Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Small Businesses in Massachusetts Impacted by the Boston Marathon Bombing

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Low-interest economic injury disaster loans are available to Massachusetts small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private non-profit organizations affected by the Boston Marathon Bombing on April 15, 2013.  

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SBA Administrator Karen Mills made the loans available following a request from Massachusetts
Gov. Deval L. Patrick on April 26 for a disaster declaration by the SBA.  The declaration covers Suffolk County and the neighboring counties of Essex, Middlesex and Norfolk in Massachusetts.

"The Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to help small businesses and non-profits in Massachusetts with their federal disaster loans," said Mills.  "Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA."

"The SBA can help affected small businesses and non-profit organizations overcome their economic losses by offering working capital loans, but the help cannot start until they submit an SBA Disaster Loan application to us," said Robert H. Nelson, SBA's Massachusetts district director. 

Eligible entities may qualify for loans up to $2 million.  The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  The rates on these loans are 2.875 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses with terms up to 30 years.  The SBA determines eligibility for the loans based on the size and type of business and its financial resources. 

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Applications and program information are available by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov . Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth,
TX 76155.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 27, 2014.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Contact: Michael Lampton
Email: Michael.Lampton@sba.gov
Phone: (404) 331-0333

Release Number: 13-517 MA 13556 

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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Are Adidas and Louisville profiting off Kevin Ware's horrific injury?

The college is selling an Adidas-made shirt honoring Ware, but keeping the revenue for itself

On Wednesday, the University of Louisville and Adidas put a new basketball shirt up for sale that references Kevin Ware, the reserve guard who shattered his leg in the team's victory over Duke last weekend.

The decision has sparked outrage in some corners, with critics accusing the college and Adidas of shamelessly making money off a devastating, career-threatening injury.

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"Louisville and Adidas don't deserve to wring one more cent out of Kevin Ware's name, and they are greedy vampires for trying to do so now," says Deadspin's Tom Ley.

The shirt bears the slogan "Rise to the occasion," which Adidas has used on other team shirts during the tournament. The new shirts are a variation on that theme, but with the number five — Ware's jersey number — appearing on the back and replacing the "S" in "rise."

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The team was already issued similar warmups honoring Ware, which they'll use during the Final Four. But as Ley points out, those shirts were given only to players, and are not up for sale.

The shirts available to the public are selling at the Louisville team store for $25. However, Ware almost certainly won't see any of that revenue. College athletes are prohibited from receiving money for their efforts, a policy that has itself been criticized as a sign that the NCAA and colleges are profiting off the free labor of student athletes.

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"You almost have to tip your cap: No non-profit does buccaneer profiteering quite like the NCAA," says The Nation's Dave Zinn. "What other institution would see a tibia snap through a 20-year-old's skin on national television and see dollar signs?"

As CBS reported, Ware could lose his scholarship or end up with the full tab for his medical bills, even though he sustained his injury during a team game. So far, Louisville has said they have no plains to direct proceeds from the shirts to cover Ware's medical expenses.

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However, some fans may see the shirt in different light, says SB Nation's Andrew Sharp.

Kevin Ware should have been getting paid when he was playing last weekend, but buying these shirts now isn't co-signing corporate greed and galling hypocrisy so much as saying, "Hey, I want to show love for Kevin Ware, because that kid seems awesome." And Kevin Ware probably thinks the shirts are pretty cool, too. [SB Nation]

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WRSI Recalls Kayaking and Rafting Helmets Due to Head Injury Hazard

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumers should stop using this product, which is being recalled voluntarily, unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Recall Summary

Name of product: Whitewater Kayaking and Rafting Helmets

Hazard: The chinstrap buckle can fail, posing a head injury hazard to users.

Remedy: Refund, Replace

Consumer Contact:  WRSI; toll-free at (888) 441-1041, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, email buckle@whitewaterhelmet.com, or online at www.whitewaterhelmets.com and click on "Safety Alert" at the center of the home page for more information.

To see photos of the recalled products, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2013/WRSI-Recalls-Kayaking-and-Rafting-Helmets/.

Recall Details

Units: About 2,000 in the United States and 200 in Canada

Description: This recall involves WRSI Moment and Trident models whitewater kayaking and rafting helmets. They have a black chinstrap with a black plastic buckle and were sold in sizes S/M and M/L. "WRSI" is printed under or on top of the helmet's visor. WRSI's "Wave Logo" is visible on the back of the Moment helmet. "WRSI" is printed vertically on the back of the Trident helmet. The part number is printed on the hang tag of both models. Helmets in the following colors or color combinations and sizes, and with the part numbers listed below, are being recalled:

Model	Color and Size	Part Number
Moment	Glossy red - S/M	852145003633 and 852145003657
(with and	Glossy red - M/L	852145003602 and 852145003619
without vents)	Matte black - S/M	852145003626 and 852145003640
	Matte black - M/L	852145003589 and 852145003596
Trident	Black Rasta - M/L	852145003411
	Black with pinstripe - S/M	852145003466
	Black with pinstripe - M/L	852145003367
	Blue/Carbon - S/M	852145003459
	Blue/Carbon -  M/L	852145003398
	Green/Army green - S/M	852145003480
	Green/Army green - M/L	852145003381
	Green/Carbon - S/M	852145003442
	Green/Carbon - M/L	852145003404
	Red/Burnt red - S/M	852145003473
	Red/Burnt red - M/L	852145003374

Incidents/Injuries: WRSI is aware of 10 incidents of chinstrap failures. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the helmets immediately and contact WRSI for a free replacement or full refund.
Sold at: Northwest River Supplies and sporting goods stores nationwide and online at www.whitewaterhelmet.com from March 2012 through November 2012 for between $140 and $170.
Importer: Whitewater Technology Associates, LC, dba Whitewater Research & Safety Institute (WRSI), of Park City, Utah.
Manufactured in: China

Note: Health Canada's press release is available at http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2013/26359r-eng.php

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov.

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a significant decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:
800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)
Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

Media Contact
Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800
Link Text: View CPSC contacts for specific areas of expertise

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

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