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

📰 Local News: 📊 Mentor Unemployment Rises to 4.0%, Lowest in Ohio

📉 Mentor NOPEC Customers Get Three Gas Rate Options Starting in June

🎾 Mentor Resident Pushes for Tennis-Only Future at Garfield Park Courts

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Homeowner Tuesday: 🌡️ Mentor Homes: Fix the Hot Upstairs Problem for Summer

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Cleveland Falls 3-2 as Rays Strike in Eighth

🥎 Mentor Powers Past Strongsville Late for 15-6 Conference Win

🏀🥎⚾🥍 Local Scoreboard

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

Mentor’s unemployment rate climbed to 4.0% in February 2026, rising 0.7 percentage points from the previous month, according to new labor force estimates from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services. Despite the increase, the city’s jobless rate remained below the 4.3% recorded in February 2025.

Lake County also saw an uptick in unemployment, with the rate increasing 0.7 percentage points to 4.5% in February. That figure was still lower than the county’s 4.8% rate from one year earlier.

Among Ohio cities with populations of 50,000 or more, Mentor posted the state’s second-lowest unemployment rate. Lakewood ranked first at 3.5%, while Cleveland Heights and Columbus tied for third at 4.1%. Cuyahoga Falls and Kettering followed closely at 4.2%.

Mentor’s civilian labor force declined to 25,400 during the month.

Statewide, Ohio’s unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 4.7% in February 2026, improving from 5.5% in February 2025.

Source: cityofmentor.com

NOPEC has announced new natural gas pricing options for residents in communities served by Enbridge Gas Ohio, including Mentor, with rates taking effect beginning with the June 2026 meter read.

The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council is offering three plans for customers to choose from through the end of the year. The Standard Program rate will be set at $4.85 per Mcf and will remain in place from the June 2026 meter read through the December 2026 meter read.

Customers looking for longer-term price stability can select a 12-month fixed-rate plan at $4.95 per Mcf or a 24-month fixed-rate plan at $4.75 per Mcf, the lowest of the three options. Those selecting fixed-term plans will lock in their chosen rate for the full contract period.

Mentor remains one of the participating NOPEC communities. Residents seeking additional details can visit NOPEC’s website or contact the organization’s customer care center.

Consumers interested in comparing rates from other suppliers can also review options through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s Apples to Apples energy choice website.

Source: cityofmentor.com

A Mentor resident is urging city officials to keep the Garfield Park courts dedicated to tennis as resurfacing plans continue.

During public comment, longtime resident Ken Buckley praised the city for investing in upgrades but asked leaders not to add pickleball markings.

Buckley said shared-use courts can confuse tennis players during serves and close line calls. He also raised safety concerns, saying extra painted lines may create risks for players who run, pivot, and slide during matches.

He added that pickleball options have expanded across Mentor, while dedicated tennis courts have become more limited.

Buckley also noted school athletics, saying sanctioned matches often require courts lined only for tennis.

City officials said they were not aware of plans to add pickleball lines at Garfield Park but would confirm project details.

The discussion reflects a broader issue as pickleball demand grows while tennis players seek to preserve existing court space.

If your second floor feels much warmer than the main level every summer, you are not imagining it. Many Northeast Ohio homes struggle with uneven cooling, especially once humid weather arrives. The good news is that the cause is often fixable.

One of the biggest reasons is attic heat buildup. On sunny days, attic temperatures can climb dramatically. If insulation is thin, uneven, or compressed, that stored heat transfers downward into upstairs rooms.

Another common issue is poor airflow balance. Many homeowners close vents in unused rooms, but that can reduce proper circulation and create hot spots elsewhere. Supply vents should usually remain open unless a professional advises otherwise.

Check return vents too. If a return is blocked by furniture, clothing, rugs, or dust, warm air may not cycle back efficiently through the system.

Dirty HVAC filters are another frequent culprit. A clogged filter restricts airflow, forcing your AC to run longer while cooling less effectively.

Windows matter more than many people realize. Bedrooms facing west or south often heat up late in the day from direct sunlight. Curtains, blinds, window film, or shade trees can help.

Older homes may also have leaking ductwork in attic spaces. That means cooled air escapes before reaching the room it was meant to cool.

What to do this week:

If one room stays hot no matter what, an HVAC contractor may need to evaluate airflow or duct sizing. For Mentor homeowners, solving this before summer can improve comfort, lower strain on your system, and help reduce energy bills.

Ryan Vilade collected three hits and drove in two runs Monday night as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 3-2, extending their winning streak to five games.

Vilade’s biggest hit came in the eighth inning, when he lined a go-ahead single up the middle to score Richie Palacios after Jonathan Aranda opened the inning with a solo home run. Junior Caminero also singled before Palacios entered as a pinch-runner, stole second and scored the winning run.

Vilade added Tampa Bay’s first run with an RBI single in the sixth inning and has 11 hits in his last 20 at-bats after starting the season hitless in his first six trips.

Tampa Bay starter Steven Matz earned the win after allowing two runs on four hits over a season-high seven innings.

Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the fifth when Daniel Schneemann hit a two-run homer. Rookie Parker Messick struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings.

The Guardians threatened in the ninth with runners on second and third, but Bryan Baker recorded the final two outs for his seventh save. Cleveland has lost three straight and four of its last five.

Read More, See Highlights at espn.com

The Mentor Lady Cardinals overcame a brief deficit and pulled away late Monday night, defeating Strongsville 15-6 in a conference softball matchup.

Mentor built an early 5-2 lead before Strongsville answered with four runs in the bottom of the third inning to move ahead 6-5. The Cardinals responded with a run in the fourth to tie the game, then erupted for nine runs over the final two innings to secure the win.

Mentor’s offense produced 15 hits, led by Gabi Dadante and Ireland Rainey, who each collected three hits.

Dadante finished 3-for-4, scored three runs, and added two stolen bases. Rainey also went 3-for-4, blasting a home run while adding a double, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base.

Peyton Willis added two hits and three RBIs, while Allie Dugach had two hits and three RBIs. Sophia Smalley chipped in two hits and an RBI.

In the circle, Syd Cahill pitched all seven innings for Mentor, allowing seven hits and six runs, four earned.

With the win, Mentor improved to 11-6 overall and remained unbeaten in conference play at 5-0.

The Lady Cardinals return to action today with a 5 p.m. game at Willoughby South (8-5).

🥍 Mentor Cardinals boys defeated the GlenOak Golden Eagles 12-11 on Saturday in lacrosse.
🥎 Lake Catholic Lady Cougars lost in girls softball to the Elyria Panthers 11-0 on Monday.

Ok, I laughed. Seriously, I did. I’m gonna try this…