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WASHINGTON (AP) - Eleven Illinois counties will get some federal money to recover from the flooding in the state that occurred in late April and early May.

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the White House has made federal funds available to supplement state and local recovery efforts. The assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs that help businesses and home owners.

The federal aid will be shared by Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will counties. And other areas might also receive assistance if the state requests it and further damage assessments reveal it is warranted.

For further information, contact http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri Senate panel had endorsed a new funding source for a program that serves developmentally disabled children.

A Senate health committee amended a bill Monday to create a $55 million state fund from general revenues to be used for services to the disabled and low-income seniors.

The bill is intended to ensure there is no drop in funding for the First Steps program for disabled preschoolers, nor for several other initiatives.

Last week, the Legislature voted to fund First Steps and those other initiatives with revenues from the repeal of a tax break for low-income seniors and disabled people who live in rental housing. But Gov. Jay Nixon has said he is likely to veto that tax-credit repeal if it is not part of a broad-based tax credit overhaul.

The Supreme Court unanimously agreed with Monsanto, that and elderly Indiana farmer infringed on the company's patent.

The high court ruled that 75-year-old Vernon Bowman illegally used some of the biotech company's Roundup-resistant soybeans to grow a new crop. Bowman argued that he bought the seeds through a third party. He said the company had abandoned their patent-protected seeds by allowing them to be mixed-in with non-patented seeds.

Experts say this is a victory for inventors who create self-replicating products--like computer software. the ruling will protect their intellectual property. Still, consumers could end up paying higher food prices--farmers will pass on the higher cost of Monsanto's seeds to customers.