☀️ Weather: Partly Cloudy, Smoke & Haze - Temps 85-87°

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

📰 Local News: 💨 Air Quality Advisory Issued Across Eight NE Ohio Counties

📰 Mentor Schools Return With Smaller Levy After Two Defeats

📊 More Industrial Space Is Available in Mentor Than a Year Ago

📰 Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities Hosts Safety Presentation

🐕 Better Pet Living: 🐈 Why Senior Pets Often Need More Than Just Extra Naps

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Cleveland Should Make Another Bat Their Top Priority

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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Mentor-area residents may want to adjust outdoor plans through Friday as an Air Quality Advisory remains in effect for Lake County and seven other Northeast Ohio counties.

The advisory covers Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. Conditions could reach the hazardous category at times.

The concern is fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which can travel deep into the lungs. Children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions may be especially vulnerable.

Dense smoke moving south from Canadian wildfires is the primary cause of the poor air quality. Hot, sunny weather is also contributing to elevated ground-level ozone.

Residents should check current air-quality readings before exercising, working or spending extended time outdoors. When pollution levels are high, limiting strenuous activity, keeping windows closed and using filtered indoor air may help reduce exposure.

Conditions can change during the day, so residents should continue monitoring the local Air Quality Index through Friday, July 17.

Check the Air Quality Near You

Mentor voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a five-year, 3.5-mill operating levy for the school district.

If approved, the levy would generate an estimated $9.6 million annually beginning in 2027. District officials estimate the cost at approximately $123 a year for every $100,000 of appraised property value.

That would equal about $246 annually for a $200,000 home and $369 for a $300,000 home. Using the district’s previously reported average Mentor home value of approximately $242,000, the illustrative cost would be about $298 a year, or roughly $25 a month. Actual tax bills may differ based on current property valuations and applicable exemptions.

The board’s vote only places the issue on the ballot. Voters will determine whether the tax takes effect.

This is the district’s third operating levy attempt within a year. The May request sought 4.9 mills and would have raised $13.5 million annually. It failed with 54.01% voting against and 45.99% in favor. The new proposal is 1.4 mills smaller and would raise about $3.9 million less each year.

District officials say approximately $6.6 million in reductions are already planned for fiscal 2027, with another $3.3 million to $3.5 million in expected savings from school consolidation the following year.

Without new revenue, officials warn that an additional $14.4 million in cuts could affect staffing, class sizes, counseling, school security, arts, electives, career-technical education, transportation and extracurricular programs. Those are possible scenarios, not a finalized cut list.

Board member Rose Ioppolo cast the only opposing vote. She said residents cannot afford another tax increase and called for an independent review to identify more savings before returning to voters.

👉🏻 For a closer look at what the levy could cost homeowners, how it compares with the May proposal and which cuts are planned versus still hypothetical, read the full story on our website.

Mentor’s industrial vacancy rate increased during the second quarter of 2026, but it remained below the broader Cleveland-area average.

Approximately 562,000 square feet of industrial space was vacant in Mentor during the quarter, representing 4.0% of the city’s roughly 14 million square feet of industrial property, according to CoStar data provided by the City of Mentor’s Planning and Development Department.

The local rate was 3.2% during the first quarter of 2026 and 2.2% during the same period last year.

Mentor’s vacancy rate was higher than Lake County’s overall rate of 3.1% but lower than the 4.6% rate reported across the eight-county Cleveland industrial market.

Mentor remains a major part of Lake County’s industrial economy. The city accounts for approximately 36% of the county’s 40 million square feet of industrial space.

The largest available properties were 7800 Tyler Blvd., with 119,503 square feet; 8100 Tyler Blvd., with 85,733 square feet; and 7350 Production Drive, with 67,200 square feet.

Together, those three buildings account for more than 272,000 square feet of available space, or nearly half of the citywide vacancy reported for the quarter.

👉🏻 See how Mentor compares with Lake County and the broader Cleveland market—and why three large properties account for nearly half of the city’s available industrial space. Read Here.

The Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities welcomed representatives from local law enforcement during its June Advocacy Meeting for a discussion focused on community safety.

Officer Dan Radigan and Crime Prevention Specialist Tracey Woodward attended the meeting to share practical safety tips and answer questions from participants. The presentation also provided an opportunity for attendees to discuss concerns and learn more about available community resources.

Organizers said the meeting reflected the value of partnerships between public safety agencies and local organizations. The collaboration is intended to strengthen communication, improve awareness and help create a safer, more connected community for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

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A few more naps may be perfectly normal for an aging pet. But when a longtime companion starts hesitating at the stairs, slipping on smooth floors or losing interest in familiar routines, age may not be the whole explanation.

Senior dogs and cats often show discomfort through small changes rather than obvious distress. They may take longer to stand, avoid jumping, stop grooming as carefully or become less interested in walks, play and family activity. Sometimes the first sign is simply that something they have done for years suddenly seems harder.

That is why regular wellness checks become especially valuable as pets grow older. A veterinarian can look for dental problems, joint discomfort, weight changes and other conditions that may affect everyday comfort. Owners can help by noting changes in movement, appetite, sleep, bathroom habits and behavior before the appointment.

Simple changes at home may also make a meaningful difference. Nonslip rugs, supportive bedding, pet ramps, shorter walks and low-sided litter boxes can help older animals move with more confidence.

The goal is not to keep senior pets acting young. It is to help them continue enjoying the parts of life that still matter: a comfortable meal, a sunny resting place, a gentle walk and time near the people they trust.

Sometimes the most loving thing an owner can do is notice that a familiar routine has quietly become difficult.

👉🏻 For more guidance, including the signs to watch, ways to make your home easier to use and a simple quality-of-life check, read the full article on our website.

The Cleveland Guardians return from the All-Star break Friday with an opportunity that few expected them to have.

Cleveland finished the first half 51-46 and tied with the Chicago White Sox for first place in the American League Central. The Guardians reached that position despite an uneven offense and injuries to José Ramírez, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martínez during the same June 13 game.

That makes the team’s biggest second-half need fairly clear: another dependable hitter.

Cleveland entered the break batting .229 with a .369 slugging percentage. The Guardians have found ways to remain competitive through pitching, defense and timely production, but their lineup has lacked consistent power and depth.

Some help should come from within. DeLauter returned before the break and leads the club in several offensive categories. Ramírez is working back from surgery on a fractured left hamate, while Martínez is recovering from a fractured foot.

Still, relying entirely on injured players to return and immediately carry the offense would be risky.

With the division race tied and the American League lacking a clear dominant team, Cleveland has a legitimate opportunity to contend. Adding a productive right-handed hitter before the August 3 trade deadline could give the Guardians a better chance to turn their surprising first half into a postseason run.

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Answer: Google

Video Title Says It All - Its True. 😄