Deadline is Looming for Central Alabama Residents

   The Small Business Administration is reminding Central Alabama residents that a deadline closing fast.     April 25 is the last day for residents of seven counties to apply for disaster loans linked to last year’s drought. Assistance is available for residents in Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Saint Clair, Shelby and Talladega counties, which had some of the worst conditions during the dry spell. 70 percent of Alabama is abnormally dry or experiencing drought conditions, according to the most recent statistics. But that's still a vast improvement from December, when practically the entire state was entrenched in a severe drought. The latest drought monitor finds that the worst drought conditions are in southern Jefferson County and northern Shelby County, plus small sections of Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.