Category Archives: Idaho

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: Molded Fiber Glass Manufacturing laid off 39 people from its Opp factory, blaming a delay in new tooling and the U.S. Congress for delaying a renewable energy tax credit. Sears Holdings shutting down the Dothan Kmart on the south side of Ross Clark Circle, 56 jobs lost in March.

California: Yet more tech layoffs as Cupertino based Apple laid off 1-hundred people from its iAd ops! Administrators claim they will create new jobs later on. In Bakersfield, Guarantee Shoe Center is blaming the crashing oil industry for a 20% drop in sales. The shoe store owners said most of their customers were oil workers, many of whom have lost their jobs. After 65 years privately funded Pinecrest Schools shutting down all their San Fernando Valley campuses (Woodland Hills, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Canyon Country and Simi Valley) at the end of this school year! Administrators blame increased operating costs and increased competition from publicly funded charter schools. More proof the internet is not recession resistant, reports that Sunnyvale based Yahoo is about to layoff 25% of its employees (about 2-thousand 7-hundred)!

Colorado: Louisville based non-profit cable TV research company CableLabs laid off 30 people, in order “to ensure that CableLabs can rapidly build and sustain a significant innovation pipeline for the industry”. Albertsons-Safeway shutting down their Denver bakery, 95 jobs lost by the end of February.

Florida: In Orlando, Nephron Pharmaceuticals issued a mass layoff WARN, 250 people becoming unemployed by April! (is it because Jeb Bush made a campaign stop there?)

Idaho: Privately owned tourist attraction railroad company Thunder Mountain Line shutdown, without warning or explanation. Trader Joe’s is recalling cashews sold in Boise (as well as in 31 other locations across the U.S.). The nuts are suspected of being contaminated with salmonella. Mental healthcare provider Optum has revealed it’s sitting on $5-million USD in unspent Idaho Medicaid funding! This is significant because Optum’s parent company United Health claims it lost $1-billion in 2015 (see Minnesota below)!

Illinois: What automotive industry recovery? Quincy based Titan Tire says it’s forced to eliminate more jobs, for 2016 they’re looking at laying off 130 people in Ohio and 150 in Europe! And that’s just for the first quarter of 2016.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, British empire based U.S. tax-sucker BAE eliminating at least 110 jobs by the end of the year!

Louisiana: Switzerland based oil driller Noble laying off as many as 120 people who work on its Galliano facility!

Michigan: In Bloomfield Hills, after more than 40 years Hogan’s restaurant shutting down at the end of the month. The owner admitted his old golf themed eatery can’t compete with the new “really trendy” restaurants. In Lansing, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 150 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Trinity Lutheran School from shutting down. Parents criticized the church leaders saying they never considered outside sources of funding and the decision to shutdown came without warning.

Minnesota: Evil people and lazy local news media caused a charity horse rescue op to shutdown. Despite a sheriff’s department investigation which cleared the charity of all of the false accusations brought against it, Hightail Horse Ranch and Rescue is now blaming “overwhelming negative publicity” for halting donations and stopping volunteers needed to run the center. Minnetonka based United Health blames ObamaCare for causing it to lose $1-billion USD, massive job cuts coming! United Health is considering getting the hell outta the Affordable Care Act exchange system!

Missouri: Another Saint Louis restaurant shutting down, Mile 277, and like others they’re blaming the A-hole re-development projects and greedy landlords: “The development of other venues such as Ballpark Village along with numerous lease terms has significantly impacted the operations of Mile 277. The combination of these factors has resulted in significant losses of revenue and profits. Mile 277 cannot continue to sustain these losses.”

New Jersey: New Brunswick based Johnson & Johnson announced it is eliminating 3-thousand medical device jobs over the next two years! ObamaCare taxes, the bad economy, and plans to take over medical device maker rivals are forcing them to cut $1-billion USD in costs!

New York: In Queens, after 25 years The Comic Den shutting down due to “new generation of readers” opting for comics on the internet. Jeweler to the elites Tiffany’s announced its holiday sales dropped enough to warrant layoffs. Administrators have yet to reveal how many employees will be let go. Too Big to Jail Morgan Stanley announced it will join the exodus from The Empire State (and other high cots areas) by moving jobs to “lower cost centers” around the world, potentially affecting thousands of jobs!

Ohio: In Youngstown, the 106 years old Masonic Temple on Wick Avenue shutting down by the end of June. The members say the large building has become too expensive to heat during winter. The Upper Valley Mall losing two more stores, Cardboard Heroes shutdown without warning and Lens Crafters shutting down this weekend!

South Carolina: Barnwell County’s only hospital shutdown! The 140 employees of Southern Palmetto Hospital said they were notified in an emergency meeting on Tuesday that they were losing their jobs on Thursday, this week! The emergency meeting was called by the Director of Nursing, local news says hospital administrators refuse to talk to them and county administrators swear they know nothing about it.

Washington DC: Once touted by politicians like Obama, the 10 years old Five Guys Burgers and Fries joint on Wisconsin Avenue shutting down next week. There’s no explanation, just a note taped to the door.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

18 January 2016: “Iconic places are going out of business, and nobody cares.”

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

“Iconic places are going out of business, and nobody cares.” Goodwill ramps up shutdowns! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 18 January 2016

January 19, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: Sears Holdings shutting down the Florence Kmart in March, more than 1-hundred jobs lost! A local news report said the employees knew nothing about it and were shocked to hear it from the news!

Arkansas: Good Food by Ferneau shutting down because the owner-chef is taking a job working for somebody else.

California: In San Francisco, the Gangway bar shutdown due to ignoramus owner failing to pay his employees at least minimum wage. In California the so called Tip Credit does not apply, food service workers must be paid minimum wage even though they’re paid tips by customers. According to the lawsuit the owner, who’s lived in California for decades, thought the Tip Credit rule was valid in California (I knew about that rule back in the 1980s, how can people who’ve lived in California longer than me be so stupid regarding The Golden State’s wage laws?). In Anaheim Hills, after at least 30 years popular Foxfire An American Chophouse shutting down at the start of February, to make room for a shopping plaza. In Los Altos, Main Street Cafe shutting down by the end of the month, apparently to eventually be replaced with yet another restaurant “concept”.

Connecticut: In Greenwich, after a little more than 12 years Graham’s Toys shutdown due to the greedy landlord: “The rents are not sustainable. The amount of business we’ve done is respectable, but it’s just not sustainable for this market.”-Shelly Steinberg, owner

Idaho: Another Gem State Kmart shutting down, this time the Boise Kmart on Fairview shutting down by mid-March, 56 jobs lost. A sure sign that healthcare costs are going up, the state Department of Health and Welfare is requesting a $26.3-million USD budget increase! Administrators are now saying the previous 3.9% increase is not enough to fund the new mandate (Primary Care Access Program) to cover the 78-thousand Idahoans who fall into the Right to Work (you over) ObamaCare gap!

Illinois: In Orland Park, Palos Community Hospital shutting down their Palos Health & Fitness center in May. In a round-a-bout way administrators said ObamaCare was forcing them to “prioritize” their services.

Kansas: In Wichita, after 105 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Head’s Shoes shutdown. Local news said the owners aren’t commenting as to why.

Maryland: Rockville based charity thrift store/’job training center’ Goodwill shutdown 26 stores and donation centers in Toronto, Canada, apparently with no warning! The Ontario Great Lakes Goodwill regional office claims the shutdowns are part of their plan to remain “financially very strong and on a path of growth and prosperity.” In other words they’re preparing for the economy to get worse!

Michigan: New York based clothier Aeropostale shutting down their Mall of Monroe store by the end of the month. Aeropostale has shutdown hundreds of stores since 2014 and recently said they will eliminate 1-hundred corporate level jobs.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, after almost 20 years Harry’s Bar & Restaurant shutting down by the end of the month. It’s starting to sound like city re-development projects are killing off local businesses: “It’s the economy, the highway closing, Ballpark Village. Downtown is just a dead area right now….nobody is talking about it. Iconic places are going out of business, and nobody cares. Ballpark Village was the nail in the coffin. It shut down Washington Avenue and took 70% of our business.”-Tim Pieri, co-owner

New York: In Saugerties the McDonald’s junk food joint on 8 Manor Lane shutting down by the end of the month, the owner saying “It’s a business decisions…”, revealing that even when the restaurant was “making money” it was considered “under-performing”!

Ohio: With no warning Columbus based chain restaurant Max & Erma’s shutdown 13 operations in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, hundreds now jobless! Corporate administrators said they have to “streamline” operations due to the economy. Overwhelmingly employees say they’re shocked that their employer could shutdown overnight, (I’ve been there experienced that several times, so welcome to reality. Now try living with so many of your peers not believing that your former employer could lay you off with no warning, your employed peers always think you did something wrong! It’s amazing what the working class takes for granted, oh the power of false belief.).

Pennsylvania: After more than three years Marty’s Market shutdown without warning, the owners saying only “We have had to make the extremely difficult decision to close…”

Rhode Island: More trouble for video games. A state investigation into former Major League Baseball player Curt Schilling’s video game company 38 Studios could result in a criminal case. 38 Studios went mysteriously bankrupt and shutdown a few months after releasing it’s only video game (the game was considered a success and sold well). The problem is that 38 Studios was partially funded with millions in state taxpayer loans, which were never paid back.

Virginia: France based nuclear power plant operator Areva laid off 50 people in Lynchburg, and another 40 at nuclear operations around the U.S. Local news reports say since 2014 Areva has eliminated 3-hundred jobs in Luynchburg.

West Virginia: After announcing that it had suffered a 13% drop in revenue in 2015, Florida based railroad company CSX announced it will shutdown its Huntington operations, 121 jobs affected! The work will be spread out among other CSX depots.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

17 January 2016: “we have nothing left…financially, emotionally or physically.”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics, Idaho

“we have nothing left…financially, emotionally or physically.” Consumer spending falls in 2015! Execs get bonuses for killing jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 17 January 2016

January 18, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Jamaica, a member country of the West Indies Federation, is reporting that the unAmerican corporate America hospitality industry will hire 3-thousand Jamaicans in 2016, that’s a 50% increase from 2015! The majority of Jamaicans are working in the U.S. states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Michigan.

Arkansas: Bentonville based economic canary in the coal mine Walmart began shutting down 154 U.S. stores on 17 January 2016, at least 10-thousand U.S. jobs lost! (here’s the list)

California: Cupertino based Apple is hurting for cash so much that it will now charge you to listen to ad plastered iTunes Radio in the U.S. Here’s a fine example of why it’s not worth it to do business in The Golden State: The city of Palo Alto is demanding the family owners of Buena Vista mobile home park pay an $8-million USD fine for wanting to shutdown their money losing operation: “The city says the money is needed so that the tenants can get expensive alternative housing in the area; in effect, the city is holding the Jissers uniquely responsible for solving the city’s severe housing affordability problem. That’s not just wrong, it’s unconstitutional. …..The city’s motion to dismiss doesn’t deny that the city is commanding a payment of $8 million…It just says the case shouldn’t be heard by a judge….. -Larry Salzman, Pacific Legal Foundation

Hawaii: Kahului Trucking & Storage laying off drivers as a result of the sudden shutdown of The Aloha State’s last sugar farm.

Idaho: A new study by the United Way shows 37% of Idahoans are in poverty and employed! Specifically, 37% of Idahoans are now classified as working poor, or Asset Limited-Income Constrained-Employed (aka ALICE). The United Way says even with the piddly-ass social services Idahoans cannot afford to buy basic necessities! And for more proof Right to Work only Works You Over keep reading.Governor Butch Otter wants a third mental health crisis center built in The Gem State. Between 2014-15 eastern and northern Idaho got one each, and now Otter wants one in southern Idaho. ‘Lawmakers’ and even local sheriffs praise the crisis centers but don’t give examples of why they’re so good. The centers are meant to temporarily house people having mental health or drug abuse problems, instead of putting them in county jails. The fact that sheriffs are praising them, and the governor wants to spend another $1.72-million building another one, indicates a huge need, that a lot of Idahoans are having trouble dealing with their Right to Work (you over) circumstances, yet Right to Work officials don’t want to admit it. The city owned utility Idaho Falls Power is about to take over part of Rocky Mountain Power’s turf. If the state Public Utilities Commission approves Rocky Mountain Power will transfer poles, conductors and conduits around the Fielding Cemetery property to the control of taxpayers of the city of Idaho Falls, for the price of $50-thousand USD. Even God couldn’t stop a Christian student from ripping off the Mormon Brigham Young University-Idaho of $6-thousand 2-hundred, using a university credit card. Of course that ‘christian’ student wasn’t very smart because you can trace credit card transactions, and that’s how he got caught.

Kentucky: ISO copper wire maker Belden shutting down their factory in Monticello, 260 jobs being lost to the state of Indiana and to the country of Mexico, between now and the beginning of next year!

Louisiana: In Opelousas, dancehall Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki shutdown after 69 years. The property is now for sale. The family owners blame young people and today’s greedy spoiled bands: “They don’t look at the overhead you have, the utilities and things like that. They tell me, ‘We’ll take the door.’ They’ll start off charging at $10, then $15 and $20. By midnight, they’ll have a packed house. They’ll put the money in their pockets and go home. Then you have all the stress of what the night crowd destroyed and what you have to fix. It got to where we weren’t hardly making any more money.”

Missouri: Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood shutting down their 30 years old downtown Saint Louis location, claiming it will help them focus on “franchise expansion”.

Montana: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission records reveal that five executives of Stillwater Mining got paid the equivalent of millions of dollars in bonuses less than five months after they eliminated 120 jobs! The bonuses were paid in the form of stocks in the company. Company administrators refused to comment when questioned by local news media.

New Hampshire: In Bath, The Brick Store (one of the oldest general stores in the U.S.) shutting down “due to changes in the economy”. The owners, Mike and Nancy Lusby, added “We did our best, but we have exhausted our resources, and lost Mike’s pension. We have done everything we can for 24 years to save the store, but we have nothing left to give … financially, emotionally or physically.”

New Jersey: God refuses to stop the shutdown of his Mother Teresa Catholic School, in June. Enrollment is down below 1-hundred students. For more proof the economy has not recovered, a major shipping company, which services retailers like Disney Store and Amazon.com, Elizabeth based EZ Worldwide Express is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to crashing shipment orders! The company even invested $12-million USD into new trucks, but now the 7-hundred employees are threatened with unemployment! With the massive retail store shutdowns now taking place across the U.S. you can expect even more shipping companies to go bust.

Ohio: Researchers at Ohio State University have proven that an ‘Amazon Tax’ killed internet holiday sales in 2015. They determined that sales on Amazon.com dropped an average of 8.3% in states that implemented taxes on internet purchases. The Washington Post article said sales declines increased as the price of the item went up: “The Amazon Tax had an especially chilling effect on big-ticket purchases that totaled more than $250, the study found. On these transactions, Amazon sales declined 11.4 percent once the tax was put in place.” U.S. Department of Energy awarded a contract potentially valued at $139.7-million USD to a company in Idaho, to provide infrastructure support services at the radioactive Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, in Piketon. Interestingly the Idaho Falls, Idaho, based company is called Portsmouth Mission Alliance. In Toledo, Laffs comedy club shutdown just short of the two year mark. The club’s operations manager said “…the turnout was not quite where we needed it to be.”

Pennsylvania: In Moosic, controversial adult outdoor movie theater Oak Hill Drive-In shutdown because they couldn’t afford to upgrade to digital.

Tennessee: Jerky maker Oberto shutting down its two years old Nashville meat factory despite promising to create 310 jobs and getting almost $2-million in taxpayer funds and grants (not tax breaks, outright cash!). State ‘lawmakers’ swear they’ll go after the jerky maker for a refund of the tax funding. The Nashville factory never got above 82 employees, despite Oberto’s promise. See more below in -Washington-. Here’s what Karl Dean, the now former mayor of Nashville, said back in 2012: “Oberto’s decision to locate a plant in Nashville speaks to the vitality of our city and the talent of our workforce. I’m especially pleased that Oberto will be bringing an existing facility back to life. Filling vacant buildings in and around our urban core is important to the strength and future of our city.”

Washington: Kent based mass produced jerky maker Oberto announced it will shutdown its two years old meat factory in Tennessee (well, the factory is two years old, I don’t know about the meat) and sell-off a meat factory in Oregon! The suck-ass economy is forcing Oberto to consolidate jerky treat making to its Washington ops.

Washington DC: Wonder what’s up with all the massive retail store shutdowns? The Department of Commerce released consumer spending numbers for 2015 and overall spending fell from 2014, and is on its way to 2008-09 levels! Even 2015 holiday sales flatlined! Of course the self exalted ‘expert’ analysts on TV still claim that consumers are just “holding onto their money”. I can tell you why I didn’t spend any money in 2015 on gifts or ‘extras’, same reason as the prior two years I don’t have any extra money to spend, I’m actually borrowing money to pay utilities gottdamn it!

Wisconsin: Retail packaging company Sealed Air shutting down their Mount Pleasant office, 74 jobs lost. It’s part of their plans, announced back in 2014, to move 3-hundred jobs out of The Badger State!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

16 January 2016: Wells Fargo home foreclosures funding bad oil industry debts?

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics, Idaho

Great Lakes tonnage down by 9-million! Wells Fargo home foreclosures covering bad oil industry debts? Walmart fallout already killing other businesses! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 16 January 2016

January 16, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Journal Boating Industry reports “Both the unemployment rate and the number of job openings have remained essentially unchanged month-over-month, and yearly gains are starting to flatten.” Thom Dammrich, of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, reported mixed news for the boating industry as a whole, going into 2016: “Fuel prices remain low. Interest rates remain low. There’s nothing negative happening to adversely affect boat sales in the coming year that we can see today……The saltwater category has been growing in double digits…..” but he had a warning “We still are not getting entry-level boaters and that’s who buys these boats. That seems to be who’s missing from this equation.”

Alabama: Birmingham based Regions Bank announced the elimination of 260 jobs!

Arkansas: Oil pipe maker Tenaris laid off 1-hundred people, blaming the crashing-n-burning oil industry!

Arizona: Days after non-profit Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) boasted that it was responsible for creating jobs in the Phoenix area, several former employees came forth and essentially said ‘bull-shit!’ as they were part of a round of unreported TGen layoffs in October! A reporter, who just happens to live next door to one of those laid off, did some research and discovered that TGen laid off 12 people and eliminated four vacant positions by the end of 2015. Industry reports say mining company Freeport-McMoRan has begun to layoff at least 8-hundred people at its Green Valley molybdenum Sierrita Mine! In December a co-founder of the company resigned, after vulture capitalist investor Carl Icahn gained a controlling stake in the company (Icahn is the same guy who recently took over auto parts store Pep Boys).

California: San Francisco based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo continues to kill jobs, this time 121 tech jobs across the country! It’s been revealed that Wells Fargo is actually covering the bad loans of huge oil companies (by literally throwing money at them), this should piss you off because Wells Fargo (a major mortgage company) does not hesitate to foreclose on homeowners! (Mmmm, is it a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul?) More proof you can’t blame the internet for brick-n-mortar destruction, dating website Zoosk laid off 40 employees. In Venice, Superba Snack Bar shutting down at the end of the month. In Tulare, a class action lawsuit against Jan & Gail’s Care Homes (“Care Homes”) said newly hired employees were forced to sign an agreement waiving their right to uninterrupted meal periods without notifying employees of their right to revoke the agreement at any time. However, the trial court ruled subdivision 11(E) of Wage Order 5 allows residential care facilities to force their employees to work on-duty meal periods!

Florida: In Lake City, Sitel Operating Corporation issued a WARN saying 94 people will be laid off in March.

Idaho: State Department of Health and Welfare hit with lawsuit accusing the Right to Work (you over) agency of hiding the changes in Medicaid healthcare costs for people who face being institutionalized. The lawsuit accuses the state administrators of pretending that costs will not go up by being placed in a nursing home or hospital, and, of not informing patients of their rights. This lawsuit comes as state ‘lawmakers’ claimed their version of ObamaCare was saving money!

Kansas: Besides the nine Walmart stores shutting down within The Sunflower State, the QuickTrip fuel station on 13th and Oliver, in Wichita, shutting down after 25 years. It’s directly and immediately blamed on the shutdowns of nearby Walmarts: “We didn’t know it was going to be affected as dramatically as it has.The other store has suffered much quicker than we anticipated. We’ve been watching it for a while, and we could see that, unfortunately, the sales continue to decline.”-Mike Thornbrugh, QuickTrip

Michigan: A great indicator of a good, or bad, economy are the lock systems used by shipping around The Great Lakes. Soo Locks reports shipping for 2015 was down 10%, actual cargo tonnage down 9-million U.S. tons! California based direct selling company ViSalus is eliminating 87 jobs in Troy by March, officially because their sales have crashed (down 44% in 2013), but it might also have something to do with lawsuits accusing the company of being yet another pyramid scheme.

Minnesota: Sears Holdings shutting down the Dundas Kmart by April, 32 jobs lost. In Minneapolis, popular Nye’s Polonaise Room shutting down in April because property developers want to build a 29 story apartment complex in its place.

New York: American Rock Salt laid off 17 employees blaming the unusually warm winter weather in The Empire State. Cumberland Packing officially issued a shutdown WARN for their Brooklyn Naval Yard Sweet-n-Low ops, 335 jobs lost between May and December! What automotive industry recovery? In Plattsburgh, British empire Canada based bus maker Prevost Car issued a shutdown WARN, at least 55 jobs lost in April. In Schenectady, Granite Services lost their contract with GE Power, 41 jobs lost by March. NYC based MTV laid off an undisclosed number of people, as reported by those who were laid off.

Ohio: Florida based upscale Ruth’s Chris Steak House shutting down their 17 years old Columbus location in February “due to changing marketplace dynamics”, possibly referring to increased rent.

Oklahoma: Inola Public Schools laid off four people and literally turned down the lights due to lack of money. Administrators warn of more cuts.

Texas: Sears Holdings shutting down the Longview Kmart in April, 60 jobs lost.

Virginia: After boosting production and bringing new jobs to the area in 2015, Poland based Korona Candles laid off an undisclosed number of people, and reduced hours for employees, claiming it’s a normal seasonal thing.

Washington DC: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of people finding work as information security analysts (cybersecurity) is steadily growing, yet it’s still not enough to meet demand. Apparently the concept of cybersecurity is too vague, mysterious, or even sinister, for many people trying to figure out what type of career they’re interested in.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

15 January 2016: The U.S. economy “…has gone the way of the Dodo Bird.”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics, Idaho

“Walmart won.” No more GoPro? Gas supply at record highs, demand down, yet prices in Idaho go up! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 14 January 2016

January 14, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

After only two years Qatar based news source Al Jazeera is getting the hell outta Dodge! Al Jazeera America is shutting down in April, administrators say that despite increasing numbers of viewers the suck-ass U.S. economy makes doing business in ‘Merica “no longer sustainable”! 7-hundred employees affected!

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April. No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.”

California: Four Kmarts shutting down between March and April, one in Anaheim, Chula Vista, San Mateo and Citrus Heights, a total of 407 jobs lost! More proof high-tech is not recession resistant, San Mateo based GoPro digital cam systems announced it must eliminate at least 7% of its jobs (about 105 positions) due to holiday sales that sucked! GoPro’s 4th quarter revenues are about $100-million USD short of what the ‘experts’ thought they would get!

Connecticut: Fairfield based industry giant General Electric (GE) announced it is killing off 6-thousand 5-hundred jobs in Europe! It’s the result of GE’s takeover of Alstom SA Energy.

Florida: Sears Holdings announced the 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March, 86 jobs lost. The Lutz Kmart shutting down by March, 62 jobs lost.

Idaho: In Pocatello about two years after opening, previously worn clothing seller Runway Fashion Exchange “going out of business” and liquidating everything. Essentially a for-profit thrift store, Runway Fashion Exchange has been shutting down stores across the U.S. since 2013. There are reports that the supply of gasoline is at record levels, and demand is down (again), yet here in eastern Idaho gas prices went up by ten cents per gallon compared to last week ($2.05 in Chubbuck/Pocatello, last week it was at $1.95).

The decade old drought is causing taxpayers to fork out more funding for aquifer recharge projects. Governor Otter is proposing a one time $10-million USD payment plus $2-million yearly for the Egin Lakes-Egin Bench canal near Rexburg. Supporters of the plan complain it’s not enough money!

Illinois: Hoffman Estates based Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown up to 120 Kmart and Sears stores in 2016!

Michigan: The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost.

Mississippi: The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutting down in April, no word on job losses.

Missouri: Noranda Aluminum joins the list of aluminum smelters cutting way back on production. 190 people at Noranda’s New Madrid ops to become unemployed by the end of the week, and another 480 employees to be let go by the start of February!

New York: In DeWitt, it’s been revealed that the owner of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Yogen Fruz shut them both down due to low sales and high operating costs. The same owner is shutting down his Pop’s Media Cafe claiming his labor costs are now double his sales, and his rent is about to be jacked by the greedy landlord.

North Carolina: In Greensboro, ConvaTec shutting down their medical products factory and laying off 250 people by the beginning of 2017! It’s their way of becoming more competitive in the global market.

Oklahoma: In Ponca City, Mertz Manufacturing laid off about 45 people, blaming “…continued decreased product demand from the oil and gas industry.” SandRidge Energy announced the elimination of 226 jobs (87% of its positions) with its Lariat Services Group, due to crashing oil prices!

Ohio: Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.

Pennsylvania: In Clairton, Koppers shutting down their chemical factory, 52 jobs lost over the next six months. The factory makes chemicals for industries that are now shutting down due to crashing commodities prices. After 60 years Trader Horn shutting down all seven stores, 2-hundred jobs lost! It’s blamed on the deteriorating health of the owner.

South Dakota: The Pierre Kmart shutting down by the end of March, 45 jobs lost. The Michell Kmart shutting down in April, 52 jobs lost.

Tennessee: Cleveland Kmart shutting down by mid-March, no job numbers reported. A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutting down, 109 jobs lost!

Virginia: The Sears Hometown store in Culpeper shutting down by the end of the month.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

13 January 2016: “cuts like a knife…we can’t compete” Idaho eateries give you a discount if you bring your gun!

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Idaho, Technology

Idaho joins DoD’s Cyber Squadron of the Future

January 13, 2016 Hutchins AAron

13 January 2016 (04:37 UTC-07 Tango 01)/23 Dey 1394/02 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/04 Ding-Chou (12th month) 4713

“This is the beginning. This is a massive amount of force structure the Guard has laid into this mission, but this is just the first layer.”– Colonel Kelly Hughes, USAF Space and Cyber Warfare Operations Division, Air National Guard Readiness Center

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) created Cyber Squadron of the Future now includes The Gem State National Guard (state militia).

It’s part of Governor Butch Otter’s plan to spend at least $1-million state tax dollars creating a state cyber security operation led by Boise State University and the U.S. Navy’s Idaho National Laboratory.

In next door Colorado, the U.S. Air Force revealed that the 50th Space Wing at Schriever AFB will be directly involved: “The future of Team Five-O is bright and there are opportunities on the horizon: Space Mission Force, Space Training Transformation, Cyber Network Defense, Cyber Squadron of the Future, Community Gathering Place, Youth Center and new services and support for our installation just to name a few and I know there will be others…”-Colonel DeAnna M. Burt, commander

It’s hoped that by 2019 Cyber Squadron of the Future will be staffed by Air and Army National Guard units from 23 states. The DoD says attacks on internet systems are becoming more dangerous as more and more of a country’s utility infrastructure and financial system are directly controlled through the internet. Recent cyber wargames included cyber attacks that cause food shortages.

Business/Economics, Idaho

“cuts like a knife…we can’t compete” Idaho eateries give you a discount if you bring your gun! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 13 January 2016

January 13, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

British empire based British Petroleum (BP, formerly known as Anglo-Iranian Oil) announced it will eliminate at least 4-thousand jobs around the world.

British empire based polymer products maker Fenner announced a 20% cut in jobs in its North American operations, blaming the oil industry.

California: Cupertino made the Texas based retailer JCPenney‘s shutdown list for April. Wine maker to the elites, Premier Cru, chapter 7 bankrupt busted and shutdown without warning. Wealthy customers are stuck as $70-million USD in paid orders will not be delivered (oh boo hoo).

Colorado: According to Colorado Oil and Gas Association only 22 oil rigs were in operation at the end of 2015, compared to 77 in 2014. The Colorado School of Mines is in danger of losing students due to the crashing oil industry: “Students are asking ‘How long is this going to occur?’ ….This is a big change as far as what they’re expectations were compared to what the realty is.”-Will Fleckenstein, adjunct professor interviewed by 9NEWS

Connecticut: In Stratford, after 82 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recession) Clough’s Hardware shutting down.

Florida: The Venice public library shutting down by the end of the month due to unsanitary conditions that never go away despite numerous attempts to repair the building. British empire based U.S. tax-sucking BAE announced more job cuts at its Jacksonville boatyard. This time 3-hundred jobs to be eliminated! Last year 1-hundred Jacksonville jobs were eliminated. It’s blamed on reduced tax spending by the U.S. Navy. Jacksonville based rail company CSX announced a 13% drop in revenues due to the crashing coal market. In Coral Gables, Preferred Medical Plan issued a WARN saying 35 people will be let go in March.

Georgia: Mount Berry Square Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii: Nimitz highway Kmart (the first Kmart opened in Hawaii) shutting down in March, 141 jobs lost! Imported furniture and textile seller Chai Studio shutting down this month due to a property developer re-purposing the retail property. The owner of Chai Studio is looking for a new location to open a new textile design studio.

Idaho: It’s finally being revealed by local news sources that state taxpayers were funding the maintaining of the JR. Simplot mansion to the tune of nearly $1-million USD during the time the property was in possession of the state! Back in 2004 the mansion (estimated to be worth $2-million) was given to The Gem State, however, it was supposedly given back to the Simplot family in 2013 because the utility bills alone were costing taxpayers $150-thousand per year! This info was originally reported by the United Kingdom’s DailyMail back in 2013. The Simplot family can no longer pay the upkeep on the mansion and are tearing it down.

To counter the growing trend of chain restaurants openly opposing guns, local Gem State eateries are offering discounts if you’re packin’ heat! Dueling Irons restaurant knocks off 15% from the price of your meal: “The open carry discount is being expanded to included ccw permits, and increasing to 15%.”-Dueling Irons facebook post

I warned in the past (after a manager told me at least a year ago they were in an unofficial “holding pattern”) now it’s official, the Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.

Indiana: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown the Terre Haute Kmart by April, 62 jobs lost. Crummy clothier Old Navy shutting down their 15 years old Kokomo store within two weeks, blaming crashed sales in December.

Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April, 38 jobs lost. In Dubuque, Second Time Around Consignment shutting down this weekend. Local news says it’s the second time in two years a consignment shop shutdown in that very location.

Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down by Spring, 49 jobs lost.

Maryland: Pier 1 Imports shutting down their Towson store. In Ownings Mills, JCPenney shutting down by April.

Massachusetts: Nuclea Biotechnologies eliminating jobs at two locations and shutting down their Pittsfield genomics ops as part of a “major internal reorganization”. In Waltham, Evolving Closet consignment store shutting down this month. In Woburn, after 12 years Kay’s Hallmark gift store shutting down in February.

Michigan: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown three Kmart stores by April, one in Virginia, Superior and Ironwood, 137 jobs lost!

Minnesota: The rumors have been confirmed, the Kmart located in the Thunderbird Mall will shutdown, at least 48 jobs lost. After 55 years Buck’s Unpainted Furniture shutting down this month, co-owner Roger Buck saying “We don’t want to unload trucks any more and work weekends any more.” Two stores shutting down in the Hutchinson Mall; Claire’s Accessories and Urban Express.

New Jersey: Moonachie based clothier Joyce Leslie now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to crashed sales.

New York: In Brooklyn, Angry Wade’s bar shutting down after the greedy landlord jacked the rent to $16-thousand USD per month! NYC based clothier Aeropostale announced it will eliminate at least 1-hundred jobs due to continued declining sales! Stop & Shop shutting down its Freeport store in February, 91 jobs lost. Too Big to Jail Morgan Stanley finally revealed how many New Yorkers will become unemployed between March and April; 414!

North Carolina: Haywood County in big trouble, they’ve reduced their operating budget by $2.4-million USD and will have to shutdown at least one school, conduct layoffs and reduce pay for remaining employees! It’s blamed on the loss of state school funding (due in part to crashing enrollment) and half a million dollars in tax collections being diverted to other counties that are in bigger trouble than Haywood!

Ohio: Sears Holdings revealed it will shutdown the Boardman Kmart by April, 81 jobs lost. The 11 years old Regal movie theater in the Indian Mound Mall shutting down this week, 11 jobs lost. American Eagle clothier shutting down their Upper Valley Mall store by the end of January.

Oklahoma: In Utica, after more than 70 years Petty’s Fine Foods shutting down in February, 50 jobs lost.

Pennsylvania: Jerry Sandusky founded The Second Mile charity asking courts to approve a shutdown request, citing lack of donations. Pittsburg based clothier American Eagle (American Eagle Outfitters) revealed at an investor’s conference in Florida that it will shutdown 150 stores across the U.S. over the next three years! In Cranberry, the JCPenney shutting down by April.

South Carolina: Beaded Frog jewelry/beading store in Greenville shutting down: “Our rent will more than double at the end of our lease. The new rent structure exceeds what a bead store should pay…”-Heidi Woody, owner

Tennessee: After spending money to paint their eatery in the colors of East Tennessee State University the owners of Alley Kat Sandwich Shop shutting it down by the end of this week. In Morristown, the JCPenney shutting down by April.

Texas: In Dallas, after seven years Green Bean Toy Boutique shutting down, the pissed manager blames looky-loos: “They will come in and see something, and say I can get that cheaper on Amazon. That kind of cuts like a knife…we can’t compete with that.”-Marchell Dean

Utah: Sears Holdings shutting down their North Logan Kmart by April, 58 jobs lost. In Price, the JCPenney store shutting down by April.

Vermont: Entergy shutting down their Vermont Yankee nuclear plant HQ offices and eliminating 150 jobs by May! It’s part of the ongoing decommissioning of the nuclear power plant.

Virginia: British empire based U.S. tax-sucking BAE notified 530 people they will be laid off in March! Last month BAE laid off 160 people at its Norfolk shipyard! In November BAE laid off 185 people! BAE blames decreased tax spending by the U.S. Navy. At the Chesapeake Square Mall, American Eagle clothier shutting down by the end of the month. Across the street a Michaels arts & craft store shutting down.

Washington: Eatonville Sears Hometown store shutting down. In Everett, God refusing to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Trinity Lutheran College, due to The Rapture, I mean what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome: “…the Board of Directors of Trinity Lutheran College has come to the conclusion that any efforts to increase enrollment at Trinity will no longer sustain the college.”-Kevin Bates

In Yakima, after almost ten years Garden Girl shutting down by the end of February: “I’m worn out, that’s the bottom line.”-Lenette Roehl, owner

Wyoming: JCPenney shutting down their Rock Springs store in April, 25 jobs lost. The Cowboy State is the birth place of the iconic retailer.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

12 January 2016: “It was a shock.” Puerto Rico kills GameStop!

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics, Idaho

Sears Kmart update 12 January 2016: Massive store shutdowns! Kroger changes its mind!

January 12, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Sears Holdings has issued notice of massive shutdowns of Kmarts across the U.S. and grocer Kroger has backed out of plans to lease the top floor of the Sears store in the Cumberland Mall in Tennessee. The space is currently owned by Seritage Growth Properties (a shell game company created by Sears Holdings).

Sears Kmart update 01 December 2015: Corporate cannibalism in Canada!

Here’s the updated list (new shutdowns in bold) of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors. Recently revealed Arrowhead Towne Center Sears sold-off then rented back! Chandler Fashion Center Sears sold-off then rented back!

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost), Sears Store and Auto Center at the Bel Air Mall in Mobile (more than 100 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (98 jobs lost), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings. San Mateo Kmart being demolished to make room for 599 unit apartment complex, as part of the the Hayward Park Caltrain Station project. Atwater Kmart (74 jobs lost), Los Banos Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost). Dicks Sportings Goods subleasing space in an existing Sears store in Palm Beach Gardens.

Georgia: Mount Berry Square Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March, 86 jobs lost. Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Iconic Nimitz HWY Kmart shutting down in March, 141 jobs lost! Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Big Kmart, with small sales, in Pocatello

Idaho: Finally official (I’ve been warning about it after a manager told me at least a year ago they were in an unofficial “holding pattern”), Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost. Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. North Mayfair Kmart (99 jobs lost), Chicago Kmart at 5033 North Elston Avenue (99 jobs lost). By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Terre Haute Kmart by April, 62 jobs lost. Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (68 jobs lost), Bloomington Sears to be replaced by Whole Foods grocery store.

Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April, 38 jobs lost. Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September), 56 years old Mason City Sears & Auto Center (more than 100 jobs lost). Davenport Kmart (59 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down by Spring, 49 jobs lost. Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown, Laplace Sears Hometown Store.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost), Aroostook Centre Mall Sears Auto Center leased out to VIP Tires & Service.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost), Parkville Kmart (102 jobs lost), California Kmart (71 jobs lost), Sears Hometown Store in Perryville.

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost). Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive shutting down. Also, the Braintree South Shore Plaza Sears store is renting out an entire floor to Ireland based Primark. Even with the lease to Primark there is still 4-thousand square feet of vacant space in the Sears store. The Sears at the Auburn Mall shutdown on Black Friday due to electrical fire. The store was experiencing electrical problems, an investigation is underway.

Michigan: Three Kmart stores by April, one in Virginia, Superior and Ironwood, 137 jobs lost! Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million! Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant; snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. The Kmart Plaza in Sandusky sold to “A group of investors”, no word on what will happen to the Kmart store.

Minnesota: Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April, 48 jobs lost. Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost), Vineland Kmart (74 jobs lost). After 18 years Sears Holdings shutdown their Roselle Sears Hardware store due to “landlord issues”.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost), Lancaster Kmart sold for $1.7-million to Dave’s Christmas Wonderland. Herkimer Sears Hometown, Saranac Lake Sears Hometown the ‘independent’ co-owners said Sears Holdings forced them to shutdown. Melville Appliance Repair Division (31 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost), Greenville Kmart (75 jobs lost), Kinston Sears Hometown Store shutdown with little notice, Lexington Sears Hometown Store.

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: Boardman Kmart by April, 81 jobs lost. Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost), Tiffin Sears Hometown Store. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost), Tulsa BigKmart (51 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost). Ontario Kmart (55 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark, East Towne Mall Kmart (51 jobs lost), Frackville Kmart in the Skuylkill Mall (80 jobs lost), Mount Pocono Kmart (66 jobs lost), Fairless Hills Sears Hardware. Granite Run Mall shutdown, meaning the Sears and Sears Auto Center now apparently on a month to month (possibly day to day) lease are soon to follow. Brookhaven Kmart (89 jobs lost).

Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

South Dakota: Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost), Simon Property Group owned McAllen Sears store & Auto Center (so far no word on how many jobs will be lost), recently revealed Palestine Sears Hometown (franchise owner quit to work as assistant manager at a local Dollar General). Wichita Falls Sears (56 jobs lost right before Xmas).

Utah: North Logan Kmart shutting down by April, 58 jobs lost. Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost), Provo Kmart demolished in anticipation of yet another AtHome furniture store.

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Winchester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 jobs lost).

Washington: Eatonville Sears Hometown store. Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost), Wauwatosa Kmart (103 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics, Idaho

Texan 1-percenters screw over Idaho 99-percenters with massive land grab! National Parks kills nearly 2,000 California jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 11 January 2016

January 11, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: In San Jose, integrated circuit maker Maxim Integrated Product intends to shutdown by March, 150 jobs lost! In Chowchilla, Affinia Brake Parts issued a layoff WARN saying 43 people will become jobless in February. AT&T issued a layoff WARN saying 102 people in San Ramon will be let go in February! Germany based medical plastics maker Balda C. Brewer issued a shutdown WARN for its relatively new Irvine factory, 193 jobs lost by the end of February! At Yosemite National Park, DNC Parks & Resorts issued a massive shutdown WARN, 1-thousand 718 jobs lost by the end of February! In Santa Barbara, chemical giant DuPont issued a shutdown WARN, 41 jobs lost next month. Motion control company Parker Hannifin shutting down their Anaheim ops by March, 197 jobs lost! The Walnut Creek Pyramid Alehouse shutting down next week, 49 jobs lost. Los Angeles based clothier Kitson finally issued shutdown WARNs for its California stores, 188 jobs already lost! (they’re shutting down their Oregon and Nevada stores as well) Switzerland based human resource company Adecco Group shutting down their Palo Alto ops by March, 108 jobs lost! Macy’s revealed how many jobs will be lost when they shutdown their Irvine and Sacramento stores, 223 by the middle of March!

Colorado: The Center City Police Department shutting down. The city is broke and will rely on the county sheriff’s department.

Georgia: In Atlanta, after ten years K-La boutique in The Forum plaza shutting down by the end of the month. News reports revealed it’s the third K-La boutique to shutdown since New Year’s Day! After January there will be only two K-Las, both in North Carolina.

Idaho: In Idaho County, according to local news reports two Texas billionaires bought-up 38-thousand acres of land and then shut it all down to local residents who traditionally use it for recreation and hunting! Residents are outraged as previous land owners allowed public access for recreation and hunting.

According to a new report called The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2015, Idaho farmers saw an overall 9% drop in cash receipts (even with a 2% drop in operating costs) from 2014 to 2015, due to crashing food prices: “The low prices in 2014 bled over into last year. The shortages, the supply and demand factors bleed into the following year.”-Garth Taylor, University of Idaho agricultural economist

The good news is that prices for livestock went up, but the low crop prices were low enough to adversely affect state tax collections. To break it down with a few examples; milk prices resulted in revenues dropping by one third. Wheat down 17%. Hay down 12% and potatoes down just under 3%. Sugar beets and barley made revenue gains, with sugar beets bringing in a whopping 20% increase.

Indiana: In Anderson, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Family Christian Stores. Company administrators said the only thing that would keep them from shutting down was a better lease deal or “100-thousand new customers”!

Maine: It’s been revealed that the shutdown of two biomass alternative energy plants will also affect 2-thousand 5-hundred logging industry jobs! The plants used logging industry wood waste.

Missouri: Saint Louis based coal miner Arch Coal now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

New Hampshire: In Dover, the Uno Pizzeria & Grill joint shutdown, even though days prior local news media were told by managers the shutdown was just a “rumor”. Corporate administrators in Boston Weak, Massachusetts, refused to talk to local news media.

New Mexico: Kroger is shutting down their Smith’s Food and Drug Store in Socorro, 66 job lost next week.

New York: NYC based drugs pusher Pfizer just jacked up the cost of your drugs. A Fortune article says Pfizer jacked up prices (again?) on 105 drugs by as much as 20%! After it was revealed by local news media, JCPenney finally issued a WARN regarding their Shoppingtown Mall store shutdown, at least 99 jobs lost by the end of April. The shutdown of four Empire State Macy’s stores will cost at least 306 jobs! Cumberland Packing shutting down its artificial sweetener (Sweet-n-Low) factory in Brooklyn, 3-hundred jobs lost by the end of the year!

North Carolina: In Raleigh, The Oxford pub shutting down by the end of the month.

Ohio: It’s been confirmed the Lakewood Hospital will shutdown inpatient service in February, eventually the hospital will be replaced with a smaller clinic operation. Warren Steel Holdings shutting down their Warren factory during the 1st quarter 2016, about 150 jobs lost!

Texas: Gregory based, and evil Glencore controlled, Sherwin Alumina now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to crashing aluminum prices.

Washington: The shutdown of the Seattle Macy’s will kill-off at least 94 jobs.

West Virginia: Kentucky based coal miner Blackhawk Mining announced it will layoff 146 people due to the crashing coal market! The latest news reports said more than 2-hundred employees have received layoff notices!

Wisconsin: News reports say mass layoffs-shutdowns skyrocketed 60% in 2015 under Right to Work (you over) govna Scott Walker’s rule! Believe it or not, layoffs still aren’t as numerous as they were during the 2008-09 debacle.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…eliminate all the small independents.” “We have not been getting paid!” Job re-training costing former employees more than it’s worth? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 09 – 10 January 2016

January 10, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: British empire based British Petroleum (BP) sold its Decatur ops to a Thailand based company called Indorama. The new owner claims they will not eliminate any of the 444 jobs at the plant (famous last words?).

California: More proof high-tech is not recession resistant, San Francisco based Mixapanel laid off 18 employees admitting that in 2015 they “overhired”. Also in San Francisco, after 23 years the El Majahual restaurant shutting down next week. The owners finally wised up and realized it’s better to own than rent, they’re moving to their new location ‘across the bay’. Los Angeles based Capital Music Group laid off ten people (including executives) on the orders of its new chairman. Another ‘green’ company shutting down, this time in the small city of Atascadero the Recycling Buy-back Center shutting down at the end of the month, affecting at least 115 customers. The owner, Atascadero Waste Alternatives, blames crashing commodity prices.

Connecticut: Post University eliminated 15 jobs and reclassified another 15. One teacher said her ‘reclassification’ included a 53% cut in pay!

Georgia: In Macon, 100 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Arvin’s Pawn shutting down in March.

Idaho: In Ada County, this year’s Garden City gun show might be the last. County administrators are worried about safety issues after a couple of incidents where idgit galoots accidentally fired off weapons at other Idaho gun shows. The University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research discovered that one third of Idaho high school grads surveyed see no reason to ‘Go-On’ to college or university because the job market doesn’t justify the cost of higher education. The study also discovered that while 53% of females go on to higher education only 38% of Idaho males ‘Go-On’. That means Idaho’s ‘Go-On’ gender gap rate is higher than the national average.

Illinois: What construction industry recovery? Netherlands based overhead door company FlexiForce shutting down their nearly seven years old Dixon factory by the end of the month, saying it’s no longer “profitable”.

Iowa: In Sioux City, after three years the owner of Funkalicious decided to shutdown her brick-n-mortar boutique and sell on the internet only.

Kentucky: People suffering from the coal industry shutdowns revealed it’s costing former employees a lot of money to re-train: “If they switch everything from coal to gas, that retraining program that they’re doing now is going to take five to six years of training. Woth Eastern Kentucky Power down there, if they switch everything to gas…if they change all that then everybody is going to have to go through more school after they already went through their apprenticeship and pay their $600 for their book and pay for that gas going to that school.“-Dakota Cones, interviewed by WOWK

Louisiana: The live action Old Marquer Theater (aka Shadowbox) shutting down in February because they can’t afford to renew the lease.

Maryland: After 60 years Watson’s Garden Center (known for real reindeer displays at Xmas) shutting down by the end of the month, the owner blames the suck-ass economy. Local news reports say the property is not for sale and nobody seems to know what will become of it, there is another business located on the property.

Massachusetts: In Cambridge, after 30 years East Coast Grill shutting down by the end of the month. No reason was presented.

Michigan: After almost 70 years the B.C. Cobb power plant shutting down in April, blaming changing government regulations and skyrocketing costs to maintain the aged electricity maker. At one point the power plant employed 2-hundred people.

Minnesota: After 28 years Suzanne’s Jewelry shutting down in April, the owner will not renew the lease and intends to retire. The 1950s style K&B Drive Inn south of Eveleth shutdown without warning. After 93 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Falkowski’s Market shutting down, Mike Falkowski blames “The tough Range economy is hurting our business. Can’t keep operating losing money every month. Just couldn’t survive.” The Hallmark gift store in the Thunderbird Mall shutting down at the end of the month. There are rumors the Kmart, also located in the Thunderbird Mall, will shutdown. In Minneapolis, after two years Brasserie Zentral shutting down, a co-owner saying “This industry has always been hard, but right now, it has never been harder.” Essar Steel revealed it started laying off employees. Apparently the company ran out of money to finish its new taconite plant and is struggling to get more loans. In Little Falls, after 85 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Pap’s Sports Shop shutting down, the owner blamed many things including manufactures: “…a lot of the manufacturers are putting a lot of dollar limits that if you don’t spend this amount, your account is closed, and it is really a shame, because that’s going to eliminate all the small independents.”-Paulette Pappenfus

Montana: In Great Falls, the Townhouse Inn shutting down in March. The owners say the 50 years old hotel does not meet today’s standards and they plan to build a new hotel, however, they have yet to find a new property to build that new hotel on. Local news did not ask why they don’t build the new hotel on the old property. 25 jobs affected.

New York: NYC based door-to-door “women’s” products seller Avon announced it will eliminate in-house IT jobs as it has signed a contract with failed California based tech company Hewlett Packard (HP). Allure magazine laid off at least 13 people. Proof that being positive won’t stop negative things from happening as “positive” NYC based website Upworthy laid off 14 people connected to internet video trends. Company leaders used Orwellian double-speak terminology and called the layoffs “an investment”! Huffington Post also warned employees that jobs will be eliminated due to shifting internet video trends, which is proof the internet is not recession resistant.

North Carolina: The Books-A-Million Bookland in the Signal Hill Mall shutting down by the end of the month. It leaves Signal Hill Mall with just 11 tenants!

Ohio: By the end of the 1st quarter 2016 Republic Steel will eliminate 2-hundred jobs at its factory in Lorain! This will result in the shutdown of their factory as Republic Steel has already eliminated 7-hundred Lorain jobs in 2015, resulting in the city suffering a $2.3-million USD budget shortfall due to reduced tax revenues. Chapel Hill Mall losing two clothing stores by next month; the Old Navy and the Express.

Oklahoma: Society of Exploration Geophysicists laid off 19 people in connection to the oil industry shutdown.

Pennsylvania: In Allentown, after only six months Shula’s Steak House shutdown without warning, it might have something to do with a lawsuit in which the Florida based restaurant chain settled claims that it failed to make rent payments. General Electric (GE) laid off 4-hundred people at its Lawrence Park Plant, as part of planned job cuts for 2016! Hotel Carlisle has been secretly shutdown according to employees, and the shifty owners are nowhere to be seen. Local news sources are getting flooded with calls from employees who have been left out to dry: “We have not been getting paid! We are pretty much five weeks behind in pay!”-Jasmine Johnson, a house cleaning supervisor

Tennessee: In Franklin, after 11 years the Main Street Toy Company shutdown, the owner blames low sales for not being able to pay the high rent.

U.S. Virgin Islands: Sugar Bay Resort hotel eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs without warning, due to lack of vacationers from the mainland.

Virginia: After 40 years Fluvanna County based Blue Ridge Mountain Sports finally saying “goodbye” as it shuts down its remaining seven stores across three states. At one point there were 12 Blue Ridge stores. They blame their demise on increasing competition. In Alexandria, Old Time Coffee, Tea and Spice shutting down in February because the landlord is jacking up the rent.

Wyoming: In Casper, after 80 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) iconic Wolford’s Shoe Store shutdown due to a 44% crash in sales due to the local oil bust! According to news reports at least 27 Cowboy State oil rigs were shutdown in 2015, and 54 in 2014.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

08 January 2016: “It’s not working.”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Blind Bat News

Category Archives: Idaho

Massive ObamaCare job destruction! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 19 January 2016

“Iconic places are going out of business, and nobody cares.” Goodwill ramps up shutdowns! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 18 January 2016

“we have nothing left…financially, emotionally or physically.” Consumer spending falls in 2015! Execs get bonuses for killing jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 17 January 2016

Great Lakes tonnage down by 9-million! Wells Fargo home foreclosures covering bad oil industry debts? Walmart fallout already killing other businesses! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 16 January 2016

“Walmart won.” No more GoPro? Gas supply at record highs, demand down, yet prices in Idaho go up! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 14 January 2016

Idaho joins DoD’s Cyber Squadron of the Future

“cuts like a knife…we can’t compete” Idaho eateries give you a discount if you bring your gun! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 13 January 2016

Sears Kmart update 12 January 2016: Massive store shutdowns! Kroger changes its mind!

Texan 1-percenters screw over Idaho 99-percenters with massive land grab! National Parks kills nearly 2,000 California jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 11 January 2016

“…eliminate all the small independents.” “We have not been getting paid!” Job re-training costing former employees more than it’s worth? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 09 – 10 January 2016

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