Category Archives: Idaho

WinCo: New stores for Texas, Washingtonians & Oregonians want WinCo out!

20 February 2016 (08:49 UTC-07 Tango 01)/01 Esfand 1394/11 Jumada al-Ula 1437/13 Geng Yin 4714

Idaho based employee owned anti-unAmerican corporate America grocery store chain WinCo Foods continues to expand, while many publicly traded corporate grocery stores shutdown.

Carrollton, Texas (home of model kit builder’s iconic Squadron Mail Order), is about to get a new WinCo supermarket in a recently abandoned Target store.  Reports out of The Lone Star State say WinCo now has six food stores (since invading Texas in 2014) and is planning two more in Arlington and Fort Worth.  The Carrollton store isn’t expected to be ready until 2017, the vacant Target store must be torn down first.

In Utah, WinCo is constructing a new store in South Salt Lake, expected to open by the end of the year.  As many as 2-hundred jobs are expected and city administrators hope WinCo will make their top ten list of local taxpayers.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently declared South Salt Lake a ‘food desert’, meaning residents had limited access to food.

Speaking of food insecurity, in the not-so Golden State of California (see my Job Losses reports), a Ventura WinCo was hit by middle aged shoplifters who  threatened a security guard with a tazer.  Police are searching for them, security cam vid was captured.

In Grants Pass, Oregon, WinCo opened its 105th store.  It’s smaller than the normal WinCo supermarket, yet has managed to hire 150 locals (and transferred at least 11 people from other WinCo stores). Already the new WinCo has been hit by a food shoplifter.  The 25 years old woman is a meth and heroin drug addict, police had her hospitalized for an infection on her arm.

The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals is about to hold a debate over plans to open a new WinCo in Albany.  Supposedly the issue is over the use of windows, however, a complaint was filed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.  Unions are anti-employee owned businesses, because employee owned businesses are a bigger threat to unions than unAmerican corporate America.  Employee owned operations get better benefits, and pay far less in ‘dues’ than union shops.

 It should be noted that Oregon suffered the mass shutdowns of Washington based Haggen grocery stores in 2015 (connected to the Albertsons-Safeway merger).

In Edmonds, Washington, city administrators have revised zoning rules to allow retail development next to the local WinCo.  Previously, in the 1990s the WinCo location was a Top Foods grocery store.  Local news reports did not indicate whether the WinCo had any influence on the city’s decision to change the zoning.

Washington state is known to be a haven for anti-WinCo-ites.    In Moses Lake an anti-employee owned business organization is suing the city to stop the potential construction of a WinCo, accusing the city of not complying with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process.  The city has yet to even approve WinCo’s request to set up shop.

It should be noted that Washington saw the demise of its Haggen grocery store chain in 2015.

Back in Idaho, the co-founder of WinCo (originally Waremart) was honored during the Twin Falls Rotary Club meeting.  Ronald L. “Bud” Williams died last month, of acute myeloid leukemia, he was 87 years old.  Local Rotary members say over the past 40 years Bud always helped with the local Xmas celebrations. His leukemia came on suddenly, being diagnosed the week before he died.

On a national level, WinCo Foods recently promised to sell only Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) rated farmed seafood.  By the end of this year all their farmed seafood should be three star rated BAP, by the end of 2017 it’ll be four start rated.

Currently WinCo Foods employs more than 15-thousand people, all part owners of the grocery chain.

Employee owned WinCo is the new business model of the 21st Century!

WinCo expanding big into Arizona! Delays caused by Arizona aesthetics cops! 

Did ancient Native Americans ride horse sized T-Rex & Killer Chickens?

17 February 2016 (03:09 UTC-07 Tango 01)/28 Bahman 1394/08 Jumada al-Ula 1437/10 Geng Yin 4714

In the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, east of Pocatello, Idaho, lurks a new Tyrannosaur born 95-million years ago!

Of course there were no Native Americans 95-millions years ago (neither was there an America), and that new T-Rex is nothing but a fossil now, but today we call the home of the new T-Rex, Idaho, United States. 

Montana State University reported the discovery.  In fact the MSU paleontologists say there are three new types of T-Rex calling Idaho home.  But these are not your Hollywood giants, they range in size from a Golden Retriever canine to a horse.

Also found are eggs from the ancient Killer Chicken, Oviraptorosaur.

The new fossil finds are curated in Pocatello’s Idaho Museum of Natural History.

For a more long-in-the-tooth ‘scientific’ explanation read Theropod dinosaurs from the Albian–Cenomanian Wayan Formation of eastern Idaho

“losing their jobs due to circumstances they didn’t create” “criminal and juvenile dockets will grind to a halt” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 17 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: In Huntsville, 20 years old non-profit Sci-Quest hands-on science museum shutting down, due to lack of revenues which caused them to miss their January & February rent payments.

California: In Dinuba, Coca-Cola announced they will shutdown their Odwalla juice bottling op in April, 164 jobs lost!  Local news reports indicate employees are shocked, many saying they heard about a possible shutdown but, like typical sheeple employees, put it off to rumor & innuendo.   Coca-Cola is consolidating bottling operations to cut costs.  Save Mart shutting down two grocery stores next month; one in Orangevale and one in Sacramento.  No word on how many jobs lost, administrators say it’s the only way they can “reinvest” in their company.

Florida: In Saint Augustine, after 47 years Donna’s dress store shutting down due to the death of the owner.

Georgia: Giant Food grocery store, off Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, shutdown by greedy property owners who foreclosed!  Local ‘lawmakers’ and charities say the area is now an official ‘food desert’, meaning most residents no longer have easy access to food.

Idaho:  State Department of Lands is selling off failed commercial properties it took over at taxpayer expense.   Boise news reports say one reason for the sell-off is that the taxpayer ownership of failed private sector properties have “become a political liability”, however, a consultant told state administrators they need to sell the properties to take advantage of higher property values (make a profit).  The state plans to sell 12 taxpayer own commercial properties in Boise, three in Idaho Falls and one in Heyburn, in the hopes of raising $25-million USD.  

Illinois:  After 16 years in Park Ridge, Annika Shoes shutting down by the end of the month.  The owners say they need “time to rest”.

Kansas: Non-profit mental healthcare provider Wyandot eliminated 26 jobs blaming “a number of revenue losses we experienced due to state policy changes and reductions from managed care organizations”.  Essentially its the fault of Kansas’s version of ObamaCare.

Kentucky: TMK IPSCO Tubulars issued a WARN for their Wilder steel factory, 83 jobs lost by the first week of March.  Like other steel makers in the U.S. (including Russia’s EVRAZ) they blame foreign competition for causing metal prices to crash.

Louisiana: Despite claiming “Equal Justice For All” state ‘lawmakers’ shutdown the Public Defenders Office in Plaquemines Parish, claiming lack of taxpayer funding.  A public defender has a dire warning: “Much of criminal and juvenile dockets will grind to a halt. At some point this scenario also becomes a clear constitutional violation, the courts will be left in a position of having to decide whether to release those persons in custody whose cases have not been able to proceed.”-Matt Robnett

Massachusetts: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; Waltham based internet marketing company Constant Contact was sold off, at least 210 of the company’s employees across the country were laid off last week!

Michigan:  Another example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL); Bronson Precision Products shutting down in March, 125 jobs lost! The company hit with a trifecta of crashing orders from federal government, healthcare and petroleum industries.

New Jersey: City National Bank announced it will shutdown its Paterson office mid-April.  Local news reports say its the last City National Bank office in that area.

New York:  Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field shutting down her boutique, claiming she will “pursue other career interests”.

Ohio: In Youngstown, the Lincoln Knolls IGA grocery store shutting down by mid-March.  The owners blame low sales despite years of effort to boost business.

Oklahoma: OKC based oil driller Devon Energy claims it lost $14-billion USD during 2015!  CEO Dave Hager is using the excuse to eliminate at least 1-thousand jobs because “Devon’s top priority in 2016 is to protect the balance sheet…”  I wonder how much of Devon’s losses are connected to the construction of their gigantic OKC skyscraper?

Oregon: For the third time in two months,  Aequitas Capital Management announced layoffs.  This time 80 employees let go by the end of March.  Local news media are confused as during the last round of layoffs they reported there were only 80 employees left, but company administrators said a “skeleton crew” will continue operations until problems with their student loan ‘assets’ are straightened out.

Pennsylvania:  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame the internet/high tech for your demise; Philadelphia based software company RJMetrics eliminating 25 jobs after promising to create new jobs.  News reports blame it on the company implementing a new program that requires less employees.  CEO Bob Moore admitted they made a mistake in hiring the people to begin with: “We didn’t do the right thing for these people. We recruited them onto our team and, now that the situation has changed, they are losing their jobs due to circumstances they didn’t create. We’re truly sorry to everyone affected.” 

Wisconsin: Yet another law firm bites the dust.  Milwaukee based multi-state corporation defender Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan shutting down by the end of the month, at least 127 jobs lost!

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 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.”