Commencement ceremonies for the class of 2023 are scheduled for May 19^th, 2023. One-hundred eighteen students will walk the line at Fred Schwartz Field.

Cannon County’s Radio Station continues the tradition of air profiles of the members of the graduating class.  During midday broadcast hours, listeners will have the opportunity to learn more about the leaders of tomorrow.  Profiles for week one include:

Monday, May 1st

9am       Sierra Ashford

10am    Alexis Barnes

11am    Montana Blaine

12pm    Kathryn Blackman

1pm       Bryson Blasingame

2pm       Christopher Blount Jr.

3pm       Joda Bobo

Tuesday, May 2nd

9am       Haley Bumbalagh

10am    Haliegh Christy

11am    Zoey Coe

12pm    Christopher Church

1pm       Patricia Crane

2pm       Montana Davis

3pm       Cloudia Gracia Diaz

Wednesday, May 3rd

9am       Leighanne Dodd

10am    Braden Emberton

11am    Austin Ferrell

12pm    Jacob Foster

1pm       Nicholas Foster

2pm       Hannah Jo Foulk

3pm       Sadie Frazier

Thursday, May 4th

9am       Kemberleigh Freeman

10am    Haliee Gunter

11am    Ana Guerreo

12pm    Tyler Gunter

1pm       Keilee Hedrick

2pm       Jaden Henderson

3pm       Brady Higgins

Friday, May 5th

9am       Alex Hill

10am    Ricky Hollis

11am    Anaston Holt

12pm    Greg Howard

1pm       Joshua Jerrinigan

2pm       Aleeya Johnson

3pm       Kimberly Johnson

4pm       Kaitlyn Judkins

Senior awards night will be Monday, May 8^th at Robert A. Harris Gymnasium.  WBRY will broadcast awards night and commencement ceremonies on May 19^th.

Cannon County Elementary School located at 530 West Adams Street, Woodbury and Cannon County Middle School located at 511 Annie Cox Drive, Woodbury will be CLOSED on Thursday, May 4^th, 2023 & Friday, May 5^th, 2023 due to installation of rooftop HVAC Units and shutoff of water during the installation.

Director of Cannon County Schools – William Freddy Curtis stated, “Cannon County Elementary School and Cannon County Middle School will be CLOSED on Thursday, May 4^th, 2023 & Friday, May 5^th, 2023 due to installation of rooftop HVAC Units and shutoff of water during the installation. These units to be replaced are located on top of the Gymnasium, Foyer, and Cafeteria. Cranes will be on-site to remove the old units and install the new units, which are water-source units, thus the water will have to be cut off during the school day. Additionally, some classroom HVAC units that have had problems will be replaced during these two days.

Third Grade thru 8^th Grade will have Google Classroom Assignments and PreK thru Second Grade will have paper packets sent home with assignments. Grab and go breakfast and lunches will be distributed Wednesday May 3^rd, 2023. Meals will be distributed at the end of the school day for students to take home for the two virtual days. If you have questions/concerns regarding meals, please contact Jennifer Insell 629-201-4809 or Lisa Black 629-201-4805. We appreciate parents/guardians of Cannon County Elementary School and Cannon County Middle School for their understanding during these needed HVAC replacements.”

Tennessee houses of worship and certain other nonprofit organizations in the counties affected by the storms and tornadoes on March 31 to April 1, 2023, may be eligible for grants from FEMA’s Public Assistance program. The grants can help pay for emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoration of disaster-damaged facilities.

Who is Eligible

• Private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, that have sustained storm damage in Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne counties may be eligible for the program.
• The nonprofit organizations must provide a noncritical, essential social service such as community and senior citizen centers.
• Nonprofit organizations must also provide a current ruling letter from the Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501 (c) (d) or (e) of the IRS Code of 1954 or through the State of Tennessee.
• This category of nonprofit must go through the loan application process with the U.S. Small Business Administration before FEMA can determine eligibility for its Public Assistance program.
• SBA’s low-interest disaster loans provide up to $2 million for repair or replacement of disaster-damaged property including furniture, fixtures and other essential contents. Houses of worship are not required to accept a loan, but FEMA will not fund repairs unless an SBA loan application is denied or does not fully cover the permanent work costs.
• Insurance settlements can be a factor. FEMA will need to see any insurance policy covering the facility and documentation on any proceeds received. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits; FEMA will cover only expenses not covered by insurance.

Submitting a Request for Public Assistance

• After a major federal disaster declaration, the state holds applicant briefings to inform potential applicants of the assistance available and how to apply. Applicants must then file a Request for Public Assistance, or RPA.
• Houses of worship are encouraged to contact their county emergency management office for more information on how to submit a Request for Public Assistance.
• The application deadline for submitting a Request for Public Assistance is Saturday, May 6, 2023.

• Following the approved request, FEMA and the applicants will hold meetings to discuss disaster-caused damage and how to develop the project. Applicants must identify and report their needs by the May 6 deadline.
• If a project request is approved, FEMA obligates project funds, which are received by the state. The state determines how much of those costs is the applicant’s responsibility.

On Friday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2023 legislative session, which includes the successful passage of his $56.2 billion budget and full legislative agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in February.

“To prepare Tennessee for continued growth and prosperity, we’ve made strategic investments to cut taxes, strengthen our workforce, ensure educational opportunity and modernize transportation infrastructure across our state,” said Lee. “I commend the General Assembly for its partnership to pass conservative measures and maintain Tennessee’s reputation for strong fiscal stewardship.”

Lee’s agenda included the landmark Transportation Modernization Act, historic legislation that will create a new transportation strategy and invest $3.3 billion to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities without raising taxes or taking on debt. 

The roster of budget and legislative priorities also dedicated $250 million to Tennessee’s Rainy Day Fund, bringing totals to an historic $2.05 billion, and included significant investments in tax relief, K-12 education, Tennessee’s skilled workforce and conservation. Notably, Lee led a comprehensive school safety proposal to enhance physical security in public and non-public schools across Tennessee. 

Highlights from Lee’s agenda include the following: 

Transportation & Infrastructure Modernization

• $3 billion to the Transportation Modernization Fund to alleviate urban congestion and fund rural road projects across the state, which includes $750 million allocated to each of Tennessee’s four TDOT regions 
• $300 million to expand the State Aid Program for local road projects, allocating 15 times more funding toward local communities than they receive each year for transportation projects
• Ensures that Tennessee has the resources necessary to meet current and future transportation needs by engaging in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), Alternative Delivery Models and Electric/Hybrid vehicle fee parity

Economic Opportunity & Tax Relief 

• More than $400 million in tax cuts for Tennessee families and businesses through the Tennessee Works Tax Act, one of the largest tax relief measures in Tennessee history
• $273 million for a one-time, three-month sales tax holiday on grocery items, providing tax relief for Tennessee families
• More than $150 million in annual small business tax relief, including raising the exemption threshold for the business tax, exempting the first $50,000 of net income from excise tax and protecting the first $500,000 in property investment from the franchise tax
• $64 million to simplify tax administration and conform with the federal bonus depreciation provisions of 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, allowing businesses to more quickly recover costs and further incentivize investment in Tennessee production
• Provides foundation for supporting Tennessee’s continued economic growth, aligning Tennessee with more than 30 states by adopting “single sales factor” apportionment for franchise and excise tax

Skilled Workforce

• Nearly $1 billion to complete the TCAT Master Plan to improve 16 existing TCATs, replace seven outdated facilities and build six brand new TCATs at strategic locations across Tennessee

Enhanced School Safety Measures

• $30 million for more than 100 Homeland Security agents across all 95 counties to serve Tennesseans and students in both public and non-public schools
• $140 million for one full-time, armed School Resource Officer (SRO) for every public school
• $40 million for public school security upgrades
• $14 million for private school security upgrades
• $8 million for additional School-Based Behavioral Health Liaisons across the state
• Enacts a multi-tiered accountability plan to ensure exterior doors are locked while students are present
• Requires that private security guards receive active shooter training prior to being posted at schools 
• Requires every school district to establish threat assessment teams to ensure students are connected to support services and behavioral health professionals when appropriate
• Requires every public and private school to develop annual safety plans, including a newly required incident command drill for school leaders and law enforcement

Great Schools 

• $350 million in additional funding to local education agencies through Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA)
  • Combined with $750 million in the base budget, new recurring state funding for the education formula totals more than $1 billion
  • Includes $125 million for teacher pay raises
• Increases the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 by 2026, making Tennessee a top-10 state for teacher pay in the nation, and protects teachers and taxpayers by ensuring school districts no longer collect union dues  
• Includes funding to extend summer learning camps and expand the eligibility age to Kindergarten through 9th grade

Strong & Healthy Families

• $330 million in shared savings under our first-in-the-nation TennCare Medicaid waiver will help provide for the health of mothers and infants in our most vulnerable communities, providing care at no additional burden to Tennessee taxpayers that will:
  • Cover the cost of diapers during the first two years of a baby’s life for mothers on TennCare, becoming the first state in the nation to support parents in this way
  • Expand TennCare to underserved parents, supporting an extra 8,100 parents each year
  • Establish continuous coverage for children, ensuring no lapse in coverage for children for at least a year, which will help an estimated 10,000 children remain enrolled
  • Make permanent Tennessee’s post-partum coverage benefit, ensuring a full year of TennCare coverage to support approximately 3,000 new mothers every year
  • Adjust TennCare’s income threshold for pregnant women to 250% of the federal poverty level to cover an additional 2,400 new mothers in need every year
• $20 million for Crisis Pregnancy Provider Support Grants to support crisis pregnancy non-profits, improving access to healthcare and information for expecting mothers
• $10.25 million for TN Fosters Hope grant funding to elevate high quality care for children and families impacted by foster care and adoption, allowing providers to expand services to foster and adoptive families
• $29 million to expand programming for children with complex or special needs that face challenges being placed in a traditional foster or adoptive home by further developing the provider network and providing respite and long-term care

Protecting Tennessee Children

• Improves the state’s foster care and adoption process to make foster care, adoption and surrender more child-centered and user-friendly by providing more supports for expecting mothers and foster/adoptive families 
• $5.7 million in supplemental 2022-23 funding to increase provider placements for children in state custody 
• $33 million to increase bed capacity in the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) provider network, reducing the time children and youth spend in offices and children’s homes 
• $15.9 million to align DCS case manager salary with market salary regionally and in the private sector 
• Modernizes the process for storing and recording adoption records within DCS

Safe Neighborhoods

• Adds 100 Highway Patrol Troopers and related support staff and 25 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Forensic Services staff
• $30 million addition to the TN Law Enforcement Hiring, Training and Recruitment Program (Year 2)
• $50 million expansion of the Violent Crime Intervention Fund
• $357 million for network expansion of the Tennessee Advanced Communication Network (TACN) to transition remaining state agencies into TACN, improve coverage and provide infrastructure grants for local agencies to join TACN

Brighter Future 

• Improve and expand three additional state natural areas, build two new park lodges, complete four more outdoor trails and create four new state parks
• $5.3 million for the Rural Brownfields Investment Act to begin remediation efforts for 175 known brownfield sites, including the creation of a new state-administered grant and technical support program for remediation and economic development of existing brownfields
• $50 million for a Nuclear Fund to recruit companies to our state that will establish a nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem built for the future of Tennessee

Asset Management

• $1.7 billion to address capital improvements and maintenance, including Tennessee State Parks and TCATs
• Ensures more than $2.6 billion of recurring revenue is allocated to one-time expenditures, allowing the return of these resources for review and budgeting next fiscal year

New data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) showed the statewide preliminary unemployment rate for March decreased to 3.4% after the statistic has held steady at 3.5% for the last five months.   The decrease put the seasonally adjusted rate for March just 0.2 of a percentage point away from Tennessee’s all-time low jobless number of 3.2%.   In a year-to-year comparison, the statewide unemployment rate increased slightly from 3.3% to 3.4%.   Employers across the state continue to add workers to their payrolls. They created 1,700 new nonfarm jobs between February and March. The largest increase occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector. The manufacturing sector and the education and health services sector had the next largest month-to-month increases.   Tennessee also experienced an increase in nonfarm employment over the last year. Employers added 96,900 jobs across the state. The leisure and hospitality sector, the education and health services, and then the government sector accounted for the biggest gains in employment.     TDLWD has prepared a complete analysis of the state’s March 2023 unemployment data which is available here.     Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also decreased in March. It dropped 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5%. When compared to the March 2022 rate, the current figure decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point.   Tennessee employers, in every corner of the state, continue to search for a skilled workforce. Jobs4TN.gov has more than 350,000 open positions posted.   Job seekers can find a wide range of information that can help them return to the workforce at TNWorkReady.com. The site has resources available that will point individuals to the nearest American Job Center, help them identify job training opportunities, or lead them down the path to a high school equivalency diploma.

“Saturday was the perfect morning for the 5th annual Cannon Runs for Children 5K,” announced Cannon County Coordinator Amanda Hammond.  “The Cannon County Child Advocacy Center wants to thank all the sponsors and runners.  It was a beautiful day to run.”

The event was held at the Arts Center of Cannon County.  Keith Ready, Cannon Courier News and Sports Content Creator, was the master of ceremonies. 

The Honorable Judge Susan Melton presented the Hometown Heroes Award to Tony Burnett for his outstanding dedication to justice for Cannon County children.  Child Advocacy Center director Sharon De Boer announced that Venessa Hyer from the Department of Children’s Services won the second Hometown Heroes Award.

Ready expressed sincere gratitude to the event sponsors.  The Platinum sponsor was the Arts Center of Cannon County. The Gold Sponsor was Stones River Wealth Management. Silver and Bronze sponsors were the Cowan Family, DTC Communications, Experience Community Church Cannon County, First Bank, Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, Connie Higgins with Higgins Flea Market, Tri Star Title Company, Retired District Attorney General Bill and Lucy Whitesell, and Woodbury Drug Center.  Friends of the CAC included 210 Willow, Cyndi Bush, Capstar Bank, Jonathon Fagan Attorney at Law, Katina George Circuit Court Clerk, Iron Pig Antiques, Overstreet HVAC, Preston Brothers, and Nolan and Treava Travis.

Ready also thanked Blake Finney from Shelter Insurance, CASA, Cannon County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, and Stones River Wealth Management volunteers for providing granola bars, bananas, and bottled water for the runners. He expressed appreciation to the Arts Center of Cannon County for graciously donating the venue and providing a place for the runners to warm up!

Tony Burnett led a prayer for the runner’s safety and Personal Best Timing Jamie Neil and Cannon Runs Committee Member Brian Elrod announced the instructions and the run route.

Race Results:

• Overall winners:  Jacob Carrigan (first place), Jason Barrett (second place), Chris Cope (third place)
• Female 1 -12:  A. Ferrell (first place), F. Smith (second place), N. Manning (third place)
• Males 1 – 12:  H. Tuck (first place), C. Merriman (second place), C. Alexander (third place)
• Female 13 to 18:  Ellie Leach (first place), Madelyn Leach (second place), Ava Gfroerer (third place)
• Males 13 to 18:  Matthew Phillips (first place), Colton Kennamer (second place), Samuel Mason (third place)
• Females 19 to 64:  Brooke Slaughter (first place), Rhonda Carr (second place), Shirley Barrett (third place)
• Males 19 to 64:  Wesley Alexander (first place), Stuart Leach (second place), Jesse Slaughter (third place)
• Senior Citizen (65+):  Kenneth Bell (first place), James Adkins (second place)

Child Advocacy Center Development Coordinator Katie Enzor thanked the 2023 Cannon Runs for Children 5K committee members who made this a successful event:  Retired Judge Susan Melton, Judge Matthew Cowan, Brian Elrod, Christine O’Day, Keith Ready, and Kamille Smith.

The 2024 Cannon Runs for Children 5K Planning Committee is looking for committee members.  If you would like to serve on it, contact Amanda Hammond or Katie Enzor at (615) 563-9915 or ahammond@cannoncac.org or kenzor@cacrutherford.org.

CAC Media Release

A Disaster Recovery Center opened at 7 a.m. Friday, April 21, in Woodbury to accommodate residents who were affected by the storms and tornadoes and want to update their existing FEMA applications or learn about state and community programs and other available assistance.

Under the major disaster declaration, 10 Tennessee counties were designated for FEMA Individual Assistance, meaning residents who had uninsured or underinsured damage or losses from the March 31 to April 1, 2023, storms and tornadoes may apply for FEMA assistance. The designated counties are Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne.

You do not need to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to apply to FEMA. But do first file a claim with your insurance company or agent before applying for FEMA assistance.

The Cannon County Disaster Recovery Center is located at:

East Side Elementary School

5658 McMinnville Highway

Woodbury, TN 37190

Opened: 7 a.m. Friday, April 21

Regular Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT Monday to Saturday; 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. CDT Sunday

Specialists at Disaster Recovery Centers can clarify information you have received from FEMA or other agencies. They can also discuss other FEMA grants that don’t have to be repaid, including funding if you had to stay in a hotel temporarily or funding for basic home repairs if, as a homeowner, your primary residence was damaged in the storms. Specialists can also submit your requested documents to a FEMA processing center.

As Disaster Recovery Centers open across western Tennessee, you may decide to visit any recovery center to get help. To find one near you, go to:  https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator.

Here are the ways to apply for FEMA disaster assistance:

• Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
• Use the FEMA mobile app
• Call the Disaster Assistance Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service when you apply. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 6 a.m. to midnight Central Daylight Time daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
• For an American Sign Language video on how to apply, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI&list=PL720Kw_OojlKOhtKG7HM_0n_kEawus6FC&index=6

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) ask Tennesseans to take part in National DEA Take Back Day for prescription drugs on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cannon County’s event will take place at Woodbury Drug Center on Main Street in Woodbury.

DEA Take Back Day is a national program of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and in 2023 happens on the same day as Earth Day, observed every April 22. April is also Earth Month, with events raising environmental awareness worldwide.

DEA Take Back Day addresses public safety and public health issues. It is an opportunity to rid homes of expired, unused, unwanted, and potentially dangerous prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Sites cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps – only pills or patches.

“This is a significant event for many reasons,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers. “It promotes the disposal of unused drugs from the home, and it is good for the environment, keeping drugs out of our waterways which is where they can end up otherwise. We hope Tennesseans will take part in this important opportunity.”

“Gathering up and cleaning out medications that you’re no longer taking is the easiest way we all can prevent addiction in our communities and in our homes,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW.  “With surging numbers of overdose deaths in Tennessee, removing unused medication from the home can help reduce the temptation of young people to experiment with opioids. From fake pressed pills to other substances containing fentanyl, it’s never been more important for parents to and talk to their children about the dangers of misusing medications.”

Dropoff locations, available year-round, can be found online in a map of 382 authorized collection sites throughout Tennessee.  In addition to permanent drop box locations, Tennessee’s Substance Use Prevention Coalitions are holding more than 100 Take Back Day events all across the state.  These events, in partnership with local law enforcement, are an opportunity to share the power of prevention and share community based resources.  Find an event in your area at TNtogether.com. According to national research, about two-thirds of people who misuse or abuse prescription medications obtain them from family or friends.

The event this month is the DEA’s 24th nationwide Take Back Day since its inception over 12 years ago. In 2022, Americans turned in nearly 684 tons (1,368,256 pounds) of prescription drugs at over 10,000 sites operated by the DEA and over 8,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Those partnerships have now collected nearly 8,500 tons of prescription medications since the inception of the initiative in 2010.

More information about the takeback program is available online from TDEC, as well as from the DEA.  Free and confidential referrals to addiction treatment services are available anytime through the Tennessee REDLINE.  Just call or text 800-889-9789.

Cannon County School Officials learned of a threat at Cannon South Elementary School late in the day on Wednesday, April 19^th, 2023.  A 4^th Grade Student made a threat on a School Bus on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 19^th, 2023.  This situation was turned over immediately to local law enforcement. Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and School Administrators are continuing to investigate this situation. Upon recommendation of local officials, Cannon South Elementary School will be CLOSED for Students tomorrow, April 20^th, 2023 with Faculty and Staff reporting for training.  There is no threat at the school at this time, and this will allow Law Enforcement and School Officials to investigate the matter fully.

Director of Cannon County Schools – Mr. William Freddy Curtis stated, “The safety of our students is imperative, and every threat is taken seriously. We appreciate the efforts of Cannon South Elementary School and Cannon County Law Enforcement Officials to investigate ANY threat. In this incident, the student who made the threat has been suspended and the investigation is continuing. We sincerely ask that Parents/Guardians PLEASE TALK WITH YOUR STUDENTS regarding threats.  Cannon County Schools place a priority on school safety, and we investigate all reports of threats made against schools. As always, we encourage students to report anything they have seen or heard that threatens their safety in any way. Our Team remains steadfast that our first priority is student safety.  Any person that is found to make a threat regarding ANY of our schools will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Working together we desire to have the best possible learning environment and climate at ALL of our Cannon County Schools.”

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it has opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Rutherford county.

At the BRC, SBA’s Customer Service Representatives will assist Tennesseans applying for SBA disaster loans for losses due to severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred from March 31 through April 1.
 

“Our Business Recovery Centers are one of the most powerful resources at SBA’s disposal to support business owners in the midst of a disaster,” said Francisco Sanchez, Jr., Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “Business owners can meet in-person with our specialists to apply for SBA disaster loans and get information on the full breadth of our programs designed to help them navigate their recovery.”

The disaster declaration covers Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne countiesin Tennessee, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Bedford, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Fayette, Henderson, Hickman, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Madison, Marshall, Maury, Perry, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Warren, Williamson and Wilson in Tennessee.
 

Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their settlement before applying to the SBA. The SBA can make a loan for the total loss and use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
 

Any business owner or resident in any of the declared counties can get help at the BRC. It will operate as indicated below until further notice:

Currently, SBA has opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Rutherford County where the public can visit and speak to a representative from the SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience

BCR Hours

Monday to Friday:         8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday:                     9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Rutherford County Historic Courthouse
 

South Public Square, Suite 303
Murfreesboro, TN 37130

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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRCs are encouraged to wear a face mask.
 

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
 

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
 

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
 

Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.375 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
 

“The opportunity to include measures to help prevent future damage from occurring is a significant benefit of SBA’s disaster loan program,” said SBA Associate Administrator Francisco Sanchez, Jr. “I encourage everyone to consult their contractors and emergency management mitigation specialists for ideas and apply for an SBA disaster loan increase for funding.”
 

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17866.
 

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.
 

Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
 

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 6, 2023. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Jan. 8, 2024.