Tagged: pat quinn

Harrisburg and other southern Illinois communities affected by a deadly tornado in February are getting up to $13 million in state and Small Business Administration aid.  Governor Pat Quinn's office announced yesterday the help includes reimbursements to local governments for some of their disaster-related expenses and road improvements.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has asked federal emergency officials for recovery help after Wednesday’s deadly tornado struck Harrisburg. Quinn says he asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help with damage assessments. Those assessments begin Monday and will provide documentation needed to support requests for federal assistance.  The assessments are expected by the end of next week.  They will include Massac, Saline and Union counties. Quinn already has issued a state disaster proclamation for southern Illinois.

New research shows nerve damage can be repaired in days, not months.

NPR reports scientists have found a way to reattach severed ends of nerve cells in rats. This could mean new methods to help the more than 50,000 people a year in the U.S. who suffer nerve injuries could be available soon.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants to eliminate the state's contributions toward health insurance benefits for retired school teachers and community college professors across the state.  Those cuts are part of the budget proposal he unveiled last week. They target two insurance programs and would save the state about $92 million.  About 77,000 retired teachers and their dependents are covered under the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program and the Community College Insurance Program.  If Quinn's plan is approved, retirees could be forced to pay higher premiums.