A moment of silence happened Monday in remembrance of the November 17th tornadoes that hit Tazewell County. Residents and public officials attended the outdoor event in Washington’s LaHood Park, despite the frigid temperatures.
Mayor Gary Manier says the city is in a good place, a year following the storms.
“We’re about 75% and we’re just encouraged each and every day. We’re excited, I mean from Washington Strong, tomorrow we become Washington Stronger,” said Manier.
Governor Pat Quinn says he was amazed by the outpouring of support for the Illinois communities impacted by the storms.
“Here we are, right before Thanksgiving as we were last year. We understand that the fundamental values that tie us together are helping your neighbor, understanding how important it is to have that ethic of service, (and) making sure that everyone is taken care of,” said Quinn.
Quinn also announced another nearly 400-thousand dollars for Washington tornado recovery efforts. The city of about 15-thousand has received more than 13-million dollars in state aid for clean-up. The federal government helped residents and businesses recover from the deadly tornadoes, but not the municipal clean-up efforts.