Weekly beats crap out of daily

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Shocking legal fees prompted Hackensack residents to turn over in their graves at The Church on The Green, opposite the courts.

In the last two years, The Record's coverage of Hackensack has been spotty.


But long, detailed stories about suspended Police Chief Ken Zisa's legal troubles -- even routine court motions -- have been rammed down readers' throats. 


Now, the weekly Hackensack Chronicle has a story taxpayers really need to see: 


The city's legal bills in the past two years total more than $3.1 million, much of it for litigation involving Zisa and police officers who filed suit against him, the weekly's Dec. 16 edition reports.


The city is obligated to pay for Zisa's defense against numerous lawsuits, as well as against criminal charges.


The weekly paper also lists law firms that have received the most money, including $535,158 paid to Zisa and Hitscherin, in which City Attorney Joseph Zisa is a partner. Joseph Zisa is the chief's cousin.


Zisa on Zisa


Joseph Zisa also is quoted in the weekly as saying the city will never settle any lawsuit and claiming that policy has saved Hackensack money.


The only Hackensack news in the Woodland Park daily today is police news (L-3), and a short story reporting the high school won a $10,000 prize for its music program (L-5).


Head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes has argued she really doesn't have to cover Hackensack, because the weekly paper is delivered with The Record every Friday.


Today's paper


What's front-page news today? 


Interim Editor Doug Clancy leads The Record with a crime story for the fifth time this week, but it's just a routine court hearing for an ex-cop accused of murder.


Sykes' assignment desk also tries to localize the end of America's war in Iraq by having a reporter interview the relatives of soldiers who died, not those who survived and will be coming home (A-1).


Staff Writer Shawn Boburg has another expose of questionable spending at the Port Authority, but all of his digging comes far too late to affect the outrageous Hudson River toll and fare hikes (A-1).


On the front of Local, a story about Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II inexplicably makes no attempt to get comment from officials at the Japanese Embassy in New York.


Stomach turning


Petite Soo Chow, the Chinese restaurant that won 3 stars (Excellent) from reviewer Elisa Ung, has been closed by Cliffside Park health inspectors for the third time (Better Living, Page 24).


The inspectors cited "insect infestation."


In her review, Ung said the restaurant served dishes "that feature excellent ingredients and meticulous techniques."