Editors use crime to distract readers from thin local report

As seen from Boulevard East in New Jersey, the asymmetrical design of 30 Hudson Yards, at 33rd Street and 10th Avenue in Manhattan, makes the 90-story residential building look like it is about to fall over.

In Manhattan, the building still seems a little off-kilter.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Crime and terror are featured regularly on The Record's front page as Editor Deirdre Sykes continues to neglect the local news that means most to readers.

Today's lead on the murder in North Carolina of a family with roots in Bergen County certainly is tragic, but it doesn't belong on Page 1.

In Monday's Local section, Sykes listed nine candidates running for three seats in the April 19 school election in Hackensack -- a rare acknowledgement the city has a Board of Education (Monday's L-2).

Also listed were school board candidates in other towns in Bergen, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties that also have April elections.

Readers in Hackensack can only hope for actual coverage of school issues before the election. 

'Swatting'

In fact, Monday's front-page story on "a spate of large-scale bomb threats targeting North Jersey schools this year" is the most copy on Hackensack High School readers have seen in a long time.

The Record and Hackensack Chronicle both ignored the board's approval of a $104 million spending plan on March 1, and neither has told residents school taxes make up nearly half of their property tax bill.

The April 19 ballot also will afford residents a chance to vote "yes" or "no" on the budget.

Sea change

On Monday, readers of Better Living were shocked to see a cover story on an Icelandic fish market in Closter.

After all, Food Editor Esther Davidowitz usually offers a steady diet of recipes filled with bacon, heavy cream and butter, or promotes hamburger restaurants.

And Restaurant Reviewer Elisa Ung swoons over aged beef and artery clogging desserts, and rarely orders salads.

From Iceland

The Fish Dock in Closter is operated by Olafur and Maria Badrusson, who grew up in a small fishing village in Iceland, assisted by Bo Olafsson, his son from a previous marriage, and Bo's wife, Catherine.

(On North Jersey.com, "Badrusson" is spelled "Baldursson" more than once. Monday's article also uses two spellings for the son, "Olafsson" and "Olaffson").

Among the fresh Icelandic fish you don't see in North Jersey are blue ling, European plaice, tusk and pearly white wolfish, described as similar to monkfish.

The market also sells meals prepared from fresh fish imported from Iceland.