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As we noted last night, Los Angeles Times foreign editor Bruce Wallace is indeed leaving town for his native Montreal. Longtime foreign desk hand Mark Porubcansky will serve as acting foreign editor while they search a successor. And Nicholas Riccardi, the Times reporter whose exit we reported Monday, was annonced today as a political reporter in the West for Associated Press.
This afternoon's "Comrades" memo on Wallace's departure from LA Times Editor Davan Maharaj.
From: Maharaj, Davan
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 2:04 PM
To: yyeditall
Subject: Bruce Wallace
Comrades,Bruce Wallace, our foreign editor since 2008, has decided to leave The Times to take a job with the Institute for Research on Public Policy, in Ottawa.
We're all very sorry to see Bruce leave, though we can understand his desire to return to his native Canada. He's been a terrific colleague and newsroom leader.
Bruce joined the staff as our Tokyo correspondent in 2004, though his work appeared earlier in the paper from London as a stringer. During his four years as foreign editor, he guided what is, for my money, one of the strongest foreign staffs in journalism, providing daily and enterprise coverage for the entire Tribune family that was constantly fresh and innovative, both on World Now and in the paper. Bruce guided our correspondents to inspired coverage of the earthquake in Haiti, the tsunami in Japan, drug wars in Mexico and uprisings across the Arab world, among many other major stories. He will be missed.
Bruce won't be leaving until July 13, so you'll have an opportunity to wish him well.
I’m pleased to announce that Mark Porubcansky will serve as acting foreign editor, starting July 14.Mark has served with distinction as deputy foreign editor for the last five years. An incisive mind, a deft pencil, deep knowledge of international affairs and coolness under fire are among the qualities that have made him an invaluable presence on the foreign desk.
Mark also has serious chops as a reporter, having carried a notebook across Russia, the Balkans and many other places for the Associated Press.
Our global coverage has always been an essential part of The Times and our commitment to it remains undiminished. The search for a permanent replacement for Bruce will begin immediately.
--Davan
Here's today's AP dispatch on Riccardi.
Nicholas Riccardi named AP West political reporter
DENVER (AP) — Nicholas Riccardi, a former investigative reporter and bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, has been appointed political reporter for The Associated Press and will be responsible for driving election coverage across the U.S. West.The appointment was announced Thursday by West Region Editor Traci Carl.
"Nick is an experienced political reporter who knows the West, its issues and its key players," Carl said. "We are excited to have him join AP and help set the news agenda during this year’s presidential race."
Riccardi will work from a base in Denver to drive political coverage across the West. He will work with AP’s political beat reporters and statehouse correspondents to set the news agenda and in non-election years will drive government accountability coverage.
Riccardi will report to Jim Anderson, the AP’s news editor for the Rocky Mountain region.
"Riccardi brings a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge of a region that is crucial to the presidential election and beyond," said Jim Clarke, bureau chief for the Rocky Mountain region. "He is an aggressive reporter with investigative instincts and will direct a strategic, breaking news report across all formats for the AP and its members."
Riccardi, 39, joined the Times in 1994 in Southern California. He served as an investigative reporter and beat writer on Los Angeles County government and then became the paper’s Denver bureau chief in 2005, reporting on politics, immigration policy, energy and other top issues for a nine-state region. Riccardi led the Times’ coverage of the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabriel Giffords in 2011 and covered much of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also helped cover the war in Iraq.
Most recently, Riccardi led the Times’ bureau in Sacramento, supervising California state government coverage and coordinating the bureau’s online, investigative and enterprise reporting as well as daily spot coverage.
A native of New York, Riccardi holds a degree in English from Oberlin College in Ohio. He is married and has a 3-year-old son.
There has been a lot of news out of the LA Times the past few days. Here's our dedicated Los Angeles Times page where the last dozen or so items will always be gathered.
