Nine local governments in north and west Alabama have been awarded more than $15.7 million in grants to help with tornado recovery.
The grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development include $4.8 million to help rebuild Hackleburg's downtown. Eighteen people were killed and many of the businesses in the Marion County town were destroyed or heavily damaged by an April 27 tornado.
Other grant recipients include Cordova, DeKalb County, Franklin County, Marion County, Moulton, Phil Campbell, the city of Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa County. The money will be spent on infrastructure repair, demolition of damaged structures and construction of public buildings.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.