Category Archives: Idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho

“I’m not going to put a gun to anybody’s head & make them buy a lottery ticket…” Powerball sales crash?: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 16 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Another coal miner going down, this time Walter Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The bankruptcy will affect mining ops in Alabama and West Virginia, but will not affect operations outside the U.S.

California:   In Camarillo, Semtech laying off 8% of employees. Back in 2014 they eliminated 6% of their jobs.  It’s blamed on crashing sales: “Given our recent revenue decline driven primarily by weak Korean smartphone demand, we have made the very difficult decision to reduce our headcount and operating expenses across a majority of Semtech’s locations.”-Mohan Maheswaran, CEO

Connecticut: ObamaCare forced non-profit Eastern Connecticut Health Network to layoff 24 employees, eliminate 14 vacant positions and cut hours for other employees.  It’s directly blamed on lower Medicaid reimbursements and higher taxes.  In Rocky Hill, news reports revealed that KS Partners replaced about 20 of their long term career janitors with cheap migrant workers: “They put in new people. No benefits. Minimum wage.”-Domingo Guerrero, 16 year employee replaced with new immigrant labor

News reports say administrators with KS Partners refuse to comment.

Idaho: KPVI revealed that Walmart was ripping off a Pocatello business.  The owners of Pocatello based American Built Apparel (not associated with troubled California based American Apparel) discovered Walmart was selling shirts with their logo on it, but they weren’t made by them!  The shirts were made by a company Walmart contracts with, called Hybrid Apparel, and Hybrid Apparel decided to settle the lawsuit brought by American Built Apparel.  American Built owner Nicholas Carson said the U.S. corporate system is unfair: “You jump through all the hoops, jump through the legal system to get a federal trademark to protect your business, and a big company comes in and steps all over it!”-KPVI interview

Pocatello administrators have revealed their hyped up deal to bring a major employer to Pocatello Regional Airport is dead, for now.  Administrators have been claiming since November that an unnamed company code named Project Pipe was about to set up shop at the airport.  One problem, the operation might be in conflict with FAA environmental regulations.  The so called Project Pipe company has announced they are not going to wait any longer for a decision by the FAA regarding the environmental impact of the project, and will go elsewhere to set up shop: “Project Pipe needed to be in place by a certain date. We were already five months behind schedule and we were getting bogged down in the environmental review process.”-David Allen, Pocatello Regional Airport press release

‘Pokey’ administrators will now play a shell game to rezone some of the airport land as no longer being airport land, to avoid the FAA rules: “We are taking the necessary steps to remove about 900 acres of land from the official Airport property map. This land was already released by the FAA for non-aeronautical use and can be removed from the map under proper procedures. The City will still own the land, it will still be annexed into the City limits and it will still have advantageous access to air transportation. But once it is no longer Airport property, it no longer falls under FAA rules. When future projects are identified, the City would only have to ensure the project does not create an aviation hazard or otherwise impact aviation.”-David Allen

Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter is forcing taxpayers to give ‘lawmakers’ multi-million dollar retirements!  Idaho Freedom Foundation reports that Dean Cameron of Rupert has been promised $1.4-million USD if he stays in office for only four years!  Bob Geddes of Soda Springs is being promised a little more than $1-million if he remains the Department of Administration’s director for a mere 30 months!  Gov’na Otter told Boise radio interviewers that his offers of huge pensions to at least 11 ‘officials’ were “miniscule”!  Powerball Lottery administrators in The Gem State have revealed that their kickbacks to the state are crashing.  The state dividend from Powerball fell by 8% compared to 2014.  It’s the first time the lottery dividend dropped from the previous year.  Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter stopped short of mandating lottery ticket purchases: “I’m not going to put a gun to anybody’s head and make them buy a lottery ticket…We can do marketing; we can encourage people in a responsible way.”

Interestingly lottery administrators said they were not going to spend anymore money on advertising, when you couple that with Otter’s statement it suggests that Idaho taxpayers will be funding the “marketing” Otter proposes.  And now for an update on the scandal ridden and now defunct Idaho Education Network (IEN); news reports say gov’na Otter and his cronies spent at least 1-million taxpayer dollars paying attorneys to defend the IEN!  This is on top of the millions of taxpayer dollars that will be spent settling lawsuits with Syringa Wireless, Education Networks of America and Qwest Communications!

Missouri: Bermuda based Bunge shutting down its cooking oil packaging factory in Bradley by 2016, about 210 jobs lost!  Administrators are consolidating operations.

Ohio:  Fiat-Chrysler announced they are considering shutting down their Jeep Wrangler factory in Toledo. However, it’s not due to bad sales but because the 2017 model Wrangler is so radically different they must re-tool the factory to build it.  The factory could be closed for at least 60 days.   Owens Community College revealed what I call massive Disappearing Students Syndrome.  In 2009 they had 23,606 students, by January 2015 they were down to 11,719!  Despite the crashing enrollment, administrators claim they will not layoff anymore employees (they’ve already eliminated 50 positions, and ask employees to take time off without pay).

Rhode Island: In Woonsocket, J’s Deli shutdown due to lack of employees, despite the fact the owner pays more than minimum wage: “Due to our repeated unsuccessful efforts to hire a full team of quality associates to join us at this location of J’s Deli, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend operations at this location only.”-sign on door

Texas: After taking-over 99 years old competitor Forest Oil, Houston based Sabine Oil & Gas now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame low oil prices, but maybe it’s really the $2.2-billion in pro forma debt as a result of taking over Forest Oil.  It’s been revealed that L3 Communications has laid off 207 people at the Corpus Christi Army Depot!  Those layoffs took place over the past six months and more could be coming due to L3 losing its tax-sucking military contract.

Virginia: In Buena Vista, packaging label maker Mundet-Hermetite is shutting down, at least 40 jobs lost by September.

Wisconsin: In Superior, after 16 years Joe’s Pagoda restaurant shutdown.

15 July 2015: “The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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, U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis 15 July 2015: Idaho wheat crop dying!

Idaho’s Clearwater County declaring a state of emergency as the 15 years long drought has killed off 66.67% of the local wheat crop!

County administrators say the recent rain was too late, and rain coming now will actually cause sprout damage for the remaining wheat crop.

The Gem State is the 5th largest wheat producer in the U.S. 

Drought turning fresh water poisonous….killing pet dogs!

Business/Economics, Idaho

“The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge…” Union Pacific, BNSF & Ford to kill thousands of jobs! Micron turning Chinese?: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 15 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: Maxine’s Firewood Bistro shutdown, an unnamed employee said the owners were moving to a new location.

California: Florida owned San Mateo based 11 Main internet selling site eliminating about 150 jobs!  11 main was once owned by China’s Alibaba, who sold it to Harris Corporation’s OpenSky last month.  Unnamed 11 Main employees report that the San Mateo HQ is shutting down.  Prior to the Alibaba sale of 11 Main to OpenSky, Alibaba laid off dozens of people at 11 Main as well as U.S. subsidiaries Auctiva and Vendio.  San Diego County has decided to shutdown its child prison known as the Juvenile Ranch Facility in Campo.  The good news is that administrators blame a lack of child prisoners (but really they’re trying to save $700-thousand USD per year in operating costs).  In Napa, Fagiani’s Bar and The Thomas Restaurant shutdown to make room for a New York based property developer’s bigger restaurant.  In Half Moon Bay, after 40 years the Bay Book store shutdown.

Connecticut: After two years the owner of S&S Sweet Treats shutting down her Torrington ice cream shop in September: “Essentially there is a lack of support for small businesses and a small business simply cannot exist without its community’s support.”-Tina Pesillo

Florida: Triangle Service of South Florida apparently lost their trash contract with the Tampa International Airport, they issued a WARN saying 249 jobs will be lost by the end of September!  The Red Cross shutting down their West Bradenton ops and consolidating to Lakewood Ranch.  In Sarasota, for the second time in as many years the Oriental Buffet shutdown for failing health inspections.   Florida has had a spat of restaurant shutdowns due to health code violations.  Vero Beach based Piper Aircraft announced “As a direct result of the slowdown in sales, Piper Aircraft….will require that the current workforce be reduced. While the total number of impacted employees is not yet confirmed, the company expects that the reduction will involve approximately 15 percent to 20 percent of the current workforce.”

Hawaii: After eight years Hank’s Haute Dogs will shutdown in August.

Idaho: Boise based micro chip maker Micron is about to be sold-off.  The potential buyer is China’s Tsinghua Unigroup, which is offering $23-billion for the troubled company.  If Micron agrees the deal must be accepted by the Committee on Foreign Investment.   In Meridian, after 26 years Miss Tami’s restaurant shutting down.  The owner said the economy is forcing them to scale down to a catering/drive thru operation only.  Payette County administrators have a plan to take advantage of neighboring Oregon’s new legalized marijuana; instead of jailing pot heads that cross the border into Idaho they simply fine them.  They save money by not packing their county jail full of weedies, and they’ll make money off the thousands of fines they expect to collect.

Iowa: Interstate Power and Light-Alliant Energy could shutdown five coal fired electricity generating power plants, hundreds of jobs lost!  Iowa’s second largest electricity maker must also spend $7-million in pollution controls on other coal plants, or switching to natural gas. It’s the result of being fined by the U.S. EPA and Department of Justice for violating pollution regulations.

Kansas: Wichita State University shutting down their 35 years old Lake Afton Public Observatory in August, due to lack of funding.  Also, the number of people who look to the stars has crashed by 50% compared to public attendance when it first opened in 1981.

Louisiana: News reports say that presidential hopeful gov’na Bobby Jindal killed 8,442 state classified jobs since he became gov’na in 2008!   That number does not include unclassified positions that were also eliminated.

Maine: After 28 years Videoport shutting down, owner Bill Duggan said “We can’t raise prices anymore, because of competition, so it’s hard to keep up with costs.”

Michigan: What auto industry recovery?  Despite reporting profits Ford is threatening to shutdown its massive factory in Wayne and move production of C-Max trucks and Focus cars to Mexico, 4-thousand jobs could be lost!

Minnesota: South African based Sappi Fine Paper shutting down their Cloquet paper mill for a one week furlough “Due to global market conditions…”.   In 2014 Sappi eliminated 110 U.S. jobs!

Missouri: Canadian news reports revealed that Kansas City based Kansas City Southern Railway will layoff at least 110 people!  Women’s homeless shelter Shalom House shutting down and being sold-off after 47 years.  Administrators blame crashing donations for forcing them to abandon 4-hundred women!

Nebraska: Canadian news reports revealed that Omaha based Union Pacific Railroad will furlough at least 1-thousand employees!  Union Pacific is the largest U.S. railroad operator by sales.  The Canadian news reports said it wasn’t just Union Pacific but several railroad companies across North America will be eliminating jobs due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries: “The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge, especially in coal volumes. The challenge is trying to align the size of the network in real time with demand that’s shifting in surprising ways.”-Keith Schoonmaker, Morningstar railroad analyst

Nevada: In Reno, clothiers Gap and Ann Taylor shutting down in The Summit Mall.  The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority eliminating 45 jobs as it switches to contractors to do the work, in an attempt to close a $1.8-million shortfall.

New Jersey: God refuses to stop ‘his’ 54 years old Mount Laurel Monastery from shutting down. Monks say it’s due to lack of work, however, local journalists discovered the property has been zoned for residential use and valued at $1.3-million, and church administrators had conducted an audit of assets on the property. Sounds like the false christians are about to sell their souls, I mean property for money.  Food flavor additive maker Frutarom shutting down their North Bergen operations by August, 50 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on the millions of dollars spent taking over British empire United Kingdom company FoodBlenders and Belgian company  Taiga International.  Sears Holdings announced the Vineland Kmart will shutdown in October, 74 jobs lost.  In the land of presidential candidate gov’na Chris Christie, the state Supreme Court revealed it is truly an economically Failed State and gave local governments the go-ahead to eliminate union jobs at will: “….municipalities acted for reasons of economy based on municipal fiscal distress existing at the time, rendering the management choice to use a temporary or permanent layoff solution one that constituted a managerial prerogative not subject to negotiation.”-Jaynee LaVecchia, Supreme Court judge

New York: NYC based drugs pusher Pfizer is shutting down their 50 years old drugs factory in Navi Mumbai/Thane, India. Company administrators revealed they halted drugs production at the factory back in 2013, affecting at least 212 jobs!  Reports reveal that the computer crash at the New York Stock Exchange might have been caused by the mass layoffs made by the new owner of the NYSE.  In 2012 InterContinental Exchange (ICE) took over the NYSE, and some reports say as many as 8-hundred people were laid off, including many techies!  NYC based IBT Media owned Newsweek will end its European hard copy publication just 18 months after it started!  Newsweek’s Europe/Middle East/Africa edition will apparently be edited in NYC instead of London, U.K.: “We felt that this was an important moment to create a more unified editorial platform…”-IBT Media

North Carolina: ObamaCare forcing Winston-Salem based Novant Health to layoff 4-hundred people!  Administrators said Novant Health is “financially healthy and strong today” but that ongoing “declining reimbursements and many other challenges” caused by ObamaCare are forcing them to re-organize.

North Dakota: In Fargo, Metro Drugs shutting down by the end of the month, blaming crashing sales despite the recent oil boom that skyrocketed the population.

Ohio: Yet another Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples store shutting down, this time in Moraine.  It’s preparation for the pending merger of Staples and Office Depot.  Staples will shutdown a total of 225 stores while Office Depot will shutdown 135, by the end of the year!

Texas:  Canadian news reports revealed that Forth Worth based Warren Buffet owned BNSF Railway laid off an undisclosed number of employees, due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries.  BNSF is the second largest U.S. rail operator by sales.

Utah: In Logan, the World’s biggest maker of fitness equipment Icon Fitness & Health will layoff 4-hundred people by October!  Administrators blame competition and crashing profits.  Local news reports say local police were called to the factory before the announcement was made, as part of factory production was suddenly shutdown.

Virginia: In Portsmouth, the civil war between the Sheriff and the Courthouse is ramping up.  A few months ago the Sheriff was reprimanded for trying to hoist the U.S. flag on the Courthouse property.  Then the Sheriff was forced to layoff 25 deputies, so he chose those deputies who specifically handle Courthouse security.  The result is long lines of citizens trying to get into the Courthouse to conduct legal business.

Washington: So much for legalized pot!  The city of Seattle has created new licensing laws that will result in dozens of marijuana shops being shutdown!  It sounds likes city administrators aren’t happy with the explosion of new ganja shops since 2013, and neither are the owners of several ganja shops that opened prior to 2013 (guess they can’t handle the competition).  On top of that, King County administrators revealed they’ve shutdown 15 marijuana shops in the past few weeks!

Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, after two years the now bankrupt Blue Jacket restaurant shutting down in ten days, their chef already quit.     In Sturgeon Bay, God refuses to stop ‘his’ United Methodist Church’s addict recovery Kimberly House from shutting down.  It’s blamed on crashing donations, and crashing funding from United Way.  The city of Madison warned of mass layoffs due to a shortfall of $7.9-million: “Unfortunately because of the situation we’re in, it’s really going to be incumbent upon people to focus on what they want to retain in terms of city services and city programs rather than exploring new areas.”-Paul Soglin, mayor

14 July 2015: “I sold the land…to put food on the table.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

“I sold the land…to put food on the table.” California company to kill 4,000 jobs! VA to close more hospitals!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 14 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Sears Holdings announced the Bel Air Mall Sears Store and Auto Center will shutdown between August and September, more than 100 jobs lost!

Arkansas: Jefferson County going the way of Greece, announcing that they will barley be able to pay their employees for work in July.  County administrators warned that layoffs for ten employees are coming due to crashing tax revenues.  Administrators blame their own dumb-ass department heads for ignoring a hiring freeze ordered two years ago: “Now we are in a tough situation.”-Dutch King, County Judge

California: In Sacramento, after almost 100 years Porter-Sprague Auto Shop shutdown.  The owner’s secret for success is “good vodka.”  In Fullerton, after 20 years Steamers Jazz Club & Cafe shutdown. The owner admitted he’s been trying to sell the place for the past four years, apparently he finally sold it to a brewery. San Diego based semiconductor maker Qualcomm warned of massive layoffs; 4-thousand!  More details will be revealed by the end of the month.  Qualcomm eliminated 1-thousand 4-hundred jobs back in December!  It’s blamed on the crashing computer chip market.  City administrators of Atwater revealed that Sears Holdings will shutdown the Kmart in October.

Colorado: Business owners in Idaho Springs say construction work on Interstate 70 is killing their local economy.  Despite promises to have the road construction done in time for the tourist season, the road work is still ongoing, ever since Autumn 2014.   Local news reports say sales for Idaho Springs shop owners are down 60%!

Georgia: Shaw Industries shutting down their Augusta Evergreen Carpet recycling operations, 70 jobs affected.  Recycling ops are being moved to a new facility.

Idaho: In yet another example of failed state ‘lawmakers’ wasting taxpayer money, The Gem State now owes Syringa Wireless $930-thousand USD!  It’s connected to the controversial and now defunct Idaho Education Network scandal.   Syringa sued the state after being blocked from the IEN contract.  Of course state taxpayer funded lawyers are appealing the case, but wait there’s more!  Education Networks of America and Qwest Communications are demanding at least $6-million for unpaid work they did on the IEN project!  Idaho ‘lawmakers’ have a history of wasting millions of taxpayer funding on attorneys.  The Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter refused to comment.

Illinois:  In Chicago, Cyrano’s Farm Kitchen has been sold and will shutdown in August, the now former owner saying “I just need to move on.”  Obama regime stoogie Rahm Emanuel warns that Chicago Public Schools is facing another $60-million in cuts on top of the recently announced 1-thousand 4-hundred layoffs!  He said while 2-hundred schools are reporting student enrollment increases they’re being outpaced by a mass exodus of students at more than 4-hundred other CPS schools!  CPS is short $1-billion in taxpayer funding!  Also in Chicago, for-profit DeVry Education Group shutting down their office in September, 90 jobs lost.  The failing higher education outfit also returned $100-thousand of local taxpayer financing to the city.  After warnings from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, it’s been revealed that Eastern Illinois University has not renewed contracts for at least 10 faculty members, and 26 contracted faculty members have not been given teaching assignments.  Three faculty members have had their hours cut in half.  In Joliet, Glasscock Farm shutdown their corn growing ops. The owner said he had to sell most of the property as a matter economic survival: “…I sold the land at 125 times what my father paid for it back in 1959, and now I have an inheritance to put food on the table.”-Scott Glasscock

Indiana: Dean Foods (aka Dean’s) issued a WARN saying it will shutdown its Rochester factory, 138 jobs lost in October!

Iowa:  In another example of Failed State-ism, state ‘lawmakers’ want to eliminate prison programs and conduct mass layoffs of prison personnel in order to save money, despite the fact an audit showed at least $1-million is wasted on perks for top prison managers!

Louisiana: In New Orleans, four Freret Street businesses shutdown; Freret Garden Center, Freret Auto Service Center, Jaques Clothing and Full Blossom Chic.

Massachusetts: JCPenney is shutting down their eight years old Natick Mall store in August, 95 jobs lost.

Michigan: Texas based Pier 1 Imports shutting down yet another store, this time in Genoa Township.  It’s part of their plan to eliminate at least 1-hundred stores in three years.

Minnesota: California based clothier Gap and Gap Kids shutting down their stores in the IDS Center.  It’s all part of their plan to shutdown 175 stores.

Missouri: Software company Answers Corporation eliminated 1-hundred jobs last week!  It was revealed by former employees. It’s the result of Answers’ takeover of Michigan tech company ForeSee.

Montana: Stillwater Mining laid off 11 employees.  It’s blamed on crashing prices of platinum and palladium.

New York: In Buffalo, California clothier Gap announced it will shutdown its 39 years old Boulevard Mall store.  Gap stores in Syracuse and Ithaca are also being shutdown.  The city of Tonawanda shutdown the Wheeler Street fire station.  Administrators hope their budget shortfall is temporary.  NYC based CBS Radio (formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation) eliminated 2-hundred jobs across its U.S. network, and the latest reports say more heads are gonna roll!  Some of the news reports I’ve read say radio personalities who’ve been on air for at least 20 years have been laid off, other reports said some of the stations affected are the top ranked in their market, yet I found no explanation for the mass layoffs.  Another report I read said CBS Radio has no massive debt, but might be prepping itself for sale, or station swap, to a company called Entercom.

North Carolina: Stokes County School Board voted to shutdown their Francisco Elementary School.  It’s blamed on what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome, enrollment is down to 50 students.

Pennsylvania: Consol Energy conducted a new round of layoffs.  The news is so new that it’s unknown how many people got canned this time.  Back in April 190 people lost their jobs!  Consol administrators also said that due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on ObamaCare they will end healthcare benefits for retired employees!  After 15 years the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network shutting down.  Local news reports said the Network didn’t explain why.

South Dakota: Printing company Midstates laid off 55 employees last week, blaming crashing sales.

Texas: Houston based Noble Energy (the company heavily involved in Israel’s Leviathan gas fields, which is the true cause of unrest in the region) announced it will shutdown the Rosetta Resources HQ, 306 jobs affected!   Noble Energy took over Rosetta Resources back in May.   Once California based but Germany owned Fireman’s Fund Insurance shutdown their Dallas office.  Local news reports say at one time their Ross Tower location employed 4-hundred people!  Fireman’s Fund was taken over by Germany’s Allianz in the 1990s. But since the implementation of ObamaCare, Allianz has been carving up and selling off Fireman’s Fund.

Virginia: Norfolk based Freedom Home & Electronics shutting down 11 stores near military bases.  The company targets military personnel.  Administrators blame increasing rents, and decreasing profit margins that cannot be offset by increasing sale volumes.

Washington: Spokane based Ambassadors Group shutting down by the end of 2015.  The travel company has been laying off employees for years now, last year they were down to 170.  Administrators blame it on crashing sales.

Washington DC: The Veterans Affairs announced it will shutdown more VA hospitals due to a lack of $2.5-billion in taxpayer funding.  VA administrators claim they’re forced to use $3-billion in Veterans Choice funding to make up the difference.

Wisconsin:  What construction industry recovery? After 38 years construction company TCI issued a WARN saying they’re done!  39 jobs already eliminated and more to come as the company shuts down in December.

13 July 2015: “prepare for a steady decline”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”

Idaho

Idaho Republicans about to get the Ass Whoopin’ they deserve!

14 July 2015 (00:02 UTC-07 Tango 01)/23 Tir 1394/27 Ramadan 1436/29 Gui-Wie 4713

“…data showed 38 percent of Idahoans now identify as independent, compared to 32 percent who identify as Republican and 16 percent Democrats.”

According to a survey conducted by Idaho Politics Weekly, Idahoans who consider themselves independent of any political party now outnumber the formerly entrenched Right to Work you over Republicans.

Idaho became a Red State back in the early 1980s, and then became a Right to Work state.  If you do the research you’ll see a direct correlation between crashing wages and benefits and the Republican Right to Work you over employment laws.  Back in the 1980s Idahoans were promised by Republicans that going Right to Work would actually create more, and better paying jobs, the opposite happened.

Corporate & Polictical Evil: Right to Work laws have nearly destroyed Idaho’s economy! 

Business/Economics, Idaho

No “fairy tale ending” just an “Irish wake”! Texas college fires employees for revealing the truth? : U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 09 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Despite obvious signs of a death spiral economy, the administrators of the Elk Grove Teen Center claim they’re shutting down because of a great economy!  News reports say 4-hundred poor teenagers take advantage of the program, but the administrators are now claiming they can’t justifiably stay open because those poor teenagers are no longer considered poor!? However, administrators also admitted that many of the poor teenagers that come to them for help are not part of the Elk Grove School District and therefore cannot be officially counted in their program!  After 31 years Video Journeys in Silver Lake shutdown:”…Video Journeys will not be getting a fairy-tale ending. The vibe in the place these days is akin to an Irish wake.”-The Hollywood Reporter

Florida: DS Services of America shutting down their Flowery Branch call center, an undisclosed number of people will be laid off as the company consolidates operations.  Local news reports said some employees knew back in April that they would lose their jobs, while others said it was a surprise.  After 70 years Fox’s Lounge (aka Fox’s Sharron Inn) shutting down, property speculators are tearing it down to build a hotel.

Georgia: In Valdosta, the Community Depot thrift store shutting down by the end of the month, blaming lack of community support (yeah, nobody has any money).

Hawaii: ObamaCare forcing the taxpayer funded Leahi Hospital and the taxpayer funded Maluhia Hospital to layoff 64 employees. Administrators said these layoffs, coupled with reducing the number of people seeking medical help, are their last resort in an attempt to prevent an all-out shutdown of the hospitals caused by drastic funding cuts: “We hope that the impacts for current patients will not be severe because we do hope that we will accomplish this by reducing new admissions.”-Linda Rosen, Hawaii Health Systems

Idaho: Liberty Publishers Service and Orbital Publishing have been banned from doing business in The Gem State.  The reason is that they are not ‘publishing’ companies but are debt collectors acting like magazine publishers!  They’ve operated under various names: Allied Publishers Services, Associated Publishers Network, Associated Publishers Services, Magazine Billing Network, Publishers Billing Association, Publishers Billing Exchange, Publishers Distribution Services, Publishers Periodical Services, Publishers Service Exchange and United Publishers Services.

Illinois: The Bunge North America grain elevator in Fulton shutting down by the end of the month: “Fulton requires a significant investment in its barge loading equipment to keep it operating effectively. It would not be cost effective to make the upgrade based on market conditions…”-Deb Seidel

Iowa: Berry Plastics continues its downward spiral, this time they’re shutting down their Iowa Falls factory, selling it to food producer Cargill.

New Jersey: 37 years old Park and Orchard restaurant sold off and will eventually be shutdown by new owner.

New York: Sterling National Bank issued layoff WARNs for at least 59 employees who will become jobless in October.  The Commerce restaurant shutdown due to legal battles with the landlord. Seafood restaurant Barchetta shutdown. The Whiskey Soda Lounge shutdown due to “the fact it never really caught on”.  Reports say Gameloft will shutdown their NYC office, 1-hundred jobs lost!  Company administrators refused to confirm, but did not deny the rumor.  In the Bronx, God refuses to stop ConEd from shutting down ‘his’ Greater Love Deliverance Center.  The pastor says that from May to June their utility bill went from $507.15 to $10,321.89!

North Carolina:  The Roanoke Rapids Staples store shutting down in August, it’s just par for the course with the Mitt Romney wunderkind : “As customers shift online, we are taking aggressive action to right-size our retail footprint.”  

Ohio: Texas based industrial pump maker National Oilwell Varco shutting down its Springfield ops, 150 jobs lost!  After 22 years the Duck Creek Antique Mall shutting down in August, 10 jobs lost and more than 1-hundred dealers affected, the owner blames the greedy landlord: “I felt the lease was too high. I love the land, but I’m not willing to put my own personal finances on the line.”-Ginger Dawson

Tennessee: In Hermitage, after 65 years Benson’s Market shutting down: “It’s just time that I got out of the business. It’s a tough business to be in right now.”-Richard Benson

Texas: Kilgore College contracting out their entire maintenance department, employees forced to retire early or be laid off, at least 40 jobs affected. Is it because maintenance employees went to state officials reporting that college administrators deliberately ordered violations of environmental laws?  Willacy County Judge Aurelio Guerra is warning of layoffs, position eliminations and benefit cuts due to the loss of $2.7-million in revenue caused by the shutdown of the county prison (which was caused by a prison uprising due to evil conditions).  The evil county is now relying on revenue loss insurance payments for money.  Hastings shutting down their College Station store, 30 jobs lost “due to store operating profit being less than required by management”.

Vermont: In Shelburne, Archie’s Grill shutdown, the owner sold out to Dunkin’ Donuts saying “It’s about me and my family, that’s what’s first.”

Virginia: Bristol based Alpha Coal (Alpha Natural Resources) revealed they are being sold-off and announced that in preparation 292 people will be laid off at coal mines in Kentucky and Virginia!  What construction industry recovery? In Shirlington, after 50 years ABC Distributors is shutting down their lumber yard by the end of summer: “It’s been a struggle, to be honest with you, in the last seven years to stay in business.”-Bernard Lynch

Washington: Joint Base Lewis McChord about to lose another 1,250 military personnel!  Since 2012, the Department of Defense has laid off 4,721 personnel from Joint Base Lewis McChord!  In West Seattle, Eats Market Café being shutdown by Westwood Village Mall management: “The mall management has decided not to renew my lease. This is a huge loss not just for me but for my wonderful staff and for all of you, my favorite customers. We have all become a family over the last 10 years and it truly breaks my heart to have to say goodbye.”-Toby Matasar

08 July 2015: “It’s out of our hands. We don’t call the shots.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

“…we lost money every single month….Short of winning the lottery, we just can no longer afford to stay open.” More massive ObamaCare cuts! : U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 – 07 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Modesto, God refused to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 32 years old Grace Lutheran School.  ‘Christian’ administrators admitted they were in so much debt that the current student enrollment couldn’t cover the church mortgage payments!  Los Angeles based American Apparel announced an undisclosed number of stores will be shutdown, and hundreds of employees laid off!  Administrators say they have to cut $30-million USD in costs, and they’re facing lawsuits from former executives. Costa Mesa based bankrupt busted home decor chain store Anna’s Linens announced all 2-hundred stores across the U.S. will shutdown!  In West Hollywood, after 41 years the French Quarter restaurant shutting down ‘officially’ for remodeling, but local news reports say the new owners might actually be tearing the whole thing down for some unknown construction project.

Connecticut: Major ObamaCare insurance provider Aetna has just announced $1-billion in cuts (jobs) between now and 2018! As I warned in earlier posts about insurance companies cornering the ObamaCare market by merging, it’s all connected to Aetna’s takeover of rival ObamaCare insurance provider Humana. Potentially thousands of jobs will be cut, and insurance rates will go up!  After 15 years The Stone House restaurant shutdown due to “Recently, we lost one of our dearest shareholders. This loss has affected some of us greatly, and between the hardships we suffered and this loss, the opportunity that was presented by the unsolicited offer came at a time when some of us needed to rethink our lives and priorities.”-Dolores and Jim Quinlivan, owners

Delaware: In Dover, after 14 years Bell, Book & Candle shutdown: “Like a lot of stores, we were hit by the financial downturn from 2007 to 2009 and never really recovered. Last year, we lost money every single month and that trend has continued this year. Short of winning the lottery, we just can no longer afford to stay open.”-Ivo Dominguez, co-owner

Georgia: In Columbus, after 20 years Millie’s International Market shutting down due to the owner’s health problems.

Idaho: The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed that the net personal income for Idahoans in the 1st quarter of 2015 dropped by $500-million!  In Idaho the state ‘lawmakers’ have realized what idiots they are, especially after years of giving away hundreds of millions of tax dollars to lure foreign companies to Idaho, only to have most of them back out or fail, so now they’ve authorized the Department of Labor, and the Workforce Development Council, to offer a new “micro-grant” to train Idahoans for jobs within The Gem State.  However, the “community based teams” doing the training must be able to 100% match the funding, so good luck.    The Idaho Statesman has revealed that ObamaCare is actually raising healthcare prices in The Gem State through insurance and hospital mergers, which the healthcare system administrators claim is the only way they can survive the ObamaCare reimbursement cuts: “Size matters, and the objective of many hospitals and hospital systems is to get sufficiently big in a given geographic area so that you have leverage over the insurance company, because if you’re big enough, the insurance company needs your facilities in their network, because if they don’t have your facilities in their network, they can’t sell their product to the employers in town or the individuals in town.”– Paul Levy, a former hospital CEO

Illinois:  Taxpayer funded community action agencies and non-profit charities across the sorry-ass state began laying off 1-thousand 5-hundred employees due to drastic funding cuts! ‘Elected lawmakers’ basically said if you’re poor then go die!  What automotive industry recovery? Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar continues to eliminate jobs due to crashing sales, this time a total of 45 employees are being laid off at their Pontiac factory.  In Peoria, “After more than 30 years of creating ‘smiles made from scratch’ for central Illinois, our last day of operation will be July 11.”–Apple’s Bakery

Kansas: In Hiawatha, the Thriftway grocery store shutting down in the next three weeks.  Administrators blaming “competition is a big factor….We have had declining sales…”, at least 38 jobs lost. 

Kentucky: ObamaCare forced Nurses Registry and Home Health into chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Administrators say they are owed $1-million in Medicaid payments, about 65% of its average monthly revenue! 2-hundred jobs threatened, and 1,350 home healthcare patients affected!

Maine: After 22 years, the Biddeford Free Clinic shutting down in September, the operators say ever since ObamaCare went into effect the number of uninsured patients they see has crashed (they treat only uninsured people).   In Bath, after 57 years Gilmore’s Seafood shutdown, the owner forced to sell the property and blames the bad economy: “…it’s not been as good was it was in the late 80’s early 90’s….nowadays, it’s not the same. A two month gig in July and August, and the rest of the year isn’t that great.”-Ben Gilmore

Michigan: In Dearborn Heights, after 40 years Ken Baron’s Florist shutdown.

Missouri: Administrators with Mercy Springfield Communities directly blame ObamaCare for causing them to lose $30-million, thus forcing them to kill 127 healthcare jobs!  Administrators say the ObamaCare reimbursement cuts actually outpace the increase in their patient volume, meaning they’re doing more work for less money: “Continued implementation of cuts in the Affordable Care Act, cuts in Medicare reimbursement, a switch to value-based payments, and lack of Medicaid expansion in Missouri are among many reasons that the Springfield Communities will see at least $30 million less revenue in the coming year, despite taking care of more patients.”– Alan Scarrow, president

Montana: In Butte, God refuses to stop the shutdown of two churches; Trinity United Methodist Church and Mountain View United Methodist Church.  It’s blamed on the Rapture, I mean “severely dwindling congregations.”

New Mexico: In Santa Teresa, the state Public Education Commission shutdown the Health Sciences Academy after only one year of operations.  State administrators claim the school was being operated fraudulently.

New York: In Utica, ObamaCare forced Bosch Healthcare Systems to issue a shutdown WARN, at least 23 jobs lost in September. ObamaCare also forcing Fresenius Medical Care-Brooklyn Kidney Center to shutdown their Park Slope dialysis center, affecting 65 employees and 150 Medicaid and Medicare patients!  The dumb Medicare and Medicaid recipients are oblivious to the fact that ObamaCare is causing all these healthcare shutdowns. Also in Brooklyn, ObamaCare forcing medical supplies company GeriMedix to issue a shutdown WARN, 52 jobs lost in September.  In Canandaigua, Wade’s Market Center issued a shutdown WARN for September, 133 grocery jobs lost!   In Long Island, the state Department of Labor eliminating 2,540 jobs as the Nassau Coliseum shuts down!  Supposedly a new contractor is taking over and conducting massive remodeling work.  It’s unknown how many Coliseum employees will be hired back, renovations aren’t expected to be finished until December 2016.  After creating 40 jobs in the Rochester area, booze seller Constellation Brands laid off at least 11 people.  In NYC, clothier The Donna Karan Company issued a shutdown WARN for their corporate offices and their West 40th Street store, 133 jobs lost by January 2016!  Administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to “reorganize”.  In North Syracuse, hotel Ramada Syracuse issued a shutdown WARN for September, blaming the bad economy, 81 jobs lost.

North Carolina: The state Board of Education shutdown the Carrboro PACE Academy due to “persistent patterns of noncompliance, low academic performance, and potential financial issues.”

Ohio: In Lorain, the Erieview Motel shutdown, leaving dozens of long term residents homeless. City administrators ordered the motel torn down due to multiple health and safety code violations, and are so arrogant they said they were doing the residents a favor!  However, residents say the city council is not providing them with new living options!  Many of the residents are people who can’t meet traditional qualifications for renting apartments.

Pennsylvania: What automotive industry recovery?  In Somerset, tire retreading company McCarthy Tire Service shutting down, 38 jobs lost in August. Point Park University laid off 32 employees “in response to changing demands in the higher education market”, meaning crashing student enrollment (what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome, DSS).  In Reading, Giant Food Stores shutting down its Rockland Plaza store in August, 90 jobs lost.  Administrators say the crashing economy cannot support all their Reading area stores.  Clothing store Gap shutting down in the Wyoming Valley Mall, as part of plans to eliminate 175 stores across the U.S.

Rhode Island: After 39 years restaurant Rue de L’Espoir up for sale so the owner can retire.

South Carolina: After 94 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Morris Sokol Furniture Company shutdown.

Washington: Redmond based Microsoft has sold part of its bing mapping service to Uber, expect mass layoffs.   From July 2014 to June 2015 Microsoft eliminated at least 18-thousand jobs!  In Seattle, Cinema Books shutdown after 31 years of business.  The owner blames major construction across the street for blocking customer access: “I don’t have the financial resources to hold over many months of having a declining customer base.”-Stephanie Ogle

03 July 2015: “…as if the faucet had been turned off.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

“We never thought we’d see this day” “It’s a necessary evil.” Obama’s homie town kills 1,400 jobs in 1 day! Corporate America layoffs hit 5 years high!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: After two years the non-profit Tucson Reptile Rescue warns it will shutdown due to crashing donations and crashing adoptions of rescued pets.

California: Monterey based CTB/McGraw-Hill laid off at least 33 Ryan Ranch HQ employees, due to selling off ‘key assets’ to Minnesota’s  Data Recognition Corporation.  In Oakland, after 40 years the owners of Bay Wolf restaurant announced they will shut it down in August.  They want to retire, so they’re selling the property.  In Berkeley, after 40 years the newspaper Poetry Flash warns it will shutdown at the end of the year due to a 27% increase in rent.

Connecticut: In East Hampton, popular restaurant Governor’s Tavern shutdown due to water problems that an uncoperative landlord won’t fix.

Florida: In Miami Beach, the restaurant L’echon Brasserie ended its Hilton Cabana Hotel operation.

Idaho: In another sign of a failed state Republicans have successfully forced all state taxpayers to fund their $2-million USD GOP only Primary: “It’s a small, basically private election, and the Republican leaders in Idaho have succeeded in getting the taxpayer to fund that private election.”-Dave Finkelnburg, Bannock County Democrats, interviewed by KIFI

Illinois: “Homie don’t play that!” Obama stooge Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools announced 1-thousand 4-hundred job cuts after being forced to make a $634-million  ObamaCare retirement fund payment!  The highly edumacated idjiot golutes borrowed the money to make the retirement fund payment, but says it’s coming outta the hides of 1-thousand 4-hundred employees who will now become unemployed!  The Chicago Teachers Union directly blames the Obama regime appointed school board: “This is a handpicked school board. It’s an appointed school board. The responsibility for this goes to the person who runs the school board, which is the mayor. These are the financial policies this mayor has pursued over the course of the years, where they’ve consistently left revenue on the table.”-Jesse Sharkey, vice president

But wait, there’s more! Chicago based employment analyst Challenger, Gray & Christmas says publicly announced layoffs hit a five years high in June 2015, up 43% from June 2014!  At least 45-thousand jobs were announced dead on arrival in June!  And then there’s Eastern Illinois University which says they must kill jobs due to a 28% crash in enrollment since 2007.  The Connect Transit Transportation (formerly known as Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System) laid off employees, union members protested saying “Connect Transit….has become very toxic, hostile, and harassing” as well as “The problems are not changing; they’re getting worse.” 

Indiana: Missouri based Silgan Plastics (aka Silgan Containers, aka Silgan Holdings) laying off at least 70 people from its Ligonier factory, in August.  The company has been eliminating jobs across the United States since at least 2013.

Kansas: In Hutchinson, the New Beginnings Overflow Emergency Lodging (Noel Lodge) shutdown due to loss of federal taxpayer funding (called a federal grant).  In Topeka, Books and More shutting down by the middle of July.

Michigan: Yet again, Farmington Public Schools increased their layoffs, this time by 51, bringing the total to at least 231 for the 2015-16 school year!  In Kalamazoo, sandwich shop Panini Express shutting down their City Center drive thru window because it “was hindering opportunities to expanded production for larger groups.”  After 95 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recession) the Wayne County Library system died.  Cities within Wayne County will have to run their own libraries.

MInnesota: In Duluth, the Department of Human Services shutting down the heroine addict treatment center Lake Superior Treatment Center in September, supposedly for code violations.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, the Book & Stage sportsbook and music venue shutting down by the middle of July.

New Hampshire: The Derry Fire Station 4 shutdown due to lack of money.  The city administrators also eliminated four vacant positions and cut hours for firefighters and police: “We never thought we’d see this day, but it’s actually going to happen.”-Michael Gagnon, Fire Chief

New Jersey: God refuses to stop ‘his’ Holy Family School in Lakewood, and ‘his’ Saint Denis School in Manasquan, from shutting down.  It’s blamed on what I call DSS.

New Mexico: In Las Cruces, atheists and homosexual marriage are being blamed for the shutdown of the First Baptist Church’s daycare center.  God’s church administrators said they don’t want the government forcing them to hire “homosexuals and atheists”, but you have to blame the money grubbing false christians for violating the 1st Amendment and taking government taxpayer money to run their daycare: “When the government gives you money, they have the right to tell you how to run certain aspects of your organization. We understand that. It’s not one particular group…it’s the fact they get to dictate to us, across the board, how to run our organization or different organization or ministries.”-David Burrows, church leader just now waking up to the fact that they must “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…..” (Matthew 22:21)

New York: In Yonkers, Consumer Reports laid off 17 employees, in connection with ending publication of its magazine.  It should be noted that the current president of Consumer Reports used to work for the Ford Foundation.  Union reps say the company’s administrators and lawyers are violating the union contracts.

North Carolina: The state Department of Commerce reports that at least 3-thousand 5-hundred people lost their jobs in the first half of 2015!  Youngsville based Xerium Technologies announced it is shutting down its Quebec, Canada, machined cloth factory.  The U.S. company is moving operations to socialist Europe saying employee costs there are half what they are in Canada!  News reports say the Vernon Park Mall is now almost empty after a year of store shutdowns: “There was a lot more stores but now there’s nothing here.”-Jermica Mumford, mall rat

Oklahoma: Employment analysts with Region Track warn that another 11-thousand oil industry jobs will be eliminated in The Sooner State!  So far Oklahoma has lost 5-thousand 4-hundred petroleum industry jobs!  The East Side Elementary School in Okmulgee shutting down due to a one third drop in enrollment and a $1-million shortfall: “To save that kind of money, you have to do something drastic and that’s what this is. It’s a necessary evil.”-Tod Williams, school superintendent

Pennsylvania: Connellsville Area School Board jacked up property taxes, took out a $5-million loan (tax anticipation note) from PNC Bank and killed 11 jobs.  News reports say Drexel University laid off “several dozens” of employees due to what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.  It’s been revealed that last week Mondelez International quietly shutdown their Roosevelt Boulevard and Byberry Road bakery, eliminating 350 jobs overnight!  Mondelez International makes iconic products for Nabisco, Standard Brands and Kraft.  The massive bakery is now for sale.  In Lansdowne, after 85 years the Mar-Win Market grocery store shutdown, 35 jobs lost: “It’s definitely the economy. Everybody’s trying to watch their pennies…..It’s a multitude of everything.”-Kirk Fuessinger, owner

South Carolina: What construction market recovery?  Engineering company Fluor revealed it recently eliminated 15 jobs in Greenville.

Tennessee: After 36 years the Stock-Yard restaurant shutdown.

Washington: Redmond based Microsoft announced yet more layoffs.  1-thousand 2-hundred jobs culled as Micrsoft sells its advertising service (bing ads) to AOL! More job losses are expected as Microsoft plans to sell more divisions.  From July 2014 to June 2015 Microsoft eliminated at least 18-thousand jobs!

Wisconsin: The state Department of Workforce Development reports that WARNs issued in the first six months of 2015 have exceeded the number of WARNs issued for all of 2014!  It’s no thanks to the Right to Work you over Scott Walker state government slashing & burning another 6,685 jobs (in 2014 they killed 6,186 and in 2012 they killed 6,511)!  Add that to the private sector job culling already announced and The Badger State will lose more than 13-thousand jobs in 2015!

30 June 2015: Restaurant owner chooses Greece over United States!  

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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, U.S.

Dumbing Down the United States, 2nd Quarter 2015: “a brutal process” Massive education layoffs across the U.S.! Idaho schools rig teacher evaluations! “It’s not as though we have a hidden pot of money.”

Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon taking place across the United States, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.

“The average cost of tuition and fees at a private, non-profit, four-year university this school year was $31,231—up sharply from $1,832 in 1971-1972 (in current dollars). At public, four-year schools, tuition and fees cost about $9,139 this year. In the 1971 school year, they added up to less than $500 in current dollars, according to the College Board.

…amenities have become an important part of the race for the best and brightest, and well-off, applicants…

The rising cost of college sports including generous coaching salaries—has also raised concerns, especially when tuition subsidizes money-losing programs and increases the financial burden on students who don’t take part in athletics.

Public and private colleges and universities expanded their payrolls by 28 percent between 2000 and 2012, more than 50 percent faster than the previous decade…

…that payroll expansion added higher benefit costs for full-time faculty and staff, many schools offset those spending increases by relying more heavily on part-time instructors.

…teaching salaries, one of the biggest single line items, have remained relatively flat…

So if the cost of providing an education has remained fairly stable, why does the price students pay keep rising?

The reason, say researchers, is that deep budget cuts in state funding for public higher education and shrinking subsidies at private schools have pushed a greater share of the cost onto students and their families.”-CNBC, Why does a college degree cost so much?

Incomplete list of publicly announced education layoffs & school shutdowns from April to June 2015:

Misleading for-profit technical school DeVry is shutting down at least 12 campuses in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Florida! Apparently DeVry has decided to move courses from brick -n-mortar classrooms to the internet.

Alaska: Anchorage School District warned they could eliminate 74 jobs from next school year, blaming state level funding cuts.

Arkansas: The Pine Bluff School District killed 68 jobs without warning. One elementary school and one junior high school (‘middle school’ is a British empire term) are being shutdown. News reports said the affected employees found out they were jobless from the news media, school administrators have apologized for the “mistake” in the way they announced the layoffs. The whole thing is being blamed on crashing student enrollment, which has caused the district to be short at least $3.1-million USD.  Little Rock School District is losing $37-million in funding, and will be forced to layoff at least 30% of employees! Administrators say they will also cut in half how much they pay into the employee health insurance, which means employees will have to pay a lot more for their Obama Care!  Pulaski Technical College blaming what I call DSS for forcing them to shutdown their west Little Rock (wLR) campus. In Fall 2014 they had a total of 510 students on the wLR, but for Spring 2015 only 362 students attended classes on the wLR campus!

Arizona: University of Arizona warned of mass layoffs in August, this after the new state budget forces the school to make $43-million in cuts!  Northern Arizona University warned it must cut courses and eliminate 60 jobs for next school year, blaming $17.3-million in state level funding cuts.  Phoenix based for-profit Apollo Education Group-University of Phoenix announced that 6-hundred additional employees across the U.S. will become jobless! This is on top of the previously announced 9-hundred! It’s blamed on Disappearing Students Syndrome.

California: The Los Angeles Unified School District approved plans to eliminate 774 jobs despite an increase in funding and a 10% pay raise for employees! Administrators blame DSS, but critics say the new budget, with its pay raises and mass layoffs, doesn’t make sense. It was also revealed that LAUSD has to pay more into their employee retirement plans (ObamaCare anybody?). The LAUSD superintendent commented that “There are no more presents under the Christmas tree!” Local news reports say the superintendent implied he would be stepping down within the next six months.  In San Diego, Bridgepoint Education issued WARNs saying 19 people will be laid off in August.  Head Start Child Development issued dozens of WARNs saying they are shutting down operations throughout California, hundreds becoming jobless by the end of June!  Santa Anna based Corinthian Colleges announced it will shutdown all remaining 28 campuses across the U.S.! It’s the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education which revealed the for-profit school was frauding its students!  In San Francisco, Arizona based Apollo Education laid off 60 people.  Monterey Peninsula Unified School District warned that at least 17 employees will be laid off, due to lack of money. PTA leaders and parents are pissed-off and called Bull-Shit on the money issue: “We already pay for half of these positions! In the PTA we pay for science lab, the PE teacher. When does this stop? What’s next, the office clerk? Recess, instruction? Is this all going to fall on the parents? Why don’t we go to a private school already?”-unnamed mom and PTA member

Colorado: Zenith Education Group continues mass kill-off of jobs, this time in Thornton. 131 call center employees were laid off! It’s the result of Zenith’s takeover of failed Corinthian College, as well as DSS: “We had a reduction in the student population and we are merging some call centers to the one located in Tampa.”-Krissy Humenesky

Connecticut: Newtown school administrators announced they want to shutdown the Hawley Elementary School, due to DSS.  Pissed-off taxpayers then demanded to know why $50-million in donated money is being spent on rebuilding the infamous Sandy Hook Elementary School if there aren’t enough students!  Some parents even said they did not want their children attending the new Sandy Hook school.

Florida:  Military themed Acclaim Academy shutdown without warning. Various school district administrators said they were told by the owner of the military charter schools that there was no more money. Thousands of families now struggling to find schools for their children.  In Ormond, Zenith Education Group laid off 18 people.

Idaho:  Northwest Nazarene University is in trouble. The Administrators want to layoff staff, but the staff countered with a 77% no confidence vote. Now layoffs are on hold pending an independent review of the private university’s budget.  According to Idaho Ed News, data being kept from public view (it had to forced out through the Idaho Public Records Act) show a possible conspiracy on the part of 32 of the 115 Gem State school districts to make their teachers look good.   The Idaho Statesman reported that “Administrators from 32 districts gave every teacher identical, overall scores of ‘proficient’ during 2013-14 evaluations…” and that “Teacher evaluations are important because, for the first time, they will be partially tied to teacher pay and the expenditure of an estimated $125 million in taxpayers’ money through the career ladder pay plan being rolled out over the next five years.”  With so many districts reporting almost the same teacher evaluation results it “makes it impossible to identify the top- and low-performing teachers”.  Cash strapped School District 93 taxpayers voted down the latest school bond, again! The bond issue was put to voters a second time after it was voted down the first time. On top of that district administrators called for a recount this time, the recount actually resulted in more votes against the bond issue!   Idaho State University (ISU, my alma mater) is finally facing up to the fact they’ve been losing students (what I call DSS) for years, and now they’re cutting programs. Some courses, like German and French, will no longer be offered as a BA degree, just a piddly certificate (in fact many other courses will now get you just a certificate). The administrators voted to eliminate their BS in Theater, Bachelors in University Studies, MS in Physical Education Pedagogy, Graduate Certificate in Gerontological Studies and Bachelor of Music in Music/Business. ISU will also shutdown their Environmental Science and Policy Research Institute, Center for Environmental Sensing, Geospatial Research Facility, Musculoskeletal Research Institute , Permian Research Institute and International Center for Bayesian Methods (by Fall 2020). This means mass layoffs, but administrators didn’t mention it. ISU is so proud of their austerity that they went on local TV news to brag about it: “…ISU also received a commendation from our regional accreditor, The Northwest Commissioner On College and Universities, for the process we undertook, that we can be a model for other states.”-Selena Grace, Associate Vice President for Institution Effectiveness, KPVI interview

Illinois: The 44 years old Sunshine Preschool, based in the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church, shutdown.  School District 65 will eliminate 29 full time jobs for the upcoming school year. School administrators say they’re preparing for the state to slash and burn their funding even more.   School District 122 laying off nine school lunch employees, because they are considered unnecessary. It’s actually part of a larger plan to cut $2.3-million from next school year’s budget.  After 43 years Joliet Area Suzuki Strings shutdown, blaming crashing student enrollment: “We just cannot financially sustain it anymore, our numbers have been gradually going down over the last four or five years. Last year, we were down to 40 students, and now we’re at about 25. You just can’t exist with that.”-Mary Smelser, founder

Indiana: Muncie Community Schools warned of layoffs, even after selling off their Wilson Junior High School building. Administrators said that because of DSS, and years of consolidation ops, their Central High School is now overstaffed.

Kansas: Kansas City Public Schools laid off 31 employees and cut pay for hundreds of others, blaming $2-million in state taxpayer funding cuts.

Louisiana: In Port Allen, First Student lost its school bus contract, 72 people now jobless. Company administrators say the loss of contract was “sudden” and “unforeseen”.  Baker School District administrators revealed they’ve already laid off employees for the upcoming school year, but refuse to say how many will become unemployed, which will include teachers with tenure. They’re short $1.2-million.

Maryland: Baltimore City School District laid off 209 employees! Administrators blame a $108-million shortfall.

Massachusetts: Gordon College said at least 14 employees will be laid off.  As of last month only 475 freshman students made the required deposits for the upcoming semester.  In New Bedford, the Horatio A. Kempton Elementary School being shutdown. Administrators are hoping that by shutting down a school they won’t have to eliminate jobs.  The Dracut Public Schools announced they must layoff 30 people, due to declining tax revenues which are the result of the bad economy. In a true sign of a failed system, the idiot School Chairman is pushing to create new taxes and fees for the already financially strapped residents.  51 years old Marian Court College shutdown due to “insurmountable financial challenges…..given declining enrollment numbers”.  Reports say Marshfield Public Schools’ plan to eliminate jobs has been softened by the retirement of 25 teachers.

Michigan: East Grand Rapids Board of Education laying off four people, cutting pay and moving some teachers to part time. The district is so short on funding that parents have started donation drives for the schools.   Battle Creek Public Schools eliminating 23 jobs. The district is lacking $2.1-million. Hazel Park Schools announced they will eliminate 116 jobs and slash salaries over the next five years, due to Disappearing Students Syndrome (a 30% decline since 2010)!   Marshall Public Schools laid off eight people. Another seven employees are being pushed into retirement. Administrators say enrollment is fine and blame the layoffs on state taxpayer funding cuts and the loss of grant money.  Wayne-Westland Community Schools laid off ten teachers. The Livonia Public Schools laid off 40 teachers. Plymouth-Canton Community Schools warned 73 teachers of pending layoffs. Garden City Schools laid off 46 teachers.  Ypsilanti Community Schools laid off 18 teachers, blaming it on a $2.2-million drop in state level taxpayer funding caused by a 7.8% drop in enrollment (they lost 325 students from last year)! It must be pointed out that state funding was actually increased by $163 per student, but  Disappearing Students Syndrome is so massive in Michigan that the increase in per student state funding cannot make up for the losses!  Calvin College bribed seven employees to quit, and warning that outright layoffs are coming. The Christian college has been relying on debt financing and is fighting to pay it down. Christians have already donated $25-million to pay down the debt, and the school is trying to cut $4.5-million in costs by 2017. News reports from 2013 said ‘Christian’ administrators overspent on new construction and made bad investments with donated money. In one case, $5-million that was supposed to pay down the debt was used to buy real estate instead! This is a clear case of Christians putting their faith into the money changers in the Temple (capitalist administrators) rather than in their God: “The former administration, the former president certainly had a reputation as someone who understood finances and business. He came from a banking background. And so I think there’s some bewilderment at the scope of the problem.”– David Diephouse, professor (who is obviously of ‘Blind Faith’)

Flint School District laid off more employees, this time 55 teachers. Another 16 employees retired. Because of DSS, and the increased cost of health insurance caused by ObamaCare, the school district is trying to cut $5.8-million!  Farmington Public Schools increased their layoffs to at least 180 for the 2015-16 school year: “It’s not as though we have a hidden pot of money.”-George Gurrola, vice president

Minnesota: The Litchfield School District warned it must increase the number of employees on its layoff list, due to DSS.

Mississippi: The Greenwood School District laying off 28 people.

Nebraska: In Grand Island, after 20 years the Heartland School of Dance shutdown due to the greedy attorney-landlords: “I recently received a lease-termination notice from the studio’s landlords…….The old heating system is worn out and too expensive to fix.”-Karen Jamieson, owner of the dance studio

New Jersey:  Brick Township Public Schools laying off 24 bus drivers, but warned that by not laying off more bus drivers they are going to have cut jobs elsewhere.  Their original plan was to eliminate 31 bus drivers, but they caught heat from the union.  Newark, the biggest city in the state, eliminated 155 school district employees, and the teachers union says that doesn’t include teachers, who are next on the chopping block!  Trenton Board of Education announced they must eliminate 162 jobs! Administrators blame competition with charter schools. Paterson School District eliminating 547 jobs! That’s 60% more than what was being discussed! The state appointed school superintendent said the district must cut at least $21-million from its budget.  Crashing & burning Atlantic City School District conducted a second round of school district cuts, laying off 75 more employees. It was also revealed that more than 30 employees were forced to resign or retire early. Administrators warned that a third round of layoffs is in the works and that a total of 4-hundred employees could be let go!  Sussex County Community College eliminating 11 jobs. Administrators blame a new $3-million renovation project for the Student Center, and five years of DSS. They expect to lose $1.2-million in the upcoming school year due to crashing student enrollment. The American Boychoir School in Princeton now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, saying they don’t even have any money to finish the school year: “The board has been compelled to consider several drastic alternatives, including closing the school immediately and ceasing operations.”-Rob D’Avanzo, Chairman of the Board

New York:  In NYC, Cambridge University Press issued a layoff WARN saying 67 of their 190 employees will be jobless by July.  In Brooklyn, Catholic Charities issued a shutdown WARN saying all their Early Childhood Education Programs will close in July, 89 jobs lost.  In Albany, the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in July, 37 jobs lost. The Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Girls is also shutting down in July, 35 jobs lost. In Rochester, Durham School Services issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in July, due to loss of contract, 142 jobs lost!  In Niskayuna, school bus company First Student issued a shutdown WARN for July, saying 62 people will become unemployed.  Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School issued a shutdown WARN, saying 48 people will be laid off in August.  The Tuxedo Union Free School District announced they will layoff 20 people for next school year, they say it’s that or shutdown the George F. Baker High School.  All American School Bus issued a shutdown WARN for June, at least 207 jobs lost!  The Center for Educational Innovation issued a WARN saying they’ve lost a contract and at least 32 people will be laid off by July.   The Commission on Economic Opportunity issued a WARN saying they are shutting down their Stepping Stones Two childcare center in Rensselaer, 34 jobs lost in August.   College of Saint Rose eliminated 40 jobs, and slashed Obama Care benefits for employees (meaning employees will have to pay a greater share of the cost of their healthcare). Christian administrators blame The Rapture, I mean what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS). In just five years the school went from having a budget with a “modest surplus” to a “structural deficit”.  Hartwick College eliminated more than 20 jobs, without warning. Administrators also suddenly changed their 2015-16 school year budget. Apparently those who were laid off are forbidden to talk about it: “This culture will exacerbate the uncertainty and negative feelings following the layoff. They will feel that leadership does not care….”-Theodore Peters, professor

In Hyde Park, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Hyde Park Nursery School and ‘his’ Roman Catholic Regina Coeli School. Regina Coeli School currently has only 50 students enrolled. In the case of Hyde Park Nursery School, church administrators blame city administrators: “Unfortunately, with the introduction of universal pre-kindergarten, the Hyde Nursery School and many other preschools, day care centers, and early learning centers were never offered the opportunity by the Hyde Park Central School District to provide universal pre-kindergarten to their students.”

North Carolina: For profit student rip off artist Brookstone College of Business suddenly shutdown, administrators admit they can’t comply with new federal education rules that require higher education to prove its students can find jobs after they graduate!  Madison County School District forced to shutdown their Laurel Elementary school. It’s blamed on DSS.  AB Tech announced it will shutdown the Haynes building and the Technology Commercialization Center on its Enka campus. News reports say AB Tech is prepping the Enka campus for sale. It’s blamed on the loss of $2-million in county taxpayer funding.

Ohio: News reports say 30 years old pumpkins, turkeys, beef/education venue Schapperacher Family Farm forced to shutdown. The operators would only say “…our family has been asked to vacate the Schappacher Farm property.”   After 130 years (surviving numerous depressions and recessions) Christian Saint Aloysius School. It’s blamed on DSS.  Saint Peter’s Child Care Center shutdown. Church administrators say “The Child Center’s operational losses have been substantial, with a projected shortfall this year in excess of $50,000. These factors make it impossible for St. Peter’s to continue offering this service to our community.”   After five years non-profit Boneyfiddle Arts Center shutdown, due to lack of funding: “It is really sad and painful for us, because we worked so hard to accomplish what we had. When we realized we could not meet our strategic goals we knew it was the logical choice.”-Jamie Benedict

Oregon: The Oregon School Board laid off five special ed assistants. Reports say it was the second round of layoffs so far.  Administrators have decided that special ‘needs’ students don’t need the help, but it’s really because of DSS. Their high schools, alone, have seen a 22% drop in enrollment over the past six years!

Pennsylvania: Connellsville Area School District laid off 40 teachers.  Reporters with WPXI did some math and discovered that the district lost 1-thousand 3-hundred students in the past ten years!  Camden City School District laid off 92 employees due to funding cuts caused by DSS. Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard called it “a brutal process”.  Pittsburgh based Education Management Corporation announced it will eliminate another 3-hundred jobs across the U.S. in “ongoing efforts to offer students a great learning experience while keeping education affordable”!   Back in May, Education Management corporation shutdown all 15 of its Art Institute campuses!  Olney Charter High School eliminating 36 jobs including the principal. Employees say it’s retaliation for them forming their own union.

Rhode Island: Empire Beauty Schools blame DSS for the reason they’re shutting down their Providence school.

Tennessee: The McNairy County Board of Education eliminating 20 jobs; 15 current employees and five vacant teacher jobs.  Shelby County Schools laid off 5-hundred people! 490 teachers and 30 administrators: “We are a district with declining enrollment and budget issues. Every year we’re having to make tough decisions, and we try to keep as many of those decisions away from the classroom as possible.”-Sheila Redick

Texas: 58 Head Start employees being laid off across Refugio, Goliad and Bee counties.  The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District finally admitted they overspent $12-million, and have to layoff at least 37 employees.  Administrators also revealed they’ve already saved $5-million by pushing some employees to retire early or quit.  The SMART Schools summer camp for kids, held on Rice University property, shutdown six weeks early. It’s complicated but basically SMART Schools could not verify the certifications of the counselors, and they claim that promised funding from Be Inspired never came through.   In Edinburg, Ignite Public Schools has been shutdown by the Texas Education Agency. TEA administrators said the charter school failed at academics and managing their own budget.  School bus contractor Gold Star will shutdown in Manor, eliminating 69 jobs. The Manor Independent School District realized it’s actually cheaper to run their own school bus system.

Vermont: Concord High School will shutdown due to lack of funding caused by DSS.

Virginia:  Norfolk State University warned of layoffs due to a drop in enrollment by almost 1-thousand students since last year!

Washington DC: Privately funded Howard University laid off 84 people without warning. Last year administrators laid off 2-hundred employees!

Wisconsin:  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse announced it will eliminate 45 jobs to try and save $1.5-million. University administrators say they will take more action because they need to close an $8-million hole, caused by DSS! University of Wisconsin Madison warned it must eliminate 434 jobs and drop 320 courses over the next two years, no thanks to Right to Work you over Scott Walker, and other ‘lawmakers’, plan to cut $300-million from the state university system (never mind that Walker and other ‘lawmakers’ are going to spend $250-million tax dollars to help build a $500-million sports stadium)!  Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) laid off less than 20 people from its central office. MPS has a terrible graduation rate for high school students; in 2014 only 60.9% of students succeeded in graduating after four years of high school! Of the students who took five years only 68.8% graduated, and those who took six years only 73.4% graduated!   Racine Unified School District halting public use of their classroom decorations and resources facility, in order to save taxpayer money.

Wyoming: News reports say about three dozen WyoTech-Laramie employees got laid off by the new owner, Zenith Education Group. Wyo-Tech is one of many schools formerly owned by failed California based Corinthian Colleges. Zenith Education Group blamed the layoffs on DSS, saying the campus is down to just 5-hundred students.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics, Idaho

“This is not politics, this is math.” Puerto Rico plunges into Death Spiral! Conservative Idaho jacks up taxes! “I’m not going…to retire, I’m just going to close the store.”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 29 June 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: More proof the internet is not to blame for brick-n-mortar shutdowns;  Sunnyvale based rent-utility electronic payment service PayNearMe failed to raise the crowd funding they wanted and laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  They also canceled their rent payment service located in Family Dollar stores.

Colorado: Meridian based money transfer company Western Union shutting down all its operations in Greece, supposedly temporarily.

Florida: University of Florida shutting down the high security lab and quarantine facility known as Indian River Research and Education Center, due to the gov-na vetoing funding, 12 jobs lost.  In Palm Beach, after 87 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) newsstand Main Street News shutting down.  The owner laments that no matter what he tried people have just stopped buying hardcopy journals: “I’ve had no other opportunities to make it work. I finally had to pull the plug.”-Thomas Morrison

Idaho: The false conservative/Republican state ‘lawmakers’ created new taxes and fees which will now impact already cash strapped taxpayers.    Vehicle registrations fees increasing by $21, and by much more for vehicles deemed to be fuel efficient such as electric cars.   The fuel tax increasing by an additional 7 cents per gallon.  Taxpayer funded teacher pay being increased, which implies taxes will have to be raised to pay for it.  A total of 342 new ‘laws’ were approved, can you figure them out?  Way to put the brakes on any economy recovery you ‘Republicans’!  (jacking up taxes is a sign of a failed state system)

Indiana: The Oliver Winery Downtown, restaurant Max’s Place,  and restaurant El Norteño all shutdown in Bloomington’s town square.  It’s blamed on massive competition for “entertainment dollars”.

Minnesota: Tax-sucking Maplewood based 3M warned it will shutdown its body and vehicle armor operations.  Administrators blame the U.S. Army for dragging its taxpayer funded feet on a new contract.  They also revealed they’ve already laid off 50 people in Kentucky and 40 people in California.

New Jersey: More nails in the coffin for Atlantic City; the close to bankrupt Trump Entertainment Resorts announced it has canceled plans to re-open the former Trump Plaza casino, for at least ten years, in order to avoid paying the new taxes imposed by gov-na Chris Christie.

New York: Envoy Air issued layoff WARNs for John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia International Airport, at least 46 aircraft maintenance jobs lost by September.  Drugs pusher Walgreens-Boots Alliance shutdown their eight years old Ogdensburg store, 20 jobs lost.

Ohio:  In Mount Healthy, the 11 years old game playing store Yottaquest shutting down in August.  Jamboree Foods shutting down their Pierpoint grocery store by the end of the week: “It’s just getting to the point where all the Walmarts and drug stores kept nickel and diming us….It’s hard. I’m not going to be able to retire, I’m just going to close the store. My whole life savings is tied into the store!”-Dan Swift, owner

Pennsylvania: Clothier Gap and Gap Kids shutting down its stores in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley. It’s part of the California based company’s plan to shutdown at least 175 stores.  In Philadelphia, Chiarella’s Ristorante shutdown. The owner said “We’re not closing because we want to close” the greedy landlord was “pushing” them out.

Puerto Rico:  The gov-na of the U.S. territory announced they are in a “Death spiral” and cannot pay $72-billion in debts.  Alejandro García Padilla stated “The debt is not payable. There is no other option. I would love to have an easier option. This is not politics, this is math.”  On 17 June I wrote how there’s a mass exodus of people fleeing Puerto Rico.    Reports say as a U.S. territory Puerto Rico can’t claim bankruptcy protection, like Detroit did, and the Obama regime says they’ll be no taxpayer funded bailout.

Texas: Arizona based Avnet shutting down its Coppell eCycling operations, at least 71 jobs lost. Administrators blame the bad economy for forcing them to consolidate operations.

Utah: The visitors center of Little Sahara Recreation Area temporarily shutdown.  It’s blamed on an attempt to cut costs and on lack of visitation during summer.

27 – 28 June 2015: “It’s just gotten to be too much work…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”