Tag Archives: close

U.S.

ObamaCare Job Destruction, April 2016: “…it’s referred to as restructuring & the cuts aren’t deep enough…”

It must be noted that I started documenting these ObamaCare/healthcare related shutdowns at the beginning of 2014. In that year I posted the reports biannually (every six months). In 2015 ObamaCare cutbacks ramped up and I posted quarterly (every three months). For the past four months of 2016 there have been so many ObamaCare cutbacks that I’ve posted a report every month!

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, April 2016.

California:   In Berkeley, Sutter Health shutting down their Alta Bates Summit ER operations. But wait, don’t blame ObamaCare on this one. It’s the result of a 1994 state regulation (SB 1953) requiring hospitals to meet tougher earthquake survival standards, by 2030.  In Temecula, Abbott Vascular continues with its medical device layoffs, this time 131 people laid off without warning at the beginning of April!  In Pacoima, after 50 years (and surviving several robberies) Laurel Pharmacy shutdown. Owner Barry Wise was hoping somebody could takeover the business, “But I couldn’t find a buyer, so it’s sad.”  San Francisco based health tech diagnostic company Counsyl laid off 27 people, despite boasting of “double digit” demand for their carrier screening services.   More proof ObamaCare is a failure: “Something has to give. Either insurers will drop out or insurers will raise premiums. The industry is clearly setting the stage for bigger premium increases in 2017”-Larry Levitt, Kaiser Family Foundation commenting on the ObamaCare “correction”

Connecticut:  Danbury based IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics is reporting that for the second year in a row, since ObamaCare went into effect, U.S. residents will be paying more for their prescription drug fix, and it will continue going up until at least 2020.    Immucor Transplant Diagnostics issued a shutdown WARN for its Stamford location, 59 jobs lost by the beginning of June.   More proof ObamaCare is a failure: “We continue to have serious concerns about the sustainability of the public exchanges.”-Mark Bertolini, Aetna CEO referring to the ‘correction’ of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare)

Florida:  In Pinellas Park, Transitions Optical laying off 11 people by the end of June. In Panama City, healthcare “revenue cycle” manager Navigant Gymetrix issued a WARN, 60 jobs gone by the end of June.

Hawaii: Taxpayer funded Wahiawa General Hospital is begging for emergency funding to stop it from shutting down. Administrators revealed that since ObamaCare went into effect they’ve lost $9-million USD!

Idaho: The Gem State’s version of ObamaCare is in trouble, news reports reveal that at the end of March a warning letter was sent out to Your Health Idaho employees telling them what to do if a healthcare provider is dealing with a person with life threatening issues, yet doesn’t qualify for Idaho’s version of ObamaCare: “Please be sure to include MEDICAL URGENT in the subject line as well as a detailed description of the client’s situation in the message body.” (this is probably due to the claims by hospital directors that at least 1-thousand Idahoans have died as a direct result of not qualifying for ObamaCare through Your Health idaho) However, an insurance agent in McCall said he deals with insuring people in five other states and compared to them Idahoans have it good: “It’s just an absolute train wreck! I’m licensed in six states, and believe me, in the other five states, it’s even worse.”-Stanley Dean

A Twin Falls woman is in desperate need of brain surgery but doesn’t have enough money to pay for insurance herself, yet also does not qualify for ObamaCare under Your Health Idaho! But wait, that’s not all! It turns out that when she first went to doctors they ignorantly told her she was crazy and didn’t have a physical problem! Finally, after several MRIs she was diagnosed with Chiari malformation: “If it goes untreated, then I will slowly become paralyzed, and from there I will end up on machines. That is something that is a reality for me if I don’t get it taken care of.”-Brittany Long

Yet another hospital manager is condemning Idaho’s version of ObamaCare; Your Health Idaho. Michael Baumann, of the Mountain Division of the Hospital Corporation of America, said “…those who are not getting the care that they need, by the time they show up, it’s even more costly. So why don’t we provide the access up front through Medicaid expansion? ….You know I’m actually fairly conservative, but when it comes to healthcare…..I’m just really open to the fact we need change.”

In Boise, christian healthcare scammer Saint Luke’s Regional Medical Center has been found in violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In 2015 an employee reported to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) that Saint Luke’s was not ‘coding’ certain time off as FMLA. The DoL reviewed two years worth of “hundreds” of employee records and concluded that Saint Luke’s “…failed to ensure that all employees on FMLA-covered leave received all the protections…” Interestingly the DoL determination, and resulting Saint Luke’s resolution actually took place in November 2015, but only now is being made public! In February I reported how Saint Luke’s was caught stealing local property taxes! 

Illinois: Maker of hospital administrative software Valence Health suddenly laid off 75 people, including an executive. I should point out that in 2014 the company got at least $11.9-million USD from state taxpayers to create jobs in Obama’s homie town of Chicago.  Germany based Siemens Medical shutting down their Wood Dale location by March 2017, at least 29 jobs lost.    “Financial” issues forcing Pioneer Center for Human Services to issue shutdown WARNs for its Woodstock and McHenry locations, 103 jobs lost by mid-May! Nathan Health Care shutdown their East Saint Louis nursing home, 87 jobs gone.

Indiana: In LaPorte, after 62 years Hilbish Drug shutting down: “We just got to the point where it was time to move on.”-Tom Hilbish

Kansas: In Hutchinson, after 77 years Fraese Drug Store and Soda Fountain shutdown. A co-owner said ObamaCare and inflation forced him to take a job with a competitor: “We just had no choice but to do this because of decreased payments from Medicaid and Medicare. Also, add into that the huge increase in the cost of generic drugs. A lot of them jumped 1,000%! That really hurt our profitability.”-Don Kaufman

Maine: In Farmington, Franklin Community Health Network laid off a little more than 50% of its employees (mostly full time jobs), blaming $15-million USD in losses on ObamaCare! Administrators say the losses would have been much bigger if they hadn’t received a one-time federal grant.   In Portland, Mercy Hospital shutdown its outpatient addiction treatment center, blaming ObamaCare reduction in funding. Mercy is joining with other organizations, including local police, in forming the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative as a way to provide addiction recovery services for those with little or no health insurance.

Massachusetts:   Baystate Health is demanding $10-million taxpayer dollars to avert the layoff of 2-hundred people, due to ObamaCare. Administrators say that’s just for starters, calling it “bridge funding”, if the ObamaCare situation continues then additional taxpayer funding will be needed!

Minnesota: The largest health insurance company in the United States is getting the hell away from ObamaCare! Minnetonka based UnitedHealth joins BlueCross-BlueShield is declaring the Affordable Care Act Dead on Arrival! UnitedHealth will begin exiting ObamaCare plans beginning with the states of Arkansas and Georgia. In 2014 UnitedHealth entered the ObamaCare market, but is getting out while it can still live to tell about it: “It was for us a bad decision. In retrospect, we should have stayed out….”-Stephen Hemsley, CEO

Mississippi: Magee based Pioneer Health Services now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Pioneer Health Services operates hospitals in Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. Administrators blame ObamaCare reimbursement reductions and the forced shift to outpatient care.

New Hampshire: Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine laying off 30 people, and conducting restructuring that will affect 285 employees! The 285 are being considered for transfer to Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

New Jersey: Middleton shutting down their 911 dispatch, eliminating 15 jobs. 911 services will now be handled by Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department.

New York: Buffalo Cardiology and Pulmonary Associates issued a shutdown WARN for its Williamsville location, 119 jobs gone by mid-May!   In Bronx NYC, Saint Barnabas Rehabilitation & Continuing Care Center has been sold to a vulture capitalist, a shutdown WARN has been issued, 254 jobs lost in July!  In White Plains, The Esplanade nursing home shutting down due to renovations of the building, 55 jobs lost by mid-July.  Quantum Medical Imaging shutting down their medical instrument factory in Ronkonkoma, 83 jobs lost between July and November.  NYC based EmblemHealth warning of “several hundred” layoffs in their Information Technology (IT) department! The IT jobs are being outsourced to cheap-o contractors as part of ObamaCare “modernization” of the healthcare industry.

Ohio: Northside Medical Center eliminated 68 full time jobs because ObamaCare has greatly reduced “the community’s usage of services”.   In McArthur, after more than 19 years Gill’s Family Pharmacy shutdown. The drug seller has been praised for community service such as buying computers for county first responders.  The county of Warren is privatizing its employment service for disabled people, known as Production Services Unlimited, 60 county jobs will be lost. County administrators blame ObamaCare saying they’re following orders from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.   After 164 years (surviving The Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) children’s mental health treatment chain Beech Brook forced to eliminate 179 jobs due to Medicaid funding cuts!

Oklahoma: Integris Health notified employees of massive layoffs, blaming Oklahoma’s version of ObamaCare for “…a 25% reduction in provider fees…beginning June 1…” attributed to “…the state’s struggling economy….also…the Affordable Care Act…”

Pennsylvania:  In Harrisburg, DST Health Solutions issued a WARN, 107 jobs gone by the end of June!

Puerto Rico: The economy is so bad that CNN reported that one doctor per day is fleeing the U.S. territory! National Public Radio reporting that 50-thousand people flee Puerto Rico every year! You must note that Puerto Rico has true socialized healthcare, and the lack of taxpayer funding, caused by crashing tex revenues, is forcing most doctors to go to Plan B: “Plan B is you have to leave the island because there’s no other way, there’s no choice.”-Antonio Peraza, doctor interviewed for NPR

South Carolina: In Orangeburg, Regional Medical Center laying off 33 employees, cutting hours for 27 and eliminating 30 vacant jobs. Because of ObamaCare the hospital needs to cut $4.9-million USD in expenses!

Texas: In Dallas, Select Medical issued a WARN, 77 jobs gone by the end of May.  Massive oil industry layoffs have revealed a major lie about ObamaCare. One of the promises of the Affordable Care Act was that people who were not employed, or who lost their jobs, would still be covered for healthcare under ObamaCare. A Houston Chronicle investigation found that most oil industry survivors have learned they don’t qualify for ObamaCare: “In the U.S., losing your job could mean losing your health insurance. Most other countries don’t do this. …The ACA, if anything, entrenched our dependence on employer-provided health insurance….. That’s the hole. It is contrary to the spirit of the law.”-Jessica Roberts, University of Houston’s Law Center

Virginia: Augusta Health shutting down two Convenient Care clinics located inside Walmarts, by May. Administrators say ObamaCare is pushing people to go to Urgent Care clinics instead.

Washington: In Arlington, Cascade Valley Hospital & Clinics shutting down, 418 jobs lost by the end of May!   After prodding by local news, health insurance company Premera Blue Cross admitted it eliminated 165 jobs since November 2015! Employees are pissed because they say corporate administrators never told anybody there were going to be mass layoffs: “Layoffs are handled poorly, allowing rumors to spread like wildfire, creating a horribly negative atmosphere. And instead of owning it and calling it layoffs, it’s referred to as restructuring and the cuts aren’t deep enough the first time around, so everyone knows they’ll be coming again…”-unnamed employee to local news media

ObamaCare job destruction, March 2016: “we have been unsuccessful…we are now forced to close permanently” 

ObamaCare = Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

“It just never came back after the recession.” Tech bubble exploding! Company loses $4.18-billion in 3 months! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 26 April 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Arizona: Despite reporting better than expected revenues, Phoenix based mining company Freeport-McMoRan says it will go ahead with plans to layoff 25% of its petoleum sector employees and sell-off assets.  Freeport-McMoRan’s ‘better than expected’ results were a loss of $4.18-billion USD for the first three months of 2016!  It’s blamed on the low prices of oil, gas, gold, silver, copper, etc.

California: Intel issued several WARNs, at least 565 jobs across The Golden State gone between now and 2017, due to crashing computer sales!  Insiders are reporting that Apple has laid off all its employee recruiters, more than 1-hundred employees!  Recruiting bonuses were also slashed from 40% to only 10%.  In Berkeley, Sutter Health shutting down their Alta Bates Summit ER operations.  But wait, don’t blame ObamaCare on this one.  It’s the result of a 1994 state regulation (SB 1953) requiring hospitals to meet tougher earthquake survival standards, by 2030.

Kentucky:  In Louisville, after 73 years grocery store First Link now up for auction.  The grocery section is shutdown, but the Liquor Store ops will continue until the auction, which is mid-May.  I have yet to find info as to why it’s being auctioned (other than the company needs the money).

Maine: After 110 years (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) the last of the Brooks Brick factories is shutting down.  News reports say they were down to a “handful of employees”.  In Portland, Mercy Hospital shutting down its outpatient addiction treatment center this Friday.  It’s blamed on ObamaCare reduction in funding.  Mercy is joining with other organizations, including local police, in forming the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative as a way to provide addiction recovery services for those with little or no health insurance.

Massachusetts:  Baystate Health is demanding $10-million taxpayer dollars to avert the layoff of 2-hundred people, due to ObamaCare.  Administrators say that’s just for starters, calling it “bridge funding”, if the ObamaCare situation continues then additional taxpayer funding will be needed!

New Jersey: British empire United Kingdom and Netherlands based Unilever issued a WARN for their Englewood Cliffs operations, 106 jobs gone by the end of June!  It was also revealed that Unilever is getting almost free money from the European Central Bank, as the ECB bought $339-million USD worth of Unilever bonds, at a piddly 0.08% interest.   The “consumer goods” company is also shutting down a call center in Canada.

New York: Iconic New York Times announced it will shutdown its Paris, France, printing ops. 70 jobs lost due to consolidation of operations.  Despite reporting a ‘strong’ first quarter, elitist clothier Coach announced it will eliminate 3-hundred jobs!  Even though Coach made its first quarterly profit in the past three years administrators say they must become more “efficient” by 2017.

Oregon: California based Intel issued a mass layoff WARN, 784 jobs gone by the end of May!

Pennsylvania: It’s been revealed that Texas based petroleum contractor Halliburton secretly laid off 2-hundred employees near Montgomery, last week!  In a fine example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL), the impact is immediate as locals are reporting that mom-n-pop shops in Montgomery are already shutting down: “The layoffs are hurting people and its hurting our economy.  A lot of store fronts are closing up and small business people can’t survive. Its not a good thing.”-Allen Bean, resident

“Its hurt us financially, when you have a large company like Halliburton pull out of an area and let a lot of people go it’s a lot of lost revenue.”-Rick Sanguedolce, owner of Riverside Campground

Vermont: Ski resorts Jay Peak and Q Burke Mountain forced to shutdown due to a federal fraud investigation.  The owners of the ski resorts are being accused of frauding investors out of $200-million USD!

Washington: California based Intel shutting down its DuPont location (according to the mayor of DuPont), killing 350 jobs!   DuPont Mayor Michael Courts says Intel administrators did not tell him when the plant would shutdown.   In Browns Point, after 24 years the Ace Hardware shutting down sometime next month: “Business has gotten a little bit quiet. The cost of business has gone up. The amount of money it takes day-to-day; we are just not able to make that number. We’re down 15% over the year. It just never came back after the recession. The years 1991 to 1996 were the best brick-n-mortar retail years.”-Mark Wenner, owner

Washington DC:  After 41 years Bistro Français shutting down so the owner can retire.   What housing market recovery?  The U.S. Department of Commerce reporting that new homes sales have fallen for three months in a row (January to March).  Declining new home sales are falling fastest in the western United States.  The U.S. Navy is shutting down 16 Navy College offices in October.  The Navy hopes to save money by consolidating College offices onto the internet, and eliminating soon to become redundant jobs.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

“I’m losing everything….This is what puts food on my table.” Corporations secretly kill 13,300 jobs in 3 months! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 25 April 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Arizona: More proof higher education is a waste of your time and money; the state Department of Administration says the fastest growing sector of the Grand Canyon State’s job market (by 27.7%) are jobs that don’t even require a high school education!   The next biggest job sector is that which requires only a high school diploma.  You should note that the ‘elected’ state leaders have been focusing job promotion on sectors that require higher education.  The city of Nogales is bemoaning the planned shutdown of the money making Kmart in July.  It’s a money making store because the city collects boo-koo sales tax off it, and city managers don’t know what they’re going to do after the Big Kmart (it’s also sells groceries) shuts down!  The Big Kmart is a money maker because many of its customers are Mexicans who shop on the U.S. side of the border, because the variety is better in the U.S. than in Mexico. Christopher Teal, U.S. Consul General in Nogales, Mexico, said “They’re shopping, they’re at the malls, they’re out buying, they’re out doing activities. It has a huge impact for our economy in Arizona and our economy in the United States, I can’t speak positively enough really about that part of the relationship.”  In other words, Sears Holdings’ Eddie Lampert is shutting down a profit making international store!

California: In Milpitas, family owned Raley’s is shutting down their 28 years old Nob Hill Foods grocery store by the end of May.  50 jobs lost due to lack of sales, Raley’s administrators say they wanted to shutdown their Milpitas location three years ago.

Colorado: In Denver, Firefly Furnishings shutting down their Firefly Kids store in the Cherry Creek North plaza.  No reason given.  Firefly Furniture got new owners in 2014 who told local news media they wanted a brick-n-mortar operation to complement their internet business pillow.com.

Connecticut: Norwalk based Xerox revealed it eliminated 4-thousand 8-hundred jobs in the first quarter of 2016!  Xerox has been slashing jobs since 1991.

Hawaii: In Hilo, after almost 65 years food joint Kawate Seed Shop shutting down this weekend.  The family owners blame the landlord for jacking up the rent!

Illinois:  In Chicago, after 34 years Bel-Port Liquors forced to shut  down by the greedy landlord who made a better deal with a coffee shop: “I’m losing everything. ….This is what puts food on my table.  All of a sudden, he [landlord] turned 360 degrees on me! I’ve never seen him like this before.”-Joe Barbari, liquor store owner who says rents everywhere are too high for him to open a new store

Indiana: It’s been revealed that the Castleton Perkins restaurant was forced to shutdown by the greedy landlord, who then tore it down for ‘new development’: “We did everything we possibly could to talk them into letting us stay, but the landlords had other ideas. Our lease was up in February, and we were forced to closed.”-Gail VonHolten, former restaurant owner

Maine: The British empire’s christian Salvation Army shutting down their 102 years old (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) Alder Street Family Thrift in Portland, calling the shutdown “the most responsible choice.”  

Massachusetts: In Burlington, Texas based jungle themed Rainforest Cafe shutting down.  Local news sources think it’s being replaced with a furniture store.

New York: Insiders and union members are reporting that iconic New York Times will eliminate “hundreds” of jobs by November!   This comes after the CEO of New York Times saw his income skyrocket to $8.7-million USD last year!

Ohio: Columbus based restaurant chain Bob Evans conducting a second round of mass restaurant shutdowns.  Last year they shutdown 20 eateries, this year it’ll be 27 with at least 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs lost!  The overwhelming majority of those restaurants being shutdown are ‘owned properties’ of Bob Evans and the plan is to try and raise $20-million USD by selling them.  State ‘elected’ leaders are giving five companies big tax breaks to bring in a piddly 444 jobs (some companies will only have to maintain their current employment levels).  The five companies are Ball Metal Food Containers, Genco, Everything but the House, Rotex Global and SportsBrain.

Texas: Halliburton revealed it eliminated 6-thousand oil industry jobs in the first quarter of 2016!  Schlumberger revealed it eliminated 2-thousand 5-hundred petroleum industry jobs in the first quarter of 2016!

Washington DC:  The tax-draining U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is asking for permission to conduct yet another round of base shutdowns.  Leadership with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force now claim they have more posts (bases) than they really need!  But wait, don’t think this is going to save taxpayers money, the DoD wants to use the money saved by shutting down bases, and laying off thousands more personnel, on buying even more outrageously expensive high-tech weapons (like robots to replace human personnel).

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

“losing your job could mean losing your health insurance.” More ObamaCare lies! Idaho hospital violates U.S. Medical Leave Act! 76,000 cases of worker discrimination! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 24 April 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: In San Diego, iconic record store Off The Record shutting down: “It’s a number of reasons: Finances, gentrification of the neighborhood, the raising of rent, the fact that this neighborhood has transitioned from a place to shop to a place to drink…”-Paul Russe, manager

“Licensing can become a powerful tool to limit innovation and competition and act to limit upward mobility.”–Occupational Licensing: Bad for Competition, Bad for Low-Income Workers

Delaware: Governor Jack Markell is blaming high unemployment on the fact that more than 25% of jobs require some kind of license.  The cost and time needed to get those licenses is a major barrier for many people interested in those jobs.  Markell ordered a review of employment (occupational) licensing regulations in Delaware.

Idaho:  In Boise, christian healthcare scammer Saint Luke’s Regional Medical Center has been found in violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  In 2015 an employee reported to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) that Saint Luke’s was not ‘coding’ certain time off as FMLA.  The DoL reviewed two years worth of “hundreds” of employee records and concluded that Saint Luke’s “…failed to ensure that all employees on FMLA-covered leave received all the protections…”  Interestingly the DoL determination, and resulting Saint Luke’s resolution actually took place in November 2015, but only now is being made public!  In February I reported how Saint Luke’s was caught stealing local property taxes! 

Illinois: Local news reports say Harper College in Palatine, and College of Lake County in Grayslake, laid off about 49 employees due to the failed ‘elected’ lawmakers’ budget battles.

Louisiana: The A-Hole Jefferson Parish Council was pushing to outlaw their own parish appointees and attorneys from having a second job!   Their paranoia was put to rest when parish president Mike Yenni revealed there are already regulations prohibiting such behavior.

Michigan: In Coldwater, after 44 years Taylor’s Stationary shutting down this week, the building has a new owner.

Nebraska: In Hastings, a former manager of the local Holiday Inn is paying a $5-hundred USD fine and serving one year of probation after being caught employing an illegal immigrant as a supervisor.  The case involves another hotel run by Kearney Hospitality.  The illegal immigrant left Kearney Hospitality after it was discovered that the U.S. Social Security Administration (SS) was investigating the employee’s legality.  Federal prosecutors say an administrator with Kearney Hospitality told the manager of the Holiday Inn to change the name of the employee on the employment records because of the SS investigation.  The administrator with Kearney Hospitality will be sentenced next month.

New Hampshire:  Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine laying off 30 people, and conducting restructuring that will affect 285 employees!  The 285 are being considered for transfer to Dartmouth-Hitchcock.  In Milford, Eversource (Public Service of New Hampshire) shutting down their Elm Street electric station.  This has people upset as Eversource claims demand for power is doubling and has proposed bringing in electricity from British empire Canada, as well as jacking up utility rates to pay for natural gas.   Eversource is also dealing with numerous lawsuits.

New York: Quantum Medical Imaging shutting down their medical instrument factory in Ronkonkoma, 83 jobs lost between July and November.  NYC based EmblemHealth warning of “several hundred” layoffs in their Information Technology (IT) department!  The IT jobs are being outsourced to cheap-o contractors as part of ObamaCare “modernization” of the healthcare industry.  Sears Holdings issued a WARN for the shutdown of the Irondequoit and Plattsburgh Sears stores, 154 jobs lost by the end of July!  In Plattsburgh, Nova Bus/Prevost eliminating 70 jobs, apparently due to reduction of taxpayer funding of public transportation (administrators called it a reduction in “market demand”).  In Sidney, tax-sucker Amphenol Aerospace laid off at least 90 employees blaming a sudden ‘stop order’ by U.S. Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime.  In Albion, after almost six years the owners of Bindings Bookstore suddenly announced it’ll shutdown this week.  Sales are good, but not good enough for the owners and they’re trying trying to sell it off.

North Dakota: In Mandan, after 17 years the Dollar Store shutting down, the building was sold to a chiropractic clinic.

Ohio: In Toledo, after 40 years pawn shop Standard Loan shutting down when the inventory is gone.  The owner told local news sources that he’s financially broke.

Pennsylvania: In Hazleton, after 65 years Fierro Furniture shutting down.

South Carolina: In Orangeburg, Regional Medical Center laying off 33 employees, cutting hours for 27 and eliminating 30 vacant jobs. Because of ObamaCare the hospital needs to cut $4.9-million USD in expenses!

Texas:  Massive oil industry layoffs have revealed a major lie about ObamaCare.  One of the promises of the Affordable Care Act was that people who were not employed, or who lost their jobs, would still be covered for healthcare under ObamaCare.  A Houston Chronicle investigation found that most oil industry survivors have learned they don’t qualify for ObamaCare: “In the U.S., losing your job could mean losing your health insurance. Most other countries don’t do this.  …The ACA, if anything, entrenched our dependence on employer-provided health insurance…..  That’s the hole. It is contrary to the spirit of the law.”-Jessica Roberts, University of Houston’s Law Center

Washington: A little more than a month after killing 120 IT jobs, Seattle based retailer Nordstrom announced it must layoff an additional 4-hundred employees!  Administrators blame it on crashing sales.

Washington DC: The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) is trying to push two changes with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); discrimination and how workers are paid. At the same time the U.S. Congress is trying to block those changes, accusing the DoL EEOC of failing to investigate 76-thousand cases of employer discrimination of employees!   In a connected case, the U.S. Census Bureau has admitted to intentionally discriminating against ‘minority’ citizens with criminal backgrounds.   The Census Bureau is settling a lawsuit accusing it of refusing to employ ‘minorities’ who have completed prison sentences after being convicted of a crime.  The amount it will cost taxpayers has yet to be revealed, but it is being called a “landmark” case of discrimination by a federal government employer.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

22-23 April 2016: “It makes zero sense”

Sears Kmart update 21 April 2016 : “A lot of customers don’t even believe this”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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.”

Technology

“all companies need to create real business.” : 4th Q 2015, Proof U.S. brick-n-mortars can’t blame internet/high-tech for their demise

Incomplete list of U.S. internet/high-tech job destruction announcements from October to December 2015

Solar power parts company SunEdison eliminated 730 jobs in California and Missouri! It might be connected to the takeover of Vivint Solar.

Arizona:  In Phoenix, a whistleblower told ABC15 that taxsucker Honeywell is eliminating at least 1-thousand jobs, right after forced unpaid holiday furloughs! The whistleblower said employees close to retirement will also be laid off, as well as pay cuts for those who will still be employed. One reason for the secret layoffs is Honeywell is planning to move its call center operations to Mexico.

California:  Irvine based newspapers, websites and mobile applications operator Freedom Communications now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Video game maker Red5 laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  New York based ITT ( International Telephone & Telegraph) shutting down its Perris office, at least 18 jobs lost by February 2016. Internet based grocery delivery service Instacart (once valued at $2-billion USD) laid off 12 employees. Administrators also stated they “no longer need to maintain such an aggressive hiring pace” in 2016.   Cupertino based Apple computers has essentially admitted to tax evasion charges in Italy. Apple wil pay the equivilant of $347.7-million USD to settle unpaid Italian taxes from 2008 to 2013.  Palo Alto based internet advertising company PubMatic eliminated 150 jobs since October! Administrators blame crashing ad sales, in fact they admitted they lost “90% of our revenue”! Mass layoffs for San Jose based networking computer maker Cisco, at least 289 people by January 2016!  San Francisco based music streamer Rdio issued a shutdown WARN, 123 people out of a job right after Xmas!  Internet ‘storefront’ Humble Bundle laid off 12 people admitting they were way “too ambitious” in their hiring practices.  Also in San Francisco, wearable electronics maker Jawbone laid off 60 employees “As part of our strategy to create a more ….successful company…”   Internet based HotelTonight reservation app laid off 34 people. Redwood City based Oracle Corporation announced it will eliminate 150 jobs in Germany as part of a plan to consolidate IT jobs to Romania! Since 2002, Oracle has eliminated about 1-thousand 3-hundred jobs in North America and Europe! And CoreLogic shutting down an office by January 2016, at least 21 jobs lost.   Circuit board maker ISOLA USA shutting down their Elk Grove ops after Xmas, 72 jobs lost.  In Fremont, Wisconsin based electronics maker Plexus issued a shutdown WARN, 204 jobs lost by September 2016!  In the City of Commerce, AT&T eliminating 99 jobs by January 2016.  In Irvine, Verizon issued a layoff WARN saying 171 people will become unemployed after Xmas!   Tax-sucking defense contractor Microsemi eliminating 57 jobs in Garden Grove, by the beginning of January 2016. Tax-sucker Boeing issued more layoff WARNs adding another 66 layoffs to the hundreds already announced.  Pennsylvania based Vishay Intertechnology announced they will eliminate 292 Santa Clara jobs by March 2016! They are moving jobs to other countries, calling it “…moving headcounts into lower cost geographies.”  Marvell Semiconductor revealed they will layoff 21 people right before Xmas. Washington based Microsoft laying off four San Diegans right before Xmas. In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard (HP) just can’t stop with the layoffs, an additional 65 jobs eliminated. News analysts say HP could hit 85-thousand layoffs since 2012!  In Thousand Oaks, tax-sucker General Dynamics eliminated 55 jobs right after Thanksgiving. Audio electronics maker Western Digital eliminated 111 jobs right before Xmas! TTM Technologies shutdown with short notice, 175 jobs lost in Milpitas!  Twitter issued a layoff WARN, 240 people in San Francisco lost their jobs before Xmas!  In Emeryville, MobiTV laying off 57 people right after Thanksgiving.  U.S. tax-sucker Space Systems Loral (SSL) laid off 90 people without warning, notifying state employment administrators five days after the fact.   Sunnyvale based AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) eliminated 5-hundred jobs! Administrators essentially said there ain’t no economic recovery.

Colorado: Englewood (Meridian) based Dish-Network reported a net loss of 23-thousand customers in its 3rd quarter!  Cybersecurity doesn’t guarantee economic security as One World Labs (OWL) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. In 2014 the company had $3-million USD in revenue, but somehow is now in debt by $750-thousand USD. The company gained attention after hacking into dozens of airliners’ computer systems.

Connecticut: Administrators of Hartford based taxpayer rapist United Technologies warned employees that they will cut $1.5-billion USD in costs in 2016 (meaning jobs).  Japan based Canon Solutions America announced it is shutting down its Trumbull office, by the end of February 2016.

Florida: TV and internet shopping network QVC issued a shutdown WARN for their Port Saint Lucie Call Center, 640 jobs gone by April 2016!  In Miami, two Systemax companies, TigerDirect and Syx killing hundreds of jobs! Direct marketing retailer TigerDirect eliminating 76 jobs by mid January 2016. SYX Services and SYX Distribution issued WARNs saying 165 jobs lost by mid January 2016!   Fort Lauderdale based software company Citrix Systems eliminated 1-thousand in-house and contracted jobs! West Palm Beach based ‘clean technology’ fertilizer maker BioNitrogen chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The company hasn’t even finished construction on its first clean fertilizer factory! The company lost a $1.4-million lawsuit, but it was its own fault as the lawsuit was over unpaid debts.  Lake Mary based Faro Technologies warned of about 1-hundred layoffs due to crashing sales in China and Japan.

Georgia:  Electronic machine maker Sparton shutting down its Lawrenceville factory by June 2016, 82 jobs lost. ‘Optimizing facility footprint’ is the new term for consolidation.

Illinois: Internet advertising company Centro laid off 29 employees. CEO Shawn Riegsecker admitted corporate America is bullshitting everybody about profits and said “We’re at a moment where all companies need to create real business.”    Expedia eliminating 326 Orbitz jobs in Chicago in the beginning of 2016! It’s because Expedia now owns Orbitz.  Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar ‘escorted’ an undisclosed number of Global Information Services employees out the door. Administrators tried to say they were the employees who took the “voluntary buyout” (then why the escort out the door?).

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone company Sprint has begun its planned $2-billion USD in layoffs/cost cutting a month early! The layoffs were originally to take place by the end of January 2016, now Sprint administrators say the undisclosed number of massive layoffs will be “largely completed” by the end of January. Don’t forget, Sprint administrators claim they’re hurting for money so much that for employees laid off after January 2016 the severance package will be cut in half!

Louisiana: In New Orleans, Jacobs Technology/NASA eliminating 195 jobs at its Michoud Assembly Facility!

Maine: Payment processor WEX eliminating 80 jobs in South Portland.

Maryland: Bethesda based taxsucker Lockheed Martin eliminated 250 jobs in its Missiles and Fire Control division, right after Thanksgiving!

Massachusetts:   3D Systems shutting down in the Boston Weak state and eliminating 85 jobs, calling it a “strategic decision”.   California based computer chip maker Intel eliminating 175 jobs from its Hudson factory, starting January 2016! At one time the Hudson factory employed 7-hundred people!

Michigan: Midland based lithium ion battery maker XALT laid off another 106 employees (35 in September) blaming the failure of its Chinese customer who so far hasn’t been buying all the batteries it ordered back in March. This is what happens there’s only one global customer with the money to buy your product, and their economy starts crashing.  Oakdale based Imation warned of more job cuts, possibly due to its $7.5-million takeover of Connected Data.

Minnesota:  Minneapolis based software company Code42 laid off 30 employees. The arrogant administrators said the employees weren’t a good fit for the new corporate culture of growth.

Nevada: California based solar panel maker SolarCity leaving The Silver State because the state Public Utilities Commission jacked up fees charged to people who put solar panels on their homes, and reduced how much electric power companies have to pay those home owners for extra power generated by the solar panels. The net result is that people who put solar panels on their homes will actually see their electricity bill go up by about $40 per month! Up till now analysts say Nevada homeowners with solar power panels had reduced their electricity bill by a measly $15 per month. Evil utility companies demand that even people who go off the power grid should still have to pay to support that evil grid! SolarCity’s exit from The Silver State could affect at least 2-thousand jobs!

New Jersey: Mercer County Community College eliminated at least 24 IT jobs.   In Piscataway, IDT Corporation issued a WARN saying 84 employees rendered unemployed by January 2016. In Florham Park, Germany based BASF issued a WARN saying 92 people will be laid off by mid-January 2016.  Basking Ridge based cell phone rip-off artist Verizon on the verge of eliminating 6-thousand jobs! This is according to an investment advisor who says he’s been warned of the massive layoffs from inside sources.

New York:  12 New Yorkers lost their jobs with video game company Avalanche Studios.  In NYC, ancient internet company AOL eliminated 1-hundred jobs due to its takeover of evil cell phone company Verizon! Reports say more AOL-Verizon layoffs are in the works.  Internet music site Songza being shutdown in January 2016 by its new owner Google Play.   New York Life Insurance WARNed that they were “relocating” jobs within their Information Technology and Finance Operations, at least 59 IT employees affected between February and September 2016.  Internet ‘members only’ shopping site Ideel issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC operations. They’ve joined the mass exodus from the Big Apple and will move to Illinois, 63 New Yorkers unemployed by March 2016.  Semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries warned of mass layoffs at its Luther Forest Technology Campus. Administrators said they’d have more details about just how many people will be let go by the end of the month. The California based company is also killing jobs in Germany.  Infrared vision device maker ORAFOL Display Optics issued a shutdown WARN for their Rochester facility, 27 jobs lost right after Xmas.  Maker of 3D printers MakerBot eliminated 20% of its jobs, for the 2nd time: “We are facing tremendous challenges at MakerBot. Across the board throughout the industry we are seeing a very slow growth pace in the 3D printing space, and of course MakerBot is impacted by that as well.”-Jonathan Jaglom, ceo

North Carolina: In Weaverville, Arvato Digital services shutting down their 32 years old CD-DVD ops, 120 jobs lost! Administrators said “We still have customers, but not enough….” 

Oregon:  In Beaverton, Micro Power Electronics eliminating 140 jobs after Xmas, New York based administrators refused to say why!

Pennsylvania:  In Richland Township, Concurrent Technologies laying off 30 people after Xmas. Company administrators say it’s the only way they can stay “competitive” in this suck-ass global economy.  After three years non-profit ‘tech incubator’ Seed Philly shutdown due to the new property owner terminating the lease early.

Rhode Island: Blue Cross Blue Shield announced it will eliminate 80 IT jobs over the next 18 months. The health insurance company is joining the trend of contracting out its IT operations, ironically blaming ObamaCare (ironic because the health insurance industry created ObamaCare).

Texas:  Giant corporation General Electric is demanding local taxpayers kickback some money for the GE Manufacturing Solutions train factory in Fort Worth, under the Triple Freeport Exemption which burdens those who do pay taxes!  Round Rock based Dell made the biggest tech takeover deal ever ($67-billion USD). Now the administrators of Dell/EMC hinted at mass layoffs: “Of course when we do this we want to make sure we do this in a way that’s very attractive to the EMC shareholders and a fair deal…”-Joe Tucci, EMC ceo

Vermont: Semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries warned of mass layoffs at its Essex Junction and Hopewell Junction fabs.

Washington: Seattle based internet streaming service RealNetworks laid off 60 people, blaming their new contract with evil Verizon.  Redmond based Microsoft announced yet another round of mass job destruction, this time 1-thousand more people will join the already 25-thousand 8-hundred people who’ve lost their jobs due to Microsoft!

Washington DC: Education tech company Blackboard laid off an undisclosed number of employees. News reports guesstimate 1-hundred people lost their jobs!

Wisconsin:   Rockwell Automation warned of 255 layoffs in 2016, saying “…we believe we’ll see a slowing of the economy.”   Littelfuse shutting down their Hamlin circuit protection maker HQ in Lake Mills, layoffs begin before Xmas. Local news reports say at one time Littelfuse-Hamlin had 2-hundred employees in Lake Mills.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics

“It makes zero sense.” Less jobs = more homelessness = more police state-ism! GM shuts down U.S. factories! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 22 – 23 April 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: In Huntsville, after 20 years the Tai Pan Palace restaurant shutting down on Sunday.

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; San Louis Obispo based e-commerce company Kibo (Shopatron) suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of people (reports vary from eight to 25), blaming it on Kibo’s merger with two other e-commerce companies.  The A-Hole nazi Oceanside city administrators want to shutdown iconic Municipal Pier at night, claiming it’s because of ‘security’ issues caused by the increasing number of homeless people using the pier as a place to sleep.  Local fisherman Roger Adams calls bullshit on the city’s plans saying “It makes zero sense. I come here everyday. There is nothing that bad that it warrants closing the pier.”  Here’s an idea for Oceanside, why not create a better economy so there aren’t so many homeless people?   In North Oakland, after 90 years (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) Genova Delicatessen shutting down by the end of the month, due to disagreements over the rent: “We’ve always felt the prices should be reasonable and the food really good quality which we have been able to manage, but the cost of doing business is to the point now where it became uncomfortable.”-Patti DeVincenzi

Idaho: Yet another hospital manager is condemning Idaho’s version of ObamaCare; Your Health Idaho.  Michael Baumann, of the Mountain Division of the Hospital Corporation of America, said “…those who are not getting the care that they need, by the time they show up, it’s even more costly. So why don’t we provide the access up front through Medicaid expansion?     ….You know I’m actually fairly conservative, but when it comes to healthcare…..I’m just really open to the fact we need change.”

Louisiana:  Oklahoma based Helmerich & Payne shutting down Gulf of Mexico oil rig operations after contracts were canceled, 50 jobs lost. 

Michigan:  What automotive industry recovery?  Detroit based General Motors (GM) announced it will shutdown three U.S. factories and one Canadian factory starting Monday, using the excuse that there’s going to be a parts shortage caused by the recent earthquake in Japan.  Thousands of people ‘temporarily’ laid off (furloughed).

Nebraska: Downsizing by the world’s largest uranium mining company, British empire Canada based Cameco, will result in 85 layoffs at the Crow Butte uranium mine.  It’s blamed on five years of low commodity prices for the radioactive rock.

New Jersey: The Clifton Board of Education approved the outright elimination of 49 jobs and also notified 5-hundred non-tenured employees that they will not be considered for re-hire next school year!

New York: In Lower Manhattan NYC, ‘tasting-menu’ restaurant Recette shutting down.  The owner is consolidating the concept with one of his other restaurants, in an attempt to save money on escalating rents.

North Carolina:  The 3rd largest cigarette maker in the U.S. International Textile Group (ITG Brands) confirmed it will layoff 375 employees in Greensboro, in June!  It’s blamed on crashing cigarette sales.

North Dakota: In Williston (a place I remember to be a true ‘Mayberry RFD’, but now a hell-hole no thanks to the oil boom), less than three years after opening, the Home Depot shutdown due to the oil bust.  The oil bust is so bad for Williston that the Home Depot was down to just five employees before they shut it down!

Oklahoma: The state Department of Human Services warning of layoffs and “catastrophic cuts” to services due to $150-million USD shortage in tax funding!

Texas: Dallas based AT&T is now offering poor families internet service for as little as $5 per month!  This is because the federal government (FCC Lifeline program) is finally recognizing that there are now more poor people than ever before and that the overwhelming majority of employers now do hiring through the internet only (no more walk-ins like when I was younger).

South Carolina: What housing market recovery?  In Fort Mills, California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo eliminating 91 mortgage jobs, blaming crashing demand for home loans.  In North Charleston, Boeing is pushing 2-hundred employees to take bribes to voluntarily quit!

Wisconsin: Texas based oil-gas fracker EOG Resources eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs without warning, blaming “market conditions”.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

20-21 April 2016: “We are in a battle with our landlord”

Sears Kmart update 21 April 2016 : “A lot of customers don’t even believe this” 

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

“It was a blow, cut us off at the knees.” : Idaho, Economic Decline 2013

Incomplete list of economic shenanigans in The Gem State, Gregorian year 2013

January: In Chubbuck, both Eddie’s Bakery and car cruise gathering spot Johnny B Goode’s restaurant shutdown. Eddie’s was killed off by the sudden collapse of parent company Hostess (the original Hostess, the Hostess snacks you see in the grocery stores now are phony).

Johnny B Goode’s had been declining in food quality, cleanliness and popularity (I know, I had been eating there since 1997).

With almost no notice, Boise based Honk’s $1.00 filed chapter 11 bankruptcy around 16 January 2013.

However, and despite what Boise media reported, they started closing down stores weeks earlier, like the one in Pocatello (the pic was actually taken a week before the Boise news media reported the bankruptcy). It’s reported that the dollar store corporation just can’t sell enough of the crap they have, and in Utah they owe tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid sales taxes and rent!

The Ann Taylor women’s clothing store in the Boise Towne Square mall, gone for good. 14 employees out-o-work.  And California based See Jane Run women’s sports wear closed their only store outside of The Golden State, in Boise.

Famous Rhodes Bake-N-Serv shutdown its Caldwell bread factory and moved to Wisconsin, leaving 49 Idahoans out-o-work. The Caldwell factory had been in operation since 1962.

February: In Emmett, the Emerald Forest Products lumber mill shutdown without notice, and some reports said without paying employees final paychecks (I experienced that back in September 2012, when Metro Couriers went bust without notice, and no help from Idaho Job Service). According to signs on the company’s gate Emerald Forest Products was getting money from U.S. taxpayers ($4 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). Media reports did not explain why the mill closed, but gave the impression lumber mills in Idaho could only operate profitably with tax payer subsidies. (so much for Idaho being a Republican Right Wing Conservative state)

Wholesale Sports shutdown its Coeur d’Alene store. Blame it on California based real estate investment company Alamo Group.

As I’ve reported before, the Heinz frozen food factory in Pocatello ending production of T.G.I. Friday’s frozen entrees, 80 jobs lost. Shortly afterwards Presbyterian/Agnostic Warren Buffett announced he was investing big into Heinz. Investors from Brazil, known as 3G Capital, joined Buffett in the Heinz take over because they also own Burger King, which uses a lot of Heinz ketchup. 3G Capital is known for “cutting up” companies (typical Romneyite vulture capitalists) so it’s expected Heinz will layoff more people. Also, there are now reports of an inside trader investigation.

Also in Pocatello, the Wesco Paint store shutdown.  A note was on the door instructing loyal customers to drive about 112.7km (70 miles) to the nearest Wesco store!

Simplot shutdown its Heyburn potato processing factory. 56 employees affected. The company spent big bucks building a new more efficient potato factory in Caldwell. What’s interesting is that the Heyburn employees say the news was a surprise to them, however I’ve been reading about the planned move since November 2011!!! According to Capital Press, the November 2011 announcement said the new Caldwell factory would be so efficient that J.R. Simplot would shut down three older factories in Idaho (including Heyburn), resulting in 8-hundred Idahoans losing their jobs! (in fact I warned about it in a 10 November 2011 posting)

March: The Idaho National Laboratory laid off 101 people in eastern Idaho, that’s after 114 employees voluntarily quit and 60 positions were eliminated! As many as 450 layoffs are planned: “We will be watching the budget situation closely in the coming months and hope to have a clearer picture of any additional actions that will be necessary.”-Mark Holubar, INL human resources

May:  Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance laid off 55 people across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Utah (some reports said 56). Regence is outsourcing claims processing to a company in New Jersey.

In Pocatello, after five years of delays the now failed local taxpayer funded polysilicon project Hoku Materials sits idle and unfinished, no thanks to Obama regime’s anti-China sanctions and commodity markets. 

June: Utility company Idaho Power blames its rate increases on the failure of Hoku Materials’ $700-million USD polysilicon factory. It turns out that Idaho Power invested $23-million into the failed factory, but not only that Hoku Materials repeatedly refused to pay their massive electric bill! 

The Cactus Grill, in Twin Falls, closed despite seven years of booming business. The eatery operation located on the property of Home Depot was shutdown by the very same Home Depot corporation (the Home Depot manager was unaware of the corporate decision). It was part of Home Depot’s plan to end eatery operations just outside their store exits. Cactus Grill owner, Billy Elser said “It was a blow, cut us off at the knees. That’s how I make a living!”

In Caldwell, Caldwell Pawn shutdown. The owner said he dealt in micro-loans years before they were called micro-loans (some as small as $20) to help people out, but after 22 years of business he wants to retire. He also stated that sales dropped since 2009.

July: The Galena silver mine laid off 126 employees! Company officials are taking a 10% to 20% pay cut. They blame declining silver prices: “The ongoing decline in the price of silver required us to look for further cost savings in order to be profitable and protect our balance sheet going forward.”-Darren Blasutti, CEO

August: In Boise, Micron Technologies (the World’s 2nd largest DRAM maker) announced it will fire 1-thousand 5-hundred employees! It’s the result of Micron taking over Japanese competitor Elpida. Micron officials say the layoffs will be spread around the World, but a Boise financial consultant, Dave Pesto, said “It appears to be pretty heavy here.” Micron laid off 2-thousand people in Boise back in 2009!

In Pocatello, the Computer Medical Center died, and Discount Cosmetic Boutique, with its “Amazing Makeup” and “Amazing Prices”, began an ‘amazing‘ going out of business sale.

In Caldwell, the Canyon County Animal Shelter warned of layoffs due to county budget concerns and crashing donations!

September: In Boise, Affinion Group kills 226 jobs!

In Wallace, U.S. Silver & Gold mine laid off 130 people! The company calls itself “…the second largest primary silver producer in the United States.” Company officials blamed the layoffs on falling silver prices.

October: Sandpoint based women’s clothing retailer, Coldwater Creek, warned it will layoff at least 20% of its employees in 2014.

In Nampa, Farm and City Supply shutdown. “There’s not enough sales to make it work right now. It’s been a struggle the whole time!”-Carl Woodburn, owner

November: It’s official, Heinz is shutting down their long time Pocatello food factory, 410 Heinz employees to become unemployed in 2014! That’s another huge impact on the Chubbuck/Pocatello area. The Idaho Department of Labor estimates the shutdown will also kill 2-hundred additional local jobs! The city of Pocatello currently has the highest unemployment rate in the Gem State.

Also in Pocatello, in what would be the first of two auctions, Hoku Materials was bought by the unpaid contractor that did most of the construction on the polysilicon factory.  JH Kelly submitted the winning bid of $5.273-million USD, for a factory worth $700-million!    But like I said, this would turn out to be the first of two auctions.  Just a couple of weeks later a federal court blocked JH Kelly’s winning bid and ordered another auction! 

In Chubbuck, the GGP owned (and dying) Pine Ridge Mall sells for a paltry $9-million USD.  

In Idaho Falls, Mattress Country “Calls it Quits!”, and shutdown.

December: In Pocatello, Hallmark Coach House Gifts shutdown with little notice, and no explanation. Employees were told just four days before the shutdown. At least 11 jobs lost. Coach House Gifts is a Iowa based franchise, the shutdown could be part of Hallmark’s ongoing restructuring because of the bad economy.

And in the second auction for Pocatello’s failed Hoku Materials factory, unpaid contractor JH Kelly won again with a bid of $8.3-million.  Optimism was so high in eastern Idaho that local TV news reports claimed 1-thousand jobs were on their way!  However, as I reported, attorneys for JH Kelly said they knew nothing about any deal to bring jobs and they were going to chop it up and sell it off.

In Meridian, tax-sucking pistol holster maker ATK/Blackhawk! laid off 75 employees. Their biggest customers were the U.S. military and law enforcement.

In Caldwell, food company Simplot shutdown, 262 jobs lost!

“We’re going to go down.” : Idaho’s Economic Decline 2015 

More Economic Decline: Who is the new owner of Chubbuck’s Pine Ridge Mall? It’s not the “family” company you think it is! GGP connection? 

Kroger joins other employers in using Obama Care as excuse to cut employee hours and benefits, including at Fred Meyer in Idaho & Washington! 

A History Lesson in Economic Decline: Pocatello’s Old Fred Meyer & Albertsons on Yellowstone Ave, did not close down in the 1990s

Occupy America: Some facts about Revolutions the leaderless Wall Street occupiers, and Tea Partiers, need to know

Mormon Mitt Romney co-founded Bain Capital destroyed jobs in Chubbuck, Idaho. 

Business/Economics

“We are in a battle with our landlord” “We have to be realistic” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 20 – 21 April 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: In Auburn, after 20 years The Chocolate Shoppe & Gift Emporium (and art gallery) shutting down by the end of May, the owners want to retire.  In San Francisco, clothier San Franpsycho shutting down their brick-n-mortar store this weekend.  Rent is too high in the Golden Gate city so the store owners are shifting to events and internet sales only.

Florida: In Ave Maria, Beckner Jewelry and Repair shutting down in May.  The owners say they love their community so much that they are shifting to much needed “social work”.

Georgia: In Hephzibah, a Food Lion grocery store suddenly shutdown this past weekend, administrators say they couldn’t renew the lease.  In Augusta, a Kroger grocery store shutting down soon.  Kroger reps blame the shutdown on crashing sales, 110 Kroger employees will become jobless by June!   Kim Hines of G.R.O.W. Harrisburg has an ominous warning: “A ‘food desert’ is a lack of access to fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy foods. So it’s a dependency on a community on convenience store foods and processed foods, or in some cases no food at all.”  

Illinois:  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign warning of mass layoffs due to the incompetent ‘elected’ state lawmakers.  The mass layoffs would take place by the end of August.  OfficeMax shutting down their store in Crestwood, by mid-May.

Iowa: Button maker Blumenthal Lansing shutting down their Lansing factory, 80 jobs gone by July.  It’s the result of the company being taken over by Pennsylvania based greeting card and novelty maker CSS Industries.

Kentucky: Jefferson Community and Technical College eliminating 101 jobs (61 ’employees’ & 40 ‘instructors’) due to what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS)!  Since 2010 student enrollment has crashed by 4-thousand 3-hundred!  What automotive industry recovery? Powertrain maker Dana Corporation shutting down their Glasgow ops, 203 jobs lost by mid-2017!

Louisiana:  Oil contractor Gulf Island eliminating 227 jobs by the end of June, due to lack of oil contracts!  After 29 years fracking supplier Carbo Ceramics shutting down, 61 jobs gone by mid-June.   Despite reporting a $23-million USD profit last year Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino began laying off 2-hundred people!  That’s according to state politician Dustin Miller as the administrators of the race track (Boyd Gaming) refuse to give any info, in fact administrators downplayed the whole thing.  Boyd Gaming says the mass layoffs are not due to the economy but is their attempt at “fine tuning the operations”, which is code for greatly increasing their profits. In Baton Rouge, after seven years Truly Free Bakery & Deli suddenly shutdown by greedy landlord who refuses to properly fix the sewage system: “We are in a battle with our landlord over a very serious and quite frankly, disgusting issue. We have had major sewer problems for over 3 years, and to our frustration, this problem was never fully fixed—only temporary ‘band aides’ were attempted. This issue has persisted and has been more problematic over the last year.”– Erick and Ainsley Coughlin, owners

Maryland: In College Park, after 42 years Pianoman Superstore shutting down due to crashing sales: “It’d be great if there was enough interest to keep it going, but there isn’t.”– Nick Margaritas, owner

Michigan: Pittsford Area Schools Board of Education approved the layoff of five employees.  It’s blamed on what I call DSS, the school board even stated that families are moving away from the state of Michigan.

New York: Japan based Too Big to Jail Nomura Holdings issued mass layoff WARNs,  235 people jobless in July!  It’s because Nomura was tricked into buying the already failed Lehman Brothers.  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; Amazon halting its clothing line, 94 MyHabit jobs lost in NYC and Brooklyn, in July.  In Sidney, tax-sucking military contractor Amphenol Aerospace suddenly laid off 1-hundred people when the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) suddenly cancelled an order for electronics parts!  A-Hole politician Charles Schumer blames it on Pentagon “red tape”, however, there are indications from the DoD that the parts are faulty. After four years the Fort Greene General Store shutting down by the end of the month, due to outrageous rent: “When I sat down and really looked hard at the numbers, I just couldn’t deny the effects of rising costs…. We have to be realistic and focus on other businesses with less overhead….”-Adriana Spence, owner

North Carolina: In Charlotte, after 19 years expensive Italian shoe store Via Veteto shutting down, the owners say they’re retiring.

Ohio: Iron foundry Columbus Castings about to go outta business, 799 jobs lost due to debts, and fines caused by violations of state and federal pollution regulations!   After announcing the shutdown of their Youngstown ops (137 jobs killed), Parker Hannifin now says it will also shutdown its Akron pneumatic cylinder factory, 75 jobs lost. 

Washington: In Tacoma, Cablecraft Motion Controls issued a WARN, 39 jobs lost starting mid-June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

19 April 2016: “Sometimes we have to pull the Band-Aid off quickly.”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Sears Kmart update 21 April 2016 : “A lot of customers don’t even believe this” New shutdowns, thousands jobless by Summer!

In Canada, Sears Canada shutting down its Sears Outlet stores in London and Whitehorse.  The franchise owner of the Whitehorse store says sheeple customers are in shock: “It’s Sears’ decision, it’s not our decision.  They are saying the main cause would be the shipping, which is really expensive to ship up to the North… they’re not making much profit…. A lot of customers don’t even believe this, that we’re going to close the store.”-Arun Ramalingam

In the U.S., Eddie Lampert’s Sears Holdings released a new list of stores being shutdown by July 2016.

06 April 2016 :  “Slap in the face!” as Sears shuts down another profit making stores! 

Here’s the updated list of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011, new closing revelations in BOLD:

Alabama: Oxford Sears, Birmingham Kmart on Chalkville Mountain, Decatur Kmart  on Beltline Road, Homewood Kmart, Mobile Kmart on Z Schillingers Road.   The Montgomery Sears store and Auto Center in the Eastdale Mall shutting down, 56 jobs lost by the end of June 2016. City leaders of Anniston have agreed to fork over $3-million precious local tax dollars to fund the re-development of an abandoned Kmart. Prattville Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 70 jobs lost. Florence Kmart in March, 64 jobs lost in 2016. A local news report said the employees knew nothing about it and were shocked to hear it from the news media! Dothan Kmart (south side of Ross Clark Circle) shutting down in March, 56 jobs lost in 2016. 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).

Arkansas: Little Rock Sears.

Arizona: Nogales Kmart. The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April 2016. No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.” Local news reports say there is a Now Hiring sign posted on the Kmart store front. Reports that the Glendale Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. 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!

California: Dinuba Kmart, Lodi Kmart, Tulare Kmart, Wasco Kmart.  Sears Holdings created Seritage Growth Properties is renting out half of three Sears stores; one in Roseville, one in Citrus Heights and one in Sacramento. Supposedly Sears will continue its operations in the other half of the buildings. On 10 March the Garden Center roof of the Santa Rosa Kmart collapsed during a rain storm. Fire inspectors said the roof was already compromised due to dry rot before the rain storm, a local news reporter said managers knew about the condition of the roof because it was sagging, and they called in contractors. The contractors tried to prop up the roof before the rain storm hit. Anaheim Kmart shutting down, 107 jobs lost in 2016! The Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutting down between March and April 2016, a total of 3-hundred jobs lost! 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: Putnam Kmart.  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: Jacksonville Sears and Kmart.  Neptune Beach Kmart, Perry Kmart.  The Lutz Kmart shutting down by March 2016, 62 jobs lost. The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March 2016, 86 jobs lost. 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: The 37 years old Carrollton Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016. Dublin Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 71 jobs lost. Milledgeville Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 60+ jobs lost. Mount Berry Square Mall (Rome) Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March 2016, 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 25 years old Nimitz HWY Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart shutting down in March 2016, 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).

Idaho: Boise Kmart on Fairview shutting down by mid-March 2016, 56 jobs lost. Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 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: Chicago Kmart on South Pulaski.  Danville Kmart, Galesburg Kmart, Lansing Kmart, Pekin Kmart, Rock Island Kmart.  Eliminated 401 Hoffman Estates HQ jobs due to crappy 2015 holiday sales! 151 of those jobs were already vacant. Morton ‘green’ Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Canton Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 38 jobs lost. 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: Bloomington Kmart, New Albany Kmart.  Bloomington’s College Mall Sears & Auto Center shutting down by mid-June 2016, at least 52 jobs lost. In Schererville, Sears Hardware shutting down in April 2016. 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: Sears Holdings shutting down their West Des Moines call center by June 2016, 162 jobs lost! Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 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: Hutchison Kmart.  North Topeka Kmart shutting down in 2016, 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: Two Kmarts in Louisville.  Elizabethtown Kmart, Maysville Kmart, Paintsville Kmart.  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: Houma Sears, Pineville Kmart.  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: Tewksbury Kmart.  Fairhaven Sears Appliance & Hardware shutting down by mid-April. Local news reports said the ignorant employees actually thought the shutdown notice was a joke! I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News. 79 jobs lost as the Fall River Kmart shuts down in May 2016. North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost). Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive shutdown. 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: Midland Sears, Houghton Lake Kmart, Taylor Kmart.  The Bradley Kmart has a new owner who is shutting it down in 2016. Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart will be shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018. The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost. Ironwood Kmart by mid-April, 47 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: Dundas Kmart by April 2016, 32 jobs lost. Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 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: Corinth Kmart.  The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutting down in April, no word on job losses. 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: Bridgeton Kmart, Springfield Kmart.  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: Billings Kmart.  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: Hastings Kmart.  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: Lodi Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 75 jobs lost. 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: Albuquerque’s Coronado Center Sears suddenly shutdown their Auto Center, and will reduce the size of the main store by 50% within two months. Sears goon Howard Riefs stated “We will rightsize the labor…”, but gave no numbers. The ‘rightsizing’ of the Coronado Center store is in partnership with one of my evil former employers, mall owner GGP. SearsLas Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Irondequoit Sears, Plattsburgh Sears, Poughkeepsie Kmart, Rochester Kmart.  Staten Island Mall Sears Auto Center will shutdown in February, 20 jobs lost. 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 (Sangertown Mall) 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: Brevard Kmart, Gastonia Kmart, Lumberton Kmart, Pineville Kmart, Rocky Mount Kmart.  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: Marion Sears, Ashtabula Kmart, Eaton Kmart, Fremont Kmart, Lima Kmart, Lorain Kmart, Springboro Kmart.  Englewood Kmart, 57 jobs lost by the end of July 2016. Fort Stueben Mall Sears store and Auto Center, 53 jobs lost in June 2016. Sandusky Mall Sears store and Auto Center, 44 jobs lost in June 2016. 78 jobs lost as the Lancaster Kmart is shutting down in May 2016. 18 jobs lost as the Dixie Highway Sears Hardware shuts down this Friday. The 28 years old Sears and its Auto Center in New Philadelphia shutting down by mid-April 2016, 46 jobs lost. Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown. Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. Zanesville Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 65 jobs lost. Boardman Kmart by April 2016, 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: Butler Sears, New Castle Sears, Beaver Falls Kmart, Philadelphia Kmart on Frankford Avenue. Two Pittsburgh Kmarts.   Reading Kmart, Uniontown Kmart.  Sears store in the Beaver Valley Mall shutting down by June 2016, 62 jobs lost.  Viewmont Mall Sears store and Auto Center, 86 jobs lost in July 2016. Reports that the Exton Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. 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: Camden Kmart.  61 jobs lost as the North Augusta Kmart is shutting down by May 2016. 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: Huron Kmart, Yankton Kmart.  The Pierre Kmart shutting down by the end of March 2016, 45 jobs lost. The Michell Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 52 jobs lost. Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Athens Kmart, Sweetwater Kmart, Maryville Kmart.  The Murfreesboro Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 43 jobs lost. A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutting down in April, 109 jobs lost! Clarksville Kmart shutting down in April, 68 jobs lost. Cleveland Kmart shutting down by mid-March 2016, 67 jobs lost. 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: El Paso Kmart, Mission Kmart, Sweetwater Kmart.  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 Sikes Senter Mall Sears (56 jobs lost).

Utah: Draper Kmart, Price Kmart, West Jordan Kmart.  35 years old Richfield Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. North Logan Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 58 jobs lost. Murray Sears (local 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: The Bennington Sears Hometown Store shutdown. Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virginia:  Chester Kmart, 76 jobs gone by mid-July 2016.   The Cedar Bluff (50 jobs lost), Covington (36 jobs lost) and Virginia Beach on General Booth Boulevard (no job numbers reported) Kmarts shutting down between March and April 2016! The Sears Hometown Store in Culpeper shutting down by the end of the month. 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: Hartford Kmart.  Superior Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 42 jobs lost. 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).

In April 2015, Sears Holdings (through Seritage Growth Properties) and General Growth Properties (GGP) became 50/50 joint owners of 12 Sears stores.

Here’s a list of 11 Sears stores 100% 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

“Sometimes we have to pull the Band-Aid off quickly.” Intel kills 12,000 jobs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 19 April 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: The Tax Foundation ranks California’s income tax rate at 7th highest in the United States.  In Livermore, the decades old Applebee’s restaurant suddenly shutdown because, according to the manager, “It just was not economically feasible anymore.”   More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; Santa Clara based Intel confirmed it is about to eliminate 12-thousand jobs, blaming it on crashing computer sales! 

Connecticut: University of Connecticut Health Center eliminating 89 jobs at the Farmington prison medical unit.  It’s blamed on the Gov’na.   bfresh issued a shutdown WARN for its Fairfield grocery store, 84 jobs lost by mid-June.

Florida: In Dania, Cohen Dania Beach Hotel-Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port Hotel eliminating 112 hospitality jobs by June, supposedly for remodeling that will take more than a year!

Idaho:  The Tax Foundation ranks Idaho’s income tax rate as the 11th highest in the 50 U.S. states.

Iowa: In Williamsburg, Kinze Manufacturing eliminating 121 jobs, blaming low crop prices for killing its farm equipment sales!

Michigan:  Monroe Multi-Sports Complex shutting down in June due to the city’s budget problems: “Sometimes we have to pull the Band-Aid off quickly. It’s costing taxpayers’ money.”-John Iacoangeli, city councilman

Missouri:  Solar panel and windmill maker SunEdison now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The company was called the fastest growing green energy company in the U.S., but that was because it was using debt to finance its growth, now it can’t pay up.

New Jersey: NJ Transit warned it must “further identify cost efficiencies” to deal with a $45-million USD hole!

New York:  The Tax Foundation ranks New York as the highest income tax rate in the United States.  GE (General Electric) Capital issued a layoff WARN for its NYC operations, at least 27 people laid off by July.  Also in NYC, TGI Friday’s Restaurant on 677 Lexington Avenue shutting down, 36 jobs lost by mid-July.  In Galway, after 59 years Chuck’s Store restaurant shutting down so the original owners can retire.

Oklahoma: OIl industry contractor Seventy Seven Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Pennsylvania: Metals producer Allegheny Technologies eliminating 250 jobs, blaming low commodity prices! The former employees will get severance, so their layoffs won’t adversely affect the official unemployment numbers.

Washington DC:  The Tax Foundation reporting on what I’ve been telling people for a long time, we already pay too much in taxes, and we get diddly squat in return.

Wisconsin: In Madison, after 22 years restaurant Bluephies being shutdown, supposedly a new restaurant will take its place.  Despite the greedy owners claiming Bluephies is “doing great”, they’re concerned they need something that will create more ‘growth’ (higher profits) over the next 20 years.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

17-18 April 2016: “substantial rent increases”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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.”