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The city broke ground on the Community Center & Library in Lions Park. How will the new facility be received by the public in 2018?

Another year older
By The News staff
Last Updated: January 04, 2018

Will Valley Center learn from its experiences in 2017?

When a community turns another year older, does it become wiser too?

That's the question Valley Center asks itself each year as the calendar turns and a year starts fresh.

What kinds of new knowledge is Valley Center taking with it into 2018? What did it learn?

Did experience make it smarter?

The following is a recap of the past 12 months of news stories in Valley Center. Our hope is that it provides the context and motivation Valley Center needs to move forward in facing new challenges in 2018.

January

The City of Valley Center started a project to improve the iconic gazebo in Lions Park. The structure, which was built in 1986, suffered weather damage as well as vandalism over the years.

Valley Center linebacker Jay Shank was selected to the Shrine Bowl. He was the leading tackler on the 9-2 Valley Center High School football team.

The Valley Center school board debated whether to install artificial turf on the practice football and soccer fields behind the high school. Turf, proponents said, would increase participation.

Two local men — Andrew Dennett of Valley Center and Weston Brewster of Bel Aire — attended the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., supporting President Donald Trump.

February

The Valley Center Lions Club turned 60 years old.

Blake Hawkins, senior at Valley Center High School and president of the student body, built a coin-operated soda-can-dispensing machine from scratch and mounted it in his locker at the school. The machine, which violated a school policy of making money using school facilities, was removed.

A preliminary hearing in the murder case against Jeff Hillard, Heidi Hillard and Willie Morris detailed torture and death. The three are on trial in the death of Scottie Goodpaster Jr.

The Valley Center Animal League held its annual father-daughter dance and sold out of tickets.

Summer baseball was set to return to Valley Center with the Kansas Collegiate League's Valley Center Mud Daubers.

Antoine Johnson and Jordyn Granger were named Valley Center High School winter homecoming king and queen. Other candidates were Bethany Reeves, Madison Breault, Sam Weldon and Ethan Bauguess.

Larry Tormey, Valley Center assistant fire chief, retired after 41 years of service.

Matt McCreary and his daughter, Addysyn, started Valley Center Rocks, an effort to make people smile by delivering painted rocks with encouraging messages.

A dozen Valley Center High School wrestlers qualified for the state tournament. They were Quentin Kirk, Carter Nold, Mike Turkali, Devin Gomez, Dallas Boone, Don Boone, Tyler Boone, Payton Stoffel, Kaden Lewis, Sam Weldon, Chase Holle and Tony Caldwell. The Hornets took third as a team.

March

Valley Center police were investigating a rash of vehicle burglaries. Three vehicles were stolen in five days and several were broken into.

The Valley Center City Council discussed a proposal to make the public library a city department, a move that many library supporters opposed.

Valley Center High School won the girls' division of the Class 5A state powerlifting championships.

Valley Center High School students Garrett Rogers and Gabe Karst were named to the Class 5A/6A all-state band.

The City of Valley Center was wrapping up a project to install a walking path in the median that separates Emporia Avenue on the city's east side.

The Valley Center school district began discussing a plan to shuffle grade levels in the district's schools, moving fourth grade to the intermediate school and sixth grade to the middle school. The move, which was later approved, would create more space in the elementary schools.

The First United Methodist Church in Valley Center had a 30-foot stained glass mural installed in its sanctuary.

Valley Center chess team members who qualified for national competition were Zakery Keith, Derrick Foster, Noah Maskrid and Mauricio Garcia.

April

The Little Arkansas Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a ceremony in Valley Center's Military Park to dedicate a tree to veterans of the Vietnam War era.

Valley Center High School's clay target shooting team began its inaugural season with 48 members.

Valley Center Middle School students launched a weather balloon that carried a camera into space. It landed six hours later in a field about 120 miles away after reaching an altitude of 106,000 feet.

Principal Greg Mittman and assistant principal Ron Barry announced their resignations from Valley Center Middle School to take different jobs. Later, they were replaced by Pete Bastian and Abby Thompson. In a related move, Mark Hoy was named principal at West Elementary, where Bastian was, and Mary Carpenter was hired as principal at Hoy's Abilene.

Valley Center Mayor Laurie Dove's appointment of the wife of the city administrator to the library board of directors raised some eyebrows. Library supporters skeptical of the city's discussion to make the library a city department said the move set up a conflict of interest.

May

Blake Hawkins and Logan Poole were named Valley Center High School prom king and queen. Other candidates were Wylie Glover, Marisa Rodriguez, Don Boone and James Hersh.

Jon Graham retired after teaching history at Valley Center Middle School for 38 years.

Valley Center High School tennis players Hayden Brauer, Colby Swift and Garrett Rogers earned a return trip to the Class 5A state tennis tournament. Swift and Brauer placed eighth in doubles, while Rogers was ninth in singles. All three qualified the year before.

Valley Center High School golfers Jacob Yochum, Zach Williams and Reed Pierce qualified for the 5A state tournament.

The Valley Center High School softball team qualified for the 5A state tournament. The team placed third.

The Scriven family of Valley Center re-opened Breezy's Snow Shack.

About 200 students took part in the Valley Center High School graduation ceremony in Koch Arena.

The Valley Center postmaster was removed from his position amid an investigation into an allegation of misconduct. Dale Johnston was being investigated after the post office received an allegation pertaining to professional and ethical conduct.

Ten Valley Center High School track athletes qualified for the 5A state meet. They were Thayer Terwilliger, Kory Martinez, Larry Russell, Keyon Saunders, Madison Runnion, Taylor Latimer, Emily Klusener, Wyatt Lange, Zach Williams and Tyler Brown.

June

Five months after he was arrested, former Valley Center police Sgt. Thomas Delgado was charged with official misconduct, sexual battery and sexual exploitation of a child. Delgado is still awaiting trial on the charges.

Valley Center resident Tom Lille, frustrated by property crimes in the city, including one that hit home, said he was organizing a safety walk to show would-be criminals that residents aren't going to take being victims lying down. The walk also was a message to the city to step up prevention efforts.

Jim Alley and his son David won the fourth annual Valley Center Father-Son Tennis Tournament at Valley Center High School.

The Valley Center City Council, worried that the library board didn't have its half of the $2 million needed to build the community center, told the board to show it bank account balances as proof.

Military veteran Ron Colbert announced plans to organize a local group as part of the Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration.

July

Valley Center city and library officials took part in a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on the new Community Center & Library in Lions Park. The $2 million facility has been discussed for several years.

A 5-year-old Valley Center girl was found safe in Colorado after family members said her mother and her mother's boyfriend took her out of state without permission. Charges were pending against the two adults.

A duplex development started in a field north of Walmart south of Valley Center.

Pathway Church planned to open a Valley Center campus. The Wichita-based church leased the former All Saints Home Care building at Main and Park for offices and rented the middle school auditorium for Sunday services.

Members of the 1977 Valley Center High School track and field team that won a state title gathered for a reunion after 40 years. It is the only state team title Valley Center has ever won.

August

The Valley Center High School Hornet Athletics & Activities Hall of Fame announced its three newest members were Mike Drumright, Steve Guebelle and King Doolen.

Valley Center High School baseball players Colten Richardson and Kadin Pearson played for the 316 Elite during the National Baseball Congress World Series.

The Valley Center school board voted to expand coaching staffs for soccer and track programs.

The City of Valley Center began a search for its next police chief. The chief would replace Mark Hephner, who resigned in 2016 following the arrest of a former sergeant charged with sex crimes against minor girls.

A nearly full solar eclipse drew hundreds of Valley Center residents and students outside to get a glimpse of the rare occurrence.

Matt Stamm and Kelsey Parker announced they were starting write-in campaigns for election to Ward 3 of the Valley Center City Council. Stamm won the November election and will replace Jake Jackson in January.

With the budget passed by the Valley Center school board, teachers and staff got a pay raise for 2017-18.

September

Lloyd Newman, who has worked for the Valley Center Police Department for more than 20 years, was named chief of the department. Also promoted to sergeant were J.C. Kirk and Michael Gordon.

A Valley Center family escaped serious injury after a fleeing vehicle sped through the front yard of their home in the Prairie Lakes neighborhood. The Truman family was counting their blessings after the incident. The teenage driver was eventually caught trying to leave town in an Uber car he hired.

Sara Schaller was appointed school resource officer for Valley Center Middle School and Intermediate School. She placed Allen Adams, who resigned to pursue a different career.

Valley Center celebrated the 56th annual Fall Festival. Festival honorees were Dale and Arlene Guthrie (parade grand marshals), Kristy Bruns (citizen of the year) and Allison Schul (junior citizen of the year).

Larry Boese, Cody Halifield and Dakota Halified found the Fall Festival medallion after six sets of clues were posted. It was hidden near the tennis courts at the intermediate school.

October

Tyler Boone and Camille Claussen were named Valley Center High School homecoming king and queen. Other candidates were Jeannie Qualls, Amber Cox, Michael Charvat and Caleb Rains.

Valley Center High School began implementing parts of its individual plans of study, a program designed to better prepare students for careers and education after high school.

Valley Center High School tennis players Rachel Binau and Jessica Sharp placed seventh at the 5A state tournament. Also playing in the tournament was senior Victoria Bishop.

The Valley Center High School robotics team placed second at a state Crossfire competition at Wichita State University.

Valley Center High School freshman Mati Newman competed at the Class 5A state golf tournament, placing 42nd.

The Valley Center High School girls' cross country team qualified to compete at the 5A state meet in Lawrence. The Hornets placed 11th as a team.

November

The City of Valley Center installed a rapid-flash beacon light system at the new crosswalk at Fifth and Emporia. It was the first of its kind in Valley Center. City leaders want to measure the light's effectiveness before installing ones at other crosswalks.

Valley Center High School senior Gabe Karst was named a member of the High School Honors Performance Series band that will perform at Carnegie Hall in 2018.

Winning election to the Valley Center school board were incumbents Brad Barbour and Bart Balthazor and newcomer Jason Reffner.

Winning election to the Valley Center City Council were Paul Davis III in Ward 4, Matt Stamm in Ward 3, Brendan McGettigan in Ward 2 and Ray Strunk in Ward 1.

More than 200 military veterans and their families attended a Veterans Day breakfast and ceremony at Valley Center Middle School, hosted by Valley Center Students Helping Out Warriors program.

Valley Center High School football coach Caleb Smith stepped down after five seasons. He will remain athletic director and assistant principal at the high school.

Bob Scantlin, a veteran picker, won The Ark Valley News football picks contest.

December

The Valley Center public swimming pool had its best financial finish in a decade. The rec commission, which runs the pool, gave the city a bill for $3,222, which was the difference between revenues and expenses during the 2017 season.

Mennonite Housing broke ground on a 28-unit expansion at Sunflower Gardens, a retirement community on the east side of Valley Center.

The City of Valley Center was preparing for the reconstruction of part of 85th on the city's east side. A portion of the road would be widened.





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