Navy Seaman Recruit Marcus D. Kidd, son of Joyce T. Mondaine of Kansas City, Kan., recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

During the eight-week program, Kidd completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety.

An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations". This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet.

"Battle Stations" is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Its distinctly ''Navy'' flavor was designed to take i

Kidd is a 2009 graduate of J. C. Harmon High School of Kansas City, Kan.

1st Lt. Lisa Turner, a morale, welfare, recreation officer for the 326th Area Support Group, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Camp Victory, hands out soccer balls, clothes, personal hygiene items and other things to Iraqi children at Airport Village, Victory Base Complex, Iraq. The items were donated by people from the United States. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kathleen Briere)

The 326th Area Support Group, a small unit tasked with running the largest base in Iraq, returned to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from Baghdad, Iraq, early October after a one-year deployment.

Every Soldier of the 140-man, Kansas City, Kan., headquartered Army Reserve unit made it stateside after safely completing their mission of providing base operations and essentially running the entire Camp Victory in Baghdad, a population of around 65,000. 

“We provided all the services of a small city: water, sewage, electricity, road construction, building construction, problem solving and billeting for all of the military and civilians that lived there,” said 326th ASG Commander Col. Thomas Hardy, outgoing garrison commander of Camp Victory in Baghdad.

The 326th hit the sand running, providing these essentials and also streamlining the system, making it more energy efficient.

“One of our best accomplishments,” said Hardy “was we pushed to install one big generator farm to supply power for the entire base rather than having every area of the camp with its own little generator. That saved the government over $7 million a month in fuel costs.”

The unit worked with Coalition Forces, Iraqi Army and police, Iraqi politicians and businessmen, American and other country national contractors as well as distinguished visitors and officials from several nations.

Hardy said the unit gave eight to 10 thousand tours of the base during their year-long mission.

Additionally, the unit was responsible for coordinating entertainers to the area of operations for morale and welfare events.

“We brought in a lot of supporters,” said Master Sgt. Robert Heberling, morale and welfare sergeant-in-charge. “Kid Rock, Miss America, and Steven Baldwin to name a few. Another big one was Stephen Colbert and his 49 supporters, filmed four shows from the Al Faw Palace.”

Heberling said morale was high for the 326th ASG throughout their tour and the unit cohesion was good.

“Everybody took down every task, did a great job and learned a lot. It was like a big family, sometimes a dysfunctional family like any unit can be, but still a family.”

The unit will case its colors and hold final formation in Kansas City, Kan., this week, then return to their homes and families.

Heberling, like many, is looking forward to one thing.

“Relaxation,” said Heberling. “It will be great to get out of the uniform for a while and ride a motorcycle.”

Lt. Col. Mike Crader, director of public works commander, 326th Area Support Group, Multi-National Corps–Iraq, Camp Victory, hands out soccer balls, clothes, personal hygiene items and other things to Iraqi children at Airport Village, Victory Base Complex, Iraq. The items were donated by people from the United States, many of whom initially wanted to send care packages to Crader. "There were a lot of people who wanted to send me things," said Crader. “But what do I need?” he asked rhetorically. “These kids need clothes and shoes.” (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kathleen Briere)

Per some reader discussion, there was a question regarding sales tax rates in the Greater Kansas City area.

Here are some numbers provided by the Unified Government during its special session on Monday evening.

CURRENT SALES TAX RATES

1. Leawood, 8.050 percent
2. Bonner Springs, 8.025 percent
3. Lenexa, 8.025 percent
4. Lawrence, 7.850 percent
5. Merriam, 7.775 percent
6. Mission, 7.775 percent
7. Roeland Park, 7.775 percent
8. Shawnee, 7.775 percent
9 .Kansas City, Mo., 7.725 percent (There is a two percent restaurant tax)
10. Olathe, 7.650 percent
11. Overland Park, 7.650 percent
12. Independence, Mo., 7.600 percent
13. Kansas City, Kan., 7.550 percent
14. Basehor, 7.300 percent
15. Edwardsville, 7.300 percent
16. Leavenworth, 7.300 percent

Should a quarter-cent sales tax be approved by voters next spring or sometime next year, here's how the rankings would change:

1. Leawood, 8.050 percent
2. Bonner Springs, 8.025 percent
3. Lenexa, 8.025 percent
4. Lawrence, 7.850 percent
5. Kansas City, Kan., 7.800 percent
6. Merriam, 7.775 percent
7. Mission, 7.775 percent
8. Roeland Park, 7.775 percent
9. Shawnee, 7.775 percent
10 .Kansas City, Mo., 7.725 percent
11. Olathe, 7.650 percent
12. Overland Park, 7.650 percent
13. Independence, Mo., 7.600 percent
14. Basehor, 7.300 percent
15. Edwardsville, 7.300 percent
16. Leavenworth, 7.300 percent

While KCK would still have a lower sales tax than Bonner Springs, Leawood, Lenexa and Lawrence, the sales tax increase being floated around would increase KCK's rate over some Johnson County cities and those across the lines.

The Kansas State School for the Blind, located in Kansas City, Kan., will not be closed after all.

A task force dedicated to find budget cuts decided against the closure after it determined that leaving the existing facility in operation would be cheaper than building a new one.

The board will instead look at ways to cut costs at current locations.

"We were charged to look at whether there were savings there," said Rochelle Chronister, chairwoman of the Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission."If you don't have the savings, then it doesn't make sense."

The facility was built in 1867 and it currently hosts 70 students.

Also spared was the Kansas School for the Deaf, which is located outside of the county. There was a possibility that both schools could become one and be moved to one separate facility.

However, one KCK facility could still see the budget ax: the Rainbow Mental Health Facility.

All final recommendations of the Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission are required to be on Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson's desk by Dec. 1.

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Love My Hair for Kids of KCK, a new local charity aimed at helping children who have suffered hair loss from cancer related treatments or other health reasons, will host a charity cigar pairing and wine tasting on Oct. 14. 

The event will be held from 6:30–8:30 p.m at the Qudos Cigar Bar on 1116 Grand Blvd. in Kansas City, Mo.

A silent auction will be available for the event. The organization was launched in March of 2009. 

The Kansas City Business Journal is reporting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 headquarters could move out of Kansas City, Kan.

The move would create a loss of 700 jobs in the downtown core of the city, as negotiations between the two parties are ongoing.

Brent Miles, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, is quoted extensively in the piece. The Region 7 headquarters serve Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and nine Tribal Nations located within the regions.