The newspaper announced it officially on Saturday.

We asked our favorite (as if there are others) Newsroom Angel of Death, Erica Smith what she thought of the news. She sent us this email:

It's heartbreaking, of course. The Chronicle's announcement pushed the number of layoffs and buyouts this year above 7,000. (There are more, of course, because some papers have not said how many people have been laid off or have accepted buyouts.) Adding in the cuts at the Chronicle and the Modesto Bee, about 17 percent of all layoffs/buyouts this year have been in California.

We better find some gays or illegal immigrants to blame this on - quick!