Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: November 16, 2017

50 years ago

Cheryl ReQua, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Riley ReQua of Valley Center, was crowned homecoming queen at Valley Center High School. Her attendants were Becky DeWeese, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred DeWeese of Valley Center, and Jolene Purcell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Girk.

Gary Dean Rogers, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Rogers of Valley Center, was on leave from the destroyer USS Porterfield. He had been in the Gulf of Tonkin and was on fire call during the carrier USS Forrestal's disaster.

45 years ago

Dick Bartel's new building for Bartel's Western Auto was under construction on East Main in Valley Center. The new building adjoined Leeker's and would share frontage and parking lot space.

Winners in the Valley Center High School and Junior High School Spanish competition received certificates of merit from Dr. Eugene Savaiano, chairman of the Department of Romance Languages at Wichita State University. Winners were Steve Clayborn and Jeff St. Clair, Division I, and Pam Jimenez and Karen Winchester, Division II.

40 years ago

Neil Guthrie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Guthrie, accepted a position as school psychologist with the Wichita public schools.

Navy Disbursing Clerk Seaman Apprentice Daniel R. Truman, son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Truman of rural Valley Center, completed his basic disbursing clerk course at the Naval Technical Training Center in Meridian, Miss. Truman was a 1973 graduate of Valley Center High School.

35 years ago

Ron Meyer was among the cast announced for the next Marymount College drama production, “A Flea in Her Ear."

Jane Allen of Valley Center was among nine Kansas State University students who attended the national convention of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi. She was a senior majoring in communications and home economics.

30 years ago

Three Valley Center High School graduates helped Sterling College to a successful soccer season. Forwards Tracy Repp and Scott Alderson, along with halfback Jerry Bozarth, played an instrumental part in the Warriors' 13-3-1 record. Alderson was Sterling's leading scorer with 11 goals and six assists. Bozarth recorded 192 steals while Repp had 102.

Betty Rhodes and Eric Otte of Valley Center were among more than 350 4-H volunteers and staff from 11 north-central states and the Canadian province of Manitoba who attended the 12th North Central Regional Leaders Forum in Manhattan.

25 years ago

Wheatland Elementary sent 15 students to the William Allen White Award luncheon in Topeka. Representing the fifth grade were Kari Fox, Ashley Goodrich, Lydia Herr, Jesse Jones, Lindsey Plumer, Stephanie Ryel, Megan St. Clair and Ashley Stephan. Fourth-graders who attended were Tauny Albrecht, Stacy Angell, Erin Auman, Kari Blanton, Matthew Coleman, Chase Ishman and Julia McVay. These students were first-place winners of the school's book jacket design contest.

There were lots of new faces in area eateries. Cindy Cavin was the new manager of Leeker's deli in Valley Center, as former manager Debbie Risley attended barber school in Wichita. Geary Young was the new manager of Valley Center Pizza Hut. Brian Lebeter was the new manager at the Hen House, and the assistant manager was Terry Thompson.

20 years ago

Four Valley Center football players were named to the Chisholm Trail League Division I All-League First Team. Three of them — defensive back Jason Reffner, offensive lineman Mike Wilmott and linebacker Dallas Boone — were unanimous choices. Reffner was also the first-team punter. Lineman Seth Houk was the only CTL player named to the first team on both offense and defense.

15 years ago

Sunrise Christian Academy students Erica Kimmell, Kristin Mehler and Daniel Siemer were named Kansas Honor Students by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and the KU Endowment Association. They were recognized for being in the top 10 percent of their class.

Joanne Fluker, daughter of Jaques and Jarene Fluker of Valley Center, signed to play softball at Washburn University in Topeka. Valley Center High School coach, Michelle Waller was also Fluker's pitching coach.

10 years ago

Two Valley Center High School graduates were instrumental in the success of the Friends University football team. Chad Tormey was the right guard, and Drew Johnson was the punter for the eighth-ranked Falcons

Valley Center High School junior running back Tanner Giffin and his family visited the campus of Duke University after being invited by the school's football coaches. Giffin also received letters of interest from the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, along with schools from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.

5 years ago

The Valley Center High School chess team placed first and took the top three individual awards in a tournament at St. Francis of Assisi. Tanner Wray was first with six wins, Robert Durrett was second with five and one-half wins and Michael McDaniel was third with five wins.

The Valley Center High School robotics team competed in the Frontier Trails B.E.S.T. Regional Robotics Competition in Fort Smith, Ark. The team was coached by high school science teachers Jeff Tracy and Eugene Allyn.