In this Issue of Mentor Local Buzz 🐝

⛅ Weather: Windy, Sun & Clouds, Possible Shower - Temps 51-53

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

 📰 Local News: 💰 Lake County Expands Tax Breaks for Seniors

❄️ Mentor’s Operation Snowlift to Help Seniors with Winter Snow Removal

 🔌 FirstEnergy Resolves Repeated Outages in Mentor Neighborhood

 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Event Spotlight: 👻 DTW Halloween Party Promises Spooks, Spirits, and Surprises

 🏀 Sports: 🏐 Lake Catholic Girls Stun Top-Seeded Crestview in Regional Semifinal Sweep

 🏈 Undefeated Mentor Set to Begin Playoff Push on November 7

 🤔 Trivia Question

 🤣 Something Funny

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

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💰 Lake County Expands Tax Breaks for Seniors

Lake County, Ohio has taken a major step toward property tax relief by doubling the homestead exemption for low-income seniors and expanding the owner-occupied credit. The move comes amid a statewide petition effort to abolish property taxes entirely.

On Thursday, the Board of Commissioners approved the changes, made possible by a new state law allowing counties to implement their own exemptions. Lake County seniors will now receive an average benefit of $1,000 annually, up from $500. Homeowners who live in their property will also see a doubled 2.5% rollback on taxes.

Unlike the state exemption, this local version is not reimbursed by the state, meaning schools, libraries, and fire departments will face reduced revenue. Overall, taxing entities in the county will lose about 1.5% of their budgets.

Public response was mixed. Some supported the relief for seniors, including the Willoughby-Eastlake school board, while others voiced concerns about long-term impacts on education and services.

Commissioner John Plecnik defended the measure, saying the main issue is that the state government in Columbus has been reducing funding for local communities for years, which has forced local governments to raise property taxes significantly and this relief is long overdue.

He also encouraged residents to sign the petition to end property taxes statewide, suggesting state leaders are finally paying attention.

With rising frustration over where tax dollars go, Lake County’s move may be the start of wider changes to Ohio’s tax system.

Read or Watch More at news5cleveland.com

❄️ Mentor’s Operation Snowlift to Help Seniors with Winter Snow Removal

Operation Snowlift: Winter Snow Removal Help for Mentor Seniors

Winters in Northeast Ohio can be unpredictable, and heavy snow can be especially challenging for seniors. In response, the City of Mentor has partnered with the Lake County Council on Aging to launch Operation Snowlift—a pilot snowplowing assistance program for the 2025–2026 winter season.

The program will assist up to 74 low-to-moderate-income Mentor seniors who meet specific eligibility criteria and may struggle to afford per-push snow removal. Qualified participants will receive vouchers for snowplowing during snow emergencies, redeemable through an approved contractor.

Funded by a HUD Community Development Block Grant, Operation Snowlift aims to help seniors maintain access to essential services like doctor appointments, in-home care, and Meals on Wheels.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants must meet residency and income requirements to qualify.

The city hopes to expand the program in winter 2026–2027, reflecting its commitment to senior safety and independence.

See cityofmentor.com for more information.
More details on recently shared post on Mentor’s x.com account.

🔌 FirstEnergy Resolves Repeated Outages in Mentor Neighborhood

Residents in Mentor experienced a string of brief power outages on Wednesday evening, October 28, with many reporting as many as 15 interruptions near the intersection of State Route 306 and Lake Shore Boulevard. The unusual flickering left many puzzled until the City of Mentor confirmed multiple reports and reached out to FirstEnergy for clarification.

FROM FIRST ENERGY: “FirstEnergy crews resolved the equipment issue that caused power interruptions in the Mentor area on Tuesday. A piece of equipment was interfering with a power line, triggering several brief outages in a row. These momentary outages are actually a sign that the system is working as designed, automatically shutting the electricity off when an object comes in contact with the line and then quickly restoring power shortly after. This helps minimizes the length and impact of outages, while protecting the electric system. We appreciate the reports from residents, which helped us locate the problem and make repairs.”

Residents are reminded to report all outages directly to FirstEnergy to expedite investigation and restoration of service at https://outages-oh.firstenergycorp.com

Source: cityofmentor.com

👻 DTW Halloween Party Promises Spooks, Spirits, and Surprises

Downtown Willoughby is set to transform into a Halloween hotspot on Friday, October 31, 2025, for the annual DTW Halloween Night Party. Running from 8 PM until close, the event spans across a variety of bars and restaurants throughout the downtown district. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume as each venue offers its own unique brand of spooky fun, from costume contests to themed music and surprise festivities.

With participating locations including Garage Bar, Erie + Vine, Barrio, Sol, Ballantine, Geraci’s, The Wild Goose, Mullarkey’s, Frank & Tony’s, Sage Karma Kitchen, Westel’s, The Yard, Nora’s, and 1899, partygoers can hop from spot to spot for a night full of fright and delight. The event promises an eclectic mix of entertainment, food, and drinks, uniting the downtown scene into a Halloween celebration like no other.

The poster teases: "Don’t go past the tracks," hinting at a mysterious and thrilling atmosphere that fits the season. Expect the unexpected in this immersive nightlife experience that invites guests to explore every haunted corner of Downtown Willoughby.

See the event on mentorlocalbuzz.com

🏐 Lake Catholic Girls Stun Top-Seeded Crestview in Regional Semifinal Sweep

In a stunning upset at the Division V regional semifinal, the Lake Catholic Cougars swept top-seeded Crestview Rebels in straight sets on Wednesday night at Medina High School. With a final match score of 3-0, the Cougars—seeded eighth in Region 17—secured their spot in the regional final.

Lake Catholic (16-10) controlled the pace throughout the match, taking down Crestview (22-4) with set scores of 25-19, 25-16, and 25-22. Despite Crestview's dominant season and top ranking, the Cougars maintained composure and delivered a consistent performance across all three sets.

Although individual stats for Lake Catholic were unavailable at the time of reporting, the team effort was enough to overcome a favored Crestview squad that had been eyeing a deep postseason run.

With this victory, Lake Catholic advances to the regional final match scheduled for Saturday, November 1 at 2:00 PM, where they will face Elyria Catholic (2nd seed) who beat Berkshire last night.

🏈 Undefeated Mentor Set to Begin Playoff Push on November 7

The Mentor Cardinals are set to begin their postseason run in Division I, Region 1 with a home game at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium on Friday, November 7 at 7 p.m. The undefeated Cardinals (10-0) earned a first-round bye and will face the winner of the matchup between Massillon Jackson (7 seed) and Brunswick (10 seed).

Mentor enters the playoffs riding a wave of momentum, having shut out Euclid 31-0 last week. The team notably rested two key starters—offensive tackle Landry Brede and running back Jackson Farley—who are expected to be fully ready for their postseason debut. Farley has been a standout, rushing for 1,465 yards and 25 touchdowns this season.

At quarterback, junior Brogan Jones has thrown for 1,467 yards and 14 touchdowns, with Justen Hodge leading the receiving corps with 38 catches for 766 yards. The offense, powered by six college-bound athletes, including five FBS commits, has been dominant all season.

Defensively, Mentor has made major strides, allowing just 34 points across their last six games, including six shutouts. Linebackers Carson Wolk and Ben Schenk have been pivotal in this turnaround. The Cardinals, aiming for a return to the state final four, are looking to make a statement as their postseason journey begins.

Source: Google

🤣 Something Funny 🤣

Ok, now this is funny… hilarious!