Times goes back into Orange County

Before the newspaper's retreat into downtown Los Angeles — and deep cuts in staffing levels across the board — during the Tribune ownership era, the LA Times had more almost 200 editorial staffers in Costa Mesa and covered everything in Orange County: news, sports, arts, business and more. The paper printed a separate Orange County version on presses there, with its own front page and masthead of editors and executives, up to and including a president. Then it was all cut to a small gaggle of reporters who feed into the main LA paper. Now this: the Times' California editor announces today the paper's "reoccupation of Orange County." From Ashley Dunn's memo:

The goal is to function as a state bureau. So the coverage will be more sweeping -- a mix of trend stories, analysis and culture pieces that say something about Orange County as well as the world beyond. And when news breaks – whether it be a salon massacre, a homeless killing spree or the all-too-familiar wildfires, we’ll be better equipped than ever to cover it.

Heading up the team is Steve Marble, whose previous stint as city editor in O.C. gives him the depth of knowledge needed to guide a team of talented reporters. Joining O.C. veterans Chris Goffard, Nicole Santa-Cruz and Mike Anton in the revitalized office are reporters Jeff Gottlieb, Tony Barboza and Rick Rojas.

And we hope to add more firepower in the not-too-distant future.

Wonder if they will ever rediscover the San Fernando Valley, another population center where the Tribune-owned Times closed its separate edition, sold off the printing presses and downsized from an editorial staff of 110 to one or two reporters asked to cover 1.7 million people. The difference from Orange County is that the vast majority of those Valley residents live within the city of Los Angeles.