🌥️ Weather: Expect partly cloudy skies, & possible stray shower on Thursday with a high near 70°. Breezy with afternoon sun.

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

📰 Local News: 📢 Mentor Schools Seek Community Input Ahead of Levy Vote

🚌 Transit Agencies Team Up to Boost Voter Access with Free Rides

📰 Wetland Restoration at Mentor Marsh Gets $750,000 Boost

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Pet Corner: 🦮 Why Your Dog Acts Different in Spring—and What It Means

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Guardians Take Series from Dodgers Behind Williams’ Dominance

⚾ Cougars Show Fight Despite Early Deficit in Loss to CVCA

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

☀️ Weather
Mentor Weather: Expect partly cloudy skies, & possible stray shower on Thursday with a high near 70°. Breezy with afternoon sun. Winds SW 10-15 mph.

Mentor Public Schools is intensifying efforts to inform residents about a proposed operating levy as voters prepare for the May 5 primary election. District leaders are hosting community town halls to explain school finances, outline projections, and answer questions about the 4.9-mill levy request.

The final town hall will take place April 8 at Memorial Middle School, giving residents a last chance to hear directly from district leadership. Officials will present the district’s five-year financial outlook and explain how the levy would affect schools and taxpayers.

If approved, the levy would generate about $13.5 million annually for roughly six years. Homeowners would pay an estimated $170 per year per $100,000 of property value, or just over $400 annually for a typical Mentor home.

District officials say the funding would support core operations such as staffing, transportation, facility maintenance, safety, and specialized education services. The district includes seven elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school, and multiple support facilities.

Leaders point to a history of financial restraint, including limited new levies and staffing adjustments tied to enrollment. Even so, they say additional revenue is now needed to maintain current services.

Without the levy, the district expects to make reductions that could impact staffing, programs, and student opportunities.

With more than 44,000 registered voters eligible, the outcome of Issue 1 will play a key role in shaping the district’s financial future.

Residents in Lake and Geauga counties will have easier access to the polls this spring, as Laketran and Geauga Transit are offering free transportation for the May 5 primary election.

The service includes complimentary rides on Election Day and during early voting, which begins April 7. Voters can travel to polling locations or their county Board of Elections without paying a fare.

Laketran will waive fares on all Local Routes and its Dial-a-Ride service. Riders using fixed routes must simply notify the driver they are heading to or from a voting location. Dial-a-Ride trips can be scheduled one to 12 business days in advance.

Geauga Transit will also provide free rides through its Dial-a-Ride service, offering another accessible option for reaching the polls.

Polling locations will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, with early voting available starting April 7.

Transit officials say the effort is designed to remove transportation barriers and make voting more accessible.

Source: cityofmentor.com

A major restoration effort at Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve is receiving a $750,000 grant awarded to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

The funding, provided through the Ohio Lake Erie Commission’s Lake Erie Community Grant program, will support a three-year project focused on improving water flow, removing invasive species, and restoring native habitats across the 801-acre preserve.

The project builds on more than a decade of conservation work at Mentor Marsh, one of Northeast Ohio’s largest coastal wetlands. Since 2015, crews have removed over a billion invasive phragmites stalks and planted more than 324,000 native plants, supporting a diverse ecosystem that includes hundreds of plant and bird species.

The next phase will focus on removing hybrid cattail, restoring 2.5 acres of wetland near Blackbrook Creek, and installing structures that mimic beaver dams to help regulate water levels.

Mentor Marsh remains Ohio’s largest undiked coastal marsh, allowing natural water flow that supports biodiversity and research.

The project will also include student programming and seasonal job opportunities, funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Source: cleveland.com & glc.org

If your dog suddenly seems more distracted, reactive, or full of energy this time of year, you’re not imagining it.

As Mentor thaws out, your dog isn’t just enjoying warmer weather—they’re experiencing a complete sensory overload. The ground releases months of trapped scents, while increased wildlife activity fills the air with new scent signals. What looks like excitement is often your dog trying to process a flood of new information.

That’s why a dog that behaved perfectly in February may now pull on the leash, ignore commands, or bark more frequently—even on familiar walks near places like the Mentor Lagoons.

Many owners respond by increasing exercise, assuming their dog just has more energy. But this can actually make things worse. A longer, faster walk adds physical stimulation to a dog that’s already mentally overwhelmed, which can lead to more stress, not less.

Instead, shift your focus to helping your dog slow down and process what they’re experiencing.

Try “decompression walks” using a longer leash in a quieter area, allowing your dog to sniff freely at their own pace. Even 15–20 minutes can help calm their system.

At home, simple scent games—like hiding treats in a towel or around a room—give your dog mental stimulation without outdoor distractions.

You can also temporarily shorten walks or avoid high-traffic areas to reduce overstimulation.

Spring isn’t just a seasonal change for your dog—it’s a sensory reset. When you understand what’s happening, you can help them adjust more calmly—and make your walks a lot more enjoyable again.

The Cleveland Guardians secured a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 4-1 victory, powered by a dominant outing from pitcher Gavin Williams and a key home run from José Ramírez.

Williams delivered seven scoreless innings, striking out 10 while allowing just two hits and three walks. He controlled the game early and worked out of his toughest moment in the sixth inning by forcing a double play and retiring the side.

Ramírez provided offensive momentum with his first home run of the season, while Gabriel Arias also added a long ball as Cleveland took two of three games from the defending champions.

Los Angeles avoided a shutout in the ninth inning on a solo home run, but Cleveland’s pitching staff otherwise kept the lineup in check. Shohei Ohtani was held without a hit, though he reached base once and extended his on-base streak.

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed two runs over six innings in a solid outing, but it was not enough to match Cleveland’s performance.

The win gives the Guardians a strong series result heading into their home opener against the Chicago Cubs.

Read More, See Highlights at espn.com

Lake Catholic opened North Coast Conference play on the road Monday night against CVCA, falling 8-4 after an early deficit proved difficult to overcome.

The Cougars trailed 6-0 after two innings as CVCA capitalized on timely hitting. Starter Tyler Hribar battled through the early surge, and Lake Catholic responded in the third inning with two runs to cut into the lead.

CVCA added two more runs in the fourth to extend its advantage, but the Cougars continued to compete. Lake Catholic rallied again in the sixth inning with two runs, keeping the game within reach.

The Cougars finished with 11 hits, including nine singles, while Tyler Hribar and Ben Mitchell each added doubles. Micah Nyetrae led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance.

On the mound, Hribar pitched four innings with five strikeouts, while Josh Howman provided two strong innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out three.

Despite the loss, Lake Catholic showed offensive consistency and resilience, and will look to carry that momentum into the rematch against CVCA.

This dad is done with winter!
Let’s hope we don’t see any more snow and ice for quite some time!