National Hirschfeld, a printing company that has been an institution in Denver for a century, will shut down by the end of the month, laying off 250 employees. Many were let go yesterday, as company chairman A. Barry Hirschfeld released a statement, saying the company is no longer able to finance its operations, according to The Denver Post.

It’s the latest sign of trouble for businesses that rely on ink and paper in the era of laptops and the Internet. As the readers and staff at the Rocky Mountain News fear, their “way of life” could end soon, according to 7News, which reports that the newspaper’s owner, E.W. Scripps Co., still hasn’t found a buyer. A mid-January deadline set by Scripps a month ago is quickly approaching, and the company is slated to review the newspaper’s plight.

Any helpful ideas? Here’s one from former city spokesman Andrew Hudson: a newspaper tax.