Caroline Kennedy told New York's governor on Monday that she's interested in the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, making her the highest-profile candidate to express a desire for the job. Democratic Gov. David Paterson will choose the replacement. "She told me she was interested in the position," Paterson said. "It's not a campaign. She'd like at some point to sit down."

Caroline Kennedy's spokesman, Stefan Friedman, declined to comment.

Clinton is expected to be confirmed as President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of state.

At an afternoon news conference to discuss last week's paralyzing ice storm, New York's senior senator, Charles Schumer, said he has also talked to Caroline Kennedy about the job.

"And she's clearly interested," he said.

Kennedy is the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy. Her uncle, the late Robert F. Kennedy, once held the Senate seat she wants. Paterson has sole authority to name a replacement for Clinton, who was first elected in 2000 and re-elected by a wide margin in 2006.

Over the past week, Kennedy, who lives in Manhattan, has reached out to several prominent New York Democrats to tell them of her interest in the Senate seat. They included Joel Klein, chancellor of the New York City Department of Education. Kennedy worked closely with Klein as executive of the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Department of Education, where she raised about $65 million for the city's schools.

"I think she's thought about it a long time," Klein said of a conversation he had with Kennedy on Monday. He said the campaigning she did for Obama this year helped acquaint her with the gritty rituals of retail politics.

"She's a highly determined woman and she's clearly been thinking about her life and how to make an effective contribution," Klein said. "Everyone knows Caroline, and everyone has a great historical respect for the Kennedy family."

Other Democrats who appear to be on Paterson's short list include New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who won't say publicly whether he's interested.

One of the early front-runners, Rep. Nydia Velazquez of Brooklyn, took herself out of the running Friday.

Paterson will appoint someone to fill Clinton's seat for two years if she is confirmed as secretary of state.

Republicans wasted no time in criticizing Kennedy as unqualified for the job and unfamiliar with the state.

"If anything, it makes me more determined to run," said Rep. Peter King, a Long Island Republican who has already expressed his interest in the seat.

"As far as record of achievement, I strongly believe that I'm much more qualified, much more experienced, and have an independent record," King said. "Nothing against Caroline Kennedy, but I don't think anyone has a right to a seat."

Besides being a member of America's most famous political family, 50-year-old Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Committee.

She is also a director of the Commission on Presidential Debates; a director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; honorary chairwoman of the American Ballet Theatre; and vice chairwoman of New York City's Fund for Public Schools.

She has a bachelor's degree from Harvard and a law degree from Columbia University. She and her husband, Edwin Arthur Schlossberg, have three children.

the roof of the former Huntington Bank building at 3378 Park St.

"It absolutely makes great sense," the mayor said last week.

For his part, Louis Eyerman of the historical society feels that the move at least makes good sense as a first step toward realizing the organization's long-held dream of a museum.

"I think it's a good idea," Eyerman said. "Probably long-term it's not as much space as we would want for a museum, but it's a start right now.

"It gives us some 'face' in the community, I think."

Having several organizations operating out of the same building, Eyerman added, would lessen the burden on historical society volunteers serving as docents to explain displays to visitors. He said having that "face" in the historic Town Center might also serve to encourage more people to donate artifacts and family keepsakes.

Many people have expressed interest in doing so, Eyerman said, but were reluctant until they knew there would be a place for them to be displayed.

William Diehl, executive director of the chamber, was far more cautious in expressing any enthusiasm about moving from the current location at 4069 Broadway to the former bank building, which was purchased by the city for $210,000 in August 2006.

"It's still under discussion," Diehl said last week.

The chamber's executive board would have to meet to review the proposal, he said, to determine if it would be in the best interests of the organization and its members.

No decision has been made on the part of the Visitors and Convention Bureau either, according to executive director James F. Hale.

"I would say that we're probably at least 35, 40 days before any kind of decision is made," he said.

Hale pointed out that other groups and organizations must sign on before the bureau would make a move from its current location in an historic house at 4052 Broadway. The historical society would "have to be a focal point" of any redesigned structure, he added.

"It's kind of at the point right now where we have given the city a letter of intent that our board is very interested in participating, but we're just kind of waiting for some of the other details," Hale said.

"The building would need some kind of work before people could move in," Eyerman said. "I haven't heard about the timing of it."

The mayor estimated it might cost the city between $100,000 and $150,00o to renovate the former bank into office space for the four potential occupants. Each would be charged a nominal rent in exchange for the city going to that expense, under Stage's current plan.

The recreation programs currently taking place at 3378 Park St. would probably move to rented space, Stage said, although he announced at the Dec. 1 council meeting a concept of the city purchasing the existing library for use as a community center. The Grove City Library would occupy part of the new buildings being proposed as part of the redevelopment of the old Lumberyard site behind City Hall.

The mayor said those parts of the Town Center puzzle probably could not fall into place until three or more years down the road.

Pickerington resident James Kelly was ordained a permanent deacon for the Catholic Diocese of Columbus Nov. 29 by the Most Rev. James Griffin, Bishop Emeritus of Columbus. The ceremony took place at St. Joseph Cathedral.

Bishop Frederick Campbell assigned Deacon Kelly to St. Pius X Church, 1051 Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg.

Kelly is the deputy director for the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

A native of Pittsburgh, Kelly graduated from St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary in Vienna, W.Va. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Duquesne University and a master's degree in sociology from Loyola University of Chicago. As part of his preparation for the diaconate and continuing education, Kelly attended the Diaconal School of Theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum.

Kelly and his wife, Leah, have three children.

James