Community invited to meet new TCN editor, bid farewell to Dan Evans

Join staff members and residents next Thursday, Dec. 10 to welcome John Canalis, the new editor of the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun, and to bid farewell to Dan Evans, who is set to leave the position on Dec. 11.

The event will be held at the Glendale YWCA, 735 E. Lexington Dr. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10.

Canalis will continue his oversight of Times Community News’ Orange County properties — which include the Daily Pilot, Huntington Beach Independent and Coastline Pilot — in addition to his new duties.

Evans took over the editorship of the papers in April 2009 and guided the publications through a print redesign and near-continuous Web upgrades. Under his leadership, the papers won two public records lawsuits — one regarding the now-defunct Burbank employees’ bonus system and one spotlighting a “slush fund” Democratic state legislatures used to punish maverick members of the caucus.

For those efforts, the papers received the prestigious General Excellence award from the California Newspaper Publishers Asson. and a national Eppy from Editor & Publisher.

Evans is one of more than 70 members of the Los Angeles Times who took the buyout offered by Tribune Publishing, the parent company of both The Times and Times Community News. He has not announced his future plans.