A former Nigerian bishop serving in the Episcopal Church has been arrested for soliciting the services of a prostitute.

On Oct 1 the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Omosebi was arrested by police in Ohio for offering $15 to have sexual relations with a prostitute. He was released from jail shortly after posting bond and will appear before a magistrate on the misdemeanor charge on Oct 16.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Southern Ohio, Richelle Thompson, told The Church of England Newspaper that Bishop Omosebi held a license to officiate as a supply priest in the diocese. The license had been suspended pending the judicial proceedings, Ms. Thompson said. However, for several years Bishop Omosebi had conducted Episcopal visitations on behalf of the Bishop of Southern Ohio across the diocese.

A spokesman for Convocation of Anglican Churches in North America (CANA) told CEN Bishop Omosebi left the Church of Nigeria in 1998 when he immigrated to the United States and was not currently affiliated with CANA or the Church of Nigeria. From 1990 to 1998 Bishop Omosebi served as Bishop of Kano in Nigeria’s Plateau State.

Spokesmen for the Church of Nigeria in Abuja declined to comment on the allegations.

Some of the most ambitious green building incentives in Ohio are offered in the Queen City.  For example, there is a 100% property tax exemption for LEED certified buildings within Cincinnati city limits.  In order to receive these tax benefits, an application must be submitted to the City Department of Community Development and Planning.  The program was amended most recently in City Ordinance 446-2007, which provided clarity to the previously enacted City Ordinance 182-2007.

Residential buildings are eligible for a 100% property tax abatement for 15 years for new constructions, and 10 years for existing building retrofits.  The maximum improved value of the building that may be abated is $500,000 per dwelling unit for LEED Silver and Gold Certified buildings. However, buildings that achieve LEED Platinum Certification are not subject to any improved value limitation.  A residential structure is with more than 3 units is classified as a commercial building.

Commercial buildings are also eligible for a 100% tax abatement for 15 years for new constructions, and 12 years for existing building renovations.  For commercial buildings, there are no limits on the value of the improvements.  While the exemption is for 100% of the property tax, an owner of a commercial building must enter an agreement with the Board of Education of City School District the City of Cincinnati to pay the Board an amount equal to 25% of the full amount of exempt property taxes.  Additionally, the owner must pay the city a fee of 1% of the annual tax exemption, but not less than $250 or more than $2,500.

Student Life Center, University of Cincinnati, 2004, LEED Certified, Signature Architect: Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners

Come In, Have Your Faith Lifted, originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

Photo: The Ark Spring Baptist Church located in Chandlersville, Ohio (Muskingum County, Ohio). This is what I would call an “old country church.” Best seen in large size view.

History: I believe the original church building was built in the late 1840s or early 1850s. It is one of the original churches in the Chandlersville area.

Sage & Yellow @ The Wilds, originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

Another Nature’s beauty sighting at The Wilds (near Cumberland, Ohio). Best seen in person or large size view online. The Wilds: www.thewilds.org.

Monarch on Wildflowers, originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

This photo was taken at The Wilds in southern Ohio. The Wilds. Best seen in large size view.

Old Man’s Cave, originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

Old Man’s Cave is located in Hocking Hills State Park in southern Ohio. It is an amazing place filled with rock shelters and caves. Best seen in large size view.

Foggy Sunrise Over The Wilds (1 of 2), originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

Two shots today. This is the first. Take a peek at the second below. It will make you laugh.

This is a shot of sunrise at The Wilds. What a wonderful place. It is well worth getting up at 5:30 am to catch the scene. Best seen in person or in large size view.

Wednesday is Hump Day! (2 of 2), originally uploaded by © Don Iannone Photography.

This is a photo of three bactrian camels’ humps at The Wilds. This struck me as funny and also appropriate to post on a Wednesday. Best seen in person or in large size view.

I am selfish, I don’t generally think I am, but when it comes down to it, I usually go for what I want. I am egoistical I mean take a brief look at this blog. What makes me so special…I guess my entire life my mother has told me how beautiful and wonderful I am; due to her lack of praise from her own mother, which in turn has always led me to wonder when I do actually look nicer than usual or when I really did do something exceptional or special.

 I think this kryptonite encouragement spurred the opening of my own store at such a young age. People criticize my business, The Closet. I have put my heart into that pink store. People question my motives, I try to support artist of many mediums and encourage creativity in general. This part hurts me deeper than most, I have lost friends some due to reason I am still unsure of. When it comes to The Closet I truly do attempt to put my best foot forward, but I suppose this would be my sensitive side, not everyone is going to agree or like everything I do. Whether it is operating a gypsy den or attempting to support myself and others. I suppose this is the sticks and stones part of life, where my skin is suppose to grow an inch or two thinker, because I choose to put myself out there. All I know is that I will probably never be that thick skinned person I do not often cut people out of my life with out reason, I often blindly trust, and believe in people. But I am also not always good.

I have been a liar and a cheater. I have loved and I have lusted. I am blessed to have a man in my life who supports me beyond my wildest expectations, holds my hand, and brings me my coffee, I feel at times I have entered “Stepford Wife Land” where I return so many loving simple gestures, but is it mechanical? I love him very deeply but now question my real intentions, whether it be cooking supper or walking the dogs. Then I look at his actions and I do not doubt at all they were done purely out of love and admiration.

I consider myself a very lucky person I have a good, caring, giving, and loving family, whom I always believed I was thankful for, but really what have I done for them. They have endlessly and tirelessly supported everything I have taken on, many of times at their own cost. And what have I really done, gave them hugs and relentlessly thanked them. I genuinely had always believed I was grateful.

Now that I am losing one of the dearest people to me and feel more helpless than ever; during a time I have dreamt of, I have began to question my morals, my motives, and my dreams. Living and working in New York City, what I consider to be the ‘Greatest City in the World,’ has long been a dream of mine. And now we are here, I found a wonderful man to accompany me on this adventure. We left Saint Augustine with visions of a new home, a new life, and grand excitement in general. It seems we have found a cold world. Don’t get me wrong, we have only been here a month, I still smile at strangers and talk to them, and believe it or not the smile is often returned in a city that is thought to eat people alive. The truth is we thought it would be easy, we did not anticipate searching for jobs endlessly day after day.

Most of all when I set after this dream I did not anticipate my papaw slowly fading away; while I am here in the land of my dreams feeling trapped and helpless. I feel selfish. Now I am here and I want to be there, I have no desire to move again for a while, but now more than anything I wish I was with my daddy, probably for the first time in my life that I can actually remember. Even while I cried for at least forty eight hours straight, when my mother packed me into her Audi and drove me to Florida from Ohio with two days notice, during the middle of my eighth grade year, I chose to stand by her, rather than call my father. I have always been a mommy’s girl. When I am sick or sad I always call her before I even think of anyone else. And at this moment in my life I feel selfish because I know she lives and breathes to support me. Mind you she is one of the sweetest people in the world and at this same time I can hardly speak to her, because I find her cold, when it comes to how I am feeling right now.

There have been many times I have wished to be in southern Ohio with my family and I believe this scares her beyond her wildest dreams. That I would want to spend so much time in a place she fought so hard to escape. The truth of it all is I just have moments, long moments, time frames, frequently, rather than rarely, when I want to be around people who are simple, who love me, who value God, and who value Family.

I’m probably repeating myself, but we were just going out for breakfast. We had no other plans. The roadtrip just happened.

We left Panera. I had enjoyed my favorite, spinach artichoke souffle and Mike had eaten an egg sandwich. We stopped at Kohls and I got a pair of shoes while Mike picked up some new undies. Then it started. Mike said “I want to show you something”.

We headed south on 23 then 104 toward Chillicothe, Oh. I asked “What are we looking for?”  Mike said he wanted to show me a leather store that was somewhere south of Chillicothe. He couldn’t remember the name of the store or what town it was in but he was certain we would find it.

We drove past a sign for the Hopewell Culture National Park. Mike said “Let’s check it out”. We turned around and parked outside the information center. It was very windy and cold but we went into the center and spoke with the ranger. It’s amazing how much you can learn in a few minutes about a subject you know absolutely nothing about. We walked out and checked out the mounds and vowed to come back with the grandkids. When we do I will dedicate a blog to this fantastic place.

Camp Sherman, a World War I training camp, was located in part at Mound City Group. Most of the earthworks were significantly impacted from camp construction- a new building was erected every 20 minutes.

As we left the mounds, Mike remembered the name of the leather shop.” Raber’s” he said. I checked the gps on my phone for Raber’s in the area. I found Raber’s Shoes and Saddlery but it was several counties away.

Off we went. Even before the trees have turned green and the fields have grown tall, the hills of southern Ohio take your breath away.

The whole day it felt like rain and the wind felt like you would blow off the road. We drove down through Ross and Pike counties before heading west to Adams County. Our destination was in the town of  Peebles. The roads were curvy and we finally found the road to Raber’s. We drove up a hill, past homes and trailers and into the parking lot. If you didn’t know it was there it would not be a place you’d just drop in on. (That is unless you were with Mike).

Mr. Raber is Amish and he and his son and maybe one other person run the shop which has every RedWing shoe ever made and whatever leather paraphenalia you might need for a horse. Mr. Raber told us his shop has been there since the early 70’s. He moved there from Hardin County. Mike bought a handmade belt for $12.50 and we were on our way. Of course we were not headed directly home.

Mike said he wanted to check out Hillsboro (Highland County). He said Benny Rhodes a friend from college was from there and he was curious as to what the town was like. The population of Hillsboro is just under 7000. Mike and I both grew up in a large city. Hillsboro, as well as many of the small towns we’ve been through, make you wish you’d had the benefits of small town life.

It was getting late and we were getting hungry so we headed for home. The day was cold, windy and sometimes rainy but driving the windy roads and climbing the many hills was relaxing and peaceful. Often, we were the only ones on the the road.

We plan to return to southern Ohio since we just scratched the surface of all there is to see and do. We love to talk to the people and take pictures. You realize the more you see and do the less you already know. If there is someplace in the state that you are particularly fond of please send me a comment and we will be sure to check it out.