IRVINGTON, N.J.

City seeks to buy mortgages that are in foreclosure

Irvington, N.J., is moving forward with plans to become the second municipality in the nation to use eminent domain to buy mortgages that are in foreclosure.

At a rally Saturday, Mayor Wayne Smith said the city will perform a legal study of the proposal to use eminent domain, which has drawn forceful opposition from Wall Street, real estate groups and some in Washington, while gaining the support of a civil rights group typically opposed to the practice.

“When you hear those words, it usually has a negative connotation,” Smith said. But, when used to take control of underwater mortgages the city will “recast it so people can stay in their homes.”

The city of 53,000 that neighbors Newark has been hard-hit by foreclosures. Officials said nearly 1,800 homes here have been foreclosed on since 2008.

The city has an unemployment rate of 12.4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Richmond, Calif., announced plans to use eminent domain to help underwater homeowners earlier this year and a lawsuit challenging the practice was dismissed by a California district court judge in September. Richmond has not yet used eminent domain.

Smith said Irvington’s plan would focus on so-called “private label” security mortgages, or ones that are not backed by the U.S. government.

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio

County judge apologizes for wearing blackface at party

A county judge in southern Ohio who donned blackface for a Halloween party has apologized for the costume and met with a local NAACP leader about the issue.

Ross County Common Pleas Judge Scott Nusbaum was photographed at a party wearing dark makeup, a pink dress and a gray wig, the Chillicothe Gazette reported.

– From news service reports