SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) - With the recent flooding throughout the state, Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford is reminding flood victims that aid is available through the treasurer’s Disaster Recovery Linked Deposit Program.

According Rutherford, the program helps residents, businesses and farmers get  low-interest loans to recover from weather-related damage to their property.

After a loan is approved, Rutherford says the state makes a deposit into the financial institution which helps lower the interest rate to the borrower, effectively making the repairs more affordable. 

The maximum interest rate for qualifying borrowers is 2.36 percent for a two-year loan and 2.69 percent for a three-year loan for the month of April 2013.  The rate is locked in for the duration of the period.  The program caps the interest rate at 3 percent for qualified borrowers at participating financial institutions.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - A viewer sent us this photo of an active hummingbird on the first day of fall!

You can send us your photos to cnews@kfvs12.com.

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HARRISBURG, IL (KFVS) - Five Federal agencies have teamed up to offer free military passes to a National Parks, National Forest or other Federal lands to all active duty military and their dependents.

Under the Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), 'America the Beautiful' military passes are available at many federal land management agency offices, including the Shawnee National Forest offices in Harrisburg, Vienna, and Jonesboro. Military members and their dependents.

Although, according to a spokesman some sites within the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service require fees.

Like the other America the Beautiful Passes (annual, senior and access), the military pass will provide free access to federal sites where entry fees or standard amenity fees are charged.

To discover more about the Shawnee National Forest, visit their website.