs
If you’ve ever wanted to walk among the dinosaurs, this event is for you. This Saturday and Sunday, the Illinois State Fairgrounds Exposition Building will host T-Rex Planet, a traveling dinosaur exhibition and your opportunity to experience the Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous periods first hand.

THEATER & COMEDY | A touring comedy troupe
The Second City meets the capital city on Saturday, Nov. 7, when their “Blue Team” touring cast performs at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. The Second City, based in Chicago, consists of comedy stars in the making using scripted and improvisational elements, plus the audience.