Is this Page 1 news or just soft porn?

Image via CrunchBase

Maybe seniors, women and poor children should make YouTube videos to get Governor Christie's attention and stop him from cutting their programs.

Editor Francis Scandale leads the paper for the second day in a row with sordid allegations of sex with underage girls, but are the posturings of high-priced defense attorneys really Page 1 news?

We know Scandale's mind is in the tabloid gutter, so what was the news copy desk thinking with a so-called banger head that uses the word "twist"? 

My first thought is you "twist" an object that you are using to screw something -- as in trying to screw the Paramus Catholic High teens out of their day in court.

Seven -- count them, seven -- reporters worked on this one story. No wonder there is no real news in The Record of Woodland Park, where the editors allow Governor Christie and their wealthy bosses to set the paper's priorities. 

Honorary governor

A 5-year-old's YouTube video on wanting to be governor of New Jersey was heavily edited (A-3). Jesse Koczon actually said he wanted to emulate Christie by eating unlimited amounts of pizza and soda so he could grow as big as the Republican bully.

On the same page, Staff Writer Karen Rouse, who seems to hold a side job as a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority,  fires another salvo in the agency's war against the toll collectors union -- the equivalent of Christie's war against the teachers union.

Exposing a scam

It's good to see that Englewood and Teaneck are challenging the Shalom Academy Charter School, which will allow wealthy parents to get the public schools to pay most of the bill for their child's Jewish education, which now costs $15,000 to $20,000 a year -- in addition to the taxes they pay (L-1).

Today's story is the first time ever that Englewood reporter Giovanna Fabiano has mentioned city schools are under a state Supreme Court desegregation order dating to 2002.

New contest 

This week, Scandale and head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes ran the state's new legislative map at least twice -- with no town or county labels.

Now -- in a modification of pin the tale on the donkey -- Sykes will wear the same unlabeled map on the back of one of her tent dresses and blindfolded mall shoppers will be be invited to try and find their towns, with the prize being a year's subscription to any North Jersey Media Group publication.

To avoid the chance a shopper would touch Sykes' buttocks, South Jersey will not appear on the back of her dress. For a schedule of her mall visits, see northjersey.com.

What does Better Living need more -- a new bimonthly wine column by a "local sommelier" or detailed information on whether food served in restaurants is grown or raised naturally (F-1)?