Category Archives: Idaho

“We have no plans to cut or furlough staff…” Then without warning 150 workers fired! No more Freightliner trucks? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 16 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; Palo Alto based software company Palantir just took over two years old Kimono Labs, and as a result Kimono’s public ‘cloud’ service will end, affecting 125-thousand users!

Colorado: CB & Pott’s shutting down their 42 years old West Campus restaurant.  The operators are opening a new restaurant in a new location “to be closer to our core guests.”

Idaho:  Albertsons-Safeway is doing it again, killing off an independently owned grocery store chain, this time on the west side of The Gem State.  Paul’s Market has sold out to the evil corporate giant (who caused the demise of Washington’s Haggen grocery chain last year, killing off thousands of jobs!).  Reports are just coming in, but it sounds like three Paul’s Markets will be shutdown and four will be rebranded as Albertsons stores.  Idaho’s Department of Labor has yet to publish any required WARN regarding the shutdowns.

Michigan:  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; California based video game maker Activision just revealed it eliminated jobs at its Minneapolis ops, without giving numbers.  Administrators blame declining interest in their Guitar Hero and Skylanders brands.  What automotive industry recovery?  Close tolerance diesel & gas motor machining company Royal Oak Boring just announced it will eliminate 125 jobs between now and the end of March!  They are shutting down their Port Huron operation due to being unable to get debt financing.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, yet another restaurant shutdown.  After ten years bistro Soulard shutting down this weekend.       

New York: Revere Copper Products eliminating 40 jobs due to low prices for metals.  In NYC, after six years Little Shoe Store shutting down their brick-n-mortar shop by the end of March.  High rent and utilities forcing the operator to switch to internet sales only.

North Carolina: For the second time since January, Germany owned Daimler-Freightliner is conducting mass layoffs, by the end of this week!  This time an additional 1-thousand 250 people will be let go from the Mount Holly and Cleveland factories!     In January Daimler-Freightliner laid off 936 people from their Cleveland factory!  Local news reports say local charities stated that this latest layoff round was “unexpected” and they are not prepared.  Daimler administrators are now admitting that their sales of Freightliner trucks are ‘crashing & burning’!

North Dakota: In Fargo, the Uptown Gallery shutting down after efforts to bring in a business partner with cash failed.  Last year the owner tried to sell the gallery, but nobody was interested.

Oregon: Japan based Panasonic issued a layoff WARN for their Salem operations, 50 jobs lost by mid-April.

Pennsylvania: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; administrators for the second largest cyber charter school in the state, Agora, revealed they suddenly eliminated jobs last week, but they refuse to say how many.  Local news reports say former employees report between 1-hundred and 150 people were fired without warning!  Cyber school administrators blame lack of state taxpayer funding due to ‘lawmakers’ failing to pass a budget.   However, local news media also published a direct quote from an Agora chairwoman, made back in December: “We have no plans to cut or furlough staff due to the lack of funds we are currently receiving. Please do not fear for your position here at Agora.”-Mary Steffey

After six years Pittsburgh Public Market shutting down by the end of March.  The eatery owner blames lack of customer traffic due to the recent shutdown of Marty’s Market, and the Firehouse farmer’s market.

Tennessee: Knoxville based Cancer Fund of America finally shutdown by federal regulators, two years after national news investigations blew the lid off their scam!  Federal and state government investigators discovered that the majority of donations went to buying “luxury” items for the administrators of the so called cancer charities, not to cancer treatments or research.  Watch the CNN report and stop trowing your money away on medical research ‘charities’!  Apparently there are other scam charities refusing to shutdown despite overwhelming evidence brought against them, so watch out.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

15 February 2016: Death of the Middle Class!

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.”

Christian hospitals stealing from taxpayers! Private sector layoffs drag down local governments! Tree shortage? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 13 – 14 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; Mountain View based blabbing application (chat app) Tango laid off about 50 employees.  Tango administrators also said they will rent out office space at its HQ to other companies, in an effort to raise cash. 

Delaware: Another fine example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL); the massive layoffs by DuPont has ruined the credit ratings of several counties and the state itself.  Lower credit ratings for local governments could result in government layoffs: “As credit ratings deteriorate, governments are going to have pay a little more to borrow. That’s money that comes out of your revenue, taking away from other projects you could spend the money on.”-James Butkiewicz, University of Delaware Economics Department

Idaho: In Boise, after 47 years the restaurant Ben’s Crow Inn Tavern shutting down after being sold-off, due to the owner’s health problems.  Reports say the new owner is going to build an apartment complex.  More proof the real ‘christian god’ is money; ‘christian’ run Saint Luke’s Health has agreed to return revenues from two hospitals to the respective tax districts.  The privately funded hospital system took over management of the taxpayer funded McCall and Mountain Home hospitals over the past six years and, according to the state Attorney General, was keeping the tax revenues for themselves in violation of the law.    An Idaho Statesman investigation also revealed that the two dominant ‘christian’ run hospital chains, Saint Alphonsus and Saint Luke’s, control $793-million USD worth of property that are tax-exempt, and that’s just the 1-hundred properties they own in Ada County!  (more in The truth about Idaho hospital taxes)

Kansas: In Topeka, the manager of the Simply Amish furniture store said it is shutting down as soon as the inventory is gone.  The owner of the store was not answering phone calls from local news media. Perhaps they’re Simply Broke?

Michigan:  It’s been revealed that Southfield based Bagger Dave’s burger joint shutdown 11 restaurants across Michigan and Indiana in 2015.  One of those restaurants was only ten months old. Bagger Dave’s is controlled by Diversified Restaurant Holdings.

Mississippi: Bankrupt Hancock Fabrics warning that it could be forced to shutdown its HQ, resulting in hundreds of layoffs by mid-March!

New Jersey: Sussex County Community College eliminating 20 full time jobs due to crashing enrollments.

New York:  In New Hartford, after six years the Sav-A-Lot grocery store shutting down by the end of the week.  The only notice is a sign taped to the front door.

Oregon: Rough & Ready Lumber announced a third round of layoffs in the past two years.  60 people will lose their jobs over the next few weeks, this time due to a shortage of trees!

Pennsylvania: What automotive industry recovery? Japan based Hitachi Metals Automotive Components (HMAC) shutting down their Wellsboro factory by the end of the year, at least 1-hundred jobs lost!  The company is consolidating operations.

Texas:  Administrators of bankrupt Sherwin Alumina trying to sell-off their operations in Gregory, if no buyer is found then it’ll be shutdown in March.  924 jobs lost!   

Virginia:  More proof the real ‘christian god’ is money; in Ruther Glen, donation funded ‘christian’ run Cinderella’s Closet shutting down in mid-March.  The operators of the charity prom dress ministry said they need to quit, and nobody else wanted to take over the operation.  Dresses are being given away, and anything left over will go to Concord Baptist Church.

Washington DC: After more than 60 years law firm Dickstein Shapiro shutting down.  News reports say the firm never recovered from the recession.  Hundreds of jobs affected! 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

12 February 2016: “It’s killing me…”

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.”

‘Christian’ G4S “Shadow CIA” connected to Indian Point nuke meltdown?

10 February 2016/19:29 UTC-07 Tango 01 (22 Bahman 1394/02 Jumada al-Ula 1437/04 Geng Yin 4714)

“We stripped them naked and you throw water so the electricity can work nicely….you want them to be afraid of you.”-‘Mpho’, former G4S prison guard interviewed by BBC

G4S Nuclear Security Services Corporation (NSSC) employee

The same evil British empire based ‘christian’ G4S that was called out in a BBC investigation for torturing prisoners, is in charge of nuclear power plant security in the United States (and other western countries), including Entergy operated Indian Point, in New York.

G4S Secure Solutions (formerly G4S Wackenhut) claims to be the world’s biggest security company.  It started with Florida based Wackenhut which was taken over by a Netherlands based company and then merged with another company to create the United Kingdom based G4S plc.  The U.S. Department of Energy contracts with G4S’s Nuclear Security Services Corporation (aka NSSC).

The ‘christian’ G4S is heavily involved with the illegal Israeli apartheid/holocaust prison operations against Palestinians.   Bishop Desmond Tutu, a true Christian who experienced South Africa’s apartheid first hand, accused G4S of torturing Palestinian child prisoners in 2014!  In 2010, three British ‘christian’ G4S guards killed a man on a British Airways flight by suffocating him.  Passengers stated they heard the victim saying “They’re trying to kill me!”  

Wackenhut has been accused of security lapses at several U.S. military bases within the United States, and at nuclear power plants as well.  In 2007, Idaho’s Dirk Kempthorne (mentor of current Idaho governor Butch Otter) was asked to investigate Wackenhut’s nuclear power plant security performance while he was U.S. Secretary of the Interior.  Wackenhut was even accused of ripping off its own employees: “It is important that federal contractors like Wackenhut benefiting from taxpayer dollars and protecting our country’s vital interests demonstrate fairness toward their employees and support efforts to raise the standards of the security profession to the highest level possible.”-Bob Casey, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania

Apparently Kempthorne’s ears were deaf to such requests of investigation.

Security guard instructor pointing to a remote controlled machine gun at the Y-12 nuke weapons factory in Tennessee

Wackenhut has even been called The Shadow CIA: “A big private company – one with a board of former CIA, FBI and Pentagon officials; one in charge of protecting Nuclear-Weapons facilities, nuclear reactors, the Alaskan oil pipeline and more than a dozen American embassies abroad; one with long-standing ties to a radical ring-wing organization; one with 30,000 men and women under arms – secretly helped IRAQ in its effort to obtain sophisticated weapons?”  

To end the growing news media attention on a seemingly corrupt and inept G4S Wackenhut, in 2010 they changed their name to G4S Secure Solutions.  Their contracts include providing ‘security’ for U.S. nuke disaster reactors (as Nuclear Security Services Corporation), including those operated by Entergy.

Christian U.S. military behind child porn and sex abuse! 

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

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Saudi Arabia cuts funding for Idaho State students!

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

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

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

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

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

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

“…deteriorating beyond repair for…several years.” Layoffs skyrocket 218%! Idaho beggars for donations! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 04 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Arizona: In Yuma, a local business is blaming currency wars for its demise.  After two years restaurant Carnivores of Yuma shutting down due to lack of Snow Birds from Canada.  The Canadian dollar has dropped in value against the U.S. dollar, making it too expensive for many Canadians to travel within the United States.  I lived in hot-as-hell Yuma for almost two years and I can tell you that Snow Birds from the north, during winter, are a major source of revenue for local mom-n-pops.  The rest of the year revenues come from taxpayer funded Yuma Marine Corps Air Station and Yuma Army Proving Grounds.

Arkansas:  In Little Rock, non-profit Lewis Burnett Employment Finders shutting down after 29 years of helping former prisoners find jobs.  It’s blamed on health problems of the founder.

Connecticut: Governor Dannel Malloy is calling for the elimination of thousands of state jobs, by July!  The gov’na also wants cuts to state benefits and pay in order to cut $500-million USD from the state budget.   The first state employees to be laid off will be non-union members.  Ohio based Xpect Discounts shutting down the last three of its stores in The Constitution State, 178 jobs lost by April!

Florida: BlackBerry issued a WARN for its Sunrise factory, 75 jobs lost by the end of the month.

Idaho: It’s been revealed that state Department of Parks and Recreation has been running on $70-thousand USD in private donations after running out of normal fees and taxpayer funding!  The majority of the donations came from corporations Airstream and Cabela’s.  State ‘lawmakers’ allowed Parks & Rec to beggar for donations last year, in order to offset massive state funding cuts.

Illinois: Chicago based employment analysts Challenger, Grey & Christmas report a 218% increase in U.S. job losses from December 2015 to January 2016! Even compared year to year (January 2015 vs January 2016) U.S. layoffs jumped 43%!

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, drugs pusher Walgreens shutting down their 20 years old store on Pettit Avenue.  But don’t cry, local news reports say Walgreens has a monopoly on the Fort Wayne market, with at least 15 other drug pushing stores in the city.

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery?  Ireland based Eaton announced it’s no longer worth it to continue its transmission factory in Shenandoah, 250 jobs lost within six months!  Local news reported that at one point there were at least 1-thousand employees at the factory, between October 2015 and now hundreds were let go! 

Kansas: After 50 years friend to unwanted pets Merriam Great Plains SPCA’s Lost Pet & Intake Center shutting down by the end of the month: “After being the center point of animal welfare in Johnson County for 50 years, the building just simply can’t keep up with the volume of animals. It’s been deteriorating beyond repair for the past several years.”-Courtney Thomas, CEO

Michigan:   Flint based McLaren Medical Group eliminating 89 jobs by April.  The layoffs will hit medical operations in four cities.  In Muskegon County, maker of printing inks and paints SunChemical laid off 20 employees without warning, and then had them escorted off the work site.

New York: CNN forcing Maslow Media Group to issue a shutdown WARN for several NYC locations, 97 jobs lost by the end of April.

North Carolina: California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo continues to kill jobs, this time 87 people in Raleigh losing their jobs to “better align with current market volumes.”

Ohio: Oil pipe maker TMK-IPSCO laying off 106 employees, in Brookfield, within 60 days!

Pennsylvania: Texas based upChuck Cheese, I mean Chuck E. Cheese pizza joint shutting down in the Clearview Mall by the end of March.

South Carolina: South State Bank shutting down two Orangeburg offices, as part of bigger plans to shutdown offices across South Carolina and Georgia.  It’s the result of South State Bank taking over failed Bank of America offices in 2015.

Tennessee: What automotive industry recovery? In Bristol DlhBOWLES shutting down, 1-hundred jobs lost by April!  The company makes parts for the automotive and other industries, the shutdown is the result of two companies merging;  DLH and Bowles Fluidics.

Texas: In Austin, restaurant Arro shutting down on Friday, apparently it’s being turned into a bar.

Virginia: Catabwa Hospital shutting down as part of the governor’s plan to shutdown mental health hospitals.

Washington DC: National debt now at record $19-trillion USD!  $1-trillion in debt added in the past 13 months!

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.”

“…we just didn’t realize the enormity of it.” Target kills 10-thousand jobs in 1 city! Idaho’s ObamaCare kills 1-thousand people in 3 years! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 03 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:  After four years the Malibu Bank of Books shutting down in April.  The owner blames lack of sales and points out that the landlord actually tried to helped the bookstore.  Yet more proof the internet is not recession resistant; San Rafael based AutoDesk eliminating 925 jobs in order to expedite its transition to ‘the cloud’!  Plus the administrators claim they “over-hired” in 2015.

Florida: In Lake Buena Vista, Fulton’s Crab House issued a shutdown WARN, 214 food service jobs gone by mid-April!

Idaho:  The Gem State’s version of ObamaCare is being directly blamed for the deaths of 1-thousand Idahoans since 2013!  That accusation came from Kenneth Krell, director of Eastern Idaho Medical Center in Idaho Falls.  He targeted the claim at state Right to Work (you over) ‘lawmakers’ whom he was testifying in front of: “And I kept asking myself, how could this be? How, in a state like Idaho where we care about each other, could I be seeing deaths and really damaging illness on a nearly daily basis as a result of failure to expand Medicaid that cost tangible lives? It’s difficult to understand.”

Louisiana: In Lafayette, after seven years Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro shutting down next week.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  After announcing it will shutdown its sales operations in Japan and Indonesia, Dearborn based Ford announced it will eliminate $200-million USD worth of jobs in Europe!  Administrators say the job cuts are necessary to “build a viable business in the future”.

Minnesota: The Minneapolis Downtown Council discovered that retail giant Target eliminated 10-thousand jobs within the city over the past two years!  Local news reports say Target administrators confirmed the number!

Mississippi: Hattiesburg Public Schools cutting pay and eliminating jobs “immediately”.  No details about how many jobs will be lost, local news reports say employees have yet to be notified.

Nebraska: Food giant ConAgra shutting down a frozen food production line in Council Bluffs, administrators claim this time they won’t layoff any employees.

New York: In NYC, D’Agostino Supermarkets on 3rd Avenue shutting down, 41 jobs lost by the end of April.

Ohio: In Cincinnati, House of Adam clothier shutting down after 61 years.

Pennsylvania: Waynesboro, after 15 years Dru’s Books-n-Things Hallmark gift store shutting down by the end of the month.  Despite massive layoffs throughout the state, partly caused by failure to create a state budget on-time, ‘lawmakers’ enjoy “generous pay, benefits and job security” according to Berks & Beyond.  Steel worker Dan Adam even blasted state ‘lawmakers’ because “They do live in their own little bubble and it’s not right! But what are we going to do about it?”

West Virginia: Boone County Schools eliminating 77 jobs after the bad economy caused tax revenues to be cut by more than half: “There were signs that it was happening….just didn’t expect it all at once…came on very quickly….we just didn’t realize the enormity of it.”-Jerry Pcholinsky, Boone County Education president

Wisconsin: More layoff points for Right to Work (you over) Scott Walker as Public International shuts down its Yorkville office, 50 jobs lost because a major client walked.

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.”

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.” 

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.”