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Mentor Public Schools received a narrow victory Tuesday night as voters approved Issue 5, the district's five-year, 3.5-mill operating levy, by just 171 votes.

According to unofficial Lake County election results, the measure received 15,484 YES votes (50.28%) and 15,313 NO votes (49.72%).

The approval provides a path to approximately $9.6 million in annual school funding and avoids the additional deep reductions the district had warned would be necessary if the levy failed. The district had already made significant budget cuts following an unsuccessful levy attempt in May.

Other Lake County school funding results were mixed:

Mentor City Council: Charles Pinkerman won the Ward 3 special election with 57.76% of the vote, defeating Jessie Baginski.

Lake County Commissioners: John Plecnik and Morgan McIntosh led their respective races with approximately 52% of the vote each.

Countywide turnout reached 66.06%, with 107,608 ballots cast.

All results remain unofficial pending certification.

What does the close Mentor vote mean for school funding, and what happens next in Willoughby-Eastlake? See the complete vote totals, council and county results, and the decisions still ahead in our full election report.

Mentor-on-the-Lake City Council voted 5–2 on October 30 to move police and fire dispatching to Lake County Central Communications. The city's signed resolution and meeting recording now confirm the decision that was still pending when Local Buzz covered the proposal Saturday.

The city projects about $450,000 in savings over four years. That is an estimate, not money already saved. Keeping dispatch in-house, officials said, would require additional staff and expensive technology upgrades under Lake County's next-generation 911 plan.

Council delayed the decision while seeking an exit provision. At the special meeting, members were told the agreement includes a termination clause requiring at least six months' notice. Councilmen Paul Morris and Skip Gray voted no, questioning aspects of fire coverage and timing.

The four-year agreement begins January 1, 2027, but the exact day county dispatchers will start handling all city calls has not been confirmed. Residents should continue calling 911 in emergencies; local police and firefighters would still respond.

⬇️ The city's cost comparison, the chief's plan for after-hours calls and the unanswered questions about dispatch employees are in our full report on mentorlocalbuzz.com.

Drivers should be especially alert during morning and evening commutes this month.

November brings more than falling leaves to Mentor's roadways. It also brings the year's highest average number of deer-vehicle collisions.

According to the City of Mentor, November averages approximately three times as many deer-vehicle collisions as spring and summer months.

The increase coincides with peak breeding season for white-tailed deer, when they become more active and unpredictable. With daylight saving time now over, more commuters are also traveling during dawn and dusk, when deer are especially active.

The city urges drivers to watch roadsides carefully, particularly during those low-light hours. And if you see one deer crossing, stay alert. Others may be close behind.

Ohio State Highway Patrol officials offer another important reminder: If a collision is unavoidable, brake while staying in your lane. Swerving can lead to a more serious crash.

Mentor says its deer population remains relatively stable, but November's collision pattern makes extra caution especially important.

⬇️ Before your next drive, see five practical safety precautions, what to do if you hit a deer, and how to report local deer activity through Ohio's wildlife survey on our website.

A Local Buzz Original Magazine

A Better Health Conversation | Part 1 of 3

Bring the details that matter: what changed, when it happens and how it affects your day.

You finally have the appointment. Then comes the question: “What’s been going on?” Suddenly, the details that seemed so clear at home are harder to explain.

You do not need medical vocabulary to give a useful answer. Start with what you have noticed.

Think of the difference between naming a condition and describing a change. “I think I have arthritis” offers a possible explanation. Where you feel stiffness, when it happens and what it makes difficult give the clinician something more specific to explore.

Before the visit, jot down four things:

• When it began. Give a date or your best estimate. Say whether it started suddenly or gradually.
• The pattern. Is it constant or occasional? How long does an episode last? What seems to make it better or worse?
• What changed. Name an ordinary activity that has become harder, such as getting dressed, sleeping or finishing a meal.
• Relevant context. Bring your medication and supplement list, allergies, and important health history. Mention recent changes, including a new medicine.

Here is an invented example of a useful opening: “For about two weeks, my right hand has felt stiff most mornings. It usually eases within half an hour, but opening small caps is harder than usual.”

Estimates are useful. If you do not know, say so. A few honest details are more helpful than a timeline you feel pressured to make sound exact. You can also explain what worries you without presenting that concern as a diagnosis.

Preparation must never delay care. Call 911 for severe chest pain or pressure, severe trouble breathing, or sudden trouble speaking or weakness on one side. These are examples, not a complete list. For a new or worsening concern without emergency signs, contact your clinician for advice on timing.

Your notes do not have to solve the problem. They simply give the conversation somewhere clear to begin.

Before your next appointment, use our copy-and-print symptom-notes template and filled-in example to put what you’ve noticed into words—without having to guess the diagnosis.

⬇️ The label is only the beginning. Explore our full neighborhood observation guide, a practical example, and five neighborhood-fit questions to help you look beyond reputation and decide what really matters to you.

Lake Catholic’s girls volleyball team collected three of the North Coast Conference’s four major awards, recognizing standout performances on the court and leadership from the bench.

Ahnna Bergant earned Player of the Year, with the awards announcement listing 297 kills, 276 digs, 32 aces and 38 blocks.

Lola Loncar was named Defensive Player of the Year, with 437 digs, 81 assists and 53 aces listed in the report. Head coach Tess Connolly received Coach of the Year honors.

Bergant and Loncar also secured first-team All-NCC recognition. Teammate Sophia Raguz earned second-team honors, with the announcement crediting her with 124 kills and 83 blocks. Those figures are totals accompanying the awards announcement, rather than single-match statistics.

Wednesday’s tournament schedule

Girls volleyball: The Cougars face Firelands in a regional semifinal Wednesday, November 4, at 6 p.m. at Alliance High School.

Boys soccer: Lake Catholic meets Chagrin Falls on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at West Geauga High School. The school’s updated calendar now confirms West Geauga as the location, resolving the conflicting venue information in earlier schedules.

🐝 Buzz Fact: Babies are born with about 300 bones, while adults have 206. Apparently, even babies come with extra parts—and unlike assembling furniture, nobody gives you an instruction manual.

Dog’s got skillz. Heck, I can’t even do that…

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