Lawrence Journal-World 10-17-13

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Room-service meals coming soon to LMH

Major gift gets major welcome

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Hospital says new food options also will be tastier, healthier By Chad Lawhorn clawhorn@ljworld.com

Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photos

A STEINWAY PIANO NEWLY DONATED to the Lawrence Arts Center makes its debut Wednesday, as world-renowned teen pianist Anna Han plays a concert for preschoolers from the Arts Center, HeadStart and Haskell Indian Nations University. The piano’s donor, who asked to remain anonymous, is especially interested in providing access to classical music for children at an early age, Arts Center executive director Susan Tate said, adding, “This is a major gift that will change how we can present music here for generations.” Han, winner of the 2012 New York International Piano Competition, will perform at 7:30 p.m. today at Theatre Lawrence, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive, kicking off the new Dave and Gunda Hiebert Concert Series.

Here’s one type of room service you won’t have to tip for — after all, hospital gowns don’t really have a good place to store a wallet. Lawrence Memorial Hospital officials have approved a new room service meal option for patients by mid-2014. Gone will be the days when patients have to fill out their menus a day in advance and then wait for the appointed time to have their meals delivered. Hospital leaders are working to create a system in which patients will be able to order a meal off a restaurant-like menu and have it delivered within 30 minutes. “Our goal is for it to be much more patient-centered HEALTH and on their time schedule,” said Janice Early, the hospital’s vice president of marketing and communications. Hospital executives are hoping the meals will be healthier and tastier, too. The room service program is part of a complete revamping of the food and beverage division that includes outsourcing food preparation to Unidine Corp. The hospital’s board of trustees was briefed on the changes at its Wednesday meeting. The food preparation will continue to occur in the kitchens of LMH, but now under the direction of Unidine officials instead of Please see LMH, page 2A

KU selects singer, economist for honorary doctorates

School efficiency, funding topic of rare meeting Lawmakers, State Board of Education discuss, disagree on how to improve public education By Peter Hancock phancock@ljworld.com

Conservative lawmakers who serve on House and Senate education committees indicated Wednesday that they want to see more efficiency and accountability out of Kansas public schools, while Democrats and moderate Republicans plan to argue for more funding. That was evident Wednesday during a rare, informal meeting between lawmakers and the Kansas State Board of Education. The state board decided to host the discussion at the end of its regular monthly meeting, which was held in

Peter Hancock/Journal-World Photo

SEN. JEFF MELCHER, R-Leawood, left, and Rep. Jerry Lunn, R-Overland Park, debate spending and efficiency with the Kansas State Board of Education Wednesday at the Statehouse in Topeka. the Statehouse this month because the Department of Education is in the process of relocating into new office space. Following a brief presen-

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TOPEKA — Kansas University on Wednesday announced that Nobel Prize-winning economist Vernon Smith and celebrated opera singer Joyce DiDonato will be awarded honorary degrees at the school’s 2014 spring commencement. “Both of our honorees have contributed to our society, whether Smith by taking us on emotional journeys through song or by advancing our understanding of economic decision making,” said KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “They are role models for our students, DiDonato and exemplify the mission of our university and its dedication to serving Kansans and the world,” she said. DiDonato, one of the most acPlease see HONORARY, page 2A

Please see MEETING, page 2A

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tation about what the state board does and the goals the board has set for itself this year, the conversation quickly turned to hot-button political topics about fund-

ing and accountability. Sen. Jeff Melcher, a freshman Republican from Leawood, quickly pointed out that he saw nothing in the board’s goals about improving the “efficacy of education.” “We are spending over $12,700 per student,” he said, referring to total spending from all sources, including federal funds and local property taxes. “That’s more than a quarter million dollars for a classroom of 20 kids.” Despite that funding level, which he described as “generous,” Melcher complained that there has been little improvement over the years in the state’s performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP exams, or the ACT college prep tests. “I don’t see anything here that dramatically bends

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Controlling CURB? Kansas regulators plan to review charges imposed on utilities by a state agency that represents residential customers and small businesses to finance its work. Page 3A

Vol.155/No.290 32 pages


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