Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.
British empire based British Petroleum (BP, formerly known as Anglo-Iranian Oil) announced it will eliminate at least 4-thousand jobs around the world.
British empire based polymer products maker Fenner announced a 20% cut in jobs in its North American operations, blaming the oil industry.
California: Cupertino made the Texas based retailer JCPenney‘s shutdown list for April. Wine maker to the elites, Premier Cru, chapter 7 bankrupt busted and shutdown without warning. Wealthy customers are stuck as $70-million USD in paid orders will not be delivered (oh boo hoo).
Colorado: According to Colorado Oil and Gas Association only 22 oil rigs were in operation at the end of 2015, compared to 77 in 2014. The Colorado School of Mines is in danger of losing students due to the crashing oil industry: “Students are asking ‘How long is this going to occur?’ ….This is a big change as far as what they’re expectations were compared to what the realty is.”-Will Fleckenstein, adjunct professor interviewed by 9NEWS
Connecticut: In Stratford, after 82 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recession) Clough’s Hardware shutting down.
Florida: The Venice public library shutting down by the end of the month due to unsanitary conditions that never go away despite numerous attempts to repair the building. British empire based U.S. tax-sucking BAE announced more job cuts at its Jacksonville boatyard. This time 3-hundred jobs to be eliminated! Last year 1-hundred Jacksonville jobs were eliminated. It’s blamed on reduced tax spending by the U.S. Navy. Jacksonville based rail company CSX announced a 13% drop in revenues due to the crashing coal market. In Coral Gables, Preferred Medical Plan issued a WARN saying 35 people will be let go in March.
Georgia: Mount Berry Square Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March, 86 jobs lost.
Hawaii: Nimitz highway Kmart (the first Kmart opened in Hawaii) shutting down in March, 141 jobs lost! Imported furniture and textile seller Chai Studio shutting down this month due to a property developer re-purposing the retail property. The owner of Chai Studio is looking for a new location to open a new textile design studio.
Idaho: It’s finally being revealed by local news sources that state taxpayers were funding the maintaining of the JR. Simplot mansion to the tune of nearly $1-million USD during the time the property was in possession of the state! Back in 2004 the mansion (estimated to be worth $2-million) was given to The Gem State, however, it was supposedly given back to the Simplot family in 2013 because the utility bills alone were costing taxpayers $150-thousand per year! This info was originally reported by the United Kingdom’s DailyMail back in 2013. The Simplot family can no longer pay the upkeep on the mansion and are tearing it down.
To counter the growing trend of chain restaurants openly opposing guns, local Gem State eateries are offering discounts if you’re packin’ heat! Dueling Irons restaurant knocks off 15% from the price of your meal: “The open carry discount is being expanded to included ccw permits, and increasing to 15%.”-Dueling Irons facebook post
I warned in the past (after a manager told me at least a year ago they were in an unofficial “holding pattern”) now it’s official, the Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.
Indiana: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown the Terre Haute Kmart by April, 62 jobs lost. Crummy clothier Old Navy shutting down their 15 years old Kokomo store within two weeks, blaming crashed sales in December.
Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April, 38 jobs lost. In Dubuque, Second Time Around Consignment shutting down this weekend. Local news says it’s the second time in two years a consignment shop shutdown in that very location.
Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down by Spring, 49 jobs lost.
Maryland: Pier 1 Imports shutting down their Towson store. In Ownings Mills, JCPenney shutting down by April.
Massachusetts: Nuclea Biotechnologies eliminating jobs at two locations and shutting down their Pittsfield genomics ops as part of a “major internal reorganization”. In Waltham, Evolving Closet consignment store shutting down this month. In Woburn, after 12 years Kay’s Hallmark gift store shutting down in February.
Michigan: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown three Kmart stores by April, one in Virginia, Superior and Ironwood, 137 jobs lost!
Minnesota: The rumors have been confirmed, the Kmart located in the Thunderbird Mall will shutdown, at least 48 jobs lost. After 55 years Buck’s Unpainted Furniture shutting down this month, co-owner Roger Buck saying “We don’t want to unload trucks any more and work weekends any more.” Two stores shutting down in the Hutchinson Mall; Claire’s Accessories and Urban Express.
New Jersey: Moonachie based clothier Joyce Leslie now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to crashed sales.
New York: In Brooklyn, Angry Wade’s bar shutting down after the greedy landlord jacked the rent to $16-thousand USD per month! NYC based clothier Aeropostale announced it will eliminate at least 1-hundred jobs due to continued declining sales! Stop & Shop shutting down its Freeport store in February, 91 jobs lost. Too Big to Jail Morgan Stanley finally revealed how many New Yorkers will become unemployed between March and April; 414!
North Carolina: Haywood County in big trouble, they’ve reduced their operating budget by $2.4-million USD and will have to shutdown at least one school, conduct layoffs and reduce pay for remaining employees! It’s blamed on the loss of state school funding (due in part to crashing enrollment) and half a million dollars in tax collections being diverted to other counties that are in bigger trouble than Haywood!
Ohio: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown the Boardman Kmart by April, 81 jobs lost. The 11 years old Regal movie theater in the Indian Mound Mall shutting down this week, 11 jobs lost. American Eagle clothier shutting down their Upper Valley Mall store by the end of January.
Oklahoma: In Utica, after more than 70 years Petty’s Fine Foods shutting down in February, 50 jobs lost.
Pennsylvania: Jerry Sandusky founded The Second Mile charity asking courts to approve a shutdown request, citing lack of donations. Pittsburg based clothier American Eagle (American Eagle Outfitters) revealed at an investor’s conference in Florida that it will shutdown 150 stores across the U.S. over the next three years! In Cranberry, the JCPenney shutting down by April.
South Carolina: Beaded Frog jewelry/beading store in Greenville shutting down: “Our rent will more than double at the end of our lease. The new rent structure exceeds what a bead store should pay…”-Heidi Woody, owner
Tennessee: After spending money to paint their eatery in the colors of East Tennessee State University the owners of Alley Kat Sandwich Shop shutting it down by the end of this week. In Morristown, the JCPenney shutting down by April.
Texas: In Dallas, after seven years Green Bean Toy Boutique shutting down, the pissed manager blames looky-loos: “They will come in and see something, and say I can get that cheaper on Amazon. That kind of cuts like a knife…we can’t compete with that.”-Marchell Dean
Utah: Sears Holdings shutting down their North Logan Kmart by April, 58 jobs lost. In Price, the JCPenney store shutting down by April.
Vermont: Entergy shutting down their Vermont Yankee nuclear plant HQ offices and eliminating 150 jobs by May! It’s part of the ongoing decommissioning of the nuclear power plant.
Virginia: British empire based U.S. tax-sucking BAE notified 530 people they will be laid off in March! Last month BAE laid off 160 people at its Norfolk shipyard! In November BAE laid off 185 people! BAE blames decreased tax spending by the U.S. Navy. At the Chesapeake Square Mall, American Eagle clothier shutting down by the end of the month. Across the street a Michaels arts & craft store shutting down.
Washington: Eatonville Sears Hometown store shutting down. In Everett, God refusing to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Trinity Lutheran College, due to The Rapture, I mean what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome: “…the Board of Directors of Trinity Lutheran College has come to the conclusion that any efforts to increase enrollment at Trinity will no longer sustain the college.”-Kevin Bates
In Yakima, after almost ten years Garden Girl shutting down by the end of February: “I’m worn out, that’s the bottom line.”-Lenette Roehl, owner
Wyoming: JCPenney shutting down their Rock Springs store in April, 25 jobs lost. The Cowboy State is the birth place of the iconic retailer.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
12 January 2016: “It was a shock.” Puerto Rico kills GameStop!
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.”