Why are 12 more gun deaths front-page news?

An accident on Route 4 east in Teaneck this morning backed up traffic in Paramus, above, and beyond. Despite high tolls and expensive gasoline, most of the cars and SUVs carry lone drivers, a testament to the sorry state of public transit under Governor Christie.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

I'm pretty certain more than 12 people have been killed by gun violence in both Newark and Paterson this year, two cities that had to lay off police officers because of Governor Christie's mean-spirited cuts in state aid.

Have you seen that story on Page 1 of The Record?

The deaths of 13 on Monday at the Washington Navy Yard, including the gunman, is all over the front-page of the Woodland Park daily today (A-1 and A-6).

It's the kind of sensational story newspaper editors like Marty Gottlieb love, but readers are just shaking their heads.

Politicians to blame

What should be on the front page is how Christie and politicians in Washington and other states have caved into the National Rifle Association and its deep pockets, refusing to tighten gun control -- despite one mass shooting after another.

The Navy Yard massacre may accomplish one thing: Drawing attention to bloated government payrolls. An astounding 18,000 people work there (A-6).

What statement?

Another front-page story is written in a sky-is-falling tone.

Staff Writer Melissa Hayes, one of the reporters who is firmly in Christie's corner, says state Sen. Barbara Buono did not submit "her story" to voters.

Hayes is referring to an optional candidate's statement on sample ballots for the Nov. 5 gubernatorial election that are sent to nearly 5.5 million registered voters in the state (A-1).

I vote in every election, and my reaction is, What statement?

Anti-Buono stance

The reason Hayes and the editors think this is such a big deal is that they long ago dismissed Buono's campaign, and have taken every opportunity to tell readers how poorly she is doing in the polls.

Her campaign message never appears on the front page, which seems to be reserved for Christie and the shore's recovery from Superstorm Sandy. 

They've also ignored the issues and what a poor job the GOP bully is doing as governor -- on gun control, mass transit, exorbitant tolls, women's health, local property taxes and job creation.

Christie idolatry

Christie is clearly the worst New Jersey governor ever, and I'm not the only one who thinks so:

In a letter to the editor today (A-8), Paul Fraser of Fair Lawn says, "Can journalists like Editorial Page Editor Alfred P. Doblin stop fawning over this governor, who really hasn't accomplished very much?"

"We continue to see very depressing economic news in New Jersey, and Governor Christie is clueless as to help those without a job. We see him going against the will of the people on issues like same-sex marriage and the medical marijuana program ....

"What is the appeal of this man," Fraser asks.

New photo

Did you notice the updated photo of Staff Writer Virginia Rohan, one of the most talented writers in the newsroom (A-1)?

OK. Rohan has devoted too much time and space to those slutty New Jersey housewives, but she was probably under orders from her editor.

Now, Gottlieb should update the photos of Columnist Mike Kelly, he of the shit-eating grin; of Jill Schensul, the haggard, jet-lagged Travel section editor; and of the befuddled, error-prone John Cichowski, aka the Road Warrior. 

Living dead

In Local today, Staff Writer Jay Levin has two expanded obituaries of prominent North Jersey residents (L-1 and L-6).

Of course, the Rev. Eugene Palumbo, 91, a Paterson native; and Dr. Robert McCabe, 88, formerly of Englewood, made plenty of headlines when they were alive.

Readers might ask where are the obituaries of their neighbors, whose accomplishments the paper routinely ignores, and why aren't there more African-American life stories published?

Shameful

If you've ever doubted the vast majority of people are morons, racists and worse -- or the media's role in making them that way -- see the story on the front of Better Living.

I'm shocked at the reaction to an Indian-American woman winning the Miss America contest (BL-1).

Now, that's Page 1 news.

Related articles

• Christie's 'Jersey Comeback' goes belly up
• 12 more gun deaths won't matter
• Editors ditch their objectivity

In gun debate, should we expect more of the police?

This old Lincoln usually is among a half-dozen or more cars parked in the driveway or in front of 311 Euclid Ave. in Hackensack, a home that neighbors suspect is being used illegally as a rooming house. Their complaints to the city Building Department have been ignored. For the past three days, the car has been parked a half-block away from 311 Euclid.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

When did we stop expecting the police to control crime, especially gun violence?

Today, The Record runs a long Page 1 discussion of failed gun-control efforts in New Jersey (A-1 and A-6), and an AP story on Trenton breaking its record for most homicides in a year (A-4) -- and not a single police chief is quoted in either.

Have we bought into the unspoken argument of gun-rights groups that citizens need to bear arms to protect themselves in the absence of effective law enforcement?

Christie veto

Governor Christie's veto of gun-control bills is another example of how he falls short when compared to leaders in New York and other states on a whole range of issues, including mass transit and a hike in the minimum wage (O-2).

Today's front-page story on the gun debate is one of three process pieces hand-picked by Editor Marty Gottlieb to put readers to sleep.

Silver Spoons

Really, who wants to read a profile of John Mara, the wealthy co-owner of the Giants, who, like Publisher Stephen A. Borg, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth (A-1)?

Who is responsible for the wrong photo in a full-page East Coast Toyota ad (A-10)? A Toyota Camry is shown instead of  "the all-new redesigned 2014 Corolla."

Cops off the hook again

The Road Warrior's statistics-filled column on a speeding and driving drunk crackdown demonstrates once again how the media ignore the lack of enforcement at other times (L-1).

Same goes for a ticket blitz targeting bicyclists, but not speeding drivers, on Route 9W (L-3).

The drought on local obituaries continues today, but head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes made room for more utility pole news (L-2).

More irrelevant coverage

Editors of the Business section kicked back on Friday, scheduling a wire-service piece on the national economy today (B-1), but nothing on the dismal New Jersey economy.

On the Opinion front, Columnist Mike Kelly continues to test readers' patience by comparing the number of people who turned out to hear President Obama last Wednesday and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a half-century ago.

His first column doing so was a total turn-off. Maybe, he should pay more attention to getting the editors to update his unflattering, "Shit-Eating Grin" column photo (O-1).

Eat this

On the Better Living cover, the fine-dining restaurant reviewer goes slumming at Sonic and other fast-food places to celebrate such crappy fare as "pretzel buns" (BL-1).

As if to balance The Corner Table column from Staff Writer Elisa Ung, section editors run an overlong profile of Pete Napolitano, also known as "Produce Pete," whose family business in Bergenfield closed in 2006 (BL-1). 

Mordaga has little to say to The Record

One of the many Hackensack businesses that suffered after The Record fled the city.

Today's front page carries "a brief interview" with the new police director in Hackensack, Michael Mordaga, a lawman who was never at a loss for words and who was loved by reporters looking for colorful quotes.

But Mordaga, who starts on Feb. 4, had little to say to Staff Writer Hannan Adely and The Record, which has been investigating him since at least 2006 (A-1).

Readers out in cold

Head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes and her deputy, Dan Sforza, asked three reporters to cover the coldest weather in 2 years, and the best they could do is write about the homeless and victims of Superstorm Sandy.

What about all those commuters who have to wait in the cold for buses and trains, or people who have to work outside, like cops, firefighters and gas station attendants?

Are they so much chopped liver? Now you know why The Record's assignment editors are known far and wide for their laziness. 

See the editorial on A-18 about the pathetic situation at NJ Transit's Hoboken Terminal, which is closed, and how commuters are barred from warm construction trailers. 

Why isn't that in the weather story on A-1 today?

Christie apologist

On the Local front, Staff Writer Charles Stile is mildly critical of Governor Christie's "play-it-safe" strategy on gun control, but spends too much of his column explaining away the GOP bully's inaction (L-1).

Municipal follies

There are two municipal stories from Teaneck in the section, on L-2 and L-3, but nothing from Englewood, Ridgewood and many other large towns.

Law and Order stories predominate once again, with fire and accident photos used as filler (L-1 and L-3).