This comes from one of my sources about comings and goings — well, goings, almost entirely — in the newsroom of the combined operations of the San Bernardino Sun and Inland Valley (Ontario) Daily Bulletin.

Another solid middle-manager is on the way out of the Berdoo office, to be replaced by … anyone?

The escapee this time is Ben Demers, well-respected assistant city editor.

From my source:

“There is change in the face of the city desk. [Snip] Ben Demers gave notice.

“You had reported earlier from another source that he might have been on the move. Well he is, to the Glendale papers, part of the LA Times chain. He will be their city editor instead. This is a huge loss for The Sun but not a surprising one. Ben is one of the best hires LANG made. A dedicated editor who worked hard and got things done. Word is he will be leaving around the same time as [assistant managing editor] Jeff Keating and [city editor] Nicole White. So they will lose three people in one shot — about a week or so from now.

“When several people were asked what the plan was from here, the answer was shrugs. No plan has been announced. But that’s no great shock either. Ben’s leaving means that [ACE] Pat Maio may not be moved to Ontario to take over business after all. Although who knows for sure. That’s unfortunate because many people continue to say that the environment is better at the Bulletin than at the Sun.

“The Bulletin still has actual editors in its office, i.e. Kelly Bowser, Joe Smiler and Joe Blackstock. The Sun has Pat, Louis Amestoy and Steve Lambert. And Amestoy is supposed to be online only.

[Snip]

“P.S. Word has it that Nicole got a job with Cedars-Sinai. [Snip] It is just my personal opinion but, I’m amazed she was able to find a job when she blew her chance at the paper — which in my opinion was offered so generously by her friends in high places at the Sun.”

A reminder: Nicole White was the apparently overmatched city editor allegedly given four weeks to find a job or be fired. Who sources say all but quit in place and was prone to crying jags here at the end.

Just another episode of “As the Newsroom Churns” in Berdoo.

Again, good luck to the rank-and-file trying to put out a newspaper.