RECOLLECTIONS

     Let's begin this edition recalling a couple events from the past.
     NUMBER ONE: About a month ago, March 1, at Madison  Square Garden in New York City, in the first round of the Big Ten Men's Conference Basketball Tournament, the lowly University of Iowa basketball team (14-19) took a 40-35 halftime lead against the Michigan Wolverines. The second half was tight, with each team having opportunities to win. With 16.3 remaining in regulation play, Iowa's Jordan Bohannon made a three-pointer for a 67-67 tie and a resulting overtime period. Michigan went on to score a 77-71 win in that overtime.
     Monday night, it was this same Michigan team facing off with the Villanova Wildcats for the national championship. Villanova won,79-62.
     After that win over Iowa, Michigan went on to capture the Big Ten tourney championship and a higher seed in the national tourney than they would have received. Think of how things could have been very different for the Wolverines if they had lost that very contested game with Iowa?
     This is a small sample of amazing things that often occur during a long college basketball season. It seems the only answer is that, on a given night, there isn't a nickel's worth of difference between most of these college teams.
     NUMBER TWO: Probably 30 years ago, I, the Kornerman, was writing sports and many feature articles for the Boone News Republican, then under the ownership of Bob and Jeannine Schaub. Always looking for good FEATURE stories about Boone citizens, their work and play, I found a good subject in a pretty young lady who had just become the first female member of the Boone Police Department and I wrote a nice story about her history and her interest in law enforcement with a picture and all.
      Now, these many years later, here's the rest of the story.
      I caught a news clip on Des Moines television the other day about a former Boone police officer, Sherry Ann Todd Richmond Poole, being selected as Principal at Des Moines most diverse high school, Hoover High School.
      After classes at DMACC, she earned a degree from Iowa State University and Master's degrees from both Viterbo University and Iowa State University. It seems she is ready for this new challenge.
      And a challenge it must be. Students from Hoover are from 45 countries, speak 43 languages, 27% are black, 27% white, 23% hispanic and 18% Asian.
     Since her law enforcement days in Boone, she has been a teacher, an instructional coach and building leader and most recently, a school improvement leader at East High School in Des Moines.
     Des Moines Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Thomas Ahart said, "Sherry Poole's path into leadership has been paved with doing what is right with all students, continually looking through the lens of equity, working hard, building relationships and being fully present for the community she serves. She will find herself at home as the leader of Iowa's most diverse high school."
     Sherry lives in Windsor Heights, is 53 years old and will start her new duties July 1.
     Certainly, congratulations are in order.
K-----K
     SNIPPETS: (1) J. Rouse, Boone, wrote, "I so enjoy your newsy column, Kelley's Korner. Wanted to wish you a belated happy birthday. No matter which numbers come first, I wish you many more circles around the sun. (2) Michael Goodwin, Aurora, CO. BHS-63, wrote, "read you every week. Take care and a late happy birthday." Special thanks Mike. (3) Mark Tompkins, Council Bluffs, BHS-60, wrote, "Happy Easter. Been in Texas celebrating my aunt's 100th birthday. (4) M.K. Casserly Mowrer, Cedar Rapids. BHS-56, wrote, "sorry to read in the Korner about Judy Shuey's death. Her late husband, Ken, and I worked on our class reunions. He did such a good job. Will miss his work on that." (5) Vern Modeland, the Ozarks, BHS-50, wrote, "I saw a headline that read, "Iowa man wins legal battle to say his hometown stinks." It appears it now is alright to say what we want to about Boonetown. That is if we had something to say. Happy Easter." (6) Barry Wills, Madrid. BHS-58, wrote, "a belated happy birthday. It was good to see you a couple weeks ago. Someday, I'm going to make the early morning coffee meeting at McDonald's. Keep doing what you're doing cause you make so many of us so happy each week remembering a special place called Boone." (7) Jo and I are invited to the BHS class of 1961 reunion here this weekend. Look forward to seeing lots of folks Friday night at the Adobe.
K-----K
     Sorry to receive this note from Michael Sundall, BHS-68, "my brother, Ron Sundall, BHS-72, passed away on Easter Sunday. He was 64 and resided in Gnettahuten, OH. Our parents were Mary and Kenny Sundall."
     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: John "Jack" Orrell, 87, Des Moines. Boone area survivor is a son, Jeffrey Orrell, of Ogden.........Justin Uthe, 26, Boone area. Roland-Story HS-2010. Earned a degree at Iowa State. Was a grain merchandiser at Innovative Ag Services. Boone area survivors include his dad, Gary, of Story City, his mother, Kathy, of Roland, his brother, Jordan, of Boone, a sister and two step-brothers, step-sister, Sarah Smith, of Ames and his girlfriend, Ally Gast, of Ames..........Jaclyn Fullerton Burkhart Opperman, 71, Ogden. Born in Boone. BHS-64. Her parents were H.D. and Ada Belle Fullerton. Married Dennis Burkhart and they farmed south of Ogden. She worked at Hilltop Greenhouses, was a lab technician at ISU and  worked at Barilla America prior to retirement. Boone area survivors include her husband, Jack Opperman of Pilot Mound, two daughters and a son, Bradley Burkhart, of Ogden.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.