Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

What automotive industry recovery?  Sweden based Volvo said they lost so much money at the end of 2013 that they will now kill 4400 jobs around the world in 2014!  And that’s on top of the previous 2-thousand job cuts announced at the end of 2013!

Japan based Sony says sales are crashing so hard that they will drastically cut TV production and get out of computer production altogether.  The restructuring will kill at least 5-thousand jobs around the world.  Sony’s own analysis of the economic situation shows that there is no true recovery!

The biggest money making home health care company in the United States, Georgia based Gentiva, is shutting down 46 of its operations across the country.  Thousands of healthcare jobs will be lost!  Gentiva has been shutting down operations since 2012.   Despite being the biggest home healthcare company in the U.S. (by revenue) company officials claim they’ve been losing millions of dollars every year.  Gentiva also blamed expected future losses on Obama Care, saying Obama Care has created a “challenging rate environment”.

Alabama:  In Muscle Shoals,  Walgreens Call Center laid off “less than ten” employees.   After 50 years Loftin’s Party & Wedding Center shutdown.  The family owners blame the bad economy: “The last couple of years the economy has just not been what it used to be, and before it got really bad we just thought it was best to hang it up.”

California:  Coachella Valley Unified School District warned of 147 layoffs!  They’ve already laid off 51 employees and said they might have to layoff another 96.  School district officials admitted they are trying to avoid bankruptcy.  In Los Angeles, Ammex Entertainment killed 169 jobs!  Adobe laid off 57 employees in San Francisco and San Jose.   In Valencia, Arvato laid off 49 employees.  In Long Beach, tax sucker Boeing laid off three more employees.   In Camarillo, Solarworld laid off 59 employees.

Colorado:  In Colorado Springs, a 32 years old Kmart will shutdown in May, 57 jobs lost.  In Fort Collins, Wok & Roll Teriyaki restaurant shutdown.  The owner realized how bad the economy is when he was faced with the cost of replacing a major charbroiler: “That’s when we began seeing the handwriting on the wall…..It’s just costing so much to maintain that it’s not worthwhile anymore.”-Stephen Moritz

Connecticut: The newspaper New Haven Independent laid off ten employees.  Company officials said it was because of their move toward digital, however, at least two of those laid off were long time journalists.

Florida:  In Sunrise, tax sucker General Dynamics shutting down its factory, 56 jobs lost.  Company officials actually stated they were saddened by the reduced Obama regime spending on war: “It all has to do with winding down a decade of war and changing budgets. We regret it very much.”-Carol T. Smith

Illinois:  In Sterling, yet another victim of the ongoing Hallmark shutdown.  After 40 years Kirlin’s Hallmark shutdown, 13 jobs lost.

Maine: In East Millinocket, Great Northern Paper killed 212 jobs, or the majority of its employees!  Company officials say they are trying to come up with a plan to handle increasing costs and reduced revenues.  They did not file an official WARN.

Maryland: Too Big to Jail Columbia Bank shutting down five offices by April.  Anheuser-Busch beer distributor Winner Distributing laid off 125 people!  Baltimore County officials say they were not told why, other than it sounds like the operation was sold to an unknown buyer!

Michigan:  After more than 40 years the Swartz Creek Bakery shutdown.  The property owner is selling off the building.

Minnesota:  In Duluth, web developer 50 Below laid off 20 employees.  The new owners of the company are consolidating operations.

Missouri:  In Kansas City, after 66 years Kaplan’s Fabrics shutdown.  The current owner said he tried to sell the successful high quality fabric store, but nobody was interested, and he’s not interested in renewing the lease.

New York:  State officials are shutting down four prisons, claiming a steady decline in people being railroaded into prison (since 1999).  That’s good news, unless your one of the hundreds of prison employees losing their job.  In Kirkwood, book maker Penguin Random House shutting down one of four of its distribution centers by 2015. It’s the result of the merger of Penguin, DK and Random House. Hundreds of jobs will be lost!  In Rochester, Eastman Kodak laid off two more employees.  In Lakewood, tool and die maker Premier Lakewood shutting down in May, 75 jobs lost.  In Albany County, Burton shutting down its snowboard operations and laying off 72 employees.  Company officials say the U.S. economy is so bad they are leaving and setting up shop in Austria!

North Carolina:  In Winston-Salem, after 24 years World Villages non-profit gift store shutdown.  The owners blame the ongoing bad economy saying “We did not have enough customers coming into the store.”

New Mexico: In failed police state Albuquerque, Kmart will shutdown a second store by May.  80 jobs lost.

Ohio: The Toledo Speech and Hearing Center shutdown.  35 employees laid off, 700 patients screwed over!  Officials blamed Obama Care for a decrease in insurance reimbursements and Medicaid reimbursements.  What was that about Obama Care making healthcare more accessible?

Oregon:  In Portland, upscale retailer Nordstrom announced it will shutdown it’s Lloyd Center store by 2015.  220 jobs lost!   Company officials said the store hasn’t “…performed to the level we need them to and investing in remodels to possibly make them more successful doesn’t pencil out.”

Pennsylvania:  In Pittson, book maker Penguin Random House shutting down its distribution center by 2015.  It’s the result of the merger of Penguin, DK and Random House.  Hundreds of jobs will be lost!  What housing market recovery?  In Shady Grove,  heavy construction equipment maker Manitowoc Cranes, killed 250 jobs!  Company officials blame it on crashing orders, which represent crashing building construction.

Tennessee:  In Memphis, Ashley Furniture HomeStore Outlet shutting down their Perimeter Center store in April.  Reports say the operators did not renew their lease.  ServiceMaster killed 105  positions!  It’s the result of the spinoff of TrueGreen.

Vermont: In Essex Junction, an IBM employee organization says they have internal documents warning of more massive layoffs.  At least 419 people lost their jobs last year!

Virginia:  In Newport News, Kmart shutting down by April, 81 jobs lost.

Washington:  In Vancouver, upscale retailer Nordstrom announced it will shutdown it’s mall store by 2015.   164 jobs lost!  Company officials said the store hasn’t “…performed to the level we need them to and investing in remodels to possibly make them more successful doesn’t pencil out.”

04-05 February 2014: Project K killing Kelloggs?

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013