Don't forget to recycle your newspaper right away

I voted at the Fairmount Elementary School in Hackensack last November and again in April, May and this month. If Governor Christie gets his way, I'll be returning to the school to vote in August, October and November.




Once you've read the funeral tributes to U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg on Page 1 of The Record today, you might as well put the paper in the recycling bin.

Don't look for any important state or local news on the front page.

Another follow-up to Governor Christie's decision to squander $24 million on an August primary and October election to pick Lautenberg's successor ends up on A-3.

Editor Marty Gottlieb wastes A-1 space on yet another story and yet another vagina-monologue  column on Julie Hermann, Rutgers' incoming athletic director.

Christie's agenda

Christie attended services for Lautenberg, and was probably wondering whether he'll be remembered for perverting public service into a conservative, anti-social agenda. 

The Record's editorial on the special primary and election for U.S. senator ran on Wednesday, carefully justifying Christie's decision on partisan political grounds rather than discussing whether it is good for taxpayers and voters.

Hospital expansions

On head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes' Local front, what is probably the 100th story about expansion of The Valley Hospital reports continuing opposition from neighbors (L-1).

Hackensack readers can only recall what poor coverage The Record gave to complaints from neighbors about repeated expansions of Hackensack University Medical Center.

Two possible reasons are North Jersey Media Group Vice President and General Counsel Jennifer A. Borg, who once served on the hospital board, and all of the advertising the hospital bought in the paper and on the North Jersey.com Web site.