April 23 is the filing deadline for small businesses affected by the flood to apply for loans, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Businesses in Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie counties are eligible, a news release said. Businesses in Columbia, Albany, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties also can receive aid.

The loans are for up to $1.5 million per business and carry a 4 percent interest rate.

"SBA’s disaster declaration was issued as a result of similar action taken by the Secretary of Agriculture to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops caused by excessive rain and cold temperatures on May 1, 2006, through June 30, 2006," Frank Skaggs, director of the SBA Field Operations Center East, said in a prepared statement.

Applications are available at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance; they can be mailed to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

More information is available by calling (800) 659-2955.

�Buy local’ programs

set in Chenango

Opportunities for Chenango is having a series of "buy local" programs throughout April.

The programs will be in Norwich, Bainbridge, New Berlin, Greene and Sherburne, according to a news release. They are designed to make people aware of the benefits of buying local produce, services and manufactured products. [an error occurred while processing this directive]