Chesterton native Kerry Lauerman has been named editor in chief of the online Salon.com.

Joan Walsh, the editor in chief since 2005, is stepping down to write a book. She will remain editor at large, and continue to blog for the site on a regular basis.

Lauerman first joined Salon in 2000 to become its Washington Bureau Chief, and has run virtually every editorial department at Salon. In 2008, he founded Open Salon, the site's blog network, which garnered a National Magazine Award nomination in its first year, and last year became Salon's executive editor. Before joining Salon, Lauerman was investigative editor at Mother Jones; managing editor at the late Forbes ASAP; and a story editor at the New York Times Magazine.

“It's a huge honor,” Lauerman said. “I can't imagine working with a better staff, or with a smarter, more engaged audience.”

“Salon has experienced excellent audience growth over the last year, introducing a redesigned website, sharpening its political coverage but also expanding its lifestyle and cultural coverage. Kerry has been an important part of that effort. I have every confidence Salon’s growth will continue under his leadership," said Richard Gingras, CEO of the Salon Media Group.

Walsh took the reins as editor in chief in February, 2005. Most memorably, in April, 2006, Salon.com published a collection of 279 photographs and 19 videos taken at the Abu Ghraib prison site; the publication was attacked by conservative critics and lauded by civil liberties experts and academics.

While continuing her political commentary for Salon, Walsh will work on a book, “Indivisible,” an indictment of the fear-based politics that splits Americans, from the election of John F. Kennedy through the backlash against Barack Obama. It will be published by John Wiley and Sons in early 2012.