In this Issue of Mentor Local Buzz 🐝

🌤️ Weather: Mostly Sunny & Humid - Temps 87-90

 📢 Local Events from Mentor & the Area: MentorLocalBuzz.com/Events!

 📰 Local News: 📰 Mentor’s Storybook Benches Go to Auction at August Gala

 🎡 170th Lake County Fair Breaks Heat, Draws Over 102,000 Visitors

 🧼 Mentor Rec Center to Close August 11–15 for Annual Deep Cleaning

 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Real Estate: 🏘️ Buyer Confidence Climbs as Housing Sentiment Improves

🏘️ Featured New Home Listings for Sale in Mentor, Ohio (44060)

⚾ Sports: ⚾ White Sox Halt Six-Game Slide with Power Surge vs. Guardians

⚾ Velazquez Powers Captains Past Dragons in 7–5 Win

 🤔 Trivia Question

 🤣 Something Funny

Contact Mentor Local Buzz - [email protected] - 440-256-6115

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Featured Event for Aug 11

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 📰 Mentor’s Storybook Benches Go to Auction at August Gala

Mentor’s Storybook Benches to Be Auctioned at Aug. 20 Gala

A simple idea to blend art and literature has turned Springbrook Gardens into a whimsical, interactive space. Five fiberglass benches, each designed by Lake County artists with colorful storybook themes, line the park’s accessible walking path, drawing families and visitors from across the region.

The Mentor Community Arts Commission, in partnership with the Wildwood Cultural Center, will host the Storybook Bench Project Gala and Auction from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the Springbrook Gardenhouse, 6776 Heisley Road.

Guests can meet the artists, enjoy live music by Sam Hess, sample wine from a local winery, and join hands-on art activities. The evening will also feature an auction of smaller works and the sale of the benches—each valued at $3,500.

The project has created a “living storybook,” encouraging visitors to pause, read, and connect with the park. Tickets are $30 per person or $160 for a table of six, with proceeds supporting Arts Commission programs.

For tickets or information, contact the Wildwood Cultural Center at 440-974-5735.

See all the details on Wildwood’s Facebook page

🎡 170th Lake County Fair Breaks Heat, Draws Over 102,000 Visitors

170th Lake County Fair Draws 102,000 Visitors Despite Heatwave

The 170th annual Lake County Fair drew 102,728 visitors to Painesville’s fairgrounds July 22–27, overcoming a week of sweltering heat. The event offered livestock shows, themed celebration days, demolition derbies, and a variety of family entertainment.

The 4-H Livestock Auction raised more than $424,000 for youth exhibitors. Lake County commissioners made notable purchases: Richard J. Regovich bought the Reserve Champion Chicken Pen from Erin Platz, John T. Plecnik purchased the Grand Champion Chicken Pen from Josie Goldy, and Morris W. Beverage III secured multiple champion animals, including duck, beef, lamb, and hog entries.

Themed days included “Kissell’s Kids” day for 356 guests with special needs, Kids Day with free admission, Senior Day, Saturday’s America 250 Celebration with a General Edward Paine bobblehead giveaway, and Sunday’s Latino Day with draft horse pulls and a record demolition derby.

Entertainment highlights included Jungle Terry’s animal show, Sky Circus Cleveland, and the All-American Pig Races. The 171st Lake County Fair is set for July 28–Aug. 2, 2026.

Read More at cleveland.com

🧼 Mentor Rec Center to Close August 11–15 for Annual Deep Cleaning

The Mentor Community Recreation Center will close from August 11 to 15, 2025, for a thorough, facility-wide deep cleaning. City officials say the closure is part of a new annual initiative to ensure a safe, healthy, and welcoming space for all visitors.

The cleaning will include all activity areas, fitness equipment, restrooms, and common spaces, with specialized sanitation procedures aimed at maintaining high standards of hygiene.

The center will reopen to the public on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

More details can be found at www.mentorrec.com.

🏘️ Buyer Confidence Climbs as Housing Sentiment Improves in July

Pessimism fades this summer
Home buyer confidence improved in July as borrower conditions brightened and negotiating leverage shifted toward buyers. Affordability challenges remain, but reduced concerns about job loss and more positive home price expectations lifted sentiment.

Home Purchase Sentiment Index rises
Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased to 71.8 in July, up from 68.1 in June and 71.5 a year ago. The HPSI, which measures perceptions on buying/selling conditions, home prices, rates, jobs, and income, hit its peak of 93.8 in 2019 and low of 56.7 in 2022.

In July, more respondents saw home prices rising (net +28) and fewer were concerned about job loss (net +51). However, only 23% felt it was a good time to buy.

Consumer confidence steadies
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose to 97.2 in July, with the Expectations Index climbing to 74.4. While still below the recession-warning threshold of 80, optimism about short-term business conditions and jobs improved slightly. Current job availability, however, fell to its weakest since March 2021.

University of Michigan sentiment mixed
Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index edged up to 61.7 in July, from 60.7 in June, but was down from 66.4 last year. The current conditions index improved to 68.0, while expectations dipped slightly to 57.7.

Bottom line for buyers
Market timing is difficult, so experts suggest buying when you find an affordable property. Preparing early—improving credit scores, exploring down payment assistance, and getting mortgage pre-approval—can help buyers compete effectively.

Read the Full Report at: themortgagereports.com

🏘️ Featured New Home Listings for Sale in Mentor, Ohio (44060)

9385 Headlands Rd., Mentor, OH. 44060
4 Beds, 3 Baths, 3,730 Sqft. 1.40 Acre Lot
Sale Price $1,350,000
Listed by: Judie Crockett Brokered by Howard Hanna - Mentor
Link to Property Listing

7570 Manry Ct., Mentor, OH 44060
4 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,534 Sqft. 0.35 Acre Lot
Sale Price $474,900
Listed by: Amanda Alafi Brokered by Homesmart Real Estate Momentum Llc
Link to Property Listing

6267 Foxwood Ct., Mentor OH 44060
4 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,723 Sqft., 0.27 Acre Lot
Sale Price $375,900
Listed by: Alexandra Tillstrom Brokered by McDowell Real Estate
Link to Property Listing

7435 Little Mountain Rd., Mentor, OH 44060
3 Beds, 2 Baths, ???? Sqft., 1.07 Acre Lot
Sale Price $295,000
Listed by: Christopher A Avery Brokered by Exp Realty, Llc.
Link to Property Listing

5043 Brooksdale Rd., Mentor, OH 44060
3 Beds, 1 Baths, 891 Sqft., 6,434 Sqft Lot
Sale Price $169,900
Listed by: Jose Razo Brokered by Homesmart Real Estate Momentum Llc
Link to Property Listing

Link to Other Listings in Zip Code 44060

⚾ White Sox Halt Six-Game Slide with Power Surge vs. Guardians

The Chicago White Sox halted their six-game losing streak on Sunday, powering past the Cleveland Guardians 6–4 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Chicago jumped out early, with Lenyn Sosa delivering a two-run homer in the first inning—his 14th of the season—followed moments later by Colson Montgomery’s solo blast, his ninth. Curtis Mead extended the lead to 4–0 in the third with an RBI double, while Kyle Teel added another run in the fourth. The Sox finished with 11 hits, keeping consistent pressure on Cleveland pitching.

Starter Davis Martin earned his fourth win of the season, working five innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out two before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Grant Taylor closed the door in the ninth for the save.

For Cleveland, Kyle Manzardo supplied most of the offense with a pair of home runs—a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run blast in the seventh—while David Fry’s sixth-inning double plated two more. Starter Slade Cecconi took the loss, surrendering five runs over eight hits in his outing.

The win also continued Chicago’s post–All-Star break power surge, as the club now leads the league with 42 home runs in that span.

Read More and See Highlights at espn.com

⚾ Velazquez Powers Captains Past Dragons in 7–5 Win

Lake County Holds Off Dayton in 7–5 Victory

The Lake County Captains outlasted the Dayton Dragons in a back-and-forth contest, coming away with a 7–5 win on the road. Starter Josh Hartle was sharp, working four scoreless innings and striking out seven while allowing just four hits. Reliever Izaak Martinez picked up the win in relief, improving to 4–1 on the season.

Dayton struck first in the opening inning, taking advantage of a defensive miscue to plate two runs. Lake County answered in the fourth when Juan Benjamin’s two-run double tied the game. In the sixth, Ralphy Velazquez launched a solo home run to put the Captains ahead for the first time.

The Captains extended their lead in the eighth as Jacob Cozart’s RBI single and another Benjamin double pushed the score to 6–2. Velazquez added his second homer of the night in the ninth, giving Lake County a five-run cushion.

Dayton made a late push in the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs off Tyler Naquin and bringing the tying run to the plate, but the Captains held on for the win.

See the box score and more at milb.com

Source: wikipedia

🤣 Something Funny 🤣