Next out: LA Times senior VP and chief of staff

Renata Simril joined the Los Angeles Times last year from the Dodgers and has a background at City Hall. Her title was senior vice president and chief of staff, though I never was clear on what she was doing for Austin Beutner. She sent around her exit email to the staff this afternoon. Next to go after Simril, according to Politico, will be Nicco Mele, the senior vice president and deputy publisher brought in by Beutner last November to strengthen the digital side of the business.

Simril's note:

From: Simril, Renata
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 12:09 PM
To: !!All_LATMG
Subject: The Story...for me...end here

Tomorrow is my last day with the Los Angeles Times and it is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye.

I joined Austin and the Los Angeles Times because I believe in the importance of the 4th Estate; to hold power accountable and to be the civic conscious and voice of Los Angeles. I believe that this world class city deserves a world class paper; one that inspires, educates and informs.

Over the last year we have made great strides toward a vision to reconnect the Los Angeles Times to its community. We have launched initiatives that are driving new sources of revenue to support our newsroom; the heart of this paper. We have once again become relevant to our community.

It is unfortunate that I will not be able to continue in our journey due to Austin’s untimely departure. I have thoroughly enjoyed the efforts we have undertaken over the last year and sharing in the many contributions we have given to this paper and equally important to this great city.

As a third generation Angeleno, this organization is not only important to me but to the city of Los Angeles and its residents. Thank you for welcoming me in so graciously and for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of this great institution.

I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors to keep fighting the good fight. It is important.

With gratitude,

Renata

Beutner was fired on Tuesday morning. The paper's chief spokeswoman under Beutner left earlier today. Politico's story says that Mele's last day will be today.

The Times this morning also lost White House correspondent Kathleen Hennessey to Associated Press, and there are a lot of newsroom staffers hoping that the upcoming buyout offer will be lucrative enough to take. Politico's Dylan Byers says, based on sources, that the buyout target is 50 positions and that layoffs would follow to meet the target. Unclear if that was the target before new publisher Timothy Ryan arrived or now.