The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) reported that U.S. corporations announced 1337 “mass layoff actions” in March! At least 127939 people affected. (a mass layoff involves 50 or more employees, so it doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each. it also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down)
The DoL also reported that total job openings dropped 4.3%. For every job opening there were three people competing for it.
31 May 2013 (14:51 UTC-07 Tango)/21 Rajab 1434/10 Khordad 1391/22 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
“Bellingham will not win with the opening WinCo…..It is an unfortunate ‘race to the bottom’ for jobs, wages and benefits in Bellingham.”-Jack Weiss, an obviously ignorant Bellingham city council member
I’ve been shocked to learn of a growing anti-WinCo movement in Bellingham, Washington. It involves unions and some city council members.
They claim WinCo will crash local wages, and hurt other businesses. On the first count, WinCo actually pays well, damn good in fact. And the benefits are considered some of the best in the whole U.S. of A.
My ex-wife worked for WinCo for at least a decade, she admitted to me many times that it was the best damn job she ever had (considering she never finished high school, at one point she was making more money than me). She loved the medical benefits! She also loved the employee ownership of WinCo stocks.
My eldest daughter is working for WinCo, nine years now, and she’s extremely happy with her income and benefits, especially since she sees what’s going on with the rest of the grocery industry. She was started several dollars an hour above minimum wage (a WinCo policy. WinCo’s pay policy is also adjusted according to region) and gets periodic raises. She’s now making more money than her mother did while she was working for WinCo. She also loves the medical/retirement benefits and the employee ownership of the company through stocks. That’s the real threat to unions, they don’t own the company.
As far as hurting other businesses, I know another Idaho based grocery store, Albertsons, went down, but not because of WinCo, but partly because of their unions! The unions forced Albertsons to charge outrageous prices for food. (There are cases of mom and pop stores going under because of competition from bigger stores, but not any case that could be specifically pinned on WinCo.)
Employee owned businesses threaten both the traditional ‘publicly’ held evil elitist corporations and unions (I think some unions have become a type of evil elitist club).
Employee owned businesses usually have tougher employee work policies, which are voted on by your fellow co-workers so it’s hard to challenge (WinCo employees don’t dare be late to work, and if you’re sick for more than one day better get a doctors note). Isn’t that similar to a union, except, once again, the union doesn’t own the company. Also, no outrageous union dues, in fact WinCo employees get back more in their medical/retirement/stock benefits than what the average union member gets from their union!
A weakness is that it is possible for the employee owned business to be tricked into becoming a publicly held company, which would open the door to Romney style vulture capitalists.
In Pocatello, the new WinCo 117 recently opened up across the street from the ‘new’ Fred Meyer, yet I don’t see any sign that Fred Meyer is being adversely affected by the new expanded WinCo. Fred Meyer is still just as busy (my other daughter works for Fred Meyer and loves it, employee pay/benefits similar to WinCo but it’s not employee owned), as is the evil Chubbuck Walmart. I have noticed a lot of out of county and out of state license plates on the vehicles parked in the WinCo 117 parking lot, so it seems the WinCo is actually bringing new customers into the area.
The manager of the Bellingham, Washington, Fred Meyer was asked about any concerns over the idea of a WinCo being built. His response: “It’s just an additional competitor in town. I’m sure there will be some customers who are price sensitive and will go to WinCo for certain items. But we have the one-stop shopping concept, where WinCo is just the basic food store.”-Bill Pelan, Lakeway Fred Meyer store director
(if Bellingham has a publicly held Fred Meyer, then there’s no excuse for Bellingham not to have an employee owned WinCo!)
Construction/remodeling started on the new Bellingham WinCo on 09 May 2013. It should be ready to go before the end of the year.
31 May 2013 (19:34 UTC-07 Tango 30 May 2013)/21 Rajab 1434/10 Khordad 1391/22 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
“With the addition of General Petraeus, we are building on the work we have done to understand the investment implications of public policy, macro-economic, regulatory and technology trends globally. We are pleased to bring all of this expertise together under one umbrella, the KKR Global Institute….”-Henry Kravis, co-founder KKR
Former U.S. Army General and deposed Central Intelligence Agency director, David Petraeus, has been hired to lead a new finance company called KKR Global Institute (created by 401K robbing [according to reports by Forbes and Bloomberg] Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co).
Main streamer news media say the purpose of KKR Global is to identify and address potential problems with international investments, including technology trends and government policies. KKR Global’s website says their purpose is “Anticipating, understanding and knowing how to respond to emerging geopolitical and macro-economic trends as well as the impacts of revolutionary technological changes….”
31 May 2013 (18:11 UTC-07 Tango 30 May 2013)/21 Rajab 1434/10 Khordad 1391/22 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
“There are compelling reasons why this is a great model. The customer [law enforcement/spying agencies?] has evolved to the point where they want a sexier location, where they can have access to a Starbucks and other retail, because it’s possible they may be there for weeks or months…..There’s a desire to have multiple locations spread costs across multiple areas…….Having rooftop access to the cars and pedestrians around the malls is important. The Sears portfolio can capture that……I will put as many of the rooftops in play as I can.”-Sean Farney, of newly created Ubiquity Critical Environments
Several reports over the past week stating that many of the empty shut down Sears and Kmarts are being turned into data storage/wireless communication centers/disaster centers!
Since 2010 more than 333 Sears/Kmart stores have been vacated. The plan to turn many of the empty stores into data centers is being headed by a newly created subsidiary of Sears Holdings, Ubiquity Critical Environments (UCE).
UCE is run by Sean Farney, a former boss of Microsoft’s Chicago data center. UCE was revealed by trade publication Data Center Knowledge.
One of the first UCE multi-tenant data centers will be created out of the soon to be closed East 79th Street Chicago Sears store near the Chicago Skyway. Once retrofitted into the new Chicago area social spying data center, it will use at least 5 megawatts of electricity! (and they’ve already got an unnamed client signed up to operate it)
Most mall based vacated Sears stores will be used as “business continuity services”, to supposedly keep other businesses running in case of natural disasters or civil uprisings/unforeseen events.
Most vacated Kmarts will be used as data centers, because most Kmarts are not connected to malls or other stores, therefore (as Farney admits) it’s easier to hide just who is operating the data center.
Sears Holdings officials say the vacated Sears and Kmarts were chosen for such population monitoring/controlling operations because, according to UCE’s Sean Farney, 70% of the U.S. population live near a Sears or Kmart!
An retail analysts with Morningstar said this new move to offer Sears Holding’s property for use in social spying, shows how desperate the corporation is. Or is it? In the Data Center Knowledge interview, Farney stated that the new Sears Holdings subdivision, UCE, has the money to pay for the conversion to data centers, even to customize the centers to whatever requirements of the new tenants!
26 May 2013 (19:54 UTC-07 Tango 25 May 2013)/16 Rajab 1434/05 Khordad 1391/17 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
“This is the biggest general threat to our food supply!”-Kevin Hackett, USDA’s bee and pollination program
“There is no question that neonicotinoids put a huge stress on the survival of honey bees in the environment. The evidence is clear that imidacloprid is likely the culprit for Colony Collapse Disorder via a very unique mechanism that has not been reported until our study.”-Chensheng Lu, HSPH
Several studies have revealed direct links between high fructose corn syrup, GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and increased pesticide use with the massive death and disappearance of honey bees. On 24 May 2013 the European Union (EU) banned the use of three pesticides based on such studies.
The EU ban begins in December and will last two years, before being reviewed.
On 02 January 2013, Poland banned the use of Monsanto’s GMO MON 810 maize (corn) and BASF’s Amflora strain of potato, after Polish beekeepers claimed a direct link between the genetically enhanced pesticide laden seeds and the collapse of honey bees.
A report published in May 2013 concluded that GMO/pesticides are affecting other pollinators, not just bees. The study indicated that the European Union was about to ban such pesticides based on their own studies.
In September 2012, another study says GMO/pesticides are destroying bees’ ability to navigate.
In April 2012, the Harvard School of Public Health proved that pesticide laced corn syrup is killing bees. The unknowing culprits here are the beekeepers themselves. Honey farmers want all the honey for sale, and feed the bees high fructose corn syrup in its place. Here’s the rub; prior to 2004 the corn syrup did not contain pesticides. How’d it get there? In 2004-05 U.S. maize crops began being sprayed with a new pesticide. It turns out the pesticide stays in the corn even after harvest and is showing up in the corn syrup (this also means that we humans are eating it as well). The Harvard study concluded that it only takes 20 parts per billion of neonicotinoid pesticides to kill off a bee colony within six months!
A study published online in March 2012 revealed that the GMO crops use a neonicotinoid toxin that disables an insects homing abilities, which explains why so many bees never get back to their hives.
Another study showed that even low doses of neonicotinoid pesticides is harmful to bees.
In February 2012, a study said that even dust coming from the GMO seeds could kill bees.
There are dozens and dozens of studies around the World which say the GMO/pesticide corporations are responsible for declining crop production as well as killing off the insect pollinators necessary for food production, yet those very corporations continue to deny that such studies exist!
In 2007 USDA official, Kevin Hackett, said what those corporations are doing is the biggest threat to our survival that we face, but you won’t find those corporations on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s terrorist list!
“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.”-Albert Einstein
24 May 2013 (17:19 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Rajab 1434/03 Khordad 1391/15 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
Since 2011 there have been growing reports that farmers are returning to massive use of pesticides, because of new superbug insects. Those super insects have been created by the very GMO (genetically modified organism) crops meant to kill insects (in 2003 the U.S. EPA approved GMO on that very basis).
The latest report shows that Monsanto’s Bt Corn has actually created insects (like rootworms) that are now immune to GMO crops. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently reported that pesticide makers are seeing skyrocketing sales, as a result.
The WSJ also reported that years ago some corporations knew this would happen, and began taking over pesticide companies for the expected boom in bug spray sales. Other reports say the amount of pesticide use is higher than what the WSJ reported.
Of course Monsanto says they will create new GMO seeds.
In 2010, India halted the use of GMO crops. In 2012, India ordered testing of any GMO crop in a controlled environment before being approved. Here’s why: “I was shocked to find the three years of so-called research trials conducted by Mahyco Monsanto Biotech or MMB, a joint venture between Indian seed company Mahyco and Monsanto, as erroneous……I went on record to state that GM technology, promoted by MMB, was fraudulent.”-Devinder Sharma, agricultural scientist
One possible reason that India began to question the claims of Monsanto and other GM makers, is that during the years Indian farmers used GMO seeds, there was no increase in overall crop production! (increased crop production was one of the claims made by GMO companies: “generate higher crop yields with fewer inputs”–Biotechnology Industry Organization)
In Lebanon, the Consumer Protection Department of the Economy and Trade Ministry (CPDET) warned consumers that recent testing of fruits and vegetables are showing high rates of pesticides, including chemicals banned in Lebanon.
Officials are calling the free use of chemicals by local farmers chaotic: “In the last few months findings indicate that farmers have reverted to chaos….”-CPDET statement
CPDET officials say “The main reason was attributed to insects developing immunity…….unleashing a vicious and fearful cycle.”
For years there has been fear in Lebanon that GMO crops grown in nearby Europe, or in neighboring Israel, would eventually adversely affect Lebanese agriculture.
According to Israeli news media there are no laws regulating GMOs in Israel: “Agricultural products that underwent genetic engineering are sold in Israel without any marking to inform consumers……main function is to test foodstuffs slated for export to Europe.”-Haaretz
It’s possible that Lebanon’s agriculture industry has been invaded (through pollination) by GMOs from Israel’s unregulated industry.
The problem of cross pollination is one of the concerns for the European country Hungary. Hungary bans all GMOs. A week ago 404.6 hectares (1000 acres) of maize was burned, after it was discovered that GMO seeds somehow got in with regular corn seeds (many Hungarian farmers bought their seeds from international companies). The burning of the crop was done to prevent cross pollination. Investigations are revealing that somehow thousands of acres of other crops in Hungary could also be contaminated with GMOs.
But contrary to what some bloggers say, about the Europe Union not allowing GMO crops, the European Union does allow Bt corn/maize, and several EU members have expressed intentions to grow other GMO crops (Spain is the largest producer of GMO crops).
So it is very possible that the agriculture industry in Lebanon is dealing with superbugs created by GMOs in Europe and Israel, which of course means more pesticide use.
Then there’s the rapidly declining bird population in United Kingdom. Investigators blame increased pesticide use, and “changes in crop production” in Sussex. It’s reported that 60% of overall bird species have disappeared in the past ten years. Sussex is not listed as one of the English Counties that have banned GMOs.
Recently released studies in the United States back up the claims that GMOs do not decrease pesticide use and they do not increase crop yield!
In 2012 the Washington State University proved that the net effect of GMO crops is an increase in pesticide use, and other chemicals, not a decrease!
Now the University of Wisconsin says the gene splicing that goes into GMOs actually reduces crop yields! Researchers call it “yield drag”, meaning genetic engineering of crops reduces overall production. Their study (Commercialized transgenic traits, maize productivity and yield risk) shows that GMO crops tend to reduce environmental “yield risks” to the crops, but the overall yield output is also reduced.
What was that about GMOs saving humanity from starvation?
INL welcome sign
The Idaho National Laboratory laid off 101 people in eastern Idaho, that’s after 114 employees voluntarily quit and 60 positions were eliminated! More layoffs are planned: “We will be watching the budget situation closely in the coming months and hope to have a clearer picture of any additional actions that will be necessary.”-Mark Holubar, INL human resources
In Kentucky, Murray-Calloway County Hospital laid off 28 employees. Hospital officials blame Obama/Romney Care and a huge decrease in customers ($7.5 million USD decrease)!
The Decatur Public School Board, in Illinois, warned that teachers could be laid off by Spring Break. School officials blame lack of state funding and unpaid debts.
In California, the Twin Rivers Unified School Board notified 101 employees of layoffs! They have to save $9.1 million! Southern Humboldt Unified School District said they need to layoff at least 14 people. School officials blame the state government: “This is happening at every school district in California. Think about how many people that is, having to scramble, having to figure out who we’re going to lay off, who we’re going to notice, and how many families that affects.”-Blake Lehman
Also in California, the 1st Hunan Chef Wong Restaurant closed down in Pleasanton. Restaurant owners blame the landlord: “…Due to a dispute with the landlord, the 1st Hunan Chef Wong Restaurant will be permanently closed…” In Los Angeles, Pull My Daisy clothing store closed down, the owner saying she needs to “try new things”. In San Diego, Continental Maritime laid off 185 people! They’re blaming federal government spending cuts.
Without warning, Entertainment in Troy, Michigan, laid off 400 more employees, without severance! This only a couple of days after they went bankrupt and laid off 267 people! Herb David Guitar Studio shut down after 50 years of business.
In Calhoun, Tennessee, the paper mill closed down. The new owners said demand for newsprint has crashed. 150 people out-o-work!
Language learning software maker, Rosetta Stone, laid off about 70 people in their Harrisonburg, Virginia office. The Virginia ABC liquor store closed down in Rosslyn. State officials said the store will not renew its lease.
In Indiana, postage meter service provider, Pitney Bowes, announced they are laying off 137 people in May! Music Factory Direct closed its retail store in South Bend. They switched to internet sales.
Archer & Greiner law firm laid off 14 attorneys and 27 staff at offices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The Pace Outlet store closed down in Teaneck, New Jersey, after only one year of operations.
In Portland, Maine, the Oriental Table restaurant shut down. The restaurant owner blames the landlord.
Archer Uniform store in Minnesota shut down. The owner blames the Mayo Clinic Health System for changing to color coded uniforms.
In New Lisbon, Wisconsin, Grocery Depot closed down. Despite it being the only grocery store in New Lisbon, owners say there just wasn’t enough customers. U-Bake closed down in Onalaska. Owners closed stores earlier in the year as part of a consolidation plan, but it looks like even that failed: “Simply put, sales are not what we anticipated when we consolidated stores. Our expenses have been increasing and financially, we can no longer support the business.”-Kris Nandory
In Michigan, coupon book publisher, Entertainment Promotions now bankrupt. 267 people laid off! And what recovery in housing construction? Williams Lumber closed down after 130 years of operations! The owner blamed the bad economy for a fourfold drop in sales: “We have to sell everything including the real estate, the building…”-Bruce Williams
The Tobyhanna Army Depot laying off 418 people in Pennsylvania! Also, at least 5000 employees are being forced to take unpaid days off between April and September! It’s being blamed on government funding cuts. The Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs laid off about 20 people in management. Casino officials said management needed to be more efficient.
In Texas, Handy Hardware bankrupt. The company owes the state of Mississippi $3.5 million USD. The Mississippi Development Authority says the money came from a federal government development grant, that was supposed to be used to create 175 jobs, but never happened. Handy Hardware already defaulted on $26 million in debt owed to Capital One.
Another Texas company went bankrupt. Geokinetics provides seismic data to the oil and gas industry. Company officials, and stockholders, say the bankruptcy is needed to restructure the company. Also, Crossroads Systems laying off 30 research and development employees.
In Missouri, the owner of apartments in Saint Louis, Locust Street Lofts, now bankrupt.
In Illinois, the Ball-Chatham School Board eliminated 14 teaching positions. Other positions will have their hours reduced. School officials blame budget problems.
The private preschool Goddard School, on Back Creek Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, closed down. Reports say the school owed $60000 in unpaid rent. Also, the Fayetteville Regional Chamber laid off two people, in order to save money.
In California, the Modesto City Schools announced they need to reduce staffing. Possibly 36 people to lose their jobs. Schools officials also said that not only must senior teaching staff be credentialed, they must prove “competence”. They need to save about $7 million in the 2013-14 school year. In San Francisco, Haig’s Delicacies closed down after 57 years of business. The family owners will continue their wholesale operation. In King City, Bertelli’s Health Mart Pharmacy out-o-business. The owner/operators blamed it on their long (and expensive) commutes to work.
In Puerto Rico, 400 people lost their jobs with Baxter! The pharmaceutical company has been investing tens of millions into making their Puerto Rico operation more efficient (meaning getting the same amount of production with less employees).
In Maryland, Obama/Romney Care being blamed for layoffs at Frederick Memorial Hospital. 40 people being let go: “What hospitals are doing nationwide, and in Maryland in particular, are to find ways to adjust the provision care models to adjust to the decreasing amount of Medicare reimbursements.”-Harry Grandinett, Frederick Memorial Hospital
The Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center, in New Jersey, announced the ending of 15 positions and reduction in services, due to an expected $1 million loss in County funding.
In Georgia, the Arthritis Foundation laid off 26 employees. Officials with the crony charity blame declining donations, yet 2011 tax filings show the CEO got a salary/benefits package of $508000, plus $70000 in bonuses!
Spain based Acciona lays off 40 employees at their wind power operation in Iowa. Company officials blame it on declining interest in clean energy.
In Vermont, Green Mountain Power laid off 15 meter readers. The company switched to smart meters which do not require people to physically read the meter.
China based Suntech lays off 43 people and shuts down their Goodyear solar power panel factory in Arizona. Company officials blame it on the high tariffs imposed by the Obama administration.
In Massachusetts, Adventure Outfitters in Hadley closed down. Company officials blame the bad economy and climate change: “…a result of the tough economy and two warm winters in a row.”-John Cronin, Tiger Group
Brazil based video game maker, Vostu, to layoff more employees. Reports say the company had 580 employees at one time, but is now down to about 70. The company has offices in São Paulo, Buenos Aries and New York.
In New York, the owners of newspaper Pennysavers ended publication and laid off 60 people. In West Village, Italian sandwich shop Jason Denton’s ‘Ino, closed down. And the Bath & Body Works closed down in the Fingerlakes Mall.
In West Virginia, two Kelly Motors car dealerships closed for good. The owners refused to talk to the local media.
AT&T closes four franchise stores in South Dakota. Something happened between AT&T and Express Wireless, which ended AT&T service. AT&T officials said they were legally restricted from explaining what happened. The State Public Utilities Commissioner said AT&T had invested millions of dollars into South Dakota.
19 May 2013 (10:56 UTC-07 Tango)/09 Rajab 1434/29 Ordibehest 1391/10 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711
The Sears at the Kukui Grove Center will close by the end of July. It’s the second Sears store to be closed in Hawaii.
247 more people will be out-o-work in Illinois. Two sears stores in the Grand Crossing area of Chicago are closing by the end of July. One of them has been operating for the past 90 years. Sears Holdings says the stores are no longer making profits.
And GGP closed down their Apache Mall Sears Auto Center, in Minnesota. GGP will close the Apache Mall Sears in 2014.
A Kmart in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, will close by the end of August.
Here’s the updated list of Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:
Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.
Alabama: 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).
California: 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 (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart.
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).
Georgia: 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).
Guam: Sears Hometown Store.
Florida: 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.
Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), recently revealed Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost).
One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.
Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost). No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop?
Indiana: 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).
Illinois: 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), recently revealed two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. 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.
Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart (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).
Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).
Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).
Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost).
Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors.
Michigan: Novi 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, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost).
Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, recently revealed GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost).
Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line.
Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost).
Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).
New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, recently revealed Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).
North Carolina: 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).
North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).
New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost).
New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).
New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost).
Ohio: 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). 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.
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).
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).
Pennsylvania: 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).
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).
Tennessee: 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.
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.
Virginia: 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).
Washington: 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).
West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost).
Wisconsin: 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).
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 will be closed, see above)
Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (will be 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
In New Mexico, Picacho Hills water utility bankrupt. It’s likely people forced to get their water from the utility will end up paying higher water rates.
The Scooter Store notified employees that they were no longer being paid. This after the FBI raided company offices, looking for evidence of Medicare and Medicaid fraud (you see, it’s the corporations ripping of the system, not the individuals who need the help). About 1800 employees affected!
In Maryland, United Kingdom based government contractor Serco Group to layoff 480 people! Also, Sodexo food service plans to layoff 190 people at the Loyola University Maryland!
In Tennessee, French based Alstom nuclear equipment supplier could layoff 80 employees at their Chattanooga factory. Also, after 37 years the Country Place Restaurant closed down. The property was sold and will probably be torn down to make room for a hotel.
In Iowa, Aviva insurance company likely to layoff 2000 employees! It’s being blamed on Apollo Global Management, a New York based private equity fund that bought Aviva.
The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge, in California, lays off 38 employees. The toll bridge is switching to electronic toll booths. In Redding, Cowboys Mattress closed down. It’s being blamed on a death in the family, and the building falling apart. The Volunteer Center in Sacramento shutdown after 50 years of operations. The Willows Unified School District laid off five teachers.
In New Jersey, the Board of Education in Vineland wants to layoff at least 25 employees.
In Michigan, the Bedford Public Schools Board closing the Temperance Road Elementary School.
Once Upon a Toy and LagoonaMagoo stores forced to close because their small business loan was called in for payment in full.
In South Carolina, the Cokesbury Christian Bookstore closed down. It’s part of parent company United Methodist Publishing’s plan to close down all 57 Cokesbury stores, after 200 years of operations! Company officials blame the digital age.
The Wild Pear carryout restaurant in Connecticut, closed down.
In Indiana, Ficosa North America closing its Berne factory. 137 employees out-o-work!
MetLife plans to consolidate operations from five states into North Carolina. It will affect at least 2600 people!
Despite record profits, Footlocker closing 22 CCS skate category stores. Company officials say the CCS stores will become internet stores only.
In Oklahoma, Spirit AeroSystems laid off an undisclosed amount of employees. Company officials said they need to become more efficient.
The Cozy Cafe bar in Massachusetts closed down. Rumors say it closed due to an argument between owners.