Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Reports saying the U.S. cinema industry shift to digital projectors could result in many Drive Ins closing down.  Most drive in cinema operations can not afford to switch over to digital.  One drive in operator in Connecticut said he needed at least $100-thousand USD to make the switch.

Florida: In Green Cove Springs, Gustafson’s Dairy shut down after 105 years of operations!  It’s blamed on crashing demand for their products.

Illinois: Metals recycler Keywell now bankrupt.  It sounds like the company is trying to make itself more attractive to potential buyers.

Minnesota: In Sartell, mobile advertiser NativeX laid off 28 employees.  NativeX also laid off another 17 people across the U.S.

New Jersey: Too Big to Jail Capital One eliminated 54 jobs in Secaucus.  Bank officials admit they are switching to relying on technology rather than people.  In Atlantic City, 51 federal taxpayer funded firefighters were laid off.  The federal grant that paid for the jobs ended.  In Howell, Pathmark grocery store closed down. It’s part of company plans to close stores in the region.

New York: In Amherst, Sykes Enterprises laid off 65 call center employees.  In Southampton Village, Barrister’s restaurant closed after 35 years of business. In Babylon, Village Basket shut down.  The owner, Nancy Kupferman, blamed both the bad economy and the high rent saying “…but no sales equals the inability to pay any amount of cost to run this business…”

Nevada: The Las Vegas Zoo shut down after all staff quit in protest and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an investigation into what is being fed to the animals.  Local news reports say the USDA had to provide food because the trapped animals had not been fed since the employees quit!

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, Hillcrest Healthcare System laid off 50 people because of Obama Care (the so called Affordable Care Act).  Oklahoma is one of dozens of states that opted out of expanding Medicaid under Obama Care, which means hospitals will not be reimbursed for many treaments.  In Muskogee, Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples shut down. It’s part of company plans to shut down Staples across the country.

Pennsylvania: Metal container maker Crown Holdings laid off 300 people, mostly in Europe!  Company officials blame crashing economies in Europe and North America.

South Carolina: Tax sucker General Electric (GE) laying off about 100 employees at their Greenville ops. GE officials say they are trying to make their Power & Water Business more competitive.

Tennessee: In West Knoxville, optics maker Luxottica North America shutting down, 310 jobs lost!

Texas: Tax sucker Bell Helicopter laid off 28 people at its Amarillo factory.  They blame government spending cuts.

Washington: 16 prison guards lost their jobs at the Pierce County Jail.  It’s blamed on county budget cuts.  The jail was making money by housing prisoners from several cities, but those cities have had to cut back on outsourcing their prisoners because of a lack of tax revenues. Pierce County Jail lost at least $5-million USD in 2013!