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Looking Back
Last Updated: March 21, 2019

50 years ago

Two former Valley Center students were named to the dean's list at Anderson College in Indiana. Alberta Brayfield was a senior majoring in elementary education, and Juanita Kay Lewis was a freshman majoring in music education.

Valley Center High School student Fred Hobaugh earned his pilot's license after one year of training at 17 years old. Hobaugh said he began flying for fun at 15 years old. He hoped to get a commercial license when he turned 18 and then an instructor's permit. He planned to attend Wichita State University and major in aeronautical engineering.


45 years ago

Retired Valley Center pharmacist George L. White received the A.H. Robins "Bowl of Hygeia" Award at the Kansas Pharmaceutical Association's annual convention in Topeka. The award was presented annually to a Kansas pharmacist.

The Valley Center Index interviewed Bill Arick of Arick and Son Enterprises, 335 S. Meridian. The firm employed eight people and they repaired, rebuilt and repainted trucks, farm equipment and heavy equipment. It was also the local dealer for Allis Chalmers lawn and pleasure equipment, BMB rotary mowers and rough terrain vehicles, and IMCO implements for small farm and garden tractors.


40 years ago

Chuck Hodge of H&H Co. in Wichita announced his desire to expand his business to Valley Center. Hodge founded the business in 1954 when he left Cessna. The business was a manufacturer and servicer of resistance welding equipment. Hodge hoped to move into a 15,000-square-foot building to relocate his sheet metal department and half of his electronics department. He thought the move would create 12 to 18 jobs.

Glenn Collins of Collins Sheep Co. located at 7818 W. 53rd North entered the retail lamb market. Collins sold legs, shoulders and loins that were vacuum-packaged rather than being frozen. He also sold a variety of wool supplies and claimed to be the only strictly retail lamb market in the Midwest.


35 years ago

Harley Miles of Valley Center purchased a 2-year-old buffalo and named him Mr. T. for the novelty of having a wild animal. Miles said he wasn't sure what to do with the animal until one of his employees, Ron White, suggested training the buffalo to perform tricks. White was an accomplished Brahma bull rider, rodeo clown and animal trainer who hoped to train the buffalo so it could be sold to a rodeo clown.

B&D Instrument president, Howard Botts, announced that groundbreaking began on a new manufacturing plant for the business. The new plant was located in the 200 block of South Park adjacent to the existing building.


30 years ago

Leeker's IGA at 221 E. Main pulled its stock of Chilean fresh fruit off the shelves after traces of cyanide were found in Chilean seedless red grapes tested in Philadelphia. The FDA called for all Chilean fruits to be pulled from U.S. markets after a call was made to the U.S. Embassy in Chile claiming the fruit had been poisoned. Leeker's owner, Gary Smith, said he didn't expect to have more fruit for over a month.

Dennis Shaw, owner and manager of Shaw Oil at 100 W. Main, announced he would fight a KDHE order to determine gasoline contamination that may have come from his business. Shaw said KDHE would need to prove where the underground contamination on Main Street came from rather than "looking for someone to take the blame." The presence of petroleum products in the ground was discovered by a gas company crew while laying a line near Main and Meridian.


25 years ago

Dixie Swindle of Valley Center won first place at the TOPS convention in Emporia. Swindle lost 80 pounds and went from a size 22 to a size 12. She wore daughter Shelby Naccarrato's dress from her junior year in high school at the state convention. She also marched in the baggy garment parade for people who lost 50 or more pounds.

Greg Drumright of Valley Center High School was unanimously selected as the Chisholm Trail League Player of the Year in basketball. The 6-foot junior guard led the league in scoring at 18.3 points per game, with 91 3-pointers made and by making 80.3 percent of his free throws.


20 years ago

Katrina Buss was to donate a kidney to her husband, Brian Buss, who suffered from polycystic kidney disease. PKD is a genetic disease that causes cysts on the kidneys that grow inward, halting the organ's ability to filter blood. Two of Brian's three siblings also suffered from the disease as well as his mother.

Donald W. Brownlee, a 1969 graduate of Valley Center High School, was appointed superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol by Gov. Bill Graves. Brownlee had 25 years of experience with the KHP and served as assistant superintendent to Col. Lonnie McCollum. Brownlee was married to the former Annette Houk, also of Valley Center.


15 years ago

Get Fit Bee Fit health club owner, Lisa Vermillion, announced the addition of Get Smooth smoothies to her business in Valley Center. She worked with business partner Dan Stotts to offer Valley Center residents and visitors a healthier option.

Valley Center native Jase Ramsey was among seven students at the University of South Carolina chosen to develop new businesses as the university's Student Business Incubator Center. Ramsey received $1,000 of startup capital, free legal advice and two years of office space. He was a first-year doctoral student in management and his company, Guaranteed Score Test Prep, offered standardized test preparation services for students entering college.


10 years ago

The Ark Valley News learned that Valley Center High School girls basketball coach Ted Anderson would not be asked to return as head coach after 17 seasons. The decision came less than a month after Anderson was served with a one-game suspension following an argument with district athletic director Vic Noordhoek at a middle school basketball game. Anderson had a record of 173-169 and earned two trips to the state tournament.

Valley Center High School senior Brandon Scheer was named to the 2008-09 Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Class 5A All-Academic Team.


5 years ago

Valley Center High School students Logan Burks, Garrett Chandler, Wesley Crow, Cole Klinkhammer and Sam Sheahan presented their science experiment at the Kansas Cosmosphere. The monthly Coffee at the Cosmo event welcomed students who created an experiment for the Student Spaceflights Experiments Program which was selected to travel to the International Space Station to be performed by NASA scientists. Their biology teacher was Jeff Tracy.

Valley Center High School student Trevor Schul completed his Eagle Scout project representing Troop 510 out of Wichita. For his project, Schul built five benches and donated them to the Bel Aire Rec Center. His family was originally from rural Bel Aire, and Schul grew up playing soccer, basketball and baseball at the Bel Aire Rec Center.





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