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| Marks left by investigators after Leyla Kan, 60, of Fort Lee was struck, dragged and killed by a school bus Thursday morning on Broad Avenue in Leonia. |
By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR
Three days after a Page 1 story left many questions unanswered about the death of a pedestrian hit by a school bus in Leonia, The Record today publishes another woefully incomplete front-page report on a pickup truck that "plowed through a farmers' market" in Hawthorne, killing a woman.
So much is missing from this story, assembled by a skeleton Sunday newsroom staff and the local assignment editor who got stuck working that day.
No names, ages
Readers don't even find the name and age of the dead woman, said to be a Hawthorne resident, or the name and age of the driver, who was being evaluated at a hospital "because he was visibly upset," the police chief said.
There also is no attempt to explain why the driver of the pickup dragged the woman at least four blocks before stopping.
The accident happened at 2:15 p.m. Sunday -- about 15 minutes after the market's official closing time.
No Web update
At 11:12 this morning, the report on the paper's Web site, NorthJersey.com, also was missing the names of the victim and driver. The story was last updated at 11:13 Sunday night.
When do Deirdre Sykes and Dan Sforza, the laziest assignment editors in journalism, get into work in Woodland Park today -- at noon or later?
NorthJersey.com does carry a video of a TV report at 5:04 this morning, but Channel 7 Eyewitness News says the woman was pinned underneath the pickup truck for a half-mile -- not the four blocks described in The Record story -- and the driver made two left turns.
Also in the video, a woman at the market describes the truck as "speeding."
Young reporters
Today's Page 1 story was based on reporting by two males in their early 20s, Staff Writers Andrew Wyrich and Minjae Park, both of whom appear not to have any police sources.
Hawthorne Police Chief Richard McAuliffe is quoted as saying of the driver who killed the woman, "As of right now, he has not been charged."
But most of the quotes in the story come from Hawthorne Mayor Richard S. Goldberg, not the chief, who apparently refused to release information to the inexperienced reporters.
In an understatement, Goldberg said the accident is "something this town will not forget for a long time," but why is this quote on Page 1?
Highlands Act
I'm not sure why the 10th anniversary of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act doesn't appear on the front page today, especially in view of all the holes in the fatal accident story, which would have worked better on the Local front.
The act was signed into law by Gov. James E. McGreevey, though he is better known for declaring that he is gay and resigning, also 10 years ago.
In fact, McGreevey signed the act into law on Aug. 10, 2004, a few days before he resigned.
In fact, McGreevey signed the act into law on Aug. 10, 2004, a few days before he resigned.
If you read far enough, you'll learn that Governor Christie continues to be an enemy of New Jersey's environment (L-6).
Christie eliminated payments in lieu of taxes to compensate towns that lose ratables because they have protected land, said Jeff Tittel, New Jersey Sierra Club director.
Jersey water
"Even with his attacks ... and his weakening of environmental protections, the law is still on the books," Tittel said. "The law is getting enforced as best it can even with this governor."
Referring to the reservoirs and watersheds the act is meant to protect, Tittel said:
"Water in New Jersey feeds our three largest industries -- food processing, pharmaceutical and tourism."
Highlands water goes into making Budweiser beer, Manischewitz matzo, Goya Foods and Tylenol, among other products.
The funny thing is I am beginning to read your blog to find out what is missing from the Record's news, which is deplorable. Regarding dragging people under their cars for 4 blocks or whatever, it seems to be becoming a common practice. How can you NOT know you are dragging a body under your vehicle? And as for the laws and enactment of the laws for vehicular manslaughter, they are from another world. In the Hawthorne incident, the guy plowed into a crowded farmer's market. It wasn't like he was driving slowly and unintentionally made a wrong turn into the corn and tomatoes. And who is this guy held on $200k bond? Upset because he could not get parking? Pedestrians seem to be fair game these days on crazy or distracted drivers. Again, I am steadily getting my news from your posts. Keep writing. The paper, The Record, soon will have value for only wrapping fish. Am sorry to say and realize. It has taken some time for me to come to this opinion.
ReplyDeleteThanks. This is what you get when Publisher Stephen A. Borg packs his newsroom with inexperienced reporters he can pay $40,000 a year or less. For a good laugh, read the Twitter pages of some of these reporters, fresh out of college.
DeleteThe Ledger was so good with all its older, highly paid reporters that it lost tens of millions per year.
ReplyDeleteHow would you know how much The Star Ledger made or lost? Anyway, The Ledger made tons of money for years, much longer than it lost money, and it dominated New Jersey, making The Record look foolish in the process.
DeleteSo I guess you're saying that a newspaper that enriches its owners and screws its readers with pathetic local coverage is the way to go these days.
All newspapers have been losing money because of the internet age, but it does not mean they have to hasten the bleeding by hiring wanna be's who do not have a clue of how to run a story, from beginning to middle, to end.
DeleteThe paper did not lose money on highly paid writers, it lost money because it is no damn good, and probably never was. What the Borg's did to the city of Hackensack as well shows what kind of great community minded souls they really are (not).
Yes. They sucked city dry for 110 years to finance their East Hill and Hamptons lifestyle, then delivered a royal screwing by pulling out in 2009, leaving an eyesore on River Street.
Delete