Staff announcement: Rick Meyer

Following is a memo announcing Rick Meyer's leaving The Times, sent by Managing Editor John Arthur on Monday, Dec. 31, 2007:

All Hands,

Today is Rick Meyer's last day at the Times. He is moving on to Los Angeles Magazine, which is their gain and our loss.

As you know, Rick is among the most distinguished writers and editors ever to grace our pages. A winner of national awards for investigative work, deadline writing and public service, Rick also was twice a Pulitzer finalist for feature writing -- and was really robbed in that forum, I might add.

After many different assignments with the AP, Rick came to the Times in 1979 as a staff writer in Metro. He later worked in National and became editor of many narrative projects under John Carroll. "Going over to the dark side," as Rick put it.

Among other things, Rick was a legendary rewrite man. Those of you who have recently come aboard can think of him as the Mitchell Landsberg of his day.

Today Rick has been walking around quietly, trying to go out the porthole without a splash. However I assured him that we will be dragging him back in for the requisite full public humiliation at a later date. So stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, please join me in wishing Rick all the best.

John A.