In this Issue of Mentor Local Buzz 🐝

 😎 Weather: Mostly Sunny & Less Humid - Temps 75-78

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

 📰 Local News: 🚌 Backpacks, Buses, and Big Smiles: First Day of School 🚸

 👻 Wildwood Cultural Center Hosts Family-Friendly Halloween Adventure

 🎉 CityFest Wraps Up with Community Spirit and Celebration

 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Real Estate: 👪 Ohio’s First-Time Home Buyer Programs Deliver Up to 5% Assistance in 2025

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

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Late Surge, Lockdown Bullpen Propel Braves Over Guardians

⚾ Lake County Falls in Extras, Winning Streak Halted by Chiefs

 🤔 Trivia Question

 🤣 Something Funny

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

👉 Events in Mentor & the Area! Visit
MentorLocalBuzz.com/Events
Featured Event for Aug 18

See All the Events
MentorLocalBuzz.com/Events

🚌 Backpacks, Buses, and Big Smiles: First Day of School in Mentor 🚸 

Mentor students return to school TODAY! Today marks the first day of school for Mentor students. Expect to see school buses on the roads again, excited kids with fresh backpacks, and plenty of morning photos snapped on front porches across town. The start of the school year is always a community-wide milestone—neighbors waving to buses, crossing guards back at their posts, and parents trying to get back into “early morning mode.” As students settle into new classrooms, let’s remember to slow down in school zones and give buses plenty of room. Welcome back, students—have a great year ahead! This time of year makes it the perfect time for a quick safety refresher for all drivers:

🛑 STOP means STOP for school buses!

Here’s what Ohio law requires:

✅ On 2- or 3-lane roads:
Drivers in both directions must stop when a school bus is picking up or dropping off children.

✅ On roads with 4 or more lanes:
Only drivers traveling in the same direction as the bus are required to stop.

Let’s work together to keep our children safe throughout the school year. Stay alert and drive with care! 💛

👻 Mentor’s Wildwood Cultural Center Hosts Family-Friendly Halloween Adventure

Celebrate Halloween at the Mysteries of the Manor Trail at Mentor’s historic Wildwood Cultural Center (7645 Little Mountain Road in Mentor) on Friday, October 24, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and Saturday, October 25, from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Families can hop into a golf cart and drive through a haunted trail filled with spooky sights and sounds around the manor grounds. Each four-seat cart is driven by a registered participant (18+ with a valid driver’s license), and rides are available on a first-come, first-served basis within designated time slots. A waiver must be signed on-site.

The event also features plenty of family-friendly attractions, including a live DJ, bounce houses, games, free crafts, a live snake show, Halloween movies, haunted manor house tours, an indoor train display, and even a Bigfoot sighting. A local vendor market and food trucks will be available throughout the event.

For families with younger children, “Not-So-Scary” hours are on Saturday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Admission is $15 per person (children under one year free). Tickets can be purchased at www.cityofmentor.com/registration or by calling (440) 974-5735. The event often sells out, so early registration is encouraged.

 🎉 CityFest Wraps Up with Community Spirit and Celebration

CityFest drew crowds over the weekend as residents came together for a vibrant celebration of community, culture, and local talent. The multi-day event featured live music, food trucks, family-friendly activities, and a variety of local vendors, making it a memorable experience for attendees of all ages.

The festival grounds buzzed with energy as people danced to live bands, sampled a wide range of cuisine, and explored artisan booths. Children enjoyed dedicated play zones, while adults mingled at beer gardens and enjoyed evening concerts under the open sky.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of countless volunteers and the tireless efforts of city staff. Their behind-the-scenes work helped keep the event running smoothly from setup to cleanup.

A gallery of photos from the weekend highlights some of the best moments, capturing the joy and unity that made this year’s CityFest a standout success.

👪 Ohio’s First-Time Home Buyer Programs Deliver Up to 5% Assistance in 2025

Ohio continues to be a standout state for first-time home buyers, offering a broad range of programs designed to make homeownership more accessible and affordable.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) provides numerous options through its “My Ohio Home” platform, including down payment assistance, tax credits, and affordable 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. Loans can be FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional, but eligibility depends on credit score, income limits, and completing a free homebuyer education course with an OHFA-approved counselor.

Key Programs:

• Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance offers 2.5% or 5% of a home’s purchase price, forgivable after seven years.

• Grants for Grads targets recent college graduates, with similar assistance forgivable after five years.

• Communities First Ohio, operated by the Port of Greater Cincinnati, provides 3–5% as a non-repayable grant for eligible buyers. Only borrower income is counted, making qualification easier for some.

Local Support in Ohio’s Cities:

• Columbus: Offers up to $7,500 in forgivable down payment assistance via a five-year deferred loan.

• Cleveland: Provides a deferred second mortgage covering up to 10% of the home’s purchase price (capped at $14,900), repayable only if you move or refinance.

• Cincinnati: Offers a $5,000 deferred loan forgivable after five years through its American Dream Downpayment Initiative.

Affordability and Loan Options:

Ohio’s average home price hit $276,100 in July 2025—a 5.8% rise year-over-year. Yet homes in Cleveland remain far more affordable, with a median list price of $139,000.

Low-down-payment loans like FHA (3.5%), Conventional 97 (3%), VA, and USDA (0% down) can be paired with state or local assistance, helping buyers get into homes with minimal out-of-pocket costs.

Get Help Navigating the Process:

Free guidance is available through OHFA, HUD-approved counselors, and local development agencies. With programs combining tax breaks, down payment aid, and flexible loan options.

Read More: mentorlocalbuzz.com

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

8022 Belglo Ln., Mentor, OH. 44060
3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 3,629 Sqft. 0.51 Acre Lot
Sale Price $679,900
Listed by: Joe Vaccaro Brokered by EXP Realty, LLC.
Link to Property Listing

5636 Hopkins Rd., Mentor, OH 44060
5 Beds, 3 Baths, 2,601 Sqft. 6,508 Sqft. Lot
Sale Price $405,900
Listed by: Dathan Williams Brokered by 1st Cavalry Homes Real Estate & Property Mgmt.
Link to Property Listing

8548 Cornwall Ct., Mentor OH 44060
4 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,009 Sqft., 0.55 Acre Lot
Sale Price $379,900
Listed by: Wendy Priscak Brokered by Homesmart Real Estate Momentum Llc
Link to Property Listing

6159 Cambridge Park Dr., Mentor, OH 44060
3 Beds, 1.5 Baths, ???? Sqft., 0.36 Acre Lot
Sale Price $289,900
Listed by: Michael Coleman Brokered by Homesmart Real Estate Momentum Llc
Link to Property Listing

4957 Belle Meadow Rd., Mentor, OH 44060
3 Beds, 1 Baths, 1,019 Sqft., 6,534 Sqft Lot
Sale Price $160,000
Listed by: Michael Burrington Brokered by Howard Hanna - Mentor
Link to Property Listing

Link to All the Other Listings (187 in Total) in Zip Code 44060

⚾ Late Surge, Lockdown Bullpen Propel Braves Over Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians saw a late lead slip away Sunday afternoon, falling 5-4 to the Atlanta Braves at Progressive Field and suffering a three-game sweep.

Cleveland built a 4-1 lead through four innings, sparked by Bo Naylor’s RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Kyle Manzardo in the third. Daniel Schneemann added a two-run triple in the fourth, continuing the momentum for a team that had won 11 of its previous 14 games heading into the series.

But the bullpen couldn’t hang on. Atlanta cut the deficit to one in the fifth, and in the sixth, Jurickson Profar launched a two-run homer off Nic Enright to put the Braves ahead for good.

The Guardians were shut out over the final five innings. Naylor led the offense with four hits, but the rest of the bats were quiet against a sharp Braves bullpen that combined for five scoreless innings. Cleveland had a golden chance in the eighth when Pierce Johnson walked the first two batters. But after two outs and an intentional walk to José Ramírez, Manzardo flied out to end the rally.

Profar also made a diving catch in the ninth, robbing Gabriel Arias of a hit and preserving the win. Atlanta’s bullpen steadied the game after starter Logan Allen’s early struggles, and Raisel Iglesias secured his 19th save.

The Guardians now head west for a tough road trip. They’ll open a series Monday night in Arizona with Gavin Williams on the mound.

Read more & see highlights: espn.com

⚾ Lake County Falls in Extras, Winning Streak Halted by Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs ended the Lake County Captains’ winning streak on Sunday with a 7-5 extra-inning victory at Classic Park.

Despite trailing early, the Chiefs mounted a late comeback and clinched the win in the 10th inning with a two-run homer from Ryan Campos, who sent a fly ball over the right field fence to score Jon Jon Gazdar and give Peoria its first lead of the game.

Lake County opened the scoring in the first inning and built a 5-2 lead by the fifth, capitalizing on steady hitting and defensive miscues by Peoria.

The Chiefs began closing the gap in the later innings. Gazdar drove in a run in the eighth to make it 5-3, and Won-Bin Cho tied the game in the ninth with a two-RBI single, forcing extra innings.

Lake County reliever Izzak Martinez took the loss after allowing a 2-run homerun by Ryan Campos in the 10th. He pitched 2.2 innings, giving up four total runs—three earned—on four hits, with two walks and one strikeout.

See the box score and more at milb.com

Source: Google

🤣 Something Funny 🤣