Center Street Widening & Counterfeit Bills: Five Notes from Mentor City Council

Each week, Mentor City Councilsends a memo to members of the media that includes a blend of events, accomplishments, police and fire reports and business openings.

Here are five items from the memo for the week of Aug. 11:

• The widening of Center Street at Classic Chevy continues, with the completion of concrete work on the horizon and asphalt paving and restriping expected in the next two weeks.  Lighting work under the Route 2 Bridge at Center Street will be completed upon delivery of the lighting equipment.

• The city has received two "very competitive" bids for the Plaza Boulevard extension project at $2.5 million. Bids opened at noon on Friday.

• The city's detective bureau is investigating the use of counterfeit bills at area retailers. Twenty-five fake $20 bills were passed during one transaction at Super K-Mart on Aug. 4. The next day, another 25 counterfeit $20 bills were used at Macy's.

• The uncharacteristically wet and cool days experienced this summer will likely bring down the amount of swimmers at city pools. Through July 19, Mentor reported 51,483 swimmers at the three pools, compared to a five-year average of 52,854. The city expects pool revenues to be down for the year.

• Mark Nerone, who previously served as a part-time Mentor firefighter, died on August 1. Nerone worked for the Mentor Fire Department for nearly a decade before resigning in 1984 to work for Wickliffe Fire, where he retired as a lieutenant.