Catching A Terrorist, Sales Tax Increases & Deer Culling: A Week In Review

1. Let's start with good news. (We don't do that often enough.)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Trevor Brewer -- a Mentor native who graduated from in 2006 -- received the highest civilian award possible from the country of Germany after he helped to capture an Islamic extremist who had killed two of his fellow airmen, according to the AP.

Brewer received the Federal Cross of Merit Monday.

Donald Brewer, Trevor Brewer's father, said he was impressed the German government would bestow an award on a member of the U.S. military.

"I thought it was awesome they would give him that award," Brewer said. "It's the highest possible award for someone who's not in their military."

Read more about .

2. It seems everyone cares about the deer population in Mentor. (The only issue that's more popular is the local economy.)

Mentor City Council and the city's administration discussed the impact deer have made in the city. However, they did not make a final decision on how to deal with the situation.

Some interesting facts that came out of the discussion:

• Mentor's fourth ward -- the ward that includes Mentor Lagoons, Civic Center Park and Mentor Headlands -- averages 33 deer per square mile. The average urban square mile averages 10 to 15.
• Mentor had 245 animal-related crashes between 2007 and 2009 -- the most in the region. The next closest, Strongsville, only had 180.

For more on deer in the city, .

3. Also, Mentor City Council passed a resolution Tuesday night, asking the Lake County Commissioners to delay their planned vote that would increase the county's sales tax from 6.25 percent to 6.75 percent.

"In reviewing the proposed increase, we are concerned there may be a disproportionate impact on Mentor because of the large amount of retail in the city," Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak said.

Ron Traub, the city's director of economic development, said 43 percent of the county's sales come from Mentor.

Check out and how it might affect the city.

4. A Mentor firefighter is trying the Spartan Death Race -- a race so difficult, so brain-meltingly crazy that the organizers worn participants that

5. The homebound services permits librarians to the homes of those who cannot make it to the library themselves.