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Cincinnati Enquirer’s Sue Kiesewetter reports:

A former West Chester Township legislator will be the guest speaker at the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance luncheon Feb. 14.

Ohio Board of Regents senior vice chancellor Gary Cates will give the keynote address at the chamber’s 11:30 a.m. luncheon at the Wetherington Golf and Country Club, 7737 Country Club Lane in West Chester Township.

The cost for chamber members is $27. Guests pay $50.

Before he was appointed to the board of regents, Cates was elected to two terms in the Ohio Senate, where he was chairman of the Education Committee. He was also a member of the Finance Committee, the State and Local Government Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, the Highways and Transportation Committee, the Health and Human Services and Aging Committee.

Prior to that he served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served as speaker pro tempore two terms. Cates started his political career as a Union Township – now West Chester Township – trustee, serving as both president and vice president in the 1990s.

A steel applications engineer, Cates holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and a master’s from the University of Dayton.

Posted in: Business, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: Gary Cates, Ohio Board of Regents senior vice chancellor Gary Cates, Senator Gary Cates, West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance, West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance luncheon, Wetherington, Wetherington Golf & Country Club, Wetherington Golf & Country Club West Chester, Wetherington West Chester

West Chester’s John Boehner becomes Speaker of the House

It didn’t take long for West Chester resident John Boehner to make news in 2011.

Just five days into the year, Boehner was officially elected the 61st Speaker of the House.

Locally, more news surrounding Boehner took place as protesters picketed throughout 2011 outside his West Chester office.

However, on Jan. 5, many local residents witnessed something that they may never see again.

“Well I am 63 and this has never happened before and I doubt it will ever happen again in my lifetime,” said Bill Langdon, owner of Grand Ole Pub in West Chester. “So, to me, it is much bigger than the Super Bowl. That happens every year. Having the Speaker of the House be your congressman? Never happened to me. This is a monumental event.”

• Photos of John Boehner’s Speaker of the House office
• Photos of John Boehner preparing for swear-in with staff
• Photos of John Boehner swearing-in party at Grand Ole Pub
• Photos of John Boehner through the years
• Photos of John Boehner becoming speaker

While many of the people felt a personal connection to Boehner just because they shared the same hometown, others have actually known the man before he was a congressman.

“I am trying to let this soak in,” Gary Cates, who has known Boehner for 28 years, said while watching the swearing-in of Boehner at the Grand Ole Pub. “To see this happen to someone you know is unbelievable. Outside of knowing the President of the United States personally, this is pretty big stuff.”

Cates actually knew him from the beginning when Boehner served as the president of the Lakota Hills homeowners association and as a Union Township trustee. At the time of Boehner’s swear in, Cates was an Ohio Senator. Now, Cates is the Senior Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

“He has really started at the grassroots level. It is a real great accomplishment on his part to persevere to get to where he is today,” Cates said. “I am sure I speak for a lot of people, we are all really proud of him for what he has done for our area.”

Former Cincinnati Enquirer caricature artist Jerry Dowling, who was involved in the Lakota Hills homeowners association back in the late 70s, was also at the bar to witness Boehner’s special moment.

“It is unbelievable that this could happen. No one expected John to rise up the way he has. This is just flabbergasting. We are so thrilled,” Dowling said.

Posted in: Election, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Gary Cates, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, John Boehner, John Boehner Cincinnati, John Boehner office, John Boehner photos, John Boehner West Chester, Senator Gary Cates, Speaker of the House, West Chester top 11 stories of 2011, West Chester top stories of 2011

The House Republican Caucus selected Margaret Conditt Tuesday, June 7, to fill the 55th District seat left empty last month when Bill Coley was appointed to replace Gary Cates in the Ohio Senate, according to Cincinnati.com.

Conditt, who is a retired chemist and a former Liberty Township trustee, was among 13 Republicans who applied for the appointment and was the top vote getter of four candidates recommended by the Butler County GOP.

Cincinnati.com reporter Sheila McLaughlin covered the selection:

The others were central committee member George Nafziger of West Chester, current Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, and Don Spurlock, a West Chester businessman who has run a number of campaigns for Butler County politicians.

Conditt will be sworn in Wednesday during a House session.

Conditt, who served as a Liberty Township trustee from 1998 to 2001, retired from serving in Professional and Scientific Relations at Procter & Gamble in 2006. She received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Colorado.

She has remained active in various Republican endeavors, such as working with the Butler County Republican Party, serving as a delegate alternate for the Republican National Convention in 2008, and assisting with various statewide and national political campaigns.

Coley left his House seat to fill the Senate seat left by West Chester’s Gary Cates, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

Coley, who was serving his fourth term representing House District 55, was barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

For more on story, visits Cincinnati.com’s “Retired chemist replaces Coley in House.”

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Christine Matacic, Don Spurlock, Gary Cates, George Nafziger, Liberty Township trustee, Margaret Conditt, Senator Bill Coley, Senator Gary Cates, State Rep. Bill Coley

According to the Pulse Journal, the Butler County Republican Party has selected State Rep. Bill Coley of Liberty Township for the Ohio State Senate seat currently held by West Chester’s Gary Cates. The GOP also recommend fellow State Rep. Tim Derickson’s name to the Ohio Senate Republican Caucus, according to the paper.

The Butler County GOP voted on its selection and recommendation during a meeting on Wednesday, May 18.

Coley, who is serving his fourth term representing House District 55, is barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

Meanwhile, Derickson is currently serving his second term representing House District 53.

Cates will leave office May 23 after receiving Gov. John Kasich’s appointment as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Gary Cates, Governor John Kasich, John Kasich, Senate, Senator Gary Cates, State Rep. Bill Coley, State Rep. Tim Derickson, State Rep. Timothy Derickson, State Senate, Tim Derickson, Timothy Derickson

The Butler County Republican Party is accepting applications for the Ohio State Senate seat currently held by West Chester’s Gary Cates (photo). Interested candidates should apply as soon as possible and applications will not be accepted after 4 p.m. May 12.

Cates will leave office May 23 after receiving Gov. John Kasich’s appointment as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

State Rep. Bill Coley (Liberty Township) has already announced that he will seek the GOP’s recommendation for Cates’ vacant seat. Coley, who is serving his fourth term representing House District 55, is barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

According to the Pulse Journal, State Rep. Timothy Derickson is also seeking the GOP’s recommendation. Derickson is serving his second term representing House District 53.

The Butler County Republican Party is scheduled to meet May 18 and send its selection to the Senate Republicans, who will ultimately decide on Cates’ replacement, according to Cincinnati.com.

Dave Kern announced that the party is accepting applications at the Butler County Republican Headquarters at Bridgewater Falls. The headquarters, which will open at 10 a.m. each day this week, is located at 3431 Princeton Rd. Suite 100, Fairfield Township 45011.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Gary Cates, Governor John Kasich, John Kasich, Senate, Senator Gary Cates, State Rep. Bill Coley, State Rep. Tim Derickson, State Rep. Timothy Derickson, State Senate, Tim Derickson, Timothy Derickson

The West Chester Tea Party will hold its monthly meeting tomorrow, April 19, at EnterTRAINment Junction at 7 p.m. Registration and networking will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The topic for this month’s meeting of the West Chester Tea Party will be current events in Ohio. The guests will be Ohio State Senator Gary Cates and Ohio Representative Bill Coley (photo). The local representatives to the Statehouse will discuss current issues facing Ohio, including Senate Bill 5 and Governor John Kasich’s budget. Attendees will have opportunity to ask questions.

People in attendance will also have the opportunity to participate in the Ohio Project and sign the Health Care Freedom amendment.

According to the West Chester Tea Party, the Ohio Project is a grassroots effort of Ohio citizens to bring a proposed state constitutional amendment to the November 2011 ballot. This amendment will give Ohioan’s the freedom to choose whether they carry health insurance, negating the federal mandate placed upon them in the Health Care bill. The amendment will also stop any finance penalties for not carrying health insurance.

For more information about the West Chester Tea Party, visit its website www.westchesterteaparty.org.

EnterTRAINment Junction is located at 7379 Squire Court off Kingsgate Way just south of Tylersville Rd.

Posted in: Events, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, EnterTrainment Junction, Gary Cates, Health Care Freedom Amendment, Ohio Project, Tea Party, The Ohio Project, West Chester Tea Party

The Lakota Board of Education will have its first regularly scheduled school board meeting of 2011 tonight, Monday, Jan. 10 at the central office in Liberty Township. The board will first meet in executive session at 4:30 p.m. for the purpose of discussing negotiations and the employment, evaluation, dismissal or compensation of public employees, according to the school district’s website. The board will then reconvene into regular session at 7 p.m., which is open to the public.

On tonight’s agenda is a resolution requesting a waiver from the requirement for all-day, every-day kindergarten for 2011-12 and 2012-13.

In the agenda it reads:

WHEREAS the Lakota Board of Education hereby declares that providing all‐day, every‐day kindergarten during state fiscal years 2012 and 2013 in accordance with the requirements of Ohio Revised Code Section 3321.05 will present a hardship to the school district; and

WHEREAS the Lakota Board of Education understands that the waiver is only for the delay of all‐day, every‐day kindergarten for state fiscal years 2012 and 2013:

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lakota Board of Education hereby authorizes the district Superintendent to submit to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction this resolution and justification for requesting a delay of the implementation of all‐day, every‐day kindergarten for state fiscal years 2012 and 2013, and to submit a phase‐in implementation plan of all‐day, every‐day kindergarten.

In November of 2010, Ohio Senator Gary Cates spoke at a school board meeting claiming the school district should be able to save money when the state doesn’t mandate all-day kindergarten. At the time, Cates believed Governor-to-be John Kasich would eliminate the mandate for all-day kindergarten. (more…)

Posted in: Board of Education, Levy news, Schools |

Tags: Tags: busing, cuts, Gary Cates, Governor John Kasich, Joan Powell, John Kasich, Lakota Board of Education, Lakota Local Schools, Lakota school board, Lakota West, Mike Taylor, Ray Murray, reducitons, school board meeting, school levy, Senator Gary Cates

West Chester resident John Boehner was elected the 61st Speaker of the House when the 112th Congress went into session Jan. 5, 2011, in Washington D.C.

“Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th Congress,” Boehner said in his remarks. “No longer can we fall short. No longer can we kick the can down the road. The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions.”

>>>PHOTOS OF JOHN BOEHNER BECOMING SPEAKER<<<

Many watched the event not wondering what the new Speaker was going to say, but wondering what he will do.

After shedding tears on election night and on a recent 60 Minutes interview, many expected the congressman to cry again.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Boehner cried again before his speech as he hugged House members and even as he listened to outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Back home in West Chester, Ohio Senator Gary Cates, who has known Boehner for 28 years, couldn’t help but get emotional before the official swearing-in ceremony.

“I don’t think anybody should expect for John Boehner not to get emotional today, I am emotional now,” Cates said as the House voted for its next Speaker. “When I see him up there, it is going to bring a tear to my eye. It is just a very special moment.”

Just describing the moment had Cates fighting back the tears.

“The reason John gets emotional, is because John is a very caring person,” Cates said. “There are things that get him choked up because he cares so much about people.”

This time, Boehner, who said the word “people” twelve times in his 11-minute speech, was successful in fighting back the tears.

(If you are viewing this on your mobile device and the video above does not work – visit youtube for the video of John Boehner becoming Speaker of the House)

Posted in: Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: 8th Congressional District, Gary Cates, John Boehner, photo gallery, photos, Senator Gary Cates, Speaker of the House, speech

Approximately 400 friends, family members and constituents traveled to Washington D.C. to witness the swearing-in of John Boehner as the 61st Speaker of the House. Back in his hometown, a crowd of his supporters gathered at the Grand Ole Pub.

The atmosphere was the equivalent of a Super Bowl party. Bar goers cheered on their man (John Boehner) and heckled their enemy (outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi).

“Well I am 63 and this has never happened before and I doubt it will ever happen again in my lifetime,” Grand Ole Pub owner Bill Langdon said. “So, to me, it is much bigger than the Super Bowl. That happens every year. Having the Speaker of the House be your congressman, never happened to me. This is a monumental event.”

>>>PHOTOS OF BOEHNER PARTY AT GRAND OLE PUB<<<

Many of the people who visited bar felt a personal connection to Boehner just because they share the same hometown, others have actually known the man before he was a congressman.

“I am trying to let this soak in,” said Ohio Senator Gary Cates, who has known Boehner for 28 years. “To see this happen to someone you know is unbelievable. Outside of knowing the President of the United States personally, this is pretty big stuff.”

Cates actually knew him from the beginning when Boehner served as the president of the Lakota Hills homeowners association and as a Union Township trustee.

>>>PHOTOS OF BOEHNER THROUGH THE YEARS<<<

“He has really started at the grassroots level. It is a real great accomplishment on his part to persevere to get to where he is today,” Cates said. “I am sure I speak for a lot of people, we are all really proud of him for what he has done for our area.”

Former Cincinnati Enquirer caricature artist Jerry Dowling, who was involved in the Lakota Hills homeowners association back in the late 70s, was also at the American Pub to witness Boehner’s special moment.

“It is unbelievable that this could happen. No one expected John to rise up the way he has. This is just flabbergasting. We are so thrilled.”

Judging by the celebration at the West Chester bar so is his community.

“He is the American dream,” Langdon said. “He came from humble beginnings, in a small house with eleven brothers and sisters. He started out as a small businessman. That is quite a journey in one lifetime. That is the American dream.”

Posted in: Business, Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: 8th Congressional District, American, American pub, bars, business, business news, Gary Cates, GOP, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, John Boehner, photo gallery, photos, Senator Gary Cates, Speaker of the House

According to the Columbus Dispatch, State Senator Gary Cates of West Chester protested Dec. 7 by voting “no” on everything in committee after Senate leadership refused to put his puppy mill bill up for a vote.

According to the Dispatch, the puppy mill bill or Senate Bill 95 seeks to impose stricter regulations on large-scale dog breeding operations.

The story quoted Cates about the protest:

“This is my way of making a statement that this bill should have been put on the calendar, but it hasn’t.

“If the Senate is not going to take things like this seriously, then I may not take some other things seriously. It’s unfortunate. I wish I was not put in this situation. We have made repeated, repeated, repeated requests to get this thing heard on the floor, and Sen. (Bill) Harris has not yielded to do so.”

According to the story, Senate President Bill M. Harris is preparing to leave the legislature at the end of the year.

For the entire article, visit the Columbus Dispatch blog post.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Columbus Dispatch, Gary Cates, puppy mill, Senate Bill 95, Senator Gary Cates, State Senate