It was just two weeks ago that City Paper Editor in Chief Erik Wemple announced he’d be moving on up in the world, heading up to New York to take the helm of the famed Village Voice. We guessed it wouldn’t be long until he was back in D.C. — and we were right.

Well, to be fair, he never really even got started. He was set to take over the paper on July 24, but after some discussions with Voice management, opted out of the job, even though he had already travelled up to New York to meet the staff. What a tease. Fishbowl D.C. tipped us off to a Village Voice statement on the matter, which noted:

Although Wemple accepted the job of editor-in-chief of the historic Voice–even introducing himself to the staff–subsequent discussions revealed disagreements over newsroom management. “Erik’s concerns are not unreasonable,” said Michael Lacey, executive editor of Village Voice Media. “The Voice is an enormous and complex horse race. We asked Erik to mount several ponies mid-stride, and he was alarmed to find us still in several of those saddles.”

There are bound to be a lot of people pissed off at the news. First off, Wemple’s potential replacements, which, as Fishbowl noted, had already been asked to start sending in resumes. Second, some City Paper readers who believe that the District’s premier alternative weekly has gone downhill under Wemple’s watch, awards notwithstanding. Third and final, the Post, which was probably happy that Wemple would no longer have a perch from which to launch his consistent and sometimes petty attacks on the paper.

We’re somewhat intrigued by the turn of events. We don’t really believe the official line, though. We’re guessing Wemple paid the Big Apple a visit, and upon realizing what he’d have to pay in rent, decided that D.C. housing was downright cheap. Well, that and the fact that New York is collectively bound to burn in hell for its sinful ways. But that’s neither here nor there.