Seattle Weekly editor-in-chief Mark D. Fefer has departed and is being replaced by managing editor Mike Seely.

Fefer started as a staff writer at the paper in 1995, eventually ascending to arts & culture editor before decamping in 2004. Two years later, he returned to take over the top editorial position where he has served for the past four years.

In a brief blog post yesterday, Fefer wrote:

I just want to thank Village Voice Media for the opportunity to lead this fantastic operation, and thank the staff for their smart, funny, invaluable writing. I have loved every minute of working here.

Seely came to Seattle Weekly via its sister paper Riverfront Times, where he served a four-year stint as staff writer before taking over the managing editor position in Seattle in 2006.

On the VVM corporate blog, Andy Van De Voorde says, “Seely has been a leader in the development of Seattle Weekly‘s rapid expanding network of news, food and music blogs.”