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WASHINGTON — Businesses here are doing what they can to help out in the wake of the devastation caused by Sunday's tornado."We're having trouble just getting in touch with everybody," said Roger Holzhauer, president of the Washington Chamber of Commerce who, along with his wife, runs Team Works, a screen printing/sporting goods store in Washington."With phone and power outages (in Washington), we're in a holding pattern right now," he said.

WASHINGTON — A tornado that destroyed hundreds of homes Sunday also had drawn in hundreds of emergency responders and others intent on helping the recovery effort by Monday morning.In the immediate aftermath of the storm, that response amounted to an overabundance of volunteers. Many had to be turned away, along with residents of the most devastated areas, as damage assessment teams surveyed neighborhoods.But emergency management workers, utility repair [...]

WASHINGTON — About an hour after the EF-4 tornado touched down Sunday in central Illinois, the Facebook page Washington IL Tornado Recovery was online. Within 10 minutes it had 100 "likes," and by 3 p.m. Monday that number had grown to 157,000.The page is filled with photos of the tornado's aftermath and useful information for those affected — where to go for a hot [...]

EAST PEORIA — Owners of storm-damaged homes who receive repair offers that seem too good to be true should be aware that they probably are. That's the warning from Lisa Scott, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Peoria, 1599 N. Main St., East Peoria."We need to protect consumers from repair scams. After a devastating storm, people come in from outside the area to offer help," she said."We want to get the word out [...]

WASHINGTON — A self-described "storm-chaser," Todd Cannon found his role reversed Sunday.The Washington tornado chased Cannon, along with his 6-year-old son. They were forced to hunker down and hold onto one another as Cannon's Nissan Xterra was rocked by the tornado and pounded by debris."We rode it out," Todd Cannon said, plain-faced. "It was unbelievable."His son acknowledged he'd been scared by the storm, especially the loudness: "It [...]

PEORIA — A tornado is a terrifying event, even if you don't lose everything you own to one. Children are particularly vulnerable to the kind of emotional turbulence brought about by surviving a devastating storm like the one Sunday that damaged or destroyed 500 homes in Washington."The child will be just as awestruck by the tornado as the parent is. That kind of destruction is not something you expect to see, or ever thought you'd see," said Erin Myers, the former [...]

WASHINGTON — The Davidson family hid under a utility sink in their basement, bracing for the raw blast of a tornado.First came a terrific noise, then a painful rain — of concrete. The twister ripped foundation blocks from the walls, burying and bloodying the quartet. Dazed, they dug out and straggled outside, only to find their entire neighborhood had been knocked down."It was totally crazy," said Joey Davidson, 38, from his bed at UnityPoint [...]

PEKIN -- More than 200 structures were damaged and less than half of those rendered inhabitable due to the tornado that came through the northern part of of Pekin on Sunday.Darin Gridler, Pekin's assistant city manager, said 75 homes were unfit to live in after the storm. Some of those had no roofs. Others, he said, were structurally unsound. It wasn't clear how any of the 75 homes would have to be razed.With the damage has come gawkers and Pekin police again [...]

PEORIA - Several Peoria County departments began to contribute to the clean-up and recovery effort in Tazewell County within hours of the deadly tornado. County Administrator Lori Curtis Luther said the county's EMA, sheriff's department, health department and planning and zoning staff were in contact with their counterparts in Tazewell County to offer assistance. Peoria County went through a similar situation a few years ago when a tornado struck the town of [...]

The Red Cross said financial donations are the best way to help those who have been affected. Call (800) RED CROSS or visit redcross.org to make a donation. Tell them you want your donation to go to the central Illinois tornado response.To donate to the Salvation Army, call (800) SAL-ARMY), go online at www.saheartland.org, or mail to:The Salvation Army - Disaster Relief401 NE Adams St.Peoria, IL 61603