For those of you who are truly interested in witnessing (or helping) the first commercial shrimp harvest in Youngstown send me a message. We have six ponds to harvest and the harvest will be a private process so no press will be invited.
Thanks for the few feedback, One interesting request was that if I would see if Santisi's wants to retail the prawns. Royal Oaks asked for some Shrimp for a chef demonstration, I will follow up on the request for Santisi's to retail the shrimp.
I think it would be great if Santisi's could retail the shrimp in their local stores.
They could proudly advertise the prawns as "LOCALLY GROWN".
Way to go Ron - GOOD JOB SIR.
:)
Allan, thank you but it is not me, the idea was brought forth by OSU. I merely want to show that with our inexpensive land, we can produce a unique product that otherwise we import 2 billion worth every year.
Will you be using the proceeds from the sale of your prawns to repay a portion of the debt that you owe to the taxpayers of Mahoning County and the City of Youngstown?
09/09/10 - 8:13 AM
This post was reported as off topic.
Please note that the person reporting the post is not currently a contributor to this particular thread.
Shar why don't you ask the parasite class if they will ever repay the taxpayers for the benefits they receive? The parasites get SSI, food stamps, subsidized housing, WIC, and god knows what else, and never repay it back and do not create any wealth, jobs, or opportunities.
Quote from: Rick Rowlands on September 08, 2010, 07:05:20 PM
Shar why don't you ask the parasite class if they will ever repay the taxpayers for the benefits they receive? The parasites get SSI, food stamps, subsidized housing, WIC, and god knows what else, and never repay it back and do not create any wealth, jobs, or opportunities.
I believe it's illegal to not pay your taxes. But, it is legal to receive government aid, if you need it.
Quote from: Rick Rowlands on September 08, 2010, 07:05:20 PM
Shar why don't you ask the parasite class if they will ever repay the taxpayers for the benefits they receive? The parasites get SSI, food stamps, subsidized housing, WIC, and god knows what else, and never repay it back and do not create any wealth, jobs, or opportunities.
If Shrimp is creating wealth, jobs and opportunities then he should have the funds to pay his taxes. As a taxpayer in the City of Youngstown I have personally subsitized the demolition of structures on properties owned by Shrimp and he has not reimbursed the City for that work. If he cared for his properties in a responsible way, the City would not need to do this. How is he any better than the so called "parasite class". Do you pay your taxes, do you enjoy subsiding him or do you think we should all be responsible and carry our own weight??
Quote from: Youngstownshrimp on September 04, 2010, 10:51:05 PM
For those of you who are truly interested in witnessing (or helping) the first commercial shrimp harvest in Youngstown send me a message. We have six ponds to harvest and the harvest will be a private process so no press will be invited.
I thought you were only allowed to have
one shrimp pond location? Am I mistaken?
Quote from: Penguins37 on September 08, 2010, 10:10:36 PM
I thought you were only allowed to have one shrimp pond location? Am I mistaken?
That's probably why he wants to keep it private....shhhhhhhhh
http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=12606519
http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/jun/08/shrimp-farmer-shut-down-east-side/
http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/may/31/shrimp-farmer-battles-the-city/
http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/jun/29/shrimp-farmer-is-found-guilty-of-zoning-/
Quote from: Youngstownshrimp on September 04, 2010, 10:51:05 PM
We have six ponds to harvest and the harvest will be a private process so no press will be invited.
Hmm, that is a little strange.
Had a teleconference with Scot at WFMJ last week and they are very interested in having a demonstration on the morning show on cooking the Giant Malaysian Prawn. Because harvesting ponds is very hard work, the press will be in the way.
Nothing strange about it. There is a time for the press, and atime to get the work done. I have found that its difficult to attend to the needs of reporters while also trying to get something done. When we are moving equipment into the Heritage Park its stressful keeping tabs on the riggers, volunteers and still trying to give interviews and then making sure that photographers aren't in harms way.
Are you going to answer Penguins37's question about having 6 ponds or do you just intend to ingnore the question as usual?
Just to clarify Shrimp, are you farming out on Thorn Hill as well? Those ponds were suppose to be abandoned, right?
Also, did you get your fence up and finally seed the pond areas?
Hey Shar and Penguins37, reveal who you are so we can dig up dirt on you too. Stop hiding behind aliases. I am sure Ron will answer your questions if he can question the both of you about some skeletons in your closets.
FYI - This post was reported as off topic and inflammatory
Someone reported Rick's post as inflammatory but it is obvious that the inflammatory posts began long before Rick chimed in... just making a note here.
I must have missed something. It is my understanding the shrimp farming was finally approved so all the articles referring to the situation are old news. I want to know what the problem is? Seems it is innovative, its time has come. Personally I'd rather eat shrimp that were farmed locally then worry about what is coming from polluted waterways or third world countries where the middle man gets the profit. With all the blight in the city how can a few ponds be nuisance? According to the article links, Shrimp has sought the expertise of all the right people. Building a new home or a new development is a mess before it is complete and no one complains about the construction process.
Rick this is a message board/forum. If you and Ron have chosen to use your real name and reveal your real identy that was your choice.
Why does Ron need a "real identity" to answer a real question. As far as I know this issue of the ponds has not been resolved. There were requirements imposed by the City regarding this property. Were those requirements met? There also seems to be an outstanding lawsuit that Ron filed against the City. That certainly implies to me that this is not resolved and that it is not old news. I would think that if everything was on the "up and up" here that Shrmip would answer the questions and clear up the confusion. I can only assume that his silence means that there has not been any resolution to this matter.
Quote from: Shar on September 10, 2010, 10:22:08 AM
Rick this is a message board/forum. If you and Ron have chosen to use your real name and reveal your real identy that was your choice.
Why does Ron need a "real identity" to answer a real question. As far as I know this issue of the ponds has not been resolved. There were requirements imposed by the City regarding this property. Were those requirements met? There also seems to be an outstanding lawsuit that Ron filed against the City. That certainly implies to me that this is not resolved and that it is not old news. I would think that if everything was on the "up and up" here that Shrmip would answer the questions and clear up the confusion. I can only assume that his silence means that there has not been any resolution to this matter.
In Ron's defense, if there is some form of litigation, he may not be able to answer your questions even if he wanted to.
I applaud Ron's efforts to creatively use vacant land in the city. My impression of the situation though, is that Ron took the "it is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission" approach to this. And, then complained that the authorities were standing in his way, when they took issue with the liberties that he had taken. Again, I don't know how close or far from the truth this is, but this is what it looks like to me.
Last night after two grueling days at the farm my wife and I had dinner at Pho Saigon and the owner cooked some fresh Youngstown shrimp I brought for them. The way they cooked the shrimp was an Asian specialty, the prawns were cooked making them crispy with the heads on. What a delicacy, it was like eating soft shell crab. The Asian community here is buzzing about now, how fresh locally grown shrimp is here to stay. Just this afternoon, I bumped into the owners of Golden Hunan in Liberty and Eddie told me how good the shrimp was I brought to him last Friday night. He wants to buy several pounds.
You see, the issue here is "making abandoned land productive" and as the industry grows commerce and jobs follow. What ideas or free enterprise are the naysayers coming up with? Yea, just look at Youngstown, the entitlement industry thrives.
Ron: I am all for the creative ideas that you bring to this city. The shrimp farm sounds exciting. However, I do have concerns about the demolition fees and water bills that you owe the city. In addition, I have health and environmental concerns about the situation. Perhaps you can give me your perspective on the following questions/issues:
1. Is your farm-raised shrimp contaminated as stated in the following comment from a web page? "So, what exactly are the risks of farm-raised shrimp? In a nutshell, the major concerns are salmonella, antibiotics, bacteria, parasites, and chemical residues. Often, conditions on shrimp farms are unsanitary and frequently lead to the U.S. refusing shrimp imports for reasons of "filth." The most significant dangers are posed by internationally farm-raised shrimp. At shrimp farms in locales such as Southeast Asia, overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions create a largely unstable environment, full of viruses and bacteria. To discourage disease, the shrimp pools are pumped with antibiotics and chemicals – some of which are actually illegal in the United States. The shrimp are frozen as they are transported, but this doesn't always kill the chemicals or viruses. The FDA is charged with testing the shrimp when they arrive in the United States, but inspection guidelines aren't as stringent as consumers might like, so various watchdog organizations have cropped up to try to prevent potential harms."
2. I understand you do not use the Thorn Hill site because of water issues. Granted, I have never seen it, but based on the two holes I saw off Northglenn near Jacobs Road, I imagine there is erosion and, if chemicals were used, unfavorable run-off. I understand that the pond was less than an acre and if so, then you don't fall under EPA regulations. What are your plans to restore the earth at this locale?
Thanks.
Congrats Shrimp,
It sounds like business is booming at the ponds. Hopefully some of those profits can be spent back on your business and the ponds can get adequate fencing and proper seeding. :)
Mary, At least you are not hiding behind a user ID, so I will answer your questions, but they sound pretty negative. The US imports 2 billion worth of shrimp a year and all are farmed raised the old way "net pens." The industry is changing course and moving rapidly to self contained inland facilities and guess what state is high on the radar screen, Ohio because of its abundant water source. What you need to do is google "Ohio Shrimp" and you can find all your answers there. BTW, the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture last year certified Ohio shrimp green because I took the lead in not discharging the effluent back into the creek. Even though it is off topic, you may call the City's attorney (Kannensohn) about my companies demo and water bills. Here is a paradox for you, if Struthers just rec'd. thousands of dollars from the state for demo., why unlike YTown is their position, not to bill the property owner because they claim it is not their money to go after but the state's. Does the City of Youngstown return what it collects in demo. bills back to the state or do they bury it in their general fund?
Here is a question for you, what is your education and where do you work?
Ron: thanks for the references you cited. I will follow up and look into them.
I have to give some thought to what you said about the demo money. It just doesn't seem right to me, your not paying up.
What about the water bills?
Also, what about restoration of the Thorn Hill property?
Also, why do you want to know my education and where I work?
Mary, I answered your questions about demo and water, now please stay on topic and call the City's attorney if you really want to know.
Restoring Thornhill to what, I have ponds there and please again, study shrimp farming in Ohio and your questions will be answered. With do respect if you really are concerned about shrimp farming get educated.
My question about your education and work is so that I may know if you are a productive member of the community or someone living on entitlements. This will tell me if I am wasting my time or that you really want a better community. In addition, are you a member of the MVOC or ACORN?
I live in Section 8 housing, collect Food Stamps and SSI, my house is trashed out and I had 5 babies by age 21 with 8 different fathers. With this kind of background, I do not have a job and could give a damn about my community.
If this is true, you are one of the 57% who inhabit the City. Mary, I read some of your post and I know you have the community in your heart, but you need to embrace innovation when it flies in your face. I have never held myself up to be perfect, I have made many mistakes, the biggest was being a landlord here ten years ago, the water bills were the tenants and my company paid over 50K for their water. Contact City planning and ask about the form that if you deed your demo property to the City, the demo fee is null, why have they not offered this to us?
In your ward, I believe Winsor ave., are many vacant parcels all the way to Prax Air, this land can become productive as urban agriculture. Your leader should be pushing this. A few investors are now buying up vacant land (and paying taxes) because of what I have accomplished, this should be the focus of all the naysayers instead of "have you paid your old tenants water bill? Your neighborhood is dieing and more houses are up for demo. what are you going to do about those vacant abandoned lots? Together we can grow something on them, I proved it.
Would you be able to post a couple of photos of the shrimp ponds on the forum? I think it would be beneficial for everyone to have an opportunity to see what state-of-the-art aquaculture looks like.
Quote from: Youngstownshrimp on September 12, 2010, 11:02:16 PM
I have never held myself up to be perfect, I have made many mistakes, the biggest was being a landlord here ten years ago, the water bills were the tenants and my company paid over 50K for their water. Contact City planning and ask about the form that if you deed your demo property to the City, the demo fee is null, why have they not offered this to us?
This is exactly the problem.....you had rental properties, apparently collected rents on these properties for some period of time and then when you "landlord" venture did not go well, you apparently walked away and now expect that the taxpayers should pick up the tab. Were you not aware that property owners are responsible for the water consumption here in the city? Those were not your tenants water bills as you state, they were yours as the property owner.
Shar,
I'm sure that Shrimp's failed business venture represents a very small percentage of the abandoned/demolished houses that are/were/will have the tab picked up by the city.
Are you actively pursuing ALL the other former owners?
How about this, Are you actively pursuing ANY of the former owners?
If not, why not?
Because Shar has a vendetta against Youngstownshrimp. As I stated earlier, since Shar is an alias there is no way that anyone can research if Shar has any owed taxes or mistakes in his/her past.
Rick,
Your last post seems a bit off topic. Remember we are discussing the shrimp harvest. :)
Quote from: Penguins37 on September 13, 2010, 08:29:27 AM
Rick,
Your last post seems a bit off topic. Remember we are discussing the shrimp harvest. :)
If members are discussing the shrimp harvest then all posts regrading delinquent taxes, demolition and water bills are off topic. Rick's comments relate directly to the accusations which were reported as inflammatory and off topic originally. If one person's debts are being discussed, discussion of others' debts is not necessarily out of line.
Quote from: Why?Town on September 13, 2010, 08:01:31 AM
Shar,
I'm sure that Shrimp's failed business venture represents a very small percentage of the abandoned/demolished houses that are/were/will have the tab picked up by the city.
Are you actively pursuing ALL the other former owners?
How about this, Are you actively pursuing ANY of the former owners?
If not, why not?
Quote from: Rick Rowlands on September 13, 2010, 08:26:30 AM
Because Shar has a vendetta against Youngstownshrimp. As I stated earlier, since Shar is an alias there is no way that anyone can research if Shar has any owed taxes or mistakes in his/her past.
I can't speak for Shar. But for me, I find it hypocritical that, if these accusations are true, Ron is shouting from all the virtual mountain tops about how he is a "doer" and not one of the "57%" in the city who are "parasites." Perhaps if some of these other former property owners were doing the same thing on this board, Shar would be calling them out as well?
By the way, here are the 2 parcels of land I currently own: 53-068-0-222.00-0 and 53-068-0-221.00-0, so you can see I have the proper credentials.
Exactly Westsider. Shrimp continues to refer to what he calls the "parasite" class on this board. This is America and we are all entitled to our own opinions. My opinion is that he is one of that "parasite" class as he calls it. If there were others on the board that claimed to be "doers" and "savvy entrepreneurs" that had the trail of destruction behind them that he has, I would be critical of them as well. Shrimp has chosen to let us all know his identity, even with his checkered past. He should expect to find those that are skeptical of his motives. I have yet to see him do anything except point the finger of blame at others for his past problems. Bad tenants...bad partners...etc.
I own three parcels of property in the City of Youngstown and all taxes are current, never even a day late. Water bills are current. Again I will say that this is a public forum and nobody has any obligation to reveal their true names. Shrimp chose to do so..
No one has a problem with aquaculture, in fact I agree that it could be a great use for under utilized land. Rather, people are having issues with the way that Ron has gone about his ponds. All he has done is go to the east side buy up cheap property and rape the land for his own benefit. The last time I saw the ponds they were still unseeded and there was no fence around the pond. According to Ron's own statements the ponds are producing shrimp and a profit; if that is the case why is he not spending some of that revenue on these basic parts of his business plan?
Rick, I drove by the museum today to give you and your wife some fresh shrimp, call me and I can meet you.
Numerous reports on this thread. I fear I will need to close it.
I have something to say about the water bills. When we purchased a hud property the water bill was $1200 and hud was required to pay it. How ON EARTH does a water bill reach $1200? Failure to disconnect when the balance is at reasonable amount seems like mismanagement on the part of the water department.
Quote from: ForumManager on September 13, 2010, 09:06:41 PM
I have something to say about the water bills. When we purchased a hud property the water bill was $1200 and hud was required to pay it. How ON EARTH does a water bill reach $1200? Failure to disconnect when the balance is at reasonable amount seems like mismanagement on the part of the water department.
That's a good question. My anecdote may be a possible answer.
Several years ago, I was walking to the bus, when I noticed that someone had broken the hose bibb from the side of the house. Since the tenants had just been moving out, I guessed that they might have done it on purpose. Anyway, there was a stream of water shooting about 3-4 feet from the side of the house. I saw this around 6-7 AM, so the water may have been pouring all night.
That was visible. I wonder how long a water break could go unreported if the water main in the basement was broken?
I do know that the City will send a report to landlords that own more than 1 rental property so that they can monitor the water bills and payments on them if the bills are actually going to the tenant. That won't help with a broken pipe but it will help the landlord if the tenant is just not paying the monthly bill. I own one rental property and the bill comes to me and I pass it on to my tenant. That way I can monitor that she is current with the bill.
Despite the diversion by the faceless, I still am in awe of growing seafood on the eastside of Youngstown.
Quote from: Youngstownshrimp on September 14, 2010, 01:06:53 AM
Despite the diversion by the faceless, I still am in awe of growing seafood on the eastside of Youngstown.
Nice! Do they try to bite - can they?
Yes, they can pinch with their claws but notice that only the dominant prawns have long blue claws, then the second order are the orange claws, smaller.
Well, it seems that "westsider" decided to be honorable and tell us who he is, (deleted) . (deleted) since you called me a hypocrite, lets put the facts on the table. I and my organization undoubtedly have paid more taxes, water, and demolition than you and most of the faceless on this forum in the last ten years. My organization has cleared (taxes) up thru the tax cert. sales, more property than you or any of the faceless have owned in their life time forgive me if we couldn't do more.
Now that you came out of the closet (deleted), grace us with what you have done for your community.
Sorry
This topic will now be be locked due to repeated moderation reports.
I made an attempt to comment in red regarding subject matter in the beginning but at this point every new post now seems to be the subject of reports.
I was even drawn into the off topic discussion regarding water bills and past due property taxes.
Reports have been about:
Off topic posts
inflammatory posts
Perhaps new topics can be started