Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

U.S. legal drug pusher, Merck, laying off 8500 people, and that’s on top of the 7500 jobs they’ve already eliminated!!!

JCPenney shutting down at least 15 JC’s Five Star Outlet stores across the U.S., 1400 jobs lost!!!

Northeast Utilities laid off 160 people in its IT ops!  The job cuts are connected to the merger with NStar.

Cloud data storage company, Nirvanix, now bankrupt “…to preserve its assets and to pursue all potential options to maximize value for its creditors….”.

Groeb Farms now bankrupt.  U.S. Department of Justice says the honey maker is bee-hind the biggest case of food fraud in U.S. history!  It involves illegally  importing Chinese honey.

Alabama: What automotive industry recovery? In Tuscaloosa, tire maker BF Goodrich laid off as many as 110 people! The local union boss says tire sales have been going down.

California: Paramount Pictures laid off 110 people!  Company officials blamed it on “..an increasingly competitive environment…” NBC Digital laid off four employees, and refused to explain why.  In Corona, Activis laid off 19 employees.  In Los Angeles, DTT laid off 64 people.  In Santa Clara, French-Italian STMicroelectronics laid off 52 workers.

Illinois: What automotive industry recovery? Once again, Caterpillar laying off more employees.  This time Caterpillar officials are not saying how many are going to become unemployed. In Machesney Park, JC’s Five Star Outlet (formerly known as JCPenney) shutdown (see above).

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, Nyloncraft shutdown.  111 jobs lost! Company officials blame a shrinking “customer base”.

Kansas: LaRocca’s Pizza shutdown.

Kentucky: In Madisonville, Goldenrod Dairy shutdown after 80 years in business. 140 jobs lost!  Company officials are consolidating operations.

Mississippi: Non-profit United Blood Services shutdown in Meridian.  It’s part of their adjustments to Obama Care, which they warned about back in 2012!

New York: The State Thruway laid off another four employees. Officials would only say it was a personnel matter.  In Buffalo, Will Poultry on William Street shutdown, ending 113 jobs!  In Wappingers Falls, Southeastern Container finally shutdown, letting go the last 15 employees.

North Carolina: What automotive industry recovery? In Salisbury, Performance Fibers laid off 16 workers, and blamed it on crashing sales.  The company makes fibers used in products like vehicle seat belts.

Ohio: In Marietta, the Christian god can’t stop the Salvation Army from shutting down their thrift store.  Salvation Army officials said sales at the thrift store had crashed so much they couldn’t pay the utilities!  In Salon, Aclara shutdown, 79 jobs lost.  The electronics company is up for sale.

Pennsylvania: Beiter’s shutdown its furniture, appliances and electronics store in Wilkes-Barre.  Store owners said because of the bad economy they were hoping for a break in the rent from the landlord, but the landlord refused.

Tennessee: The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is asking 475 employees to voluntarily quit!  It’s blamed on federal spending cuts.  Sears announced it will close its Hickory Ridge Mall Towne Centre store.

South Carolina: In Berea, after 42 years the Apollo King Restaurant shutdown. It’s blamed on family health problems.

Wisconsin: In Portage, PolyOne shutdown, 86 jobs lost.