Photo by Mia Iverson

Patient A is admitted into the ER. As she lays in the taut, paper-lined bed, she watches her assigned nurse punch numbers into a computer screen, not turning around to offer a quick smile or explanation of test results. Hours later, as Patient A is wheeled into an elevator on her way to her new room in the orthopedic wing, she lifts her good arm to notice a barcode on her identification wrist band. The next day, she pretends to understand the medical jargon her doctor is throwing at her and is discharged a day later after surgery. Curious, she has a desire to look at her EKG readings and X-Ray the medical staff took of her now casted arm. Instead of taking the trip back to the hospital and dealing with the administrative staff in the medical records department, she can now sit at her own computer in the comfort of her home and access her medically documented journey through the hospital - so can her nurse, doctor, and radiology techs.

     Gone is the day of charting at the end of shifts, frantic physician phone calls to overworked nurses, and working the maze of accessing the tree-killing closet of medical records. Now, with a simple log in, medical records are now at patients, nurses, and doctors' fingertips.

     EMR, Electronic Medical Records, are revolutionizing the way medicine is practiced, and locally, it has already made a huge impact on how Lawrence Memorial Hospital operates on a daily basis.

"We started this about 10 years ago," said Belinda Rehmer, Communications Coordinator at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She reported that LMH is no longer in the beginning stages and is currently up and running on an EMR system throughout the hospital and in conjunction with practices that they own including Eudora Family Practice and Mt. Oread Family Practice. "We've been up and running for over a year now - at least a year".

     But it wasn't an easy process. Cost was one of the major roadblocks in jump-starting this process. "Implementing the software is not cost neutral because the physicians would have to buy the software out of their own expenses," said Rehmer.

     Dr. Stephen Myrick, general surgery, at LMH has yet to take advantage of the EMR system 10 years after the idea reached LMH. "I don't use EMR because I don't have the software or no-how to do it. I am, however, in the process of converting over. I'm the research phase and I need to know which way is most cost effective".

     Clinical Informatics Liaison and Nurse Administrator Jessica Wright believes that the end users are most affected by the new EMR system. The end users include physicians, nurses, and patients alike. Wright emphasized her frustration with the common misconception of the EMR. "We have to recognize that this is neither time saving or time neutral".  In the long run, using EMR is fast when pulling up these files, but now, Wright says, the end user has to log on, and sometimes transcribe what a machine reads.

     Down in the medical records department, Director of Health Information Management Nancy Knaggs gave another perspective. "We started the actual process in 2004," Knaggs said. "We are still building hybrid plans right now; we still have paper". At first, the department tried to compromise with unwilling-to-change physicians' requests by fulfilling both paper and electronic records, but after a year in 2005 the department stopped. "They've adapted fairly well and this is a huge change for physicians and some aren't very happy," Knaggs said.

     The main part of the challenge for the medical records department is that some things are still paper while another part of the record is electronic. "I still think we're moving the same amount of records, just less paper in each," Knaggs said.

Knaggs agrees with the step-by-step process it has taken LMH to get everyone on the EMR system. "It's too hard to change everything at once - especially for a community hospital like us. Our step by step process is better in the long run".

"It has also turned the nurses world upside down," Wright said. Rehmer noted that at first the nursing staff was 50% for the EMR conversion, but now it's about 98%. Before, nurses would go about their day, taking notes in their notebooks and charting at the end of the shift. Now, because of EMR, they must now chart in real time. Because of the mobility factor that comes with the EMR, physicians can log on at home and see their patients' updated statuses based on what the nurses are putting into the electronic chart. An EKG taken five minutes ago is now available to a doctor who may be on the opposite end of the hospital or at home and he or she no longer needs track down the paper chart and read the paper slip attached to the record.

     Likewise, reorientation of bedside manner is underway. "We have to teach the nurses not to be so focused on the computer in the patients' rooms. They have to learn how to both transcribe updates into the computer system and stay focused on the patients' needs and trust," Wright said.

     Elsewhere, Family Physician Dr. David Doran at the Heartland Clinic expresses his enthusiasm in going digital. "I never really liked the paper records. It would only be available to one person at a time. EMR has certainly changed our workflow and how we interact with each other in the office and with our patients. More than 75 percent [of our patients] are online and can log into the EMR to view their own records, communicate with us, schedule visits, etc".  Voran went on to explain that he didn't like in the past how only ten percent of his records couldn't be found because of misfiling and accidental shredding. "Those who don't change their workflows aren't seeing some of the same benefits we're seeing," Voran said.

     "I like the switch," Wright said. "Improving our overall charting decreases the likelihood of human error".

     Voran said that patients usually love the implementation of the EMR. "Having the same access to the same system that I do is key. Being able to see their records being created, managed and also to see digital X-rays and communicate electronically with us has been a huge satisfier."

     Wright, who has worked in the ICU as a nurse and has now focused her clinical skills into improving the healthcare system via technology, contemplates on the future. "My goal would to make everything automatic," Wright said. "Not to minimize nurse responsibility, but to eliminate human error. Imagine if the EKG could tell the computer what it was reading. Yes the nurse would have to verify the results, but the step of reading the monitor and entering that data into the computer by hand has now been erased."

     The EMR system and LMH is not perfect, and many of its users are still converting and making it better. But because LMH remains one step ahead of the game in the healthcare industry, they are now offering more efficient healthcare through the implementation of EMR

Graphic by: Paige Hendrick

Alyssa Buecker, Overland Park Senior, sets the speed to 1.5. She chooses her favorite song, Break Down. She goes to choose her level of difficulty and moves the arrow back and forth between expert and challenge. She finally decides to start on expert and work her way up on her next song choice. As the TV asks "Are you Ready?" Alyssa takes her position, one foot on either side of the mat.

The arrows begin scrolling at what looks like an uncontrollable speed.  She scores one perfect after another. As the song goes on her heart races and she begins to break a sweat.

"It's a great workout!" Buecker said. "Play a couple songs in a row and I feel like I've ran a mile."

Alternative forms of exercise have given people who normally would not exercise the opportunity to do it in a fun and more creative way. With the help of Hoop Dancing and Game systems like Dance Dance Revolution and the Nintendo Wii people are really getting up on their feet and giving exercise a try.

"I hate exercise. Yoga and treadmills have never really been my thing, but if you put a DDR mat in front of me I will play till I almost can't move my legs anymore," Buecker said.

Dance Dance Revolution

Video game creator Konami created Dance Dance Revoultion in Japan. DDR is a video game that can be played at home on any Playstation, Xbox, Gamecube or Wii. It is also commonly found in arcades on a large DDR machine. A player can choose from around 50 songs, depending on the version of the game, and choose from five levels.  According to Konami's official website, 3 million copies of the game have been sold since it was introduced on American consoles in 2001.

There is also a "workout mode" on the game that allows players to track their progress.  Instead of showing players how many arrows were scored correctly, it tracks things like a players weight, calories burned, distance traveled, and minutes played.

"I've never really used the 'workout mode' but I get a good enough workout without doing that," Buecker said. "The higher skill level you are, the more of a workout you're going to get. I just love it."

This craze has caught the attention of many school officials in the past five years as a form of exercise to help get students excited about exercise. In fact, in 2006 school districts in West Virginia decided to make DDR a part of their physical education curriculum. It was decided that the game would be used in all of West Virginia's 765 public schools.

Mike Ivanuska, Overland Park Senior, works up a sweat playing DDR with some friends. Photo by: Paige Hendrick

The University of Kansas has also added DDR to its curriculum. Taught by Susan Hoffman, the game is considered a Health Sport and Exercise Science class. The class can be taken for credit twice.

"I have several students who come back for a second round," Hoffman said.  "It gives a lot of students a break from their hectic class schedule and they get a great workout."

Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Wii came out in 2006 and has sold more than 11 million consoles in America alone since its release.  With the Wii, players must use actual physical movements to play the games, forcing players to get up out of their seats. The game uses a wireless controller that can sense a player's motion.

In 2008 a team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin recruited 16 volunteers between the ages of 20 to 29 years old to test just how great the benefits are. The results of the study showed that some games, mostly the sports games, increased heart rate and the amount of calories burned. The study said that the golf game, which burned the fewest amount of calories, allowed players to burn two to three times the amount of calories as opposed to sitting a and playing a video game.

"I have a Wii and we use it all of the time," Brooke Maves, Overland Park mother, said. "It was expensive but I think it was worth it just so my kids aren't sitting around all of the time."

Since the Wii came out, Nintendo has also added the Wii fit to their list of games. The Wii fit, much like DDR, allows players to track their progress and participate in activities like yoga and down hill skiing, all in their living room.

"I love using it but it is a little weird when I step on the Wii fit and it says to me 'Hello Brooke, It has been a while'. It's so advanced it scares me," Maves said.

The game is also being used for what doctors are calling "Wii-Habilitation".  The game is being turned into a rehab tool for stroke victims or patients with brain injuries to help recover their motor skills. In 2008, the University of South Carolina was given a $2 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to research the effectiveness of these games on recovering motor skills and the research is still in progress.

Kim Brown, Topeka Cognitive Therapist, has also begun using the Wii on her patients. Overall she treats patients who have been in serious accidents and are in need of physical exercise but don't have the motor skills to do normal activities.

"I had a friend who used a Wii and I had read a lot about them and it just seemed like a no brainer to me," Brown said. "My patients needed something to do at home to speed up their recovery and this so far has been the best exercise I have come up with."

Brown wrote the state of Kansas for a grant in May of 2008 and after four months her first patient, who was the victim of a gunshot wound to the head, received a Wii for their home. Since then Brown has helped three other people with cognitive disabilities receive a Wii.

Hoop Dancing

Hoop Dancing is not a video game but it is an alternative form of exercise that is catching on particularly in Lawrence. Not only is it much cheaper than the other two options, it is something that can be done almost anywhere. Hoop dancing renovated from Hula Hooping and is all about incorporating large weighted hoops with dance.

Hoop dancing benefits the body in several ways for example building core strength, overall body toning, increases flexibility and develops balance and coordination. Ali Mangan started the only hoop dancing company in Lawrence, Hoop Mama's, three years ago. The company hosts free workshops at South Park on a weekly basis to get more people involved.

"It's one of those things that you can't knock until you've tried it," Mangan said. "Every week we have a different group of people. Of course we have our regulars but it seems there's always someone that wants to see what its all about."

Alyssa Buecker, the DDR enthusiast from above also decided to give hoop dancing a try after being contacted for this story. She attended one of the workshops in South Park this past week and she was shocked at what she got out of it.

"Its still a form of dance buts it's completely different from DDR!" Buecker said. "It is definitely something that gets you in touch with your inner self. You don't get that from a lot of things these days."

So whether it's exercising with the help of a game console or hoop dancing around South Park, these creative ways to stay fit are giving people more than enough to talk about.

            As the sun sets on a hot summer's night, Jim Sack gets into his pickup and heads for the bar. Though he'd love to sit down and enjoy fresh made beer from the local brewery, Sack is preoccupied with gathering the pub's waste product: spent grain.

            He's got cows to feed.

            "Whenever they call, I'm ready to come pick up," Sack says. "The grain is valuable feed for our cattle."

            Sack is one of thousands of American farmers who partner with microbreweries to receive used brewer's grain for farming commodities. The partnership benefits farms and breweries alike by saving costs and providing valuable services for both sides. The resource sharing is especially important today for local dairy farmers who are suffering in a down-turned economy.  With the upcoming expansion of Lawrence's Free State Brewing Company, local farmers hope to tap more valuable resources for years to come.

Dairy calves on the Sack farm

            Jim and Nancy Sack, Baldwin, pick up spent grain from Free State Brewing Company, 636 Massachusetts St., two nights every week. The spent grain is a waste product of the brewing process and needs disposal after each brew. The Sacks pick up an average of 30,000 pounds per week to use as feed for their dairy farm.

            The pickup is no easy feat.

            "A barrel of brewer's grain weighs about 300 pounds," Jim Sack said. "We can get as many as 10 barrels in a single load. It adds up."

             A livestock nutritionist analyzes and and rations the grain into the cattle's daily feed. The grain from Free State makes up between 20 and 25 percent of their cattle's daily feed. They have more than 60 dairy cows that eat twice a day.

            The brewer's grain amounts to a large portion of the daily feed.

            "Grain is the most expensive of the ingredients in the cattle feed," Nancy Sack said. "Obviously this is a major cost saver."

            But farmers aren't the only benefactors. Brewers grain pickups save on transportation and disposal costs for breweries. Thousands of pounds of spent grain are produced after each brew. The grain must be removed from the brewery before the next batch is brewed.

            Other local breweries also realize the economic appeal of the farmer-brewer agreement. 23rd Street Brewery, 3512 Clinton Pkwy, gives weekly spent grain to local farmers for free.

            "We really have a win-win relationship with local farmers," said Matt Lllewellyn, owner of 23^rd Street Brewery, 3512 Clinton Pkwy. "We have huge disposal savings and they get free resources."

            The win-win relationship became increasingly important for local dairy farmers this year. According to the USDA, the average retail price for milk in Kansas City for July is $3.29, down from $3.84 in January. A national dairy surplus caused the dramatic drops in costs. This month the National Milk Producers Federation reported that 102,898 cows nationwide had been committed for slaughtering to combat the surplus.

            The brewer's grain helps to cut costs during such difficult times.

            "We'll use whatever cost saving methods we can," Nancy Sack said. "Reducing the costs of cattle feed is extremely important."

            The partnership is not unique to Lawrence. Kansas City's Boulevard Brewing Co. produces an average of 75,000 pounds of spent grain each week. The spent grain is sold to local farmers for $8 per ton, or approximately $1,200 per month. In 2002, the Property and Environment Research Center reported that Anheuser-Busch sold 1.7 million tons of spent grain to farmers.

            But in Lawrence, local brewers are content with dispersing their spent grain for free.

            "We help them and they help us," said Chuck Magerl, owner of Free State Brewing Co. "We save money and they do too. That's enough for me."

            Despite a gloomy economic horizon, local dairy farmers look forward to the upcoming expansion of Free State's brewing capabilities. Free State's new warehouse will produce nearly 10 times more beer each year. If the bottling takes off, the brewery is capable of brewing even more.

            Magerl said he plans to continue giving the spent grain for free.

            "We'll have more spent grain than ever before," Magerl said. "I am perfectly happy with the way we are doing business with local farmers now."

            The night is young for Jim Sack as he picks up Thursday night's load of spent grain from Free State. As the crowd inside of the restaurant consumes the day's concoction, Sack heads home to please another crowd with the fresh brew. 

            The herd awaits.

For Ben Fishman, KU student and downtown Lawrence resident, it's not bravery that compels him, but thrift. Ever since the economy took its downturn, Fishman, like many other students, has been looking for easy and fun ways to pinch pennies. For him a rooftop garden was the answer.

"I eat a lot of produce and after a while buying it from the grocery store can add up, this just seemed like an entertaining way to save money and still eat right," said Fishman.

Locally grown vegetables at the Community Mercantile.
Photo by Jake

Local gardening has made a revival in Lawrence. Thanks to the recession, more and more people are realizing how easy and affordable it can be to grow their own produce. The agricultural awakening hasn't been limited to individuals. Restaurants and business owners are all finding ways of using gardening to help evade the pains of the economy. Gardens of all sizes can be found around downtown if one knows where to look. Even for those who aren't blessed with a green thumb, fresh, affordable, locally grown produce is lining the shelves all over town.

The management at Tellers was quick to find ways to save money. At the beginning of last year when the recession was just on the horizon, they decided that because of the popularity of their infamous Margherita pizza, growing their own basil would be an easy way to cut costs. "We knew basil would be the plant to focus on, we use it in so many dishes and we always seem to be running out of it", said Shawn Miller executive chef.

Located atop their 9^th and Mass. rooftop are six large black tubs, each brimming with herbs and spices. Beyond the initial investment in supplies, sprouts and dirt the only other expense is their monthly water bill. All of their hard work paid off, and now Tellers has access to an ample supply of fresh, organic, and most importantly affordable basil.

Not all of Lawrence's growth is above street level. Community gardens throughout town are making a big impact for some local businesses. Jim Grimes owner of Headmaster Salon has been the driving force behind the garden that sits next to his shop at 8th and Vermont.

The once vacant lot, which belongs to former mayor Bob Schumm, was revamped 2 years ago. Grimes spearheaded the project along with his partner at Headmaster Lee Heeter and friend Josh Millstein who manages the Casbah Market. To the three the garden is more of a hobby than a means of living, but the three have noticed how the garden has helped Lawrencians keep eating well even when times get tough.

Most of the produce that is harvested from the Vermont St. garden is sold at the Casbah Market. The business prides itself on organic, locally grown vegetables sold at an affordable price. The increased flow of produce out of the garden has helped the shop cut down its costs and Millstein passes the savings onto his customers. "When we have stuff coming out of the garden we can price it lower and people like it" said Millstein.

Organic food has a bad reputation for being overpriced. That's a false stereotype according to Patrick Hangauer Casbah employee, " Organic food still has the stigma of being expensive, but when you incorporate the local factor in it, it actually ends up being really inexpensive because you're not having to throw in the traveling costs and all the gas prices." Local contributors like the community gardens allow shops like the Casbah to offer Lawrencians who aren't able to tend their own garden a way to eat healthy and save money at the same time.

The Casbah isn't the only store that focuses on locally grown food. The Community Mercantile at 9^th and Iowa has been doing it since 1974. While the Merc offers a wider range of produce than the Casbah, because they are a larger store they are not able to offer the same bargains.

 Items at the Merc are comparatively priced, meaning that an item from an organic farm in California will often be priced the same as the same item that is locally grown. The difference lies in where the money goes. A higher percentage of the locally owned sale will go to the farmer, while the imported item will devote more of the profits to the shipping. Shopping at the Merc still supports local businesses but if beating the economy is the goal, there are better ways.

The recession has made everyone more money conscious. However for people who aren't ready to start sacrificing the quality of their food and want to support their city, there's still hope. Summer's almost over and growing season is running short. For anyone who wants an inexpensive source of fresh produce now is the time to start working. If the responsibility of a garden seems like too heavy a burden to bear, fresh, affordable produce is only a storefront away.

Sonya Thomas clings to her mother's legs, hiding from the teacher behind the desk who tries to ask for her name.

It's enrollment for new families at Langston Hughes Elementary -- one of the district's 15 elementary schools -- and second-grader Sonya isn't too confident in her new surroundings.

Her mother, Sarah, encourages her to speak up, but Sonya remains crouched and hidden behind her mother's calves.

"Her brother was shy, but never like this," Sarah said.

Sonya's brother, Michael, will be a ninth-grader at Southwest Junior High this year. After going to middle school for three years in Idaho, Michael was looking forward to high school. But in Lawrence, Kansas' only remaining district with junior highs, Michael will have to wait another year for high school.

"He was pretty bummed out when I told him about it," Sarah said. "Honestly, I didn't know schools still had ninth-graders down a level."

That may change as Lawrence once again considers a grade reconfiguration that originally popped up in 1985. Despite 24 years to discuss and research the issue, the grade argument in Lawrence still boils down to parents' unwillingness to change despite evidence that suggests moving ninth-graders into high school benefits students.

History

Moving ninth-graders into high schools started gaining popularity in Kansas in 1979.

That's when the Topeka School District became the first multi-high school district to make the move. Kansas City, Kan., and Shawnee Mission followed in 1980.

By 1990 Olathe was the only district with more than one high school that hadn't moved its ninth-graders into high school buildings.

In 1985 the Lawrence Board of Education formed a committee and started looking into the issue for its district. From September 1985 to February 1986, the Middle Level Steering Committee met more than a dozen times.

The members discussed research, visited middle level schools in other districts and debated the issues that needed attention.

The Board of Education received the Committee's recommendations and passed all but one of them unanimously. The one they held stated that it was in the best interest of the kids to move ninth-graders into high school.

"It was the most controversial of the recommendations we made," said Tom Erb, a former professor of education at the University of Kansas and a member of the committee.

The Board approved the other recommendations on March 24, 1986, but it wanted to gather input from the community before making a decision on the grade reconfiguration.

On April 13, 1986, school board member Bob Palmateer was quoted in the Lawrence Journal World, saying "we found out...they like things the way they are."

"That, to me, was an overgeneralization that didn't fit the facts," Erb said.

Erb, who came to KU in 1978 as a specialist in middle school education, wrote a letter to the editor detailing his committee's findings. It found, among other things, that the curriculum and extra-curricular activities offered at the high school level were much more beneficial to ninth-graders than those they found at junior high.

Lawrence citizens tossed the issue back-and-forth for more than a year. On July 20, 1987, the Board approved the recommendation to move ninth-graders into high school buildings.

Twenty-two years later, it still hasn't happened.

"Practically, they couldn't implement the plan for their own recommendations until they had another facility," Erb said. "And that became a political issue that took 10 years to resolve."

The Board liked the idea, but the district's lone high school, Lawrence High, couldn't accommodate an additional class. Despite housing only grades 10-12, Lawrence High's enrollment (1,832 in 1990) was often the largest in the state.

From there most of the discussion turned from middle level education to whether Lawrence really needed another high school. Proponents argued for the benefits of two, smaller high schools where kids could more easily stand out.

"To sell that, they kind of had to soft pedal the idea that ninth-graders ought to be part of the picture," Erb said. "So that proposal kind of fell by the wayside."

Now Lawrence is the only school district in Kansas, and one of the few remaining in the country, that doesn't teach its ninth-graders in its high schools.

Effects

A bulk of the discussion on grade configuration revolves around the effects it would have on the students.

"It's not that there's a right way or a wrong way," Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll said. "It's asking 'Where does research trend?'"

Most studies in the last 30 years suggest that ninth-graders mature more quickly and would benefit from a real high school experience. Also, the studies conclude that sixth-graders are more prepared for explorative classes, which take place at the middle school level.

 

Currently, Lawrence must shuttle band and orchestra teachers around the elementary schools. If they were at middle school it would be easier to offer those courses.

These findings are evident in the near extinction of junior highs (grades 7-9) across the country. According to the National Middle School Association, the number of public junior high schools dropped 83 percent between 1970 and 2001.

Likewise, a 2001 national survey of middle and junior high principals found that only three percent favored the junior high school setting. Sixty-five percent of them said that a 6-8 middle school is the best system for adolescents.

On the other hand, Doll hears plenty of arguments from Lawrencians for keeping ninth-graders in junior high.

"They get to be kind of top dog, and that's a good place for them to mature as they prepare for the high school setting," Doll said.

Ed West, principal at Lawrence Free State High School, disagrees with that assessment. West said sophomores should be acclimated with high school and prepared to fully take-on academics and athletics. In Lawrence, though, the sophomores are new to the high school and must readjust themselves before going forward.

Lawrence resident Marcia Riley has often come out to oppose moving ninth-graders into high school. In 2000, when the issue resurfaced, she and fellow parent Margy Rose organized a group that helped deter the school board from voting on reconfiguration.

"Our children's education shouldn't be sacrificed because of money, even in a recession," Riley said. "It's important for kids to get that leadership experience in ninth grade before going into high school."

The Shawnee Mission School District implemented its K-5, 6-8, 9-12 system in the 1986-87 school year. Erb studied the kids directly affected by the reconfiguration. His study disproved the suggestion that seniors corrupt ninth-graders in a high school environment.

"What we found was that the ninth-graders were far more corruptive themselves when they were in the three-year junior high schools," Erb said.

Short-term suspensions dropped 23 percent at the ninth-grade level once they were moved to high school. Teachers who were moved from junior high to high school also noticted how much better behaved the new freshmen were compared to how they acted in junior high.

Erb and Doll also believe that because ninth-graders grades count towards their high school GPAs, the students really need a high school setting.

"That was one of the problems that the junior high teachers in Lawrence were pointing out 20 years ago," Erb said. "The ninth-graders weren't taking ninth grade seriously, because they didn't realize that the screwing up they were doing was going on their high school transcripts."

"It's a little harder to impress that upon kids when they're physically in a different building," Doll said.

Last One Standing

In 2008 the Olathe School District approved a plan to create more room at its four high schools to accommodate shifting ninth-graders up a level.

That means Lawrence has no one left to play with, literally.

While the addition of a second high school was held up largely because of Lawrence High's success on the gridiron, athletics figure into the district's equation differently now.

No other junior highs in the state means that Lawrence ninth-graders have to compete against seventh- and eighth-graders.

Money also plays a large role in this decision, especially considering the district's recent budget crisis. On the surface moving ninth-graders into high school and replacing them with sixth-graders doesn't seem like a money-saving venture. But it creates a domino effect that could help alleviate some of the district's financial concerns.

"We have lots of small elementary schools, and if you pull sixth grade out of those elementary schools you have to ask the question, 'Are there some consolidations of elementary schools that we could do?'" Doll said. "I don't know if the community wants to do that or not, but that's where the real cost-savings would come in that regard."

The district could also save money by not having to shuttle teachers from school-to-school.

When Mrs. Thomas heard that the issue had come up more than 20 years ago, she asked her daughter's future teacher why it had not been resolved.

The teacher's response: "How long do you have?"

Because of all his studies on middle school education suggest one thing, Erb still can't understand what holds Lawrence back from reconfiguration.

"That's always baffled me about this community," he said. "In many ways it's open to new ideas, and so often on the other hand there can be some of these traditions that are pretty powerful and part of the public psyche."

The Board of Education will request community input on grade configuration at its goal-setting session on Aug. 17.

While a few factors remain unknown, Doll believes that there's enough evidence in support that the board will pass it to his office for further investigation.

"You want to make the decision on what's best for the kids, but if there were some cost-savings that go along with that, that would probably move along the process a little faster," Doll said.

So, Aug. 17 will likely be the first step in a multi-year plan to finally implement the plan that originally passed the school board 22 years ago.

Of course, enough opposition to change from parents like Riley may run the issue underground once again. In Lawrence, as Mrs. Thomas will learn, you just never know.

Off 9^th street there is a Yellow house that many people pass by on a daily basis. It isn't the home of some rich family, or even a boring old office building. It is a factory, a factory for creativity and teamwork. It is a place where filmmakers and journalists alike can put their skills to the test.

One filmmaker in particular, Sean Saffold, sits in his edit bay making the final touches to his next masterpiece. A piece that will be premiered here in Lawrence in less than a month. A piece that Saffold knows will touch lives.

Saffold has had a connection with KU from the very beginning.  He was born in Kansas City at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1970 to a very educated family. Both his parents were given the opportunity to go to college, which wasn't surprising considering his mother attended Sumner High School in Kansas City which was a legendary all black school before it was integrated that was known for sending kids to college.  When he was two, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he lived until leaving for college. While in high school he was very involved in extra curricular activities and even made the all-state football team. A member of the school choir as well, Saffold kept him self busy. He was the type who liked to keep his nose clean.

"Well you see, all of the girls were in choir so that's why we did it but I had a pretty decent voice" Saffold said. 

In high school Saffold was given the opportunity to participate in the school play when his drama teacher wrote a part specifically for him. There were not any African American roles in the play but his teacher saw Saffold's potential.

After graduation Saffold accepted a football scholarship to Ohio State University but after only a year had to leave the team due to a personality conflict with his coach. He transferred to Nassau Community College where he continued to play football. After a year he was eligible to transfer back to a D1 school and he began attending Ohio University.

Saffold decided to declare himself a radio and television production major. He always knew from a young age he wanted work in movies but the idea of having a career in them seemed very far-fetched to him.

"My mother says that ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a film maker. I just thought that working in television was more realistic," Saffold said.

 After graduating from college Saffold made a connection with a big executive at ABC news in New York. The executive happened to be a football fan, so he and Saffold hit it off right away. Saffold was offered an internship, working as a production assistant 12 to 16 hours a day with ABC. He also got the opportunity to work for CNN for a short time.

After completing his internships he moved to Vegas to continue working as a production assistant, but this time he got his dream of working in the movies. He worked on such films as Casino, Bogus, Leaving Las Vegas, and Showgirls.

While working on Casino, Saffold got to know Sharon Stone fairly well and really got a taste of what the Hollywood lifestyle was like.

"I lost a lot of respect for Scoresazy. He had us shoot one scene 70 times. I just thought it was such a waste," Saffold said. 

Though Saffold has made small appearances in some of his films, production has always been where his heart was. He decided to come to KU on a Pell grant in his late twenties. Saffold wasn't the first in his family to attend KU, 20 of his relatives had attended KU before him, and one of them was KU basketball player Butch Ellison.

He began studying film at KU and was introduce to Kevin Wilmont, who was in his early thirties at the time. Wilmont had just finished his masters at NYU in screenwriting. Wilmont came to Kansas to make his film 9^th street, which Saffold took a big part in as well.

"We have been together ever since," Saffold said. "I'd definitely say he is one of my closest friends."

Last year Saffold and Wilmont entered their most recent movie "The only good Indian" in The Sundance movie festival. Saffold is currently working on his masters here at KU and in his time here, has worked with a lot of prominent people in show biz. Some KU grads that he was given the opportunity to know include Neil Labute, Laura Kirk, and Paul Rudd.

"Paul was in a few of my classes. He told everyone he was leaving school to make it in Hollywood and we didn't hear from him for a while," Saffold said. "Before we knew it we saw him in '40 year old virgin'," Saffold said. 

Currently Saffold is working on a documentary tentatively titled "The Reunion". The movie is about the 1988 KU national championship basketball team. Recently the whole team came back for a reunion and Saffold and his team of people who are working on this project were able to get interviews with all of the players and coaches about their experiences.

"We are making this movie because this is a team that was never supposed to win. It was one of the greatest upsets of all time," Saffold said. "This movie just shows that sometimes it's not about talent. It's also about what you have in your heart and in your mind."

Sean Saffold, right, with his production partner Brendan Glad. They are currently working on "The Reunion" together

In the future Saffold plans to finish up his masters and go on to receive his doctorate here at KU. He ultimately hopes to become a professor of Afro American film history. 

"The thing about Sean is he has such a good presence about him. I mean people who hadn't seen each other for twenty years at time stayed with us for like an hour," Brendan Glad, Saffold's production partner, said. "I was amazed at how comfortable people become around Sean. He keeps me fired up "

"The Reunion" will premiere on August 28^th at Liberty Hall.  Saffold along side partner Brendan Glad shot nearly four hours of film and are still working to cut the film down to about an hour and twenty minutes.  They two still have a few interviews to complete but they expect to stay on schedule for the premiere. 

Across the country, college athletic departments make major cuts to their programs. Budget cuts force many big name schools to cut different sports teams out. Although the athletic department at The University of Kansas plans to cut around 5 percent of the budget, donations cushion this financial scissor.

            "Fans and alumni care very much about athletics. This year there was actually an increase in donations. Despite this we feel we should be cautious and plan ahead," Marchiony said.

Ways athletic departments attempt staying afloat with the recession: Texas A&M cut 17 employees Indiana State axed two sports completely UNLV started a daytime practice policy in order to reduce lighting costs Cincinnati decided to eliminate several player scholarships Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=4314195

 

Jim Marchiony, Associate Athletics Director for external affairs said the alumni and donor contributions at KU help budget problems. The KU athletic department's budget for purchasing goods for construction jumped $30 million more than the previous year.

While other schools resort to cutting sports teams entirely, KU has yet to resort to anything this drastic. Several schools cut back on expenses to aid in padding the budget in any way possible. KU receiving more donations than last year allows the current construction projects to continue. Marchiony said the first floor of Allen Fieldhouse, a basketball practice facility for both the men and women's basketball teams and Wagnon Student Athlete are a few of the construction projects going on right now.      

Only 2 percent of the athletic department's budget comes from university sources according to Marchiony. This leaves 98 percent of the department's budget to alumni and willing donors. Brandon Lytle, KU graduate attributes the increase in donations this year to the success of the department as a whole.

            "The more success that each of the programs has individually, the more that people are willing to invest," Lytle said. "Kansas just happens to have great leadership, great coaches, great timing and most important of all, and an amazing and wealthy alumni base."

            A news release on KU's website discusses the cuts the academic departments face for the coming school year. The athletic department plans on cutting close to 5 percent of its budget. The academic departments together cut 12 percent, almost $18 million. Lytle thinks budget cuts between the two departments don't need to reflect each other.

            "These are two different entities within the university and should be treated so. Despite this, each of these departments of the university work best when both are thriving," Lytle said.

            The department plans on adding more facilities within the next few years. Marchiony said the big project the department is currently raising money for is an Olympic village including a new track, softball field and soccer fields. Lytle said these additions are necessary to the success of the department.

            "If the department is staying stagnant then it will fall behind the curve. Great leaders and coaches understand that in order to increase success, it is important to increase funding and facilities constantly," Lytle said.

            KU may follow the national trend of budget cuts to their athletic department, but thanks to donors and alumni, the department's ability to offer new facilities remain in tact, for now.

            A family of six slowly squeezes through the bright red door of A.B.'s Crepe Shop. They're immediately greeted with a warm welcome that breaks the hypnotic smell of the frying batter that's filling the air.

            Three generations shuffle past the register and in two strides they've reached the back wall. Even though there's only two other people in the restaurant they quickly realize there's hardly enough room for them to stand, let alone eat. 

            It's 97 degrees outside and nearly all the food at A.B.'s is served hot, but the family doesn't think twice about the heat and with eager smiles they offer to sit out front. 

            It's obvious that the most collegiate of the bunch, like many of A.B.'s customers, is a regular to the shop. He also happens to be the namesake of one of A.B.'s most popular dishes, the Jason. However his family's easy-going behavior is not because of his mild culinary celebrity, in fact it's the norm at A.B.'s.