Editors bury photo showing pain, deafeat of victim's family

The afternoon rush hour on Summit Avenue in Hackensack. The street has been repaved by Bergen County, but Prospect Avenue, which is lined with high rises, is still a rough ride of crudely patched pavement.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

If you are the family of Nazareh Bugg, an innocent black teenage girl cut down by gunfire in Paterson, you won't get much respect from the editors of The Record, even though your pain and defeat is obvious for everyone to see.

Today, the photo of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes is on the front page, where The Record reports Nazareh was killed by gunfire between two "groups" fighting for territory in Paterson's 1st and 4th wards last month (A-1).

But Nazareh's family also was at the carefully staged news conference. Where is their photo?

In the print edition, it's buried on A-8, the continuation page.

On NorthJersey.com, you'll have to scroll down to see their pain, resignation and defeat -- the photo runs below the photos of three suspects:

See: Editors bury black pain


We know The Record and other media are suckers for one of those carefully managed press conferences, where authorities try to convince the public they are doing a good job stopping crime.

But Nazareh's family and hundreds of other families in Paterson know that is so much official B.S.

Moronic mayor

Most Paterson residents want to give a swift kick in Mayor Joey Torres' rear-end.

Torres attended Tuesday's press conference and tried to explain to a reporter why he didn't make a public statement about Nazareh's slaying (A-8).

Why does The Record quote the moron at all?

Charity for Syrians

A disturbing story on banks thwarting U.S.-based charities and churches from helping Syrians during their devastating civil war doesn't mention any alternatives (A-1 and A-6).

Hand in Hand for Syria is a charity based in England, but you can make donations online:  

See: We only work inside Syria

Hackensack news

I don't envy Staff Writer Todd South, the new Hackensack reporter, who is trying to catch up to events that occurred long before he took over the beat.

His story on the fifth anniversary of the Bergen County homeless shelter on South River Street ignores the tremendous impact on the Police Department.

Attracted by three meals a day at the shelter -- the Housing, Health and Human Services Center -- the homeless continue to roam through the city, and many require transportation to Hackensack University Medical Center for care.

Police Mike Mordaga has asked hospital official to staff a room at the shelter in an attempt to cut down on those trips. 

A meeting of the City Council was scheduled for Tuesday night, but I don't see anything in today's paper.

Garrett challenger

Attorney Roy Cho of Hackensack met with The Record's unnamed Editorial Board on Tuesday to discuss his campaign to unseat Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, one of Congress' most regressive members.

Today, the story about Cho, who has the backing of both U.S. senators from New Jersey, appears on L-3, the same page often reserved for police and court news, and filler photos of non-fatal rollover accidents.