Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: March 05, 2015

50 years ago

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Heubach of Wichita announced the birth of a daughter, Yvette Louise, Feb. 23 Wesley Medical Center. They had two sons, Jeff 3 and Greg 2. The grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Heubach, Valley Center, and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. McManus of Columbus, Miss.

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd S. Moore of Valley Center announced the engagement of their daughter Carol to Donald C. Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Davis of Attica. Miss Moore is a graduate of Valley Center High School and attended Kansas State College in Pittsburg. She was employed by Boone General Tire Company in Wichita. Mr. Davis also attended KSC at Pittsburg and was employed by Lear Jet Corporation, Wichita.

45 years ago

Mr. and Mrs. Hubert L. Greenbank of Valley Center announced the engagement of their daughter, Cindy, to David M. Hart, son of Mr. and Mrs. Burton Hart of rural Valley Center. Miss Greenbank was a junior at Valley Center High School. Her fiancé was a 1969 graduate of Valley Center High School and was attending Friends University in Wichita.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Brisco, of Valley Center, are the parents of a daughter, Stacey Renee, born Feb. 16 at Bethel Hospital in Newton. Stacey had two brothers, Martin and Bradley.

40 years ago

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Shewmake announced the birth of a boy born Feb. 4 in Hawaii. He was named Benjamin Shane and weighed 6 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Thompson and Mrs. Ray Shewmake is the former Debby Thompson.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans announced the birth of a son, Joshua Scott. He was born March 1 and weighed 10 pounds. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Liston Onstott of Valley Center and paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Kent Evans, also of Valley Center.

35 years ago

Some Sedgwick county residents may be paying high insurance premiums than necessary for their home and businesses. That's the opinion of Bob Kellet, an independent insurance agent with offices in Valley Center and Maize. Commercial, farm property and homeowners insurance rates are set by fire class and the fire class for areas more than five miles from a fire station has been changed for the better, due to the efforts of Kellet.

Mr. and Mrs. V. Forrest Lawson Jr. and Virgil A. Roadenbaugh, all of Wichita, announced the engagement of their daughter, Vickey A. Roadenbaugh, to Lowell R. Orvis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Orvis, Wichita. The bride-elect was an office worker and her finance was in sales. An April 5 wedding was planned.

30 years ago

Valley Center police officers were to have been zapping violent criminals with a high-tech "stun-gun" instead of a billy club, thanks to the action by the city council. Chief Al Pitts recommended the gun, officially called a Nova XR-5000, to the council as members Corky Armstrong and R.W. Robinson tested the gun on themselves.

Bobby and Tammy Burt announced the birth of their son, Justin Ernest, Feb. 24. He weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 1/2 inches long. He had a sister, Robin, 2. Grandparents are Robert and Corrine Burt and Jim and Eva Sagerty, all of Valley Center. Great-grandparents are Ralph and Bessie Travis of Long Beach, Calif. Great-great-grandparents are Charlie and Ona Burt of Meriden.

25 years ago

An out-of-court settlement offer for the Valley Meadows First Addition sanitary sewer case was rejected by Valley Center City Council. After a 20-minute executive session, council member Mike Houston reported that the council had received a settlement offer from the six Valley Meadows property owners who had filed for a temporary straining order against the city Jan. 30. In asking for a restraining order, the landowners alleged engineering costs for a sanitary sewer extension project had been excessive.

Bill and Susan Byerley of Madison, N.J., announced the birth of their daughter, Sarah Catherine, Feb. 6. She joined a sister, Anne Elizabeth, 3. Grandparents are Jennie and Bill Byerley, Valley Center; Ruth and Lowell Hendley of Tyler, Texas, and Beth and A.B. Burge of Waco, Texas.

20 years ago

If anyone had walked through the snow to Lions Park looking for playground equipment recently, they probably didn't find much to play on. The snow wasn't deep enough to bury the toys, and they weren't stolen. Concerns about liability prompted removal of playground equipment from the park, the Valley Center City Council was told at its meeting. City administrator Bob Finkbiner and city superintendent Dick Dunn, after conferring with the city's insurance agent, Bob Kellet, removed a merry-go-round, animal swings, tires off the jungle gym and some infant swings.

Marine Pfc. Kyle E. Swingle, son of Bill and Linda Swingle of Valley Center, was promoted to his present rank and reported for duty at Marine Corps Engineer School, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The 1994 graduate of Valley Center High School joined the Marine Corps in July 1994.

15 years ago

Valley Center Mayor Jet Truman jokingly called it the "Park City-Valley Center love-in," and, for the most part, it was. City councils and staff members from the two towns stressed neighborly cooperation in their seven-hour meeting at the Cross Wind Conference Center near Hesston.

Megan S. Hoff and John E. Schulz announced their engagement and approaching marriage. The bride-elect is the daughter of James and Peggy Hoff of Valley Center. She was a graduate of Valley Center High School and Wichita State University. She was employed by Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co. in Bismarck, N.D. The prospective groom is the son of Norlyn and Necky Schulz of Bismarck. He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and was employed by Rodney W. Melby CPAs in Bismarck. The bride-elect and prospective groom were both CPAs and met while working together in Vail, Colo. The couple planned an Aug. 26 wedding at First United Methodist Church, Valley Center.

10 years ago

The debate over the proposed public-private airport in Park City continued with the Park City Council voting 6-1 to delay action until the next meeting. City Hall was nearly full with many citizens there to protest the airport. While nine protests petitions were sent in, only one was valid because the other eight were not filled out properly. Owners of 20 percent of the property in question must protest, or three-fourths of the owners, must protest in order for the petition to go through.

Jackie Doyle Nice was to have celebrated his 90th birthday next month. His family were to have hosted a reception at the Derby Senior Center.

5 years ago

Sedgwick County Commissioner Kelly Parks announced that his first full term on the commission would be his last. After Jan. 12, 2011, Parks was to have started a new chapter in his life. He said he may consider a run for public office in 2012, but hasn't decided what avenue he'll pursue.

Brian and Tracy Ashcraft announced the engagement of their daughter, Brianna Ashcraft, to Matthew Leroy, son of John and Terri Leroy of Hutchinson. Brianna and Matthew were students at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., and were to have been married in June 2010. Her grandparents are Chet and Sharon Ashcraft of Valley Center.