05/12/2009 UPDATE: Gov. Pat Quinn (VIDEO)
MARION, Ill. (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn is doubling to six the number of southern Illinois counties he's designated state disaster areas after last week's deadly storms. He got a firsthand look Tuesday at the destruction left four days earlier by the storms.Quinn declared Gallatin, Randolph and Saline counties state disaster areas. He gave similar designations Saturday to Franklin, Jackson and Williamson counties. The action ensures that state resources, including debris removal, will be available to support local governments in their storm-recovery efforts.
Quinn thanked volunteers who helped in the storm's aftermath, and he called the damage "heartbreaking."
