Arizona:  In Phoenix, after 30 years Ofelia’s bridal shop shutdown.

California:  More proof video games are not recession resistant; on Xmas day Laguna Hills based Red 5 Studios informed its employees it did not have enough cash to issue their Xmas time paychecks!  Unconfirmed reports that Red 5 Studios also laid off employees in November and December.  All year long clothing maker Hudsloan Enterprises advertised that it was looking for employees for its “rapid growing clothing” operation. Now Hudsloan is shutting down its Los Angeles operations in February, 265 jobs lost!   Upscale sunglasses maker Oakley issued a layoff WARN in Foothill Ranch, 76 jobs lost in February 2016.   Failing to prove its graduated students can find good paying jobs France based Le Cordon Bleu shutting down its Pasadena cooking school in February, 126 jobs lost!  In Fontana, motion control company Parker Hannifin issued a shutdown WARN, 69 jobs lost in February 2016.  In San Francisco, British empire based U.S. taxsucking BAE killing more U.S. jobs, this time 63 people laid off.  Tax sucker Boeing issued several layoff WARNs, 79 jobs lost in February 2016.  TGI Friday’s shutting down their Carlsbad restaurant, 45 jobs lost by the end of February 2016.  In Los Angeles, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza shutting down in March 2016, at least 796 jobs lost!  In Kerman, massive farm layoffs as Gerawan Farming-Prima issued a shutdown WARN for February, 2-thousand 551 jobs lost due to the ongoing drought!

Georgia:  In Atlanta, after five years Cafe Jonah and the Magical Attic shutting down by the end of February 2016: “Our landlord is not renewing our lease and intends to sell the property. I have been searching for the past year for a comparable space that we could call home, but have not found anything…”

Indiana: Michigan based Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern shutting down seven restaurants due to lack of sales.  Only one Bagger Dave’s will remain in Indiana.

Iowa: In Cedar Rapids, a 30 years old Burger King fast food joint shutting down in January 2016, because of the greedy property owner: “The lease came up and our rates went up. We wanted to do a scrape and rebuild, but we just couldn’t do it economically on a leased piece of ground. It just doesn’t make sense.”-Perry Beaton, franchise owner

Kansas: In Topeka, Mad Eliza’s Cakes & Confections shutting down their brick-n-mortar store and focusing on catering only: “The many extra expenses and workload of keeping and stocking a storefront can only be justified when there is a line at the counter a large portion of the time…”-Mark and Peggy Murnahan, owners

Maryland: The GAP clothier shutting down in the Westfield Annapolis Mall.  After 33 years the last Wavedancer store in Baltimore shutting down in January 2016.

Massachusetts:  After almost six years Persnickety Toys shutdown their Pittsfield location due to down holiday sales: “I did have the option to not close dependent upon the outcome of the holiday season, but I’m afraid that while it was pretty busy, it just wasn’t busy enough.”-Mike Moore, owner of Pittsfield store

Another 30 years old fast food joint shutdown, this time in Hadley.  The KFC (aka Kentucky Fried Chicken) shutdown due to low sales and higher labor costs: “We just can’t make money here anymore with the minimum wage increase and new part-time sick leave. Things weren’t that great anymore, but those things were the final nail.”-Mike Houston, franchise owner

Michigan: Only seven years old Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern chain shutting down a restaurant in Detroit, blaming lack of sales.   Bankrupt California based American Apparel shutdown its Lansing store without warning.

Missouri: In Jefferson City, after 37 years Kirlin’s Hallmark gift store shutting down by the beginning of January 2016.

Nebraska:  In Lincoln, the Russ’s Market (formerly Food-4-Less) at 70th and Van Dorn streets shutting down by the end of January 2016, the parent company is consolidating grocery ops into fewer stores.

New Mexico: In Silver City, after ten years non-profit fiber art store The Common Thread shutdown.  The operator said sales weren’t high enough to pay the utilities.

New York: In Soho, Italian steakhouse Costata shutdown and looking for a cheaper location.

Pennsylvania:  In York, Metso Minerals issued a WARN saying 71 jobs lost by February 2016.  Too Big to Jail FNB-Metro Bancorp-Metro Bank eliminating 230 Dauphin County jobs by February 2016!  In Pottsville, Ryder issued a WARN saying 95 jobs lost by March 2016.  In Brackenridge, ATI Flat Rolled Products issued a WARN saying they will eliminate 259 jobs by the end of February 2016!  After 101 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) the non-profit Mahanoy City Visiting Nurse Association killed off by skyrocketing costs and lack of donations.    In Wayne, after 34 years Newman and Saunders Galleries shutting down next week.  The owners are selling the property and will focus on internet sales only.   The state Game Commission says not enough hunting licenses were sold and they must furlough two employees.  In Reading, upscale clothier The Archive shutting down, the owner blames low sales on a bad location.  Michigan based DTE Energy shutting down their Shenango coke plant in January 2016, 173 jobs lost: “We were blindsided….It’s like a funeral here.”-Mike Ruane, employees’ union rep

Texas: The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas estimates that since October 2014 at least 70-thousand oil industry jobs have been lost: “Job losses and falling energy prices portend continued distress for the oil and gas sector in 2016…..      If bankruptcies continue at this rate, more may follow in 2016. Upstream firms have also adjusted to low oil prices by slashing capital expenditures; spending is down 51% from fourth quarter 2014 to third quarter 2015.”

Washington: In Bellingham, after 20 years Vis Seafoods shutdown its brick-n-mortar store and shifting to internet orders only.

Washington DC:  After eight years the Hello Cupcake shop in Dupont Circle shutting down.

West Virginia: In Montgomery, after 107 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Elk Furniture shutting down: “It’s um something I have been seeing come, for several years business has slowed down. You can’t run a business without money…..we don’t see how things are going to pick up any time soon.”-Ella Mae Jones, owner

U.S. Job Losses & Closings 28 December 2015: “this will be an humanitarian crisis under the flag of the United States” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”