Tag Archives: wall street

Fukushima

80% increase of Indian Point radiation leak, in less than one week!

10 February 2016 (16:43 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 21 Bahman 1394/01 Jumada al-Ula 1437/03 Geng Yin 4714

The inept Entergy has revealed an 80% increase in the radiation leak first discovered at the end of last week!  This ongoing nuclear disaster is taking place about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of New York City.

Last week all three water monitoring wells showed a sudden increase in radiation, with one well emmitting a 65-thousand percent increase in tritium radiation!  Administrators claim groundwater for drinking is not being affected (yeah, try that on the residents of Flint, Michigan).

Entergy administrators are now whining that the real reason they’re getting all the negative attention is because state government officials want to shutdown the nuclear reactors.  Apparently they don’t think massive percentages of radiation level increases are the cause for the ‘attention’.

Entergy says the tritium leak probably took place in January when fuel rods were being changed out.  They think water used to keep the rods cool might have overflowed into drains.

U.S.

U.S. Civil War: California schools official safe houses for illegal immigrants!

10 February 2016 (15:18 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 21 Bahman 1394/01 Jumada al-Ula 1437/03 Geng Yin 4714

The Golden State of California is proving to be a golden hide out for illegal immigrants.  First a record number of California Drivers Licenses (CDL) have been knowingly issued to illegal immigrants, under the guise of making sure illegal limmigrants are proven to know the rules of the road!

Now the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is openly safe-housing illegal immigrants, protecting them from being captured by federal ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) agents.

LAUSD administrators officially ordered principals and teachers to resist ICE agents who come knocking on their school doors!  The school district says within the next 90 days they’ll come up with a “rapid response plan” for hiding illegal immigrants from ICE.

But the LAUSD is not the only district in California creating an ‘underground railroad’ for illegals, San Francisco is too.  Even Montgomery County, in Maryland, gave the Obama regime notice that they would interfere with ICE agent’s efforts to apprehend illegals.

Banks & illegal drugs cause illegal immigration to U.S.! 

immigration a False Flag op to make corporations richer! 

History shows immigrants are greatest self-inflicted threat to Empires! 

LEGAL immigration kills thousands of jobs in California while Off-shoring of U.S. jobs continues! 

Idaho loses jobs, record number of people in workforce, yet unemployment rate remains the same? Blame immigrants!

“The Border Patrol asked me the same question, but when I told them I was born in Germany they held me up! They demanded to see my state issued birth certificate, which I do not have (I have a U.S. Department of State FS 240 notice of birth) and nobody in the U.S. carries it around on them anyway, and we began arguing. They refused to accept my Arizona driver’s license as ID! Mexicans waiting to walk into the U.S. began backing away, wide eyed at the fact the U.S. Border Patrol was refusing an obvious Gringo from entering the U.S. Finally I pulled my Army National Guard ID and the Border Patrol let me in! Yes, this ‘immigration’ thing really pisses me off because it has directly impacted me, more than once!” -This happened in 1995, when all a U.S. citizen needed to legally cross the border with Canada or Mexico was a state issued driver’s license

Business/Economics, Idaho

The insanity begins; massive video gaming losses as Casinos blame video gaming for their own losses! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 10 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners and casino operators can’t blame video games for your demise; San Diego based internet video game accessory maker Mad Catz laid off 37% of its employees due to crashing sales, claiming a net loss of $4.4-million USD in its 3rd quarter of 2015!  University of California at Berkeley warning of mass layoffs and program cuts.  It’s blamed on years of overspending resulting in a shortfall of at least $150-million USD!  Morgan Hill based custom aftermarket bicycle parts maker Specialized says it will layoff less than 50 people due to crashing sales.

Colorado: WPX Energy sold its Colorado drilling ops to a Texas company, affecting at least 2-hundred jobs! The natural gas producer once boasted “WPX Energy produces more natural gas in Colorado than anyone else….”

Florida: More proof brick-n-mortar store owners and casino operators can’t blame their demise on the internet; fantasy sports gaming site FanDuel issued a WARN for its Maitland ops, 55 jobs lost in April.

Idaho: Right to Work (you over) state level ‘lawmakers’ are considering a bill that would make it illegal for local level ‘lawmakers’ to increase the minimum wage in their cities!  State ‘lawmakers’ also passed a bill that would cap homeowner property tax exemptions.

Illinois: Par-A-Dice Casino laid off 40 employees, ignorantly blaming video games: “The layoffs are regrettable, but they’re 100% due to the impact of video gaming.”   I say ignorantly because if you’ve noticed I’ve written (especially in this episode of Job Losses) about numerous video game makers, and even video gambling operators, who’re experiencing crashing revenues as well (I’ve said this before, maybe it’s ’cause consumers don’t have no-mo money to spend?)!   The Kishwaukee College budget for next school year calls for the elimination of 17% of its jobs and other austerity measures.  It’s blamed on the loss of $275-thousand USD caused by reduced student enrollment, and the loss of $2.5-million in state taxpayer funding that was promised but never delivered!  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Franciscan Saint James Health hospital, blaming millions of U.S. dollars in losses over several years (I guess this proves the real ‘god’ is money).

Indiana: HVAC maker Carrier-United Technologies Electronic Controls announced it will move its Indianapolis and Huntington factories to Mexico, killing 2-thousand 1-hundred U.S. jobs over the next three years!

Kansas: Rumors that computer networking company Alexander Open Systems is eliminating jobs as part of preparations to sell itself to the highest bidder.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, Lunds & Byerlys  on Suburban Avenue shutting down after 45 years, 65 jobs lost in March.  Administrators said the grocery store was “no longer viable”.

New York: NYC based NBCUniversal eliminated ten jobs with its Cable Entertainment division.

Oregon: Russia based steel maker EVRAZ issued a shutdown WARN for their Portland pipe factory,  230 jobs will be lost by the beginning of April!  Ironically the Russian company blamed their U.S. factory shutdown partly on foreign made pipe being ‘dumped’ within the U.S. due to U.S. import regulations that actually favor imports over domestically produced products.  Last month I reported that Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems was quietly laying off employees, and ordered employees not to talk about it lest they lose their severance.  Now an unnamed source says as many as 36 people were laid off in January 2016, and about 30 people laid off in 2015.   Another shocking revelation is that former employees say the company was making decent profits, at least until 2013.  Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems was founded 50 years ago, but in the past decade has changed ownership numerous times.  Currently the company is owned by Bortech.

Washington: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners, and casino operators, can’t blame the internet/video games for your demise; Bellevue based internet video game operator Motiga conducted a second round of layoffs (referring to them as “redundancies”) in the past three months.  As usual with internet game makers no job loss numbers were reported.  In Walla Walla, after at least ten years elitist gourmet restaurant-gift shop Providence Fine Living shutting down due to the landlord “skyrocketing” the rent.  The operator of Providence Fine Living said his sales were good, but not good enough to cover what the landlord wants in the new lease.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

09 February 2016: “I can’t believe it’s…the end.”

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.”

Business/Economics

Russia privatizes military helicopter production?

10 February 2016 (01:12 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 21 Bahman 1394/01 Jumada al-Ula 1437/03 Geng Yin 4714

During the unofficial Cold War we knew of Kamov and Mil, major producers of combat helicopters for the Soviet Union.  Those two companies merged and are now known as Russian Helicopters.

Neat looking ‘Alligators’ originally designed and produced by Kamov

Recently Russian news reports said their government was ready to allow private investments into Russian Helicopters, including investments by foreigners.  The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade is also considering ‘selling off’ a 25% “blocking stake” in the helicopter maker.

Latest version of the iconic ‘Hind’, originally designed and produced by Mil

At the end of 2014 Russian Helicopter reported that it was so busy with orders that it would be producing up to 280 helicopters every year, but only until the end of this year.  Perhaps that’s why they’re being opened up to foreign investment?

They make cool looking silly-vilian helicopters as well

Business/Economics

Iconic Russian armor maker now bankrupt?

10 February 2016 (00:44 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 21 Bahman 1394/01 Jumada al-Ula 1437/03 Geng Yin 4714

Despite getting a contract to build 2-hundred new BMP-3 vehicles for the Russian army, KurganMashZavod (KMZ) might be involuntarily declared bankrupt in its home oblast of Kurgan.

BMP is an acronym for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty (literally Infantry Combat Vehicle).

East German BMP-1 (1st generation KMZ infantry fighting vehicle)

It was KMZ, during the time of the Soviet Union, who developed the world’s first fully enclosed infantry carrying tanks, later emulated by U.S.-led NATO countries (who called them Armored Personnel Carriers [APC] or Infantry Fighting Vehicles [IFV]).

Iraqi 2nd generation KMZ designed BMP-2

A Russian machine tool company called MTE Group is demanding the Kurgan court declare KMZ bankrupt because it failed to fully payoff its debts to MTE.  News reports say KMZ is also struggling with wage problems and debts to natural gas supplier Gazprom Mezhregiongaz.

About 30 countries around the world use the KMZ designed BMPs.

Business/Economics

Sears Kmart update 10 February 2016: No more Sears Auto Centers? More lies about “competition”! Taxpayers hit for failed Kmart!

Towards the end of January, Sears Canada announced it would ramp up store shutdowns.  Great White North administrators said they’re so paranoid about reducing the number of stores that they’re considering “anything and everything”, admitting their motivation to do so is at “…a higher level….today than in the past few years.”  Numbers and locations of stores to be shutdown were not disclosed because administrators “…continue to do work on numerous real estate efforts…including various footprint rationalization efforts.”   (Sears Home Center on Tommie Avenue in Victoria, British Columbia, shutting down in July)

Sears Holdings revealed it lost money during the end of 2015 holiday season and will “accelerate” the shutdown of at least 50 stores in the first quarter of 2016.  Eddie Lampert is also considering selling off what’s left of the Sears Auto Center division!   Lambert claimed Sears Holdings lost sales due to “intense competition”, however, if you’ve been following my Job Losses reports then you’d notice that just about everybody is making that claim, even the internet businesses!  So whose causing all the so called “intense competition”?  (is the term ‘intense competition’ new code for ‘nobody has any money to buy anything’?)

In the Failed state of Illinois, the local taxpayers of Willowbrook are about to be hit with an increase in city sales tax!  City A-holes, I mean administrators say the sales tax hike is needed to pay for redeveloping a long abandoned Kmart property.  Local news reports say the sales tax could be raised by a full percent under state business-district law.  Administrators say it’s easier to jack up the local sales tax to pay for commercial development, than to jack up local property tax.

05 February 2016 : It’s worse than a Goodwill thrift store! Sears sues to stop economic expansion! 

Here’s the updated list of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April 2016. No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.” Local news reports say there is a Now Hiring sign posted on the Kmart store front. Reports that the Glendale Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors. Recently revealed Arrowhead Towne Center Sears sold-off then rented back! Chandler Fashion Center Sears sold-off then rented back!

Alabama: Prattville Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 70 jobs lost. Florence Kmart in March, 64 jobs lost in 2016. A local news report said the employees knew nothing about it and were shocked to hear it from the news media! Dothan Kmart (south side of Ross Clark Circle) shutting down in March, 56 jobs lost in 2016. Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost), Sears Store and Auto Center at the Bel Air Mall in Mobile (more than 100 jobs lost).

California: Anaheim Kmart shutting down, 107 jobs lost in 2016! The Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutting down between March and April 2016, a total of 3-hundred jobs lost! El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (98 jobs lost), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings. San Mateo Kmart being demolished to make room for 599 unit apartment complex, as part of the the Hayward Park Caltrain Station project. Atwater Kmart (74 jobs lost), Los Banos Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: The Lutz Kmart shutting down by March 2016, 62 jobs lost. The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March 2016, 86 jobs lost. Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost). Dicks Sportings Goods subleasing space in an existing Sears store in Palm Beach Gardens.

Georgia: The 37 years old Carrollton Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016. Dublin Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 71 jobs lost. Milledgeville Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 60+ jobs lost. Mount Berry Square Mall (Rome) Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March 2016, 86 jobs lost. Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Iconic 25 years old Nimitz HWY Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart shutting down in March 2016, 141 jobs lost! Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Boise Kmart on Fairview shutting down by mid-March 2016, 56 jobs lost. Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 65 jobs lost. Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost).

Illinois: Morton ‘green’ Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Canton Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 38 jobs lost. Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. North Mayfair Kmart (99 jobs lost), Chicago Kmart at 5033 North Elston Avenue (99 jobs lost). By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Terre Haute Kmart by April, 62 jobs lost. Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (68 jobs lost), Bloomington Sears to be replaced by Whole Foods grocery store.

Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 38 jobs lost. Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September), 56 years old Mason City Sears & Auto Center (more than 100 jobs lost). Davenport Kmart (59 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down in 2016, 49 jobs lost. Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown, Laplace Sears Hometown Store.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost), Aroostook Centre Mall Sears Auto Center leased out to VIP Tires & Service.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost), Parkville Kmart (102 jobs lost), California Kmart (71 jobs lost), Sears Hometown Store in Perryville.

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost). Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive shutdown. Also, the Braintree South Shore Plaza Sears store is renting out an entire floor to Ireland based Primark. Even with the lease to Primark there is still 4-thousand square feet of vacant space in the Sears store. The Sears at the Auburn Mall shutdown on Black Friday due to electrical fire. The store was experiencing electrical problems, an investigation is underway.

Michigan: The Bradley Kmart has a new owner who is shutting it down in 2016. Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart will be shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018. The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost. Ironwood Kmart by mid-April, 47 jobs lost. Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million! Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant; snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. The Kmart Plaza in Sandusky sold to “A group of investors”, no word on what will happen to the Kmart store.

Minnesota: Dundas Kmart by April 2016, 32 jobs lost. Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 48 jobs lost. Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutting down in April, no word on job losses. Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost), Vineland Kmart (74 jobs lost). After 18 years Sears Holdings shutdown their Roselle Sears Hardware store due to “landlord issues”.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Staten Island Mall Sears Auto Center will shutdown in February, 20 jobs lost. Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost),  East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford (Sangertown Mall) Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost), Lancaster Kmart sold for $1.7-million to Dave’s Christmas Wonderland. Herkimer Sears Hometown, Saranac Lake Sears Hometown the ‘independent’ co-owners said Sears Holdings forced them to shutdown. Melville Appliance Repair Division (31 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost), Greenville Kmart (75 jobs lost), Kinston Sears Hometown Store shutdown with little notice, Lexington Sears Hometown Store.

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: The 28 years old Sears and its Auto Center in New Philadelphia shutting down by mid-April 2016, 46 jobs lost. Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown. Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. Zanesville Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 65 jobs lost. Boardman Kmart by April 2016, 81 jobs lost. Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost), Tiffin Sears Hometown Store. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost), Tulsa BigKmart (51 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost). Ontario Kmart (55 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Reports that the Exton Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark, East Towne Mall Kmart (51 jobs lost), Frackville Kmart in the Skuylkill Mall (80 jobs lost), Mount Pocono Kmart (66 jobs lost), Fairless Hills Sears Hardware. Granite Run Mall shutdown, meaning the Sears and Sears Auto Center now apparently on a month to month (possibly day to day) lease are soon to follow. Brookhaven Kmart (89 jobs lost).

Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

South Dakota: The Pierre Kmart shutting down by the end of March 2016, 45 jobs lost. The Michell Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 52 jobs lost. Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: The Murfreesboro Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 43 jobs lost. A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutting down in April, 109 jobs lost! Clarksville Kmart shutting down in April, 68 jobs lost. Cleveland Kmart shutting down by mid-March 2016, 67 jobs lost. Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost), Simon Property Group owned McAllen Sears store & Auto Center (so far no word on how many jobs will be lost), recently revealed Palestine Sears Hometown (franchise owner quit to work as assistant manager at a local Dollar General). Wichita Falls Sikes Senter Mall Sears (56 jobs lost).

Utah: 35 years old Richfield Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. North Logan Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 58 jobs lost. Murray Sears (local news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost), Provo Kmart demolished in anticipation of yet another AtHome furniture store.

Vermont: The Bennington Sears Hometown Store shutdown. Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virginia: The Cedar Bluff (50 jobs lost), Covington (36 jobs lost) and Virginia Beach on General Booth Boulevard (no job numbers reported) Kmarts shutting down between March and April 2016! The Sears Hometown Store in Culpeper shutting down by the end of the month. Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Winchester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 jobs lost).

Washington: Eatonville Sears Hometown store. Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: Superior Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 42 jobs lost. West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost), Wauwatosa Kmart (103 jobs lost).

In April 2015, Sears Holdings (through Seritage Growth Properties) and General Growth Properties (GGP) became 50/50 joint owners of 12 Sears stores.

Here’s a list of 11 Sears stores 100% owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

“I can’t believe it’s…the end.” No more Sears? Washington booze tax makes big sales in Idaho & Oregon! Old Navy shocks the ‘experts’! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 09 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

France based clothier Comptoir des Cotonniers shutting down all three(?) of its U.S. stores.  Reports say the stores will be shutdown by the end of the month, and one store has already closed for good.

California:  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet for your demise; after 13 years Santa Monica based internet video game new media pioneer Game Trailers shutdown.  In 2014 Game Trailers was taken over by Defy Media, which immediately began killing jobs.  One report said the remaining employees were not warned about the sudden shutdown.   And then there’s Sunnyvale based Yahoo which is shutting down its BOSS (Build Your Own Search Service) in March.  Administrators say it’s because they need to “streamline and simplify”.  San Francisco based GAP owned Old Navy brand clothing store revealed that the last two months of the Xmas holiday shopping season of 2015 was its worst ever for record setting sales declines.  But then in January 2016 Old Navy suffered a 6% sales decline from December!  The news shocked clothing retail ‘expert’ analysts.  What housing market recovery?  San Francisco based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo eliminating an additional 581 mortgage related jobs across the U.S.!

Georgia: In Thomasville, after 71 years hunting supply store Stafford’s shutting down. The store is for sale, the owner wants to retire.

Illinois:  Hoffman Estates based Sears Holdings announced it will “accelerate” the shutdown of 50 more Sears and Kmart stores, blaming continued crashing sales.

Indiana:  In South Bend, 88 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Dainty Maid Bake Shop shutting down this weekend due to the death of the owner.  The popular shop is for sale and the employees hope any potential buyer will re-open it.

Maryland:  In Hagerstown, the last Hometown Gifts Hallmark store shutting down.  At one point there were six Hometown Gifts Hallmark stores in the ‘tri-state’ area.

Massachusetts:  Price Chopper shutting down the New Adams grocery store by the end of the month, 57 jobs lost.  Administrators basically said it wasn’t worth it to keep the food store open.

New Hampshire: More proof brick-n-motors can’t blame the internet for their demise; internet security company DataGravity laid off an undisclosed number of people, in an effort to cut $850-million USD costs.

Oklahoma: Employees of oil company TD Williamson went to local news media to reveal they’d been laid off without warning.  One employee said he was escorted off the work site within 15 minutes of showing up.  TD Williamson only confirmed the layoffs after being questioned by local news media, but refused to give numbers.

Pennsylvania: In State College, long time The Shoe Fly (aka The Shoe Box) shutting down because “When the numbers don’t work for five to ten more years, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”  Northwest Bank shutting down three York County offices by the end of April.

Tennessee: After a wave of mass layoffs across several states aluminum maker Noranda now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and selling-off part of its operations.

Texas: Pennsylvania based oil company Sunoco eliminating 161 corporate jobs from its Corpus Christi based Stripes convenience store chain!  Apparently it has to do with the Stripes HQ being moved from Corpus Christi to Dallas, starting in April.   In Pleasanton, C&J Well Services laying off 78 oil workers.   Massachusetts based Thermo Fisher Scientific issued a shutdown WARN for their Houston operations, 67 jobs lost by April.  Last year they shutdown their Sugar Land operation.  The bio-tech company is consolidating operations.

Washington:  After creating booze selling ‘privatization’ rules which jacked up the cost (including taxes) of your favorite hard drink by 15% new data shows that the idiot ‘lawmakers’ of The Evergreen State actually drove booze buyers into neighboring Oregon and Idaho.  The Idaho State Liquor Division credits at least 7% of its state run store sales to buyers from Washington.  For Oregon the jump in hard drink sales was even bigger, with ten border booze stores reporting between 17% and 67% increase in sales to Washingtonians since 2011!  After 35 years Shields Floral Boutique in Hazel Dell shutting down, and not because the owner wants to: “It really kills me to do this. I can’t believe it’s at the end.”-Carol Shields

Fort Hunter Liggett chow hall. I spent a few California National Guard summer training seasons at Hunter Liggett, very scenic.

Washington DC: The U.S. Army announced it must shutdown, or reduce in size, one out of every three chow halls due to “changing soldier demographics, satisfy soldier desire for selection/taste or nutritional requirements … or meet commander mission requirements”.

West Virginia:  McDowell County Board of Education eliminating 30 jobs due to losing $1.5-million in state and local tax funding, caused by losing an average of 1-hundred students per year!  (that’s what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome)

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

07 – 08 February 2016: “This agency has run amok!”  

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.”

Idaho

Saudi Arabia cuts funding for Idaho State students!

09 February 2016 (14:24 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 20 Bahman 1394/29 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/02 Geng Yin 4714

Pocatello, Idaho, is home to Idaho State University (ISU) which readily admitted last year that the majority of their ‘international’ students come from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Kuwait.

ISU also revealed that it suffered a net decline of more than 6-hundred students, even with an increase in students from KSA.  Now the oil rich country of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is losing its financial ass, caused by crashing oil prices which are the result of Iran boosting oil production (on purpose, I recently wrote how Iranian oil administrators said they could make a profit even if oil sunk to $10 per barrel!), and as a result is slashing their higher education funding for Saudi students attending foreign universities.

CNN reports the 12% reduction in funding will force many Saudi students to end their studies in the U.S. as 90% of Saudis attending foreign schools are doing so on their government’s oil revenues.  Not good news for a struggling U.S. higher education system that’s been losing domestic students for the past several years.

Business/Economics, Idaho

“This agency has run amok!” Nebraska shuts down 160 restaurants! No more University of Phoenix! The Rapture shutters 100 Chicago churches! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 07 – 08 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: What real estate market recovery? Birmingham continues to crash & burn as news reports say an additional 6-thousand 5-hundred square feet of retail space is now available for rent or sale.  That’s because Cosi Restaurant and advertising agency Centigrade are refusing to renew their leases.

Arizona: In Tucson, after 38 years Navajo Rug Repair shutting down so the owners can retire.  They tried to sell the successful business but there were no buyers.  Phoenix based Apollo Education Group selling off its failing University of Phoenix after losing more than 50-thousand students in 2015!  The loss of students was the result of the U.S. Department of Education investigating claims of false promises of finding jobs after graduation, and the U.S. Department of Defense banning military personnel from taking University of Phoenix courses!

Florida:  Forever 21 issued a shutdown WARN for their Jacksonville store number 6002, about 63 jobs lost by mid-March.

Idaho: After jacking up the state fuel tax in 2015 (claiming there wasn’t enough money for never ending road work) state ‘lawmakers’ revealed the federal government increased 2016 federal funding for Idaho road repairs by $16-million USD!  Watchdog group Boise Guardian has revealed that the state Department of Corrections is short-changing county jails for housing state level prisoners.  The state pays counties about $45 per inmate per day, less than the cost of a cheap hotel/motel.  The result is that county level taxpayers are picking up the slack, on top of paying for their own county level prisoners!

Illinois:   Reports say Alliance Partners notified about 235 coal miners that they’ll be losing their jobs due to “Prolonged weak market conditions…”!   God seems oblivious as ‘his’ Archdiocese of Chicago threatens to shutdown at least 1-hundred churches (parishes) due to lack of money, lack of priests and The Rapture, I mean lack of church goers.

Indiana: In South Bend, after 20 years Top Notch Restaurant & Bakery shutdown.  News reports say it will be replaced with a grocery store.  But don’t get excited, the new grocery store is actually an old grocery store moving to a new location, so it’s a net loss of jobs.

Kansas: In Topeka, the Dillions grocery store on Huntoon Street shutting down this week.  City administrators are fearful of increased food insecurity based on U.S. Department of Agriculture data that says residents in the area around the Dillions are now living in a “food desert”.

Kentucky:  Reports say Alliance Partners notified at least 40 coal miners that they’ll be losing their jobs due to “Prolonged weak market conditions…”.

Massachusetts: Federally created ISO New England is warning of huge electricity rate increases for the ‘New England’ states; $3-billion USD in 2017 and $4-billion in 2018, due to shutdowns of outdated power plants.  In Lee, Wave Systems now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.  Administrators said they even tried to sell the data protection software company but nobody wanted to buy.  Chapter 7 usually means the company is officially dead.

Michigan:  In Kalamazoo,  after 40 years Van Sweden Jewelers shutting down in May.  The owner lost two primary employees at the end of last year and tried to sell the store, but nobody wants it.

Montana:  Washington based Puget Sound Energy (PSE) estimates that shutting down its coal fired Colstrip power plant will cost $200-million USD (of course the cost will be passed onto utility customers).  Reports say PSE want it shutdown by 2022, as well as wanting to sell off its newer power plants.  Environmentalists think the clean-up costs will hit $500-million.  There was no mention of the economic-employment impact to the small city of Colstrip.

Nebraska:  Douglas County must have an economic suicide wish as they’re shutting down 160 food joints, for operating without a license!  Administrators with the county Health Department claim they do it every year as licenses lapse, however, the interim prosecutor for the city of Omaha says as far as he knows such an operation has never been “enforced”.  Chris Janicek, the owner of Cupcake Omaha and Cake Box, exclaimed “This agency has run amok!”

New Jersey: Moonachie based bankrupt clothier Joyce Leslie announced it will shutdown all 42 stores: “Unfortunately, our efforts to find a strategic partner to help save the business were not successful. We are saddened to say that we now have to close our doors after 65 years.”-Celia Clancy, ceo

New York:  Professional Transportation Incorporated (PTI) issued a WARN, however, at this point the state Department of Labor has failed to publish the details of the WARN.

Ohio: In West Chester, after 68 years bakery supplies maker Bakery Crafts shutting down, 119 jobs lost starting in April!

Virginia: In Richmond, Pier 1 Imports shutting down their store on West Broad Street, by March.  In Lynchburg, after less than three years locally made handicrafts store Pastiche shutting down.

West Virginia: For the third time in the past month bankrupt coal miner Alpha Natural Resources conducting more mass layoffs.  This time 230 people will loss their jobs!  Last week 93 people lost their jobs and last month 831 people were laid off!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

05-06 February 2016: 74 restaurants shutdown without warning! Another company admits it “over-hired” in 2015!

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.”

International

Iran rescues NATO member Greece!

08 February 2016 (02:28 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 19 Bahman 1394/28 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/01 Geng Yin 4714

“Greece will become an energy, economic and trade bridge between Iran and European Union.”-Alexis Tsipras, prime minister of Greece

After thousands of years the Iranian empire finally captures Greece!

In an historic visit to Iran, the prime minister of NATO and European Union member Greece will sign a ground breaking Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with the government of Iran!

Alexis Tsipras wants deals that cover just about everything from oil to food to technology.  Obviously the European Union’s and the IMF’s and World Bank’s forced bailout loans and austerity measures have failed.

Iran rejects U.S. Dollar for oil payments!