Ark Valley News - Looking Back

Looking Back
Last Updated: January 03, 2019

55 years ago

The Rev. Pete Rose resigned as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. He had been the church's pastor at its inception.

Art Goodwin of Valley Drug was elected president of the Valley Center Chamber of Commerce. Bob Tormey of Tormey Service was elected vice president. C.F. Emler of Arkansas Valley State Bank was re-elected secretary-treasurer, and Edna Harrison was re-elected executive secretary.

45 years ago

Mila Lee Means of Valley Center was granted a junior membership in the American Angus Association. This entitled her to register purebred Angus at regular membership rates and to the privileges of the association until the age of 21. She was one of 125 young people to receive the membership.

Lee and Barbara Gibson of Lee's Central Supply announced the winners in their Christmas drawing. Dean Bookless won a mirror, Marjorie Frantz won a lamp and Paul Chaffin won a Corning Counter Saver.

40 years ago

The Ark Valley News followed Jim Detwiler to learn his secrets in the art of trapping along the creek basins of the Little Arkansas River. Detwiler supplemented his landscaping business in the winter months by trapping small animals like raccoons, muskrats and skunks and selling them to Canadian fur traders.

Clair "Corky" Evans retired from the USD 262 Board of Education after serving for 12 years. Evans said he had lost interest after his children finished school. He said it became difficult to stay informed without having children actively attending.

35 years ago

USD 262 officials were notified that a lawsuit filed against the district by Kimberly Baker for an injury she received to her finger in gym class had been settled out-of-court for $3,000.

Mike Shields, a reporter for The Ark Valley News, accepted a job with the Marion County Record. Shields moved to Marion with his wife and daughter and accepted the job after completing his journalism degree at Wichita State University.

30 years ago

Val Ulbrich's fourth-grade class at Abilene Elementary studied the state of Hawaii by taking a "trip" there. The students played word games about Hawaii, ate pineapple and raw sugar cane and learned two Hawaiian songs and dances. Only one of her students had ever been there. Ulbrich went to Hawaii five years earlier on her honeymoon.

A school planning committee reported to the USD 262 Board of Education that an additional elementary school would address the needs of the district for many years. At the time, Abilene Elementary was the only elementary school. Abilene Principal A.J. Koster said he thought that would address overcrowding concerns at the school.

25 years ago

Senior Kim Banick and freshman Wade Wilbur received the Valley Center High School annual sportsmanship awards. Banick was student body vice president, a National Honor Society member and had a 3.5 GPA. She played volleyball for four years, basketball for two years and softball for one year. Wilbur was freshman class president and played football. He sang in the school choir and managed the basketball teams.

Staci Jones, an early childhood development major at Kansas State University, received one of seven outstanding student awards from KSU's College of Human Ecology. She was cited for her ability to translate child development theory and research into practice in her work with young children. Jones graduated from Valley Center High School in 1989.

20 years ago

Valley Center's Ken Farrell learned of a possible heart transplant in Omaha after being removed from the list by Wichita doctors. The right side of Farrell's heart was enlarged and began to have a difficult time pumping blood through his tall body.

Valley Center's Brandon Clark played in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio for the Kansas State Wildcats' football team against the Purdue Boilermakers. The Wildcats lost 37-34. Clark was controversially flagged for running into the kicker. He nearly recovered a bad punt snap near the goal line while playing special teams.

15 years ago

The Ark Valley News interviewed Kayla Blackburn in the aftermath of a car wreck in which she was badly injured. Blackburn's 2002 Saturn was struck by a semitrailer after its driver veered left of center. Blackburn graduated from Valley Center High School in 2009.

Three Valley Center High School students were charged and four more entered diversion programs after setting off a smoke bomb at the Valley Center Public Safety Building. They were ordered to pay restitution of $11,394.89 to two insurance companies who paid to repair the damage.

10 years ago

Valley Center police began looking for suspects after receiving more than half a dozen reports of vandalism and theft of holiday yard decorations. Some lawn decorations were stolen and some were arranged in lewd poses. One of the incidents even occurred in Det. Jay Grayson's front yard.

Spirits Pub opened at 231 E. Main in Valley Center. Co-owner Keith Moss said the pub was "packed" for three straight nights.

5 years ago

Valley Center resident Beth Lewis returned from a weeklong mission trip to Haiti where she helped host a youth conference with her church at an orphanage. At the time, Haiti was still recovering from the devastating earthquake in 2010.

Valley Center Middle School student Denae Adwell received a visit at school from Wichita Thunder assistant coach Travis White and the team's mascot Thunder Dog. Adwell got a hug from Thunder Dog and a prize package for her family three years after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a tumor from her brain.