WestChesterBuzz.com

Hundreds of band students celebrated at an assembly in Lakota West’s gym Monday, April 9, 2012. The assembly was held to celebrate the band's accomplishment of being invited to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013. Photo taken by Cara Owsley.

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

Lakota West band to march in NYC Thanksgiving Day Parade – Band students celebrated a big announcement last Monday when school officials said that the band will perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in 2013.

Miami introduces new basketball coach – The Miami University athletic department chose its VOA Learning Center in West Chester Township to introduce its new head basketball coach last week. Former Tennessee State University head coach John Cooper will take over the job after Charlie Coles retired in March after coaching the Redhawks for 16 seasons.

Lakota West High School names new principal – Lakota West High School will have a new principal next school year as the school board voted unanimously last week to promote school administrator Gary Elgin Card to lead the 2,800-student school. Card, who is now associate principal at Lakota West Freshman School, will replace Lakota West Principal Richard Hamilton, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

Lakota West comes back to defeat rival Mason – Trailing 3-0, the Lakota West Firebirds stormed back with a five-run sixth inning en route to a 6-3 win against Mason Wednesday at Mason Middle School. The win improved the Firebirds conference record to a perfect 8-0 and kept them in sole possession of first place in the Greater Miami Conference.

Reds legends make a visit to West Chester – Fans of the Big Red Machine visited memory lane and met the team’s Gold Glove winning centerfielder, Cesar Geronimo, during a special signing session at the Sports Gallery in West Chester Township Friday. Midway through the event, Geronimo’s former teammate George Foster stopped by.

KiteFest takes to the skies – One of West Chester Township’s most popular events, WGUC Airwaves KiteFest at Voice of America Park, took place over the weekend. Rain caused problems on Saturday, but Sunday was a perfect day for the event that draws between 13,000 to 15,000 kite enthusiasts annually.

Posted in: Board of Education, Events, News, Schools, Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: Cesar Geronimo, Cesar Geronimo Cincinnati Reds, Cesar Geronimo signing, Cincinnati Reds player signings, Elgin Card, Gary Elgin Card, John Cooper, John Cooper Miami basketball, Kite Fest, KiteFest, Lakota West, Lakota West band, Lakota West Freshman Campus, Lakota West principal Elgin Card, Lakota West principal Gary Elgin Card, Lakota West principal Richard Hamilton, Lakota West softball, Lakota West sports, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Lakota West band, Miami basketball, Miami University basketball, Miami University Voice of America Learning Center, Richard Hamilton, Voice of America Learning Center

Fans of the Big Red Machine visited memory lane and met the team’s Gold Glove winning centerfielder, Cesar Geronimo, during a special signing session at the Sports Gallery in West Chester Township Friday.

The sports memorabilia shop is known for having signing sessions with current and former Reds players. During signing events with current players, it is the young baseball fans that request to have a picture taken with the pro ballplayer. On Friday, it was the parents.

One fan, Linda Cotterman drove from Indianapolis to meet her favorite player from her childhood. Jim Conarroe of Dayton drove down to have Geronimo sign a caricature he made.

Midway through the event, Geronimo’s former teammate George Foster stopped by. The two joked and eventually sat on the store’s couch to watch the Reds games with a few children and their father.

Later this April, Pete Rose will visit the Sports Gallery. He will sign mini-helmets, baseballs or any flat item for $55 and will sign bats, jerseys, equipment or seatbacks for $75. That signing session is currently scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 p.m. April 28.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto is scheduled to host a signing session at the Sports Gallery from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. May 12.

Cueto will sign any item for $35. The cost for any mail order item to be signed plus shipping is $40. To purchase items signed by Cueto – baseballs are $60, signed 8×10 photos are $50 and signed 16×20 photos are $60.

There are a limited number of tickets for each event.

For information about the signing and mail order items, call 513-759-4256.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Cesar Geronimo, Cesar Geronimo Cincinnati Reds, Cesar Geronimo signing, Cincinnati Reds player signings, Johnny Cueto, Johnny Cueto Cincinnati Reds, Johnny Cueto signing, Pete Rose, Pete Rose Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose signing, Sports Gallery, Sports Gallery West Chester

Cesar Geronimo, a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, will be signing autographs for fans at the Sports Gallery in West Chester Township from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Cesar Geronimo speaks during the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremonies before a Reds game in 2008. Photo taken by Joseph Fuqua II.

Geronimo was the Reds centerfielder from 1972-to-1980. He won four consecutive gold gloves from 1974-to-1977. Offensively, Geronimo had a career-high .307 batting average during the 1976 regular season when the Reds would later sweep the New York Yankees in the World Series. In the 1975 World Series, Geronimo had seven hits and two home runs as the Reds defeated the Boston Red Sox in seven games.

On Friday, Geronimo will sign any item for $35. He will also sign mail order items for $45 plus shipping. On Thursday, Geronimo will also attend a meet-and-greet at the Tap House Grill in Montgomery from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 for Reds museum members and $35 for non-members.

The Sports Gallery will have baseballs, bats, photos, cards, helmets and other Reds collectibles available for purchase during the event.

Later this April, Pete Rose will visit the Sports Gallery. He will sign mini-helmets, baseballs or any flat item for $55 and will sign bats, jerseys, equipment or seatbacks for $75. That signing session is currently scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 p.m. April 28.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto is scheduled to host a signing session at the Sports Gallery from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. May 12.

Cueto will sign any item for $35. The cost for any mail order item to be signed plus shipping is $40. To purchase items signed by Cueto – baseballs are $60, signed 8×10 photos are $50 and signed 16×20 photos are $60.

For information about mail order items or about the event, call 513-759-4256. Or for more information or tickets to the meet-in-greet in Montgomery, call 513-765-7921.

The Sports Gallery is located at 7967 Cincinnati-Dayton Road and The Tap House Grill is located at 8740 Montgomery Road.

There are a limited number of tickets for each event.

Posted in: Business, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: Cesar Geronimo, Cesar Geronimo Cincinnati Reds, Cesar Geronimo signing, Cincinnati Reds player signings, Johnny Cueto, Johnny Cueto Cincinnati Reds, Johnny Cueto signing, Pete Rose, Pete Rose Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose signing, Sports Gallery, Sports Gallery West Chester