This is an unusual reporting day at FishbowlLA. As far as we can remember, never before have two members of the SoCal media community – each with four decades of experience at their respective same single outlets – chosen to simultaneously announce their retirements.

We told you earlier about the exit of City News Service vp Yet Lock, officially announced late Friday. Now comes word this morning that Jon Thurber (pictured), who began his career with the paper a year before Lock in 1971, will also soon be taking permanent leave:

Thurber started out as a clerk on the foreign desk; since 2010, he has been books editor. In an email to staff, Times editor Davan Maharaj and assistant managing editor for features Alice Short noted Thurber’s guidance in developing special holiday book sections and shaping Sunday books coverage. He is expected to continue in his position until early summer.

Other stints at the LAT for Thurber have include obituary editor and managing editor, print. He also at one point edited the Calendar section’s jazz coverage.

[Photo: Ricardo DeAratanha/LA Times]