LA Times, They Are A-Changin’

The majority of the 60 departing LA Times staffers made their exits this week, prompting the paper to took a long, hard look back at the wonderful reporters they’ve sent “voluntarily” packing. And we find ourselves captivated by the first-person testimonials from the exiting Times‘ employees, which ran the gamut of emotional and profound (”One of the most memorable roles I’ve had is being editor of the military obituaries…some reporters say this is the most moving—and most difficult—assignment they have faced “) to the glib and frustrated (”I won’t miss the frustration of pulling out the Sports section and realizing it is less than half the size it was only a year or two ago.”)

We particularly enjoyed the honesty of (former) national editor, Don Woutat.

The most fun was always police coverage, in Minneapolis and Wilmington, Del. Arguably my most important story was on the guy who told police he was castrated by some guys he knew. His story panned out, right down to the discovery of a chewed-up testicle in a suspect’s garbage disposal. I actually got that into print—the people’s right to know.

Again, thanks to all the LA Times contributors for sharing their stories. And to Woutat, for having the balls to work the phrase “chewed-up testicle” in his fond farewell to memo-writing editor, Jim O’Shea.