A former top commander with the Kansas City Police Department thinks his police experience will help him in his new role as the No. 2 leader at COMBAT, the community-backed anti-drug tax.</p><p>Vince Ortega, now the assistant director of COMBAT, had a distinguished Kansas City police career, ascending to deputy chief. Ortega was forced to leave by mandatory retirement after he turned 53 and reached 30 years of service.</p><p>As the assistant director of COMBAT, Ortega is responsible for the administrative staff and serves as a liaison to COMBAT&#8217;s funding recipients, including law enforcement.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m enjoying it,&#8221; Ortega said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a lot of work. But it&#8217;s very fulfilling. We have a lot of good things going on.&#8221;</p><p>Ortega says his police experience will come in handy.</p><p>&#8220;Without a doubt,&#8221; Ortega said. &#8220;I&#8217;m knowledgeable about the community, especially when we&#8217;re talking about specific areas. I can see the broader picture. We&#8217;re optimistic about the way we can direct these programs.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226;&#8226;&#8226;</p><p>Tamara Miller enjoys spending her free time volunteering at ReStart Inc., a ministry for the homeless.</p><p>Miller is director of adult support services at Kansas City Kansas Community College and an adjunct professor at Park University.</p><p>At ReStart, Miller was volunteer of the year in 2008. The students she has met over the years assist her with her volunteer efforts. Every year, Miller and her volunteers outfit the ReStart headquarters with Christmas decorations.</p><p>Miller also barters the items that ReStart can&#8217;t sell or give away for other necessities. Out of their own money, Miller and her sister purchase items the homeless residents can give away as gifts at Christmastime. When she travels, she brings back all the soap that the hotels give away. She makes all of her friends, family and students do the same.</p><p>&#8220;Anyone who knows me comes traipsing in with all sorts of things,&#8221; Miller said. &#8220;We take those down there as well. Whatever they need, we try to get done. I don&#8217;t have a lot, but I have enough. And I have enough to give back. And that makes me blessed.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226;&#8226;&#8226;</p><p>The Marlborough neighborhood in Kansas City recently held a victory party to celebrate a decision by the city to keep the Marlborough Community Center open.</p><p>Betty Ost-Everley, who led the effort, said the neighborhood was seeking someone to partner with in using the community center.</p><p>&#8220;We need a partner so we can take it away from being a budgetary issue with the city,&#8221; Ost-Everley said. &#8220;If we do that, then we don&#8217;t have to visit this anymore. We don&#8217;t expect the city to come in and be our savior. The Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department has been very cooperative. They see us as being partners.&#8221;