Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn is not retiring after all

State of play: The local press corps and political class had been buzzing for weeks about the outlet's staff meeting Wednesday — Quinn's birthday, incidentally — where many expected he would announce his impending retirement.

What he's saying: But in a note to his Subtext subscribers Thursday morning, Quinn played the befuddled schoolmarm, calling the rumors "irresponsible conjecture."

👂 What we're hearing: Cleveland.com staffers tell Axios Quinn was indeed planning to retire at the end of the year — he said as much Wednesday — but changed his mind.

• The rumors did not emerge from thin air, in other words.

The last word: "For the record, I plan to be around for a long while yet," Quinn wrote.

• "And when I do head off, I'll make sure you hear from me directly."