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

📰 Local News: 💰 Mentor Schools Announces Fee Increases After Failed Levy

📊 Mentor Ranks Near Top of Ohio Cities for Low Unemployment in May 2026

🍿 Wildwood Cultural Center Kicks Off Free Summer Nights Series in Mentor

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Better Pet Living: 🐶 Helping Your Dog Stay Calm During Summer Thunderstorms

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Guardians Avoid Sweep as Rookie, Watson, Delivers Winning Hit

⚾ Captains' Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Loss to TinCaps

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Mentor Schools Announces New Fees, Transportation Changes Still Ahead After Levy Failure

Mentor Schools families are getting their clearest picture yet of how May's failed operating levy will affect the upcoming school year.

The district announced several fee increases for 2026-27 as part of approximately $6.6 million in budget reductions. District leaders say most of those savings have already come through staff reductions, operational efficiencies and other cost-cutting measures, but families will now begin seeing some of the changes firsthand.

Among the biggest changes:

One of the biggest unanswered questions remains transportation. The district is considering consolidating bus stops and expanding walk zones to reduce costs, but no final decisions have been made. Families can expect another update in mid-July.

Superintendent Craig Heath said these changes represent only a portion of the district's overall budget reduction plan as officials continue working to balance rising costs with limited operating revenue.

👉🏻 Read More: The website story explains why these particular fees were chosen, what additional changes could still be coming, and what parents should watch for before school starts.

Mentor Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly to 2.6% in May 2026

The City of Mentor's unemployment rate edged up to 2.6% in May 2026, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from April. Despite the slight monthly increase, the city's job market remains significantly stronger than a year ago, when the unemployment rate stood at 3.7%.

Lake County also experienced a modest increase, with its unemployment rate rising 0.1 percentage point to 2.8% in May. One year earlier, the county's unemployment rate was 3.9%.

Among Ohio cities with populations of 50,000 or more, Lakewood recorded the state's lowest unemployment rate at 2.5%. Mentor and Cuyahoga Falls followed closely, each reporting 2.6%, while Kettering and Columbus posted 2.8%, and Cleveland Heights reported 2.9%.

Mentor's civilian labor force expanded to 25,400 workers, reflecting continued workforce participation in the city.

Statewide, Ohio's unemployment rate declined to 3.0% in May 2026, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month and well below the 4.5% recorded in May 2025.

Source: cityofmentor.com

Wildwood Cultural Center Launches Free Summer Nights Series on New Patio

The Wildwood Cultural Center in Mentor is inviting the community to enjoy a season of free outdoor entertainment on its newly constructed patio with the Summer Nights series.

The lineup features family-friendly movie screenings and live music events celebrating local arts, culture, and community. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and spend an evening outdoors while enjoying entertainment, food, art, and other activities.

The schedule includes:

All events take place at the Wildwood Cultural Center, 7645 Little Mountain Road, Mentor, and admission is free. See the Facebook event.

A summer afternoon in Northeast Ohio can change in a hurry. One minute it's sunny, and the next you're hearing thunder, watching heavy rain move in, and trying to comfort a nervous dog.

Storm anxiety is surprisingly common. Because dogs hear much better than we do—and may also notice changes in weather before we do—thunderstorms can feel overwhelming. Some dogs pace, pant, shake, hide, or follow their owners from room to room. Others scratch at doors or refuse treats they normally love.

The best time to help your dog is before the first clap of thunder.

Choose a quiet room inside your home where your dog already feels comfortable. A favorite blanket, soft music, or even the television can help reduce outside noise. During the storm, stay calm yourself. Dogs often look to their owners for reassurance, and a relaxed voice can go a long way.

Northeast Ohio's summer weather can change quickly, so having a simple plan before dark clouds roll in can make stormy evenings less stressful for everyone.

In this week's Better Pet Living feature, you'll find our complete Storm Prep Checklist for Dog Owners, common mistakes to avoid, comfort tools that may help, and signs that it's time to talk with your veterinarian. It's a guide worth bookmarking before the next storm arrives.

👉🏻 For more ways to keep your dog comfortable—including a printable storm prep checklist and guidance on when to talk with your veterinarian—visit the full story on our website.

The Guardians escaped Chicago with a much-needed win Wednesday, beating the White Sox 4-3 in 10 innings after a dramatic late collapse nearly spoiled another outstanding start from Tanner Bibee.

Rookie Kahlil Watson continued his impressive first week in the majors by driving in three runs, including the game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning that scored automatic runner Petey Halpin. Watson finished the three-game series with six RBI after collecting his first career hit Monday and first home run Tuesday.

Bibee looked poised for his third win of the season after tossing six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while lowering his June ERA to 1.71.

The game took an unexpected turn in the ninth when All-Star reliever Cade Smith surrendered back-to-back home runs to Braden Montgomery and Randal Grichuk, blowing a save for only the third time this season. Shawn Armstrong entered to escape the inning and later worked through another tense situation in the 10th to secure the victory.

The win prevented a three-game sweep and sends Cleveland home on a better note before opening a weekend series Friday against the Mariners at Progressive Field.

See Highlights at espn.com

The Lake County Captains came up just short Tuesday, falling 7-6 to the Fort Wayne TinCaps after a late rally nearly erased a five-run deficit.

Lake County starter Jacob Zibin took the loss to fall to 0-1 despite striking out eight over 4.1 innings. He allowed four runs on three hits, including two home runs, while walking three. The Captains' bullpen surrendered three more runs, two earned, over the final 4.2 innings. Defensive miscues also proved costly as Lake County committed three errors, while Fort Wayne finished with two.

The Captains struck first in the opening inning when Aaron Walton blasted his 13th home run of the season for a 1-0 lead. Fort Wayne answered quickly with solo homers from Luke Cantwell and Kavares Tears in the second before adding three more runs in the fifth to build a 5-1 advantage.

Lake County chipped away in the sixth, but Fort Wayne extended its lead to 7-2 in the ninth on an RBI single by Ryan Wideman and a run scored on a wild pitch.

The Captains refused to go quietly. Bases-loaded walks to Welbyn Francisca and Esteban González brought home two runs before Logun Clark lined a two-run single to center, trimming the deficit to one. However, the comeback stalled there as Fort Wayne held on for the 7-6 victory.

See the Box Score and More

The Great Lakes contain about 20% of the world's surface fresh water and more than 10,000 miles of shoreline in the United States.
🦩Answer: Google

Baby got a tude, just sayin’