Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alabama: In Dothan, after three years Dakota Coffee Works shutdown. The owner blamed skyrocketing costs of operations and crashing sales: “We’re about to run out of gas! Right now it’s doing about 50% of what it needs to do.”-Ron McGhee
Arizona: What housing market recovery? In Phoenix, Distinctive Roofing shutdown. The owners said they never recovered from the 2008 crash. Phoenix based PetSmart announced it could go up for sale. Company officials blame investors who are pushing for the pet supply ‘big box’ chain-store to be sold off, despite increased revenues. In Prescott Valley minor league hockey team, the Arizona Sundogs, shutdown: “Slower than expected off-season revenue along with other league issues have moved us in this direction.”– Brad Fain, majority owner
California: Taxsucking Boeing warned of more layoffs, this time at least 139 people will become unemployed by the end of October! Super Glue (Pacer Technologies) warned of 11 layoffs in October. In San Diego, Angelica Textile Services warned they will shutdown in October, 67 jobs lost. In Los Angeles, Investor’s Business Daily warned of 38 layoffs in November.
Idaho: In Boise, after 30 years Newt and Harold’s snow & skateboarding shop shutdown.
Illinois: In Schiller Park, despite supposedly making a comeback from bankruptcy, Hostess shutting down a bakery already, 400 jobs lost in October! One union official exclaimed to local news media “We were shocked!” The Schiller Park bakery is credited with creating the Twinkie. Northfield based Kraft Foods revealed their inexpensive Jell-O brand is in trouble, with steadily crashing sales. Company officials think it’s because their 100+ years old cheap dessert has no nutritional value.
Indiana: Obama Care killing 361 rescue jobs with ambulance service provider Rural/Metro Corporation! More than 30 communities will lose ambulance service! Company officials directly blamed reduced insurance reimbursements caused by Obama Care. What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?
Iowa: What automotive industry recovery? In Waterloo, tractor maker Deere (formerly known as John Deere) killing 460 jobs, due to crashing sales! That’s on top of the previously announced Deere layoffs in Illinois.
Kansas: In Wichita, decades old Outback Pools announced it will shutdown.
Maryland: In Rockville, taxsucker General Dynamics (GD) warned it will layoff 61 employees in October. GD failed to get taxpayer funding for a planned massive internet based news service for military and government personnel overseas. (while U.S. taxpayers are forced by their ‘elected’ officials to fund Afghan TV industry development)
Massachusetts: In Sudbury, taxsucker Raytheon announced it is shutting down its integrated defense systems facility over the next few years. In Florence, the World Eye Bookshop shutdown. The owner said “…in Florence there just isn’t enough foot traffic.”
Michigan: After 46 years The Wolverine Food & Spirits shutdown. The property was sold to make way for a 24 hours gas station. What automotive industry recovery? Detroit based General Motors (GM) announced they are cutting back on car production in Russia, due to crashing sales.
Nevada: University Medical Center began a second round of Obama Care healthcare layoffs, this time 200 healthcare workers put out on the streets!
New York: The Buffalo School District killed 63 teaching jobs, some of the teachers had just made tenure. News reports said many of the teachers taught classes for homeless children. One school board member actually blamed the U.S. education system saying “It’s a system that’s beating us.” Another board member added “Beating our kids.”
Ohio: Medical supplies maker Invacare killing 210 healthcare jobs globally, 60 in Ohio, due to bad “…financial results for the first six months of 2014 and the slow sales start to the third quarter.”
Pennsylvania: Medical device maker Echo Theraputics announced they must layoff 35% of their employees. God refuses to stop Christian Geneva College from laying off at least 25 employees, due to what I call the rapture, I mean DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). And who said the internet is to blame? The Christian college is eliminating its internet ministries courses for the 2015-16 school year! School officials also revealed that the economy is so bad that “nearly 100%” of their Christian students qualify for some type of financial assistance.
Tennessee: In Oak Ridge, after four years Snappy Tomato Pizza shutdown: “We have really tried to hang on; however, things appear to continue to go downhill for us…..Unfortunately, the sales have not been what we need to keep the business going while the new and upcoming retail centers continue to draw business toward the other end of town.”-franchise owners
Vermont: A fire killed 170 jobs at the Rutland Plywood Corporation. Firefighters thought they had put out the fire, but then later the warehouse re-ignited. Firefighters are blaming the fire on mechanical failures.
Washington DC: Revelations that tourism to the capital of the United States is crashing. Tourism tracking companies say international tourists have been declining since 2011, a drop of about 150-thousand tourists!
Wisconsin: Troubled (and federal law breaking ) Anthem College shutting down their Brookfield campus, 30 jobs lost.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.
“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013