Ark Valley News - Chapter closes

Chapter closes
By The News staff
Last Updated: January 10, 2019

Challenges present opportunites in 2019

It was a year of shutdowns in Valley Center.

In 2018, the town's only grocery store and its only pub closed.

Valley Center, however, refused to accept the news sitting down. The city formed a committee to begin looking at options for a grocery store, saying the town's very identity was hurt when Leeker's closed its doors. The group met once or twice and is now waiting on a survey of residents, which is planned for 2019.

Valley Center rebounded later in 2018 with a new coffee shop, a new donut place and expanded retail on Main Street, not to mention a new Community Center & Library, which was years in the making.

Though a full-service grocery store is sorely needed, some residents and city leaders say, the city's commercial landscape will continue to expand as its population grows.

And speaking of growth, the school district hit an all-time enrollment high in 2018, surpassing 3,000 students for the first time in the district's long history.

Setbacks beget opportunities, and challenges spawned creativity. That's how it's done in Valley Center.

The following is a month-by-month look at how 2018 shaped the future.

January

The eight-person Valley Center City Council welcomed three new members to start the year. Paul Davis III (Fourth Ward), Ray Strunk (First Ward) and Matt Stamm (Third Ward) won election to four-year terms in November 2017. They replaced Lou Cicirello, Al Hobson and Jake Jackson, who did not seek re-election.

Paul Buffo, a Valley Center High School graduate and Wichita State University student, won a two-year lease on a new car in a shooting contest during a WSU basketball game.

Riley Greenwood, science teacher at Valley Center High School and local Boy Scout leader, died unexpectedly, leaving behind a wife, a son and a community in mourning. He was 59 years old.

The Valley Center Fire Department grew by two full-time firefighters. The additional staff allowed the department to improve coverage, expanding from eight-hour shifts Mondays through Fridays to 12-hour shifts seven days per week.

Local mother and son Samantha and David Westbrock won a Facebook contest to join celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay as he opens a new restaurant in Las Vegas. David is a fan of "Hell's Kitchen," a television cooking show featuring Ramsay.

Valley Center city staff proposed a project to reconstruct Fifth Street (85th) from the bridge over the Little Ditch to Broadway, doing back-to-back phases.

A broken water main — and the resulting lack of pressure — forced the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue a boil water advisory for the City of Valley center. It was lifted about 24 hours later.

February

Valley Center City Administrator Scott Hildebrand fired longtime Valley Center Fire Department Officer Rob Tormey. The city did not provide a reason for the firing. Tormey, a captain, had been with the department for nearly 40 years.

Valley Center High School winter homecoming king and queen candidates were Christian Paul, Bailey Burns, Wyatt Lange, Bayley Helten, Madison Isham and Karli Elsner. Paul and Elsner were named royalty.

The Valley Center Animal League hosted its fifth annual Father-Daughter Dinner & Dance at Valley Center High School. The event, a fundraiser for the animal league, was sold out.

Lindsay Geddes, a former Valley Center Recreation Commission employee, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the rec board, alleging she was subjected to verbal sexual harassment by a member of management and the board failed to act on her complaint.

March

Leeker's Family Foods in Valley Center announced it was closing in April. The store's owner, Chris Steindler, said the decision was made after years of unprofitability. The store was hurt by high overhead and the opening of Walmart at 53rd and Dillons in Wichita. "It was heartbreaking," Steindler said of the decision. Leeker's opened in Valley Center in 1968. It moved to its South Meridian location in 2000.

Valley Center High School welcomed Daisy, a therapy dog, owned by social studies teacher Brian Shelton. The dog was used to comfort and encourage students.

The Valley Center school district decided to cut a day from its school schedule to give construction crews additional time to complete summer projects.

After much discussion — and support from the Valley Center Animal League — the Valley Center City Council agreed to build a dog park in Lions Park. The park would include two fenced areas as well as a sidewalk.

Valley Center began a project to resurface South Meridian, from the railroad tracks to 69th North.

Valley Point Golf Course began offering its customers true golf carts to go along with the golf trikes in an effort to spur business.

The City of Valley Center decided to close the brush dump site on the weekends, citing abuse by commercial tree-trimmers and the inability to monitor the site.

April

A Sedgwick County District Court jury found Willie Morris guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Scottie W. Goodpaster Jr. Prosecutors said Morris helped torture Goodpaster to death at a home on South Meridian in 2016. Three others faced similar charges.

Thomas Delgado, who was out of jail awaiting trial in connection with inappropriate relationships with young girls, was returned to jail for violating the conditions of his bond. Authorities said Delgado, a former Valley Center police sergeant, sent emails to his ex-wife.

Valley Center High School drama students were preparing to perform Neil Simon's "Rumors" as their spring play.

Gov. Jeff Colyer visited Valley Center High School on his tour touting a new education funding bill.

The Valley Center City Council approved a "vibrant hydrant" program, encouraging residents to paint fire hydrants. The project took off as several residents got involved, changing the hydrants into creative scenes and characters across the city.

As Leeker's moved out of its Valley Center location, the South Meridian facility went up for rent. Leeker's was responsible for leasing the building through 2020.

Valley Center High School prom king and queen candidates were Matthew Clark, Peyton Smith, Aaron Coash, Emma Girtz, Chesney Lund and Cailey Scheppman. Coash and Girtz were named royalty.

May

The City of Valley Center floated the idea of combining the police and fire departments into a single public safety department. The chief of police would serve as the director of the department.

Nearly 200 students became Valley Center High School graduates as the Class of 2018 celebrated commencement in Koch Arena at Wichita State University.

Willie Morris, one of the defendants in the 2016 murder of Scottie Goodpaster Jr., was sentenced to life in prison. He was found guilty of murder.

Kyla Jade was a finalist on NBC's "The Voice." Jade is the daughter of Olivia Howard, who graduated from Valley Center High School in 1980.

Thomas Delgado, former Valley Center police sergeant, pleaded guilty to five of the seven charges against him, including the single felony charge of sexual exploitation of a child. He faces a possible sentence of 32 months in prison.

June

Opening dates were set for the new Valley Center Community Center & Library in Lions Park. The community center would open June 18, while the library would open June 25. A July 4 grand-opening celebration was planned.

Valley Center High School graduates gathered for the Alumni Association Reunion Banquet at the high school. More than 200 alumni attended.

Local Boy Scouts Cole Ashcraft and Andy Lieber Jr. earned their Eagle Scout Awards.

Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau announced that sections of Hoover and Tyler west of Valley Center would be paved, welcome news for residents of the rural area.

The City of Valley Center announced its 2019 budget would not include a property tax increase, instead taking advantage of an increase in assessed valuation.

PawPrints Pet Supply at 108 N. Ash in Valley Center commissioned Wichita artist Mark Pendergrass to paint a mural on the corner of its building. Store owner Dianna Richards was celebrating the store's fifth anniversary.

The Waste Connections recycling dumpster that was a fixture in the parking lot of the Leeker's store on South Meridian for many years was removed by the company. It was part of an area-wide effort by the company to reduce costs, since the market for recycled products had declined so severely.

July

Valley Center City Administrator Scott Hildebrand was a finalist for the same position in Great Bend. Hildebrand told local media in Great Bend that the job would be a step up for him and he couldn't pass the opportunity to apply. Hildebrand later said he withdrew from the running.

Thomas Delgado, former Valley Center police sergeant, was sentenced to 32 months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. Delgado told the Sedgwick County District Court judge that he wanted to apologize to the victims. He added: "I have lost everything. I have nothing." Delgado was accused of preying on young women under the guise of helping them as a police officer.

The Valley Center Community Center & Library opened with a Fourth of July celebration. An estimated 750 people attended the event. A total of 240 free meals were served.

Owners of The Cottage Market, a thriving business at the corner of Main and Park in downtown Valley Center, bought the historic 1910 building from its owner, Lucy Burtnett. It had been in Burtnett's family for 45 years.

Rep. Steve Huebert announced he would seek his 10th term in the Kansas House. He faced no opposition for the seat.

At least three empty lots in the Ridgefield residential neighborhood in northwest Valley Center came full circle as Andy Bias, former CEO of the organization that tried to develop Ridgefield, purchased the land to build houses. "I've always believed in Ridgefield," Bias said. After struggling for years to sell houses in the neighborhood, Mennonite Housing sold the lots to the city's land bank.

August

The City of Valley Center announced it would completely shut down East Fifth Street through October as the reconstruction project progressed. It had been open to one lane of traffic. It wasn't the last residents would hear about the project in 2018.

The Valley Center school district announced its 2018-19 budget would not included a property tax increase. The budget was helped by an increase in state aid and a jump in assessed property valuation.

Wichita artist Mark Pendergrass returned to Valley Center. He painted a mural on the front of DZ Auto on South Meridian.

The organizer of the Valley Rocks project, Matthew McCreary, was arrested on a Sedgwick County warrant for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Valley Rocks encouraged residents to paint rocks and give them to random businesses and people as a way to brighten their day.

The primary race for the Republican nomination for District 4 of the Sedgwick County Commission narrowed to a 12-vote gap after a canvass with incumbent Richard Ranzau leading challenger Hugh Nicks, who called for a vote recount. The recount did nothing to change the outcome.

New Hope Community Church, which meets at Le Venue in downtown Valley Center, began work on a coffee shop in the 100 block of West Main. Two storage rooms inside Le Venue were being remodeled.

The Sunflower Gardens on Valley Center's east side officially opened its new apartments, which were part of an expansion project at the senior-living campus.

September

The former Valley Center library building on West First will be auctioned. The city council decided to sell the building, saying it had no future use for it since the library opened in its new facility in Lions Park in June.

A new donut shop at the corner of Fifth and Meridian opened, and Valley Center residents responded. Long lines greeted customers on the first weekend of the Hornets Nest Daylight Donut.

The Valley Center school board's president, Brad Barbour, said the board's request for a financial audit of the Valley Center Recreation Commission was "not a witch hunt" as some had suggested. The board merely wanted to be sure taxpayer money is being spent and accounted for wisely.

The Valley Center school district's enrollment passed 3,000 for the first time in the district's history. The district reported it had 3,022 students enrolled for the 2018-19 school year, an increase of 78.

For the 57th annual Valley Center Fall Festival, Bill Page was chosen grand marshal, Madaleine Cox as junior citizen of the year and Jamie Lewis as citizen of the year.

Jeff and Heidi Hillard were found guilty of murder by a Sedgwick County District Court jury. They were convicted of torturing Scottie Goodpaster Jr. to death in 2016.

The Valley Center Fall Festival benefited from exceptional weather and a full-court press of marketing to have one of its biggest turnouts in years.

The Hogan family — Jana Hogan, Ethan Hogan, Bailey Worstell and Seth Worstell — found the Fall Festival medallion in the 37th annual hunt. It was hidden in the Wetland Park nature trail.

October

The Fifth Street reconstruction project was delayed as the contractor discovered a previously undetected private septic system in the path of the project. A new drainage system was planned with an additional $25,000 in cost and at least two weeks of delay.

Valley Center High School fall homecoming king and queen candidates were Joshua Isaacs, Jeren Carter, Gary Cicirello, Dylan Bastian, Sarah Schaar, Bailey Emig, Emily Breault and Lizzie Pierce. Isaacs and Schaar were named royalty.

In a surprise move, the Valley Center Recreation Commission board of directors voted to fire longtime director Steve Geddes, who had led the rec commission for 33 years. Geddes said he had done nothing to deserve termination. The board appointed Blake Peniston as interim director while it hired a consultant to survey the rec commission's services and functions.

Two therapy dogs were becoming fixtures at Wheatland Elementary School. Rosco and Chelsea remained in their owners' classrooms during most of the school day, providing comfort and encouragement to students.

Valley Center's only pub closed its doors. Spirits Pub opened at 231 E. Main in 2008. Its owner, Keith Moss, said business had been difficult from the beginning. The pub never received a widespread embrace by Valley Center, he said.

Local residents purchased two public facilities at separate auctions. Paul Eden bought the Valley Center school district's former maintenance facility on South Park and Mike and Tammy Miller bought the city's former library building on West First.

November

Valley Center native and longtime local preacher Chuck Terrill announced his retirement. He and his wife Mary were moving to the Branson, Mo., area, where Terrill would continue to be involved in the ministry.

Jeff and Heidi Hillard were sentenced to life in prison with no possibility for parole for 50 years for the 2016 torture and murder of Scottie Goodpaster Jr. Judge Bruce Brown described the Hillards' crime as "horrific, beyond imagination" and the "depth of depravity."

Democrat Lacey Cruse, who had never held public office before, beat two-term incumbent Richard Ranzau for District 4 of the Sedgwick County Commission. Cruse would start her four-year term in January.

The City of Valley Center decided to add one weekend day per month to its schedule at the brush dump site. Weekend hours had previously been removed. However, residents complained about the inconvenience.

Valley Center High School drama students were preparing to perform "Grease." The musical took on a variety of teenage challenges.

Bryan Kutz won The Ark Valley News football picks contest after participating for 10 years. Kutz won tickets to a Kansas City Chiefs football game.

The Valley Center City Council and staff expressed their frustration over the delays on the Fifth Street reconstruction project. The work, which was to wrap up in the fall, was expected to creep well into 2019.

The Valley Center Community Foundation's second annual pie auction raised $12,641, which will be used to support local organizations and efforts.

December

The Valley Center City Council and the library board met together to iron out issues with the new community center facility. The building was plagued by HVAC problems and door-opener miscues since it opened. The meeting was held to update everyone at the same time on the progress of remedying some of the problems.

An undercover Valley Center police operation in Wichita turned up weapons that were stolen from vehicles in Valley Center. Several guns and a bow-and-arrow set were recovered.

Larry Nordstedt, who cut hair in downtown Valley Center for 52 years, retired. His last day was Dec. 29. Nick Lewis, who had rented a chair at Larry's Barber Shop for the past six years, was taking over the shop, and he would rename it Nick's.

Main Street Coffee opened in the 100 block of West Main in Valley Center. It is run by New Hope Community Church.