Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

California: San Francisco based Levi Strauss killed 800 corporate jobs!  In Pasadena, Too Big to Jail Bank of America revealed it will kill 153 mortgage service jobs in April!  In Napa, after 29 years the Golden Carrot Natural Foods store shutdown.  In El Segundo, toy maker Mattel killed 128 jobs!

Florida: In Jacksonville, women’s clothing retailer Body Central warned of massive layoffs, after realizing they lost $42-million USD in 2013!  In Boca Raton, after only two years and $250-thousand in remodeling upscale Red, The Steakhouse shutdown.  The owner was shocked at how much business crashed since last summer: “We are dumbfounded it came to this!……..When summer hit, there weren’t enough people…..No energy!”-Brad Friedlander

Idaho: In Nampa, food producer Simplot announced they will shutdown operations at the end of May.  206 jobs lost!  It’s part of their ongoing consolidations of food processing.

Illinois: Bushnell-Prairie City School District will layoff at least 16 employees, end two sports programs and end elementary summer school for the 2014-15 school year.  It’s blamed on massive funding cuts at the states level.   Springfield based legal drugs pusher Walgreens announced it will shutdown 76 stores across the country!   Company officials say they also need to cut expenses by $50-million by the end of 2015!  Blame it on drastically reduced government and insurance company reimbursements under Obama Care.

Massachusetts: In North Adams, after 129 years North Adams Regional Hospital now chapter 7 bankrupt busted, and shutting down, 530 jobs lost!  VNA & Hospice and the Northern Berkshire Healthcare Physicians Group affected by the bankruptcy as well!  This will have a major effect on North Adams as the hospital is the city’s main employer.

Minnesota: Who said high tech jobs are recession proof? Food processor Cargill announced it will kill 900 IT jobs across the country, 300 of which are in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.  Cargill will now rely on lower paid contractors.  After only nine years the only two Christian Camden Music Schools shutdown.  God didn’t stop the ‘great recession’ from killing off the schools: “The revenues were not sufficient for me to sustain it.”-Janet Zahn, founder

Nevada: Who said high tech jobs are recession proof?  Gambling machine maker International Game Technology (IGT) killing 350 jobs!  Company officials said the need to cut $30-million in expenses.

New York: Queensbury Union Free School District warned of job cuts  for the upcoming school year.   It’s blamed on continued reduction in funding, and of course they want the cash strapped property owners to fork over more money.  Saranac Lake Central School District wants to layoff at least 20 employees for the upcoming school year.  Adirondack Health killed 18 healthcare jobs, and reduced the hours of 15 others.  Hospital officials blamed Obama Care for a $1.2-million drop in funding in 2013, and said it’ll be even worse in 2014!  They’re also considering turning the Adirondack Medical Center emergency room into a 24 hour urgent care center.  In Brooklyn, school bus contractor RPM Systems laying off 47 employees in June.  Mountainside Transportation also laying off 47 school bus employees in June.

North Carolina: In Raleigh, after 29 years Fat Daddy’s Market & Grill  shutdown.  45 jobs lost.

Ohio: In Lakewood, after 67 years Wings Hobby Shop shutdown.  The owner blames lazy young people: “We peaked out, volume-wise, in 1995.  Little by little it started to go away, because we weren’t getting any young people……Society has evolved into a mode of instant gratification…….They want to have a collection to look at, but they don’t want to build anything. “-Al Cicerchi

Oregon: In Medford, after 37 years roller skate rink Roller Odyssey shutdown.  The owners said the could not afford the new rent.

Pennsylvania: In Coraopolis,  British empire Australia based QBE Insurance laying off 59 employees.  The Pittsburgh Riverhounds football (soccer) team, and the owners of the Highmark Stadium now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It’s blamed on the millions of dollars it took to build the stadium.

Texas: Oil industry seismic service company Global Geophysical Service now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Company officials blame the past few years of the ‘great recession’ for causing them to get into massive debt. In Sugar Land, after less than one year the Fiesta Market Place grocery store shutdown!  I couldn’t find any reports that explained why.  In Woodland, after 23 years the Affinity & Tux Shop shutdown.  The owner blamed it on health problems.

Virginia: In Hampton Roads, baby killing tax sucking DynCorp laying off 62 military base security guards.  Company officials blame it on the expiration of their government contract.  In Charleston, reports that the Sushi Atlantic market shutdown.

22 – 24 March 2014: “I hate working for nothing!”

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