Willoughby, Lake County | featured news

Andrew Rowe has been working in local kitchens since he was 14, starting as a dishwasher at Ferrante Winery and Ristorante, near where he grew up in Madison. Now 22 and executive chef at Red, Wine & Brew in Mentor, he leads a nine-person kitchen staff and is revising the menu from its earlier status as elevated bar food.

Mentor Public Library's "US Presidents of the 20th Century" series continues with a program focused on Harry Truman on Aug. 16 at the library's Main Branch - 8215Mentor Ave. in Mentor.Truman, a former haberdasher from Missouri, rose to the ranks of president. He guided the country through the conclusion of World War II and beginning of the Cold War.

The Lupus Foundation of America's Greater Ohio Chapter will host the monthly Willoughby Support Group 6:30 to 8 p.m., Aug. 6, at the Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square.This support group is an open, small-group environment which encourages discussion among lupus patients and their families, according to a news release.

Hard work has paid off for one Lake Erie College physician assistant alumna.University Hospitals recently recognized Julie Stupi with the President's Award, given to three senior staff members who surpass their duties.

James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the major restoration project that completely transformed the site with a special free public program at 1 p.m., Aug. 11.The program will detail the condition of the site prior to the restoration and the various types of work done 20 years ago that made the nation's 333rd National Park Service unit what it is today, according to a news release.

Willoughby Hills police are investigating a pair of suspicious deaths inside a Chardon Road home. According to a news release from the Willoughby Hills Police Department, officers arrived at the 31051 Chardon Road home around 9:41 p.m. July 31 for a welfare check.

The Community Cat Companions for will hold their annual Purrfest. This year's event will be a "pawsta" event from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 4 at Stadium Grill, 8330 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor.It will feature a pasta bar (hot and cold), salad bar, dessert bar, cash beverage, raffles, games and more. This is a family-friendly event and will feature vegetarian and vegan options.

A Northeast Ohio couple, including an Amherst woman, were sentenced to prison for 16 robberies or attempted robberies to fund their drug habit, according to a news release. Casey Layne Liberty, 31, of Amherst, and Daniel T. Begin, 33, of Cleveland, were both sentenced to 71 months in prison.

Shopping for a new police vehicle recently got a bit more complicated for Perry Village.The village was planning to order a new Ford Police Interceptor SUV next year for its department to replace a comparable model that's been on the road since 2008. That vehicle has been driven about 122,000 miles and is becoming expensive to maintain, Police Chief Troy Hager said.

Although not as high as its 2017 installment, attendance at the 2018 Lake County Fair pleased organizers, especially considering the first three days featured everything from scattered showers to a full-blown thunderstorm with high winds and pounding rain.Final attendance numbers for the 2018 event reached 87,178 visitors, compared to 94,792 in 2017, according to Fair Advertising and Sponsorships Chairman Robert J.