Editors finally discover 'Little Mexico' under their noses

Hackensack's Salem Street, between River and Moore streets, was closed Friday, disrupting traffic. How many of the people in this photo are actually working? Three blocks of Salem, from River to State streets, have been torn up for weeks to perform underground work.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

In a single front-page story today, The Record's editors try to play catch-up on nearly three decades of Mexican migration to a city not far from their ivory tower newsroom.

Spurred by Governor Christie's visit to Mexico,  the reporter who covers immigrants for the Woodland Park daily traces the growth of Passaic city's Poblanos or people who hail from the state and city of Puebla (A-1).

The Record's local-news editors have largely ignored Passaic's Mexican-Americans until now, even though the onetime Food section wrote extensively about North Jersey's Little Mexico in 2003.

On Friday, Christie visited Puebla, citing the big percentage of Mexican immigrants in New Jersey who come from there (38.75%). 

Previously, the GOP bully slashed tax credits for Mexican-Americans and other working poor, and cut aid to Passaic and five other impoverished cities.

In her story about Passaic's Poblanos, Staff Writer Monsy Alvarado undercounts "taquerias, Mexican bakeries, restaurants and stores," and makes no mention of the wholesale Mexican food warehouses that are open to the public (A-4). 


Christie's revenge

Another rating agency has condemned Christie's fiscal policies in New Jersey, citing, among other things, a state economy that "continues to lag that of the nation" (A-1).

The A-4 story by Melissa Hayes on Christie's visit to Puebla says the governor "came to the state nearly 90 miles from Mexico City," but didn't he meet Puebla Gov. Rafael Moreno Valle in the capital city, also called Puebla?

Tips immigration hand

At one point, Christie seems to be saying the unaccompanied children crossing the Mexican border illegally should respect and recognize the laws of the United States.

Then, he is quoted gushing about "an endless line of one child more adorable than the next" -- presumably, as long as they stay in Mexico.

Friday was the last day of what Christie called a trade mission, but The Record hasn't reported whether any new deals or contracts were signed between New Jersey and Mexican businesses.

Indeed, the gushing coverage seems designed only to boost Christie's prospects as a Republican presidential contender in 2016.

Police blotter

Head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes and her deputy, Dan Sforza, did a great job filling today's Local section with police and court news (L-1, L-2, L-3 and L-6).

Second look

In last Sunday's Road Warrior column, confused Staff Writer John Cichowski again provided "wrong, unsafe and illegal advice" to teenagers and their parents, according to the Facebook page for Road Warrior Bloopers.

"The Road Warrior [Cichowski] reported that an official stated that about 800 teens were killed in car crashes in New Jersey over the last 10 years.

"Actually, there were only about 400 teenage deaths for drivers and passengers in the last 10 years, according to New Jersey State Police road fatality annual statistics, which the Road Warrior frequently references, but misstates."

See: Take away John Cichowski's license to write