Ken Lovett to the News, the Times' Diane Cardwell to Stanford

There's some movement on the local political beat!

Ken Lovett, formerly the New York Post's no. 2 to Fred Dicker, is moving to the rival Daily News where he'll compete directly with his former colleague. As our Azi Paybarah reports, it's appears the News is trying to muscle up its political desk: in addition to Mr. Lovett, they hired the tireless Liz Benjamin last year, and they're going to add another Albany reporter to the bureau soon (Joe Mahoney, who currently mans the desk, will take a buyout).

Meanwhile, the Times city hall bureau chief Diane Cardwell is taking a John S. Knight Fellowship and will study at Stanford for the next year. Calling in all resumes to Carolyn Ryan, the Times' metro political editor!