Pete hung up his pen after that was written. I don't claim to be able to read his mind (although I owe him many beers from bets after the wa Cornell has whupped up on Penn over the last several Heps) but I think it was in the works for a while. Maybe he felt he didn't want to join the "Evil Empire" as many view Rodale/RW but I think my earlier explanation was more on the mark.
As to the current and future quality of RT, you will have to be the judge, but I'm unaware of any "dumbing down" and if there is, it's coming from our own reduced mental function and not from any brainwashing/orders from Emmaus.