Disaster Is Declared in Area Hit by Tornado
From Times Wire Reports
President Bush declared a federal disaster in four north-central Illinois counties after a tornado badly damaged downtown Utica and killed eight people in the tavern where they had sought refuge Tuesday night.
The declaration makes LaSalle, Putnam, Will and Kankakee counties eligible for federal assistance, said Mike Brown, an undersecretary for the Department of Homeland Security.
Brown toured Utica’s downtown -- the hardest-hit area -- with Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other officials.
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