Michael Newman is the deputy editorial page editor at the Los Angeles Times who starred in a minor media dustup this month over his observation, from the vantage point of the L.A. Marathon route, that parts of the city just aren't very attractive. Well, the city's beauty, and the Times' daily internal dramas, ain't his problem anymore. Newman is resigning after less than two years in Los Angeles to take a job as online opinion editor at the Washington Post. Memo from Editorial Page Editor Andrés Martinez, who brought Newman from the New York Times in 2005 to be his number two and can't be too happy about this:

Michael Newman, our deputy editorial page editor, is leaving the newspaper to join the Washington Post as its online opinion editor. When he was hired almost two years ago, I described Michael as one of the most talented journalists in the country, and those of you who have worked with him since now know that was no hyperbole. Michael has been a terrific editor and colleague, enriching all our opinion offerings. So there is no sugar-coating this -- April 11, his last day with us, will be a sad day for the Los Angeles Times.

In the meantime, please join me in wishing Michael and Nora all the best in DC, and with their other next big adventure -- parenthood!

- Andres Martinez

That's the second high-level defection away from the LAT to big East Coast journalism in a week: science writer Lee Hotz is the other. Meanwhile, newsroom buzz says the full-court press is on to keep reporter Solomon Moore from following ex-editor Dean Baquet to the New York Times.