Cleveland County lost a friend this week with the passing of Willette Weatherly, the wife of our friend John. A memorial service will be held at Shelby Presbyterian Church on Friday, July 23, 2010 at 2:00 PM, the family will receive friends in the Church Fellowship Hall immediately following the service.

John was the first Republican elected from Cleveland County to the General Assembly, and served honorably in the House. He has been a significant factor in the growth of the local GOP, with Mrs. Weatherly at his side every step of the way. I’m sure he will appreciate your attendance, prayers and calls.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Shelby Presbyterian Church Building Fund; 226 E. Graham Street, Shelby, NC 28150.

Rep. Thom Tillis To Speak at GOP meeting July 12

Representative Thom Tillis will be the featured speaker at the next meeting of the Cleveland County Republican Party, on July 12 at J. Oliver’s in Kings Mountain. The meeting will begin at 7 PM; the public is invited to attend.

Since being elected in 2006, Thom has distinguished himself as a hard-working representative in the legislature.  At the end of his freshman term, Thom was elected to the House Republican Whip, one of two elected leadership positions in the House Republican Caucus.

Thom has been appointed to several important House and joint House/Senate committees, including the Finance, Banking and Financial Institutions, Judiciary, Education, Science and Technology, Ways and Means/Broadband, Information Technology Oversight, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Oversight, Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Oversight, Internet Access to Rural Areas Oversight, and Local Government committees.

Thom has established himself as a rock solid fiscal/free-market conservative and an outspoken opponent of tax increases and wasteful government spending.  At the same time, Thom has also demonstrated an ability to work across the aisle to pass important legislation, and he has established a solid reputation for professionalism.

Thom will speak on the importance of this election cycle for North Carolina.

For more information, contact Wes Westmoreland at 704-484-2GOP or online at ccgop.com.

June 29- For all Don Allen supporters!

Don Allen will have a meeting on Tuesday, June 29th for anyone who would like to assist in his campaign. The meeting will be held at the Western Sizzlin’, 1712 E Dixon Blvd., Shelby. The meeting is scheduled for 7:00PM but you are all welcome to come early and eat.

June 25-  Campaign Reception for Kelly  Hastings

Join Hastings supporters including, current, future, and former members of the N.C. House of Representatives – (partial list) U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, Paul Stam (Leader), Thom Tillis (Whip), Tim Moore, Frank Iler, Darrell McCormick, Ruth Samuelson, Mitch Gillespie, Ric Killian, David Lewis, Johnathan Rhyne, Bill McGee, Bryan Holloway, Larry Brown, Leo Daughtry, Fred Steen, David Guice, Mark Hilton, Jerry Dockham, Hugh Blackwell, Justin Burr, Ed McMahan, John Torbett, John Weatherly

When: Friday, June 25, 2010 – 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Where: 1650 Shelby Highway, Cherryville, N.C. (Highway 150 – at the Cleveland-Gaston line; parking on the property or behind the home off Doc Wehunt Road)

Please contact us if you have already contributed in the 2010 primary and/or general election. Those contributions will be used to meet the minimum amount for this event.

To RSVP, call (704) 473-3468 or use Kelly@KellyHastings.com to e-mail. Visit www.kellyhastings.com or Facebook for more information. (Appetizers and casual dress)

Topic for June 14: Immigration

At our next meeting, we welcome back a friend, Hal Weatherman, who will speak on terrorism & immigration. The meeting will be held in the Ritch Banquet Hall in the Dover Campus Center at Gardner-Webb University, at 7PM (building #55 on this map). The public is invited to attend.

Hal Weatherman is the Chief of Staff for United States Representative Sue Myrick. In this capacity, he oversees the operations of Rep. Myrick’s 20 staff members located in Charlotte, Gastonia and Washington, DC. Hal is a graduate of Wake Forest University and received his Masters Degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. A published author, Hal’s first book, The Job Search Organizer, was published nationwide by NTC Career Press. Hal chronicles his daily life in politics at halweatherman.com. Hal, his wife Michelle, and their three children, Hayes, Skyler and Kit, reside in Charlotte.

This will be a good program, and a good program to invite someone to attend with you.

What ObamaCare Means to NC- May 10; Public Invited

The next meeting of the CCGOP will be May 10- and it promises to be one of our most informative of the year- so far.  The topic will be what ObamaCare means to North Carolina. Joe Coletti, Director of Fiscal and Health Care Studies for the John Locke Foundation will be the guest speaker.  Joe will discuss the impact of ObamaCare on North Carolina and our counties. The meeting will be held May 10,  in Commissioner’s Chambers at the County Administration Building, 311 East Marion Street in Shelby at 7 PM. The public and media are invited.

Coletti has authored reports on the state’s spend-and-tax budgeting cycle, better ways to fund roads and schools, the earned-income tax credit, business incentives, tax-increment financing, government employee compensation, and an early look (in July 2005) at the infamous feasibility study behind the Randy Parton Theatre in Roanoke Rapids.

In health policy, Coletti has examined Medicaid spending, offered ways to fund the state’s High Risk Pool without new taxes. He has also written on consumer-based health reforms, long-term care, and the state’s mental health system.

His writing has been in publications such as Health Care News, Global Corporate Xpansion, and the Leland Tribune. He has spoken at health care and tax policy conferences, civic groups across the state, and appeared on radio and television including WUNC’s The State of Things and CNBC Asia.

The CCGOP Executive Committee will meet at 6:30 the same evening in the Lane Alexander room.

Small venue offers Republican candidates chance to speak

Video of forum here.

FALLSTON — Leading up to the May 4 party primaries, some Democrats in Cleveland County seem to be getting a lot of attention, i.e. the sheriff’s contest.

However, there is a Republican ballot to consider.

Monday night, the Cleveland County Republican Party provided an opportunity for voters, particularly in Upper Cleveland, to listen to GOP candidates running for sheriff and for the N.C. House District 110 seat.

There were few empty chairs at the… more

Next Meeting April 12, 7PM, Fallston Clubhouse

The next meeting of the CCGOP will be April 12, at the Fallston Clubhouse. This event will be a forum featuring the Republican candidates for the party’s nomination for NC House, 110 and Sheriff. The forum will begin at 7 PM.

The forum will provide an opportunity for individuals, particularly in Upper-Cleveland to hear directly from House candidates Representative Pearl Burris-Floyd and Kelly Hastings, as well as the candidates for Sheriff, Don Allen and David Morrow. Shelby Star Publisher Skip Foster will moderate the debate.

The public is invited; the program will begin promptly at 7 PM. The clubhouse is located on Highway 18, north of the light in Fallston, beside Community Mart.

Ruth Wilson Presented With State’s Highest Honor

The Cleveland County Republican Party held its annual Reagan Day Dinner on Saturday evening at Owl’s Eye Winery. Smoke on the Square catered the event to a full house. Senator Richard Burr and Congressman Patrick McHenry addressed the crowd.

The highlight of the evening was a surprise presentation to Ruth Wilson of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, bestowed by the Governor. The Long Leaf Pine is the highest civilian honor awarded by the state of North Carolina. The award was presented to Mrs. Wilson by Senator Debbie Clary and Representatives Tim Moore and Pearl Burris-Floyd.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is presented to individuals who have a proven record of extraordinary service. Contributions to community, extra effort in their careers, and many years of service to their organizations are some of the guidelines by which recipients are selected for this award. Mrs. Wilson’s contributions, particularly to the Cleveland County Board of Elections have been formally noted in recent months by the North Carolina Board of Elections, the Cleveland County Board of Elections and by the Cleveland County Commission.

News article from Shelby Star here.

Health Care Reform and the Cleveland County GOP

Rep. Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), Rep. Pearl Burris-Floyd (R-Cleveland, Gaston) and Senator Debbie Clary (R-Cleveland, Rutherford) held a press conference on March 23 to discuss legislation they are filing in response to the federal health care bill that was passed by Congress and signed by the President today. More…

Reagan Day Dinner, March 27

The Cleveland County GOP will hold it’s annual Reagan Day event on March 27 at 5:30 PM, at Owls Eye Winery in Shelby. Senator Richard Burr will be the special guest speaker, Smoke on the Square will prepare a special meal.

Tickets are available at a cost of $40 per person by clicking HERE. Be sure to enter the amount of $40 per person. You will receive an email noting your donation, and your name will be added to our guest list (you will not receive a printed ticket). Due to not receiving a printed ticket, please list each person’s name in your party in the box provided on the payment screen. The box is not labeled but is directly under the box labeled contribution amount.

Sponsorships are available. For more information, please call 704-484-2GOP.

Our next regular meeting will be April 12 at the Fallston Clubhouse. Watch for more details.

March 8

The Cleveland County Republican Party will hold annual precinct meetings and County Convention on March 8, at Kings Mountain City Council Chambers, 101 W. Gold St. in Kings Mountain.

Precinct meetings will begin promptly at 6:45 p.m.; those who wish to register as delegates should arrive by 6:30.

There will be a $5 charge for all delegates. The convention will begin at 7:45, following the program.

Registered Republicans in Cleveland County are invited to participate in precinct meetings at 6:45, and convention at 7:45. We will select delegates for the District and State Conventions.

The program will begin at 7p.m.; all members of the public are invited to attend the program without charge. Allen Page, state director of Freedom Works will be the guest speaker. The public is welcome to come for the program at 7, and leave prior to convention.

February 8, 7PM- come early for Dutch supper

The next meeting of the Cleveland County Republican Party will be February 8 at the Snack Shop in Boiling Springs. The meeting will begin at 7, come at 6:15 for Dutch treat supper.

Monday’s meeting will be a town hall forum, featuring Senator Debbie Clary (NC Senate 46) and Representative Tim Moore (NC House 111). The public is invited to attend.

January 11, 7PM

The Cleveland County Republican Party will hold it’s regular meeting on January 11, in Commissioner’s Chambers at the Harry Administration Building, 311 East Marion Street in Shelby at 7PM; the public is invited to attend.  Zoran and Jennifer Naskov will be guest speakers.

Zoran and Jennifer coordinated the Rutherford Tea Parties on Tax Day and Fourth of July, and organize the active Rutherford 912 Group.

The Naskov’s met in high school in Daytona Beach, Florida.  They fell in love with the mountains of Western North Carolina while on vacation with their family in 2006 and have lived in Rutherford County since.

Zoran is the Chief Technology Officer of a software company that specializes in airline reservation software.  Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom, and home schools their two children – Nastassia (9) and Aleks (7).  The Naskov family directs a local soup kitchen in Rutherfordton, NC, spending nearly every Thursday feeding 350+ Rutherford County residents.  They are active in the Children’s ministry of their church – Jennifer leading kids’ music and Zoran as the DJ.

The Naskovs had never been involved in politics (other than voting in elections).  Last March, after watching the We Surround Them television program with Glenn Beck,  they decided to stop saying “someone needs to do something”, and start being those “someones”.

The CCGOP Executive Committee will meet prior to the party meeting, at 6:30 in the Lane Alexander Room.