Small business owners are invited to attend a workshop at the Tracy Chamber of Commerce on Thursday to learn whether their companies qualify for subsidized loans through the Small Business Association.

Tracy Economic Development director Ursula Luna-Reynosa will lead the seminar, in which she will lay out eligibility requirements for the loans, offered through a nonprofit called the Grow America Fund Inc.

The loans range in amount from $100,000 to $2 million and are targeted at for-profit businesses that are financially healthy. The nonprofit works with the national Small Business Administration to help bolster small businesses.

Unlike conventional bank loans, the Grow Tracy Fund loans will have longer terms so the borrower can make smaller payments. Also, it offers lower down payments and interest rates, according to said Sofia Valenzuela of the chamber of commerce.

After the loans are paid back, the idea is to lend out the money again, according to the city. Valenzuela said that 90 percent of the loans are insured by the federal government, and that the city is liable for the remaining 10 percent.

The workshop is the first in a series, Valenzuela said. The chamber plans to host a business seminar every month, each time with a different theme. The event costs $10, which covers a lunch catered by DeVinci’s.

“We want to have several of these workshops to educate businesses in our area,” Valenzuela said. “This is our first step toward doing that.”

At a glance

• WHAT: Business development seminar

• WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday

• WHERE: Tracy Chamber of Commerce, 223 E. 10th St.

• COST: $10

• INFO: Sofia Valenzuela, 835-2131

News Briefs

AgVenture 2010

The annual Select San Joaquin AgVenture 2010 will be from 9 a.m. through late afternoon Wednesday at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 S. Airport Way, in Stockton. The AgVenture normally draws about 3,500 third-graders from around the Central Valley to learn about agriculture.

Entry to the event is free.

For information: Janet Dyk, 823-5013.

Historical museum guest speaker

Author and historian Dan Mosier will discuss the railroad history of local towns and cities as the Tracy Historical Museum guest speaker at a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Lolly Hansen Senior Center, 375 E. Ninth St.

Mosier will show rare slides of the Alameda and San Joaquin railroads, and as well as of the Western Pacific Railway.

For information: 832-7278.

Election fundraiser

Tracy City Council candidate Larry Hite will host a fundraiser for his campaign from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Amore’s Italian Restaurant, 130 W. 11th St. Lunch and dinner patrons need only present one of the fundraising fliers to the server for the restaurant to donate 20 percent of the bill to Hite’s campaign. Download the flier at www.facebook.com/hite-for-tracy-city-council.

For information: 830-6788.

Moose dinner and dance

The Women of the Moose will host a Mardi Gras dinner and dance at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Tracy Moose Lodge, 35 E. Sixth St. The menu will include fish, baked potatoes, coleslaw, bread and dessert.

Reservations are required, and tickets cost $20 per person or $30 per couple.

For information: 835-4366.

Civil grand jury applications

San Joaquin County is in search for people to serve on the San Joaquin County civil grand jury for the 2010-11 year.

Those interested should attend an informational session at 4 p.m. March 1 at the Stockton courthouse, 222 East Weber Ave., in Stockton. Applications can also be retrieved from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Superior Court Clerk’s offices, 315 E. Center St., in Manteca; 475 E. 10th St., in Tracy; or 315 W. Elm St., in Lodi.

Those looking to apply must be a resident of San Joaquin County for a minimum of a year and be at least 18 years old.

The application deadline is April 12.

For more information: Deputy jury commissioner

Bea Gin, 468-2827.

Invisible Children screening

The Invisible Children Club at West High School will screen the film “Invisible Children,” a 2003 documentary about Ugandan kids forced to serve as soldiers.

The screening will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at SouthWinds Church, 13400 W. Middle Road.

For information: 221-9224.

Food drive

Curves of Tracy, 2513 N. Tracy Blvd., will host a food drive from March 1 through 31 to collect food and money for local food banks. Gym members who donate a bag of groceries or make a minimum donation of $30 during the month of March will receive a reusable Curves grocery freezer bag. Members who do likewise between March 8 and 20 can join the gym for free.

For information: Mandi Mendes, 834-2424 or 9z23dn@curvesmail.com.

Boys & Girls Clubs gala

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tracy will host its 22nd annual gala fundraiser and auction at 5:30 p.m. March 13 at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, 715 Central Ave. The event will feature a hosted bar, buffet stations, a silent auction and a live auction of the work of painter David Garabaldi.

Tickets, which cost $75, are available at www.atthegrand.org.

For information: Kelly Low, 832-2582, ext. 105.

Free tax prep

The United Way of San Joaquin County and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation will offer free tax preparation and other social services to low-income families in San Joaquin County who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and can earn up to $5,657 in tax credits for the 2009 tax year.

Called Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, the group will offer its services at various locations in the county through April 15.

For information: Jennifer Christensen, 469-6980.