Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Illinois based Abbott Vascular issued several WARNs saying more than 100 Golden Staters will be laid off!  Reports say just two years ago the medical device company had 4-thousand employees, but now has less than 17-hundred (is the job culling related to the new Obama Care medical device tax?)!  In Silver Lakes, after eight years kids shoe store Wee Soles shutdown.  The owner blames crashing sales saying “…people are not willing to pay what a good shoe costs.”  The owner is now returning to her previous job as a dance instructor.  In El Segundo, Aimbridge Employee Service issued a WARN saying they will “temporarily” close in December, 13 jobs lost.  In Santa Anna, ITT Cannon warned they will layoff at least five people in January 2015.  More layoffs for failing Hewlett Packard, this time they laid off 25 people in Palo Alto.  In Torrance, Obama Care caused Providence Health to issue a WARN saying they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 59 jobs lost.

Connecticut: Foxwood Casino laid off 84 people.  That’s on top of the 195 employees already rendered jobless at the failing casino!  What automotive industry recovery?  In Bridgport, after 45 years the Dragone used car dealership shutdown.  The family owned dealership was done in partly by a greedy employee who embezzled them, but the final straw was when the Too Big to Jail banks refused to help out the current owner: “I came in last Friday and said, `That’s it, I’m done!’ That really hurt, I couldn’t get new financing.”-Carman ‘Mimi’ Dragone

Florida: Railroad company CSX warned they will eliminate 300 management jobs, mainly in Jacksonville!  Salaries and travel expenses will also be cut.  Company administrators say that despite revenues going up, operational expenses went up even more.   Also in Jacksonville, URS Federal Services issued a WARN saying 81 people will become jobless at the end of December.   American Express issued a WARN saying at least three people will lose their jobs at their Weston office in January 2015.

Illinois: In Matteson, the owners of the 41 years old Lincoln Mall announced it will shutdown in January 2015.  Don’t blame the economy as a court judge ordered it torn down because it was literally falling apart (the mall owners said they could not afford to maintain the building).  City administrators are scrambling to find new homes for the mall tenants.

Maryland: In Federal Hill, after 116 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Morstein’s Jewelers shutdown.

Michigan:  What automotive industry recovery?  In Lansing, GM (General Motors) revealed that 450 people at its Grand River Assembly Plant could become jobless in early 2015! It’s blamed on crashing sales of upscale Cadillacs. GM also announced the killing off of at least 160 jobs at its Buick and Chevy Assembly Plant in Orion by the end of 2015 (they hope production will go up when they introduce the new Camaro)!

Mississippi: Emilia Cosmetics laid off about 30 employees at its newly acquired skin care factory in Dekalb.  It’s blamed on massive delays in shipments of primary ingredients.  After announcing a $50-million USD expansion in August, light bulb maker Philips laid off 49 employees at their Tupelo factory.  Administrators claim the layoffs are “seasonal”.

New Hampshire: Home heating oil supplier Fred Fuller now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.

New Jersey: In Egg Harbor City, Renault Winery Resort and Golf now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The administrators say they are fighting for the life of the iconic winery: “We have been here for 150 years, and our plan will ensure us being here long into the future. We’re not looking to sell the place. We’re looking to continue the legacy here.”-Dennis Del Vecchio

New York: NBCnews.com (formerly MSNBC.com) will layoff an undisclosed number of employees in New York and Washington state beginning in 2015.  It’s blamed on the expiration of the joint venture with Microsoft.  Reports that Remington Arms laid off 126 people!  This is on top of the 105 people already laid off!  It’s the result of the gun maker getting the hell outta unAmerican New York and moving to Alabama.  Sweden based air traffic manager Saab Sensis laid off 27 people in DeWitt: “As a result of continued challenging business environments in both domestic and international markets…”-Mike Gerry, president

Nevada: In Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment warned of massive layoffs (as many as 600 people!) and possible chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The gambling empire reports they’ve lost money every year since the 2008 recession.

Ohio: What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of specialty metal parts for the automotive and aerospace industries Avalon Precision Metalsmiths (formerly known as Avalon Castings and Precision Metalsmiths) announced it will shutdown its 69 years old Euclid factory, about 50 jobs lost.  Administrators blame crashing sales, pointing out that sales have been crashing for the past ten years!

Oklahoma: What automotive industry recovery?  Auto parts maker Federal Mogul revealed they will shutdown their recently acquired Oklahoma City factory in 2015, at least 165 jobs lost! Federal Mogul took over the factory from Affina Group in June 2014.  The Bank of Oklahoma announced it will shutdown branch offices located in 24 grocery stores, in 2015.  Bank administrators claim they will find jobs for the 75 affected employees.  In Bartlesville, the aged Eastland Four Theater cinema shutdown.  The owners could not afford to switch to digital projectors.  The cost to switch to digital is so expensive that only 88% of U.S. cinemas are digital.

West Virginia: Hendricks Coal issued a WARN saying 90 employees will be laid off from three coal mines, in December.  Alpha Natural Resources laid off 36 coal miners.

Wisconsin: Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Eau Claire Kmart in February 2015, at least 93 jobs lost.

10-11 November-2014 “It’s hard to fail.”

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.