LAGUNA BEACH : Thursday Is Deadline for SBA Fire Loans

Small business owners who suffered economic loss as a result of last fall’s firestorm have until Thursday to apply for low-interest federal loans.

The Small Business Administration loans are available to businesses that are having difficulty meeting financial obligations they would have been able to meet had the disaster not occurred. Businesses may be eligible for such loans whether or not their building sustained physical damage.

In other fire-related news, two fire relief groups now in the Boat Canyon shopping center have announced they will move together to a new location Aug. 4.

The state’s office of emergency services community liaison office and the Laguna Fire Relief Coalition will relocate to 800 Glenneyre St., where they will share an office. Both groups will move from their current homes Friday.

“It’ll be really great,” coalition director Marsha Bode said. “We’ll have a lot of space for workshops and meetings and just everything like that that we’ve been wanting.”

At their new offices, the community liaison office will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday while the coalition will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To apply for the small business loans, write to SBA, Box 13795, Sacramento, CA. 95853-4795 or call (800) 488-5323.