The Santa Rosa Press Democrat announced in this morning’s edition that it is eliminating 16 positions including 10 in the newsroom due to declining advertising and a deteriorating local economy. The cutbacks will bring the newsroom to about 70 positions, down about 30 percent from its high in 2004.

The paper, which is owned by The New York Times, said the latest round of layoffs fell heaviest on the newsroom, where the jobs of editorial assistants and graphic artists were eliminated, and the ranks of the copy editors and photographers were trimmed.

Publisher Bruce Kyse told employees Friday that the loss of retail advertisers such as Mervyns and Linens ‘n Things and the decline of classified advertising resulting from online competition mean advertising can’t support as many newspaper employees as in the past

A series of layoffs last year at the newspaper cut 35 positions, reducing the number of employees to fewer than 400. An additional 17 positions were eliminated in July.