'Eye on The Record' shall return

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Eye on The Record is taking another break, this one about twice as long as my one-week hiatus in June.

I'll be spared all the dreadful local journalism in The Record of Woodland Park, but unfortunate readers won't. 


There is plenty of good reading, so spend a few minutes reviewing observations from the early days of this blog, including "Abandoning Hackensack" and "Stephen Borg prospers despite the recession."


Today's paper isn't anything to speak of, thanks to Editor Francis "Frank The Castrato" Scandale. 


The lead story is about the $400 million federal education grant screw-up, and the more than $500,000 paid a consultant. The Record didn't question the role of the consultant until the state attorney general launched a probe Tuesday.


The Local news section is thin, as usual, with big photos taking up the space of stories the staff didn't file. There is no Hackensack news today; reporter Monsy Alvarado is resting from filing two stories in two days. Englewood news? Nope.


But editors made room for a story about Rockleigh on L-3. Most residents live in an old-age home.


Head Assignment Editor Deirdre "Mother Hen" Sykes or one of her minions should take Road Warrior John Cichowski's pulse. His "Check Brain" light has been on for a couple of years now.


You'd think that with at least two highly paid food staffers -- the food editor and a restaurant reviewer -- Better Living could do better than boring wire-service coverage of food and wine. 

Before dim-witted Publisher Stephen A. Borg folded the Food section, readers enjoyed locally written food stories, a column by the food editor, and recipes every Wednesday. Now, readers get slop.

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--Victor E. Sasson

'Eye on The Record' is taking a short break

My daily commentary on The Record of Woodland Park will resume in about a week.


You can rest assured the editors will continue to exercise their flawed news judgment and assign reporters to chase stories of little concern or relevance to the vast majority of North Jersey readers. At the same time, Hackensack residents will be told day after day their concerns do not matter.

Parting shots

One of my Anonymous commentators said a week or two ago he heard that Managing Editor Frank Burgos was given his walking papers. Burgos' name appeared on the editorial page today. He has long been the newsroom disciplinarian, specializing in veteran employees. If he has been terminated, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

With immigration, property taxes, special education and women's health programs to worry about, why are the editors assigning reporters to keep alive that laughable Russian spy story (A-1)? Staff Writer Giovanna Fabiano doesn't cover Englewood and Leonia on a good day, so why is head Assignment Editor Deirdre "Mother Hen" Sykes sidetracking her? Is it for comic relief?

Fabiano is such a great reporter, she can't even get a quote from Michel Bittan, the powerful Englewood businessman who has been linked romantically to one of the Russian suspects. Sort of reminds you of how Staff Writer Monsy Alvarado can't get any intelligent response from suspended Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa, despite all the months she has hounded him to chronicle in sickening detail his mounting legal troubles -- to the exclusion of any other Hackensack news.

In Local, county officials gave a preview of the new Overpeck Park -- which has been decades in the making -- but the paper only has room for a small photo (?!#%?). "See Saturday's paper for a fuller look," the editors say. Gee. Did that Russian spy story have to run so long? 


Kudos to Food Editor Bill Pitcher for putting his meat obsession aside to review an unusual kosher dairy restaurant in Teaneck. But in view of his size -- and the tens of thousands of his readers who are struggling with their weight -- can he really afford to be eating all of that dessert?