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

📰 Local News: 📊 Mentor Unemployment Drops to 2.7% in July, Reversing June Increase

👷🏻‍♂️ Mentor’s $6.97 Million Annex Will Replace Older Buildings

📆 Husband-and-Wife Artists Bring a “Perfect Pairing” to Penitentiary Glen

🐕 Better Pet Living: Does Your Pet Need a Better Place to Retreat?

⚾ Sports: ⚾ Kwan, Bazzana Rally Guardians to Seventh Straight Win

⚾ Captains Hold Off Cedar Rapids 8-7, Keep Playoff Push Moving

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

Mentor’s unemployment rate fell to 2.7% in July, reversing the increase reported one month earlier and keeping the city among the lowest-rate larger communities in Ohio.

The rate dropped 0.4 percentage points from 3.1% in June, according to the latest civilian labor force estimates from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Mentor again ranked second-lowest among Ohio cities with populations of at least 50,000. Lakewood had the lowest rate at 2.5%, followed by Mentor at 2.7% and Parma at 3.0%.

The city’s civilian labor force also increased from about 25,900 in June to 26,100 in July.

That combination is notable because June’s report had raised the question of whether the previous month’s unemployment increase was temporary. July’s figures moved in the opposite direction even as more people were counted in the labor force.

Lake County’s unemployment rate also fell, from 3.2% in June to 2.8% in July. Ohio’s rate decreased from 3.7% to 3.4%.

The latest report lists Mentor’s July 2025 rate at 3.7%, putting the current rate 1 percentage point below its year-earlier level.

👉🏻 On the website, we break down what July’s change represents in actual workers, how it compares with June, and what the numbers can — and cannot — tell us about Mentor’s labor market.

Mentor’s nearly $7 million municipal annex isn’t simply additional City Hall space. The new building is designed to replace two older structures while consolidating several city functions and adding permanent restrooms for major Civic Center events.

Earlier this year, City Manager Kenneth Filipiak described the planned 14,000-square-foot annex as a replacement for two existing structures. The building is expected to provide space for police vehicle and equipment storage, evidence storage and processing, municipal records, recreation storage and 10 permanent restrooms serving the amphitheater grounds. The city’s goal was to have the facility available for the 2027 Mentor Rocks season.

The project moved another step forward this month as City Council accepted Rycon Construction’s $6,970,979 bid for the annex at 8500 Civic Center Boulevard.

That price is well below what Mentor initially expected. The city’s official bid notice listed an $8.02 million probable construction cost for the base bid, putting Rycon’s accepted bid about $1.05 million, or 13%, below the estimate.

The city’s contract allows 445 days from the Notice to Proceed for the work to be completed. A formal construction start date has not yet been posted in the public bid notice.

For residents, the project addresses both behind-the-scenes city needs and something visitors may notice immediately: more permanent restroom capacity during large Civic Center events.

👉🏻 On our website, we take a closer look at what the annex is replacing, what the $6.97 million bid actually covers and what still needs to happen before the city’s 2027 target.

Nature takes center stage at Penitentiary Glen this fall, but visitors will see it through two very different artistic perspectives.

The Perfect Pairing Fall Art Show features the work of husband-and-wife artists Pattianne and Patrick Baran and runs through October 11 at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland.

Pattianne specializes in wildlife and pet portraiture, landscapes and woodworking. Patrick is a sculptor, photographer and toy designer. Together, their work gives visitors a chance to see wildlife and the natural world interpreted through painting, photography, sculpture and other forms.

The exhibit is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Artwork featured in the show is also available for purchase.

For Mentor-area residents, the extended run makes this an easy fall outing to work into the schedule. There is no need to catch a particular festival weekend — visitors have until October 11 to stop in and see the exhibit.

Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located at 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road in Kirtland. See lakemetroparks.com for more information.

A dependable resting place gives pets a way to step away from noise and activity while still feeling like part of the household.

Most pets enjoy being part of family life. That does not mean they want to participate in every conversation, visitor arrival or busy afternoon.

A good retreat gives a pet another option.

Start by looking at where your pet already chooses to rest. If the favorite bed sits beside a busy hallway, near the television or in the middle of a room where people regularly pass, the location may be convenient for the family without being especially restful for the animal.

The answer is not necessarily to move the bed to the most isolated room in the house. Many pets prefer a quieter spot that still allows them to hear, see or remain reasonably close to the people they trust.

The retreat itself can take many forms: an open crate for a dog already comfortable using one, a bed tucked beside furniture, a blanket in a quiet corner, a cat perch away from foot traffic or access to a calm room. Pay attention to what your pet actually uses rather than what looks best to you.

Then make the space dependable.

Children and adults should understand that a pet resting there gets to be left alone. Visitors do not need to coax the animal out, and family members should avoid reaching into the space simply because they want some attention.

Age and mobility matter, too. An older pet may need a thicker or more supportive bed, a location without stairs, or a resting spot that does not require jumping onto furniture.

There is no universal perfect retreat. One pet may want a covered, cozy space while another prefers an open bed with a clear view of the room.

The goal is choice: a comfortable place where your pet can settle down, step away and rejoin family life when ready.

👉🏻 A good retreat is more than a bed in a quiet corner. On the website, we’ll walk through how to choose the location, recognize when a resting spot is not working and adapt the space to the pet who actually uses it.

The Guardians aren’t just winning — they’re making the final month of the season increasingly interesting.

Steven Kwan tied the game with a ninth-inning double and Travis Bazzana followed with the go-ahead sacrifice fly Wednesday as Cleveland rallied past the Los Angeles Angels 4-3, completing a three-game sweep and extending its winning streak to seven games.

The surge has moved Cleveland to 68-66, just two games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and into the third American League Wild Card position.

Cleveland had to work its way back after falling behind 3-0 in the first two innings. Brayan Rocchio scored on a Bazzana sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Nathaniel Lowe's RBI single cut the deficit to 3-2 in the eighth.

Then came the ninth.

Chase DeLauter singled, pinch-runner Petey Halpin moved to second on Rocchio's single, and Kwan drove a ground-rule double to right to tie it. Bazzana's sacrifice fly completed the comeback.

Joey Cantillo allowed only two hits in six innings despite seven walks, while Cleveland's bullpen kept Los Angeles scoreless the rest of the way. Erik Sabrowski closed the ninth for the save.

The Guardians now get Thursday off before opening another important series Friday night in Kansas City, with Tanner Bibee scheduled to start. Cleveland has turned a late-August winning streak into a legitimate postseason push.

See Highlights on espn.com

The Lake County Captains built a seven-run lead Wednesday and then survived a late Cedar Rapids comeback, holding on for an 8-7 victory over the Kernels.

Lake County broke the game open with six runs in the fourth inning. Garrett Howe and Tommy Hawke each drove in a run, Dauri Fernandez added a two-run double, and Welbyn Francisca capped the outburst with a two-run homer, his 16th of the season. Cannon Peebles added a solo home run in the fifth to make it 8-1.

Starter Harrison Bodendorf gave the Captains 5⅓ strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits while walking two and striking out four.

That early cushion proved important. Cedar Rapids scored three runs in the seventh, two in the eighth and another in the ninth, pulling within 8-7 before Zane Petty finished the game with a scoreless ninth to earn the save.

The victory improved Lake County to 28-26 in the second half and gave the Captains seven wins in their last 10 games.

The race carries real postseason stakes. Dayton already claimed the East Division’s first-half championship, meaning the second-half East winner earns the remaining playoff berth and will meet the Dragons in September.

Lake County entered Wednesday 3½ games behind first-place Great Lakes, making every win increasingly valuable as the second half heads toward its September 6 finish.

👉🏻 Want to know exactly what the Captains are chasing and why Wednesday’s win matters so much? We break down the second-half playoff race and Lake County’s position on the website.

🐝 Buzz Fact: Sea otters have so much fur packed into such a small area that “bad hair day” is basically a statistical impossibility.
Answer: Google

I’m watching you grandpa…