Today's local and food 'news'

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Hackensack and Englewood stories in Local today appear under "Update" -- essentially a rehashing of old news, with a smidgen of something new.

On L-2, Staff Writer Monsy Alvarado has her first Hackensack story since March 22 in The Record of Woodland Park -- that a police substation on Hudson Street opened a "couple of months" ago, but "officially" opened last week. There is no mention of Police Chief Ken Zisa, who is apparently the target of an editor Deirdre Sykes-inspired investigation that has forced Alvarado to ignore any other news about the city. Her last non-Zisa story ran Jan. 30.

On L-3, Staff Writer Giovanna Fabiano reports on a hearing to explore uses for an old Englewood school and the Mackay Park skating rink. She had another short story, about the mayor's new Web site, on April 7 -- the first non-police news from that city since March 8.

In Better Living, Food Editor Bill Pitcher appears to be shamelessly promoting KFC with a detailed comparison of the Double Down -- bacon and cheese between two pieces of fried chicken -- against nine other fast-food items. (Photo: KFC in Kingston, Jamaica.)

Are we being asked to believe he or anyone else at The Record actually purchased all 10 items, then prepared an elaborate chart with seven categories, including cholesterol and sodium, only to conclude the Double Down isn't so bad after all. (The chart has no credit line.) Or did KFC supply Pitcher with the chart and maybe coupons for the sandwich to get tens of thousands of dollars of free, biased publicity from a major suburban daily newspaper?

Maybe, they should rename the "sandwich" Double Death, and put a sign on Pitcher's desk: Editor for sale to the highest bidder. Does he split the proceeds with his boss, Barbara Jaeger?