• Nearly a month after ur-Politicker Ben Smith left the Observer for a lower-brow but higher-salary life at the Daily News, the pink paper has found a new political honcho to fill his shoes (if not necessarily his gym socks). Josh Benson, a political reporter for the Observer in the mid-Nadler years and now covering Jersey politics for the Times, will return to Kaplan's crew after the Newark mayoral race wraps up.

• And at least one of the Spinsters is picking up the pieces after the staff massacres there. Kory Kennedy, the music mag's design director, has found a new gig as art director at Runner's World. Are more ex-Spinsters starting to show up at new mags? Keep us posted, kids.