Loans available to businesses hurt by rock slide

 Federal officials are offering low-interest loans to help western North Carolina businesses cover expenses after a rock slide closed part of Interstate 40.

Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills announced Tuesday that the loans were available following a request from Gov. Beverly Perdue last week for a disaster declaration.

The declaration covers Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, Swain and Transylvania in North Carolina; and Cocke and Sevier counties in Tennessee.

The SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides loans to help business owners pay bills. The loans also are available even if the business didn't suffer physical damage.

The Oct. 25 rock slide near the North Carolina-Tennessee line is expected to keep the interstate closed in Haywood County for at least four months.