Mordaga has little to say to The Record

One of the many Hackensack businesses that suffered after The Record fled the city.

Today's front page carries "a brief interview" with the new police director in Hackensack, Michael Mordaga, a lawman who was never at a loss for words and who was loved by reporters looking for colorful quotes.

But Mordaga, who starts on Feb. 4, had little to say to Staff Writer Hannan Adely and The Record, which has been investigating him since at least 2006 (A-1).

Readers out in cold

Head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes and her deputy, Dan Sforza, asked three reporters to cover the coldest weather in 2 years, and the best they could do is write about the homeless and victims of Superstorm Sandy.

What about all those commuters who have to wait in the cold for buses and trains, or people who have to work outside, like cops, firefighters and gas station attendants?

Are they so much chopped liver? Now you know why The Record's assignment editors are known far and wide for their laziness. 

See the editorial on A-18 about the pathetic situation at NJ Transit's Hoboken Terminal, which is closed, and how commuters are barred from warm construction trailers. 

Why isn't that in the weather story on A-1 today?

Christie apologist

On the Local front, Staff Writer Charles Stile is mildly critical of Governor Christie's "play-it-safe" strategy on gun control, but spends too much of his column explaining away the GOP bully's inaction (L-1).

Municipal follies

There are two municipal stories from Teaneck in the section, on L-2 and L-3, but nothing from Englewood, Ridgewood and many other large towns.

Law and Order stories predominate once again, with fire and accident photos used as filler (L-1 and L-3).