In this Mentor Local Buzz Issue…

☁️ Mentor Weather - Foggy, cloudy, 40 degrees

❓ Trivia Question - Answer at the end of the newsletter.

🗓️ Events for the Week

 📱 AT&T Restores Service After Nationwide Outage, Pledges to Prevent Future Disruptions

 📰 Rev Up Your Engines: Cleveland Auto Show Drives into Town This Weekend

 📰 Delta Airlines Announces Exclusive Flight for Unprecedented View of 2024 Solar Eclipse

 📰 Ohio Launches Innovative Tool to Simplify Nursing Home Searches

 📰 EVENT SHOWCASE: Dinosaur-Themed Cookie Contest at Mentor's 25 Year Celebration of the KidShow in March!

 🤣🤣 Something Funny

 💡 Business Spotlight - We Want to Spotlight Your Business! Apply 
Are you interested in advertising in our newsletter? Call or email us today at 440-368-8765 / [email protected].

What makes the southern coast of Lake Erie ecologically unique?

A) It is the only place in the world where freshwater coral can be found.
B) It hosts the largest population of freshwater sharks in North America.
C) It is home to the rare Lake Erie water snake, a species found nowhere else.
D) It features the world's largest underwater cave system in a freshwater lake.

(Answer Below)

February 23rd

• …and more fantastic Fish Frys to check out!! See link here.

• Cleveland Auto Show - I-X Center - Feb 23 through March 3. See this link for additional details.

• LaMalfa Seafood Buffet in Mentor - 4-8pm. See website for details

• CATS - The Fine Arts Assoc. in Willoughby. All Fridays & Saturdays Feb 16 - Mar 3, 2024. Visit the Fine Arts Assoc. website for details.

• Cleveland Tattoo Arts Festival - Cleveland Convention Center @ 6pm (Friday - Sunday) - More Info

• The Sub Zero Mission Casino Night Fundraiser - Hosted by Rider’s Inn Since 1812 - 7-10pm (Doors Open at 6pm).  More Info.

• Follow the Sun at Collision Bend Brewing Co - Euclid @ 7pm. More Info

• Disco Party at The Hooley - Mentor @ 8:30pm. Details are here. With the band Disco Inferno.

• Mentor Ice Arena’s Bring Back the 80’s and 90’s Cosmic Skate - 8:30pm. More Info

February 24th

• Mentor Job Fair - 10am at the Mentor Municipal Center. Go to this website cityofmentor.com for more information.

• CATS - The Fine Arts Assoc. in Willoughby. All Fridays & Saturdays Feb 16 - Mar 3, 2024. Visit the Fine Arts Assoc. website for details.

• Cleveland Tattoo Arts Festival - Cleveland Convention Center (Friday - Sunday) - More Info

• Drake & J. Cole @ Rock Mortgage Fieldhouse @ 8pm - More Info

February 25th

• Pub Crawl Continues - Choose between Nora’s Public House or The Wild Goose, both in downtown Willoughby.

• Cleveland Tattoo Arts Festival - Cleveland Convention Center (Friday - Sunday) - More Info

March 1st

• Photos & Visits with Bunny - Great Lakes Mall - at 2pm. More info

📱 AT&T Restores Service After Nationwide Outage, Pledges to Prevent Future Disruptions

Following a significant nationwide service disruption that left millions of AT&T customers without cell phone connectivity, the company has announced the full restoration of services. Late Thursday afternoon, AT&T issued a statement expressing its apologies to affected customers and emphasized its commitment to preventing such incidents in the future. The outage, which raised concerns over the possibility of a cyberattack, hack, or technical failure, is currently under investigation by federal agencies.

Speculation around the role of solar activity in the outage was dismissed by experts. NOAA's GOES-16 SUVI Instrument detected a solar flare on Wednesday evening, but according to the Space Weather Prediction Center and Jay Reynolds, a research astronomer, there is no correlation between the flare and the cellular disruptions.

Reports of the outage began emerging early Thursday morning across all of Northeast Ohio. The City of Mentor reported disruptions to emergency and non-emergency communications, impacting not only standard calls and texts but also FirstNet 911 services, a dedicated network for emergency responders. AT&T's acknowledgment of the issue and subsequent apology on their website marked the beginning of efforts to resolve the connectivity problem.

Read or Watch the Video to Learn More at News5Cleveland

📰 Rev Up Your Engines: Cleveland Auto Show Drives into Town This Weekend

The Cleveland Auto Show returns to the I-X Center, offering a vibrant display of classic cars and the latest models from February 23 to March 3. The event features test drives, fan-favorite attractions, daily activities, and celebrity autograph signings. An official vehicle giveaway of a 2024 Buick Envista will mark the highlight, with tickets priced at $15 for adults and free entry for kids six and under.

Get More Details at ClevelandAutoShow.com

📰 Delta Airlines Announces Exclusive Flight for Unprecedented View of 2024 Solar Eclipse

In an extraordinary celestial event scheduled for April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will captivate viewers across the United States. During this natural phenomenon, the moon will align perfectly with the sun, casting its shadow over Earth and momentarily turning day into night for those in its path. This event is particularly rare, with the last occurrence witnessed in the U.S. in 2017 and the next not expected until 2044.

Delta Airlines is seizing this unique opportunity by offering an exclusive flight experience that promises passengers an unparalleled view of the eclipse. The special flight, numbered 1218, is set to take off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The flight's timing is meticulously planned to coincide with the eclipse's peak, providing passengers with a safe and breathtaking perspective of this celestial spectacle.

Total solar eclipses are infrequent occurrences, happening just a few times globally every couple of years. However, the chance to experience one directly is even rarer, with the U.S. hosting only two such events in the past century.

Visit Delta’s Website to Read More

📰 Ohio Launches Innovative Tool to Simplify Nursing Home Searches

The state of Ohio introduces the Nursing Home Quality Navigator, an online tool to aid families in finding appropriate nursing homes. Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Aging, under Director Ursel McElroy, announced this initiative to address the complexities of selecting a nursing home. The platform features an interactive map and comparison filters, including the ability to exclude facilities cited for abuse, simplifying the decision-making process for Ohioans.

Access the Navigator
Read More at wsaz.com

📰 Dinosaur-Themed Cookie Contest at Mentor's 25 Year Celebration of the KidShow in March!

The "Roar Like a Dinosaur" Cookie Art Contest, part of the 25th Year Celebration of the KidShow and sponsored by the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, invites baking enthusiasts to showcase their creativity with dinosaur-themed cookies. This unique competition, set for March 23rd at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor, Ohio, offers participants a platform to display their cookie artistry, with a chance to win prizes and recognition. Entries, which can include up to three decorated cookies, will be judged on appearance, emphasizing creativity and imagination within the prehistoric theme.

Here are the details:

Theme: “Roar Like a Dinosaur”
Entry Fee: $25
Submission Deadline for Entry Form: March 20, 2024
Cookie Submission: 10:30am-11:00am; March 23 at the top of the Round 1 Concourse inside Great Lakes Mall
Judging Criteria: Cookies will be judged solely on their appearance as taste will not be a factor in judging

Prizes:
Most Creative Cookie Art Designer: $100, Top Award Recognition and Bragging Rights
Winner by Popular Vote: Congratulatory Gift Basket
Both Category Winners: Announced and highlighted online, included on the KidShow website with a link to their site and written up in a press release.

To enter the contest, please fill out and email your entry form to [email protected] by March 20th. Make payment payable to ProMark Enterprises LLC and mail it to PO Box 146 Mentor, Ohio 44061 or Venmo.

Please see the Cookie Contest Entry Form Here

TRIVIA ANSWER

Correct Answer: C) It is home to the rare Lake Erie water snake, a species found nowhere else.

Explanation: The southern coast of Lake Erie is ecologically unique due to the presence of the Lake Erie water snake, a species that is endemic to the region. This means the snake is found nowhere else in the world, highlighting the ecological uniqueness of the area. This region provides a unique habitat that supports the snake's survival and breeding, making it a critical area for conservation efforts to protect this and other endemic species.

🤣🤣 Something Funny 🤣🤣