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

📰 Local News: 🛣️ One of Mentor's Busiest Highway Interchanges Could Get a Major Upgrade

🛣️ Lake County Extends Route 2 Maintenance, Negotiating New Deal With Cities

🛣️ Additional Road Repairs Approved After Tough Winter

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 🍽️ What’s for Dinner Tonight?

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Cleveland Falls in Series Opener as Altuve, Peña Lead Houston

⚾ Francisca’s Grand Slam Powers Captains Past Loons in Second-Half Opener

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

MENTOR, Ohio — If you've ever driven through the State Route 615 and Interstate 90 interchange, you've likely experienced traffic backups, especially during busy commuting hours.

Now, Mentor is taking the first step toward what could become a major improvement project for one of the city's busiest transportation corridors.

This week, City Council approved legislation allowing the city to move forward with the design phase of a project that would widen the SR 615 bridge over I-90 and add additional lanes to the interchange ramps.

The proposed project would expand the bridge to four lanes while adding a lane to each off-ramp to help improve traffic flow and accommodate future growth.

While construction is still several years away, the city expects design work to begin later this summer. Federal transportation funding is expected to cover up to 80% of eligible design costs, reducing the burden on local taxpayers.

The overall project is currently estimated at approximately $15 million, with construction potentially beginning in 2029.

For now, drivers won't notice any immediate changes. But city leaders believe planning today could help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow for years to come.

👉🏻 Read more about the project timeline, funding, and what the improvements could mean for drivers who use this interchange every day.

PAINESVILLE, OH. —- Lake County Ends Decades-Old Route 2 Agreement, Extends Maintenance During Negotiations

The Lake County Board of Commissioners has voted to terminate a 52-year-old maintenance agreement covering State Route 2 while continuing negotiations with six municipalities on a replacement contract.

To avoid any disruption in service, commissioners also approved a measure allowing the county engineer’s office to continue maintaining the Lakeland Freeway through April 30, 2027, if a new agreement is not finalized by Dec. 1.

The affected communities — Mentor, Painesville, Willoughby, Eastlake, Wickliffe and Willowick — are responsible for maintaining their portions of Route 2. However, those duties have long been handled through a countywide arrangement that officials say no longer reflects current legal, financial and operational realities.

County leaders said the decision follows recommendations from the state auditor’s office, county prosecutor and county engineer, all of whom advised that the aging contract should be updated.

The issue recently drew attention after some local officials suggested broader county participation in Route 2 maintenance costs. Commissioners said they explored options, including a potential vehicle registration fee, but determined such a measure is not permitted under state law.

Officials emphasized that ending the current agreement is not intended to pressure municipalities and said proposed terms could reduce short-term costs for participating cities. They also stressed that public safety and routine maintenance will remain uninterrupted as discussions continue toward a new long-term partnership governing one of Lake County’s busiest transportation corridors.

MENTOR, Ohio — Several Mentor neighborhoods will see additional road repairs this year after city officials identified damage caused by winter freeze-thaw cycles.

City Council approved an additional $173,000 in road and infrastructure improvements, including concrete repairs in several neighborhoods and resurfacing work on the Bellflower Road S-Curve.

The additional concrete repairs will take place on Stone Mill Drive and Sweet Hollow Drive in Ward 1, the intersection of Ellington Place and Bunker Cove in Ward 2, portions of Silvermound Drive and Palmerston Drive in Ward 3, and Gatewood Drive in Ward 4.

The city also plans to repair approximately 33 damaged manholes and curb inlets throughout Mentor.

On the asphalt side, additional work is planned for the Bellflower Road S-curve, where city engineers identified pavement deterioration that requires attention.

Council members noted that several of the affected roads experienced significant damage during the winter and praised the city's ability to add repairs beyond the original 2026 road program.

The additional work is expected to improve ride quality, safety, and overall roadway conditions for residents.

Dinner doesn't have to be complicated or expensive to be delicious. This week's Dinner Rescue brings you two easy, family-friendly meals made with simple ingredients and big flavors—perfect for busy weeknights and hungry families.

All the comfort of baked pasta without the extra dishes. This hearty skillet meal combines lean ground turkey, pasta, tomato sauce, and plenty of melted cheese into one satisfying dinner that's easy on both your schedule and your grocery budget.

The lean turkey keeps things a little lighter than traditional pasta dishes while still delivering plenty of flavor. It's a great way to sneak a protein-packed meal onto the table that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Dinner Rescue Tip: Add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables while the pasta simmers for an easy nutrition boost without adding much cost or prep time.

👉 Get the recipe here: One-Pan Cheesy Turkey Pasta Skillet

If your family loves quesadillas, this fun twist is sure to become a new favorite. Tender shredded chicken, smoky BBQ sauce, melted cheese, black beans, and corn are layered inside a crispy tortilla for a meal that's packed with flavor and ready in minutes.

The combination of sweet BBQ sauce and gooey melted cheese makes these especially appealing to kids, while the black beans add extra protein and fiber. They're easy to customize and perfect for using up leftover chicken from earlier in the week.

Dinner Rescue Tip: Serve with salsa, fresh fruit, or a simple side salad to round out the meal and add a little extra freshness to the plate.

👉 Get the recipe here: BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Simple ingredients. Big flavor. Family-approved. That's what Dinner Rescue is all about. 👨‍🍳🍽️

Guardians Fall to Astros Despite Early Lead

HOUSTON, TX. — The Cleveland Guardians could not hold an early advantage Friday night, falling 9-3 to the Houston Astros as Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña powered Houston's offense.

Cleveland grabbed an early lead, but Altuve quickly shifted momentum with a three-run home run on the game's opening pitch. He continued to damage the Guardians throughout the night, finishing with four RBIs.

Peña added two solo home runs and went 3-for-5 with three RBIs as Houston steadily pulled away.

Guardians starter Tanner Bibee worked 5 1/3 innings and was charged with four runs, three earned, while taking the loss. Cleveland's pitching staff struggled to slow the Astros in the late innings as Houston expanded its lead.

Rhys Hoskins provided a highlight for Cleveland with a two-run homer in the third inning, but the Guardians managed just one run the rest of the game.

Houston starter Tatsuya Imai delivered a strong outing, striking out a career-high 11 batters over six innings without a walk. After allowing the Hoskins homer, he retired the final 11 batters he faced.

The loss spoiled Cleveland's effort in the series opener as the Guardians looked to rebound in Saturday's matchup.

See Highlights at espn.com

MIDLAND, MI. — The Lake County Captains opened the second half of the Midwest League season with an 11-4 win over the Great Lakes Loons on Friday night, improving to 1-0.

Great Lakes jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning, but Lake County answered in the second. Welbyn Francisca hit a solo home run before the Captains tied the game on an RBI groundout. Lake County then took the lead when Tommy Hawke stole second base as Esteban González scored from third.

The Captains broke the game open in the fifth inning when Francisca blasted a grand slam to right field, extending the lead to 7-2. Francisca finished with two home runs and five RBIs.

Lake County added three more runs in the sixth. Jace LaViolette delivered an RBI single, and the Captains continued to capitalize on Great Lakes' control issues, finishing the night with 13 walks as two more runs scored on wild pitches to make it 10-2.

The Loons scored once in the seventh and added a solo homer in the ninth, but Aaron Walton drove in Lake County’s final run on a ninth-inning fielder’s choice.

Michael Kennedy earned the win and improved to 6-3, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings while striking out five.

The Captains continue their series at Great Lakes on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

See the Box Score and More

A group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance." Someone looked at a flock of bright pink birds and decided subtlety was not an option. 🦩
🦩Answer: Google

When you kid has an old soul…. funnnyy!