After two and a half years in its latest incarnation as a weekly news magazine, the Sacramento Union has ceased publication once again.

In a statement to Union readers, editor-in-chief James Dutra blamed the closure on "the difficulties so many local businesses are encountering," likely a reference to the economic hardships imposed by the global recession.

The closure of the Union comes amidst news of further cuts and layoffs at the Sacramento Bee, fueling concern among newspaper employees over the industry's future.

The Union, which was originally founded in 1851, was published as a daily newspaper until its closure in 1994. When it resumed operations in 2006, it was a changed publication. Eschewing the traditional daily paper format that had proven uncompetitive against the Bee, the new Union was published as a free weekly news magazine, much like the Sacramento News & Review.

For much of its history, the Union was regarded as a conservative news source. From 1977 to 1989 it was owned by billionaire publisher Richard Mellon Scaife, a member and financier for many conservative organizations, like the Heritage Foundation and the Hoover Institute. More recently, the Union was edited by Joseph Farah, who would later found World Net Daily, a rightward-leaning news and commentary website.