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“We do not anticipate any meaningful recovery” : U.S. Mining/Industrial/Logistics Layoffs, December 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. Mining/Industrial/Logistics job loss announcements and shutdowns for December 2016.

What the main stream news media economic ‘experts’ aren’t telling you is that for all those industrial job ‘creations’ they report, almost just as many factory workers have been forced out of work, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, meaning there is almost zero true job growth in the U.S. industrial sector!

California: Public transportation contractor Global Paratransit issued a layoff WARN, 105 people jobless in Gardena by the end of February 2017!   In Mira Loma, GBW Railcar issued a layoff WARN, 142 jobs lost by the end of February 2017!  In Rialto, Ryder laying off 28 people in January 2017.  Tax sucker Boeing issued yet more layoff WARNS, this time 22 Californians unemployed during February 2017.

Connecticut: In Danbury, FuelCell Energy laid off 96 people as a result of “backlog”.

Illinois:  Alabama Metal Industry Corporation (AMICo) shutting down its Bourbonnais factory, 86 jobs gone by February 2017.  Local news media say the shutdown announcment was a shock because AMICo just spent $5-million USD upgrading the factory.   What automotive industry recovery?  Peoria based Caterpillar restated their plan for massive layoffs in 2017, claiming their analysts of the economy is that things are only going to get worse: “We do not anticipate any meaningful recovery in CAT’s markets until 2018, and new machine sales are unlikely to begin to be realized until well after a market recovery is evident.”-Moody’s

Indiana:  Pallet supplier Chep Recycled Pallet Solutions issued a shutdown WARN, 165 jobs lost in February 2017!

Kentucky: What automotive industry recovery? Japan based Toyota eliminating the remaining 650 jobs as it shuts down its North American HQ in Erlanger!  News reports say at one time there were nearly 2-thousand Toyota employees in Kentucky.  Old fashioned furniture maker Rector’s Cherry Reproduction shutdown blaming increasing cost of lumber.

Louisiana: Lafayette base Stone Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, the offshore oil producer claims to be $1.2-billion in debt.

Maryland: Moving company Kane is now chapter 7 bankrupt dead, 950 jobs gone once shutdown is completed!

Massachusetts:  Friendly’s restaurant chain shutting down their Chicopee distribution center, less than 50 jobs lost to a contractor.  Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority eliminating at least 1-hundred jobs in an attempt to fill in a $100-million hole in their budget!

Michigan: Ohio based Comprehensive Logistics shutting down a Lansing area factory, 138 jobs gone starting in January 2017!  It’s blamed on the not-so-recovered automotive industry.  Speaking of which, Detroit based General Motors (GM) shutting down five factories and laying off more than 10-thousand people!  GM admin claim they’ll re-start production when new car inventories are reduced to acceptable levels.

New York: In Latham, General Electric Transportation issued a shutdown WARN, 41 train engine building jobs lost by May 2017.  In Newburgh, General Electric Flight Ops halting operations, affecting 48 employees by March 2017.   In Amityville, office products maker Kleer Fax issued a shutdown WARN, 70 jobs lost during March 2017.  In Springfield Gardens, logistics company DSV\UTi issued a shutdown WARN, 73 jobs lost by April 2017.  Travel industry supplier GTA Americas issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC location,190 jobs lost between March and December 2017!

North Carolina: What construction industry recovery?  Grille and door maker CornellCookson’s shutting down their factory in Gastonia, 83 jobs gone by February 2017.  Jar maker Ball shutting down its Reidsville factory, 150 jobs lost by the middle of 2017!  Ball administrators blamed it on the “changing market”.  Glass maker Ardagh Group suddenly laid off 150 people, and halted their expansion project saying “…changing business conditions resulting from a significant reduction in customer demand and the company’s current inventory levels have necessitated that the rebuild be delayed until January of 2018.”

Ohio: Parker Hannifin shutting down their gear factory in Youngstown, 137 jobs lost by April 2017 due to crashing sales! Alliance Castings “temporarily” shutting down its factory and laying off 4-hundred people due to crashing demand for trains!

Oregon:  Commercial Aircraft Painting shutting down their Portland ops by the end of January 2017, at least 186 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: Union Electric Åkers issued a WARN, 148 jobs in Avonmore lost during March 2017!

South Carolina: What housing industry recovery? Light fixture maker Hubbell Lighting shutdown their Cowpens distribution center, 55 jobs lost to consolidation of operations.

Texas: In Sherman, Royal Case quietly laid off an undisclosed number of workers, it was revealed to local news media by unnamed former employees. In Denison, Caterpillar conducted another round of layoffs, refusing to say how many people were let go.  Local news media reports that the same factory laid off about 40 people in August.  Union Tank Car laying off 106 people in Houston, due to crashing demand for trains!  Alabama Metal Industry Corporation (AMICo) shutting down its Dayton factory, and its distribution ops in Houston, by the end of January 2017.

Vermont: Christian founded gravestone maker Rock of Ages Corporation began eliminating jobs at its granite quarry after selling out to a British empire company based in Canada.

Virginia: What automotive industry recovery? Sweden based Volvo announced it will conduct yet another round of layoffs at its Dublin truck factory, this time 5-hundred people will become jobless in February 2017!

Washington: Omak Wood Products issued a shutdown WARN, 217 jobs gone by the end of January 2017!  In Everett, Boeing warned of more layoffs due to lack of sales of its 777X airliner, local news media reminded readers that Boeing got massive tax breaks for the 777X program.

West Virginia:  Petro industry service company Weatherford laid off 65 people due to “loss of business opportunities”.

Wisconsin: BMR NO.1 forced to sell their assets, which will result in 57 people losing their jobs by March 2017.  Germany based toolmaker Walter USA shutting down their Waukesha factory, 39 jobs lost starting in February 2017.

Mining/Industrial/Logistics November 2016:  GOOD LORD (-STOWN), CHEVY KILLS 1,360 JOBS IN ONE CITY!

January 2017, Sears Kmart self-destruct : More crimes, as Customers still oblivious to mass shutdowns!

Business Insider reports that managers across almost 8-hundred Kmart stores were suddenly laid off!

CNBC reports value of Sears Holdings stocks has crashed by 30% in the last few days of January 2017!

Iconic Sears tool brand Crafstman sold-off for $900-million USD!  Tool maker Stanley Black & Decker is the new proud owner of Craftsman (which is one of Black&Decker’s competitors).  Supposedly Sears-Kmart will still sell Crafstman branded tools.

“On January 3, 2017, pursuant to the terms of the master lease (the “Master Lease”) between subsidiaries of Seritage Growth Properties (“Seritage”) and subsidiaries of Sears Holdings Corp. (“Sears Holdings”), Sears Holdings exercised its right under the Master Lease to terminate the Master Lease with respect to 19 unprofitable stores…”Form 8-K, SEC filing

In a federal court in California, Standard Fabrics International is accusing Kmart of ripping off its fabric designs.  Kmart is one of four or five brands accused of the copyright violation.  Standard Fabrics International is demanding all profits made using the ripped off design, plus damages and legal fees. 

In Florida, a former Kmart pharmacist admitted to stealing $3-hundred USD worth of prescription drugs from Kmart.  She claims she needed the opioid drugs to help her sleep.

In Massachusetts a Kmart employee was caught stealing $3-thousand 3-hundred in cash!  An investigation was already underway concerning the disappearance of $80-thousand in cash!

Kmart has been hit by yet another lawsuit accusing the retailer of not paying employees for overtime work.  This comes after Kmart settled a similar lawsuit at the beginning of 2016.

Despite numerous news media reports of Sears and Kmart shutdowns over the past several years, KYMT in Kentucky reports that the average customer is still shocked at hearing of more shutdowns.

Business Insider warning that 2017 is going to be a big year for retail store shutdowns, and not just for Sears-Kmart.

Keep checking back for shutdown updates.

December 2016: IT’S A CRIME! SEARS STOPS HONORING WARRANTIES!

WARN = Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification

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

Alabama: 38 years old Florence Sears store and Auto Center shutting down in April 2017.  Jasper Mall Kmart.  Phenix City Kmart on US 280. Sears Hometown Store in Prattville shutting down in January 2017.   The Madison Square Mall Sears store & Auto Center shutting down in January 2017, but only because the leaders of Huntsville want to redevelop the mall property. No word on how many people will become jobless. Supposedly a new, and much smaller, contractor operated Sears appliance only store will be part of the mall redevelopment.  Taxpayers of Huntsville are expected to spend at least $12-million USD on the redevelopment!  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ property in Cullman is shutting down.   27 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  After 16 years the Troy Sears Hometown Store suddenly shutdown, the contracted owners said they couldn’t find anybody willing to take over the contract. Oxford Sears (local news reports said the Oxford Sears opened in 1985 with 225 employees!), 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 in 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).

Alaska: The Anchorage Sears Store & Auto Center, the Wasilla Sears Store, the Fairbanks Sears Store & Auto Center made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.

Arkansas: Jonesboro Sears store shutting down. 17 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Sears store and Auto Center in Pine Bluff shutting down in August 2016. Little Rock Sears shutdown in July 2016.

Arizona: In Tucson, Sears Holdings spin-off Seritage Growth says it will shutdown and lease out half of the floor space in the Park Place Sears store.   Sierra Vista Kmart shutting down in December 2016. 42 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Nogales Kmart shutdown by July 2016, despite the fact that it’s a profit making store (many of its cash paying customers cross the border from Mexico). The Prescott Valley Kmart shutdown April 2016. No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.” 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: Local news reports say ten employees at the Santa Cruz Sears Auto Center were shocked when they were notified it was shutting down by February!  The old Santa Monica Sears store on Colorado Boulevard shutting down in April 2017 due to the property being sold to a developer. Carson Town Center Kmart (supposedly the last Kmart in the South Bay area), local news reports say the building is being chopped up into smaller retail shops, one third of which has already been leased to a restaurant.  Shutting down by April 2017; Bakersfield Kmart, Coalinga Kmart, Kingsburg Kmart. Taxpayers in the city of Covina forced to pay to re-develop a former Kmart property into a housing project and bus terminal!  A Kmart near the UC-Riverside campus will shutdown by mid-March 2017.   The Town & Country Center Kmart in Indio shutting down right before Xmas. The GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Bakersfield Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  A shutdown WARN issued for the Fontana Kmart, 133 jobs gone before Xmas!  A shutdown WARN issued for a Los Angeles Kmart, 234 jobs gone right before Xmas!  233 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!!!  Sears Holdings shutdown a Los Angeles Kmart, 132 jobs lost in May 2016! Dinuba Kmart 68 jobs lost, 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 shutdown, 107 jobs lost in 2016! The Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutdown 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: Shutting down by April 2017; the last Denver Kmart, a Grand Junction Kmart. The Craig Kmart shutdown, about 30 jobs lost a couple weeks before Xmas.  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ property in Thornton is shutting down. 40 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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: Enfield Sears store. Cromwell Kmart shutting down by April 2017. 113 jobs lost as the West Hartford GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Sears store and Auto Center shuts down by the end of January 2017!  Local news media pointed out that every remaining Sears and Kmart store in the state is on the new Sears Holdings Real Estate “opportunities” list! 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: Seven Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Volusia Mall Sears Auto Center sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut it down in the next two to four years. Lake Wales Sears store. Fort Myers McGregor Point Shopping Center Kmart.  Fort Pierce Kmart on Federal Highway. Sarasota Kmart on North Beneva Road. Port Charlotte Kmart on Cochran. Jacksonville Kmart on Normandy Village Parkway (local news reports say it’s the last Kmart in the city). Kissimmee Kmart on Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. Naples Kmart on Golden Gate Highway. Palatka Kmart on Town & Country Drive.  It’s been revealed that Santa Rosa County School District is spending $1.45-million tax dollars to buy a property now owned by Sears Holdings (via Kmart)! The sale of the property is delayed because only now has it been revealed that Kmart is the new owner of the former Food World property!   The GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Pembroke Pines Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  WARNs issued for the Saint Petersburg Sears store and Auto Center, 126 jobs gone by the end of January 2017!  173 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!!   In Orlando, the 50 years old Fashion Square Mall Sears & Auto Center shutting down, 101 jobs lost by mid-November! Inverness Sears Hometown suddenly shutdown due to disagreements with the landlord. Jacksonville Sears. Mandarin (Jacksonville) Kmart, Neptune Beach Kmart and Perry Kmart shutting down between July-September. The Lutz Kmart shutdown March 2016, 62 jobs lost. The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutdown 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: Shutting down by April 2017; a Savannah Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Cornelia Kmart, Kingsland Kmart, Albany Sears, Columbus Sears. Yet another Augusta Kmart shutting down, this time the one on Deans Bridge Road.  63 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! The 23 years old Rome Kmart shutdown in August 2016, 1-hundred jobs lost! Administrators say employees can apply at other Sears Holdings stores, but local news reports say the Rome Kmart is the last Sears Holdings store in the area! The 37 years old Carrollton Kmart shutdown April 2016. Dublin Kmart 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: Tamuning Kmart made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Kmart near Aloha Stadium (on Salt Lake Boulevard) shutting down mid-March 2017, meaning there will be only one Kmart store on Oahu after that.  14 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Iconic 25 years old Nimitz HWY Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart shutdown 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: Lewiston Kmart, Boise Town Square Mall Sears Store & Auto Center, Boise Kmart Auto Center, the Nampa Kmart Store & Auto Center, the Coeur d’Alene Kmart and Sears Store & Auto Center, the Twin Falls Sears Store & Auto Center and Kmart, the Ammon Kmart, the Idaho Falls Sears Store & Auto Center, the abandoned but still owned by Sears Holdings Chubbuck (the“opportunities” listing incorrectly says Pocatello) Sears Store (esentially all remaining Sears & Kmarts in Idaho) made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Boise Kmart on Fairview shutdown mid-March 2016, 56 jobs lost. Pocatello Kmart shutdown 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: Alton Kmart, Granite City Kmart.  $1-million USD loss as Mount Vernon Sears Hometown Store mysteriously burns to the ground.  The nine years old Sears Hometown Store in Beloit shutting down in January 2017. Du Quoin Sears Hometown Store shutting down in January 2017.  Another update for the abandoned Rock Island Kmart; looks like Augustana College found a fool to buy the Kmart property that was dumped on the college (in the form of a tax avoiding donation) and then vacated in July 2016, it was sold to a company called Rock Island KM.   The GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Oak Brook Sears store being reduced by half and the Auto Center being shutdown between 2017 & 2018.  Sears Hardware in Edwardsville shutting down right before Thanksgiving, 21 jobs lost. A local TV station reported that Sears Hardware in Collinsville is shutting down, no comment from store management.  Shutdown WARNs issued for Kmarts in Tinley Park and South Kedzie Avenue in Chicago, 275 jobs gone by Xmas! News reports out of Tinley say a total of six Kmarts will shutdown by Xmas! Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties confirmed that two ‘Sears’ properties, in Chicago and Springfield, are shutting down. 116 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!!  An update for the abandoned Rock Island Kmart; the recently vacated property was ‘donated’ to Augustana College, but now college adminitrators are looking to sell the property to anybody foolish enough to buy it. The real reason the college is trying to dump the vacant Kmart is that the property tax is about $92-thousand per year, indicating the ‘donation’ was actually a screw-job (lets not forget that local news media pointed out that city officials spent $15-million tax dollars attracting Walmart to town, but spent zilch on trying to keep Kmart from leaving!). The Kmart Super Center in Bradley shutdown, 125 jobs lost! Sears Holdings sold the building to Meijer, unconfirmed reports say the Bradley Kmart Super Center (which has a full grocery op) was actually making money. After 90 years Chicago Sears on Lawrence Avenue shutting down by August 2016, local news says its the oldest Sears store still operating. The last Decatur Kmart shutting down by August 2016, 61 jobs lost, administrators say employees can apply at other Sears Holdings stores, but local news reports say there are no more Sears Holdings stores in the immediate area! Chicago Kmart on South Pulaski. Danville Kmart, Galesburg Kmart, Lansing Kmart, Pekin Kmart, Eddie Lampert 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: Chesterton Kmart, La Porte Kmart, Kokomo Sears. In Indianapolis, Sears Home Appliance Showroom on North Michigan Road and Sears Appliance & Hardware on Thompson Road shutting down in January 2017. Sears Appliance & Hardware in Fishers shutting down in January 2017.  Local news media discovered that a Sears Appliance & Hardware store in Avon quietly shutdown in October 2016.  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ properties in Elkhart and Merrillville are shutting down.  A WARN revealed that 99 Kmart employees in Merrillville will lose their jobs right before Xmas.   67 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! Bloomington Kmart, New Albany Kmart. Bloomington’s College Mall Sears & Auto Center shutdown mid-June 2016, at least 52 jobs lost. In Schererville, Sears Hardware shutdown in April 2016. Terre Haute Kmart April 2016, 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: Shutting down by April 2017; a Dubuque Kmart, Sioux City Kmart, Waterloo Kmart.  22 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Des Moines Southridge Mall Sears shutting down by August 2016, the store was in the process of dying anyway, only 37 employees left. Sears Holdings shutdown their West Des Moines call center in June 2016, 162 jobs lost! Ottumwa Kmart shutdown 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: A Wichita Kmart, Leavenworth Kmart, Salina Sears. 18 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  In El Dorado, a contracted Sears store suddenly shutdown due to Sears Holdings continually changing the contract: “We had a contract that we had to follow to a ‘T’ while they changed it at will. They changed our commission bonuses and percentages and that hurt us.”-Russ Christy, contracted Sears store operator

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:   Jefferson Mall Sears store sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut it down in the next two to four years. Corbin Kmart.  London Kmart. Hopkinsville Kmart. Bowling Green Kmart. The Georgetown BigKmart shutting down  by mid-April 2017.  Paducah Sears store and Auto Center shutting down by mid-March 2017. In Owensboro, the Kmart on West Parrish Avenue shutting down by mid-March 2017. Pikeville Kmart shutting down right before Xmas. 31 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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: Gonzales Kmart, a New Orleans Kmart on South Clearview Parkway, the Cortana Mall Sears, Gretna Sears. The New Iberia Kmart shutdown on 11 December 2016.  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ property in Houma shutting down. 36 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! The Bossier Kmart shutting down by August 2016. 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:  Augusta Sears shutting down. Bangor Kmart shutting down by mid-April 2017.  13 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list. Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Kmart shutting down by August 2016, more than 50 jobs lost. 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: Baltimore Kmart on North Point Boulevard. Eastpoint Mall Kmart, in Dundalk, shutting down mid-April 2017.  GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Columbia Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  54 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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: South Attleboro Kmart.  The Enfield Square Mall Sears store shutting down mid-April 2017 (supposedly the Auto Center will remain open).  The Sears store and Auto Center in Swansea shutting down by mid-April 2017.  In Fairhaven, the Shaw’s Plaza BigKmart shutting down by mid-April 2017.  GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Natick Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  64 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Tewksbury Kmart. Fairhaven Sears Appliance & Hardware shutdown mid-April 2016. 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 shutdown 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: Gaylord Sears Hometown Store suddenly shutdown.  26 years old Detroit Lakes Kmart shutting down by April 2017, despite still posting a “Now Hiring” sign!   In Garden City, the iconic first ever Kmart store in the World is shutting down on its 55th birthday, by the end of March 2017.  Lansing Kmart, Muskegon Kmart, Plymouth Kmart, Roseville Kmart, Waterford Kmart, Westland Kmart, Acme Kmart. 48 years old Grand Rapids Woodland Mall Sears, 84 jobs lost in March 2017: “We figured we were safe, so yeah, it was kind of a shock to everybody today. One guy’s been there for 20 years-plus and that’s what he knows best, hard to change from there, so I feel sorry for him.”-Marty Kruizenga, Sears Auto Center employee

Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ properties in Alpena, Manistee and Sault Saint Marie are shutting down.  WARNs filed with the state revealed that on top of the Seritage Growth shutdowns the Kmarts in Jackson, Grand Rapids, Byron Center and Fenton will also shutdown. A total of 390 Kmart jobs will be killed right before Xmas!  113 Sears and Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!! The Holland Sears Appliance & Hardware shutdown, the manager of the francise store refused to say why. Plymouth Township Super Kmart shutdown in November 2017 (that’s when the lease expired). According to Plymouth’s Planning Commission, Sears Holdings is selling the property to a developer. A Kmart on Groesbeck Highway, Clinton Township, shutdown, 82 jobs lost in October 2016. The Farmington Hills Kmart shutdown mid-July 2016, 61 jobs lost. Midland Sears, Houghton Lake Kmart, Taylor Kmart. The new owner of the Bradley Kmart shut it down in 2016. Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018. The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutdown in mid-March, 48 jobs lost. Ironwood Kmart in 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: Coon Rapids Sears, Mankato Sears, Detroit Lakes Kmart on Highway 10 West. After 14 years the Montevideo Sears Hometown Store shutting down by the end of January 2017.  The local owners of the franchise store says the decision by Sears Holdings to shutdown the store is also forcing them to sell their property.   GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Minnetonka Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  The Dundas Planning Commission met with CJB II Real Estate to discuss the future of the abandoned Kmart.  ‘Elected’ leaders expressed a willingness to throw $100-thousand tax dollars at the redevelopment project. The Dundas Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 32 jobs lost.   West Saint Paul Kmart shutting down by Xmas.  32 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  The 40 years old Eden Prairie Center Sears store shutting down in time for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Eddie Lampert sold the store to the mall owner for $16-million! The owner of the mall wants to carve up the Sears into smaller stores. Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutdown 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: 14 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Corinth Kmart. The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutdown 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: Saint Joseph Sears, Branson Kmart, Jefferson Kmart & Sears, Rolla Kmart, a Springfield Kmart, a Saint Louis Kmart.  48 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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: The Hamilton Kmart, Havre Kmart, Helena Kmart, Glendive Kmart, Billings Sears Store & Auto Center, Butte Kmart, Great Falls Kmart Store & Auto Center, Kalispell Kmart Store & Auto Center (essentially all remaining stores) made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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: Seritage Growth Properties says its Kmart property in Kearney is shutting down by Xmas.  Six Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  40 years old Hastings Kmart. Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Henderson Kmart.  22 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: 23 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Rio Grande Kmart, Clementon Kmart, East Brunswick Kmart, Pleasantville Kmart.  GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Paramus Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”. 53 Kmart and Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! Nearly one acre of the Rockaway Townsquare Mall Sears (which is still in operation) is now rented out to a furniture dealer. Lodi Kmart 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: Roswell Sears shutting down.  GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Albuquerque Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ property in Deming is shutting down.  21 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! Back in May local news reports said the Artesia Kmart was shutting down, in July Sears Holdings finally confirmed it. 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: The massive Rego Park Center Sears shutting down, 2-hundred jobs lost starting the first week of April 2017!  In Wallkill, the Galleria at Crystal Run Sears store and Auto Center shutting down, 96 jobs lost starting the first week of April 2017.  New Hartford Kmart. In Cheektowaga, the Walden Galleria Sears store and Auto Center shutting down, 76 jobs lost starting the first week of April 2017.  In Amherst, the Sears store and Auto Center shutting down, 105 jobs lost by April 2017! In Syracuse, after four years the Sears Outlet store in the Destiny USA mall is shutting down.  The Queensbury Super Kmart is being reduced to just a Kmart, ending 24 hour grocery sales by January 2017.  Shutdown WARN issued for the Binghamton Kmart, 69 jobs gone by Xmas. Shutdown WARN issued for the Cheektowaga Kmart, 101 jobs gone by Xmas!  The second level of the GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Staten Island Sears shutting down right before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, 44 jobs killed, it’s been leased to Ireland’s clothier Primark. 104 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!! The 50 years old Sears Auto Center in the Colonie Center Mall shutdown by Sears Holdings subsidiary Seritage Growth Properties, so the space could be rented out to Avis-Budget Car Rental Group. In Brooklyn, the Kings Plaza Sears shutting down, 210 jobs gone by mid-September 2016! Eddie Lampert is renting the space to a couple of European clothing retailers. Sears Holdings issued a shutdown WARN for its Plattsburgh Sears store and Auto Center, 56 jobs lost by the end of July 2016. New York Post says Sears is shutting down their NYC clothing design office, 40 jobs moved to California, another 154 jobs gone by July! Rotterdam Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down by August 2016 (67 jobs lost). Sears Holdings issued yet another WARN, this time 75 Rochester Kmart employees losing their jobs by mid-July 2016. Irondequoit Sears, Plattsburgh Sears, Poughkeepsie Kmart, Rochester Kmart. Staten Island Mall Sears Auto Center 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: Cross Creek Mall Sears store sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut it down in the next two to four years. Concord Kmart, Fayetteville Kmart, Goldsboro Kmart, Madison Kmart, Wilmington Kmart. High Point Sears Hometown Store shutting down after four years, 325 jobs will be lost by February 2017!  Mount Airy Kmart (in the Mayberry Mall) shutting down right before Xmas.  Burlington Kmart shutting down right before Xmas, local news reports said nobody was surprised.  71 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! 40 years old Thomasville Kmart shutting down in time for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. 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: South Fargo Sears shutting down. 18 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: Eastgate Mall Sears store sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut it down in the next two to four years.  Akron Sears, Chillicothe Sears, Lancaster Sears, Richmond Heights Sears, Mount Vernon Kmart, Gallipolis Kmart, Kenton Kmart, New Boston Kmart, Clairsville Kmart, Zanesville Kmart, Reynoldsburg Kmart. The Fairborn and Springfield Kmart stores shutting down, 134 jobs gone right before Xmas!  Reports that a Knox County Kmart is shutting down its pharmacy operations.   Employees confirmed to local news media that the 21 years old Austintown Sears Appliance and Hardware will shutdown by Xmas.  Mentor Kmart shutting down by Xmas, local news reports say in the 1990s the store employed 2-hundred people!  124 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!! 18 years old Defiance Sears shutting down by August 2016. Marion Sears store (the Auto Center was shutdown in 2014), 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 shutdown 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 shutdown by mid-April 2016, 46 jobs lost. Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown. Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. Zanesville Kmart shutdown mid-April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Steubenville Kmart shutdown 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: Muskogee Kmart, Lawton Sears.  In Tulsa the Sears store on 21st Street and Yale shutting down mid-April 2017, supposedly (according to news reports) the Auto Center will remain open.  GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Norman Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.  23 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  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 store and Auto Center (60 jobs lost in November 2014), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost), Tulsa BigKmart (51 jobs lost).

Oregon: Local news reports revealed the Lloyd Center Sears store was sold and will shutdown sometime in the future, the space will be re-purposed into smaller storefronts.  23 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  A Blind Bat News reader warning that the Beaverton Kmart has replaced its permanent signage with temporary ones, and the store is looking empty. There’s been no public reports of the store shutting down. 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: Selinsgrove Sears, Uniontown Sears, Lower Allen Township-Camp Hill Sears, Dubois Kmart, Erie Kmart, Lancaster Kmart, Hampden Township-Mechanicsburg Kmart, Monroeville Kmart,  Mount Pleasant Kmart. Shenango Valley Mall Sears store shutting down by mid-April, less than 1-hundred jobs affected.  168 Sears and Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!! In July, Sears Holdings shutdown the Uniontown Kmart, killing at least 73 jobs. But the shutdown is also affecting a locally owned restaurant (Mark C’s Diner) still on the property, whose owners say their sales have crashed-n-burned since the shutdown. Now Sears Holdings say they are about to sell the Uniontown property in an effort to “realize shareholder value from the property”. Butler Sears, New Castle Sears, Beaver Falls Kmart, Philadelphia Kmart on Frankford Avenue. Two Pittsburgh Kmarts. Reading Kmart. Sears store in the Beaver Valley Mall, 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: 31 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).

Rhode Island: Woonsocket Sears shutting down. Rhode Island Mall Sears Auto Center shutdown right before Thanksgiving.  Five Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.

South Carolina:  Florence Sears, Anderson Kmart, Greenwood Kmart, North Charleston Kmart. The new owner of a Kmart on the boundaries of Anderson, Seritage KMT Finance, announced it will cut the Kmart store to half its size and is requesting the city of Anderson annex the land (probably in exchange for some taxpayer funded incentives for Seritage).  37 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! The 44 years old Orangeburg Kmart shutting down in August 2016. Camden Kmart. 61 jobs lost as the North Augusta Kmart is shutdown 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: Sioux Falls Kmart. 11 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Huron Kmart, Yankton Kmart. The Pierre Kmart shutdown March 2016, 45 jobs lost. The Michell Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 52 jobs lost. Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Hamilton Place Mall Sears store and the Northgate Mall Sears Auto Center were sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut them down in the next two to four years.  Morristown Kmart, Kingsport Sears. Sears Hometown Store in Columbia’s Campbell Shopping Plaza suddenly shutdown by the franchise owner who told local news media that he essentially saw the writing on the wall.  After 30 years the Sears Hometown Store in Dyersburg shutdown. Local news reports say the shutdown was no surprise to the store’s manager.  58 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!   Local news reports say Sears Holdings has posted “Going out of business!” signs on the North Knoxville Kmart, however they could not get any confirmation of shutdown from corporate administrators. Bristol Kmart shutting down by August 2016. Athens Kmart, Sweetwater Kmart, Maryville Kmart. The Murfreesboro Kmart shutdown April, 43 jobs lost. A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutdown in April, 109 jobs lost! Clarksville Kmart shutdown in April, 68 jobs lost. Cleveland Kmart shutdown 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: Odessa Sears, two Kmarts in El Paso.  Kileen Kmart, Lufkin Kmart. GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Frisco Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.   Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says the ‘Sears’ property in Harlingen is shutting down.  Local news reports confirmed the Lubbock Kmart is shutting down right before Xmas. 134 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!! Fort Stockton Sears Hometown Store was ‘re-branded’ the America’s Appliance Experts outlet. Sears Holdings revealed the Brownsville Kmart is shutting down by August. 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: Vernal Kmart, Layton Kmart. 16 Sears & Kmart properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  Draper Kmart, Price Kmart, West Jordan Kmart. 35 years old Richfield Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. North Logan Kmart shutdown 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: Five Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.  The Bennington Sears Hometown Store shutdown. Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virgin Islands: Three Kmarts  made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list.

Virginia: Bristol Sears, Roanoke Kmart, Fredericksburg Kmart, Norfolk Kmart, Salem Kmart. 63 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  Christiansburg Kmart and the Hampton Kmart shutting down by August 2016. 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 shutdown between March and April 2016! The Sears Hometown Store in Culpeper. 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: 36 years old Lynnwood Sears shutting down by the end of March 2017, local news media reported access to the upper level of the store was already blocked.  Tacoma Kmart on 6th Avenue. GGP-Seritage Growth Partners owned Lynwood Sears store reduced in size and the Auto Center shutting down “in the near future”.   Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties says a ‘Sears’ property in Yakima is shutting down. 46 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! After officially denying that their Marysville Kmart was shutting down, calling it a “a bad rumor” and swearing to local news media that “the store will remain open”, guess what? Local news media reporting that the Marysville Kmart is now plastered with “store closing” signs, 47 jobs lost by by mid-July. Arrogantly Sears Holdings said the employees can apply at other Sears/Kmart stores, however, local news reports say it’s the last Kmart in all of Snohomish County. 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: The Hocking Mall Sears Hometown Store suddenly shutdown, with only a weeks notice to employees. The Charleston Town Center Mall Sears store and Auto Center shutting down mid-April 2017.  The Bridgeport Meadowbrook Mall Sears store shutting down “within the next 90 days”, supposedly the Auto center will remain open. The Elkins Kmart shutting down during the 1st quarter of 2017.  In Parkersburg, the Kmart on Division Street shutting down by mid-April 2017.  The Weirton BigKmart shutting down mid-April 2017.
34 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!  The Bluefield Kmart shutting down by August 2016. Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: Brookfield Square Sears store sold to CBL & Associates Properties who has plans to shut it down in the next two to four years.  Platteville Kmart, Racine Kmart. Oshkosh Sears Hometown Store on Witzel Avenue shutting down.  The city of Wausau just put the local taxpayers into debt by at least $650-thousand USD, buying the former Sears location at the Wausau Center. The Wausau Sears shutdown on June 2016. Sears Holdings administrators would only say “we are accelerating the closings of unprofitable stores.”  The Land’s End outlet in the Madison West Towne Mall Sears store suddenly shutdown.  It was also revealed that Sears connected Land’s End has shutdown at least five stores since 2015, due to crashing sales.  36 Kmart & Sears properties made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list! Seritage Growth Properties is ‘downsizing’ the Sears store in the West Towne Mall, according to plans filed with the city of Madison. Those plans show a new restaurant taking up more than half of the space of the Sears store. Administrators refused to answer questions from the local news media.  Hartford Kmart. Superior Kmart shutdown 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).

Wyoming: Cheyenne Kmart shutting down.  Sears offspring Seritage Growth Properties confirmed a ‘Sears’ property in Riverton is shutting down. Sheridan Kmart, Rock Springs Kmart, Riverton Kmart, Cody Kmart & Auto Center, Laramie Kmart, Jackson Kmart, Gillette Kmart, and in Casper and Cheyenne the Sears Stores & Auto Centers and Kmarts (essentially all remaining stores) made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!

“uncertainty about future government funding” : ObamaCare Death Spiral, December 2016

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 12 months of 2016 there have been so many ObamaCare cutbacks that I’ve posted a report every month!

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) more people in the United States die from opioid based drugs than from gunshot! And the majority of those opiod deaths are not from illegal drugs but from prescription drugs!

The pro-vaccination organization known as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is warning that the next ten years will experience escalating antibiotic resistant pandemics.

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, December 2016:

France based Sanofi eliminating 20% of its U.S. diabetes drug sales positions, blaming reduced payments caused by ObamaCare.

California:  God powerless to stop ‘his’ Adventist Health from laying off 16 employees due to escalating costs of operations and reduced reimbursements caused by ObamaCare.  Israeli owned drugs maker Teva issued yet another layoff WARN, this time 49 people in Corona losing their jobs by March 2017.  Insurance company Transamerica issued a shutdown WARN for their Los Angeles office, 320 jobs lost by February 2017!

Connecticut: Drugs maker Bristol-Myers Squibb getting the hell outta Dodge, shutting down its Wallingford operations, 703 jobs lost by 2018!  Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals shutting down their research lab in Ridgefield, 119 jobs lost by August 2017!

Delaware: British empire & Sweden owned drugs maker AstraZeneca laying off 120 people in Fairfax, as part of larger plans to kill-off 7-hundred jobs across the U.S. by the end of the 1st quarter 2017!

Georgia: Local taxpayer owned Memorial Hospital and Manor revealed that ObamaCare has caused the healthcare provider to lose $10-million USD since 2014.  DeKalb Medical Center laid off 60 people and shutdown 80 vacant positions: “We haven’t had the financial performance we would hope for.”-Cheryl Iverson

Florida: God powerless to stop ‘his’ Adventist Health System-Florida Hospital Medical Group from eliminating 67 positions by outsourcing (contracting out) the jobs.   Jackson Health System revealed they laid off 25 employees in November, due to “uncertainty about future government funding for uninsured patients”. Orlando based maker of eye surgery lasers, Lensar, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Illinois: Baxter laid off 12 employees at its Bloomington hospital.  In Collinsville, Ashmann’s Pharmacy shutdown after more than 55 years.

Iowa: Mercy Medical Center lost its surgical residency accreditation. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education claims there are ‘serious flaws’ in Mercy Medical’s training program.  Central Iowa Healthcare now chapter 11 bankrupt busted saying they no longer have enough funding to provide “uninterrupted healthcare services”.  Cedar Rapids based, but Netherlands owned, insurance company Transamerica eliminating 8-hundred jobs and shutting down dozens of offices across the U.S. in 2017!

Massachusetts: BioGen ending drugs production in The Bay State, killing off at least 2-hundred jobs through layoffs and transfers to other drugs making companies!

Minnesota: Hennepin County Medical Center eliminating 275 jobs in 2017 due to a reduced budget caused by ObamaCare!  For 2016 Hennepin County Medical Center admin reported that ObamaCare, and a huge number of uninsured patients despite ObamaCare promising to insure everybody, caused the hospital to fall short of covering costs of operation by $11-million USD!

Mississippi: Mississippi Medical Center and North Mississippi Medical Center accused by Health & Human Services of overcharging patients on Medicare.

New Mexico: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center eliminating more than 5-hundred jobs in 2017!  It’s blamed on a combination of state taxpayer funding cuts and ObamaCare.

New York: Medina Memorial Hospital shutting down their Intensive Care Unit (ICU), ten jobs lost due to low patient volume caused by ObamaCare.  Upper Allegheny Health System laid off 18 people and shutdown 40 vacant positions, with administrators blaming their lack of “financial performance” on ObamaCare.  ResCare Workforce Services issued a shutdown WARN for two locations, at least 40 jobs gone by the end of March 2017. In Brooklyn-NYC,  Shiel Medical Laboratory issued a layoff WARN, ten jobs lost by March 2017.  In Hempstead, the East Meadow Senior Center shutdown, supposedly because of disputes between the landlord and the city.

North Dakota: About 2-hundred people evacuated from the Altru Main Clinic when a support beam failed.  The large clinic is now shutdown.

Pennsylvania:  Ireland based drugs maker Endo International laid off 375 sales employees, as a result of releasing the company’s rights to a pain drug!   Personal Touch Home Health Care issued a mass shutdown WARN, 150 jobs lost across four counties by the end of January 2017!  Missouri based Express Scripts shutting down drugs making ops in Swatara, 97 jobs lost in 2017.   Pocono Medical Center eliminating 61 nursing positions due to low patient volume caused by ObamaCare.  Jennerstown Rural Health Clinic shutting down due to lack of doctors willing to work there.  Canonsburg based  Mylan Pharmaceuticals warning of layoffs in 2017, administrators actually admitted it was the result of their massive take overs of competition: “Since 2015, Mylan has made a number of significant acquisitions, and as part of the holistic, global integration of Mylan we are focusing on how to best optimize and maximize all of our assets, including reducing redundancy across our organization across all geographies.”

Texas:   Texas Health Resources settle a dispute with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas over new ObamaCare insurance reimbursements, the hospital wanted a higher reimbursement rate, the settlement did not reveal how much of an increase they got.    University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center warning of layoffs and cutbacks in programs in 2017 due to $60.9-million in financial losses.   God powerless to stop ‘his’ Good Shepherd Health System from laying off 50 people.   CEO Steve Altmiller blamed ObamaCare saying “Like many other healthcare systems across the country, Good Shepherd Health System has been facing challenging times, resulting in lower overall patient census and financial losses.”  Baptist Hospital shutting down its emergency room ops in Orange, by the end of January 2017. Administrators blame the Texas version of ObamaCare.

Wyoming: Saint John’s Medical Center gave patients who paid off their debt during December a 25% discount.  Hospital admin claim 840 people took advantage of the deal!

ObamaCare destruction November 2016: “IF I HAVE TO PISS AND SHIT ON MYSELF, I WOULD RATHER BE DEAD!”

“This is a bomb dropped on us!” “I can’t take it anymore!” : Dumbing Down the U.S., December 2016

It must be noted that I started documenting these education shutdowns at the beginning of 2014, in that year I posted the reports biannually (every six months). In 2015 education cutbacks ramped up and I posted quarterly (every three months). For the past 12 months of 2016 there have been so many education cutbacks that I’ve posted a report every month!

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced education related layoffs & school shutdowns, December 2016:

Alabama: The state’s surprise 89% high school graduation rate is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education.  Initial investigation shows that school admin were counting  students who ‘completed’ high school but who didn’t technically graduate.  In Northport, after more than 20 years Queen Esther’s School of Cosmetology shutdown due to skyrocketing cost of operations, the owner Queen Esther Robertson exclaiming “I can’t take it anymore!”

Arizona: Pima College considering everything from jacking up tuition to program cuts and layoffs due to crashing enrollment: “The status quo is the path to doom…….We need to recognize our new reality.”-Scott Stewart, college board member

California: The state Commission on Teacher Credentialing is spending 20-million tax dollars to help secretaries and food service workers become teachers, after it was revealed that The Golden State is suffering from a massive teacher shortage.  San Diego school district warning of layoffs due to suddenly needing to cut $117-million USD in costs, just one month after giving teachers a pay raise!

Colorado: Garfield County laid off eight librarians and reduced library hours due to a sudden $1.2-million crash in tax revenues normally generated by the oil industry!

Connecticut:The state government suddenly cut current year school funding by $20-million!  It was revealed that god was powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Mary School in Newington, right before the 2016-17 school year.  It’s blamed on $500-thousand USD of debt.  After 30 years Lincoln Culinary Institute-Connecticut Culinary Institute shutdown due to failing to meet tougher U.S. Department of Education rules demanding proof that graduates actually find decent paying jobs.

Florida: Teacher shortages caused by low pay being called a top education story for The Sunshine State.  Jefferson County School District suddenly laid off eight people, at the behest of state financial oversight board.

Idaho:  A independent audit revealed that 99% of teacher evaluations were rigged in favor of the teacher, and possibly illegal. Colorado based  McREL International reviewed 225 evaluations and found only three were accurate!  However, there are questions about the so called independent investigator McREL.  In Twin Falls, local news media revealed that during the Summer local school officials paid $94,108.26 to one administrator (who then suddenly retired) and then tried to hide the fact from the public.  So far school officials are refusing to explain the secret payout. It was revealed that ‘christian’ dominated School District 134 was segregating elementary students by sex, in direct violation of federal law.  The segregation experiment had been ongoing for the past nine years!

Illinois: North Shore School District 112 using a 2011 state law to eliminate ‘dozens’ of teaching jobs for the 2017-18 school year.    Da Vinci Academy, in Elgin, suddenly announced they were  shutting down at the end of the school year due to six years of crashing enrollment: “This is a bomb dropped on us…….What are we going to do?”-Ron Woodruff, upset parent

Louisiana: Louisiana State University warning of program shutdowns and layoffs due to low enrollment.  Lincoln University killed its history program due to lack of students!

New Hampshire: Colby-Sawyer College suddenly laid off 18 people, blaming it on a $2.6-million operating loss!

New Mexico:  San Juan College eliminated eight jobs and reduced payments to the employee healthcare fund, due to state taxpayer funding cuts.

New York: In Brooklyn-NYC, after 35 years BookCourt shutdown.  After 120 years Utica School of Commerce shutdown: “…unfortunately our enrollment has declined over the last few years after hitting a real high in 2009-2010.”-Philip Williams

Texas: In Palestine, after 30 years Comet School Supplies shutdown.  Austin Independent School District warning that 11 schools could be shutdown due to the age of the buildings, and the costs of updating them.  It’s been revealed that the Texas Education Agency has denied Special Education to thousands of students with Down Syndrome, dyslexia, ADHD,  and even blind and deaf students: In Texas today, even children with severe disabilities, including deafness and blindness, can’t always get special education services.

Washington: Seattle Public Schools warning of layoffs due to an expected $74-million shortfall in funding!

Washington DC: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission revealed another source of Dumbing Down of Americans; foreign text book publishers, specifically an Indian company called OMICS International (aka OMICS Publishing Group).  

 

George Washington University “…eliminated requirements in U.S., North American and European history, as well as the foreign language requirement. Thus, it is possible that a student can major in history at GWU without taking a survey course on United States history.”

West Virginia: Randolph County warning of school layoffs as a way of avoiding school shutdowns.

Dumbing Down November 2016: “FINANCIAL EXIGENCY” AS MO PROOF MO EDUCATION DOES NOT EQUAL MO MONEY

HIGH TECH FAIL: JAPAN JOINS THE DUMBING DOWN CROWD!

“We plan to sell it down to the bones.” “…it’s crappy…!” : Idaho’s Economic Destruction 2016

Incomplete list of economic related events in The Gem State of Idaho, 2016.

JANUARY:

 A new Corporation for Enterprise Development study says 45.5% of Idaho families are trapped in poverty and there’s no hope of getting out, as the 2016 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard calls the economic situation the “new normal”!

Gem State Right to Work (you over) ‘lawmakers’ are apparently realizing  how bad the financial situation is for families and are creating a new law that will exempt ‘cottage food’ businesses (literally mom-n-pop food sellers working out of their home) from the same health codes that traditional retail establishments must obey.

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

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

It’s been revealed that pesticides have contaminated farms in eastern Idaho.  At least 809 hectares (2-thousand acres) are affected and must be cleaned up, at taxpayer expense of course (an estimated $250-thousand USD has been quoted as an initial payment!).  The contamination was discovered when farmers reported mutations in their crops and animals.  Investigators traced it to the massive use of Methyl Bromide back in 2006.  The contamination affects potatoes, hay, alfalfa, wheat and barley.  In 2006 paranoia erupted over the discovery of a nematode that destroys potato crops, state and federal agriculture ‘experts’ told farmers to use methyl bromide to kill the microbe.  It was farmers who first reported the crop and livestock mutations, concluding that it must be the result of using the toxic chemical.     The decade old drought is causing taxpayers to fork out more funding for aquifer recharge projects.  Governor Otter is proposing a one time $10-million USD payment plus $2-million yearly for the Egin Lakes-Egin Bench canal near Rexburg.  Supporters of the plan complain it’s not enough money!

A new study is blaming low Gem State high school graduation rates on internet classes!   The state Board of Education reported that ‘virtual schools’ can barely graduate 20% of their online students!   I can attest to this claim as I know a young woman who tried the virtual school program for almost a year, before giving up and going back to old fashioned brick-n-mortar school in Pocatello.  I remember her school counselor at Pokey High warning her she’d be back because the majority of students fail to complete the online courses.  The online school seems easier because supposedly you’re on your own schedule, but it turns out to be harder than traditional school.

Pokey Runway liquidating

In Pocatello about two years after opening, previously worn clothing seller Runway Fashion Exchange “going out of business” and liquidating everything.  Essentially a for-profit thrift store, Runway Fashion Exchange has been shutting down stores across the U.S. since 2013.  Also it was made official, the Pocatello Kmart being shutdown.

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

Grocer Supervalu issued a WARN for three Boise stores (North Ancestor, South Denver Way and Parkcenter locations), at least 80 jobs lost by March.  It might be connected to Supervalu’s plan to take its Save-A-Lot discount grocery ops ‘public’.  Back in October Supervalu laid off 115 people at their East Baybrook Court, Boise location, in connection with the merger of Albertsons and Safeway.  Also in Boise, after at least 25 years the Twin Dragon restaurant is shutting down by March.  The owners are trying to sell it to help fund their retirement plans.  A Meridian woman is now in federal prison after co-leading a fraudulent investment scheme (known as Alternative Energy Holdings) once claiming to build a nuclear power plant near Mountain Home Air Force Base.  Her partner in crime, a man, is on the run and being pursued by federal agents.

The state Department of Labor is admitting in a round-about way that the decades old Right to Work (you over) labor laws are a failure as 50% of Idahoans who graduate Idaho colleges/universities leave the state after four years due to low wages and salaries!   It took decades of Right to Work you over-ism for state administrators to realize that highly educated workers are not going to work for peanuts?  Of course the pro-Right to Work ‘lawmakers’ refused to blame their Right to Work policies and instead blamed “market conditions”, failing to realize that their Right to Work policies are directly influencing Idaho “market conditons”.  Maybe the ‘lawmakers’ need to go back to school and take some economics classes?

The number of Gem State school districts asking for taxpayer burdening supplemental levies has gone up, again.  At latest count 94 of the 115 district need extra money to function in the 2015-16 school year, even though state tax funding is back to ‘pre-recession’ levels!    One reason for the demand for strapping taxpayers is increasing numbers of domestic economic migrants flooding into Idaho, the majority being low income.  Domestic migrants, along with high birth rates, accounted for 75% of Idaho’s population growth in 2015.  According to the Shifting Sands: Idaho’s Changing Student Demographics and What it Means for Education  study domestic migration is going to continue, and the overwhelming majority of the U.S. migrants into Idaho will be tax burdening (maybe not so tax burdening as Idaho has piss-poor social programs) low income families: “The state is expected to see net growth in lower income households and net declines in households with incomes above $50,000.  Much of the state is projected to see an increase in the share of households with an income of less than $25,000.     (I’ve lived here for 20 years and my income has always been “less than $25,000″, I even went into deep debt getting a degree from Idaho State University in 2006 and my income actually crashed!)

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

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

MARCH: In Garden City, after 40 years The Gem State’s largest horse racing op Les Bois Park suddenly shutdown. It’s the latest victim of a recent decision by A-hole ‘christian’ regulators declaring instant horse racing machines to be “unconstitutional”! Boise State University conducted an economic study which concluded that Les Bois Park alone generated $50-million USD for Ada County, and provided 536 jobs, all lost now! The Idaho Horse Council says there will be a domino effect across Idaho’s equine economy: “It’s the feed, the hotels, the traveling, eating… it’s just a trickledown effect. Horses are going to be shipped out of state and that’s income Idaho doesn’t get. That’s devastating for our horse economy.”-Myron Amsden

The biggest electricity supplier in The Gem State is asking for a 2.2% increase (more than $2 per month for ‘average’ users) in utility bills.  Idaho Power says current rates are not allowing them to cover their “fixed costs” of operations. What’s not being reported is that more and more Idaho Power customers are using less electricity, and Idaho Power administrators expect that to continue, that’s the true reason for the rate jack up!   Idaho senator Dan Schmidt gave back his state taxpayer funded health plan to protest republicans continued refusal to close the healthcare gap: “I don’t think it’s fair that I get the taxpayers of Idaho to buy me health insurance, and we’re not willing to look at that problem for our other citizens who don’t have that benefit….  …And shame on us for not solving it!” -Dan Schmidt

In Boise, after only four months the brand new Boise Co-op grocery store located at The Village at Meridian laid off 29 employees, due to lack of sales!  Boise Co-op opened the store in November 2015, expecting big sales because Maureen Valko, Boise Co-op marketing manager, assumed there was a demand for their products saying  “There’s a demand for a good, natural food store on this side of town….”  It should be noted that in 2015 Boise Co-op was hit with numerous health code violations by city inspectors, in connection to a June 2015 salmonella outbreak at an older store.  So much for ‘natural foods’.  Also in Boise, it was revealed that Idaho Heritage Inn was sold-off last month, the former owner blames a 20% crash in bookings on Airbnb.com.  However, it should be noted that the bed-n-breakfast owner accepted a healthy offer from Saint Luke’s Medical Center for the land.

And just how addicted to Mexican money is Idaho?  Recently Mexico’s Minister of Trade Armando Orellana died.  Idaho’s government and agriculture industry are officially mourning Orellana as he’s credited for making Idaho a major ag partner for Mexico, generating $191-million USD in sales for Idaho’s minority (mainly corporate owned now) farmers-ranchers, just in 2015:  “Idaho agriculture lost a great friend. He touched many lives over the years and the tragic loss of Armando will be felt throughout Idaho.”-Celia Gould, Idaho Department of Agriculture   (Idaho even has its own website promoting itself in Mexico)

The Idaho Department of Labor admits that many Idahoans born between 1980 and 2000 are fleeing the Right to Work (you over) Gem State, and the biggest reason is the same reason I’ve heard since arriving in 1997, not enough good paying jobs: “People want to stay here, but there aren’t many options or much industry available in Idaho.  We’ve been avoiding this issue for a long time, because our employers don’t like to hear it: We don’t pay well!”-Ken Edmunds, Idaho Department of Labor

Back in 2003 I interviewed several Idaho State University Alumni who graduated in 1973.  They all stated they were making more money back in the 1970s.  One social sciences graduate stated he continued working at his loading dock job because he was making more money than what he would get with his sociology degree, but once Idaho became a Right to Work state (in the 1980s) everything went to hell.  As a dock worker in Pocatello (on Garrett Way) he was making $15.00 per hour in the 1970s, and that’s not adjusting for inflation!  He wasn’t married and his rent, utilities and food was so cheap by today’s costs that he felt like he was living in luxury.  By 2003 most of the distribution/warehouse jobs left the city, and at his age he was lucky to find a job that paid him $7.00 per hour.  He said the only reason why he wasn’t homeless was because he paid-off his cheap mobile home in the late 1970s and was still living in it.  Many of the older Pocatellans I interviewed wondered how young adults were surviving financially.   For decades local and state level politicians promised to bring good paying jobs to the state.  In Pocatello and Chubbuck there is a covert push to make the area a warehousing/distribution hub again, but the average starting wage for such jobs is between $10 and $15 per hour.  When adjusted for inflation that’s way less than what the same jobs paid in the 1970s!

APRIL:  How many people know the origin of the charity United Way?  It was born in the Coeur d’Alene area of northern Idaho in 1957, with the name United Crusade.  But since then the economy has gotten so bad that United Way announced it was expanding charity services in its own birthplace.

In Twin Falls, after 37 years God powerless to stop ‘unofficial’ Mormon Bell’s Family Books from being shutdown by ‘official’ Mormon bookstore Deseret Book! You read right!  Local news reports say Bell’s Family Books was facing increasing competition, the final straw being when their own religion opened a bookstore down the street.

In Boise, after 31 years backpacking store The Benchmark shutting down so the owner can return “…to the Idaho mountains.”  Emil Hutton said it’s time to quit due to the rise of what he calls “point-n-click” shopping.  Also 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! 

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

Despite boasting of a recovering economy the self proclaimed ‘christian’ leaders of Idaho have decided they must ration the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, incorrectly called Food Stamps).  Starting in July instead of getting all their food assistance on a single day, it will be spread over a ten days period, affecting 82-thousand of Idaho’s 1.5-million residents.  It was revealed that this rationing of food assistance was actually ordered by state ‘elected christian lawmakers’ back in 2014!   The British empire created christian Salvation Army protested the SNAP rationing by pointing out that poor Idahoans have been screwed so much by state ‘christian lawmakers’ that up to 90% of people coming into Salvation Army food banks are there to supplement the meager scraps given to them by Idaho’s SNAP!  (as a single healthy unemployed adult male I can confirm that there are plenty of poor people in Idaho who don’t qualify for state controlled social programs)

State Department of Labor sold its Right to Work Internet Unemployment System (ius) to the states of Iowa and Vermont!   The Gem State’s version of ObamaCare, Your Health Idaho, strikes again!  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

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

National Basketball Association D-league team the Idaho Stampede announced they’re getting the hell-outta Boise and moving to Salt Lake City, Utah.  They’re also changing their name to Salt Lake City Stars.  It was revealed that state taxpayers were forced to pay outrageous three-fold increase in overtime pay to Idaho State Police (ISP) trainees.  ISP administrators explained, without blinking an eye, that it was mainly for trainee commute times to the academy because there was no room in the academy’s dorms in Meridian, or at the National Guard barracks on Gowen Field!  (how many civilian businesses pay their employees to commute?)

EastIdahoNews reporting there is no recovery in eastern Idaho. Their latest article explains what happened with a lot of home construction projects“It was just one of those things where the economy went south.”-Dave Ogden, mayor of Sugar City

MAY:

Pocatello Wing It eatery no more.

In Pocatello, the Wing It chicken wing joint shutdown, as well as the Subway sandwich shop on Garrett Way.

The Pine Ridge Mall, Idaho location

Aeropostale shutting down stores in Chubbuck (Pine Ridge Mall, one of my many former employers [the mall, not Aéropostale]) & Twin Falls.

Mississippi based bankrupt Hancock Fabrics shutting down stores in Idaho Falls and Twin Falls.

According to the Idaho Business Review the state Department of Labor has inadvertently revealed the true reason The Gem State is welcoming ‘war’ refugees/migrants; there is an mass exodus of U.S. residents from Idaho!  In fact, the number of U.S. families leaving Idaho outpace the number of refugee/migrant families being brought in. Jerome County alone lost more than 830 U.S. residents in a five years period, and realize that Idaho has an official population of about 1.5-million: “The 16 counties in eastern and southeastern Idaho have lost about 14,200 residents since 2010. Every county experienced a net loss in migration, and the businesses in those communities are finding it hard to grow. Many are considering moving out of the state, Regional Economist Chris St. Jeor said.”

Despite years of boasting how great their farm economy was, even boasting of the Ag industry’s relationship with Mexico, the Department of Agriculture admitted that in 2015 Idaho’s farm exports crashed by 22%!  Idaho dairy exports crashed and burned by 43%! It’s blamed on the ‘strong’ USD, which makes U.S. products more expensive overseas: “It was a nice ride, but it’s over.”-Laura Johnson, Idaho Department of Agriculture

The state Department of Agriculture continues its dismal farm report by saying all but two types of crops will lose money this year.  The two money makers are sugar and barley.  Snake River Sugar Company-Amalgamated Sugar expects as much as $900-million USD in revenues for 2015.  But that increased revenue doesn’t translate into job creation, Mark Duffin of the Idaho Sugarbeet Growers Association says actual sugar production employment has been going down due to increased use of new technologies.

The state livestock Brand Inspector, Justin Archer, resigned after being charged by Jerome County Sheriff’s Office with felony grand theft!   Washington based Potlatch Corporation has sold-off  69605.9 hectares (172-thousand acres) of Gem State tree-land to ‘investors’ in U.S. state of Georgia, blaming Idaho’s suck-ass economy: “We purchased the central Idaho timberlands in 2007 intending to take advantage of what was a strong rural recreational real estate market around McCall…..Unfortunately, that market declined significantly due to the recession and the bankruptcy of the Tamarack Resort.”– Mike Covey, ceo

Near Grangeville, Blue North Forest Products confirmed that low lumber sales forced them to sell their mill to competitor Idaho Forest Group (who so far refuses to say what their plans are), 65 jobs threatened.

The Wilderness Society reports that most of the non-federally owned land in Idaho has been sold-off by the state government, resulting in “…lands in the hands of an elite few and Idaho’s biggest industries: the Simplot Corp., Potlatch, Boise-Cascade, cattle companies and law firms. Under these private ownerships, the new owners can lock out the public altogether or charge a trespass fee.”  (also, you now know the real reason why rents are getting jacked up)  The federal government is considering halting sheep grazing on public land in west-central Idaho.  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management says domestic sheep spread disease.  Wow, after a hundred plus years of sheep grazing they now claim sheep spread disease to other animals? I believe that applies to all us animals, all animals spread disease to each other. How do you think disease is spread, with a butter knife?  The local sheep industry calls bullshit on the BLM reasoning: “There’s no firm science that says 100% that domestic sheep pass disease on the open range, or that they’re the only species that can pass the disease.”-Stan Boyd, Idaho Wool Growers Association

A city employee of 14 years has resigned from her job with Idaho City after being accused of taking taxpayer funding.  Idaho State Police say she took about $47-thousand USD over a two years period, two other city employees were fired.

In Boise, rail car maker Motive Power-Wabtech laid off 210 people saying “There’s been a major downturn in the freight business, and that is impacting us. Our customers, the Class I railroads, have curtailed their capital spending for 2017.”   

DraftKings and FanDuel  shutting down their Idaho participants’ accounts, after state Attorney General Lawrence Wasden shutdown fantasy sports gambling: “….paid daily sports offerings provided by these companies constitute gambling under Idaho law. I have a duty to enforce and uphold that law. I commend the companies for negotiating in good faith and agreeing not to make these contests available in Idaho.”

The state Department of Labor (DoL) finally updated their WARN site, revealing that ATCO Structures & Logistics laid off 76 people in Pocatello, back in April (who knows why the DoL sat on the WARN for more than a month?).  Since 2012 British empire Canada based ATCO has been laying off employees across the U.S. and Canada due to “an economic slowdown” in the mining industry, they’re still “waiting for business to pick up.” 2012 was also the year ATCO opened their Pocatello location, in July, promising to hire 160 people to build mobile facilities for the mining-oil industry.   But immediately they froze hiring at 1-hundred, and then in November 2012 they laid off 15 people due to a sudden decline in demand from the mining-oil industry.  Then in October 2015, ATCO announced they would hire 75 Pocatellans after winning new contracts for modular buildings, with local economic ‘experts’ claiming it was a sign the economic downturn for Chubbuck and Pocatello was over.  Of course all the so called new jobs in the area came as a result of local taxpayers being forced to give these companies massive taxpayer incentives (sounds like socialism and not true free market economics).  Back in March of this year the Idaho State Journal reported that “…state law allows companies to receive up to a 30 percent refund of payroll, sales and state income taxes over 15 years if they produce at least 50 new jobs that pay higher than the county average.

Amy’s Kitchen [in Pocatello] received a 26 percent tax credit, which is valued at an estimated $6.7 million…”

The Idaho Technology Council reports that from 2014 to 2015 business investments into The Gem State tripled ($3.47 billion to $16.29 billion)! However, when you break it down by region all the big increases in investments went to the Boise area (aka southern sector of the state), north and east sectors saw little change in investments. And 60% went to the service sector (retail).

A month after the Panama Papers were made public by whistleblowers “…a number of Idaho shareholders were listed under Accelonic Ltd., an offshore company with more than 1,000 officers around the world.” Another sham offshore company reportedly involves an Idaho company that makes chemicals to preserve potatoes.  Some other sham companies involving Idaho investors are Uluwatu Holdings and DocDoc “First, where did the money being held in these entities come from? Second, why was the money held in these entities and hidden from view?”-John Miller, University of Idaho

Also, the AFL-CIO’s annual Executive PayWatch survey reports that chief executive officers in Idaho are paid an average 277 times more than Idahoans earning minimum wage, and 149 times more than Idahoans earning a ‘living wage’!

Olympus Healthcare agrees to pay Idaho $107,219 in restitution after getting caught bribing (kickbacks) Idaho healthcare providers!  According to magicvalley.com in the past year and a half Idaho doctors were paid-off by drug companies, to the tune of $24-million USD of ‘incentives’!  Now you know why so many people in The Gem State are wacked on evil prescription drugs!  What housing market recovery?

‘Suspect’ State Treasurer Ron Crane is now facing wrongful termination charges by a former employee, who was fired “in direct retaliation for communicating in good faith the existence of extensive waste of public funds/manpower and illegality”.  In November 2015 five state employees reported to their superiors massive corruption in the Republican ‘christian’ controlled state government. Instead of being praised for revealing the waste of taxpayer funding, they were accused of insubordination!  Two were fired!     The Idaho Housing and Finance Association reports that the number of homeless people in northern Idaho has increased 5% since 2015.  Local charities say the homeless rate is actually higher than the official count because not all localities are included in the head-counting, and warned the homeless rate will go up: “Although the homeless number is always interesting, those living from paycheck to paycheck who are on the verge of losing their homes is far greater. That’s the bigger issue.”-Jeff Conroy, Saint Vincent de Paul of North Idaho

Idaho state level ‘elected’ politicians have so far spent $136-thousand taxpayer dollars on travel expenses for this past 75 days legislative session! The revelation was made after The Associated Press forced the release of data through a Freedom of Information demand.  Not all reimbursement requests have been submitted, so expect the total tax dollars spent to go up.

Idaho’s Economic Destruction month of JUNE: “RISEN FROM THE ASHES”? WE STRUCK OIL!

Idaho’s Economic Destruction month of JULY86 YEARS OLD ZAMZOWS GOING DOWN?

AUGUST: Economically depressed Idaho is one of 11 states supplying the most military personnel for the never ending, and undeclared, war on terror. That’s according to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)!

The U.S. Census Bureau warning that sparsely populated Idaho could soon be dominated by immigrants, with the result that the majority of Gem State families will become poor.

In Pocatello, a divorce settlement forced the shutdown of 112 years old Town and Country Gardens, killing ten jobs: “We plan to sell it down to the bones.”-John Crook, owner, following the divorce court’s orders

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) lost its attempt to become the site for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, or FORGE: “Although our Idaho site was not selected, INL still has the opportunity to participate in the FORGE effort through our role as a member of the University of Utah-led team and in other funded proposals.”-Rob Podgorney, INL geothermal

A Fourth District Judge has thrown out a lawsuit challenging the 2014 law that heaps huge taxpayer funded incentives on companies moving to The Gem State.  Tens of millions in tax breaks (supposedly in the form of “reimbursements”) have already gone to companies like California based Amy’s Kitchen and Ireland’s Glanbia Foods. Agricultural news source Capital Press also revealed that an undisclosed food producer was recently given a $15-million tax credit for creating a piddly 80 jobs in Boise.  The state Depatment of Commerce claims that tax ‘reimbursments’ helped create 4,737 new jobs. But if companies aren’t paying their fair share of taxes how are the state and local governments going to make up for it?  By hitting Idaho residents with jacked up taxes and fees, of course.

If you’ve got a family and you’re thinking about moving to Idaho to get a job with one of those taxpayer subsidized companies, think again.  The Gem State is one of the worst when it comes to affordable child daycare, and the state government does nothing about it.  Economic Policy Institute says the average Idaho family spends $6-hundred per month per child on daycare.  Child Care Aware says from 2013 to 2014 childcare costs in Idaho skyrocketed by 19.9%!  Even a daycare operator says it’s not worth it to raise a family in Idaho: “Ultimately, when you do the math, and mom is only making X amount, how much of that money is going toward lunches out, and extra clothing, and taxes, and gas to get to and from? You have to look at all of that and see if it’s cost-effective.”-Megan MacCleary, Megan’s Munchkins Preschool, whose income from her daycare operation is so low she qualies for Medicaid (even though daycare rates have gone up Idaho still ranks third lowest for daycare operator/worker pay)

Non-profit Project Access Northwest testified before The Gem State legislature, blasting them for their version of ObamaCare saying 40% of the patients they see have no insurance! State Representative Fred Wood, from Burley, stated that Idaho’s version of ObamaCare is a “system where if you’re poor you have to rely on charity care, versus what everybody else gets.”

Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) canceled $5-million USD in funding for their students attending cash strapped Idaho State University (ISU).

Idaho State University (ISU) laying off 34 people at its Research and Innovation in Science and Engineering Complex (RISE), officially due to contract expiration.  Unnamed employees told local news sources that the RISE was being shutdown due to lack of money, but ISU admin denied the rumor.     More proof that throwing a lot of money at a problem doesn’t fix anything! After eight years, the state Department of Education’s $135-million USD campaign to increase math scores failed, big time! 8th graders considered at or above grade level dropped from 38% to 34% last year! 4th graders dropped from 41% to 38%!   The Education Commission of the States says Idaho’s taxpayer funding of education fails because “…the current formula did not contemplate a variety of different learning modalities, the increasing mobility of students and the states move toward mastery-based education.”      The 2016 Idaho Ready for Change survey says 73% of Idahoans prefer charter, or private schools, over traditional taxpayer funded schools.    Seven years later CenturyLink and Education Networks of America (ENA) now suing the state Department of Education over the scandalous Idaho Education Network project.  State Supreme Court rulings invalidated the IEN contracts, and the whole IEN broadband project was scrapped. CenturyLink and ENA claim they lost $18.5-million USD as a result!   Idaho public schools are also struggling financially after a court ruling (last year) revealed that the fees Idaho schools have been charging for decades violate the state constitution.  School District 151 revealed the illegal fees they were charging would’ve amounted to $140-thousand for the current school year.  School District 411 spent taxpayer funding on an attorney to find ways to continue to charge ‘fees’ without violating the state constitution.   Parents from school districts 2 and 25 (my district) are now suing for a refund of the illegal fees.  

SEPTEMBER:  Trading Company Stores suddenly shutdown their Post Falls and Bonners Ferry locations, 68 jobs lost due to the owner selling out to Washington based Yoke’s.  In Twin Falls, after more than 42 years Addison Restaurant West shutting down in October.  The owner sold it so he could take care of his 98 years old mom.

State education administrators and ‘lawmakers’ debating new ways to divy out dwindling taxpayer funding for schools, some plans would see as much as $131-million USD cut from school funding! School district administrators also told ‘lawmakers’ that ObamaCare mandated employee health insurance is sucking up more and more taxpayer funding.  Blue Cross of Idaho provides the insurance for Idaho teachers and jacked up their rates by 16.5% in 2015.  One plan for handling ObamaCare insurance for Idaho teachers could actually cost taxpayers an additional $17-million!  Budget policy analyst Paul Headlee warned “This is a particularly complex and potentially expensive endeavor.”

The State Police will stop enforcing a booze law that allows them to crash establishments that serve alcohol during ‘live sex acts’.  It’s the result of a lawsuit that proved that the law being used to harass bars with adult performers is too vague, and possibly unconstitutional.    And the State Police are being sued for the 2013 killing of a Montana man.  The man was questioned by police for 40 minutes before they shot him while he was sitting in the passenger’s seat of his car.  Police claim the license plates didn’t match the man’s car and that there was a gun in the glove box. The family of the victim says police dash-cam video shows their son never threatened police with any gun.  Boise State Public Radio revelaed that the federal government refuses to reveal how many illegal immigrants in Idaho get deported.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement admitted that actual deportations have declined since 2012, due to a focus on immigrants convicted in court of crimes other than immigration violations.   Here in Idaho deportations in 2015 dropped by about 4-hundred compared to 2011.  And in Camas County, actor Bruce Willis‘ plans for a private airport crashed and burned after complaints from residents, and the city of Ketchum claimed it violated local laws.  Apparently the land was zoned specifically for agricultural use.

Lewiston Kmart, Boise Town Square Mall Sears Store & Auto Center, Boise Kmart Auto Center, the Nampa Kmart Store & Auto Center, the Coeur d’Alene Kmart and Sears Store & Auto Center, the Twin Falls Sears Store & Auto Center and Kmart, the Ammon Kmart, the Idaho Falls Sears Store & Auto Center, the abandoned but still owned by Sears Holdings Chubbuck (the “opportunities” listing incorrectly says Pocatello) Sears Store (esentially all remaining Sears & Kmarts in Idaho) made the new Sears Holdings Real Estate for sale or lease list!

OCTOBER: Instant potatoes maker Basic American Ingredients issued a WARN for their Blackfoot ops, 91 additional jobs gone. The Blackfoot potato factory was sold to Basic American Ingredients back in February 2013, and 103 people lost their jobs just three months later.  After 40 years in Idaho Falls, Madsen’s Crafts and Framing shutting down in November.  One of the retiring co-owners said decades ago he quit his job with Sears in Utah to run the local Idaho craft store, and he has no regrets.  In Lewiston, Discount Vacuum shutdown after 35 years, due to the owner’s health problems.

Karcher Care Group issued a WARN for their Nampa nursing home ops, 172 jobs gone!  “Concerning and certainly somewhat problematic.”  That’s how state Department of Insurance Director Dean Cameron describes health insurance provider’s plans to greatly jack up ‘out of network’ charges.  According to the Idaho StatesmanBlue Cross of Idaho plans will have a $50,000 out-of-network deductible for individuals, and patients will have an out-of-pocket responsibility for up to $75,000 of all out-of-network claims — up from $4,000 and $10,000 this year.

BridgeSpan and SelectHealth members will have less-extreme deductibles, but they will be responsible for up to $200,000 of their bills if they go out of network.

The amounts are doubled for families.”

The number of Gem State high school graduates who immediately go on to college dropped below the halfway mark, in 2014 and 2015.  This is despite the Board of Education spending taxpayer money on several years of “Go-On” propaganda.  Superintendent of Public Schools Sherri Ybarra lost her attempt to block the investigation into the falsifying of teacher performance records.  Last month law makers created a $50-thousand USD fine for any district official caught falsifying such data. This is the result of an investigation by IdEdNews which revealed that school districts were deliberately lying about their teacher’s performance in order to justify pay raises!  Cassia County Joint School District decided not to fight a ACLU lawsuit accusing it of discriminating against non-Mormon students.  Details of the settlement were not disclosed but the taxpayer funded Mormon dominated school district claims it will make changes to its official policies of favoring Mormon students.  What happened was a non-Mormon student wanted to run for student body president but was denied on the grounds of not having the required classes completed.  But it turns out the only candidate, a Mormon, also did not meet the requirements to campaign for president yet was allowed to run!  The Mormon dominated district was counting Mormon seminary as credit towards the class requirement.

NOVEMBER: The Idaho Department of Labor quietly launched a Spanish version of its website during the week of the U.S. presidential elections:  https://labor.idaho.gov/ClaimantPortal/Login?ReturnUrl=%2fClaimantPortal%2f

A former Boise, Idaho, cop and his wife are charged with stealing thousands of dollars from The Treasure Valley Lodge #11 Fraternal Order of Police charity, while the former cop was the president of the fraternity.  The current fraternity president says it took local police investigators fives years to uncover the crime by cop!

One year after relocating to Garden City, JoyfulTea suddenly shutdown due to “A series of events…”    Bodybuilding.com suddenly laid off 90 people in Boise.  The warning-less layoffs were revealed by unnamed employees who reported it to local news media.  Company admin admitted they are conducting “organizational downsizing” as part of their plans to expand their internet ops (never mind that it directly contradicted the new CEO’s statements, earlier in the year, that they would hire more people).   In Twin Falls, popular Kona Coffee & Cakes shutdown due to “other circumstances”.

The not-so-‘elected’ leaders of Idaho continue using taxpayer funding to look for new agricultural markets, this year they’re sending University of Idaho’s Dean of Agriculture to China. According to Capital Press, 20% of state legislatures are directly connected to farming/ranching.  The state Department of Agriculture is conducting classes for farmers regarding new federal rules for farm labor: “There’s too much information to absorb in two hours, and they’re doing their best to comply with this.”-Luis Urias

Finally after decades of draconian convict policies, and in an attempt to reduce incarceration recidivism, the state Department of Health and Welfare is asking for $11-million tax dollars to provide mental health services for probationers and parolees.  Currently The Gem State Department of Corrections has a 35% recidivism rate.  The proposed mental health program for probationers and parolees is not connected to ObamaCare.   In Nampa, Holly Lane Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (owned by ‘christian’ for-profit Tennessee based Orianna Health Systems-Covenant Dove) continues to violate Medicare and Medicaid rules for patient safety.  State inspectors accuse Holly Lane of repeatedly putting patients in “immediate jeopardy”.   The Nampa nursing home has until January to get its act together or lose all federal funding.  Local news media interviewed former patients who say the mistreatment started years ago due to lack of employees.  One patient told a state inspector “If I have to piss and shit on myself, I would rather be dead!”

Once again the ‘christian’ Right to Work (you over) republican leaders are realizing too late that their education policies suck. A new Student Loan Report survey shows as much as 82% of Idahoans who did “Go-On” and graduate from college (both public and private) are now saddled with debt.  To address the issues of crashing college enrollment (of Idahoans) and skyrocketing indebtedness Idaho ‘lawmakers’ have approved a $3-thousand USD grant to help individual Idahoans pay for college (too late for me and my adult children)!  The federal government is helping by shelling out $1.4-million to expand Idaho’s apprenticeships in healthcare, Info-Tech, manufacturing and energy.   A  Fort Hall Elementary principal admitted to stealing more than $9-thousand from the Blackfoot School District.  She was sentenced to five years probation and 3-hundred hours of community work, and supposedly has already paid back the money.  Combative state Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra now swears she will comply with federal Department of Education rules by submitting the Every Student Succeeds Act plan by March 2017.  The announcement came after Ybarra failed to met her own self imposed ESSA filing deadline!

DECEMBER: In Twin Falls, local news media revealed that during the Summer local school officials paid  more than $94-thousand to one school administrator (who then suddenly retired), and then tried to hide the fact from the public.  So far school officials are refusing to explain the secret payout. 

Without warning the Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Pocatello shutdown on Xmas.  Employees showed up only to find a note taped to the door saying a new restaurant would take its place in the near future, the 28 Ruby Tuesday employees are concerned for their final pay. What’s really intersting is that Ruby Tuesday actually posted job openings on indeed.com, for their Pocatello location, just the week prior!  Here’s what some employees told KPVI TV: “It’s pretty upsetting knowing that we just had Christmas and spent a bunch of money on our families.”– Shane Engle

“I think it’s crappy that we found out that way. That somebody couldn’t have called us or let us know in advance so we can find another job. Something! I’m on a plan that I need to work to get my Medicaid insurance. And if I don’t have a job I lose my insurance. I have several health problems that I have to have insurance.”-Deanna Orth

KIFI finally reporting what I’ve known (and written about) for years; the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck is dead. KIFI reporters who went there expecting to get day after Xmas shopping mayhem were shocked to find the mall almost empty.  In Ucon, 65 people unemployed after the Snake River Plains Potato Warehouse burned down the day after Xmas.  In Idaho Falls, after less than three years The Collective Cachet shutdown on Xmas Eve, with the owners warning that they must shutdown their other businesses as well. Local news media report that Idaho Falls ‘mom&pop’ shops are shutting down due to lack of parking for customers, and some are moving to the next door city of Ammon for better rents and locations.  In Boise, restaurant Pollo Rey shutting down by the end of February 2017.   In Meridian, the owner of Frankie’s Java warned they could shutdown after only seven months of business.  It’s blamed on lack of sales: “At this rate of losing money, we’re considering pulling out as soon as February or March.”-Lisa Squires

The new owner of the Carmike Cinemas in Chubbuck, AMC Theaters, quietly began posting on the internet for new employees ranging from “Film Crews” to theater managers.  AMC Theaters took over Carmike Cinemas in March of 2016.  No word on what’s going on with the old employees.

The state Department of Commerce waiving nearly $6-million in taxes to any company that can create jobs in Idaho!  It’s being called Project Grand Slam.

Despite Idaho being flooded with immigrants and refugees (according to state and federal data), the state Department of Labor is predicting worker shortages in the areas of pipe-fitting/plumbing (possibly due to the covert oil industry boom), physical therapists, accountants/auditors, software/computer developers, industrial mechanics, registered nurses, semi-truck drivers and cooks.  As with past predictions of booming employment opportunities the ‘authorities’ have failed to explain why there is going to be such an expected economic boom (by the way, the plurality of past economic boom predictions for Idaho never materialized).  Remember, back in March the Department of Labor admitted that Idahoans were fleeing the state, however, the prediction of job shortages comes at the same time the U.S. Census Bureau reported data that says Idaho is the 3rd fastest growing state, population wise, in the country (blamed on high birth rate of Idahoans and domestic [U.S.] migrants looking for jobs).  This indicates that instead of worker shortages there might not be enough jobs for all the people flooding into the state (and it amazes me that people are coming to Idaho when there aren’t enough jobs right now).

 In the overwhelmingly christian dominated south eastern part of The Gem State, christians failed to support a new christian founded (and much needed due to increasing homelessness in the area) homeless shelter, prompting a local Muslim to come to the rescue.  Pastor Jacqualine ‘Big Momma’ Thomas needed at least $30-thousand USD for the homeless shelter but got only $7-thousand from fellow christians, a local Muslim doctor heard the news and said he felt compelled to make up the difference. He promised $23-thousand for the Big Momma’s House project.  (UPDATE: TV station KPVI reported that after the initial report of a Muslim saving Big Momma’s House at least two more large donations were made, however, KPVI was careful not to mention the religious affiliation of the donors. JANUARY 2017 UPDATE: TV station KIFI reporting that Bingham Memorial Hospital made a significant donation and admitted they were motivated by the Muslim doctor’s donation.)

Idaho’s Economic Decline 2015: “WE’RE GOING TO GO DOWN.”

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: ONE FINAL LOOK AT THE IDAHO POSTAL PROCESSING CENTER MOST EAST IDAHOANS DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT!

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: IDAHO’S FAILED HOKU LEADS TO 1ST CHINESE COMPANY TO DEFAULT ON LOAN PAYMENTS?

Idaho’s Economic Decline 2014: “WE’VE LOST A LOT…SINCE 2007.”

Idaho’s Economic Decline 2013: “IT WAS A BLOW, CUT US OFF AT THE KNEES.”

A HISTORY LESSON IN ECONOMIC DECLINE: POCATELLO’S OLD FRED MEYER & ALBERTSONS ON YELLOWSTONE AVE, DID NOT CLOSE DOWN IN THE 1990S

“This is a business…the product is faith” : U.S. Christian self-destruction 2nd half 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. Christian shutdowns and layoffs 2nd Half 2016.

Alaska: A former Birchwood Christian School teacher sentenced to 15 years after having sexual contact with a 15 years old student.

Arizona:  The LDS (Mormon) Church being sued by Navajo who were forced into a Mormon education program from 1947 to the 1990s. The plaintiffs accuse the christians of physically and sexually assaulting them. The Lamanite (Mormon word for Native Americans) Student Placement Program (aka Indian Student Placement Program) took Navajo children from their parents in Arizona and placed them with Mormon families in Utah.

Arkansas: Bentonville based, and United Church of Christ Sam Walton founded, Walmart decided to kill 7-thousand accounting jobs by the end of the year!

California:   God powerless to stop ‘his’ Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) from shutting down a location in Los Angeles, by January 2017.  God powerless to stop ‘his’ Adventist Health from laying off 16 employees due to escalating costs of operations and reduced reimbursements caused by ObamaCare.

Connecticut:  God was powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Mary School in Newington, right before the 2016-17 school year.  It’s blamed on $500-thousand USD of debt. God powerless to stop the British empire based Salvation Army from shutting down four thrift stores in The Constitution State.  Perhaps the not-so recovered economy is what Salvation Army admin was refereing to in this statement: “…current circumstances have made supporting these programs through these store locations impossible.”

Florida: God powerless to stop ‘his’ Adventist Health System-Florida Hospital Medical Group from eliminating 67 positions by outsourcing (contracting out) the jobs. ‘Christian’ Agnostic Warren Buffett eliminated 72 jobs with his Berkshire Hathaway Concierge in Fort Lauderdale.   Baptist Health South Florida bribing employees to quit (voluntary buyouts) in order to free-up cash for investments into “growth areas”.

Idaho: In the overwhelmingly christian dominated south eastern part of The Gem State, christians failed to support a new christian founded (and much needed due to increasing homelessness in the area) homeless shelter, prompting a local Muslim to come to the rescue.  Pastor Jacqualine ‘Big Momma’ Thomas needed at least $30-thousand USD for the homeless shelter but got only $7-thousand from fellow christians, a local Muslim doctor heard the news and said he felt compelled to make up the difference. He promised $23-thousand for the Big Momma’s House project.  (UPDATE: TV station KPVI reported that after the initial report of a Muslim saving Big Momma’s House at least two more large donations were made, however, KPVI was careful not to mention the religious affiliation of the donors. JANUARY 2017 UPDATE: TV station KIFI reporting that Bingham Memorial Hospital made a significant donation and admitted they were motivated by the Muslim doctor’s donation.)

Cassia County Joint School District decided not to fight a ACLU lawsuit accusing it of discriminating against non-Mormon students.  Details of the settlement were not disclosed but the taxpayer funded Mormon dominated school district claims it will make changes to its official policies of favoring Mormon students.  What happened was a non-Mormon student wanted to run for student body president but was denied on the grounds of not having the required classes completed.  But it turns out the only candidate, a Mormon, also did not meet the requirements to campaign for president yet was allowed to run!  The Mormon dominated district was counting Mormon seminary as credit towards the class requirement.    School District 321, based in ‘Mormonsville’ Rexburg, has declared a teacher shortage emergency and is now hiring anybody who wants to teach, regardless of certification, starting pay $30-thousand (which is damn good for rural Idaho)!

In Nampa, Holly Lane Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center (owned by ‘christian’ for-profit Tennessee based Orianna Health Systems-Covenant Dove) continues to violate Medicare and Medicaid rules for patient safety.  State inspectors accuse Holly Lane of repeatedly putting patients in “immediate jeopardy”.   The Nampa nursing home has until January to get its act together or lose all federal funding.  Local news media interviewed former patients who say the mistreatment started years ago due to lack of employees.  One patient told a state inspector “If I have to piss and shit on myself, I would rather be dead!”

Indiana: On Xmas day Forks Mennonite Church shutdown after 159 years.  Apparently its being replaced by a church that’s more ‘hip’ with the times.  150 years old christian book publisher Saint Meinrad Archabbey Press shutdown, 70 jobs lost due to skyrocketing costs of operation and crashing sales.

Iowa: In Des Moines, the treasurer of Unity Lutheran Church now charged with stealing $70-thousand USD from the church, the church is now threatened with shutdown: “It is embarrassing to say that this went on for seven years, and nobody caught it.”-Marlon Mormann, upset church-member

Kentucky:  University of Louisville claims ‘christian’ owned KentuckyOne Health owes $46-million USD in back due payments! In 2012, U of L contracted with Colorado based ‘christian’ KentuckyOne to manage its hospital and cancer treatment center.  Instead of making the U of L health care operations profitable KentuckyOne ended up eliminating more than 5-hundred jobs.  ‘Christian’ administrators of KentuckyOne countered by demanding to know what U of L is doing with the money it already got!

Louisiana: God powerless to stop ‘his’ Saint Pius Child Development Center from shutting down sometime in 2017, claiming the church cannot afford to make needed repairs to the facility.

Massachusetts: God powerless to stop the last of ‘his’ Catholic high schools in Berkshire County from shutting down, Saint Joseph Central High will shutdown in June 2017.  Framingham based Mormon christian Mitt Romney co-founded Staples plans on shutting down at least 50 stores by the end of the year, due to losing $766-million USD in its 2nd quarter of 2016!  In Framingham, members of The Plymouth Church admitted to The Boston Globe that the election of Donald Trump was tearing their congregation apart.

Minnesota: After 103 years God powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Crossroads College (International Christian Bible College), after the Fall Semester! ‘Christian’ administrators blame it on what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS, it’s The Rapture eyes tells ya).

Missouri: God can’t stop ‘his’ Our Lady of Sorrows and Saint James schools from shutting down due to The Rapture (I mean massive DSS), local news reports say the Saint Louis Archdiocese has suffered a net loss of 12-thousand 5-hundred students over the past decade (that sounds like The Rapture numbers to me)!

Montana: In Billings, Saint Vincent Healthcare effectively eliminated 84 jobs, and shutting down their Shirley’s Place Child Care Center,  blaming changes in the healthcare industry (like ObamaCare pushing people out of inpatient care) which is causing their revenues to crash.  “…Montana residents, who call themselves pain refugees, boarded an airplane from Missoula to Los Angeles. They say that finding doctors willing to treat chronic pain in Montana is almost impossible…   In the past several years, the Montana Board of Medical Examiners has taken on several high-profile cases of doctors it suspects of overprescribing opioids.”-Kaiser Health News

New Jersey: In Atlantic City, the Carl Icahn-Donald Trump (Presbyterian christian) owned Trump Taj Mahal Casino officially shutdown, 3-thousand jobs gone!

New York:  God powerless to stop ‘his’ College of Saint Rose from possibly eliminating 23 jobs due to a $9-million shortfall, despite boasting of a record number of enrollments this school year!  It should be noted that the College of Saint Rose is deeply involved/connected with U.S. attorneys and court judges, unAmerican corporate America and the main stream news media.   God powerless to stop ‘his’ Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services from issuing a layoff WARN for their ops in Brooklyn. The layoffs take place right before Xmas.  God’s Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Elmira eliminated 83 jobs.  In Troy, god couldn’t stop ‘his’ Samaritan Hospital from eliminating 22 nursing positions.

North Carolina: In Lumberton, god powerless to stop ‘his’ 39 years old Christian Book Store from shutting down right after Xmas.  The owner basically said it was because they couldn’t find a ‘christian’ buyer willing to take over the business.

Ohio: God powerless to stop christian agnostic Warren Buffett owned NetJets from eliminating 80 jobs at its Lunken Repair Station, right before Xmas. In Little Hocking, Stahl’s Christmas Shop shutdown: “I didn’t want to have to do this but with the downturn in the economy, things just haven’t been as good the last few years so we just thought it was time. We’ve been here 36 years so we’ve had a long run.”-Sharon Stahl

Oregon: God powerless to stop ‘his’ non-profit Saint Charles Health System from already shutting down their new Center for Women’s Health in Bend, blaming “staffing-related issues”!  When asked for specifics John Weinsheim, president of the Saint Charles Medical Group, insisted “I really can’t.”  Facebook posts indicate the year and a half old clinic is losing doctors early next year.

Pennsylvania: In Zelienople, Grace Run Lutheran Services suddenly laid off 97 people.  An employee at god’s Bishop Carroll Catholic High School is charged with sexually assaulting an international exchange student.  Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the shutdown of four churches by the end of January 2017.   Reverend Alyn Waller of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church admitted that “This is a business.  We are presenting Jesus Christ and the product is faith in Jesus Christ…..  ….there is a financial component to everything we do.”

Rhode Island: God powerless to stop massive layoffs at ‘his’ Our Lady of Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center. Union reps say at least 30 people are being let go, and 20 vacant positions are being eliminated.

South Carolina: The Unity United Methodist Church in Lugoff began openly celebrating Kwanzaa.

South Dakota:  In Sioux Falls, god powerless to stop ‘his’ YMCA from shutting down the Wise Buys thrift store, 37 jobs lost.  YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) administrators blame “market conditions”.

Tennessee: God can’t stop ‘his’ Baptist Memorial from eliminating 83 jobs right before Xmas.  Administrators directly blame ObamaCare for reduced costs reimbursements: “Healthcare is going through unprecedented change, and we’ll all have to do more with less. These changes will help position Baptist to provide the very best care for all of the mid-South.”-Jason Little, executive vice president and COO

Texas:   In Grapevine, 23 years old Merry’s Christmas and Clowns shutting down when the inventory is gone.  God powerless to stop ‘his’ Good Shepherd Health System from laying off 50 people.   CEO Steve Altmiller blamed ObamaCare saying “Like many other healthcare systems across the country, Good Shepherd Health System has been facing challenging times, resulting in lower overall patient census and financial losses.”   NATO member Turkey is accusing Houston based Harmony Public Schools, which operates hundreds of campuses across the U.S. (under different names),  of not only employment discrimination against Turkish immigrants, but of supporting Islamic Extremism.  However, the ‘christian’ dominated Texas Education Agency declared the accusations against Harmony to be “unfounded”.   Saint Mark’s Medical laid off nine people and then sold their La Grange office building to Rainier Realty Investments.  Administrators directly blame ObamaCare for the layoffs saying “The layoffs were…..an adjustment to our current healthcare environment.  As penalties increase and volumes decrease, it’s critical each hospital/physician office adapt to the new landscape.”

Baptist Hospital shutting down its emergency room ops in Orange, by the end of January 2017. Administrators blame the Texas version of ObamaCare.   In Lubbuck, god powerless to stop Covenant Health from laying off 49 employees, administrators directly blame ObamaCare: “Covenant Health is financially stable, but the changes we’ve experienced thus far and will continue to undergo are the direct result of reduced reimbursements….”-Richard Parks, executive vice president and CEO

Utah: In Utah County two Mormons, a local politician and a local businessman, were both accused of pretending to be high ranking Mormon officials in an attempt to scam $1-million from fellow Mormons. The business man pled guilty while the politician pled not-guilty.  In Ogden, as a sign ‘christians’ are getting paranoid the Washington Heights Church gave enough money to local police to buy 79 bullet proof vests!

Vermont:   God refuses to stop ‘his’ British empire based Salvation Army from shutting down their thrift store in Burlington.  Local news said an unnamed employee blamed crashing sales and skyrocketing costs of operation. Christian founded gravestone maker Rock of Ages Corporation began eliminating jobs at its granite quarry after selling out to a British empire company based in Canada.

Virginia:  After surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions, god powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Lutheran Memorial School in Richmond: “It is with deep regret that the LMS Foundation Board announces that the school does not have the funds to open for the 2016-17 school year.”-official statement

Washington: The ‘christian’ god powerless to stop ‘his’ Saint Joseph Medical Center laying off 44 people right before Xmas.  The so called christian administrators of the hospital boasted that they’re advertising that they have 6-hundred vacant positions, so why the layoffs?

West Virginia: On Xmas day about $2-thousand worth of cash and items (including a surveillance system) were stolen from the  Gallagher Church of the Nazarene.

Wisconsin: In Appleton, god powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ nearly 1-hundred years old Trinity Lutheran Church due to church members not being able to pay for the upkeep of the property.  God can’t stop ‘his’ employees from blowing the whistle on massive layoffs at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and Columbia Saint Mary’s.  When confronted by news media the administrators of the ‘christian’ hospitals refused to give numbers, but admitted its part of parent company Ascention Health’s consolidation plans.

2nd Q 2016 U.S. Christianity: “ALL THE CHURCHES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS DECLINE IN ATTENDANCE.” THE RAPTURE?

“But the root of all these evils is the love of money, and there are some who have desired it and have erred from the faith and have brought themselves many miseries.”-1 Timothy 6:10 Aramaic Bible

“And Yeshua entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, It is written: ‘My house will be called the House of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.’ “-Matthew 21:12-13 Aramaic Bible

“Yeshua said to them, ‘Give what is Caesar’s to Caesar and what is God’s to God.’ And they marveled at him.”-Mark 12:17 Aramaic Bible

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.-1st Amendment, U.S. Constitution

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”

Syrian ‘rebels’ attack Aleppo evacuation buses! Where’s the U.S. news media on this?

Video of aftermath of U.S.-EU-Israeli backed Islamic extremist ‘rebel’ attack on buses sent to evacuate civilians from Aleppo:

https://youtu.be/260brra8V-4

FALSE FLAG: TURKEY, RUSSIA BLAME ASSASSINATION ON U.S. BASED EXTREMIST GROUP!

TERROR ATTACK IN GERMANY, SWISS COPS SHOOT MIGRANTS, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR KILLED, U.S. EMBASSY LOCK-DOWN! SYRIA CONNECTION?

INVASION OF SYRIA “WITHIN WEEKS”: ASHTON CARTER

Yes Virginia, Syrian govt celebrates Xmas, in Arabic?

Al-Farah Choir performs at Dar al-Assad for Culture and Arts celebrating Christmas and New Year, can you recognize the tunes? Many Syrian Christians speak Syriac, a type of Aramaic.  Jesus of Nazareth was Aramaic, not Hebrew, Aramaic was his primary language (in 2014 Catholic Pope Francis and Israeli despot Benjamin Netanyahu argued over what language Jesus of Nazareth spoke).  Back then your primary language indicated your ethnicity.  Aramians are Semitic, just like Arabs and Hebrews.

https://youtu.be/q4Fi2tYdc-Q

Syrian govt holds art show that would never been seen under U.S. backed ‘rebels’!

Syrian government held a charity art show for disabled university students, keep in mind that such an art show would never happen under the ruler-ship of U.S.-EU-Israeli backed ‘moderate’ (but really extremist) rebels:

https://youtu.be/aMRx_afjZp8