The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has hired a second liver transplant surgeon for its new program. Joining Dr. Youmin Wu will be Dr. Frederick Bentley, a specialist in liver, kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation.

Bentley will likely arrive in July, UAMS spokesman Leslie Taylor said. He developed the solid organ transplant program at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where UAMS’ chairman of the department of surgery, Dr. Michael Edwards, worked before coming to Little Rock three years ago. Bentley is also medical director of the Jewish Hospital Transplant Program in Louisville.

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UAMS will pay Bentley, who will be vice chair of clinical programs, a salary of $325,000 and a possible bonus of $175,000.

Wu performed UAMS’ first liver transplant in May 2005. The hospital also performed its record number of 84 kidney and kidney-pancreas transplants last year.

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Trading spaces

The Drudge Report says a new book about First Lady Laura Bush, “Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait,” includes her complaints about White House decor during the Clinton administration. Laura Bush apparently has a specific beef with the Oval Office, which was designed by Little Rock resident Kaki Hockersmith of Little Rock (and replicated for your current study at the Clinton Library).

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Drudge says:

“On Dec. 18, 2000, just after the Supreme Court ruled on the election, Hillary Clinton gave Laura Bush a tour of the White House. The incoming-First Lady was dismayed at what she saw: Not only were carpets and furnishings fraying and in disrepair in the West Wing and public areas, the Oval Office was done in loud colors — red, blue, and gold! … Laura was appalled at the way the Clintons left the White House and Hillary Clinton’s gaudy, outdated taste in decorating …”

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We prefer the lively colors of the Clinton era, not to mention his record, over Bush’s Oval Office beiges and disastrous foreign policy and deficits.

Good works

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Former Sen. David Pryor, the founding dean of the Clinton School for Public Service, was impressed by the young folks profiled in our “Eight for the Future” cover story last week — so much so that he has extended an invitation to the eight to attend a speech/meet ’n’ greet at the Clinton Library on Thursday. The speaker: Michelle Nunn, the founder of “Hands On Atlanta” and “Hands On Network,” organizations that seek to “have immediate, tangible impact on learning and play spaces, healthy spaces, and green spaces.”

PACing it on

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Given Gov. Mike Huckabee’s far-flung travels, we thought we’d check his Conservative Leadership for Arkansas PAC for recent activities. The January report showed he spent more than $9,000 on fund-raising materials in the last quarter, though he raised no money. He also gave $1,000 to Jim Lagrone’s Republican campaign for secretary of state, the only candidate favored with a contribution. The PAC still had $16,841 on hand.

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