Acting editor-in-chief Doug Simmons has been fired from the Village Voice, according to several sources at the paper. Word is that Mike Lacey, the editorial top dog of Village Voice Media, made the announcement at the troubled alt-weekly's 3 p.m. editorial meeting today. Simmons, the paper's managing editor until editor-in-chief Dan Forst resigned soon after the New Times deal closed in January, assinged and edited last week's now-retracted cover story, "Do You Wanna Kiss Me?," by Nick Sylvester. Sylvester subsequently admitted the piece contained a fabricated final scene.

Ward Harkavy, a senior editor at the Voice, will become acting editor-in-chief. And Sylvester will remain on staff. "They like him," explained our tipster.

Earlier: Gawker's coverage of Nick Sylvester.

Contact information for this author is not available.