Busico among the LAT departures

Michalene Busico, who left the Los Angeles Times last week, was one of the high-profile New York Times talents who jumped to the LAT during the John Carroll-Dean Baquet era. She had been dining editor at the NYT and was hired in Los Angeles in 2002 by features editor John Montorio to revamp Food, start up Home and be uber-editor for other features sections. Most recently she oversaw the launch of Image and had been working again with Food. Her exit, which follows Montorio's by five months, means that almost all of the NYT talent that came west since 2000 has now left; this 2006 post seems almost prescient looking back. Busico confirmed to Women's Wear Daily that she was laid off. On Friday afternoon, she emailed the staff:

Friends,

It’s been a great six years, and through thick and thin, that has been entirely because of you. It’s been an honor and a pleasure, and I will miss you enormously. Please keep in touch. I’ll be rooting for you!

Michalene

Also sending sign-off emails Friday: Northern California-based investigations writer Tim Reiterman, administrative editor Richard Kipling, copy editor Karin Esterhammer ("I'm off to teach English in Vietnam.")