Sunday, May 11, 2014

A New Feature – The Ashtabula Eye on Celebrities & Issues


As the world knows, Rayelan Allen (Raye Smith), is the impresario and Queen of Conspiracy who operates Rumor Mill News. The publication was founded in 1999, making it one of the oldest on the web. It is, if all is truly said, mostly a reposting site but one which includes a strong sense of community. For many RMNers this is their most cherished outlet for social expression and connection. 

 Rayelan is also the author of the exciting extra-terrestrial saga, Obergon Chronicles which features a broad range of stories from her experiences of her past million years of lives around the universe.  


The Obergon Chronicles contains stories that involve:
  • Extraterrestrials (ETs)
  • A Planet in the Sirius Star System - Obergon!
  • Earth's Hidden History
  • Mind Control
  • New Age Channels
  • The New World Order
  • and More!
From the Prologue...
By the time you have read all the Obergon Chronicles, the Lessons for the Children of Obergon, and the Awakening Prose, you will realize that the book you have been reading has turned into a different thing altogether. Just when you are beginning to feel comfortable with the information that is being presented, the book makes a light-speed change and begins connecting the stories from ancient times to the present day. This is done to help you understand that the characters in the Chronicles may very well be walking the earth today. In fact… you may be one of the Children of Obergon!

  • The first part of the book reads like a science fiction novel
  • The second part reads like "channeled" messages from ascended masters
  • Parts three and four consists of a series of self-contained articles
       You can have your very own copy of the book, which is available on Amazon.

But the life of a celebrity is not always easy.  
 
Recently Rayelan Allen, the celebrity known here locally as Raye Smith,   reported being traumatized by discovering, she failed to mention how this happened, that the special parking place she had had constructed for herself out of a small piece of the front lawn was lost to her use. Her expressions of grief were extreme and appeared to be heart-felt.

But perhaps there is hope for the parking place.  A quick search of the records made via the Internet revealed this statute passed by the City Council. 

 
Ashtabula City Regular Council Meeting

Cars Parking on Lawns Prohibited:
The Vice President asked the Solicitor to restate the law. The Solicitor reported that “yard” parking is not permitted. There is a required front, side, and/or back yard in a residentially zoned area, and parking in a required yard is not permitted. People are cited. If the vehicle is inoperable (which includes by definition not having a current registration), then it really needs to be under cover. It should not be parked on the street and should not be left in the driveway.

Inoperable/unlicensed vehicles parked for more than one month will most likely get a notice that a visit will be paid shortly with a tow truck if they are not moved.
If it is a vehicle that is going to be restored or fixed up it needs to be relocated to the proper facility.

Further, vehicles may not be parked in driveways in a way that obstructs sidewalks. The Solicitor said this is the biggest violation he sees while driving around the City.“

This section of the local statutes certainly would exclude the parking spot laboriously installed by Cory MacDonald, who performed many small jobs for Rayelan.  Cory, who is disabled, acted as a hired laborer, Rayelan presumably ensuring such matters as a permit were seen to.  

As you can see from this photo: 

 (Notice what a good job Steve did with converting this piece of lawn to a parking place.)

  • The lawn has been removed and was replaced by gravel.
  • The curb was removed to provide access to the area prepared for parking.
  • A walkway was installed leading from the cement walk which connects the front door to the sidewalk.
  • The area is also carefully delineated for use by bricks set as a border.
It is to be hoped that those determining how the statute adopted by City Council will decide Cory's excellent work fulfills the need to convert this small area into parking, in accordance with the cited statute. This matter has exercised Rayelan's mind to an amazing extent in the last few days.

And this may have distracted her attention from more important matters.

Rayelan does a brisk business with Rumor Mill News.  The site also allows her fervent readers to give assistance to Rayelan. These include pleas for assistance for her dogs, who, she reports, are in constant danger of dying, and her own health, which she announces as failing badly.

This does not stop her, however, from soldiering on, making regular rounds of shops where 'treasures of great value,' are to be found.

I suspect visits with her photo  to such local establishments
Rayelan, Queen of Conspiracy
would confirm these visits are frequent enough so the sales staff would remember the kinds of items which delight Rayelan so very much.

These gladly exclaimed purchases are displayed around the house, then stored, and when the volume reaches monumental proportions, these leave the residence for parts unspecified. This resembles a river of delectation for Rayelan, who from the vast array does retain some pieces for longer possession.

Rayelan is a Happy Hoarder, dedicated to the hunt.

Perhaps to bolster her faltering spirits, Rayelan routinely parties with a host of folks, these apparently entirely comprised of those receiving her largess from one cause or another or their relatives and associates, late into the night. Their boisterous and spirited conversations, which include a constant reiteration of the items Rayelan has found on her treasure hunts, make up a large portion of the lively discussions which go on.

Rayelan's happy tones at these times certainly cause one to wonder if Rayelan's health is really as faulty and she fears. Perhaps there is hope afterall.

Rumor Mill News is the property of Rubicon Aegis, LLC, a company incorporated in Ohio for which Rayelan appears to be the sole beneficiary.  Rayelan prides herself on her business acumen.

 (Notice the street number has been carefully covered.  If you want to get your copy of Obergon Chronicles autographed contact Rayelan in advance by email, available on the Obergon Chronicles site.)

The enterprise, dedicated to getting unsubstantiated rumors to the public, provides a substantial income, enough to provide jobs for a growing list of cleaners and handypersons, Cory being only one of this number.  Steve Leubking, erroneously named earlier, also provides services to Rayelan but did not install the parking area.

Rayelan tries to do her part for the local economy in many ways.   

So, in one perception of her life Rayelan rules as an absolute monarch a cyber kingdom populated with faithful followers who express regular concern for her. But, as fate would have it, Rayelan lives in Ashtabula, which goes on oblivious to the celebrity in their midst - until now! 

Addendum  and correction:  Steve Leubking, as now corrected, was not the handyman who, on Rayelan's instructions installed the parking area adjacent to the tree on the front lawn.  

it now appears Rayelan overlooked the need to get a permit, which would not have been issued because the location violates the present interpretation of the local ordinance according to John at the Department of Housing.  

 

Another Issue of Interest to Ashtabula Residents

One of the less attractive aspects of living in Ashtabula is the Personal Income Tax which the City Council passed into law.

The office for the collection of the Income Tax is located at:

Address: 4717 Main Ave # 2
Ashtabula, OH 44004
Phone:(440) 992-7104

The tax code is far shorter than the one used by the IRS, but also defers to the Federal Tax in determining how high an income must be, from all sources, to be deemed taxable.


The City of Ashtabula, Ohio

Adopted under the Authority of Chapter 189
Section 189.09, of the City of Ashtabula

Code of Ordinances

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE
Section 189.02 of income tax Ordinance 2007 - 26, passed March 19, 2007, outlines the
uses to which funds raised are to be put and the items on which the tax is to be applied. The
effective period of the tax is specified in Sections 189.04 and 189.18.”

A brief perusal of Ordinance 2007 - 26, passed March 19, 2007 includes useful information on who is mandated to pay taxes in accordance with the law.

The Ordinance states:

““Income” -Shall include all monies derived from any source whatsoever, including but not limited to:
                (1)All salaries, wages, commissions, other compensation and other income from whatever source received by residents of the City.
                    (2)All salaries, income, qualifying wages, commissions, other compensation from whatever source received by nonresidents for work done or services performed or rendered or activities conducted in the City of Ashtabula.
           (3)The portion attributable to the City of Ashtabula of the net profits of all unincorporated businesses, associations, professions, corporations, or other entities, from sales made, work done, services performed or rendered, and business or other activities conducted in the City of Ashtabula. Such portion shall be determined as provided in Section 189.02 and in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Board of Review pursuant to Section 189.15.”


Of course, the tax rate is only 1.8% of the income, according to the Ordinance and apparently the rules for taxable income follow those of the IRS, according to the Ordinance.

Those domiciled within the City of Ashtabula fall within this mandate. While one may have several homes in different parts of the world if your main residence is in Ashtabula you appear to be deemed obligated to pay the tax, which I am sure all patriotic Ashtabulans do willingly. 

But all of us in Ashtabula hope for better times and a renewal of local commerce, green and sustainable.  Let's make it happen.   



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