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

📰 Local News: 📰 Kasunic Named to Lead Lake County Council on Aging

🎓 Mentor Citizens Police Academy Offers an Inside Look at Local Policing

🛶 Mentor Lagoons Rental Hours Change for Final Weeks of Summer

📢 Event Spotlight: 🎸 U2 Tribute Band ONE Plays Mentor Lagoons Tonight

🏈 Sports: 🏈 Football Is Back: Mentor, Lake Catholic Hit the Field Friday

⚾ Guardians Swept by Mets, Slip Out of AL Wild-Card Spot

⚾ Captains Blow Ninth-Inning Lead in 6-5 Walk-Off Loss

🤔 Trivia Question

🤣 Something Funny

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

The Lake County Council on Aging has named Gerald Kasunic its new executive director, putting an experienced aging-services administrator in charge of programs used by seniors and caregivers throughout Lake County.

The organization announced the appointment July 29 and listed Aug. 3 as Kasunic’s start date.

Kasunic brings experience in aging services, public administration, long-term care advocacy and adult protective services. Most recently, he spent nine years in a senior leadership role with the District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehicles, where his responsibilities included agency performance, budget oversight, risk management and strategic operations.

Earlier in his career, Kasunic worked with the District of Columbia Office on Aging, the Pennsylvania Department on Aging and as the District of Columbia State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

His new role includes oversight of programs such as Meals on Wheels, the Aging and Disability Resource Center, care management, wellness initiatives, volunteer programs and community outreach.

That makes the leadership change relevant well beyond the Council’s offices. The organization helps older adults and their families find services, remain independent and navigate changing needs as they age.

Mentor residents and business owners interested in learning how their police department operates can apply for the 2026 Mentor Citizens Police Academy, an eight-week program beginning Sept. 28.

Classes will meet Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m. through Nov. 16. Mentor Police officers will lead presentations covering criminal law, road patrol, specialty units, and use-of-force decision making.

The academy is intended to give participants a closer look at the work officers perform and the decisions involved in day-to-day policing.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live in Mentor or own a business in the city, and pass a background check. Space is limited.

The city's current announcement does not specify a participation fee, class location, application deadline, or whether attendance at every session is required. Anyone considering the program should confirm those details when applying.

For more information, call the Mentor Police Department at 440-974-5760 or visit the department's page at CityofMentor.com.

👉🏻 Want a better idea of what the academy is really like? We looked back at Mentor's first class, including the hands-on experiences participants received and what applicants can expect from the program.

Visitors still have time to enjoy a late-summer paddle at Mentor Lagoons, but rental hours will become shorter beginning Tuesday, August 18.

Kayak and paddlecraft rentals will be available from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday, Sunday and holiday hours will be 2 to 8 p.m. The last launch is at 7 p.m. each day.

Rentals are scheduled to continue through Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

Visitors can rent single or double kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats by the hour. Prices range from $10 per hour for a single kayak or paddleboard to $20 per hour for a pedal boat.

The equipment provides access to the Lagoons’ approximately three-mile flat-water trail through the nature preserve. Visitors may want to arrive well before the final launch time, especially if they hope to spend a full hour on the water.

The concession stand will also remain open during the reduced seasonal hours. It offers candy, freeze-dried candy, ice cream treats, hot dogs, Uncrustables and cold drinks.

Because weather and availability can affect rental plans, visitors are encouraged to call the marina at 440-205-3625 before leaving home.

👉🏻 Thinking about one last paddle? Our complete website guide includes the new schedule, rental prices, available watercraft and practical tips for planning your visit.

Mentor’s free Tunes at the Lagoons series continues Friday, August 7, with ONE, a U2 tribute band that has performed around the country since forming in 2005.

The concert runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mentor Lagoons Marina, 8365 Harbor Drive. Food trucks and beverage service begin at 6 p.m., giving attendees time to grab dinner and find a spot before the music starts.

Admission and parking are free. All seating is on the field, so attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. Accessible parking is available, and parking attendants will be on site to direct traffic.

Beer and sparkling beverages will be sold to guests 21 and older. Beverage tents accept cash, major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Venmo.

ONE features Chris “Bono” Stafford on vocals, Rick “Edge” Friedline on guitar, Dave “Adam” Huthmacher on bass and Bob “Larry” Devereaux on drums.

Friday’s performance is the next-to-last concert of the season.

👉🏻 Planning to attend? Visit the website for a simple evening timeline, complete parking and seating details, payment options and the full 2026 concert schedule.

The Cardinals and Cougars get their first preseason tests Friday morning as the countdown to the 2026 high school football season begins.

Friday night lights aren't here quite yet, but football season begins feeling very real Friday morning for Mentor's two varsity programs.

The Mentor Cardinals travel to Lakewood for a 10 a.m. scrimmage against St. Edward, while the Lake Catholic Cougars head to Medina Highland for their own 10 a.m. scrimmage.

Mentor enters 2026 after another outstanding season. The Cardinals finished 12-1 last fall and 7-0 in conference play, following a 13-win season in 2024.

Friday's matchup with perennial state power St. Edward gives the Cardinals an early opportunity to test themselves against strong competition before returning for a second scrimmage against Chardon on Thursday, Aug. 13.

The games begin counting Friday, Aug. 21, when Mentor hosts Olmsted Falls at 7 p.m.

Lake Catholic also enters the fall with plenty of recent success behind it.

The Cougars finished 9-3 last season, following a 12-1 campaign in 2024 — giving Lake Catholic 21 victories over the past two seasons.

Friday's trip to Medina Highland is the Cougars' first preseason test. Lake Catholic follows with a scrimmage against Aurora on Aug. 13 before opening the regular season Friday, Aug. 21 at Cardinal Mooney.

Mentor Local Buzz has created downloadable 2026 varsity football schedules for both local teams — perfect for saving to your phone, printing for the refrigerator or sharing with another Cardinals or Cougars fan.

👉🏻 Planning to follow the Cardinals or Cougars this fall? We’ve put the complete 2026 schedules — including downloadable Mentor Local Buzz versions you can save or print — get them on our website.

The Guardians’ late-season slide continued Thursday as Cleveland fell 13-6 to the Mets, completing a three-game sweep and knocking the Guardians out of the final AL wild-card spot.

Cleveland dropped to 57-59 after losing 11 of its last 14 and now trails Texas by a half-game.

Newly acquired All-Star Foster Griffin struggled in his Guardians debut, allowing five runs over four innings. Cleveland briefly made it interesting in the fifth when Nathaniel Lowe’s three-run homer cut the deficit to 6-5, but the bullpen couldn’t keep the game close.

New York broke it open late, including a three-run Francisco Lindor homer in the seventh and four more runs in the eighth.

Cleveland now heads to Chicago for a three-game series against the White Sox beginning Friday, with Parker Messick scheduled to start the opener.

Source: See the highlights at espn.com

Lake County was three outs away from a much-needed comeback win Thursday night.

Instead, Lansing answered with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Captains a 6-5 walk-off loss, their eighth defeat in the last 10 games.

Welbyn Francisca drove in three runs for Lake County, including a two-run homer in the fifth that tied the game 3-3.

After Lansing moved back ahead 4-3 in the eighth, Anthony Martinez launched a two-run homer in the top of the ninth, giving the Captains a 5-4 lead.

The advantage did not hold.

Breyson Guedez tied the game with an RBI single, and Daniel Bucciero followed with the game-winning hit to complete Lansing’s comeback.

Starter Jackson Humphries allowed three unearned runs on four hits over 3⅔ innings while striking out four. Logan McGuire took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in the ninth.

Lake County fell to 17-20 and will get another shot at Lansing Friday.

🐝 Buzz Fact: Ohio’s statehood paperwork took 150 years to straighten out—proof that even the federal government has a junk drawer full of forms nobody wants to deal with.
Answer: Google

Wait, what? He was tough until … ?? LOL!