Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

France based telecommunications company, Alcatel-Lucent, announced at least 10-thousand layoffs around the World.  At least 2100 layoffs will take place in the Americas.  Alcatel-Lucent has offices in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia.  Company officials said their past layoffs were “not sufficient”, and warned of total collapse: “Everyone recognizes that this is the last chance. The situation in the enterprise is serious, very serious!”-Michel Combes, CEO

Alabama: Handy Head Start school shutdown.  It’s blamed on the temporary federal government shutdown, which only affected 18% of government spending.

California: In Victorville, local Desert Community Bank (DCB) shutdown its Dunia Plaza branch.  It’s blamed on the 2007 merger with East West Bank.  Back in 1994 as the News Producer for struggling KHIZ I worked with the president of DCB (Ron Wilson, who quit in 2007 over the merger with East West Bank) to present old school banking advise to our audience. DCB was a true hometown bank, and the president’s weekly advise was appreciated by our audience.  Unfortunately, in 1996 KHIZ was sold off to the local cable company and I had to move on.  KHIZ was in Victorville, but listed officially as being in the Los Angeles TV market.  According to info on the internet it is now owned by a company called Multicultural.  However, none of the internet info lists the 1994-96 years when we busted our asses making KHIZ the number two rated independent 9pm newscast in the LA market. The internet info also doesn’t explain that we all lost our jobs after it was discovered that the station management had royally ripped off the company, stealing millions in “advertising trades” and skipping town (cops actually traced one of the managers to Florida), forcing the new family inheritors (the son-in-law of the widowed owner of Sunbelt) of the station to sell to the local cable company (at least that’s what he told us when he canceled our news department!).   In Walnut Creek, Liliana Castelllanos clothing boutique shutdown.  In Thousand Oaks, what automotive industry recovery?  Silver Star Automotive laid off 47 people.

Illinois: In Chicago, sushi restaurant Ginza shutdown after 26 years.  The greedy property owners sold off the property out from under the restaurant owner’s feet!

Kentucky: In Pikeville, 53 years old Jerry’s Restaurant shutdown. It’s the second Jerry’s Restaurant to shutdown.  The family owners blame the bad economy saying “Times change.”

Massachusetts: In Boston, North End Segway Tours now bankrupt. So much for battery powered transportation.  Apparently the city of Boston Strong didn’t like people riding Segways on the sidewalks and hit the tour company with massive fines!  Decas Cranberries laid off 20 workers, saying the company needed to become more “efficient”.  In Somerset, Brayton Point coal fired power plant shutdown, 240 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on the takeover by Energy Capital Partners.

Michigan: In Detroit, non-profit Crittenton Hospital laid off at least 24 employees. Hospital officials said Obama Care was forcing them to become more “efficient”.  The hospital was already struggling financially, but Obama Care might do them in.

Minnesota: Target laid off 150 people at its Twin Cities corporate HQ!  Target officials blamed employee “inefficiencies” and consumer “behavior”.  In Owatonno, the Cedar Gallery shutdown. The owner said she has to spend more time taking care of her sick parents.

Missouri: Non-profit SSM Health Care warned employees of pending layoffs: “We’re making announcements this week to our employees. There’s nothing more we can say…Out of respect for those affected, we can’t really discuss the details…”-Kristen Johnson

New Mexico: Costco (along with other retailers) is being blamed for killing off the biggest supplier of ‘organically grown’ peanuts in the United States; Sunland. According to court documents, Costco canceled a major contract with Sunland, and then demanded delivery of $20-million USD worth of peanuts currently in storage.  Sunland officials say Costco has yet to pay for at least $4-million worth of those peanuts! The U.S. FDA had recently traced a salmonella outbreak to Sunland. Next time someone says “it’s just peanuts” remind them that attitude killed off one of the biggest peanut suppliers in the country; Sundland is now being liquidated in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  The demise of Sunland not only affects hundreds of workers in Portales, but also several peanut farming operations throughout New Mexico and Texas.

New York: In Buffalo, after 145 years of suds Ulrich’s Tavern shutdown!  They went bankrupt because of the bad economy.  In Watertown, the 40 years old non-profit North Country Children’s Clinic shutdown. 128 jobs lost! Clinic officials blame it on crashing donations and reduced Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements under Obama Care: “Unfortunately the way that the funding has rolled out, we have no choice other than to make this very difficult decision.”-Daniel A. Wasneechak, director

North Carolina: One Lowes Food and two JustSave grocery stores shutdown!  In Mount Airy, Northern Hospital of Surry County laid off 12 people. It’s blamed on reduced Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements under Obama Care.  Hospital official also stated that hospitals became big because they were ordered to: “It’s easy to be criticized for over-expanding, but that’s what hospitals were told to do to handle an aging demographic.”-Bill James, CEO

Ohio: In Lancaster, Cord Camera shutdown.  Fayette County Memorial Hospital laid off eight staff, and warned of more, blaming Obama Care: “Health care is going through unprecedented change, and we will have to do more with less!”-Lyndon Christman, CEO

Oklahoma: After already announcing 1200 layoffs (including all their in-house Christian chaplains), Christian owned Chesapeake Energy warned of even more layoffs in 2014! The company has also sold off $4-million in assets.  Also, in-house ops like Chesapeake Weather have disappeared, news reports saying websites have been taken down and nobody answers phone calls.  In Oklahoma City, US Foods shutdown its distribution center. 175 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: 68 years old Penn Refrigeration Service now bankrupt, and being liquidated under Chapter 7.  Company officials blamed the bad economy.  State run Presque Isle Downs & Casino laid off 26 employees.

Rhode Island: Care New England Health System, Memorial Hospital laid off seven staff.  Spokeswoman for the hospital, Susan McDonald warned that layoffs would be “…an ongoing process” due to Obama Care.

Tennessee:  In Olive Branch, Closure Systems International shutdown its bottle top factory. At least 100 jobs lost!

West Virginia: What housing market recovery? Fairmont Ruskin Manufacturing Plant shutdown. 185 jobs lost!  Company officials blame it on declining “commercial construction markets”.