Hays Medical Center

Dr. Sukchan Lee, Orthopedic Surgeon at HaysMed, performed the first direct anterior approach hip replacement surgery at HaysMed in June.

The surgery offers patients the potential for a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery time. Lee is one of the only physicians in western Kansas who performs this type of surgery, but he will be joined by fellow Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Gulraiz Cheema who will begin offering the procedure this fall.

With the direct approach anterior hip procedure the surgeon makes a small incision at the front of the hip instead of through the back or the side of the hip. This approach allows the doctor to reach the hip socket without cutting through major muscles and tendons. The procedure often results in less pain and fewer complications for patients than standard hip replacement.

“Patients recover quicker, discontinue use of a cane or walker sooner, and have a quicker return to a normal gait” Lee said.

The operation is less invasive on muscles so patients don’t have as many movement limitations during recovery.

“You can bend over; you can reach down to the floor. You can cross your legs – all movements that patients with a traditional hip replacement surgery have to be careful about.” Lee noted.

Anterior hip replacements were first described in the United States in the 1970s and have gradually gained popularity. During the surgery patients lie on their backs rather than their sides and the procedure requires special operating tables other equipment that HaysMed purchased earlier this year. Lee received the special training on this procedure at Harvard Medical School.

Surgeons who perform the procedure also say the anterior position makes it easier for them to use fluoroscopy, a real-time X-ray technique that allows doctors to precisely position the implanted artificial hip. That, in turn, may allow artificial hips to last longer.

“It’s exciting to be able to offer patients this option in hip replacement surgery,” said Lee. “Not every patient meets the criteria for direct anterior hip replacement but if they do qualify they should experience a quicker recovery and shorter hospital stay.”

The Sunflower Foundation Board of Trustees has awarded $561,047 to 12 communities and one school district to build new trails, or connect and enhance existing trails.

The Sunflower Trails program is designed to promote healthy living by helping communities provide all populations with safe and accessible opportunities for outdoor physical activity.

“For more than a decade, Sunflower has partnered with communities and schools to enhance options for outdoor activity,” said Billie Hall, President and CEO of the Sunflower Foundation.

“We are pleased to announce this year’s Sunflower Trails grants, which are supporting projects across the state in communities both large and small. The diversity of the projects is exciting and we look forward to seeing our partners’ visions become reality.”

The following communities and school district were awarded grants by Sunflower’s board at its June meeting. All Sunflower Trails grants require a cash match by each community or school.

2016 Sunflower Trails grantees

Atchison: South Atchison Trail
Working with Live Well Live Atchison, the City of Atchison will build a 1.55-mile long, 10-foot wide, asphalt, shared-use trail. The trail will be anchored on one end by the county hospital, and on the other the historic downtown, connecting commercial and residential properties along the way. Grant amount: $55,000

Augusta: Shryrock Park Trail
The City of Augusta will build a .64-mile long, 8-foot wide, concrete trail throughout the city’s most popular park. The trail will serve as a looped, scenic path to many park destinations as well as a connector to nearby neighborhoods and commercial districts. Grant amount: $48,000

Clearwater: Chisholm Trail Sports Complex Trail
Working with the Clearwater Recreation Commission, the City of Clearwater will build a .65-mile long, 6-foot wide concrete trail through the town’s sports complex. The trail will connect with sidewalks on each end, increasing walkability across town. Grant amount: $40,000

Iola: King of Trails Bridge connector
Working with Thrive Allen County, the City of Iola will oversee construction and installation of a 150-foot long pedestrian truss bridge over Elm Creek. The bridge will connect the vast majority of Iola’s residential and commercial development to a growing recreational area, which includes the Lehigh Portland Trails. The bridge will also enable more the 700 employees of an industrial park on the south side of Elm Creek to walk or bike to work. Grant amount: $30,000

Lawrence: Lawrence Loop
The City of Lawrence will build a .7-mile long 10-foot wide concrete trail north of Rock Chalk Park, connecting the west leg of the Lawrence Loop Trail to the Baldwin Creek section of the loop. Currently, 13.5 miles of the loop are complete; once finished, the 22.4-mile trail will encircle the entire city. The partners in this project include LiveWell Lawrence, Lawrence Douglas County Health Department, Lawrence Parks & Recreation, and Lawrence Pedestrian Bicycle Task Force. Grant amount: $120,000

Maize: 45th Street Trail
The City of Maize will build a .53-mile long, 8-foot wide concrete trail connecting two large neighborhoods, a park, and a middle school to a network of 20 miles of trails in the Wichita metro area. The trail will enable residents to safely walk or bike to a school, park and commercial areas. Grant amount: $55,000

Manhattan: Old Blue River Trail
The City of Manhattan will build a .6-mile long crushed limestone trail, ranging in width from 6 to 10 feet, connecting a residential area to the city’s existing trail network. This recreation trail will also serve as an active commuting link for about 4,000 nearby residents to commercial districts and services. Grant amount: $46,625

Nickerson: Partner Pass
The City of Nickerson will build a .67-mile long, 6-foot wide concrete trail around the city’s only park. This will be just the second publicly accessible trail in town, in addition to the Sunflower Trail at Nickerson Elementary School. The trail will also connect to a sidewalk, which leads downtown and then connects to the elementary school trail. Grant amount: $39,978

Paola: Lake Miola Trail connector
The City of Paola will build a 1.4-mile, 8-foot wide crushed limestone connector trail, completing a 7.5-mile long trail system around Lake Miola, a popular recreation site for the town and visitors. Among the project’s supporters is the Paola Pathways task force, representing diverse stakeholders and a strong volunteer coalition. Grant amount: $9,022

Pittsburg: Pittsco Sunflower PSU Trail connector
Working with Livewell Crawford County, the City of Pittsburg is building a 308-foot long, 6-foot wide connector trail that will allow passage through a railway crossing. The connector links the popular Pittsco Trail to other trails and sidewalk systems. Grant amount: $9,114

St. Francis: Keller’s Pond Nature Area Trail
The City of St. Francis will build a .63-mile long, 6-foot wide gravel trail around a popular local pond and wildlife area, increasing access to the pond particularly for residents with limited mobility. This trail is intended to be the first phase of a four-phase master trail plan, eventually linking the pond to the downtown area. Grant amount: $41,613

Tribune: Trail to be named
Growing The Vision Inc.—a Greeley County Community Development foundation—will build a 1.02-mile long, 6-foot wide concrete and asphalt trail, encircling the county’s largest park and connecting its recreational amenities. It will be the first publicly accessible trail is the county. Grant amount: $48,675

USD #457 Garden City School District, Victor Ornelas Elementary School
The Garden City School District with build a .25-mile long, 6-foot wide asphalt trail on Victor Ornelas Elementary School property. The trail will provide a comfortable training area for the school’s running club, and will also be accessible to the nearby middle school and residential areas. Grant amount: $18,020

• • •

Since its inception in 2005, the Sunflower Trails program has supported more than 150 trail projects in 57 Kansas counties.

The Sunflower Foundation believes a trail is more than simply a trail. Trails can improve our lives in so many ways. Trails can strengthen communities by fostering stronger social ties. They can stimulate economic activity and job creation. And of course trails are fun places for physical activity. The more we get outdoors and get active, the healthier we are as individuals and communities.

A statewide map of all Sunflower Trails projects and details about them is at SunflowerFoundation.org/TrailFinder

• • •

The Sunflower Foundation was established in 2000 to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Kansans. The Topeka-based nonprofit directs resources statewide aimed at promoting healthy living in partnership with Kansas communities and schools, improving health care for the whole person, and developing leaders of Kansas organizations in a variety of sectors to be even more effective advocates for the causes and communities they serve.

By RANDY GONZALES
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Dr. David Goodlett uses his passion for movies to help him when he teaches about his other passion — history.

Goodlett, associate professor of history, enters his 20th year teaching at Fort Hays State University this fall. He has found that movies are something his students can relate to when he is trying to make a point in class.

“I think some students can relate to (movies) if they have no other image of what you’re talking about,” Goodlett said. “I think I probably have been doing it as long as I’ve been teaching.

“It isn’t just movies,” he added. “Sometimes it’s songs; anything I can think of that connects to students and what they’ve experienced, seen in life.”

Films can transport Goodlett’s students to another time and place, which is useful in a history course.

“They may not have been to another country but they might have seen a movie set in another country,” Goodlett said.

Goodlett wants his students to understand that what’s on the screen is not necessarily historically accurate. Case in point is the movie, “300.” The movie is about a famous last stand of 300 Spartans against a force of at least 100,000 Persians in the mountain pass of Thermopylae.

“That seems to be the film people of normal college age have seen more than any other film,” Goodlett said. “It’s definitely based on a historical subject, but the Spartans were not, in fact, at the Battle of Thermopylae wearing modified speedos. It’s a great look, but they were actually wearing armor because they didn’t want to die any faster than necessary.

“At the same time, that doesn’t have anything to do with analyzing it as a film,” he said, adding the Persians in fact were told by a farmer how to get around the paths. “That’s how they were able to finally corral the Spartans into a location where they could surround them.”

Goodlett developed a love for movies as a young child growing up in southwest Ohio. He watched films both in the movie theater and on television. He still remembers as a youngster going to see an Elvis Presley movie and how the audience erupted upon seeing his gyrations on screen.

“I loved stories, stories that entertained me and took me places — not necessarily far away — but took me someplace that I hadn’t imagined being before,” he said. “I got attached, and attracted, to that dynamic very quickly.”

Goodlett said John Wayne quickly became one of his favorite actors. Other favorites include Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and Fred Astaire.

“I wanted to be all of them,” Goodlett said. “I also wanted to be the center fielder for the Cincinnati Reds.”

Goodlett’s favorite player growing up was Reds outfielder Frank Robinson, who was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. Robinson promptly led the team to a World Series title and was named league MVP.

“I haven’t gotten over the heartbreak yet,” Goodlett said.

One of Goodlett’s favorite sports movies is one he first saw as a child, “It Happens Every Spring,” which is about a scientist who discovers a formula that makes a baseball that repels wood. Others sports films he likes include “Field of Dreams,” “Horse Feathers” and “Hoosiers.” Goodlett said “Horse Feathers” isn’t normally thought of as a sports movie. He added that “Hoosiers” speaks to the basketball-mad culture that is Indiana high school basketball.

One of Goodlett’s favorite recent movies is an Iranian film, “A Separation.” It details the struggle of a family where the wife wants to leave Iran because of the conditions living there. She wants to go with her husband and their daughter to live in Paris. The husband feels compelled to stay, in part because his father has Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s an absolutely superb study of human beings dealing with severe stress and trying as human beings to function,” Goodlett said. “I thought it was just a great movie.”

Goodlett, who said he is “a fan of most genres,” has “a solid collection” of movies, some he has bought on DVD and some he has recorded on television. “Turner Classic Movies is a godsend,” he said.

Goodlett likes to dig deep into movies, delve into their underlying themes. “It’s kind of a combination of I love films and I love history,” he said.

Goodlett doesn’t mind if a film is historically inaccurate if it doesn’t try to pretend to be historical in nature. He uses the film “National Treasure” as an example; it’s a good popcorn movie. However, a movie such as “JFK” does cause him some irritation.

“When you go see ‘JFK,’ you’ve got a guy who’s trying to tell you something like this happened,” Goodlett said. “It’s a brilliant film. It’s a lie, but it’s a brilliant film.”

Goodlett said some years back there was discussion about adding a film history course at FHSU. Count him in if such a course is ever taught.

“I do very much want to teach film history,” Goodlett said.

Kansas Department of Transportation

The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place June 22 in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

 

District One — Northeast

Johnson – 07-46 KA-4277-01 – K-7/K-10 interchange, surfacing, 0.5 mile, LouisCompany LLC, Lees Summit, Mo, $123,382.50.

Statewide – 177-106 KA-4357-01 – K-177, from 1.04 miles south of the Geary/Riley county line north to the Geary/Riley county line and from Geary/Riley county line north 6.9 miles, milling and overlay, 8.0 miles, Shilling Construction Co. Inc. & Shilling Asphalt Inc., Manhattan, Ks, $2,176,291.76.

Statewide – 106 KA 4324-01 – ADA Sidewalk Improvements at various locations in District 1, District 2, District 5 and District 6, special, Bryant & Bryant Construction Inc., Halstead, Ks, $267,775.00.

Statewide – 35-106 KA-4003-01 – I-35, between I-435 and state line, intelligent transportation system, Capital Electric Line Builders Inc., Riverside, Mo, $709,400.52.

 

District Three — Northwest

Ellis – 70-26 KA-4354-01 – I-70, beginning at the Ellis/Trego county line, east 31.2 miles to the Ellis/Russell county line, pavement patching, 31.2 miles, APAC Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks, $254,774.68.

Thomas – 83-97 KA-4297-01 – U.S. 83, beginning at the U.S. 24/U.S. 83 junction north 11.5 miles to the Sheridan/Thomas county line, 1.5-inch overlay, 11.5 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks, $1,410,163.10.

Trego – 70-98 KA-4224-01 – I-70, at the U.S. 283 and U.S. 283 spur, lighting, 1.7 miles, Phillips Southern Electric Company Inc., Wichita, Ks, $228,430.00.

 

District Four — Southeast

Crawford – 19 TE-0419-01 – Prairie Street and Forest Avenue, from K-7 (Summit Street); K-7 and Ozark Street from Prairie Street to Forest Avenue, landscaping and beautification, Mission Construction Co. Inc., St Paul, Ks, $1,549,739.50.

 

District Five — South Central

Sedgwick – 87 KA-3602-01 – Wichita metro area, intelligent transportation system, Atlas Electric, LLC, Wichita, Ks, $634,112.00.

 

The following projects were approved in the May 25, letting.

Douglas – 23 TE-0424-01 – Baldwin City Depot located at 1601 High Street, rehabilitate and operate historical transportation buildings, Killough Construction Inc., Ottawa, Ks, $226,307.00.

Barton- 56-5 KA-2051-01 – Bridge #005, 5.79 miles east of U.S. 56/K-156 junction east 0.5 miles to the east city limits of Ellinwood, bridge replacement, 1.7 miles, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $12,254,634.94.

Barton – 56-5 KA-2051-02 – U.S. 56 in the City of Ellinwood, special, 0.4 mile, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Ks, $2,476,049.33

Leavenworth – 52 C-4611-01 – 0.2 mile south of Easton, bridge replacement, L G Barcus & Sons Inc., Kansas City, Ks, $480,960.35.

Kansas Department of Agriculture

A U.S. Grains Council (USGC) trade team of high-volume Chinese sorghum buyers was in Kansas this summer as part of a tour aimed at further developing and strengthening relationships between Chinese sorghum buyers and U.S. suppliers.

Members of the team were hand-selected by USGC staff in China and represent organizations that purchased 2.5 million metric tons (98 million bushels) of China’s total U.S. sorghum imports in the 2014–2015 marketing year. The team’s visits were focused on U.S. sorghum production, marketing and export logistics.

“It’s our goal at Kansas Grain Sorghum to build solid, reliable, long-lasting relationships with our friends abroad.  The Chinese marketplace has expanded dramatically in the last several years and sorghum has found its place in the Chinese demand,” said Pat Damman, director of Kansas Grain Sorghum. “I’ve seen it firsthand, as I traveled to China in March with a group of Kansas sorghum farmers and met some of these same companies there. It really enhanced our relationships to be able to meet with them again when they came to Kansas.”

One of the team’s first stops was at the U.S. Department of Agriculture was at the Federal Grain Inspection Service office to learn about U.S. grain standards, grades and testing for mycotoxins. The team then traveled to Kansas State University, where they completed a short course about poultry and swine nutrition.

This team continued its Kansas tour with visits to Harris Farms and the ADM Alliance Nutrition feed mill in Abilene, Countryside Feed in Hillsboro, Kansas Ethanol in Lyons, Baldwin Farms in McPherson, an ADM elevator in Hutchinson, and Martin Kerschen’s farm in Garden Plain. These stops helped team members, who are sorghum end users, gain a greater confidence in the United States’ ability to supply them with the high-quality sorghum they desire.

Kansas is an active member of the USGC, a private, non-profit organization that works to develop exports in more than 50 countries from 10 worldwide offices and its Washington, D.C., headquarters. Through its membership, the Kansas Department of Agriculture is able to help host reverse trade missions like this. “Kansas is the nation’s largest producer of grain sorghum but we’re just a small piece of the puzzle. Export markets are critical and as global competition increases, we must do our part to continue to build relationships and ensure the future demand for U.S. grain sorghum,” said Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, international trade director at KDA.

More about the Chinese trade team’s activities is available online at www.grains.org. For more information about the KDA’s international trade opportunities, contact Ryan-Numrich at 785-564-6704 or [email protected], or go to the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/international.

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Researching and locating potential fossil sites in Kansas led four Fort Hays State University students to San Diego to present their findings at the Environmental Systems Research Institute’s Annual Geographic Information Systems User Conference.

“This was an amazing conference, and I’m very proud of the enthusiasm and professionalism our students demonstrated,” said Dr. Richard Lisichenko, associate professor of geosciences.

Through collaboration between the Department of Geosciences and the FHSU Sternberg Museum of Natural History, the four students spent the spring 2016 semester using GIS technologies to locate potential fossil sites. They prepared their research in poster format for the conference.

“Geographic information systems store and analyze data that describes our world and have revolutionized the way that we live,” said Lisichenko. “After attending the conference, it’s obvious that GIS will be used in new and exciting ways in the future.”

Lisichenko and Dr. Thomas Schafer, associate professor of geosciences, attended the conference with the students: Michael Christman, South Hutchinson, is a senior majoring in general science; Dalton Hills, Heber Springs, Ariz., is a graduate student earning an M.S. in geosciences (geography); Kaila Kirchner, Hays, is a senior majoring in physics; and Adam Rusk, Thornton, Colo., is a graduate student earning an M.S. in geosciences (remote sensing technologist).

Lisichenko said that he owes a special thanks to Mark Allen, president of the Enertech GIS Corporation in Wichita, for providing a $5,000 donation that made it possible for the students and faculty to attend the conference.

Conference presentations described the “amazing” applications of GIS to solve problems and improve society, said Lisichenko. Included were technical demonstrations and workshops for the latest GIS technologies. Participants were also provided the opportunity to interact and network with many professionals in the field.