Jade Olinsky, a CCS eighth-grader, spends time with Murphy and Fish during their visit.
THAT’S WHAT HEROES DO Sweethearts & Heroes, a student empowerment and empathy activation team that aims to prevent bullying and suicide—with a focus on social-emotional health—returned to the Cooperstown Central School District on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 10 and 11. For more than 15 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has presented a program they refer to as “the stop, drop and roll of bullying” to more than two million students in school districts from New England to Hawaii. “We go where we’re needed. That’s what heroes do,” said Sweethearts & Heroes Director Tom Murphy, himself a Cooperstown Central School alumnus.
CLERK OFF THE CLOCK: Kathy Sinnott Gardner, who has served as Otsego County clerk since 2003, recently announced her retirement from the position. After nearly three decades of service to Otsego County in total, her term will end on December 31, 2023. A Republican, Gardner plans to pursue new career opportunities, saying she will “miss serving the people of Otsego County.” Current Otsego County Deputy Clerk Jennifer Basile, also a Republican, announced her candidacy to fill the seat the day after Gardner’s retirement announcement. A Town of Otsego resident, Basile has worked in her current position for nearly a decade-and-a-half, according to her announcement. Before Basile’s tenure began in 2009, she said, she worked in various managerial roles for a total of 12 years. The election will take place on Tuesday, November 7.
