Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: February 16, 2017

50 years ago

Connie Davison was crowned as Valley Center High School basketball homecoming queen. Miss Davison was escorted by varsity player Steve Minson. Her attendants were Kathy Brooner, junior, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. William Brooner, escorted by James Davis, and Carolyn Johnson, junior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vearl Johnson, escorted by Bill Requa.

Malcom H. Pierce of Valley Center won $10 at the Merchants Thursday Night Promotion in Valley Center.

45 years ago

Noralee Nagel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Nagel of Valley Center, was named Kansas Pork Queen during the annual meeting of the Kansas Swine Improvement Association in Salina. Miss Nagel was a past National Duroc Queen and exhibited pigs through 10 years of 4-H activities. She was a state swine project winner in 4-H and placed seventh in the nation as a 4-H livestock judge. She was a freshman at Wichita State University.

Four local girls were chosen by George L. White, representative of the 81st District, to be pages in the Kansas Legislature. The girls were Ande Lue and Carla Armstrong, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Armstrong; Jan Beckham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Beckham; and Cheryl Farthing, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Farthing.

40 years ago

Coleen Wadsworth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vern Wadsworth, was one of five homecoming queen candidates at Barton County Community College in Great Bend. She was a sophomore majoring in voice.

Sally Carlson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Carlson, Valley Center, was studying at Harlaxton College, the British campus of the University of Evansville, Ind., in Grantham Lincolnshire, England.

35 years ago

Valeria Verboom was promoted to assistant trust investment officer by the board of directors at First National Bank in Wichita. Verboom, who joined the bank in 1945, was a native of Valley Center. She and her husband, John Verboom, lived in north Wichita.

The Valley Center High School Pop Choir, under the direction of Dean Dellinger, performed at the annual meeting of the Sedgwick County Soil Conservation District in Wichita.

30 years ago

Calvin L. Bahr, son of Cal and Esther Bahr, was awarded a $400 Mortar Board Alumni Scholarship from Wichita State University at a breakfast held at the University Club. The scholarships are awarded annually to the top sophomore male and female students. Bahr, a business major, completed the first semester of his sophomore year with a 4.0 grade point average.

Ginger Cauble, Andra Rowley and Julie Adrian each received a "I" and Becci Anderson a "II" in state piano competition at Southwestern College in Winfield. Rowley and Anderson were students of Judy Rayl, Adrian studied under Ann Davis of Sedgwick and Cauble was a student of Celia Goering of Newton.

25 years ago

Seventh-grader Brian Snider won the Valley Center Junior High School spelling bee. Sixth-grader Chris Clemence was the runner-up.

Six Valley Center wrestlers competed in the 5A state tournament at the Kansas Coliseum. Seniors Eric Flores and Mark Rubenich, juniors Chad Prichard and Steven Wolff, and sophomores Chris Davison and Jason Kelley earned berths in the tournament by placing in the top four in regional action at Salina South. Although coach Matt Archer was pleased to have six wrestlers qualify, he said he had hoped to place more.

20 years ago

Craig and Karianne Kutz of Valley Center won a 19-inch color TV given away by Hall's Culligan at the Wichita Area Builders Association Home Show. Culligan area sales rep Bob Wagenecht presented the prize to the Kutzes.

Shirley Wilson of rural Valley Center, a special education teacher at Benton Elementary, was awarded a $250 Lifetouch Enrichment Grant by Lifetouch National School Studios of Minneapolis, Minn.

15 years ago

Adam Coffman, son of Deborah Coffman of Valley Center, a 1994 graduate of Valley Center High School and second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, received his pilot's wings during a graduation ceremony at the naval base in Corpus Christi, Texas. His brother, Kristopher Coffman, pinned the wings on him. Adam Coffman graduated No. 1 in his squadron and also received special recognition for being in the top 10 percent of pilots graduating within the past six months.

Debbie Ballinger was the grand prize winner of dinner for two at DeFazio's Restaurant in The News' annual Sweetheart Contest. She registered at Connie's Burger Hut. Other prize winners were Kevin Stoner, Russell Stover candy from Valley Drug; Chris Jay, 100 pounds of ice and $10 in gasoline from Amoco Food Shop; and Jim McAdams, Russell Stover candy from Intrust Bank.

10 years ago

Rachel Lindberg of Kechi graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in agriculture at Kansas State University. She completed graduation requirements during the previous fall semester.

The Valley Center High School Lady Stingers Dance Team came home with an award for the small ensemble of Amy Truman, Candice Burroughs, Ashley Blanton and Gretchen Wiswell at the Sunflower Cheer and Dance Classic at Cloud County Community College in Concordia. The team brought home a trophy for the judges award for outstanding showmanship on a hip-hop routine choreographed by Candise Burroughs and Kati Taylor. The team also received the shining star award of excellence for taking three home routines and scoring above 84 percent on each of them.

5 years ago

Shawn Alexander and Dominic Bailey were the latest members of the Valley Center chess team to qualify for state competition in the Gordon Parks Academy Tournament. They joined Tanner Wray, Zak Keith and Jordan Sanchez, who had previously qualified at the Valley Center tournament. The high school team placed second overall at the Gordon Parks tournament.

Luke Bishop and Whitney Shelton were crowned king and queen during the high school's winter homecoming ceremony. Bishop said he and Shelton had been a couple since the second grade.