- Mentor Local Buzz
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- 📰 New House Fire, Travel With Kids, Cardinals Hockey & Basketball Win
📰 New House Fire, Travel With Kids, Cardinals Hockey & Basketball Win
Issue #418
In this Mentor Local Buzz Issue…
☁️ Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Temps 35-38
🎉 Events: 50+ Live Events. Direct Link to Mentor Live Events
📰 Local News: Another Mentor House Fire Engulfs Home, Investigation Underway
📰 New Online System Simplifies Building Permit Applications in Mentor
📰 27-Year-Old Killed in Blackbrook Road Crash Late Friday Night
👨👩👧👦 Special Section: Travel & Discovery: ✈️ Smooth Skies Ahead: 13 Must-Know Tips for Traveling with Kids
🏀 Sports: 🏀 Cavaliers Crush Knicks 142-105, Extend NBA-Best Record
🏀 Mentor Wraps Up Regular Season with 79-66 Win, Faces Toledo Whitmer Next
🏒 Sherstiuk’s Late Heroics Lift Mentor to Stunning District Semifinal Upset
🤔 Trivia Question
🤣 Something Funny
Mostly Cloudy - Temps 35-38
👉 Mentor Live Events 👈
Feb 23-24
Complete list of events and all the details in the link above “Mentor Live Events”. New Events Added Daily.
See All the Upcoming Events Here at:
Mentor Live Events!
50+ Event Dates
🔥Another Mentor House Fire Engulfs Home, Investigation Underway
A house fire on Hillcrest Road in Mentor is under investigation after firefighters responded to the scene Saturday afternoon.
The Mentor Fire Department received the first report at 4:01 p.m. from a resident on Hopkins Road, who reported seeing the house engulfed in flames. Shortly after, multiple calls came in confirming the fire.
Fire crews arrived at 4:06 p.m. to find the home fully involved, with flames pouring from every window and fire consuming all rooms. Units from all four Mentor Fire stations worked to contain the blaze.
Authorities have not yet released details on potential causes or injuries. The fire remains under investigation.
📰 New Online System Simplifies Building Permit Applications in Mentor
City of Mentor
Residents of Mentor planning any construction work—such as building decks, installing pools, adding siding, or setting up sheds—must obtain a building permit before starting.
For accessory structures like sheds and porches, applicants need to submit two copies of construction drawings. These must include a site plan showing the structure’s placement on the property and its distance from property lines, as well as details on construction materials and methods. The review process typically takes 7 to 10 business days.
Permits for pre-fabricated sheds purchased as kits can be issued at the time of submission. Applicants must pay a permit fee and a refundable construction deposit, which will be returned upon passing all inspections.
To streamline the process, residents can now apply for and pay for permits online through the Mentor Gateway.
For more information, the Engineering & Building Department can be reached at (440) 974-5785 or [email protected].
📰 27-Year-Old Killed in Blackbrook Road Crash Late Friday Night
Driver Killed in Late-Night Crash on Blackbrook Road.
A 27-year-old man died Friday night after his pickup truck crashed and rolled into a tree in Lake County.
Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 500 block of Blackbrook Road around 10:40 p.m. Upon arrival, they found a heavily damaged Chevrolet pickup truck against a tree, with the driver trapped inside and unresponsive.
Fire crews from Grand River, Painesville Township, and Painesville City worked to extricate the man and established a landing zone for a medical helicopter. University Hospitals Medevac was dispatched, but the driver had already succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that the truck had been traveling west on Blackbrook Road when it failed to navigate a curve. The vehicle veered off the road, struck an embankment, rolled onto its side, and collided with the tree.
The driver, whose name has not been released, was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Authorities suspect that speed and alcohol may have played a role in the accident, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Read more at fox8.com
✈️ Smooth Skies Ahead: 13 Must-Know Tips for Traveling with Kids
Flying with Young Kids: 13 Essential Tips for a Smooth Trip
Traveling with young children can feel daunting, but with the right preparation, it can be an enjoyable experience for the whole family. Parents who plan ahead can minimize stress and make flying a smooth process. Here are 13 essential tips to help ensure a hassle-free flight with toddlers and young kids.
1. Choose Direct Flights When Possible
Minimizing layovers reduces the chances of delays, lost luggage, and extra takeoffs and landings. Direct flights also allow kids to settle in and rest.
2. Opt for Nighttime or Midday Flights
Night flights increase the chances of children sleeping for most of the journey. For shorter flights, midday departures help avoid early wake-ups or late arrivals when kids are already overtired.
3. Reserve Seats in Advance
Booking seats ahead ensures the family stays together. A trick for extra space: book a window and aisle seat—if the flight isn’t full, the middle seat may remain empty.
4. Pre-Order Kids’ Meals
Airlines serve special meals before regular ones, giving parents time to assist kids with eating before enjoying their own meal.
5. Explain the Travel Process to Your Kids
Prepare children by explaining airport security, boarding, and in-flight behavior. Knowing what to expect can reduce anxiety and improve cooperation.
6. Let Kids Burn Energy Before Boarding
Encourage kids to move around as much as possible before the flight. Play areas or even walking through the terminal can help tire them out.
7. Plan for Bathroom Breaks
Ensure kids use the restroom before boarding and again 20–30 minutes before landing to avoid inconvenient "I need to go now!" moments.
8. Pack the Essentials
Diapers, wipes, extra clothes, snacks, a pacifier, and a favorite toy should all be in your carry-on. Pack enough supplies for unexpected delays.
9. Travel Light
Avoid overpacking, especially with toys. A backpack keeps hands free for managing kids and strollers. Many children are entertained with simple items like paper and crayons.
10. Bring Activities & Comfort Items
Paper, coloring books, twistable crayons, thick socks, and a digital tablet can keep kids occupied and comfortable. Save screen time for when it’s most needed.
See the last 3 in the link below as well as a lot more detail on each point above. We’re unable to include everything here due to space limitations. Go here for more.
🏀 Cavaliers Crush Knicks 142-105, Extend NBA-Best Record
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a statement Friday night, overpowering the New York Knicks 142-105 in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Donovan Mitchell led the way with 27 points, while Evan Mobley added 21 as the Cavs extended their winning streak to six games and improved to an NBA-best 46-10. Cleveland’s high-powered offense was unstoppable from the start, shooting 73% in the first quarter and never looking back.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 23 for the Knicks, but New York struggled defensively and suffered its worst loss of the season. The team had little time to recover after an overtime win against Chicago the night before, but the Cavs also played on a back-to-back, securing a win in Brooklyn on Thursday.
Cleveland briefly lost Darius Garland to a hard fall in the first half, but the All-Star guard remained in the game. Center Jarrett Allen exited in the second half with a hand injury, though X-rays came back negative.
Mitchell provided the game’s turning point, draining three straight three-pointers late in the second quarter to help Cleveland take a commanding 27-point halftime lead.
The Knicks travel to Boston on Sunday, while Cleveland hosts Memphis.
Read More at espn.com
🏀 Mentor Wraps Up Regular Season with Win, Faces Toledo Whitmer Next
A short-handed Mentor boys basketball squad closed out its regular season with a strong performance, leading from start to finish in a 79-66 victory over visiting Lakewood on Feb. 22. The Cardinals (15-7) have now won three straight games heading into their tournament opener against Toledo Whitmer on Feb. 26.
Mentor carried momentum into this matchup after securing a hard-fought 63-59 road win over Medina on Feb. 21, a victory that marked head coach Bob Krizancic’s 750th career win.
Dominant Start and Balanced Scoring
Despite missing key players due to injuries, Mentor jumped out to a 9-0 lead, with freshman Jack Kennedy hitting the first of his four 3-pointers. The Cardinals extended their lead to 23-11 by the end of the first quarter, fueled by three-pointers from Kennedy, sophomore Bernard Gnjatic, and senior Ayo Olulami.
Senior Kobe Frasure-Azzano led all scorers with 20 points, while Kennedy contributed 17 and Olulami added 16. Mentor’s aggressive defense forced 13 first-half turnovers, helping maintain a 42-30 lead at halftime.
Looking Ahead to the Tournament
With injuries impacting the lineup, Mentor saw contributions from multiple players, including senior Dominic Baroni, who grabbed seven rebounds and scored eight points. The Cardinals played 14 players in total, with six freshmen gaining valuable experience.
Next up, Mentor will host Toledo Whitmer in a Division I district semifinal on Feb. 26. Whitmer, a state final four team last season, enters the game with the same 15-7 record as the Cardinals.
🏒 Sherstiuk’s Late Heroics Lift Mentor to Stunning District Semifinal Upset
In a thrilling Kent District semifinal on Feb. 22, Mentor’s hockey team secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over second-seeded Walsh Jesuit, earning a spot in the district final. The game’s defining moment came late in the third period when junior forward Ruslan Sherstiuk, a native of war-torn Ukraine, delivered the decisive goal—his 13th of the season—securing the Cardinals’ return to the elite eight.
Mentor (23-9-2) executed a near-perfect game plan, limiting Walsh’s opportunities while getting strong contributions from all three lines. Goaltender Ryan Wilkinson made key saves when needed, but the Cardinals' defensive structure prevented Walsh from generating many high-danger chances.
Mentor took an early lead 55 seconds into the second period when Jake Mackey weaved through defenders and fired home his 24th goal of the season. Walsh responded early in the third, tying the game on a close-range finish by Andrew Holcomb. However, Sherstiuk’s clutch goal, a perfectly placed wrist shot inside the right post, ultimately sealed the win.
In the closing moments, Mentor locked down the defensive zone, with key plays from A.J. Trobenter, Dominic Trem, and Matthew Friel helping to preserve the victory. Now, the Cardinals turn their focus to the Kent District final on Feb. 28 against University, which advanced after a triple-overtime win over Gilmour. A win would send Mentor to its first-ever frozen four appearance.
