KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City Star says it has laid off "about a dozen" more employees and eliminated a similar number of unfilled positions.

Publisher Mark Zieman sent an e-mail telling employees Tuesday that the company is beginning to see improvement in revenue. He says it appears the worst days of the economic downturn are over.

But that wasn't enough to prevent the latest round of layoffs to go along with similar, larger cutbacks in 2008 and 2009.

Zieman says The Star plans to start granting raises again in March. Workers who have been laid off will receive severance and have some continued benefits subsidized.

The Star is owned by The McClatchy Co., based in Sacramento, Calif.