Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: November 15, 2018

55 years ago

Virgil D. Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Thompson of Valley Center, was appointed assistant director of the membership division of the American Pharmaceutical Association at its Washington headquarters. Mr. Thompson, a former resident of Valley Center and a graduate of Valley Center High School, received his bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Kansas in 1962 and attended the KU School of Law in 1962 and 1963. He was enrolled at the George Washington University School of Law at the time of this appointment.

The popular operetta "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" would be this year's senior class play, directed by Dean Dellinger, vocal music instructor at Park School. There were 106 seventh- and eighth-grade students in the cast and singing chorus. Steve Padgham played the part of the prince, and Nita Lewis played the part of Snow White.

45 years ago

Steven Scriven, son of Mrs. Nancy L. Scriven of Valley Center, performed with the symphony band and the wind ensemble in Miller Concert Hall of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center on the Wichita State University campus. He was a freshman at WSU.

The Wichita-Valley Center floodway has prevented $26.5 million in damages since the project became operational in 1957, according to Col. John G. Driskill, Tulsa district engineer. The floodway consists of 41 miles of channel and 97 miles of levees. It was completed at a total cost of $18.8 million.

40 years ago

Tom Hunsinger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hunsinger of Valley Center, was living in Nairobi, Kenya, working as an actor and assistant stage manager for the Donovan Maule Theatre. Before moving to Kenya, he lived in London, also working as an actor.

Marceille Robertson won the door prize, a 14-piece microwave cooking set, given away by The Ark Valley News in its recipe/cooking contest. The prize was donated by Whitted Refrigeration.

35 years ago

Merle Galyon was surprised by a sign in his front yard wishing him a happy 60th birthday. He wasn't expecting the 18 guests at his surprise birthday dinner either. Among those attending were his son, Dennis Galyon, and family from Oklahoma City, along with his daughter, Sherie Whitchurch, and family from Garden City.

After 10 weeks and 180 games, it took the tiebreaker in the final week to determine the grand prize winner in The News' annual football picks contest. Alan Pierce, Brad Edwards and Ben Scriven all ended with total scores of 108. Pierce missed the tiebreaker — total score of the KU-Nebraska game — by only one point to win the grand-prize trip to Dallas to watch the Cowboys' rematch with the Washington Redskins.

30 years ago

Marcus Richey, son of Robert and Doris Richey of rural Valley Center, had a part in the University of Kansas theater drama "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" A junior, Richey played the part of Dr. Barr.

Randy Weber, son of Frank and Shirley Weber of Valley Center, performed with the Wichita State University concert chorale in the ensemble's first performance of the semester. The concert chorale was a select group of 44 singers conducted by Robert Glassman, assistant professor and director of choral music at WSU. Weber was a senior majoring in vocal music education.

25 years ago

Five Valley Center High School band students were selected to the Kansas Music Educators Association District VI Honor Band. Kathy Johnson, piccolo; Jenny Potter, first-chair clarinet; Julia Galstad, first-chair French horn; Lucas Randall, third-chair tuba; and Sarah Moon, third-chair, third-part clarinet. They are all students of George Naylor.

Isley Unruh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Unruh of Valley Center, was attending the University of Kansas on a National Merit Scholarship. A 1998 graduate of Valley Center High School, Unruh was a freshman in the KU School of Engineering.

20 years ago

Joy Terry of Valley Center, a Butler County Community College theater student, participated in "Little Moon." She was a 1993 graduate of Valley Center High School.

Members of Xi Zeta Rho visited the Haunted Island at Watson Park, followed by a chili dinner at the home of Bob and Kayleen Benoit. Those who attended were John and Erica Bartholomew, Lynda Jones, Gaye and Jim Erwin and Linda and Chuck Chestnut.

15 years ago

Ashley Robertson of Valley Center was a member of the Chem-E-Car team at Kansas State University that would compete at a national conference in San Francisco. A car competition involving a shoebox-sized car built from scrap objects and using a chemical reaction, involving baking soda and concentrated vinegar, would take place. The car would have to run a specified distance while carrying a specified load of water. Robertson was a junior at K-State and a 2001 graduate of Valley Center High School.

Walfred Crites and Steven Herron, both of Valley Center, earned diplomas at Vatterott College in Wichita. Crites earned a diploma in the computer technology program, while Herron earned his in the heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics program.

10 years ago

Rand and Anita Langhover announced the birth of their daughter, Leila Adelle Langhover on Sept. 10, 2008, in Little Rock, Ark. Her uncle, Dwayne Langhover, lived in Valley Center. Rand was formerly of Valley Center.

The Valley Center High School senior team won the annual Powder Puff football game over the weekend. The team was coached by Ryan Fluker, Jose Jurado and Jerred Douglas.

5 years ago

Thousands of viewers in south-central Kansas who lost the ability to receive KPTS Channel 8 during the transition to digital TV service were once again receiving programming over-the-air through a new broadcast tower installed at 61st North and Seneca, just southeast of Valley Center.

The Valley Center High School BEST robotics team placed fifth in the Gatekeeper 2013 competition at Wichita State University. "They really established themselves as a premier robotics team," said P.J. Reilly, the district's director of college and career readiness.