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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > October > 20
Monday, October 20, 2008
Obama ghost hung from tree in Fairfield sparks controversy
The centerpiece of one Fairfield man’s Halloween display is a ghost hanging by a rope from a tree. The ghost is labeled “Hussain Obama.”
This has caused several of the man’s neighbors to complain. The man is not shy about his racist views: he said he believes this is a white Christian nation and shouldn’t be led by a black man, according to TV news reports.
Here is the video from local 12 news:
The city of Fairfield released a statement today:
Over the last several days, one of our residents has chosen to express his self-described racist views publicly. This individual’s isolated opinion, as depicted in a yard display, does not represent the values of our community. The elected and appointed officials of Fairfield, Ohio do not condone the actions of this individual and find this behavior abhorrent. It is unfortunate that this resident has chosen to use his First Amendment rights in this despicable manner.
For more on the role racism (and sexism and ageism) could play in this year’s presidential race, see a previous package of stories we did here.
What do you think of this display?
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County to buy, sell houses to prevent foreclosures
Help is on the way for Butler County residents facing foreclosure, county commissioners said this morning, Oct. 20. But they fear it may be too little too late.
Butler County Community Development Director Donna Everson outlined a plan to commissioners this morning to use $4.2 million they received from the federal government earlier this month.
Under the plan, homeowners facing foreclosure would deed their home back to the bank, which would then sell it to the county at 5 percent below market value. The county would then help the homeowner get affordable financing to help make the house affordable.
County leaders lauded the plan, but said there was no point in keeping someone in a house they could not afford.
“We certainly don’t want to keep somebody in a house, then two years from now they’re in the same situation they are in today,” said County Recorder Danny Crank, who offered staff to help the county find eligible homes.
Eligibility requirements include anyone making 120 percent of median income. This is roughly $79,450 a year for a family of four.
Foreclosures in the county have skyrocketed in recent years, county leaders said, totaling 1,761 foreclosures through September.
“When you think of the huge problem we have in the county, it’s not really that much money,” said Commissioner Gregory Jolivette.
The federal grant was intended to improve communities by fixing up blighted and abandoned homes and reselling. But county commissioners said that was too reactive, and they wanted to use it to keep people in their homes.
Once they do that, they will explore acquisition, rehabilitation and demolition of blighted homes.
The county money will only aid people in the county but outside the city limits of Hamilton and Middletown. Hamilton received $2.4 million under the same federal program and Middletown received $2.1 million.
The cities have until Dec. 1 to declare how they’re going to spend the money.
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