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

📰 Local News: 📆 Mentor Chill Out Brings Ice, Fire, and Family Fun to Civic Center Jan. 17

🎄Mentor Offers Christmas Tree Recycling at Local Parks

📰 City Council to Kick Off 2026 with Leadership Appointments & Key Votes

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Travel & Discovery: ✈️ 2026’s Cheapest Flight Destinations Revealed & When to Book

🏀 Sports: 🏀 Elyria Catholic Pulls Away from Cougars with Second-Half Surge

🏀 Panthers Pull Away Late as Undermanned Lady Cougars Run Out of Steam

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

Mentor Chill Out Festival Returns with Family Fun, Fireworks, and Frosty Delights

Mentor’s popular winter celebration, the Mentor Chill Out, is set to return on January 17 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Mentor Civic Center Complex, offering a full afternoon of seasonal fun and festive activities for all ages.

Now in its seventh year, the event has become a winter tradition in the city, giving families a reason to get outdoors and embrace the season. Visitors can enjoy ice sculptures, live carving demonstrations, and outdoor ice skating, as well as winter crafts, sledding (weather permitting), and the always-entertaining Zamboni Pull.

For indoor and cozy fun, attendees can warm up with hot cider and hot chocolate, or explore a variety of adult beverages for purchase. Specialty drinks include espresso vodka hot chocolate, cinnamon whiskey cider, and a creative take on the old fashioned, featuring a frozen marshmallow in place of ice. A full range of non-alcoholic options will also be available.

Entertainment continues with a video game truck and a Chili Cook-Off starting at 2 p.m. Those interested in entering the competition can call 440-974-5727 for details. Food vendors will also be on site throughout the day.

As evening falls, the Chill Out builds to a dramatic conclusion with a fiery ice display, where large blocks of ice filled with wood pallets are set ablaze — a unique visual spectacle. The event wraps up with a fireworks show, bringing the winter celebration to a colorful close.

The Mentor Chill Out has steadily grown in popularity, offering a flexible schedule of activities that encourages residents to come and go as they please. Regardless of snow or sunshine, the festival continues to draw families year after year.

See the Mentor Chill Out Event on Facebook

Mentor Opens Christmas Tree Drop-Off Sites Through January

Now that the holidays are wrapping up, the City of Mentor is offering residents a convenient and eco-friendly way to dispose of their live Christmas trees. Starting immediately, several parks across the city will serve as designated drop-off sites, open through January 31, 2026.

Trees can be taken to any of the following locations:

Residents are reminded to remove all decorations, tinsel, lights, and plastic bags before dropping off their trees. The collected trees will be recycled into mulch or compost as part of the city’s ongoing environmental efforts.

This annual program offers an easy and responsible way to wrap up the holiday season while supporting local sustainability initiatives.

Mentor City Council to Launch 2026 with Organizational Meeting, Key Decisions

Mentor City Council will convene its 2026 Organizational Meeting on January 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. The session begins with formalities including the swearing-in of council members. Leadership roles for Council President and Vice President will be appointed and confirmed with oaths of office.

Council will review two emergency ordinances: one to award a contract to TK Excavating & Grading, LLC for a storm sewer replacement on Blossom Drive, and another to approve a four-year maintenance agreement with Motorola Solutions.

Two emergency resolutions are also up for consideration. One formalizes a compensation agreement with the Mentor School District related to the Uptown Mentor project tax exemption. The other requests an advance on funds collected for city use.

Reports will be presented from the City Manager, Clerk of Council, and committees including the Planning Commission and Board of Building & Zoning Appeals.

A major agenda item includes appointing new members to several boards and commissions, with open seats on the Planning Commission, Zoning Appeals, Civil Service Commission, and others. One unexpired term on the Tree Commission will also be filled.

Residents may address council on non-agenda items by registering in advance.

Affordable Flights in 2026: The Cheapest Places to Travel This Year

Airfare may be high, but smart travelers still have options. Dollar Flight Club’s 2026 Cheap Flight Forecast highlights where to fly without stretching your budget, based on historical prices, current deals, and past trends.

Top Domestic Deals

Leading the U.S. list is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average round-trip fares of $95. January and September are the best times to go. Orlando follows at $105, with lower fares in early May and mid-September. Chicago ranks third, offering $94 flights in the spring and fall.

Pittsburgh and Dallas also made the top five, providing solid value across various travel windows.

Budget-Friendly International Destinations

Internationally, San Salvador, El Salvador tops the list with flights averaging $198, especially from December to March. Madrid ranks second at $438, ideal for spring and early fall travel. Vancouver follows at $248, with May, June, and September offering the best deals.

Lisbon and Medellín round out the top five, with affordable fares during shoulder seasons and drier months.

In total, 15 domestic and 15 international destinations were listed, giving travelers a wide range of wallet-friendly options in 2026. Timing your trip right is key to maximizing savings.

For the full list and travel tips, read the original article published by the New York Post.

Lake Catholic Falls Short Against Elyria Catholic Despite Gritty Effort

Lake Catholic came out strong in the opening quarter but couldn’t maintain its momentum, falling 53-47 to Elyria Catholic in a North Coast Conference matchup on Jan. 2.

The Cougars took a 12-11 lead after one, fueled by early three-pointers from Joe Locker and Colin Kleppel. However, shooting struggles set in as the game progressed, and Elyria Catholic used aggressive defense and fast-break scoring to pull ahead by double digits in the second half.

Despite the offensive slump—just 24% from the field and 19% from beyond the arc—Lake Catholic battled to stay within reach. Senior Stanton Powaski led the Cougars with 12 points, while Locker and Brody Bohr added 11 and 10, respectively. The team’s defensive pressure kept the game competitive, but Elyria Catholic’s 42-22 rebounding edge proved to be the difference.

A late push brought Lake Catholic within six points in the final minute, but a transition dunk by Elyria Catholic sealed the outcome. The Cougars dropped to 4-5 overall and 0-4 in conference play.

Lake Catholic will look to regroup when it travels to face Padua on Jan. 6.

Lake Catholic Girls Fight Hard but Fall to Elyria Catholic

Lake Catholic put up a gritty fight in its Jan. 3 North Coast Conference matchup against visiting Elyria Catholic but came up short, 50-33, against a taller and deeper Panthers team.

Despite facing a significant height disadvantage—Lake Catholic’s tallest player stands at 5-foot-9 compared to multiple 5-11 starters for Elyria Catholic—the Cougars stayed competitive into the third quarter. After trailing 18-8 early, they narrowed the gap to 26-20 at halftime and came within two points at 30-28 midway through the third.

The turning point came when senior point guard and four-year starter Ella Zampedro left the game with an injury. She finished with 10 points before exiting, and her absence was felt as Lake Catholic’s offense stalled. Elyria Catholic closed the game on a 20-5 run, holding the Cougars without a field goal in the final quarter.

Lizzie Bammerlin led Lake Catholic with 13 points, connecting on four three-pointers. The Cougars nearly matched the Panthers on the boards, 33-32, a testament to their effort and physicality despite the size mismatch.

Lake Catholic, now looking to regroup, will travel to Villa Angela-St. Joseph on Jan. 7.

Dads Acting Out Like Their Daughters… oh, boy!