Briefs: FEMA relief for Bartlett

Bartlett village officials are reminding residents and business owners affected by last month's storms that they can now apply for federal money with the Federal Emergency and Management Agency. Applications can be found at fema.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362 or TTY at (800) 462-7585 anytime. A computer is available at Bartlett village hall. Applicants should be prepared to provide basic information including address and phone number, insurance coverage and information to help substantiate losses. Also, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 8, a Disaster Recovery Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, in the second-floor cafeteria of the DuPage County Jack T. Knuepfer Administration Building, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.

Museum opening weeks away

The Des Plaines Historical Society hopes to reopen its visitor center, 781 Pearson St., Oct. 24 for the Halloween Hoopla after all three of its buildings closed due to damage suffered in the recent Des Plaines River flooding. The Kinder House, 789 Pearson St., is not scheduled to reopen until the Holiday Gala Nov. 30. While damage was extensive, with the visitor center taking on 4 feet of water in the basement, no artifacts were lost.

Breast health discussed

"Breast Health: Everything You Want to Know - and Shouldn't Be Afraid to Ask" will be the topic from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Park Ridge Park District South Park Recreation Center, 833 W. Talcott Road. Featured speakers are Dr. Heidi Memmel, surgical director of the Caldwell Breast Center, and Dr. Sarah Friedewald, director of breast imaging at the center, which is at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Interactive booths will focus on genetics and free breast cancer risk assessments, self-breast exam demonstrations, state and community breast health services and other topics. Attendees will receive a 350-page Healthwise Handbook, a backpack and a chance to win prizes. To register, call (800) 323-8622 and cite code 8W32.

Pets offered for adoption

The Buddy Foundation is holding a special adoption event, "Bow and Meow Madness," this weekend at its new shelter, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. The shelter hours have been extended to 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The shelter, an all-volunteer, no-kill, safe haven for homeless and abused animals. also will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. For more information, go to thebuddyfoundation.org.

Teacher rides bike for cause

Ben Tatar, a music teacher at Kildeer School in Long Grove, will ride his bike from Chicago to school this morning to raise money. An assembly will follow Tatar's arrival at 8:35 a.m., where he will discuss the ride and the work of the environmental groups receiving donations. The ride will start in Bucktown and last 26.6 miles. Half of the money he's raising will go to Global Green, globalgreen.org, an organization dedicated to developing environmentally-beneficial programs and policies. The other half will go to the Kildeer Green Team, a group of parents that help increase recycling efforts, plantings and energy efficiency at the school. So far, Tatar has raised about $1,400.