Jason McIntyre of the Big Lead received an email from T.J. Simers explaining his decision:

I had the opportunity to remain at the Times as Page 2 columnist, including a recent offer of a guaranteed contract.

But I was overwhelmed by the excitement I felt at the Orange County Register and the crusader-like effort to prove newspapers still matter. In my initial meeting with the paper’s top editors they were aware of the best newspaper movie ever made: Deadline USA and wanted to talk about Mike Royko. I might’ve agreed to work for nothing, but they have decided to actually pay me.

Later he wrote:

The Register experiment to beef up the paper reminds me of the thrill I felt when I got into this business. As Sandy Koufax’s grandfather told him, “Time is the most important thing you have in life.” And I choose to spend it now with folks eager to still have some fun as newspaper men and women.

I would hope everyone would now start reading the Register—at the very least to save newspapers as we remember them.