Thursday, October 21, 2010

Check the lost-and-found for all those jobs

NEW YORK - APRIL 02:  People wait on line to s...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
People wait on line to speak to job recruiters at a career day program.


Is The Record of Woodland Park trying to hide its role and the role of every other employer in the dismal jobs picture -- a main issue in next month's congressional elections? On Page 1 today, a refer carries the headline:

Jobs not growing
in Garden State
Gee, if you could grow jobs like tomatoes or corn, New Jersey would be in great shape. But the text below the headline says "the state lost 20,200 jobs" last month as the rest of the U.S. added them. How did it "lose" jobs? Did anyone check the employment lost-and-found?

Of course, the Borgs and every other employer would like nothing more than if readers believe jobs could be "lost" and "found." Publisher Stephen A. Borg is especially sensitive about this issue because of the $3.65 million he sucked out of North Jersey Media Group in the form of a mortgage for his 8,000-square-foot home in Tenafly.

If Greedy Stevie had stayed in his $2 million home, could he have postponed the downsizing that followed several months later or made it less severe? 

The quality of the paper had been going downhill under the incompetent leadership of Editors Francis Scandale, Deirdre Sykes, Tim Nostrand, Jim McGarvey, Barbara Jaeger and others, but when Borg jettisoned many experienced workers and moved to Woodland Park, the decline gathered great speed.

In the employment story on L-8, the first Business page, Staff Writer Hugh Morley does not use the word "employers" or "companies" or "businesses" or "small-business owners" anywhere. Jobs are identified as "government" and "private sector." It's other-worldly. 

So, if you read between the lines, you learn that businesses in New Jersey fired, downsized, laid off or otherwise royally screwed 9,400 more people in September than they hired. How many thousands of families saw their lives turned upside down, while Stephen sipped a great Bordeaux at the Englewood wine bar in which he and his big sister have invested?

Recently, the Business pages had a Q&A with an executive from Ramsey who said it was "too expensive" to hire employees. What goes unsaid by this moron, Borg and others is that the worker who remains standing is expected to do the work of two, three or more who have been shown the door, while the executives keep more of the money for themselves.

The L-8 story reports "the state lost 10,800 government jobs." Was that because of Governor Christie's state aid cuts, which have fallen most heavily on the middle and working classes? Not a word on the cause of the jobs "loss" appears in the story.

This is Zisa's defense?

On A-1 today, the defense attorney for suspended Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa complains  the investigation of him was one-sided and he was denied the chance to testify before the grand jury. He also proclaims his innocence, but if this is all his attorney has, he'll soon be going down in flames. 

Why is this on Page 1, in place of the debate between Bergen County executive candidates?


Monsy catches up to the weeklies

Hackensack reporter Monsy Alvarado has a second story in the paper today, an L-1  report on  zoning and other changes proposed for Main Street that are many months old. 

She buries on the continuation page that one of the changes sought is a return to two-way traffic, and omits any mention of how The Record's abandonment of Hackensack has affected businesses.


Better Living


Thursday's Better Living section has been missing food coverage for years, but a Starters column appears today, moved up from its usual Friday slot. Unfortunately, this first look at a new restaurant in Tappan, N.Y., completely omits prices, making the piece sound suspiciously like an advertisement.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

From Big Cheese to small potatoes

A pumpkin stem.Image via Wikipedia


A couple of weeks ago, Tom Troncone was night editor of The Record of Woodland Park. Now, he is an editor at AOL Patch -- the local news site -- posting a photo of pumpkins with a story on a pumpkin patch on Ridgewood Patch.


All those patches confusing you? What does Patch mean, anyway? Patched up? Patched together? Pumpkin patch? Turf? Territory? Your guess is as good as mine. It just seems like small potatoes.


This is a link to the story about Ridgewood's only pumpkin patch. It's chatty, but not well-edited.

Pumkin patch on Ridhewood Patch

The first paragraph notes there is no hay ride, but there are plans for one next year. Later, we read this:

"There's no muss, no fuss, no expensive farm markets or rip off expensive hayrides."
 A little off-message, don't you think? 

Patch is covering only four towns in Bergen County now, and hardly represents a threat to The Record, even though local coverage in the paper is, well, patchy.
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Laughter amid the tears

The Big Story logo from 2005-01-19 to 2006-11-26Image via Wikipedia


I've said it before and I'll say it again: Editors Francis Scandale, Deirdre Sykes, Jim McGarvey and the rest of that sorry lot at The Record of Woodland Park cannot handle The Big Story.

Today's tabloid-like front page is dominated by the sad tale of a father who killed his two young children in Ringwood, then took his own life; and the indictment of suspended Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa on new charges. 

Both stories have problems, and near the end, the latter story provides comic relief by reporting, "Zisa....comes from a family of public servants." What a joke.

How many decades is The Record and other media going to report there were no outward signs of trouble and the neighbors were shocked or stunned after a murder, suicide or other tragedy, and never do the story on 1) how superficial our relationships with our neighbors truly are, and 2) is there anyplace a troubled person can turn for help in North Jersey? 

Instead, 11 reporters, a photographer and a graphic artist are thrown at assembling the main bar under the questionable leadership of Editor Jim McScreamy. The bodies were discovered Monday night at 8, so either the late police checks missed this important story or the cops withheld it until Tuesday.  
This map shows the incorporated and unincorpor...Image via Wikipedia
Why are there no interviews with Hackensack residents on the indictment of  the police chief?

Turning to the Zisa story, why did the Hackensack reporter find it necessary to attribute the indictment to the Prosecutor's Office, and why didn't any editor catch that clunky construction in the lead story on Page 1? 

Why are there no interviews with residents, who flooded northjersey.com with comments (see previous post)? Where is the sidebar on whether Zisa's legal troubles, lawsuits filed against him and cops' disciplinary hearings have affected the morale of the department or the quality of policing? Does the public still have confidence in the department?

In short, when is Sykes and her minions going to get their heads out of their ample asses, and give some real direction to Monsy Alvarado, who has been pursuing the Zisa story for nearly two years, often to the exclusion of basic news about the city, where the newspaper was founded in 1895?

Even when the paper's employees filled four floors at 150 River St., only a few blocks from Hackensack Police Department headquarters, I cannot recall a story on the Zisa family dynasty and the nepotism, in what many refer to as "Zisaville."

Do you think Karen Rouse or any other reporter who covered the New Jersey Turnpike Authority in recent years ever asked to see the agency's budget? (See A-1 story today on "$43 million in waste.")

In Local, a story reports a Hebrew-immersion elementary school in Englewood is applying for designation as a charter school -- just what that city needs to further segregation in the lower grades.


Food Editor Susan Sherrill's "In Your Kitchen" column debuts in Better Living today (F-1) with two recipes from a French cookbook that use butter, cream and pancetta (similar to bacon). The F-2 photo is by her husband. If you're watching your cholesterol, please turn the page.

Editor Barbara Jaeger's Better Living section is always designated "F," as in F.U. to readers who want to eat healthy meals.


Comments on the Zisa indictment

Here are comments from northjersey.com on the indictment of suspended Hackensack Police Chief Ken Zisa (as of 10:30 this morning):

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 10:22 AM - lj says:


The people do not want their representatives offering him a plea. His pension should be taken away from him. Zisa should not be rewarded for his criminal behavior. That would be a disgrace.

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 9:42 AM - Sue B says:

Is his a picture of remorse?!

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 8:45 AM - The Truth__9076 says:

There has been talk of a plea deal where Zisa will KEEP his pension??. ... I certainly hope NOT!!!!.

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 8:36 AM - thistle1967 says:

Corruption all over the county this is just the tip of the iceberg. It deflects off of everything else.

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 8:29 AM - FarmerSays says:

ZISA AND HIS CRONIES ALL THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE THE UNTOUCHABLES.

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 7:36 AM - lily2010 says:

Is Tiernan still on the county payroll ?

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 6:17 AM - lily2010 says:

What about a RICO charge-Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization ,it appears that he ran this place like the mob with his own little crew. Disgraceful. Somebody should have told this guy respect is earned. I guess thats what happens when you don't earn your rank or when you are propelled to higher authority by politics. I'm sure some others are using some type of stomach medication today-who knows what Kenny will tell about.

Wednesday October 20, 2010, 6:12 AM - da-mayer says:

The Ziss's give the citizens of Hackensack pure hell. Good riddance!

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 11:49 PM - lily2010 says:

What about Fredo ? When the music stops who will be left standing ? Just another blow to the Democrats in this County.Who will be named next ? Maybe the County will hire more spokespeople to spin the misdeeds,time to flush the bowl on all these turds.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 11:14 PM - jazmen says:

leaning tower of zisa is crumbling down. lol

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 11:14 PM - jazmen says:

leaning tower of zisa is crumbling down. lol

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 11:00 PM - retired and lovin it says:

Nobody wins

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 10:21 PM - realtor101 says:

Lets see if the Chiefs Association goes to bat for him and embarrases themselves!

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 9:58 PM - lj says:

Indictments are not convictions. Bergen County should not feel vindicated yet.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 8:51 PM - NJ Dissident says:

This further confirms New Jersey as The Soprano State. Lock up the scum.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 7:32 PM - lily2010 says:

Thank you Prosecutor Molinelli for conducting this investigation and not caving in to the pressure. Wonder who in his party Kenny may sing about,could it impact the coming County Exec and Sheriff races ? Yes sir there is trouble in river city.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 7:07 PM - Mr. Knickerbocker says:

One thing that Zisa and his crew forgot was that not everyone is your enemy, even if they don't go along with your "program." Sometimes you got to throw the others a bone just to keep them happy. What he did was pick-and-choose "his guys" and alienated everyone else. Big Mistake! Then, the first time he stepped on his d..k, the alienated crowd pounced! Whatever punishment he gets for his legal problems won't make up for the grief he caused the Hack PD on a day-to-day basis. Good Riddance!

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 6:42 PM - Sparky says:

Saudino next!

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:58 PM - libs_r_phony says:

Bet he still gets his pension

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:54 PM - Redline says:

Before you all get too excited, just wait to see the plea deal he ends up striking. He'll get 3 months at club fed with daily passes to Bada Bing's WORST case.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:35 PM - hackrez says:

Finally!

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:31 PM - mm4218 says:

Enjoy Bergen County Jail.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:27 PM - hillman says:

Ya think the heat got a little too much for the county Prosecutor's office to continue covering up things? Potentailly bad news for those past and present involved with certain other Bergen PDs. Everybody for themselves.

Tuesday October 19, 2010, 5:23 PM - LuckyOne says:

Its about time!