Departure day on Spring Street *

Sam Howe Verhovek in Seattle:

Dear Colleagues – Well, I’ve hardly felt quite this choked up since leaving friends at college. Thank you for being such a terrific group of people to work with, and for both the examples of journalistic integrity and the personal kindnesses so many of you have shown over the years. You produce one of the most outstanding newspapers in the world. Please fight the good fight to keep it so, whether readers are getting your work the old-fashioned ink-and-paper way, on their computer screen or their cell phone, or maybe even on one of those cheap downloadable digital tablets that may just successfully bring ‘The Front Page’ back to the future one day! Whichever way, this newspaper remains a wonderful trust, and I’ll certainly be rooting for you....

All the Best, shv

Rone Tempest, former foreign correspondent and Sacramento bureau chief:

4 Career Life Lessons from a Retiring Hack:

1)Never write a company-wide memo

2)In any foreign language the most important phrase is “My friend will pay” as in French “mon ami va payer” or Chinese “Wo de pengyou yao mai le”

3) Given a choice, Bordeaux red

4) Never get killed for an inside story.

Bon Courage, Rone

Business writer Evelyn Iritani:

Colleagues,

I apologize for the cross-posts, perhaps in my next life I'll learn how to synchronize my contacts list. Let me add my voice to those who are leaving this great place with mixed emotions. Day in and day out, often under the most difficult circumstances, you produce one of the country's best newspapers. Thanks for welcoming me into the family for the past 12 years. I'm just glad that I'll still be able to enjoy your work every morning with my coffee.

If I can ever be of help, please let me know.

Evelyn

Investigative project reporter Gary Cohn:

Friends and colleagues

Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone for their friendship and support. I'm planning to stay in the area, so please keep in touch. And I'll look forward to reading your stories and seeing your photos in the paper every day.

Regards,

Gary Cohn

Reporter Nancy Cleeland:

Adios to all the great reporters, photographers, copy editors, researchers, and editors I've worked with over the years. Good luck. I'll see you in cyberspace.

Nancy

Reporter Glenn Bunting:

It's been a terrific adventure.

Reporter Solomon Moore:

When it came down to it, the only thing that would have kept me at the L.A. Times was all the great-souled, wildly creative, tenacious truth-seekers I've come to know here. The L.A. Times has been a wonderfully nurturing place to work. Thanks to all of the folks that have helped me along the way with better lede suggestions, late-night read-throughs, breezy edits, blunt criticism, gallows humor and advice on how to keep my job and stay married at the same time. Mostly, I'd like to thank you all for being such standard-bearers for our profession. At the L.A. Times, all I had to do to become a better journalist was to try to be as good as the person sitting next to me. I am honored to count you among my friends. Best, Solomon

Reporter Gary Polakovic:

What a magnificently talented bunch you are. I was honored to work with you.

To infinity and beyond!

Gary P

Reporter Mai Tran:

Before I leave on my new journey, I wanted to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to be part of a great newspaper. To my special Orange County family, the decision to leave was much more difficult because of you. You've made me blossom into a better journalist. You've made me realize that teamwork was more important than whose byline went first. More importantly, Orange County is where I developed many of my lasting friendships. It is sad to leave wonderful colleagues. But my daughter will only be a baby once, and I am excited to go on my new path as a stay at home mother. I will miss you all and will continue to study your great work every morning. Best always, Mai

Features writer Mimi Avins:

I have been honored to be your colleague.

Bob Sipchen, education columnist and former Current editor:

What is WRONG with you people? Hasn't Susan Denley told you repeatedly that yyeditall is for official business only!? Now that a few inconsiderate buyoutees have ruined the privilege for all of us, I might as well add my goodbye.

It's been splendid my brothers and sisters.

I'm now bob.sipchen@gmail.com And as of Monday I'll be bob.sipchen@sierraclub.org (Mongomery Street BART exit, 2nd and Market, come on by).

Kinsey Lowe, editor in Calendar and KinseyGram blogger:

Folks, it's been fantastic. Being associated with you has been a great honor and a privilege.

Good luck. I have the highest hopes for all of you and for the Los Angeles Times.

Kinsey Lowe

Nancy Wride, Metro reporter:

Comrades, So many stories, so little time. I'm taking out the door 27 years of memories and friends, but will deeply miss the newsroom and our special brand of humor. [Who else so appreciated live team coverage from the sky of gator Reggie's perp walk?]

The adventure continues, and it's all good.

Nancy