Illinois officials are offering Harrisburg and other southern Illinois communities hit by February's deadly tornado $13 Million in state and small business aid.Representatives from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Transportation joined with city leaders to announce the package Monday morning. The region was denied a federal disaster declaration earlier this month.
Governor Pat Quinn says the help includes reimbursements to local governments for some of their
disaster-related expenses and road improvements. The aid also involves grants for home repairs and low-interest loans to storm-affected businesses. Quinn says recovery from the tornado won't happen overnight but the assistance package will help those hurt by the storm to rebuild their lives. Seven people were killed by the twister that tore through Harrisburg on February 29th. The EF-4 tornado was the most destructive of the more than a half dozen tornadoes that hit the southern Illinois region that day.