Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs.

California:  In the largest layoff ever for Contra Costa County, John Muir Health selling all its outpatient laboratories.  More than 700 people could be unemployed by Xmas! Company officials say that in the changing health care environment (brought on in part by Obama Care) they can no longer compete.  Computer software company Intuit laid off 132 people across the Golden State!

Colorado: A Office Depot near the Chapel Hills Mall shut down.

Connecticut: In Branford, Blakeslee Prestress laid off 50 employees.  City officials were told it was because of the bad economy: “They make their product on an as-needed basis and they simply didn’t have enough demand at this point.”-Anthony DaRos

Georgia:  In Woodstock, Ingles Market grocery store shutdown after 20 years in business.  Company officials would not comment to local news media.

Indiana:  State Army National Guard training base Camp Atterbury facing shut down?  A tax sucking private contractor, Strategic Resources, announced they were laying off 200 employees working at Camp Atterbury!  It’s blamed on “mission shift”.  In Bloomington, General Electric (GE) laid off 160 employees!  GE blames it on crashing kitchen appliance sales.

Maryland: In Largo, Comcast cable TV provider laid off 145 people!

Minnesota: In Stillwater, This Love Mine antique shop closed for good.  The owners had tried many things to stay in business, but when the economy sucks what can you do except blame your Christian God: “…economic conditions and personal physical challenges are compelling us to throw in the towel. We believe God’s will for us is to move onto the next journey.”-Steve Reeser, co-owner

Mississippi: In Ocean Springs, hot pink Jocelyns Restaurant closed down after 31 years in business.  The surviving 82 years old owner needs to retire and write a book about “…what it’s like to raise a family of six, educate them and try to run a restaurant.”-Jocelyn Mayfield

Missouri: Furniture Brands International now bankrupt.  All assets being sold off.

New York: In Derby, supplier of MLB baseball hats, New Era Company, laying off 75 workers.  In Hauppage, after 42 years in business Jade Garden restaurant shut down.  The restaurant manager blamed the greedy property owner.  And after only nine years Niagara Ceramics shut down.  110 jobs lost!  Company official told state Labor Department officials that there was no way the economy has recovered, because their sales crashed and never came back!  Niagara Ceramics started business in 2004 with at least 240 employees, but began bleeding jobs in 2007.  In Albion, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase shut down their massive office, 412 evil banking minions laid off!  In Lake Grove, the Lake Grove School was closed, 99 jobs lost.

North Carolina:  WakeMed shut down two nursing homes.  197 people unemployed!  WakeMed is expected to loss $15-million USD for its fiscal year 2013.

Ohio:  In Marion, Jack’s Pawn Shop shut down.  The shop owners were known to help out people in need, the shop closure is blamed on a death in the family.  In Dayton, CompuNet closed down their InterMed Patient Service Center.

Texas:  What housing market recovery?  In San Antonio, major cabinet maker Cardell shut down without warning.  900 jobs lost!  Attorneys for the company blame the still crashing housing market.  The company is also mired in $45-million worth of debt and was just hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of OSHA fines.  In Fort Worth, Barnes & Nobel closed down two book stores.  Company official David Deason blamed the bad economy and greedy property owners: “….the sales generated at the store are not at a level that will support keeping the store open…….the owners of the property have communicated that they are committed to breaking the store up into smaller spaces for other retailers that will pay rents in excess of what we can afford. We had hoped that we could find a way to keep the store open, but there just was not interest from the property owner in this case.”

South Dakota: In Deadwood, landmark Miss Kitty’s shutting down.  Miss Kitty’s includes two restaurants and a casino.  The establishment has been up for sale for the past four years, since the owner died. However, it looks like the hiers are tired of waiting for a buyer to come along. City mayor Chuck Turbiville said the closure was “…news to me.”

Washington:  Pierce County laid off six people in their expensive new prison, and warned of many more layoffs to come.  Taxpayers recently approved an increase to the local sales tax, for the express purpose of preventing layoffs.  Now many are wondering what’s happened to the funding.

Wisconsin:  In Oshkosh, tax sucking Axle-Tech laid off 65 people. The company makes axles for military vehicles.  In West Salem, 85 years old Maple Grove Country Club shut down.

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 shut down.