Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: December 03, 2015

50 years ago

Michelle Tedlock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dale G. Tedlock of Park City, was a member of the Linkletter-Totten Dance Studio, Junior Talent Unit and Wednesday Class. Tedlock entered the American Guild of Music's Midwest regional contest and received a blue ribbon rating.

Mary Sue Nelson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O.R. Loewen of Valley Center, a senior at Fort Hays Kansas State College, was named for inclusion in the 1965-66 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. She was nominated by vote of the college faculty on the basis of her outstanding academic record, potential leadership and character. Nelson majored in elementary education and was active in Women's Leadership Organization and Alpha Lambda Delta, a freshman scholastic honorary fraternity.

45 years ago

The KwikShop in Valley Center was franchised to Lyle and Illene Blue of Valley Center. He had managed the Valley Center KwikShop since August 1969. He and his family had moved to Valley Center from Topeka. They operated the Valley Center KwikShop as owner-operators under the franchise plan.

Four Kansas 4-H'ers rated national honors during the National 4-H Congress in Chicago. Linda Kay Callow, Fort Scott, was one of six national award winners in public speaking. Margo Reiman-Byers was one of six national winners in home improvement. Larrell Howe, Goddard, was the winner of a $600 scholarship. Teri Anderson, Leonardville, was one of eight national award winners in safety. Her award was a $1,000 scholarship.

40 years ago

Valley Center's Steve Guebelle was named to the Wichita Eagle's 1975 Class 3A all-state football team. Guebelle, who rushed for more than 1,350 yards and was the leading scorer in Class 3A, was named to the backfield along with Mike Reichenberger of Andale, Mark Langston of Goddard and Allan Harshbarger of Wamego. All but Geubelle was a member of a team that participated in the state playoffs.

Valley Center High School's Pop Choir was busy with planned appearances on local television stations in December. Director Dean Dellinger said his group of 50 would perform for the morning Joyce Livingston Show on KTVH-TV in the park across from Century II in Wichita, weather permitting. Dellinger said the choir was to tape an eight-minute segment for KAKE-TV as well. The choir also had seven other singing engagements not on television through the month of December.

35 years ago

Kimberly Nixon, daughter of Fred Nixon and Terry Nixon of Valley Center, won the spelling bee at Abilene Elementary School. Nixon was a pupil of Karen Murphy's sixth-grade class. Scott Noah, son of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Noah of Valley Center, won the spelling bee at West Elementary School. Noah was a pupil of Mitch Parker's sixth-grade class. The winners at both schools advanced to the Sedgwick County spelling bee.

Valley Center High School had a new vice principal and athletic director. Boyd Ayer, a teacher and coach in the Derby school system since 1978, was hired by the USD 262 Board of Education. Ayer and his wife, Trudy, a secretary at Boeing, had two boys Billy, 11, and Brady, 10.

30 years ago

Jerry Ann Haug was a winner in the Kansas Farm Bureau Insurance's 1985 All-American sales contest. She won an expense-paid trip for two to Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Stacey Leftoff, David Tackitt, Grace Thomas and Todd Williams were the intramural table tennis champions at the junior high. Leftoff defeated Tracey Hampton for the seventh-grade girls title, while Tackitt won the boys championship over Jason Carter. Thomas defeated Staci Swanson for the eighth-grade girls title, while Williams beat Jeremy Ensey in the eighth-grade boys bracket.

25 years ago

Kristy Parker of Valley Center, daughter of Mitch and Alta Parker, was one of three K-State candidates for the prestigious Rhodes scholarship. The winner would be selected from students across the country, based upon academic achievement, integrity and leadership skills. The award would provide more than $30,000 for two years of study at Oxford University in England.

Laura Martin, daughter of Steve and Kay Martin, had a part in the Metropolitan Ballet's "The Nutcracker" presented at Century II Concert Hall in Wichita. Martin, a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Valley Center Junior High, danced with Nancy Hervey's School of Ballet, in Wichita.

20 years ago

Bob Scott with Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm supplied the 17-foot Christmas tree at the county courthouse. Scott was also in Washington, D.C., to present the White House Christmas tree.

Staci Tallent of Valley Center was among 47 Northwestern Oklahoma State University juniors and seniors selected for inclusion in the 1996 edition of "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges." She was a junior majoring in natural science.

15 years ago

Matt Harris, son of Tom and Susan Harris of Valley Center, was awarded a research grant from the Beta Beta Beta Research Foundation. Harris was a senior biology major at Southwestern College in Winfield. He received a $500 grant for the study of the heatshock proteins in killifish acclimatized to different temperature regimes. Beta Beta Beta was the national biology honor society.

Dean Frankenbery received the 2000 Extension Appreciation Award from the Sedgwick County Extension Council executive board. He and his family were supporters of extension educational programs. Frankenbery owned Wood Recycle and Composting Center. Through his business, he supported agricultural and horticultural program efforts, utilizing new technology in recycling wood chips, paper products, compost and food waste in demonstration plots and fields.

10 years ago

Chemistry students at Valley Center High School were using laptop computers as Vernier Lab-Pro technology performed laboratory experiments and procedures. Instructor Tom Gleason was introduced to the program while attending the National Science Teachers convention. Tim Tate, a student in the course, said "They could never replace good, old-fashioned chemistry work, but the computers can do amazing things. It's an awesome learning experience."

Kelly Linenberger, a 19-year-old sophomore at Wichita State University and a graduate of Valley Center High School, found her athletic and mental strengths in a sport little known to the Midwest: rowing. Linenberger may look like a typical college student, but waking up for 6 a.m. practice five days a week is not something many college students would even consider. Linenberger majored in studio arts with an emphasis in painting.

5 years ago

Valley Center Middle School threw a surprise party and crowned their principal the No. 1 king as Tim Hayden was named Kansas middle school principal of the year. He was the center of attention with a "Winner" medal around his neck and a plastic crown on his head to celebrate the honor. Assistant principal Greg Lehr organized the party.

Local merchants made it through a crazy night and day known as Black Friday. At the Walmart south of Valley Center, the madness began at midnight Nov. 26. By 7 a.m., the worst appeared to be over, but it never did get too bad, assistant manager Dustin Norton said.