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

📰 Local News: 💜 Mentor Man Saves Mother and Daughter From Sinking SUV in Dramatic Pond Rescue

🪴 Wildwood Garden Club Hosting Annual Plant Sale Sunday

🍒 Early Bird Market Launches Mentor’s 2026 Farmers Market Season Today

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Event Spotlight: 🔥 Downtown Willoughby’s Rib Burn Off Returns for 13th Year With BBQ, Music and Family Fun

🥎 Sports: 🥎 Mentor Stays Perfect in GCC Play With 10-1 Win Over Strongsville

⚾ Lake Catholic Rally Falls Short in 9-7 Loss to Gilmour Academy

🏀 🥎⚾🥍 Local Scoreboard

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

MENTOR, Ohio — A quiet Friday evening in Mentor turned into a dramatic rescue when Yianni Sarris jumped into a pond to save a mother and daughter after their SUV crashed into the water.

Sarris, 33, had been helping his father cut down trees behind his parents’ home when he heard a loud crash and saw an SUV speeding across nearby yards before plunging into a pond.

Inside were 46-year-old Kim Wallace and her 8-year-old daughter, Olivia, who were driving home from dinner. Kim later said she began feeling ill and lost consciousness behind the wheel, causing the crash.

Hearing screams from the child, Sarris immediately ran toward the water. Olivia managed to unbuckle herself and open the car door before the SUV became submerged. Sarris helped guide her to shore, where a neighbor assisted her to safety.

He then returned to the sinking vehicle to rescue Kim, who remained unconscious inside. Entering through the back door, Sarris unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her from the SUV before swimming her back to shore.

Neighbors quickly gathered to help as Mentor police arrived on scene. Weeks later, the two families reunited at a local park, where Kim Wallace thanked Sarris for saving their lives. Sarris, however, credited Olivia’s quick actions with helping make the rescue possible.

Kim Wallace is continuing to recover while doctors work to determine what caused her to lose consciousness.

See the incredible video story at above from wkyc.com

MENTOR, Ohio — Gardeners and plant lovers will have a chance to shop a wide selection of flowers and outdoor plants during the Wildwood Garden Club Plant Sale on Sunday, May 17.

The event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Wildwood Cultural Center, located at 7645 Little Mountain Road. Shoppers can browse a variety of annuals and perennials available for purchase in the South Wing of the Manor House.

Admission to the sale is free, and all proceeds will support the Wildwood Garden Club and its ongoing community efforts.

Link to the Event

MENTOR, Ohio — The Early Bird Mentor Farmers Market will kick off the 2026 season Today, Friday May 15, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Eleanor B. Garfield Park.

The event will bring together local vendors offering fresh produce, gourmet foods and a variety of handmade goods. Visitors can expect a lively community atmosphere, with artisans showcasing unique crafts and artwork alongside a wide selection of culinary options.

The market is open to the public and serves as an early preview of the upcoming farmers market season, giving attendees a chance to explore local flavors and shop for one-of-a-kind items.

Link to the Event

Downtown Willoughby is preparing for one of its largest annual events as the Marous DTW Rib Burn Off returns May 16 and 17 for its 13th year. The free two-day festival is expected to draw thousands of visitors from across Northeast Ohio with a weekend filled with barbecue, live entertainment, family activities, and local vendors.

Festival hours run from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 17.

Attendees can sample ribs and barbecue specialties from a mix of Downtown Willoughby restaurants and national food vendors while also enjoying beer, craft cocktails, and sweet treats throughout the festival grounds. Participating food vendors for 2026 include After Hours BBQ, Ballantine, Buckeye Chocolate, Fat Freddies, Cowboys BBQ, Gary’s, Hog Heaven, Sage, and T’s Concessions.

Live entertainment will take place across multiple stages throughout downtown during the weekend. Country Redford will headline the Main Stage on Saturday evening at 6 p.m., while Disco Inferno closes out the festival Sunday at 5 p.m.

Additional performers scheduled for the Main Stage include Austin and the Syd Experience, Jack Fords, and Black Voltron. Other acts appearing throughout the event include Jimmy Mrozek, The Drop Downs, The Sugar Daddys, Jesters Revenge, Alex Zinni, Dan McCoy and the Standing 8’s, Myth & Company, Cleveland’s Rockbar, Matt Whataguy, and Bag of Tricks.

The festival will also feature a dedicated Kids Zone operating Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Families can enjoy interactive activities, games, and kid-friendly vendors throughout the weekend.

A rib competition winner will be announced Sunday at 1 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Organizers say the event continues to grow each year, combining food, music, and community in the heart of Downtown Willoughby.

The Mentor Lady Cardinals continued their strong conference season Thursday with a dominant 10-1 victory over the Strongsville Mustangs in Greater Cleveland Conference softball action.

Mentor wasted little time taking control, scoring two runs in the first inning, adding four more in the second, and extending the lead with two additional runs in the third. Strongsville managed just one hit and one unearned run while committing six fielding errors.

Allie Dugach earned the win in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing only one unearned run on one hit. She struck out five and walked one. Syd Cahill closed out the game with three scoreless innings of relief, striking out four while allowing just one walk.

At the plate, Dugach also led the offense with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, driving in four runs, adding a double and three triples. Peyton Willis finished 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and two RBIs, while Aubree Colón went 1-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored. Gabi Dadante added a hit, an RBI, and a stolen base in the win.

Mentor improved to 16-7 overall and remained unbeaten in conference play at 10-0 in the Greater Cleveland Conference.

The Lady Cardinals return to action Monday, May 18, hosting Elyria in a Division I district semifinal game in the 2026 OHSAA Softball State Championships tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The Lake Catholic Cougars fell to the Gilmour Academy Lancers 9-7 in a non-conference baseball matchup Thursday night.

Gilmour Academy struck early, scoring in each of the first three innings to build a 6-1 lead. Lake Catholic answered with a four-run fourth inning to pull within one, but the Lancers added insurance runs in the sixth and held off a late Cougars rally.

Nate Luzier started on the mound for Lake Catholic, pitching 4.2 innings while allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Ben Mitchell worked 2.1 innings in relief, giving up six runs, five earned, on six hits while striking out two.

The bottom of the Cougars lineup accounted for six of the team’s eight hits. Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Micah Nyetrae finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Tyler Hribar added two hits and scored a run, and Brayden Mann contributed a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

Lake Catholic is now 14-9 on the season and returns home Friday to face Madison at 7:30 p.m.

⚾ Lake County Captains lost to the Dayton Dragons on Thursday 8-4.
⚾ Mentor Cardinals boys baseball lost 2 games to Strongsville this week: 5-1 and 12-0.
🥍 Mentor Cardinals boys lacrosse lost defeated Lakewood this week 14-0.
🥍 Mentor Cardinals girls lacrosse defeated Aurora 10-7 on Monday and then GlenOak on Tuesday by a score of 11-1.
🥍 Lake Catholic Cougars girls lacrosse lost to the Shaker Heights Raiders 18-11 on Monday.
🥎 Lake Catholic Cougars girls softball lost to West Geauga on Thursday by a score of 18-3 in a tournament game.

Babies and Dogs… so funny & cute.