Tag Archives: wall street

U.S.

ObamaCare job destruction, January 2016: “This is health care today. This is an ongoing thing.”

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, January 2016.

California:   Health insurance company Blue Shield of California eliminating at least 99 jobs at their Lodi call center, apparently forcing people to buy ObamaCare insurance is generating enough captive audience profits.  In Long Beach, Molina Hospital Management eliminating 385 jobs by the end of February!  In Torrance, “premier Women’s Health laboratory” Pathology eliminating 388 jobs by the end of March! It’s directly connected to December’s takeover of Pathology by a company called LabCorp.  What did you get when you got laid off?  It’s been revealed that Newark based StemCells Incorporated gave its recently ‘resigned’ CEO a $1-million USD severance package!  Germany based medical plastics maker Balda C. Brewer shutdown its relatively new Irvine factory, 193 jobs lost in February! American Medical Response shutdown their Modesto billing center, in total 330 jobs were eliminated!   After losing a federal level lawsuit the Alameda County Jail system laid off 49 nurses at the end of December, the current nursing staff says conditions at the massive county jail system are “…a mad house right now. It’s crazy, it’s really difficult. We’re severely understaffed and we’re basically working with a skeleton crew. The nursing staff that are there currently are worn out.”-Melissa Brown, licensed vocational nurse at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Connecticut:  Affinity Health Care Management bankrupt busted just five years after their last bankruptcy, but this time it’s because Medicaid payments are being held back by the state Department of Social Services!   Court documents stated that if the failed state ObamaCare loving government continues not to reimburse Medicaid services then Affinity Health Care Management will cease to exist!

Florida:  In Coral Gables, Preferred Medical Plan laid off 35 employees.  In Orlando, Nephron Pharmaceuticals issued a mass layoff WARN, 250 people becoming unemployed by April!  (is it because Jeb Bush made a campaign stop there?)   Orlando based Total Sleep Management now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.   Administrators blame ObamaCare: “The sleep industry ran into trouble around 2013. Pre-authorizations became a requirement for most private insurers. We lost about 40% of our revenue.”

Idaho:    A sure sign that healthcare costs are going up, the state Department of Health and Welfare is requesting a $26.3-million USD budget increase!  Administrators are now saying the previous 3.9% increase is not enough to fund the new mandate (Primary Care Access Program) to cover the 78-thousand Idahoans who fall into the Right to Work (you over) ObamaCare gap!   Mental healthcare provider Optum has revealed it’s sitting on $5-million USD in unspent Idaho Medicaid funding!  This is significant because Optum’s parent company United Health claims it lost $1-billion in 2015 (see Minnesota below)!   It’s been revealed by the state Office of Performance Evaluations that Psychosocial Rehabilitation Counselor (aka PSR or Psycho Social Rehabilitation workers) jacked up costs to Idaho Medicaid nine times over a ten years period.  In 2001 PSR costs were $8-million USD, by 2012 costs hit $76-million!    In 2013 the state tried to counter by pushing for more “managed” inpatient care, however that is backfiring because many providers are confused by the regulations which are causing problems with care.

More Gem State Right to Work (you over) ObamaCare bull-shit; “Ferch, a Boise chiropractor, had received notice from Regence BlueShield of Idaho that the health insurance company was cutting back its payments for ‘adjustments’ — his most common procedure — to 1990s levels.  Ferch and a handful of fellow chiropractors met with the medical director for Regence. Ferch asked whether the medical director’s salary was the same as it had been in the 1990s. The room went silent……

….In Idaho, mutual insurance companies also differ from federal tax-exempt nonprofits in that they do not tell the public what they pay their leaders. Idaho law forbids regulators from divulging that information.”–SeattlePI

Illinois:   In Streator, God couldn’t stop ObamaCare from forcing ‘his’ Saint Mary’s Hospital from laying off 1-hundred employees!  Another 2-hundred employees affected as the hospital shifts to out-patient care services!  The Affordable Care Act does not pay enough to cover the costs of inpatient care.  In Orland Park, Palos Community Hospital shutting down their Palos Health & Fitness center in May.  In a round-a-bout way administrators said ObamaCare was forcing them to “prioritize” their services.  God refusing to stop ‘his’ Lutheran Social Services (LSSI) from shutting down 30 offices across the state, and laying off 750 people!  LSSI is the largest social services operator in the state and blames moronic state ‘lawmakers’ for failing to come up with a budget, resulting in non-profit LSSI being owed $6-million USD: “After 7 months, we no longer can provide services for which we aren’t being paid.”-Mark Stutrud, President and CEO

Maryland:  Shenanigans with taxpayer money, this time employees at the state run Springfield Hospital Center are questioning why they’re being laid off when the hospital supposedly has a surplus of money!  At least 57 people will lose their jobs under the govna’s proposal to privatize the mental hospital, supposedly to save money.  However, state Senate President Thomas V. Miller revealed that the Springfield Hospital Center is actually projected to have a surplus of more than $400-million USD!!!

Massachusetts: DePuy Synthes warned it might be forced to conduct mass layoffs at its Raynham medical device factory in connection to the massive Johnson & Johnson’s layoffs.  Raynham city administrators are pissed because they gave DePuy massive tax breaks to prevent them from moving the factory to Indiana.  Nashoba Valley Medical Center began reducing nursing jobs as they reduce Emergency Room operations (under ObamaCare).

Minnesota:   New Jersey based medical tech company C.R. Bard shutting down their Stewartville factory.  Since C.R. Bard took over the plant in 2013 at least 247 jobs gone, some to Mexico!  Minnetonka based United Health blames ObamaCare for causing it to lose $1-billion USD, massive job cuts coming!  United Health is considering getting the hell outta the Affordable Care Act exchange system!

New Jersey:  New Brunswick based Johnson & Johnson announced it is eliminating 3-thousand medical device jobs over the next two years!  ObamaCare taxes, the bad economy, and plans to take over medical device maker rivals are forcing them to cut $1-billion USD in costs!

New York:  Orleans Community Health announced layoffs for Medina Memorial Hospital because ObamaCare forced it to become a ‘Critical Access Hospital’ treating less patients, meaning less employees.   In Smithtown and Riverhead, Developmental Disabilities shutting down its OPTI-HEALTHCARE operations, 46 jobs lost by the end of April.   A Fortune article says NYC based drugs pusher Pfizer jacked up prices (again?) on 105 drugs by as much as 20%!   

Ohio:    The Ohio Health Nelsonville Medical and Emergency Services facility shutdown their emergency room operations earlier than expected.  Administrators blame ObamaCare for forcing 80% of customers to go to urgent care operations instead.   Lakewood Hospital ending inpatient service in February, eventually the hospital will be replaced with a smaller clinic operation.  After four years virtual telemedicine health provider connector HealthSpot now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and being liquidated.  The plan was to set up remote kiosks in which people could access medical coverage help under this ObamaCare regime.  However, despite raising $48-million USD and building 191 kiosks, 137 of those kiosks are still sitting in storage unused!  The other 54 kiosks that were set up in retail locations, like RiteAid, are not in use.  In Blue Ash, medical device maker Ethicon could layoff all 824  employees in connection to the massive Johnson & Johnson’s layoffs! (local news reports say at one point Ethicon employed 1,200+ people in Blue Ash)  In Liberty, Campus Health Care nursing home suddenly shutdown after its Tennessee based owner went bankrupt.  Residents are being rescued from the nursing home that local news media discovered was considered “the worst of the worst” by federal regulators!

Oregon:   Medical device maker Greatbatch eliminated at least 140 jobs in Beaverton, as the company moves production to Mexico (probably to avoid the new ObamaCare medical device tax)!

Pennsylvania:  Lehigh Valley Health Network warning that it must shutdown five offices across two counties!  LVHN rep Brian Downs said they didn’t know when the shutdowns would take place, or how many people will lose their jobs, but warned “This is health care today. This is an ongoing thing.”    Emmaus based publisher of health magazines Rodale eliminated 40 jobs in an effort to “focus on growing the business”.

South Carolina: Barnwell County’s only hospital shutdown!  The 140 employees of Southern Palmetto Hospital said they were notified in an emergency meeting on a Tuesday that they were losing their jobs that Thursday!   The emergency meeting was called by the Director of Nursing, local news says hospital administrators refuse to talk to them and county administrators swear they know nothing about it.

Washington:  Reports say Vancouver based non-profit healthcare provider PeaceHealth laid off at least 150 employees across Alaska, Washington and Oregon, in an attempt to remain financially viable under ObamaCare.

ObamaCare job destruction, 4th quarter 2015: “The straw that broke the camel’s back…the Affordable Care Act…” 

U.S.

Dumbing Down the United States, January 2016: “…in the end, you have to say ‘it’s not working.’”

Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon taking place across the United States, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.

Incomplete list of publicly announced education layoffs & school shutdowns, January 2016:

Arizona:  Phoenix based rip off artist Apollo Education Group (owner of University of Phoenix,Western International University, Axia College, and College for Financial Planning) eliminated 70 jobs, as part of their plan to “re-engineer” the for-profit education operation due to crashing revenues.  (possible due to the federal Department of Education accusing Apollo Education of lying about job placement rates)

California:  In Berkeley, after 33 years Black Oak Books shutting down, the owner lamenting “I wish I could have kept it open, but, in the end, you have to say ‘it’s not working.’”  It must be noted that current owner Gary Cornell has been subsidizing the rent payments out of his pocket, store revenues are not high enough, and he said the city’s minimum wage increases are the final straw.   University of California Berkeley’s Campus Shared Services quietly laid off 28 people, back in December.  Local Teamsters Union members are now making sure the public knows about the layoffs.  After 65 years privately funded Pinecrest Schools shutting down all their San Fernando Valley campuses (Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Canyon Country and Simi Valley) at the end of this school year!  Administrators blame increased operating costs and increased competition from publicly funded charter schools.

Colorado: Westwood College suddenly halted enrollments and announced it will shutdown its Denver campuses by the end of March!  Administrators blame crashing enrollments, but it could also have to do with the fact the state sued Westwood, accusing it of making false claims about students being able to find jobs after they graduate.

Connecticut: Post University eliminated 15 jobs and reclassified another 15.  One teacher said her ‘reclassification’ included a 53% cut in pay!   God refuses to stop the shutdown of two of ‘his’ schools; Saint Vincent De Paul in East Haven and Saint Gabriel in Milford.  The schools managed to survive The Great Depression and numerous recessions, but for some reason they can’t survive what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.   Saint Vincent is reportedly down to just 89 students.

Delaware:  More job killing by DuPont, this time 2-hundred highly educated people (many with doctorates) at the Central Research and Development division at the Experimental Station in Wilmington now unemployed: “As part of this restructuring, we are redesigning the existing Central Research & Development operating model to assess and seed new, transformational science-based ventures as the next step in the evolution of corporately funded R&D for DuPont.”  

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.  The National Deaf Academy shutting down between March and April after being hit with lawsuits alleging child abuse (administrators refused to give an official reason).

Idaho: The University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research discovered that one third of Idaho high school grads surveyed see no reason to ‘Go-On’ to college or university because the job market doesn’t justify the cost of higher education.  The study also discovered that while 53% of females go on to higher education only 38% of Idaho males ‘Go-On’.  That means Idaho’s ‘Go-On’ gender gap rate is higher than the national average.  University of Idaho shutting down their Caine Veterinary Teaching Center.  Apparently the university plans on teaching veterinarian skills directly through livestock owners, news reports say the university veterinarian faculty are being laid off.    Even God couldn’t stop a Christian student from ripping off the Mormon Brigham Young University-Idaho of $6-thousand 2-hundred, using a university credit card.  Of course that ‘christian’ student wasn’t very smart because you can trace credit card transactions, and that’s how he got caught.  A new study is blaming low Gem State high school graduation rates on internet classes!   The state Board of Education reported that ‘virtual schools’ can barely graduate 20% of their online students!

Illinois:  Chicago Public Schools announced yet more mass layoffs, 227 non-teaching jobs being eliminated!  God refuses to stop the shutdown of three of ‘his’ Christian schools; Saint Agatha Catholic Academy, Saint Peter elementary and Seton Academy.  It’s blamed on The Rapture, I mean what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Oak Park Saint Edmund Catholic School, due to crashing enrollments.   In Evanston, after 35 years Howard’s Books shutting down by the end of February.  The owner say it “makes sense” to shutdown because “The chains hurt the independents, and then Amazon comes along and hurts the chains.”  The Western Illinois University laid off 30 people due to the failed state ‘lawmakers’ failing to come up with a budget.

Indiana: Bargain Books shutting down its Mishawaka store. Company administrators admitted their profit margin is much higher with their internet sales than with brick-n-mortar ops.

Iowa:  British empire based education publisher Pearson suddenly began laying off employees in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area, as part of their plans to eliminate 4-thousand jobs globally!  Perhaps U.S. textbooks being published by the mortal enemy of the United States is one reason for the dumbing down of the U.S.?  After all British English is not the same as U.S. English (grammatically or with the spelling and pronunciation of words).

Kentucky:  People suffering from the coal industry shutdowns revealed it costing former employees a lot of money to re-train: “If they switch everything from coal to gas, that retraining program that they’re doing now is going to take five to six years of training. Woth Eastern Kentucky Power down there, if they switch everything to gas…if they change all that then everybody is going to have to through more school after they already went through their apprenticeship and pay their $600 for their book and pay for that gas going to that school.“-Dakota Cones, interviewed by WOWK

Maryland: The Baltimore School Board approved the shutdown of four schools; Westside Elementary School, Maritime Industries Academy High School, Baltimore Community High School and the Maryland Academy of Technology & Health Sciences.  The school board is considering shutting down a fifth school as well.  The shutdowns are blamed on poor academic performance and what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.  Baltimore County Public Schools shutdown Deep Creek junior high school due to lack of heating.

Michigan:  In Lansing, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 150 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Trinity Lutheran School from shutting down.  Parents criticized the church leaders saying they never considered outside sources of funding and the decision to shutdown came without warning.  Beecher School District needs to cut costs and will do so with layoffs, pay cuts and even contracting out jobs that are currently in-house.  Local news reports say the school district has less than 1-thousand students.

Missouri: Better Learning Communities Academy being shutdown due to low academic achievement and money  problems.  University of Missouri Saint Louis warned of mass layoffs in order to deal with a $15-million USD shortfall ($2-million more than reported two months ago), no layoff numbers given, yet.

Montana:  University of Montana has begun mass layoffs, eventually 192 full-time jobs will be eliminated!

New Hampshire: God’s River University is so desperate for students they are now offering a guarantee of employment upon graduation!  If the student can’t get a job after six months of graduating from a bachelors program (undergraduate) then the university will pay for their masters program (graduate)!

New Jersey:  God refuses to stop the shutdown of his Mother Teresa Catholic School, in June.  Enrollment is down below 1-hundred students.

New York:  The Federal Reserve Bank’s New York office posted the results of their investigation into the viability of college/university educations.  They found that of those people who graduated between 2009-13 about 45% were working jobs that do not require higher education (typically low paying)!

North Carolina:  The Books-A-Million Bookland in the Signal Hill Mall shutdown.   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:  Digital Works shutdown their high-tech skills training programs in Logan, Lynchburg, Middleport, Portsmouth and West Union.  The training program was started in 2013 with taxpayer funding, that taxpayer funding ended in 2015.

Oregon: In Hillsboro, Jacobsen’s Books & More shutting down because the owner is tired of being told by looky-loos “I’ll just go buy it on-line.”     For the second time in one week,  Aequitas Capital Management announced layoffs.  This time 1-hundred people, almost all the remaining employees, will be laid off! Company bosses blame significant financial problems after it was revealed the loan agency was involved in questionable student loans.

Dumbing Down the United States, 4th Quarter 2015

Business/Economics, Idaho

Governor kills state jobs claiming lack of money, then Senator reveals $400-million+ cash surplus! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 29 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Arizona:  Phoenix based rip off artist Apollo Education Group (owner of University of Phoenix,Western International University, Axia College, and College for Financial Planning) eliminated 70 jobs, as part of their plan to “re-engineer” the for-profit education operation due to crashing revenues.  (possible due to the federal Department of Education accusing Apollo Education of lying about job placement rates)

Colorado: Westwood College suddenly halted enrollments and announced it will shutdown its Denver campuses by the end of March!  Administrators blame crashing enrollments, but it could also have to do with the fact the state sued Westwood, accusing it of making false claims about students being able to find jobs after they graduate.

Georgia:  Illinois base heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar eliminating 2-hundred jobs as it shuts down its Thomasville fuel factory!  (see Illinois below)

Idaho: A new study shows that proposed new state tax rules actually puts money into the wallets of the rich!  HB380 could result in an average tax reduction of $815 USD per 1-percenter and only a piddly $7 reduction for poorest of idahoans!   This comes as the state Department of Health and Welfare revealed that a minimum of 21.1% of Idahoans received some sort of taxpayer funded assistance for every month of 2015.  What Health and Welfare administrators didn’t reveal is that is a record number of Idahoans needing taxpayer funded help!   According to Watchdog.org  2013 and 2014 were also record years, and 2016 is projected to set a record as well!

Illinois:  In Streator, God couldn’t stop ObamaCare from forcing ‘his’ Saint Mary’s Hospital from laying off 1-hundred employees this month!  Another 2-hundred employees affected as the hospital shifts to out-patient care services!  The Affordable Care Act does not pay enough to cover the costs of inpatient care.  Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar announced an additional 230 layoffs in East Peoria as the bad economy forces radical restructuring and consolidations!  A press release by Caterpillar execs stated they expect the bad times to last until at least 2018.

Indiana:  In Irvington, after 17 years Dufour’s restaurant-bakery shutting down, the owner admitted “As I’ve aged, this business gets harder. My insides feel 18, but my outsides don’t.”   Georgia based Southwire shutting down its Plainfield service center beginning in March, 50 jobs lost.

Kentucky:  Carmeuse Lime and Stone laid off 35 people at its Black River mine.

Maryland:  Shenanigans with taxpayer money, this time employees at the state run Springfield Hospital Center are questioning why they’re being laid off when the hospital supposedly has a surplus of money!  At least 57 people will lose their jobs under the govna’s proposal to privatize the mental hospital, supposedly to save money.  However, state Senate President Thomas V. Miller revealed that the Springfield Hospital Center is actually projected to have a surplus of more than $400-million USD!!!

Massachusetts: Nashoba Valley Medical Center began reducing nursing jobs as they reduce Emergency Room operations (under ObamaCare).  In Lynn, General Electric (GE) laying off 59 aviation engineers, as part of a larger 3-hundred aviation jobs elimination across the country!

New York:    CNN shutting down their Manhattan Center Productions operations, 74 jobs lost by the end of April.   Sterling National Bank issued layoff WARNs for at least six offices, 27 jobs lost between May and June.  In Ithaca, after 18 years Jabberwock curiosity shop shutdown due to ongoing construction and a greedy landlord who jack up the rent three times!

North Dakota: Farm vehicle maker CNH (Case New Holland) hitting Fargo with even more layoffs, this time 70 people becoming unemployed.  Local news reports say that since 2014 CNH has eliminated 260 jobs in Fargo.  Reports that Massachusetts based oil/ethanol company Global Partners is eliminating jobs with its Peace Garden State operations.

Ohio: In Liberty, Campus Health Care nursing home suddenly shutdown after its Tennessee based owner went bankrupt.  Residents are being rescued from the nursing home that local news media discovered was considered “the worst of the worst” by federal regulators!  Clothier Express shutting down its Dayton Mall store, as part of its parent company’s (Limited Brands) ongoing store shutdowns.

Oregon:  In Clatskanie, Massachusetts based Global Partners laid off 50 oil terminal workers according to the official WARN.  According to local news reports that’s more than the last reported number of employees who work there! In Lake Oswego, Youth Villages issued a layoff WARN for its Christie Campuses, 74 jobs lost by the beginning of March.  In Springfield, Pacific States Plywood eliminating 39 jobs by mid-February.  Medical device maker Greatbatch eliminated at least 140 jobs in Beaverton, as the company moves production to Mexico (probably to avoid the new ObamaCare medical device tax)!  In Portland, A-List/H-List/Kitson hair salon apparently shutdown (according to state WARN listing).

Pennsylvania:  In Allentown, American Hairlines and clothier Popmart shutting down, the operators admitted they bit off more than they could chew when they decided to open additional stores.  Emmaus based publisher of health magazines Rodale eliminated 40 jobs in an effort to “focus on growing the business”.

Utah:  Wild West themed Porter’s Place shutting down its Lehi restaurant because city administrators are running the operator outta town.  The city owns the building and they want to tear it down.  The owner of Porter’s Place say he hopes to open a new restaurant in the city of Nephi.

Virginia:  Tobacco company Altria eliminating 490 jobs over the next two months!  Despite claiming they had “a strong year” company administrators say the job cuts are part of preparations for expected changes in the industry (mainly increased competition).  In Alexandria, the Urban Angler shutdown, the operators blame competition as well as city bureaucracy for delaying the grand opening for months.

Washington: Regional grocer (and bankrupt no thanks to being tricked by Albertson-Safeway) Haggen issued a shutdown WARN for their Puyallup store, 87 jobs lost at the beginning of March.   Macy’s issued a shutdown WARN for their Spokane store, 94 jobs lost by mid-March.  In Beacon Hill, after about ten years drag queen waitress restaurant Inay’s shutdown.  In Bremerton, Concentrix shutting down their call center, 5-hundred jobs lost by the end of March!  Administrators blame it on the loss of a major client.

Wisconsin:  More proof the internet is not recession resistant; online party-costume supplier BuySeasons eliminating 130 jobs, blaming competition!

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.” 

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. loses $1.2-trillion in three months! “…cuts would probably occur weeks after Bank of America pays bonuses…” Sprint kills more jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 28 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:   In San Francisco, Belcampo Meat Company shutting down their Mission Street butcher shop.  The operators of the butcher shop chain said the Mission Street location could not maintain enough volume sales to justify its existence.  In Desert Hot Springs, after 70 years Haidet’s True Value Hardware shutdown.

Connecticut: It’s been revealed that Yale University laid off at least 24 IT employees.  CIO Len Peters warns of more job cuts saying “In order to further close our budget gap, some involuntary layoffs have taken place. Moving forward, we will continue to look for ways to be more cost-effective and agile with our services.”    God refuses to stop the shutdown of two of ‘his’ schools; Saint Vincent De Paul in East Haven and Saint Gabriel in Milford.  The schools managed to survive The Great Depression and numerous recessions, but for some reason they can’t survive what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.   Saint Vincent is reportedly down to just 89 students.

Florida:  Health Support Network- Center for Building Hope-Brides Against Breast Cancer now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and being liquidated, after shutting down without warning back in September.  A former CEO is accused of stealing donations meant to help families dealing with cancer treatment.  Local news media reporting that General Growth Properties (GGP) will tear down part of their Pembroke Lakes Mall Sears store to build a new movie theater, pending approval by the local zoning board.

Georgia: No more iconic The Varsity burger joint? “After a great deal of thought and consideration, the leadership of The Varsity has decided to close our store in Alpharetta on Feb 1. We would like to sincerely thank the people of Alpharetta for welcoming us in their community for the past 12 years. We weighed a number of options and came to the conclusion that our three other stores….can effectively serve our customers in this area.”

Idaho: University of Idaho shutting down their Caine Veterinary Teaching Center.  Apparently the university plans on teaching veterinarian skills directly through livestock owners, news reports say the university veterinarian faculty are being laid off.

Illinois:  All seven Off Track Betting locations suddenly shutdown after 24 years. The horse racing gambling sites were operated by a company called All Seasons, no explanation was given for the sudden shutdown.  In Evanston, after 35 years Howard’s Books shutting down by the end of February.  The owner say it “makes sense” to shutdown because “The chains hurt the independents, and then Amazon comes along and hurts the chains.”  The Western Illinois University laid off 30 people due to the failed state ‘lawmakers’ failing to come up with a budget.

Indiana: Locally operated oil company Country Mark laid off 20 employees, blaming low oil prices for forcing them to reduce output.

Iowa:  British empire based education publisher Pearson suddenly began laying off an undisclosed number of employees in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area, as part of their plans to eliminate 4-thousand jobs globally!  Administrators claim that by not giving out the exact number of people laid off in Iowa that they are somehow “protecting the privacy” of those employees.

Kansas: Local news media revealed that Overland Park based Sprint has eliminated at least 6-thousand jobs in the past two years! Read on to learn of the latest Sprint layoffs in Texas and Virginia.  (don’t forget the other mass layoffs revealed a couple of days ago)

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery? Fiat Chrysler Automotive is shutting down its Sterling Heights Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart factory for at least six weeks, due to crashing sales.  In Holland, after more than 60 years Dykstra Post and Home supply store shutting down by the end of February.  Apparently the operator was overwhelmed by his other full time job and offered to sell it to employees, but they weren’t able to buy.  The landlord then offered to end the lease early, and that offer was accepted.

New York:  In Freeport, the Stop&Shop grocery store shutting down in February, residents say it will leave them with only one grocery store in their city.  Stop&Shop is one of several grocery chain stores owned by Netherlands based Ahold which recently announced it was massively cutting back on operations in the United States.  American HomePatient shutting down their Regional Billing Center in Buffalo, 42 jobs lost by the end of April.  In Astoria, Empire Merchants ending their booze distribution operations, 109 jobs lost by the end of April!  Bloomberg reporting that NYC based Too Big to Jail Bank of America will kill even more jobs by March: “Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan has said he will eliminate jobs this year as the industry is squeezed by sluggish trading, low interest rates and rising loan losses…..    ….The cuts would probably occur weeks after Bank of America pays bonuses to traders and bankers in mid-February.”

By my own record keeping (starting in 2010) Bank of America has eliminated nearly 100-thousand jobs globally!  

North Carolina:  Morrison Healthcare continues to kill jobs after losing a food service contract with Carolinas HealthCare Systems, local news reports say layoffs will now hit 350!   Grace’s Café, an eatery at Duke University, is shutting down at the end of the semester.  The operator said sales are not enough to pay for needed renovations to the kitchen.

Pennsylvania: Too Big to Jail Warren based Northwest Bancorp (aka Northwest Bank) shutting down 24 offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Ohio.  The shutdowns will be complete by Summer and are blamed on customers.

Tennessee:  In West Nashville, The Stone Fox  shutting down this weekend, 30 jobs lost.  After four years of success the restaurant-live music joint is apparently being replaced with something else.

Texas:  In Dallas, after 45 years Herrera’s Tex Mex shutting down this weekend because the landlords want to re-purpose the property.  Sprint shutting down their Temple call center, 350 jobs lost by the first week in February!

Virginia: Sprint shutting down their Hampton call center, 380 jobs lost in March!

Washington DC: The Federal Reserve Bank reported that the overall net worth of the United States crashed by $1.2-trillion USD in the 3rd quarter of 2015!  (interestingly that’s the same as the record student loan debt total)

Wisconsin:  What housing market recovery?  Too Big to Jail Chase shutting down its Milwaukee mortgage customer service office, 135 jobs lost by the end of March!

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.”

Business/Economics

“We’ve got a money problem! It’s going to be devastating….” Currency wars kill tens of thousands of U.S. jobs! “Emergency” layoffs begin! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 27 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama:  What automotive industry recovery?  Brazil based brake parts maker Fras’le eliminating 50 jobs at its Prattville factory, by the end of February.  Administrators blame crashing sales in Brazil and China, which are being exacerbated by international currency wars.  In Fairfield, residents are lamenting the loss (before the end of this week) of the only major employer in town; Walmart.  Local news reports say 264 jobs will be lost as a result!  City councilman Darnell Gardner bemoaned “We’ve got a money problem! It’s going to be devastating once they close those doors. And I mean devastating!”

California:  In Cathedral City, after 40 years restaurant El Gallito shutting down.  The co-owners admitted their sales have been declining for some time saying “We were not ready to close 10 years ago, but we’re ready now.”  In Arcata, after 67 years the Sierra Pacific sawmill shutdown, 123 jobs lost due to decreased consumer demand and increased costs of supplies: “When you have a facility that runs at only 50% capacity…..Then with your log supply being more expensive than it is in other areas, that’s just kind of a double whammy.”-Mark Lathrop

Colorado: In Denver, after a little more than three years Park House-Peacemaker’s Cajun Kitchen shutting down next week.  The facebook posting didn’t explain why.   Clothier GAP shutdown stores in Aurora and Loveland, as part of its ongoing plan to shutdown 175 stores.

Delaware:  Wilmington based DuPont warning that it must eliminate as many as 6-thousand jobs by the end of the year due to crashing revenues!  Administrators are blaming most of their revenue losses on international currency wars.

Florida:  More layoffs by Coca-Cola, this time their Brandon finance office will lose about 70 jobs by the end of the week.   In Naples, Keolis Transit eliminating 81 jobs by the end of March.

Massachusetts: Farmingham based Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples just eliminated “hundreds” of HQ jobs!  Exact numbers were not given but unnamed sources admitted they were “preparing” for the possibility their merger with Office Depot will be blocked by the federal regulators.  (never mind that hundreds to thousands will be laid off if the merger is approved)   In Clinton, after 87 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) the Old Timer restaurant shutting down this weekend.  It’s been for sale ever since a co-owner died in 2013, obviously nobody wants to buy it.

Michigan: Beecher School District needs to cut costs and will do so with layoffs, pay cuts and even contracting out jobs that are currently in-house.  Local news reports say the school district has less than 1-thousand students.

Minnesota:  Maker of snowmobiles and ATVs, Medina based Polaris eliminated 1-hundred salaried jobs without warning, blaming unpredictable weather for crashing sales.  Vacant positions will not be filled.  Administrators admitted they had been trying to cut labor costs through attrition, but down sales forced them to conduct outright layoffs.

Missouri:  Georgia based Printpack shutting down its Hazelwood food packaging factory, 115 jobs lost starting in March!   Local news reports say the Hazelwood Printpack factory employed at least 3-hundred people at its peak in the late 1990s.  Administrators did not say why they were shutting it down.  In Amazonia, after 45 years Hunt Orchards shutting down. The current operators say they’re too old to carry on and hope somebody will lease the orchard, otherwise the property owner will sell to commercial developers.

New Hampshire: God’s River University is so desperate for students they are now offering a guarantee of employment upon graduation!  If the student can’t get a job after six months of graduating from a bachelors program (undergraduate) then the university will pay for their masters program (graduate)!

New York:  In NYC, Restaurant Associates lost their food service contract with Germany based Deutsche Bank, 59 jobs lost by April.   Georgia based CNN shutting down their NEP Imaging ops in NYC, at least 12 jobs lost by the end of April.

North Carolina:  In Cary, Connecticut based Xerox confirmed it laid off 178 people without warning!  Administrators said it’s the result of losing a major client.

Ohio: Two banks merged, now local news sources are warning of major layoffs as a result of the Huntington Bancshares take-over of FirstMerit.  The layoffs would take place by the end of the year.  The city of Niles conducted “emergency” layoffs; at least 12 city employees now jobless after an official declaration of fiscal emergency.  The mayor is now begging cash strapped local taxpayers to approve an increase in local taxes!

Oregon:  Local news media discovered that Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems is quietly laying off employees, and employees ordered not to talk about it.  Local businesses providing logistical support to Climax are confirming the layoffs. An unnamed former employee said employees are being forced to sign a severance agreement which says they’ll lose their severance if they reveal the layoffs!  The company was taken over by a California based Industrial Growth Partners in 2013. Local news media are speculating that the layoffs are being kept quiet in an attempt to keep a multi-year tax break, which states they must maintain employment levels at the time of the awarding of the tax break!

Pennsylvania: Reports say layoffs with GE Transportation being expanded to include salaried employees.   Back in November, General Electric said 1-thousand 5-hundred train builders would be let go in 2016!  The latest reports say GE admin refuses to give an exact number regarding the salaried employee layoffs.  In Allentown, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint John Vianney parish, in April.  Parish administrators admitted they are $3-million USD in debt, and the church needs $1-million in repairs.

Rhode Island:  Pawtucket based Microfibres shutting down three factories; one in North Carolina, Mississippi and Rhode Island.  At least 3-hundred jobs lost!  Administrators blame international currency wars for crashing sales in Russia and China.

Texas:  Houston based Halliburton confirmed it eliminated an additional 4-thousand jobs during its 4th quarter of 2015!  News reports say at this point the oil field service company has eliminated 22-thousand jobs!

Virginia: Norfolk based railroad transportation company Norfolk Southern is warning that it could layoff as many as 2-thousand employees! Believe it or not, the mass layoffs are part of their plan to ‘invest’ $2.1-billion USD into the company!

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.”

Business/Economics

“…a resource action will happen this Friday…” 3,000+ California jobs lost! “…there’s less money…” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 26 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:   Walmart revealed their store shutdowns in The Golden State will result in 1-thousand 652 jobs lost by April 15th!  In Santa Maria, Eldorado Berry Farms issued a “permanent” layoff WARN, 654 jobs lost by the end of April!  Superior Farming issued a layoff WARN, 225 Santa Maria jobs lost by the end of June!   In Camarillo, MAC Berry Farms issued a layoff WARN, 90 jobs lost by mid-July.  In Oxnard, Coastal Green Vegetable Company issued a shutdown WARN, 88 jobs lost by mid-March.  In Cambria, after less than one year restaurant-market Centrally Grown shutdown without warning, at least 16 jobs lost (back in December reports said the entire staff was fired, with no explanation).  Food giant ConAgra issued a shutdown WARN for their Helm operation, 102 jobs lost by mid-March!   Albertsons-Safeway eliminating an additional seven jobs at their Pleasanton office, in March.  Al Jazeera revealed their exit from the U.S. news market will kill-off at least 50 jobs in California, by the end of April.     In San Diego, HD Supply Management issued a layoff WARN, 97 jobs lost by the beginning of March.  Georgia Pacific issued a shutdown WARN for their cardboard factory in Buena Park, 148 jobs lost by the end of March!  In Santa Clara, Florida based software company Citrix Systems eliminating 65 jobs by the beginning of March.   In Oakland, Outer Harbor Terminal shutting down in March, 59 jobs lost.   In San Francisco, Destination Geary Street Management laying off 58 people in March.   In San Jose, tech company Cisco Systems laid off 123 people without warning!   Also in San Jose, Highland Metals/EZFuture finally revealed it shutdown, back in December!  In San Mateo, GoPro reported it laid off 77 employees.   In Vista, Zodiac Pool Systems shutting down in March, 52 jobs lost.  Intellectual property analyst Thomson Licensing shutting down their Burbank office in March.  In Long Beach, Molina Hospital Management eliminating 385 jobs by the end of February!  In Torrance, “premier Women’s Health laboratory” Pathology eliminating 388 jobs by the end of March! It’s directly connected to December’s takeover of Pathology by a company called LabCorp.

Florida:    In Quincy, BFN Operations issued a WARN for their Zelenka Farms, 64 jobs lost by the end of March.

Georgia: Sears Holdings confirmed they will shutdown the 37 years old Kmart, in Carrollton, by the end of April.

New Jersey: In Atlantic City, 89 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Tony’s Baltimore Grill pizza joint now bankrupt busted.  The operators haven’t been able to pay their debts and blame it on the high cost of unionized labor.

New Mexico:  Coca-Cola shutting down its Portales bottling factory, 59 jobs lost to consolidation.   Coca-Cola’s warehouse in Clovis is also being shutdown.

New York: What automotive industry recovery?  In Champlain, vehicle painter Elegance Coating issued a layoff WARN, 46 of the 66 employees will be let go by the end of April.   Armonk based International Business Machines (IBM) is about to conduct mass layoffs, insiders saying “…a resource action will happen this Friday…”.  On top of that the iconic employer will reduce the amount of severance it normally gives.  If you research my past Job Losses reports you’ll discover that IBM has been conducting mass layoffs for several years now.  In NYC, 147 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) plumbing supplier (originally a ship parts supplier) George Taylor Specialties shutting down because the co-owner Val Christou says “Business is the same as it has been, but there’s less money in it.”

Tennessee: Memphis based paper company Verso now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, with $2.4-million USD in debts.  In its 3rd quarter of 2015 Verso reported it lost $111-million!

Virginia: In Roanoke, restaurant Stefano’s on the Market shutting down, the owner wants more time with his family.

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

“I was not prepared…no more leases…” 50% of Idaho families in poverty, ‘get used to it’! No more nail polish? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 24 – 25 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: AAR Aerostructures & Interiors ending metal fabrication ops in Huntsville, 72 jobs lost.  Administrators said they need to “refocus” their business.

Arizona: In Chandler, after 25 years Video Paradise shutting down next week.

California:  In San Francisco, after more than ten years the upscale Bourbon Steak shutting down in March, the owner said he decided not to renew the lease and is looking for a new home.  Cosmetic company Coty shutting down their North Hollywood OPI nail polish factory, 4-hundred California jobs being lost to North Carolina!  In San Diego, after laying off 1,314 people at the end of 2015 Qualcomm laid off an additional 32 employees.

Delaware: Local news media discovered that all four Sussex County Donut Connection shops have been shutdown!  The owners of the franchise claim they’ve “retired”, but a former employee said “Business really had slacked off.”   Tax records show $26,320-USD are still owed and a lawsuit says $31,211 in rent and utilities have never been paid!

Florida:  Clothier GAP shutting down stores in Tampa and Saint Petersburg, as part of their plan to shutdown 175 stores! 

Idaho: A new Corporation for Enterprise Development study says 45.5% of Idaho families are trapped in poverty and there’s no hope of getting out, as the 2016 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard calls the economic situation the “new normal”!   Find out more info, or how your state ranks, click here.

Gem State Right to Work (you over) ‘lawmakers’ are apparently realizing  how bad the financial situation is for families and are creating a new law that will exempt ‘cottage food’ businesses (literally mom-n-pop food sellers working out of their home) from the same health codes that traditional retail establishments must obey.

It’s been revealed that pesticides have contaminated farms in eastern Idaho.  At least 809 hectares (2-thousand acres) are affected and must be cleaned up, at taxpayer expense of course (an estimated $250-thousand USD has been quoted as an initial payment!).  The contamination was discovered when farmers reported mutations in their crops and animals.  Investigators traced it to the massive use of Methyl Bromide back in 2006.  The contamination affects potatoes, hay, alfalfa, wheat and barley.  In 2006 paranoia erupted over the discovery of a nematode that destroys potato crops, state and federal agriculture ‘experts’ told farmers to use methyl bromide to kill the microbe.  It was farmers who first reported the crop and livestock mutations, concluding that it must be the result of using the toxic chemical.

A new study is blaming low Gem State high school graduation rates on internet classes!   The state Board of Education reported that ‘virtual schools’ can barely graduate 20% of their online students!   I can attest to this claim as I know a young woman who tried the virtual school program for almost a year, before giving up and going back to old fashioned brick-n-mortar school in Pocatello.  I remember her school counselor at Pokey High warning her she’d be back because the majority of students fail to complete the online courses.  The online school seems easier because supposedly you’re on your own schedule, but it turns out to be harder than traditional school.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  Dearborn based Ford announced it will end sales operations in Japan and Indonesia, due to lack of sales!

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, after ten years the Highland Park Chatterbox Pub (deep fried cheeseburgers) suddenly shutdown, the owners say they were not able to find a needed third business partner and will now focus on their two smaller restaurants.

Missouri: University of Missouri Saint Louis warned of mass layoffs in order to deal with a $15-million USD shortfall ($2-million more than reported two months ago), no layoff numbers given, yet.

Nebraska: Sears Holdings confirmed it will shutdown the Omaha Kmart (on South 114th Street) in April, 66 jobs lost.  It’s the second Omaha Kmart to be shutdown.

Nevada: In Mesquite, after five years Have Boutique Will Travel shutting down.  The co-owners blame their age, one is 77 and the other is 80!

New York: In Amherst, after more than 1-hundred years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Newtrend Furniture shutting down.   Maines Food & Party Warehouse shutting down their Ithaca and Greece grocery stores by February, no public explanation given.  In NYC, after 40 years kitchen supplier Broadway Panhandler shutting down.  The owner tried to sell the business but nobody wanted to buy it.

Ohio: The only Krispy Kreme donut shop in the Dayton area shutting down next week, 20 jobs lost.  No explanation.

Oregon: The Terrace Cafe in Valley River Center shutting down after 36 years of serving up yummy food, because the mall management refuses to renew the lease.  The restaurant owner said no reason was offered and “I was not prepared to have been told that no more leases would be given to me.”

Texas:  In Dallas, the operators of Zhulong Gallery suddenly announced it will shutdown at the end of the month (instead of hosting an international photo exhibit), no reason given.

West Virginia:  Coal miner Alpha Natural Resources killing more jobs, this time 9-hundred people at eight mines and two processing operations, by the end of March!

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

Massive Sprint layoffs! 333-thousand tech jobs lost! Layoffs are now SOP! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 23 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:   Yet more Palo Alto tech employees in trouble, VMWare warning employees of mass layoffs due to their merger with Dell and EMC, as many as 9-hundred jobs lost!   But wait there’s a whole lot more!  Redwood Shores based Global Equities Research predicts that as many as 333-thousand tech jobs will be eliminated over the next 12 months, no thanks to rapidly developing advancements in areas like cloud computing!   University of California Berkeley’s Campus Shared Services quietly laid off 28 people, back in December.  Local Teamsters Union members are now making sure the public knows about the layoffs.  In San Francisco, popular Ames restaurant shutting down after ten years.  In Escondido, after 44 years Champion’s Family Restaurant shutting down next week.

Colorado: Kansas based Sprint shutting down their Arapahoe County call center, 178 jobs lost by April!

Connecticut:  Affinity Health Care Management bankrupt busted just five years after their last bankruptcy, but this time it’s because Medicaid payments are being held back by the state Department of Social Services!   Court documents stated that if the failed state ObamaCare loving government continues not to reimburse Medicaid services then Affinity Health Care Management will cease to exist!

Florida:  In Orlando, after five years burger & beer joint Oblivion Taproom shutting down next week.

Georgia: In Ringgold, after two years Go Georgia Arts shutdown, the owner said he wasn’t getting enough commissions.

Idaho: More Gem State Right to Work (you over) ObamaCare bull-shit; “Ferch, a Boise chiropractor, had received notice from Regence BlueShield of Idaho that the health insurance company was cutting back its payments for ‘adjustments’ — his most common procedure — to 1990s levels.  Ferch and a handful of fellow chiropractors met with the medical director for Regence. Ferch asked whether the medical director’s salary was the same as it had been in the 1990s. The room went silent……

….In Idaho, mutual insurance companies also differ from federal tax-exempt nonprofits in that they do not tell the public what they pay their leaders. Idaho law forbids regulators from divulging that information.”–SeattlePI

Illinois: God refusing to stop ‘his’ Lutheran Social Services (LSSI) from shutting down 30 offices across the state, and laying off 750 people!  LSSI is the largest social services operator in the state and blames moronic state ‘lawmakers’ for failing to come up with a budget, resulting in non-profit LSSI being owed $6-million USD: “After 7 months, we no longer can provide services for which we aren’t being paid.”-Mark Stutrud, President and CEO

Kansas: Overland Park based Sprint notified 829 local employees they will lose their jobs very soon!  In Saint John, Dillions Market shutting down by February.  Dillions is the town’s only grocery store meaning residents will have to travel 20 miles to buy food!

Maine:  New Jersey based Covanta Energy Corporation announced it will shutdown two plants, one in West Enfield and one in Jonesboro.

Missouri: New York & Co. shutting down their West Park Mall clothing store next week.

Montana:  University of Montana has begun mass layoffs, eventually 192 full-time jobs will be eliminated!

New Mexico: Kansas based Sprint shutting down their Rio Rancho call center, 394 jobs lost by the beginning of February!

New York: Ichor Systems shutting down their Kingston factory, 96 jobs lost by the end of April.  NYC based advertising company Ogilvy announced that layoffs are now SOP: “Today Ogilvy & Mather New York let go of less than 1% of our staff. This is yearly Standard Operating Procedure for a company of our size and scope of services.”

North Dakota: 95 coal miners about to lose their jobs at the Dakota Westmoreland Beulah mine.   The layoffs start in March.

Tennessee: Kansas based Sprint shutting down their Blountville call center, 444 jobs lost by February!

Washington DC: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is consolidating operations at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana, possibly eliminating more than 2-hundred jobs in the process!

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.”

Business/Economics

“This is going to be widespread.” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 21 – 22 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama:  Sunset Landing Golf Course shutting down by the end of the month, as the owner (the Airport Authority) looks for better money making ways to use the land.

Alaska: Swamp Donkey Oilfield Services laying off 70 employees, owner Trent Lindberg warned “This is going to be widespread…….Overhead is too high to work for a reduced price. You can’t reduce your prices as much as oil companies require to get the jobs, but you need to reduce them if you’re going to get the work.”

Arizona:  The Art Institute of Tucson shutting down as soon as the last of its 3-hundred students graduate.  It’s directly connected to Education Management Corporation’s troubles with the U.S. Department of Education.

California:  In Nevada County, Higgins Fire District laying off six employees in July due to local cash strapped taxpayers voting down a plan to raise taxes.  Another recycling center going down, the Arcata Resource Recovery Center shutting down, blaming lack of people bringing in recyclables.  Of course, prices are so low now you’re actually losing money going through the effort!  But wait, what about the fact that Arcata City forces residents to use recycling bins, isn’t that enough for Arcata Resource Recovery Center?  Nope, because Arcata Resource Recovery Center is being affected by low prices as well.

Florida:  Ameris Bank shutting down its Jasper office on 2nd Avenue, by the end of the month.

Illinois: Chicago Public Schools announced yet more mass layoffs, 227 non-teaching jobs being eliminated!    Sears Holdings confirmed the Morton ‘green’ Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 47 jobs lost.  

Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court’s Office laid off 12 employees, as the Office is investigated for how it spends taxpayer funding.

Massachusetts: A prime example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs; local news reports say that because of Johnson & Johnson’s 3-thousand layoffs in its medical device division, another company called DePuy Synthes warned it might be forced to conduct mass layoffs at its Raynham medical device factory.  Raynham city administrators are pissed because they gave DePuy massive tax breaks to prevent them from moving the factory to Indiana.

Mississippi:  Coast Clothing shutting down in Pascagoula after 42 years.

New Mexico:  In Albuquerque, after 18 years Lauren’s Hallmark Shop shutting down in February.

New Jersey: In Englishtown, Reiss Manufacturing issued a WARN saying 125 plastics molding employees will become unemployed in March!

France based Sanofi is about to issue a WARN affecting hundreds of employees in New Jersey.  News reports say the drugs pusher is cutting jobs worldwide and “…a disproportionate number of job losses may occur in the United States.”

New York: “Home energy solutions” company K&L Green shutting down its Copiague operations, 56 jobs lost by the end of the month. In DeWitt, HVAC company Carrier sent a press release to local news media saying that layoffs are about to take place, no numbers given.    

North Carolina:   Sitel Operating Corporation shutting down its Asheville call center, 250 jobs lost by July!

Ohio:  A prime example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs; local news reports say that because of Johnson & Johnson’s 3-thousand layoffs in its medical device division, another company called Ethicon could layoff all 824 medical device making employees in Blue Ash! (local news reports say at one point Ethicon employed 1,200+ people in Blue Ash)   But wait there’s more!  Proctor & Gamble is also killing jobs in Blue Ash, 1-thousand 150 jobs are being consolidated to operations in Mason!    Sears Holdings confirmed the Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April, 63 jobs lost. 

Tennessee: In Springfield, the Goody’s in the Moorland Shopping Center shutting down by the end of March.

Texas:    Houston based natural gas driller Southwestern Energy laying off 1-thousand 1-hundred people, the majority in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia!  Administrators blame crashing gas prices.   Houston based oil driller Schlumberger revealed it eliminated 10-thousand jobs in 2015, and it will eliminate even more in 2016 because it lost $1-billion USD in its 4th quarter of 2015!  The Galveston County Commissioners voted to shutdown popular fishing spot Rollover Pass saying it contributes to land erosion during hurricanes!  Rollover Pass, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico, has been a favorite fishing destination since the 1950s.

Virginia: Historical tourist attraction Colonial Williamsburg laying off 60 people, blaming “conflicting priorities” and “strained resources”.  In Arlington, Executive Menswear at the Crystal City Shops shutting down “very soon”.

Washington: Illinois based (but Seattle founded) Boeing warning that it could end production of its latest version of the iconic 747, resulting in mass layoffs for The Evergreen State. Administrators blame declining demand for civilian cargo aircraft.  Seattle based Starbucks announced it will shutdown several two years old Teavana ‘tea bars’ in New York and California.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

20 January 2016: “circumstances beyond our control…changing demographics…declining sales”

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

Sears Kmart update 22 January 2016: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah!

18 January 2016: Four more

Here’s the updated list (new shutdowns in bold) of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April.  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, 70 jobs lost.   Florence Kmart in March, 64 jobs lost!  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.  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! Between March and April, the Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutting down, 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, 62 jobs lost.  The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March, 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: Dublin Kmart will shutdown in April, 71 jobs lost.  Milledgeville Kmart shutdown in April, 60+ jobs lost.  Unconfirmed reports that the Rome Kmarts shutting down by mid-April, no word on how many jobs lost. Mount Berry Square Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March, 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, 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, 56 jobs lost.   Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April, 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, 47 jobs lost.  Canton Kmart shutting down in April, 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, 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 by Spring, 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 Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost.  Three Kmart stores by April, one in Virginia, Superior and Ironwood, 137 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, 32 jobs lost.   Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April, 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 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: Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown.  Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April, 63 jobs lost.  Zanesville Kmart shutting down mid-April, 47 jobs lost.  Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.   Boardman Kmart by April, 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, 45 jobs lost.  The Michell Kmart shutting down in April, 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, 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 Sears (56 jobs lost right before Xmas).

Utah: 35 years old Richfield Kmart will shutdown in April, 63 jobs lost.    North Logan Kmart shutting down by April, 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 by mid-April!  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, 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).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now 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)