August 31, 2026
Go speed racer: K1 Speed Cleveland officially opened last week at 1500 Nagel Road (across from Nagel Crossing Plaza and the Cleveland Clinic). This is the first indoor go-kart racing location for the company in the Cleveland-area. The new location also features food, drinks, and an arcade.
Caregiver education: The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's will be presented during a special presentation from 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Avon Library, 37485 Harvest Drive. Learn how to recognize common signs of the disease, how to approach someone about memory concerns, the importance of early detection and benefits of a diagnosis; possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process. Free Alzheimer’s Association resources will be available.
Safety fair: The city’s annual Health & Safety Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Avon Aquatic Facility, 36265 Detroit Road. The event includes safety exhibits, car seat checks, food trucks, crafts, and giveaways.
Room makeover: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Avon-based FrogTape (Shurtape Technologies, LLC), the official national painter's tape partner of Special Spaces, is once again joining forces with the Cleveland chapter of Special Spaces. This time, the painter’s tape brand and nonprofit will create a dream bedroom for Tessa, an 11-year-old Bay Village child battling cancer.
Next week (Sept. 8-9), FrogTape team members will volunteer their time and painting skills to help transform Tessa’s room into a ‘Cat Book Castle,’ inspired by her love of books, cats, Garfield, and Harry Potter.
To celebrate her passion for reading, the team is also building and painting a custom “little free library” for her front yard, allowing Tessa to share her favorite stories with her neighbors and the community.
Since 2022, FrogTape and Special Spaces Cleveland impact around the area includes four local dream bedrooms.
Garden Club meeting: The Avon Garden Club will meet Sept. 15 in the Orchid Room at Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Road. Noelle Akins from Petitti Garden Centers will present, “The Cutting Garden - Easy Fresh and Dried Flowers for the Home.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the free program starting at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
Senior tour: City officials are offering seniors a special tour of the new City Hall, 36600 Detroit Road, at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 18. Contact the Senior Center to pre-register at 440-934-2417.
Cancer donations: The Mike Bird Fund recently held its annual golf outing in memory of Avon-resident Mike Bird who passed away six years ago leaving behind a wife and two sons who now attend Avon High School.
Thanks to the community’s support, representatives will be donating $38,000 to several charitable causes including the Cleveland Clinic (for prostate cancer research), Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the Village Project (providing meals for local cancer patients and their families).
Spooky brews: Boos & Brews returns to the Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Road, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24. The event includes food, drinks, Halloween-themed trivia, and spooky activities inspired by the new Bewitched Conservatory theme. There is also a Witches’ Brew Scavenger Hunt and an opportunity to create a take-home souvenir.
This 21-and-over event offers three ticket options. Miller Nature Preserve members receive $2 off. Registration is available online, or by calling 440-937-0764.
Councilwoman resigns: Ward 3 Councilwoman Amy Gentry recently submitted her resignation from City Council, effective Aug. 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
She was elected on Nov. 2, 2023, as the City Council Ward 3 representative for a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and ending Dec. 31, 2027.
Gentry sent a message to the residents who are included on her Ward email list and explained that during City Council’s recent summer recess, she took time to reflect on the requirements of the role and the time commitment it truly demands.
“I realized that I am not able to give the position the level of time and attention it deserves and it is important to me that Ward 3 is represented by someone who can fully meet those expectations,” she wrote. “Serving this Ward has been an honor. I am grateful for the conversations, the feedback, the support and trust that you have shown me. We may not have agreed on every topic, but I always voted for what I believed was best for the city. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you.”
City Council is currently soliciting letters of interest and resumes from eligible residents interested in being appointed to serve as the Ward 3 representative. The individual appointed to Gentry’s unexpired term will serve until Dec. 31, 2027. If interested in continuing to serve as the Ward 3 representative, the individual must be elected on Nov. 4, 2027, for a full four-year term.
To be eligible for this position, an applicant must be a resident of Ward 3 and a qualified elector of the City of Avon Lake. A qualified elector is a person who meets the age and residency requirements established by state law or local ordinance and must be a registered voter.
The candidate shall not hold any other public office or employment within the municipality and shall not be interested in profits from any job, work, or service for which municipal funds are expended.
Letters of interest and resumes should be submitted by mail or in person to:
Valerie Rosmarin, Clerk of Council
150 Avon Belden Road
Avon Lake, OH 44012
Applications may also be submitted via email to vrosmarin@avonlake.org. The deadline is at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 4.
Interviews will be conducted during the week of Sept. 14. The individual selected to fill the vacancy will be appointed at the City Council meeting Sept. 28.
State honor: Congratulations to Ward 2 Councilwoman Jennifer Fenderbosch on her reappointment from Governor Mike DeWine to the Ohio Materials Management Advisory Council (MMAC) for a term ending July 1, 2029. The MMAC provides advice and guidance to the Director of the Ohio EPA on solid waste issues, including updates to the State Solid Waste Management Plan and Ohio EPA’s recycling and litter prevention grant programs. The council is also tasked with facilitating partnerships that expand markets for recycled commodities, according to the press release.
Generous donation: Shout out to the customers, followers, volunteers, and people that donated items to the Purple Warrior Thrift Store, 33684 Walker Road. Owner Jane Dietrich recently represented a $10,000 check to University Hospital Seidman Cancer Research Center representatives. The store donates 100% of its profits to charities working to defeat cancer.
Big trucks: The city’s annual Touch-A-Truck takes place from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 12 (rain or shine) at Cahoon Park and the police station, 28000 Wold Road. A University Hospitals helicopter will land at Cahoon Park at 1 p.m.
Piece of history: All residents and alumni are invited to pick up a free keepsake Glenview Center brick at the Board Office, 377 Dover Center Road, from now through Sept. 20. Bricks will be outside. Please consider coming after school hours, if possible.
Healthy living: The city’s Senior Living Health Expo is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Senior Center, 300 Bryson Lane. The event includes free health screenings (glucose, balance, hearing, cholesterol, and skin spot checks) and free lunch (first 50 registered). Pre-registration is required by Sept. 28 via online, or by calling 440-835-6565.
Fall Fun: Harvest Ridge Church’s annual Harvest Palooza takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 6 at South Central Park, 7565 Avon Belden Road. The event features free food, face painting, live music, bounce houses and other activities for families.
Garden Club meeting: The city’s Garden Club will meet at 6 p.m. Sept. 8 at Sandy Ridge Reservation. Director of education at Petitti’s, Noelle Akin, will present her program, “Creating Fall and Winter Interest.”
The Garden Club of North Ridgeville meets once a month at various locations. For more information, email keukalake06@gmail.com.
Open doors: The North Ridgeville Historical Society will host several open houses at their restored one-room schoolhouse/museum this fall. Built in 1859 as one of ten district schools, the District #9 Schoolhouse, 5064 Jaycox Road, served students from both North Ridgeville and Avon until its closure in 1924.
The building was donated to the group in the late 1980s and has been restored to its original look- complete with period desks, slates and outhouses. Visitors are welcomed the last Sunday of each month from 2 to 5 p.m. through October.
In addition, the group will open the doors two extra dates in September when they participate in Ohio’s “Open Doors” initiative- where museums across the state offer additional times and free admission to their historic sites on certain dates in September. The public is invited to explore the District #9 building and grounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 11-12. There is no admission charge and all ages will find something of interest as they explore how education in the past looked and felt.
9/11 anniversary: To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, the city will have a special display of 25 flags in front of City Hall, 7307 Avon Belden Road, now through Sept. 25 (25 days).
As an act of service, the city will also host a blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at City Hall.
Skunkfest anniversary: The 25th annual Skunkfest takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at South Central Park. The free event is accepting donations of a roll of paper towels, natural grain cereal, or a cash contribution to support Skunk Haven.
Coffee chat: Join Mayor Kevin Corcoran for his monthly Coffee and Conversation from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Sept. 18 at City Hall.
Restaurant updates: Crave Cookies officially opened last week at 19350 Detroit Road, bringing deep-dish stuffed cookies and loaded sodas to the community.
After 43 years in the city, The Woods Restaurant, 21919 Center Ridge Road, has been sold. Rumor has it the new owners may be considering some pretty substantial changes to this beloved icon.
Friday night volleyball lights: Rocky River and Westlake high schools will host the first-of- its-kind outdoor volleyball event Sept. 8 at Rocky River High School Stadium, 20951 Detroit Road.
The matchup will mark the first outdoor volleyball game for both schools and is believed to be the first outdoor high school volleyball game held in the Cleveland area, according to Rocky River City School district officials.
Freshman (6 p.m.), junior varsity (7 p.m.) and varsity teams will compete throughout the evening, culminating with the varsity match under the stadium lights at 8 p.m.
The event will bring the atmosphere of Friday night football to the volleyball court, with cheerleaders and the band drumline joining the festivities. A raffle will also be held during the evening.
The matches will move indoors at the high school if it rains.
Tour debut: Westlake High School alumna Caroline Kane is making her national tour debut in “Death Becomes Her!” performances at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland run Sept. 12 to Oct. 4. Message the Westlake Demon Drama Club on Instagram for her specific dates.
Portal live: The city’s new IMS permitting and citizen portal is now active. Residents, property owners, contractors, developers, design professionals, landlords, property managers, and businesses can use IMS to apply for permits and planning or zoning approvals, register as a contractor, submit service requests, report concerns, and search city records.
Museum night: As the city continues celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and telling the stories of Westlake’s roots, the Westlake Historical Society, 1371 Clague Road, is hosting a Night at the Museum (after dark) from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17. Guests will enjoy ghost stories and tales from the past of the historic home. The special after-hours experience is free and open to the public and offers visitors an opportunity to see the Clague House beyond a traditional daytime museum visit.
