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Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 11 November 2014: “…it’s hard to fail.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Connecticut: Norwalk based iconic Xerox warned that more layoffs are in the works, on top of the 13-hundred already taking place!  Administrators say demand for high-tech stuff is crashing, after reporting their 10th straight quarter of losses!

Florida: The Island Breeze Casino cruse ship now bankrupt busted, 250 employees laid off!  Administrators blame it on an engine fire that cost at least $1-million USD to fix.  In Saint Petersburg, British empire United Kingdom based medical products maker Smith & Nephew warned it will shutdown in 2015, eliminating 108 U.S. jobs!  Administrators say they must consolidate ops to Texas.

Idaho: In Challis, Colorado based Thompson Creek Mining (aka Thompson Creek Metals) issued a WARN saying they will layoff 160 people and shutdown their molybdenum mine in December.  The mining company also warned Canadian employment administrators that they will shutdown their Endako molybdenum mine, also in December.  Administrators blame the crashing price of moly-B.

Illinois: In Evanston, after 34 years Next Theater Company shutdown without notice.  Reports say subscribers will not get refunds!  Administrators blame a “sudden” crash in ticket buying and even donations, and they admitted their money management skills might not have been the best.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 68 years Freeman Jewelers shutdown.  The family owners blamed the high cost of precious metals and gems, and high unemployment, for impacting their sales.

Minnesota: God refuses to stop the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul from killing an undisclosed number jobs.  It’s blamed on their craving for sex with children, as they recently paid out a huge (undisclosed) amount of money to settle yet another sex abuse lawsuit!  In Minneapolis, printer Cenveo revealed they will shutdown and render jobless 112 people between December 2014 and March 2015!

Nebraska: It was announced that the only Schweser’s women’s clothing store in Ohama will shutdown in January 2015.  Company administrators blamed “economic reasons”.

North Carolina: Baxano Surgical now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Ohio: In Springboro, a 56 years old IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) grocery store shutdown. The owner blames competition from ‘big box’ stores: “We’ve got third, fourth generation shoppers. I’ve seen the kids in their baby carriers, to them bringing in their own kids. It’s hard to see what this is, when you watch your inventory dwindle down trying to make excuses to the customers is just, it’s hard to fail.”-Doug Preston

South Carolina: In Conway, after six years the Eggs Up Grill shutdown, 20 jobs lost. The owners said they’re being evicted due to not being able to pay their bills. Co-owner Christine Bonar says “There’s no value to put on what we’re losing financially. It will be the value of the friendships that we’ve made and the staff that we worked with. We’re all breaking up. We’re breaking up our family!” Manager Jeanne Sudowski is worried about the employees: “Obviously losing your job right before Thanksgiving and Christmas time is very rough…..some of them I don’t know if they can collect unemployment because they’ve only been here since July.”

07-09 November-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 November 2014: Too Big to Jail corporate welfare recipient kills off 45-thousand jobs! Competition kills bio-fuel!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Laying off 57 employees in Palo Alto, Space Systems/Loral finally gave state employment administrators a late WARN!  What automotive industry recovery?  In San Jose, Capitol Expressway Ford warned they will render 102 people jobless in December!  In Lodi, food processor General Mills warned they will render 410 people jobless by January 2015!  The FDIC seized the bank known as Frontier Bank (aka El Paseo Bank), assets were assumed by Bank of Southern California.  Los Angeles based Capitol Music Group laid off at least 12 employees, blamed on crashing sales.  Mountain View based Symantec confirmed it will kill off 2-thousand jobs by the end of 2015, and the tech company will split in half in an effort to ‘right-size’!  Dublin based hamburger joint Wendy’s announced it is killing an undisclosed number of HQ jobs (rumored to be in the hundreds) by December, and said that it will continue with its massive store selloffs into 2015! Wendy’s has been selling off its stores to franchise holders. Company administrators say they need to cut at least $30-million USD going into 2015! It’s not due to crashing sales (not yet anyway) but mainly because of skyrocketing beef prices (Wendy’s actually uses 100% beef, unlike McDonald’s)! The supply of cow meat is dwindling due to the decades old drought in the western half of the U.S., and not only is Wendy’s competing with people shopping for beef in grocery stores, but with other burger and steak restaurants as well.

Georgia: In Alpharetta, 400 people becoming jobless as Too Big to Jail insurance company AIG (American International Group, which has its origins in China) laid them off in the name of becoming “more agile”!

Illinois:   Lawn and garden products maker County Stone Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales to homeowners, resulting in at least 74 employees becoming unemployed.

Iowa: After 83 years iconic Dahl’s Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The bankruptcy will make it easier for the iconic food company to be sold off to a competitor (Associated Wholesale Grocers), 950 employees affected!  After 30 years, Foster Family Music shutdown, the owners blaming a changing market.

Massachusetts: Maine based Hannaford Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Ayer grocery store in February 2015, at least 87 jobs lost. Company administrators said they will not renew the lease and admitted the bad economy cannot support all the grocery stores they have.  Steward Health Care System announced they will shutdown their Quincy Medical Center at the end of December, 680 jobs lost!

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  Plastic parts maker for the automotive industry Flint Hills Resources shutting down their Marysville plant by mid-2015, at least 75 jobs lost.  Company administrators said that despite their best efforts the factory could not “remain competitive”.

Missouri: Air ambulance service Air Evac Lifeteam announced the shutdown of their West Plains ops, 36 jobs lost.  Company administrators blamed a number of things including the costs to upgrade helicopters and problems with landlords.

New Jersey: Gerresheimer Glass issued a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) saying 115 people will become jobless in January 2015!  They are shutting down their Millville soda lime furnace, blaming it on global competition.   Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton warned state administrators that they will render 87 healthcare workers jobless by the end of 2014.

New York:  NYC based Too Big to Jail taxpayer bailout eater JP Morgan Chase radically upped its job killing, now reports say a total of 45-thousand JP Morgan Chase workers will become unemployed, apparently by the end of 2014!  And for more proof of a coming housing implosion, about 18-thousand of those job cuts are in the mortgage sector (due to a 48% drop in mortgage related business)!  In 2012 a Bloomberg study revealed that JP Morgan Chase was getting $14-billion per year from the U.S. taxpayers!  The iconic bank has also been accused of massive fraud and in 2013 agreed to pay the federal government a piddly $13-billion in fines (however, criminal charges are still pending).  Oak-Mitsui Technologies warned it will shutdown its Hoosick Falls plant in February 2015, at least 29 jobs lost.  Castle Oil issued a WARN revealing they’ve been sold off, putting in limbo at least 182 jobs!  Some good news; Suffolk Bus has rescinded a previous WARN.  Supposedly they aren’t shutting down after all.

North Carolina: Obamacare forced Harnett Health to lose $24-million and kill off 19 jobs!

Texas: Pasadena based bio-fuel maker Kior now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.  Administrators said it’s just to expensive to scale up bio-fuel production to compete with old fashioned petroleum oil.  In Fort Worth, British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems killed off 190 U.S. jobs!  It’s blamed on U.S. ally Korea (south, aka RoK) canceling an order to upgrade more than 130 F-16 jets.  The upgrade deal was (mis?)-handled by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Washington: Seattle based legal bio-tech drugs pusher Dendreon now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators say the company has $664-million in debt, but only $364-million in assets.

05-06 November-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Housing & Construction Industry Implosion: Last six months of 2014, “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.”

Incomplete list of residential and commercial construction industry job destruction that took place, or were announced, from July to December 2014:

The U.S. Commerce Department reports a 9.3% drop in new U.S. home construction in the month of June. When broken down by region, the southern states led the country with a 29.6% drop! This is significant because the southern region makes up 40% of U.S. home construction!

Midwest: 28.1% drop

Northeast: 14.1% drop

West: 2.6% drop

RealtyTrac’s top ten list says the Kansas City area (in both Missouri and Kansas) has 305 abandoned homes!

Alabama: Maker of textiles for housing and industrial applications Johnston Textiles warned that its Phenix City factory could shutdown, 140 jobs could be lost!  Company administrators are hoping somebody will buy the factory.  In Birmingham, L&N Parkside canceled their plans to build 129 apartments and 12-thousand square feet of retail space. The project was dependent on a loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD refused to issue the loan! RealtyTrac’s top ten list says Birmingham-Hoover ties second place (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 37%! In numbers that’s 428 abandoned homes!

Arizona:  Local news reports said the Grand Canyon State lost 45-hundred construction jobs in June! British empire Australia based real estate company Colliers International says land sales in Phoenix have crashed 40% in the first half of 2014!  Maville Interiors now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 200 jobs could be lost! The company was one of the largest house painting contractors in the Grand Canyon State. Because of the housing market implosion the company has not been able to pay suppliers or federal taxes.

California:  Prometheus Real Estate Group warned it will layoff dozens of real estate agents across several cities by the end of December.  Discover Home Loans laid off at least four employees in November.  In Los Alamitos, Aramark Management Services eliminated 51 property-facility management jobs in November.  In Sunnyvale, Idaho based SummerWinds Nursery shutdown, but only because the greedy Californian property owner sold the land to a hotel developer (for $5-million)!  The cities of Modesto, San Bernardino and Stockton have made WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities top five list of cities least likely to recover!  Diesel, A Bookstore shutdown its Malibu Country Mart store. Company officials blame slow sales and “steep rent” saying “We’ve talked…about reducing rent….but at the end of the day, you’re tied into the lease…”   In San Francisco, for the third time Home Depot killed off its planned Bayview store. This time Home Depot officials blame it on skyrocketing costs of construction (they should know).

Colorado: Michigan based Lamar Construction stopped three apartment building projects in the Centennial State, 180 jobs lost! On top of that, four other apartment projects are threatened.  In Denver, Little Me’s children clothing store shutdown. The angry owner blamed never ending construction: “I knew I would face many challenges in this venture, but in the twenty years that I have been shopping in Cherry Creek North, lack of foot traffic was not one that I had anticipated. It appears the construction is only going to move closer to our area and we simply cannot make it through another season like the last.”– Jennifer Riches

West Metro Fire Rescue recommended job killing and a 3% pay cut due to voters rejecting a levy that would have increased local tax funding. Fire administrators blame their lack of funding on crashing home values. The ignorant firefighters don’t seem to realize that you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, in other words the taxpayers are maxed out due to their own crashing revenues and even unemployment! “It’s the economy, stupid!”-attributed to Bill Clinton

Connecticut: In Stamford, after 24 years Littlejohn’s children clothing store shutdown. The co-owner blamed a lot of factors that have crashed their sales since 2008, but she said the final straw was when the greedy landlord jacked up the rent: “…an unattainable rent increase. It was honestly too much of an increase. It would be very difficult, really, or impossible to continue.”-Anda Weyher

Florida:  In Brickell, after eight years Finnegan’s River bar being shutdown by greedy property developers. The owners of the bar sold out to a New York company for $15-million.  In Coral Springs, condo builder Lauren Enterprises now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.   In Fort Lauderdale, It’s been revealed that a 14 year veteran of the ‘American’ football team known as Miami Dolphins, is losing his home to a Too Big to Jail bank foreclosure. That bank is known as the Bank of New York. Bank officials say the football veteran stopped paying his mortgage last year. Records show he had trouble paying his mortgage back in 2009 as well.  RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter, the Palm Bay area had 2,041 abandoned homes! RealtyTrac reports that southern Florida leads the country in foreclosures; 5,853 foreclosure filings in July!  Glades Brewery Partners and Palm Beach Brewery Associates now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. They own a restaurant chain called Brewzii, and recently a judge actually shutdown one of the restaurants for failure to pay rent.  After 44 years Miami’s Best Pizza shutdown. The property owner pulled the rug out from under the restaurant owner’s feet, by renting the building to somebody willing to pay far more in rent.   Andreas Schreiner of Pubbelly Restaurant Group said their Miami Beach PB Steak restaurant shutdown because “…the rising costs of real estate would not have allowed us to continue to operate PB Steak without raising our prices, which would go against our commitment to our customers, to be a local, everyday eating establishment.”  All across southern Florida the federal government seized 21 houses, accusing the Massachusetts (Boston Strong, actually based in Marlborough) based owner, TelexFREE, of scamming immigrants from Brazil and Dominican Republic to the tune of $1-billion USD! By the way, Too Big to Jail Boston Strong (Fitchburg) Fidelity Bank agreed to pay a $3.5-million fine for their role in the TelexFREE scam.   After 101 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Tobacco Road Bar shutdown by the greedy property owner, who refuses to renew the lease.   In University Park, Shapes Total Fitness discriminatory women’s only fitness club shutdown, it’s blamed on the property owners for jacking up the rent.

Georgia: The city of Sandy Springs imposed a 60 day ban on the construction of new apartments.  After 16 years the Augusta Ice Sports Center announced it’s being forced to shutdown in August. It’s blamed on the greedy property owner who has gotten a $2-million offer for the property.

Hawaii: The Kahala Shell Auto Care shop shutdown, 35 jobs lost. The new owners will operate it as a fueling station only, blaming new land lease rules. In Waikiki, Too Big to Jail Capital One shutdown their 360 Cafe in August. The property is owned by California based American Commercial Equities and it might have been sold off.  In Kakaako, after only eight months the interior design eStyle Hawaii store shutdown because the greedy landowner kicked them out! The property is being redeveloped.  In Honolulu, the operators of a 59 years old Foodland grocery store shutdown in December. Real estate analysts say local Hawaiian business are being killed by ‘big box’ stores and property speculators from mainland U.S.A., and Foodland customers agree: “…it’s all the construction and they’re bringing in all the mainland retailers, so it’s kind of sad…”-Eulie Villegas, loyal Foodland shopper

Idaho: Administrators with “the nation’s largest supplier of building materials for home building” ProBuild announced they’re shutting down their Sandpoint ops due to crashing sales.  In November the Associated Press revealed that furniture maker Kimball International will shutdown and sell off its Post Falls metal fab shop, 250 jobs lost! Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating ops to Indiana. Despite the November revelation by Associated Press, company administrators waited until December to file a mandatory WARN with state employment administrators.  RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter the Boise-Nampa area had 765 properties in foreclosure, and 237 homes abandoned!  In Naples, it was revealed that Washington based Alta Forest Products (whose main product is fencing for homes) laid off at least 25 employees and hours for other mill employees were reduced. Salesman Jeff Cook kinda blamed the housing market saying “We’ve lost a lot of sawmills and building products companies since 2007.” However, it’s probably due to the May 2014 merger of TMI Forest Products and Welco Lumber, which created Alta Forest Products. What’s (not) funny is company officials promised that job security was the goal of the merger: “This agreement will help secure employment to the local communities and strengthen the regional economy built on the growing lumber industry.”-company statement

Illinois:  RJB Properties rendered 41 employees unemployed.  Lawn and garden products maker County Stone Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Company administrators blame crashing sales to homeowners, resulting in at least 74 employees becoming unemployed.  Mattress maker Sealy announced it will shutdown its Batavia factory in 2015, at least 174 jobs lost! It’s the result of Tempur-Pedic taking over Sealy.

Indiana:   In Evansville, Springleaf Finance announced they are shutting down their mortgage operation, 170 jobs lost!

Iowa: In Des Moines, after 92 years (surviving the Great Depression & numerous recessions) Owen Crist Auto Body Service shutdown. The family owners were bought out by property developers.

Kansas: RealtyTrac says Wichita leads the U.S. (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 49%! In numbers that’s 146 homes!  In Kansas City, after 50 years Quick’s Bar-B-Q shutdown. The owner says road construction is killing off mom-n-pops: “…I want to get out on my terms and while things are good. It is hard and these little mom-and-pop folks, you see them dropping.”-Ron Quick

After 91 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Jilka Furniture announced it will shutdown in December: “With the many changes taking place in the furniture industry, we felt it was a wise decision to close our store.”-Bud and Loretta Jilka

Kentucky: O’Brien & Gere engineering laid off 27 employees as it shutdown its Louisville office, blaming a decline in taxpayer funded government construction projects.

Maine:  After 61 years window maker Waterville Window now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating. The company began laying off employees in December 2013.   Old Town Fuel & Fiber shutdown without notice: “Effective immediately all Old Town mill operations will be indefinitely suspended. All employees not needed for securing the facility will be furloughed.”-Patriarch Partners statement

180 employees affected: “We don’t need you to come in tomorrow. Go sign up for unemployment!”-unnamed employee relating to local news media what they were told

Local news reports say the new owners of the mill shut it down to address environmental problems caused by the dilapidated former Georgia Pacific mill and “We shut down to make repairs to our biomass boilers and ended up finding more work than we expected.”, said HR director Dan Bird. Bird also blamed competition from mills using low grade eucalyptus trees.

The mill also owes $1-million in local taxes!

Maryland:  In Rockville, RoundPoint Mortgage killed off 68 mortgage jobs.   In Silver Springs, after 64 years Dale Music Company shutdown. The co-owner blamed the bad economy and greedy property developers: “We have done what we can. It would be too expensive to move, and with Silver Spring redevelopment happening now, we decided it was best to close our doors.”-Carol Warden

Massachusetts:  The Andover Bookstore threatened to shutdown, the owner says they can no longer afford to pay the rent.  In New Bedford, after 82 years (and surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Converse Photo Supply shutdown. Don’t blame technology, the owners had gotten into the business of recovering pics off memory cards that were thought to have been erased. The owners said they sold the building after they were approached by a property speculator. RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter Worcester had 394 abandoned homes!  After just eight months The Rug Department store shutdown one of its two stores. The bankrupt owners are selling it off.  After 56 years Hyannis based Mill Stores chain furniture store shutdown at least nine of its brick-n-mortar outlets across several states.

Michigan: British empire Australia based real estate company Colliers International shutdown their Detroit office. Company officials blame it on the loss of their brokers.  WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities ranks the Failed State of Detroit as being the least likely of all failed U.S. cities to recover!  After 125 years the building housing the iconic and elitist Detroit Club went up for auction only seven months after the new owner spent more than a million dollars buying and renovating the building. The starting bid was less than a million! The Failed State Detroit Land Bank dumping homes in the Boston-Edison area. Those homes have been labeled “disasters” by local news media.  In East Lansing, after 50 years Goodrich’s Shop Rite shutdown. The owners said their lease expired and the property owners wanted mo money.  Washtenaw County reports that by July of this year they’ve held 259 tax foreclosure sales.  In Hudsonville, after 76 years Lamar Construction Company shutdown without notice, 280 jobs lost! Local news reports said company officials made “vague references” to the bad economy.

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, after nine years Social House restaurant shutdown, the operators blame the property owner for kicking them out, saying “We had absolutely no control over this situation…”    Minneapolis based retailer Target eliminated 120 real estate manager jobs (80 occupied, 40 vacant) as the company decided to drastically cut back its plans to open new stores.  In Duluth, after 12 years the Brownie Furniture store shutdown.

Mississippi: After only two years Margaritaville Casino warned of bankruptcy and that it will shutdown in September, 350 jobs lost! Attorneys for the casino said the property owner refused to allow the building of a hotel, which was part of the original plan: “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.”-Michael Cavanaugh

Missouri: RealtyTrac says Saint Louis ranks 34% with abandoned homes! HVAC company Nordyne shutting down their Poplar Bluff and Boonville operations by June 2015, at least 700 jobs lost!  In numbers, Saint Louis has 847 abandoned homes! In Saint Louis, Concrete Coring went chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Attorneys for the company blame the bad economy saying the company “…has been unable so far to work out from under its debt generated following the faltering economy in late 2008 and into 2009 and beyond.”  Builder of hospitals, HBE Company, has ceased building new hospitals due to Obama Care! Former employees blamed it on the Obama Care funding crash, saying loses accelerated into Death Spiral mode in 2013. Here’s what HBE President and CEO Fred Kummer said: “The reason for the decision to stop seeking future work is a result of the very real changes that the current administration in Washington has brought about in healthcare.” 

In Universal City, after 33 years the Good Works Furniture Store shutdown, the owners blaming the city’s $43-million trolley public transportation plan for blocking access to the store: “It will make the traffic pattern in the Loop that much more difficult. In the end, we will end up with a Trolley that’s going to increase the tourism traffic.”-Rita Navarro

Montana: In Columbia Falls, F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber laid off ten sawmill employees. It’s blamed on a federal court ruling that says no logging can be done in ‘protected’ grizzly bear habitat.

Nevada: RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter the Las Vegas area had 1670 abandoned homes!  In Las Vegas, inside sources revealed that Downtown Project killed 30 corporate jobs. The Project is a joint venture between public and private sectors, in an attempt to revitalize East Fremont Street. It sounds more like an excuse to sell off properties cheap. Project administrators refuse comment on the reported layoffs.

New Jersey: Newark has made WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities top five list of cities least likely to recover!   In Hamilton, Congoleum shutdown their vinyl flooring plant, 65 jobs lost in September. Company officials blame it on the bad economy and lawsuits over its products.  Membership store Costco (formerly known as Price Club) announced they’re shutting down their Hackensack store sometime in 2015. But it’s only because they’re building a new store three miles away in Teterboro. Company administrators told local news media they haven’t decided what to do with the Hackensack property, yet. The move might result in huge property tax losses for Hackensack.  In Raritan, after 11 years women’s clothing store Chaos shutdown. The owner, Karen Brooks, said “With rent, utilities and other operating costs, it’s hard to see the value in trying to keep up.” 

New Mexico:  The Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors says July 2014 homes sale crashed 12.35% from July 2013! However, the average sale price went up by 3.7%.  The U.S. Census Bureau says homeownership is crashing in the Land of Enchantment. For the 2nd quarter of 2014 it fell to 63.9%, compare that to 1st quarter 2011 when it was 72.8%. Crashing homeownership rates correspond to skyrocketing unemployment in New Mexico.

New York:  In NYC, after 60 years iconic Smith’s Bar & Restaurant shutdown due to the rent being jacked up, employees were given a one week notice.  In Albany, Capital Region Multiple Listing Service showed home sales dropped 5% from June 2013 to June 2014. Median home prices fell 6%.   After 77 years the Subway Inn announced it will shutdown in August. It’s being done in by a greedy property developer, the son of the bar owner said “It is upsetting but times have changed.”  RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter, Syracuse ranked with 33% abandoned homes!  In Greenwich Village the Pink Elephant bar went chapter 7 bankrupt busted. It’s blamed on the greedy property owner.   In Latham, amusement park Hoffman’s Playland shutdown. It turns out the owners can make more money re-developing the property as something else!  In Brooklyn, pre-fab building maker FC + Skanska Modular shutdown in October due to a lost contract, 157 jobs lost!  In Buffalo, the Pizza Plant restaurant shutdown because of the greedy landlord: “We couldn’t come to terms with the landlord on a lease.”-Bob Syracuse, owner

North Carolina:   In Greensboro, after 18 years Mahi’s Seafood Restaurant shutdown. The owner said he wanted to move to a cheaper location, but the economy is so bad he couldn’t pay for the move.   Internet based RoundPoint Mortgage laid off 166 employees in September!  In Havelock, an 18 years old Food Lion grocery store shutdown in October. Company officials said the high rent killed it off.  After 29 years Forbes Custom Cabinets of Apex went chapter 7 bankrupt busted, which usually means they’re ‘dead’.  Iconic furniture maker La-Z-Boy announced they will shutdown their High Point office by the end of 2016, at least 38 jobs lost.

Ohio: RealtyTrac reports that Ohio’s foreclosure rate jumped 23% from July 2013 to July 2014.  Assurant (which is mainly a health insurance company) laid off 75 Specialty Property jobs in Springfield. The Assurant Special Property unit deals with mortgages, and apparently the job losses are the result of Assurant losing a big client.  In Dayton, the Dayton Mall and the Mall at Fairfield Commons are both up for sale. They are the biggest malls in the city. Also in Dayton, after 27 years Patio & Hearth shutdown.  In Cleveland, California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo shutdown a commercial real estate office.  In the Toledo area, RealtyTrac reports that foreclosure rates jumped 100% from June 2013 to June 2014! But wait there’s more. From May 2013 to May 2014 the foreclosure rate in the Toledo area jumped 149%!  Local news media showed many rental properties with “free rent” signs in the windows! Landlords said the problem is that potential renters claim they can’t afford the rent. On top of that, if they try and sell the property many buyers are being denied loans by the Too Big to Jail banks! One property owner says this problem goes way back before the 2008 market crash: “Between 1999 and 2001 I thought this town was going to move, that something was going to happen. It didn’t happen…..This was a huge investment ….”-Dino Sarris, Macid Corporation

Montgomery County reports that property values have crashed by more than $1-billion, affecting “…more than 70% of residential home owners…”! Karl Keith, Montgomery County auditor, puts it succinctly: “Property values are at their lowest level in more than a decade. Clearly, the recession has been a kick in the gut!”

Oregon: What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac says the Portland area ties second place (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 37%! In numbers, the Portland area has 804 abandoned homes!

Pennsylvania:  After 69 years Shehadi Appliance shutdown.  The owners are pissed because their prices were in line with ‘big box’ stores, but it didn’t matter: “You can see the surprise in people when they say ‘Wow, you are the same price as Lowe’s.’  Then they walk out the door and go to Lowe’s!”-Richard Roman, co-owner

Shopping center owner Pennsylvania REIT laid off about 10 employees. The commercial property owner said they are responding to “changing consumer dynamics”. In Peckville, after 50 years PJ’s Home Center shutdown, the owner demanded to know where the economic recovery was!   In Lawrenceville, Paragon Foods canceled their plans to build a distribution center. The female president of the company said “It was unaffordable for us…”  In Harrisburg, Zia’s at Red Door shutdown. The owner blames jacked up rent and the fact that the idiot A-hole city officials jacked up the cost of parking at the restaurant: “Parking definitely has a lot to do with it. We lost a lot of customers. A lot of customers won’t come down because of it.”-Rocco Rama

Tennessee:  In Memphis, the Memphis Area Association of Realtors report that home sales have dropped 24.7% from August 2013 to August 2014, but it could be because prices have gone up 11%.

Texas: Austin based construction contractor and designer Biscayne Group went chapter 7 bankrupt busted. Biscayne Group is a major operation that has worked on big projects across the country. Chapter 7 usually means the company will cease to exist.  Also in Austin, the Villa de Soliel mansion was auctioned off in August, reportedly with no set minimum starting bid!  The Pour House Pub shutdown. The property is being demolished for a big retail development. In Dallas (Oak Lawn), after 22 years Good Eats shutdown. The owners blame the greedy property owner saying “our landlord has refused to renew our lease”.  Also in Dallas, Riverstone Residential Group killed off 101 jobs! It’s blamed on the loss of an apartment management contract. And maker of roofing materials GAF (General Aniline & Film) Materials laid off 40 people in December.  In Houston, J Sussan Interiors shutdown. Local news reports said the owner retired, however, it turns out the entire area is being drastically affected by a huge apartment “tower” building project that’s resulting in many businesses and existing apartments being shutdown!  BidClerk reports 2nd quarter 2014 construction funding crashed by $12.2-billion compared to 1st quarter 2014!  In Temple, maker of laminate products for homes or business, Wilsonart, laid off at least 57 people: “Today, Wilsonart International announced that it will eliminate certain positions throughout its North America operations as part of a strategic restructuring.” 

That “restructuring” includes off-shoring U.S. jobs to other countries.  U.S. employees said they got no warning of layoffs: “On my way leaving, they stopped me, and told me that we needed to have a meeting, and they terminated me when we had the meeting.”-unnamed employee interviewed by local TV news

Vermont: The city of Brandon is dealing with crashing tax revenues and as such is warning of slashed funding for public services and the possibility of layoffs. The town treasurer says the crashing tax revenues are the result of unpaid property taxes.  A fire killed 170 jobs at the Rutland Plywood Corporation. Firefighters thought they had put out the fire, but then later the warehouse re-ignited. Firefighters are blaming the fire on mechanical failures.

Virginia: In Reston, the largest electrical contractor in the region, Truland Group, now chapter 7 bankrupt busted after ending operations without notice and failing to pay employees (filing for bankruptcy will mean those employees are shit-outa-luck for getting their paychecks). Local news reports said the sudden demise of the company shocked the “commercial real estate industry”. More than 1-thousand jobs lost!

Washington:  In Vancouver, after 105 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Luepke Florist announced they will shutdown after Xmas due to the new landlord jacking up the rent. The asphalt division of Spokane Rock Products laid off 45 people in Washington and Idaho, due to being taken over by a competitor.    In Shelton, it was revealed that Alta Forest Products laid off employees and reduced working hours (see Idaho for reason). In Seattle, 15 businesses forced to shutdown because of construction of the Elliott Bay Seawall.  However, city officials are paying the business owners compensation to ensure they can come back once the construction is done.  Also in Seattle, after 20 years the owner of Hurricane Cafe announced he is forced to shutdown. The restaurant owner blames the greedy property owner: “It’s not the way we wanted to go out for sure, losing a lease and getting torn down!”-Neil Scott

Wisconsin: Concrete maker Ojibwa Ready Mix went chapter 7 bankrupt busted, and is being liquidated!   The Fox Valley reports a 14% drop in new home starts during the first six months of this year, compared to last year.  After getting a $6-million tax break from the state, Ashley Furniture announced they are expanding and killing jobs at the same time! A local news report says the tax deal could end up killing half of Ashley Furniture’s jobs, potentially 1,919 employees!

“Next week marks 6 years since our economy suffered its worst setback since the Great Depression. Yet despite these shocks; through the pain we have felt and the grueling work required to bounce back – America is better positioned today to seize the future than any other nation on Earth. Our technology companies and universities are unmatched; our manufacturing and auto industries are thriving. Energy independence is closer than it’s been in decades. For all the work that remains, our businesses are in the longest uninterrupted stretch of job creation in our history. Despite all the divisions and discord within our democracy, I see the grit and determination and common goodness of the American people every single day – and that makes me more confident than ever about our country’s future.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2014

1st six months 2014

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 05 – 06 November 2014: Another 2-thousand+ food jobs lost! France & Germany kill U.S. jobs! Job search service kills 100 jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Florida: For profit Full Sail University laid off 50 employees. Puerto Rico based Banco Popular North America issued a WARN saying 108 people will be laid off by the end of December!

Georgia: Atlanta based (NBC, Blackstone and Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital owned) Weather Channel laid off 40 employees. About 40 employees were let go back in October.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, the operators of a 59 years old Foodland grocery store announced they are shutting down in December. Real estate analysts say local Hawaiian business are being killed by ‘big box’ stores and property speculators from mainland U.S.A., and Foodland customers agree: “…it’s all the construction and they’re bringing in all the mainland retailers, so it’s kind of sad…”-Eulie Villegas, loyal Foodland shopper

Idaho:  The Associated Press revealed that furniture maker Kimball International will shutdown and sell off its Post Falls metal fab shop, 250 jobs lost!  Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating ops to Indiana.  As of November the company had failed to issue a mandatory WARN to state employment administrators.

Iowa:  After 33 years, Heritage Art Gallery in Cedar Falls shutdown.  The owner sold his building.  In Ottumwa, after 20 years the West Music store announced it will shutdown in December.  News reports blamed the bad economy.

Kansas: In Kansas City, after 50 years Quick’s Bar-B-Q shutdown. The owner says road construction is killing off mom-n-pops: “…I want to get out on my terms and while things are good. It is hard and these little mom-and-pop folks, you see them dropping.”-Ron Quick

Massachusetts: More proof the internet isn’t killing off brick-n-mortars.  TV through the internet service provider Aereo shutdown their Boston office, 43 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on lack of funding and a federal court order preventing the company from streaming specific TV shows.  In Lowell, Cobham Electrical warned they will shutdown by November 2015, at least 300 jobs lost!  Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating operations.

Michigan: Iconic employment service company Kelly Services announced 100 people in Troy will be rendered jobless, and 50 job search offices will be shutdown by the end of 2015!   The Fork in the Road restaurant shutdown, the owners admitting they didn’t realize how expensive it was to keep 100% of their business local. Despite having lots of customers, buying food and supplies locally was killing them financially: “There’s a lot of compromises that we could have made but we’re just not willing to do that. That’s not why we started. We need to have a business plan to keep staying true to those principles. To compromise those principles, that would be failing.”-Jesse Hahn, who added that he was faced with two choices; shutdown or cut employee wages, raise prices and buy from outside sources

Minnesota: Northland Community and Technical College eliminated eight jobs and cut two programs, blaming a $1-million shortfall on everything including what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome).

Missouri: The largest pharmacy benefits manager in the United States, Saint Louis based Express Scripts, announced they will kill off 400 jobs on top of the 19-hundred jobs already killed off this year!

New York: In Rochester, once iconic Eastman Kodak continues to kill jobs, issuing a WARN saying at least 19 people will be let go in January 2015.

North Carolina: Salisbury based the Bottom Dollar Food chain store was sold off and all 66 stores are being shutdown, 2-thousand 2-hundred jobs lost across the country by the end of December! Furniture maker La-Z-Boy announced they will shutdown their High Point office by the end of 2016, at least 38 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame crashing sales for ‘case goods’, and they don’t expect an upturn anytime soon.  In Greensboro, after 31 years Mark Holder Jewelers announced they will shutdown in January 2015.  After only six years France based engine maker Turbomeca announced they will shutdown their Monroe factory by the end of 2015, at least 112 jobs lost!  Company administrators said sales for helicopter turbines have crashed.

Ohio:  New Albany School District beginning massive layoffs and jacking up ‘pay to play’ fees after 56% of local taxpayers rejected yet another levy, indicating that they could no longer afford to float failing public education since their own incomes are crashing.

Oregon: News reports say plans by Nordstrom are on track to shutdown two Portland area department stores by January 2015, at least 300 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania:   Lackawanna County warned of layoffs and public transportation cuts due to the fact they owe the state Department of Transportation $6-million USD!  DoT administrators say the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS) improperly got $6-million in taxpayer subsidies and they must pay it back.  Germany based chemical company Lanxess announced it was killing off 1-thousand jobs globally, possibly affecting U.S. employees at its Pittsburgh area operations!   Germany based optical glass maker Schott North America warned that 80 people will become jobless at their Duryea factory: “A lot of that glass has gone away. There’s been a decline in camera sales.”-Michael Brown, factory boss

Vermont: In Stowe, after 42 years Samara’s Cards and Gifts shutting down by December.

Washington DC:  More proof the internet isn’t killing off brick-n-mortars.  Internet based coupon-daily deal website LivingSocial announced they were laying off 400 employees and shutting down its California ops!   LivingSocial even sold off its Korean ops to competitor Groupon!

Wisconsin: Beer bottle label supplier Multi-Color Corporation warned state officials it will shutdown its Watertown factory in January 2015, at least 58 jobs lost.

04-November-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

U.S.

The Dumbing Down of the United States: Last six months of 2014. Into the New Dark Ages as students ‘disappear’ and Obamacare ‘kills’

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 layoffs & school shutdowns from July to December 2014:

Alabama: After 15 years Sci-Quest Hands on Science Center is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame location for their $1-million in debts, but claim their new location is “doing really well”.

Alaska: Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) forcing University of Alaska to shutdown the Bill Ray Center and Auke Bay bookstore, as well as kill at least 40 jobs. University officials say they’ve lost $1.4-million USD in funding this school year and are expecting to lose $2-million next school year, despite jacking up the cost to go to school.  But wait, there’s more! Maybe it was the only way they could pay out the $320-thousand bonus to the university president!

Arizona: In Glendale, the Thunderbird School of Global Management warned of layoffs as they are forced to merge with Arizona State University, due to the bad economy. At one time the school had 300 employees, but is down to 184.  Obama Care forced University of Arizona Health Network to sell itself to Phoenix based Banner Health. Now there are reports this is a portent for things to come in the U.S. medical school sector. The Association of American Medical Colleges warns that Obama Care’s reduced insurance reimbursements is the final straw that will force medical schools to sell themselves to private medical corporations, or greatly reduce their services to the public, either way it means massive healthcare job cuts.

California: Irvine based for profit Corinthian Colleges (CCi). They’ve announced they will begin shutting down, selling off or reducing classes at 97 campuses across the U.S.! It’s part of a deal with the U.S. Department of Education. The college is under investigation by state and federal officials, for ripping off students and violating federal education laws. Everest College, Heald College and Wyotech campuses are part of the shutdown.  Bellflower Unified School District laid off all ten bus drivers. The reasons are convoluted, ranging from lack of funding to driver misbehavior.  The Calaveras Unified School District announced they must kill an estimated 50 jobs. They blame years of Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) for creating a $2-million shortfall!  In Sacramento, Anthem College shutdown, it’s due to Anthem Educations’ bankruptcy which is linked to federal law violations.   In Monterey, McGraw Hill Education warned they are laying off 47 employees in December.  In Upland, school bus contractor First Student issued a WARN saying they will cease operations by the end of December, 156 jobs lost!  In San Diego, Ashford University/Bridgepoint Education issued a WARN saying 160 people will become jobless in January 2015! However, local ABC10News said an inside source reported that 167 people were already let go!

Florida: For profit Full Sail University laid off 50 employees.  In Cape Coral, after 50 years Lisa Lynn Dance World shutdown, the owner blames the suck-ass economy for disappearing students: “Because of the economy, the enrollment dropped and the money wasn’t there.”-Rita Rose Meyer

Georgia: In Atlanta, after 50 years snooty upscale private for profit Bauder College announced it is shutting down in 2015! It’s blamed on massive disappearing students. In 2009 the college had 12-hundred students, it’s now less than 420! College officials said by the start of the 2015-16 school year they’ll be down to 75! You see, the U.S. economy is so bad even wealthy people can’t afford to pay for college!  Troubled Paine College warning of layoffs. The school is facing accreditation violation charges and DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The college is short at least $2.4-million, and they blame state and federal governments: “These tough economic times are posing unprecedented challenges for colleges and universities like Paine College that have seen changes in federal aid, which include Parent Plus loans, Pell Grants and some state funding.”-George C. Bradley, president

Illinois: Oakton Community College warned it will layoff 80 teachers before the 2015-16 school year.  Apparently the teachers are retired and a potential new state law says retired teachers can no longer be hired by state funded schools.  God refused to stop Benedictine University from ending its undergraduate program and killing as many as 100 jobs!  In Rockford, the College of Medicine shutdown their psychiatric clinic at the end of September, 2-thousand patients affected! Clinic officials blame never ending funding cuts, thank you Obama Care!  In Murphysboro, after 37 years God refuses to stop the shutdown of Murphysboro Christian Academy. Officials with the privately funded school say Christian students are disappearing (raptured?).  One year after shutting down 50 schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has now put them up for auction! The district is still shutting down schools due to massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). It turns out that it still costs taxpayers millions of dollars to maintain school buildings that are not in use.  CPS also killed off 476 contracted janitor jobs! The Obama regime mayor, Rahm Emanuel, refused to discuss the issue with local news media and referred them to the CPS, who were conveniently not available to explain the sudden job killing spree.  God must hate the Chicago area; seven Christian schools being shuttered and six others being consolidated! At least 200 jobs lost! The schools being shutdown are Saint Agatha Catholic Academy, Saint Peter in Skokie, Saint Hyacinth Basilica, Saint Ladislaus, Saint Turibius, Saint Rene Goupil, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole in Matteson. It’s blamed on massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), since 1965 Christian student enrollment in Cook and Lake counties has crashed by 284-thousand!

Louisiana: God must really hate The Pelican State, three Christian schools shutting down in 2015: Holy Ghost in New Orleans, Our Lady of Grace in Reserve and Saint Agnes in Jefferson! Church administrators blame raptured, I mean what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). Enrollment at each school is now under 200.  In Marrero, the Christian God refused to stop the Reverend Mansfield Thompson Educational Foundation from shutting down their Faith Christian Academy. But this shutdown is about evil Christian leaders caught stealing money. At the end of 2013 a state investigation revealed Reverend Mansfield Thompson Educational Foundation was probably absconding with the money paid by struggling Christian parents: “At this point, I just want my money back. I paid $400 for registration and I’m getting the run around with that. I just want my money back!”-Ramira Williams

Maine:  The University of Southern Maine continues to kill off jobs, this time 61 people now unemployed and five programs canceled. They continue to blame a 30% crash in student enrollment!  In Bangor, God refuses to stop the Christian Life Academy Daycare from shutting down. The church pastor blames crashing donations: “We have cut everywhere we can cut, we are heartbroken that the daycare has to close too.”-Russ Hewett

Massachusetts: The Boston School Department suddenly killed 126 jobs! The school district is trying to save $9.5-million! For years critics accused the Boston Strong school system of being outta shape and overweight with redundant administrative jobs.  Brockton School Committee laid off 47 crossing guard positions. This comes after a local newspaper investigated reports that janitors were being paid as much as $50 per hour in overtime to double as crossing guards! And despite all that overtime pay, an 11th child was hit by a vehicle while crossing a street to go to school!  Gateway Schools threatening reduce parent-teacher days or seven teachers will get laid off!  School administrators are struggling with how to deal with funding cuts of about $200-million!  Westfield State University shutdown its Downtown Art Gallery.  Apparently the university was responsible for promoting local arts but now is unable to, the city of Westfield is supposedly taking on the responsibility.

Michigan: Rochester Community Schools warned of layoffs after an unexpected crash in student enrollment.  Administrators say the district lost 154 students, more than was expected! They blame it on the area’s major employer Chrysler.   Administrators at Spring Arbor University are blaming what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome) on their planned elimination of jobs. As a private Christian college they are not required to reveal just how many Christians will become jobless.  The Flint School District laid off 36 non-teaching employees, but then turned around and hired on 10 people to salaried positions, all making more than $67-thousand per year! Thomas M. Cooley Law School warned of major employee and program cuts, due to disappearing students. They reported a 40% drop in enrollment from 2010 to 2013! The Grand Rapids Public Schools announced they must kill 90 jobs due to the fact that 400 students disappeared!  In East Lansing the largest teachers union in the state, Michigan Education Association, revealed that half of its members actually made less money in 2013. Incompetent union officials admit they don’t know why. Yet while half of their members made less money, somehow the amount of assets held by the Michigan Education Association actually went up! In Hudsonville, God refuses to stop the shutdown of Freedom Christian Schools (aka Freedom Baptist Schools). The shutdown was a surprise as school officials even extended the contracts of teachers before the announcement. The school’s website has been removed. School officials blame raptured students saying this school year’s enrollment is worse than last year’s. At one point the privately funded school had 375 students, but since 2010 they’ve lost at least 65 students (privately funded schools are more affected by student loss than are taxpayer funded schools).  In Dearborn, the U.S. Department of Education has approved the sale of Everett Institute. It’s part of the massive collapse of the Corinthian Colleges.  An undisclosed number of bus drivers lost their jobs when Lakeview School District drastically reduced bus service.  The Threshold Academy lost its charter, affecting more than 150 students. The elementary school principal blamed economic instability for what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). A young student confronted the principal saying “Why do they want to break people’s hearts?” The school’s motto was “Small School – Big Heart”.  Detroit Public Schools are so desperate they’re now in the business of selling used cars! Specifically, the school system auctioned off 18 surplus police cars. I couldn’t find any reports on how the school district got a hold of the former cop cars. The Michigan League for Public Policy reports that overall wages have crashed 10% since 1979. When you break it down by sex and education, low wage earning men saw a whopping 31.2% decline in pay, while adults with no high school diploma saw a 46.3% crash in earnings!

Minnesota:  Rochester Public Schools announced that 17 tech employees will become jobless by January 2015. But here’s an odd thing, the school district also said there will be 19 new job openings in the same department! The laid off employees are basically being forced to re-apply for employment, and if they get re-hired it’ll probably be for less pay. That’s the wisdom of our education system.  Northland Community and Technical College eliminated eight jobs and cut two programs, blaming a $1-million shortfall on everything including DSS.

Mississippi: After 130 years (surviving the Great Depression & numerous recessions) God has decided to rapture all the good Christian students (or as I call it, Disappearing Student Syndrome, DSS) and shutdown the Christian Chamberlain-Hunt Academy!  The state Department of Education laid off 30 employees without notice, including the boss of the Office of School Improvement. Mississippi DoE spokewoman Patrice Guilfoyle said “This is the first phase, there could potentially be additional phases.” 

Missouri: Florida based for profit Anthem Education warned of massive layoffs and the shutdown of its Missouri medical technician campuses if they cannot find new debt financing, or a new owner with lot-o-money! College officials blamed it on a surprise “rapidly deteriorating financial condition”. There was no explanation.

Nevada: In Reno, Morrison University warned it will shutdown after the 2014-15 school year! It’s due to the allegedly criminal actions of the owner, Anthem Education. To make things worse for the students, they were told the university’s transfer credits are no longer recognized!  University Medical Center began a second round of Obama Care healthcare layoffs, this time 200 healthcare workers put out on the streets!

New Hampshire: Franklin Pierce University eliminated 12 positions. Earlier this year the university eliminated academic programs.  Grade school education assessor Measured Progress actually regressing when it comes to jobs; 40 people laid off. Company administrators blame the bad economy.

New Jersey: After 86 years Garden State based Becker’s School Supplies shutting down six of its seven stores in Pennsylvania and Delaware!  Apparently the school supplies company is shifting to internet sales only.  Troubled for profit higher education company Anthem Institute shutting down all four locations in the Garden State, 163 jobs lost!  Brookdale Community College administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million for the upcoming 2015-16 school year and warned of 210 layoffs: “These are tough times and the organizational structure we have now is not sustainable; the board is aware of this harsh fact. Our current models are no longer effective in serving today’s students, and we must catch up with the advances that have been made in educational technology.”-Maureen Murphy, president

New Mexico: Santa Fe Community College revealed they’re short $5-million! The temporary president of the school blames prior administrations for grossly overestimating revenues and handing out raises when the revenues could not support pay increases. Now the school must cut back.

New York: For profit Utica School of Commerce stopping almost all classes at its Oneonta campus in Spring 2015! At least nine jobs lost due to DSS.  Clinton Community College warned of layoffs due to DSS.  In Brooklyn, The Guild for Exceptional Children issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their preschool in January 2015, at least 81 jobs lost. In Brewster, Minnesota based education testing company Questar Assessment shutdown and laid off 39 employees in November.  The Buffalo School District killed 63 teaching jobs, some of the teachers had just made tenure. News reports said many of the teachers taught classes for homeless children.  They’ve consolidated school #115 with school #97, and they’ve eliminated an entire 9th grade class. One school board member actually blamed the U.S. education system saying “It’s a system that’s beating us.” Another board member added “Beating our kids.”  That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop the selloff of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Yeshiva University Substance Abuse Treatment program at three Bronx locations, 189 jobs now in limbo!   In Hawthorne, Quintiles Medical Education warned it is shutting down in December, at least 27 jobs lost.

North Carolina: Randolph County Schools laid off 30 employees.  Troubled charter school Concrete Roses STEM Academy shutdown without notice. State education administrators blame what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The school was taxpayer funded for 300 students, but only 126 showed up!

Ohio:  Hocking College laid off 36 employees and warned of mandatory furloughs for others, blaming DSS.  In 2010 the college had 6,599 students, in 2013 there were 4,094 students and for the 2014-15 year they’re down to 3,474; almost a 50% drop in enrollment since 2010!  New Albany School District beginning massive layoffs and jacking up ‘pay to play’ fees after 56% of local taxpayers rejected yet another levy, indicating that they could no longer afford to float failing public education since their own incomes are crashing.  In Columbus, God refuses to stop Christian charter school FCI Academy from killing 17 jobs. The Christian school is in the hole at least $70-thousand, due to raptured(?) students. Several years ago the grade school had 600 students, this school year they’re down to 340.  In Youngstown, the Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership (MYCAP) warned it will kill 10 jobs with its Head Start education program. They blame the federal government for cutting off their federal food service funding. MYCAP is also going away and Development Institute of Denver will take over the Head Start program temporarily.  Strongsville Schools announced they will layoff at least 25 teachers over five years. Administrators blame DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The district has lost 1,724 students since 2004!  Oberlin College told three HVAC engineers to take a big cut in pay and become janitors or become unemployed! College administrators called it a “opportunity for voluntary layoff”. It’s blamed on the the college’s switch from coal heating to natural gas.

Pennsylvania:    Mercyhurst University laid off 14 administrators and demoted six full time employees to part time.  Other employees are taking pay cuts, it’s blamed on crashing enrollment.   State education officials warned of massive layoffs at five Universities: Clarion, Edinboro, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg and Mansfield. According to state officials their university system has been experiencing Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS), and get this, they expect to lose another 1-thousand students by the end of this school year! At least 44 university employees were laid off last year.   The School District of Philadelphia  shutdown the Walter Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School.  Also, the superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia is demanding new taxes be imposed on the already struggling population. William R. Hite Jr. says if new taxes, specifically a new cigarette tax, are not created by August then he will be forced to layoff 13-hundred employees! Keep in mind that is on top of the 342 school district jobs already killed off! The Philly school district is now $93-million in debt, no thanks in part to the massive increase in employee health and retirement cost increases caused by Obama Care!  God refuses to stop Christian Geneva College from laying off at least 25 employees, due to what I call the rapture, I mean DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). And who said the internet is to blame? The Christian college is eliminating its internet ministries courses for the 2015-16 school year! School officials also revealed that the economy is so bad that “nearly 100%” of their Christian students qualify for some type of financial assistance.   Woodland Hills School District warned it could shutdown three elementary schools and sell off an administrative building due to DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), at least a 31% decline over the past ten years!  California University is blaming DSS for eliminating 30 jobs. The university lost 3.2% of its student body at the beginning of the new school year.  Cheyney University (originally created to target ‘black’ Americans) laid off at least six instructors and will eliminate programs. University administrators blame crashing revenue. Interestingly, the university lists several administrative positions as being available, but adds “Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to your phone calls about vacancies or about the status of a recruitment and your application.” 

Tennessee: Union University laid off five staff employees, blaming it on a drop of 270 students from 2013 to 2014!  In Kingsport, after 27 years non-profit Rascals Teen Center shutdown: “We just got to where we couldn’t really continue. Things had to change. We tried to work through the change, tried to do some things, but we got to where we couldn’t continue on…..No matter how much we advertised on the radio, the newspaper and Facebook, it’s like we still couldn’t contact everybody….I don’t know what happened.”-Amy McAtee, executive director

Texas: God refused to stop Southern Methodist University (home of the George W. Bush Presidential Library) from cutting programs and killing jobs.  The Christian university has spent tens of millions on new dorm buildings despite DSS.   Wiley College laid off 16 employees and furloughed others due to DSS and crashing donations.  In Dallas/Fort Worth, Anthem College shutting down its campus on Beltline Road, 30 jobs lost.  Also, the Texas Education Agency threatened to shutdown the Prime Prep Academy. The school, founded by a former Dallas Cowboys star, is accused of failing to comply with state laws.  Across the state, it’s been revealed that 14 charter schools will be shutdown next school year!  State administrators claim the schools are not meeting financial or academic standards, however, some school administrators have presented documents challenging the state’s claims.

Vermont: Vermont Technical College warned of layoffs due partly to the loss of 160 students over the past three years.  The State College system warned that budget cuts wanted by the governor will result in job losses. The governor wants to cut $1-million in funding. It’s been revealed that in May of 2014, Johnson State College laid off five employees and blamed it on DSS.

Virginia: Buchanan County Public School Board shutdown Russell Prater Elementary School. It’s blamed on $2.1-million in debt.

Washington DC: The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art & Design laid off about 150 employees in August! Apparently the schools will eventually shutdown threatening another 300 jobs! It’s blamed on their merger with National Gallery of Art and the George Washington University.

Wisconsin: ‘Professional’ education service Lorman Education Services killed 42 jobs in October. Company officials blame it on DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The privately funded education company has been laying off employees since 2009. Internet based Anthem College shutdown its Brookfield operation in September, 30 jobs lost.  After shutting down without notice in June, the Wisconsin International School is now officially bankrupt busted. This means all those parents that paid their child’s tuition in full will not get a refund. Officials with the private school blame their sudden shutdown on an unexpected 30% drop in enrollment (more disappearing students), as well as a 30% drop in cash revenues and skyrocketing expenses due to things like utilities and healthcare cost increases (so much for Obama Care)! At one point the school boasted 800 students, but this year they could attract only 120! Parents are pissed because they were also required to take part in raising money for the school, and they want to know what happened to it: “That’s a big slap in the face to all the efforts we’ve put in! At no time were we ever told ‘Hey, we have a problem’ or that more money needed to be raised. Volunteering at the school was mandatory and parents were invested in the school. If they had said something, I am sure parents and families would have opened their pockets.”-Nicole Donart-Manty

1st six months of 2014!

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 November 2014: “…early retirement, attrition, and termination, whatever it takes.” Chicken shit Ford fires employees using automation! IBM kills off 50-thousand plus jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: In Tempe, after almost 60 years restaurant Monti’s La Casa Vieja shutdown. The owner blamed increasing operating costs.

California:  Warner Brothers administrators notified state employment administrators that they will kill off 1-thousand movie & TV industry jobs beginning in January 2015!   In San Diego, troubled Bridgepoint Education killing 167 jobs, more than the previously announced 91 jobs!  This on top of the 117 jobs already killed this year!  A local TV news station said the job culling was revealed by employees.  In Sacramento, 19 years old non-profit HIV-AIDS testing center Breaking Barriers shutdown.  Administrators blame the bad economy: “When the economic downturn happened it hit us hard a lot of grants were scaled back and canceled.”-Sandre’ Nelson

Georgia: The city of Albany warned of more layoffs, on top of the 50 jobs already killed off.  The interim city manager seems to be frothing at the mouth to kill jobs: “We gotta reduce some stuff, early retirement, attrition, and termination, whatever it takes.  I’ll spend money on technology before I’ll spend money on additional people any day of the week.”-Tom Berry

Illinois: In Geneva, after more than 60 years Giesche Shoes shutdown.  It was also revealed that the more than 150 years old McChesney & Miller grocery store shutdown last week.  In Roscoe Village, after 17 years the owners of the Hungry Brain said they will shutdown in December. Reports imply it’s part of a trend of many local joints being shutdown by greedy landlords who want more rent money.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Chicago, it was revealed that 1-hundred Ford employees were fired on Halloween.  Ford administrators said they notified the employees via automated ‘robocalls’, yet many employees said they thought the electronic message was somebody’s Halloween joke.

Indiana: Columbus Regional Health announced that ObamaCare was forcing them to eliminate 219 jobs!  Administrators say ObamaCare has caused them to loose about $17-million in 2014!

Iowa: Retailer Target announced they’re shutting down their Clinton store in February 2015, about 79 jobs lost.  Administrators said the store wasn’t making enough money: “The decision to close the store is based solely on the financials.”-Evan Lapiska

Kansas: In Salina,  after 35 years The Quilting Bee fabric store shutdown.  After 91 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Jilka Furniture announced it will shutdown in December: “With the many changes taking place in the furniture industry, we felt it was a wise decision to close our store.”-Bud and Loretta Jilka

Missouri: In Springfield, Kroger announced it will shutdown four Dillons grocery stores in January 2015, supposedly they’re being sold off to competitor Price Cutter (an employee owned op like WinCo). However, administrators with Price Cutter were actually upset at the news and said they never made Kroger an offer to buy the Dillons stores, in fact it was Kroger who came begging to Price Cutter. Price Cutter agreed to a lease, not an outright purchase: “Dillions announcement to exit all four Springfield locations in January, 2015 is disappointing news….Dillions approached us of their intent to vacate the Springfield market….Price Cutter has entered into a real estate agreement to lease all four of the Dillions locations.”-Erick Taylor, Price Cutter president

New Jersey:  Brookdale Community College (supposedly the Garden State’s top two year degree school) warned of layoffs due to DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome).  Administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million for the upcoming 2015-16 school year!

New York: Endicott based IBM (International Business Machines) revealed they are laying off one third of their international workforce, at least doubling previously announced job cuts.  Reports say in India alone 50-thousand IBM employees will become jobless!  In NYC, The Food Emporium issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their #36-767 in January 2015, about 60 jobs lost.  In Avon, Jacobson Warehouse issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in January 2015, about 11 jobs lost.  Windmill Distributing issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their beverage distribution ops in Brooklyn and Montgomery in January 2015, at least 736 jobs lost!

North Dakota: Reports that Case-International Harvester is eliminating 40 jobs in Fargo.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh based United States Steel (USS) announced it will layoff 56 Canadians at its Hamilton operations.  USS administrators say there is a glut of steel on the market which is causing the price to crash, so they’re shutting down production.  After only two years Station Street Hot Dogs shutdown. The owners decided not to renew their lease, claiming other projects were getting in the way.  Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL) revealed its plans to eliminate 450 jobs: “Our transition plans are on schedule and we have made substantial progress developing the plans to achieve at least $155 million in Talen Energy annual run-rate synergies. The full extent of the identified annualized synergies is expected to be realized beginning in mid-2016.”-press release

Texas: Oil rig support services operator Hercules Offshore is eliminating 342 jobs!  Company administrators blame declining demand for oil for their loss of $88.6-million during their 3rd quarter 2014!  Retailer Target announced they’re shutting down their 16 years old Austin store in January 2015, about 83 jobs lost.

Washington: In Seattle, the owners of Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar announced they will shutdown in January 2015.

Wisconsin: It was revealed that retailer JCPenney sold off its Regency Mall store and it will be shutdown, 80 jobs lost.  Administrators said the store wasn’t making enough money.

01-03-November-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, Idaho

“There’s no way they can propose this plan without threatening patient care!”: Massive healthcare job destruction caused by Obamacare, last six months of 2014!

Incomplete list of healthcare job cuts that took place, or were announced, from July to December 2014, and were directly or indirectly blamed on Obama Care:

Becker’s Hospital Review revealed that by the end of 2013 eighteen U.S. hospitals shutdown as a direct result of problems caused by the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care).

The Carolinas HealthCare System announced they must kill at least 100 jobs in North and South Carolina by the beginning of 2015, due to Obama Care! Reduced insurance payments as a result of the so called ‘Affordable Car Act’ will cause the hospital system to lose at least $110-million USD in their fiscal 2015 year!

Arkansas:  Obama Care forced now vacant county owned Crittenden Regional Hospital into chapter 7 bankruptcy (which usually means it’s ‘toast’). More than 400 healthcare workers lost their jobs! The draconian insurance reimbursements cuts imposed by Obama Care means the county hospital cannot pay off nearly $7-million in bonds, however, city and even federal government administrators are suing, accusing the county hospital board of essentially taking the bond money because bookkeeping can’t seam to account for it.  Washington Regional Medical Center laid off 27 healthcare workers, directly blaming Obama Care. Hospital officials blame the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for causing the hospital a loss of $8.75-million!

Arizona: Obama Care forced University of Arizona Health Network to sell itself to Phoenix based Banner Health. Now there are reports this is a portent for things to come in the U.S. medical school sector. The Association of American Medical Colleges warns that Obama Care’s reduced insurance reimbursements is the final straw that will force medical schools to sell themselves to private medical corporations, or greatly reduce their services to the public, either way it means massive healthcare job cuts.

California:  In Temecula, Illinois based Abbott Vascular laid off 100 people! Reports say at just two years ago the company had 4-thousand employees, but now has less than 17-hundred!  In Jackson, Obama Care forcing Sutter Amador Hospital to warn of layoffs coming in January 2015.  Allergan warned that Obama Care forced them to kill off 545 specialized healthcare employees in November, and shutdown one of their healthcare operations in Goleta! In Fallbrook, Obama Care forced Fallbrook Home Health and Hospice to issue a WARN saying they will shutdown just three days before Xmas, 37 jobs lost.  Fallbrook Hospital issued a WARN saying they will kill off 365 jobs in December!  In Palm Springs, Crothall Healthcare shutdown, 91 jobs lost.  In Orange, Children’s Hospital of Orange County killed another 89 jobs. This is on top of the 61 layoffs in June and the 20 layoffs in May, for a grand total of 170 in three months! Hospital officials say job layoffs are the only way they can deal with decreasing insurance payments caused by Obama Care.  In San Pablo, West Contra Costa Healthcare District- Doctors Medical Center shutdown in September, 832 healthcare jobs lost!  In Torrance, Obama Care forced American Medical Response of Southern California to shutdown in November, 120 healthcare jobs lost!  In Montebello, insurance industry created Obama Care forced Beverly Community Hospital to cull 82 healthcare jobs in September.  In Sylmar, God can’t stop the new Obama Care medical device taxes from killing 270 jobs with medical device maker Saint Jude Medical!  In Oakland, Sutter Health/Alta Bates Summit Medical Center laid off four more healthcare workers.  In Lancaster, Obama Care killed at least 99 jobs with Antelope Valley Hospital in November.   In San Jose, BD Biosciences warned it will kill 60 jobs in November.   In Fountain Valley, Los Alamitos and Palm Springs Obama Care killed off Morrison Healthcare. The provider of meals to hospitals and nursing homes announced they will shutdown in November, 229 jobs lost! In Rancho Cucamonga, intravascular imaging medical company Volcano Corporation issued a WARN saying 170 people will become unemployed before Xmas!   Unnamed former employees revealed that Obama Care is forcing American Medical Response (owned by Envision Health) to save money by shutting down its Salida billing center and move it to Philippines, 200 U.S. jobs lost!  In Newbury Park, legal drugs pusher Amgen issued a WARN saying they will kill off 349 jobs just three days before Xmas!    In Fremont, Obama Care killed 31 jobs at Washington Hospital, that’s on top of the already 196 jobs destroyed since 2013! Hospital administrators directly blamed the federal government: “Washington Hospital experienced a cumulative net revenue loss of more than $74 million during the past five years due to federal payment reforms, some of which were mandated by the Affordable Care Act.”-Christopher Brown

Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital killing 120 healthcare jobs! Hospital administrators say insurance written Obama Care (Affordable Car Act) is forcing them to cut back in the name of being “efficient”.  However, like frogs in a boiling pot, it’s obvious that the ignorant healthcare workers are still oblivious to what Obama Care is doing to them, instead blaming the hospital for reducing access to medical care: “There’s no way they can propose this plan without threatening patient care!”-Damian Tryon, California Nurses Association

Colorado: In Leadville, after 135 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) God refuses to stop the shutdown of Christian founded Saint Vincent Hospital.  Perhaps because of reduced payments caused by Obama Care, the administrators say they cannot afford to fix the broken heating system.

Florida:   In Saint Petersburg, Obama Care forced the nearly 40 years old Edward White Hospital to shutdown in November, 363 jobs affected! Hospital administrators blame the federal government for slashing funding, and pro-insurance industry Obama Care for causing a drop in customers.  In Polk County, Chapters Health System killing 89 healthcare jobs at their LifePath Hospice, Good Shepherd and Chapters’ palliative care and pharmacy programs. Hospital officials directly blamed Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) for drastically reducing payments for people on Medicare and Medicaid, which make up 92% of Chapters Health System’s clients!   University of Florida Health to sell off its Medicaid focused First Coast Advantage healthcare operations, at least 63 healthcare jobs lost.  In Saint Petersburg, the nearly 40 years old Edward White Hospital  shutdown, 363 jobs affected! Hospital administrators blame the federal government for slashing funding, and pro-insurance industry Obama Care for causing a drop in customers.

Georgia: 55 years old logistics company Drug Transport now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The company supplied critical shipments to hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics.  God refuses to stop Saint Francis Hospital from laying off 65 healthcare workers, suddenly. Administrators implied that reduced funding caused by Obama Care forced them to re-examine their ‘books’, during which they discovered they were $30-million short! Administrators admitted to employees that they “overestimated” expected payments.

Hawaii: Obama Care killed off 35 healthcare jobs with Hawaii Health Systems Corporation. Hospital administrators said the layoffs will take place in December. They say Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) caused them to lose at least $48-million!

Idaho: In Boise, the Elk’s Rehab Center shutting down, 516 jobs lost as Saint Luke’s Health System takes over in September! Reports say Saint Luke’s claims it needs only 400 employees to do the same job, so a net job loss of 116!

Illinois:   In Palatine and Inverness, Obama Care killing off 14 years old non-profit Wellness Place cancer center. Kathy Scortino, clinical director and interim executive director, hinted that Obama Care was the last straw because “It just became very difficult to sustain it financially.”   In Rockford, the College of Medicine shutdown their psychiatric clinic by the end of September.  2-thousand patients affected! Clinic officials blame never ending funding cuts.   Marion General Hospital warned it will layoff 69 employees in February 2015.

Indiana: Columbus Regional Health announced that ObamaCare was forcing them to eliminate 219 jobs! Administrators say ObamaCare has caused them to loose about $17-million in 2014!  Obama Care killing 361 rescue jobs with ambulance service provider Rural/Metro Corporation! More than 30 communities will lose ambulance service! Company officials directly blamed reduced insurance reimbursements caused by Obama Care. What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?   Monroe Hospital is chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale! But it’s not all Obama Care’s fault, hospital officials also blame the greedy property owners.  Non-profit behavioral and development treatment center Damar Services laid off 44 employees.  Obama Care killing 150 healthcare jobs at Union Hospital in Terre Haute! The CEO said “We face numerous challenges due to changes in the healthcare environment…”

Kentucky: The Kentucky Association of Regional Programs says 33 of 50 mental health programs across the state have shutdown! Four mental health providers have cut their operating hours in half! Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities blames Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) for changing how mental health care is handled. More than 1-thousand patients affected!  Obama Care killing 70 healthcare jobs at Jennie Stuart Medical Center: “…like many hospitals nationwide….We are adjusting to federal sequester cuts, declining Medicare reimbursement, an increasingly complex and restrictive Medicaid system, and a commercial insurance marketplace that is placing more of the burden of cost on its insureds.”– official statement from hospital

Louisiana: The third best ranked hospital in the Pelican State, Saint Francis Medical Center, announced 300 healthcare workers will become unemployed! Administrators blamed Obama Care, referring to it as “Major market shifts in the health care industry”.

Massachusetts:  Steward Health Care System announced they will shutdown their Quincy Medical Center at the end of December, 680 jobs lost!  In Leominster, Obama Care forced HealthAlliance Hospital to kill off 18 jobs (on top of the 160 jobs killed off earlier in the year). Crashing patient referrals caused by Obama Care, and a referring hospital, forced Radius Specialty Hospital to warn that it must shutdown two rehabilitation facilities, 350 healthcare jobs lost! Cape Cod Healthcare laid off eight lab workers. Many full time jobs are being cut back to part time.  Peabody based medical imaging company Analogic announced they’re laying off 50 employees. As a portent of the worsening economy to come, company officials said Obama Care is forcing them to reduce costs by $6-million starting in 2015!  In Easthampton, medical plastics maker Berry Plastics ‘voluntarily retired’ 23 employees. Company administrators blamed it on crashing sales.  Obama Care has caused Southcoast Health to layoff 70 people. Administrators say their 2014 revenues are down 3% due to pro-insurance industry Obama Care.  Non-profit Masonic Health System warned of layoffs at its Overlook Life Care Community, and as a result of its sale of its failed Overlook Health Care operation.

Michigan:    In order to cut costs due to reduced payments caused by Obama Care,  Holland Hospital laid off all their in-house language interpreters.  In Owosso, Planned Parenthood shutting down in December due to crashing federal funding.  Detroit Medical Center going to a new contracted janitor service putting 565 jobs at seven hospitals in limbo, right before Xmas!   Insurance industry written Obama Care killed off Gerontology Network‘s CareTree Adult Day Care service, along with their Outreach and Assistance program.  An undisclosed number of healthcare workers laid off.  In Rochester Hills, the non-profit Crittenton Hospital Medical Center revealed it is now up for sale. Hospital officials say since Obama Care went into effect their financial losses have increased by tens of millions of dollars! The city of Flint is warning that Obama Care’s increased employee benefit costs, and the bad economy, are pushing the city into bankruptcy: “Flint’s at the forefront, but a lot of cities are on the same train, and that train is headed for the cliff!”-Eric Scorsone, Michigan State University economist

Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center shutting down and killing off 96 jobs due to reduced inpatient care caused by Obama Care: “We wish we weren’t writing the final chapter, but the changing healthcare environment has left us no alternative.”-Jim Hettinger, Board of Trustees

The CEO of the Oaklawn Hospital, Ginger Williams, said people should have seen this coming before Obama Care became law, saying it’s “…an unfortunate, but entirely predictable, consequence of health care reform.”

Mississippi: Obama Care forced Singing River Health System to shutdown two of their Medworks clinics in August, one in Gautier and one in D’Iberville. Back in March, hospital officials revealed that even with the new Obama Care that $88-million in medical services will not be paid for! Officials say Obama Care is not solving the problem of people who can’t pay for medical care: “The amount of uncompensated care that we generate every year is growing every year, and it is the largest it has ever been! This is a very difficult time in the industry.”-Kevin Holland, CEO

Obama Care forced Trace Regional Hospital to shutdown their Emergency Room in September: “The federal government is cutting or eliminating programs that pay hospitals for treating uninsured patients. This money is being redirected to fund the cost of Medicaid expansion….”-David Blount, state senator

Missouri: The largest pharmacy benefits manager in the United States, Saint Louis based Express Scripts, announced they will kill off 400 jobs on top of the 19-hundred jobs already killed off this year!   In Mount Vernon, the Missouri Rehabilitation Center and VA Clinic shutting down! It’s run by greedy Missouri University Health System, who basically said they’re losing money on the veteran care op. Veteran Larry Hilburn accused them of constantly short changing veterans: “There’s a lot of veterans that need more help than they’re getting!”

Builder of hospitals, HBE Company, has ceased building new hospitals due to Obama Care! Former employees blamed it on the Obama Care funding crash, saying losses accelerated into Death Spiral mode in 2013. Here’s what HBE President and CEO Fred Kummer said: “The reason for the decision to stop seeking future work is a result of the very real changes that the current administration in Washington has brought about in healthcare.”

Aramark Healthcare Support Services warned they will render 100 people jobless at the Saint Louis University Hospital in February 2015!

Montana: The state’s Department of Livestock warned of layoffs and unpaid furloughs due to increased spending on brucellosis testing on cows, and increased employee insurance and retirement funding mandated by Obama Care! To make things worse, state administrators have actually cut overall funding for the Department of Livestock.

Nebraska: God refused to stop Kearney based Christian CHI Health Good Samaritan from making this statement: “CHI will eliminate 1,500 administrative and support positions across the country by Jan. 30, 2015.”

New Jersey:  In Ridgewood, Obama Care is the final straw that killed off decades old Harding Pharmacy and Liquors. The independent owner of the store directly blamed “reduced reimbursements” for forcing him to sell out and go to work for a competing pharmacy.  Obama Care killing 102 jobs at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center! Hospital officials say the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has caused a 30% reduction in healthcare customers, just from May 2014 to June 2014!  In Secaucus, Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center to kill 102 healthcare jobs! The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act caused the hospital to lose 30% of its patients just in the month of May! Obama Care could be the final nail in the coffin for Meadowlands hospital, which is facing legal problems due to the fact it’s being run by vulture capitalist investors who have no experience in the medical field.   Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton warned state administrators that they will render 87 healthcare workers jobless by the end of 2014.  Woodbridge Developmental Center, a home for people with developmental disabilities, announced it will shutdown on New Year’s Day, 333 patients affected, 622 jobs lost!

New Mexico: ABQ Health Partners revealed they killed off 54 healthcare jobs in October.  According to the New Mexico Hospital Association (NMHA) Obama Care is destroying access to healthcare! 20 of New Mexico’s 44 hospitals have killed jobs and cut services as a direct result of insurance payment reductions mandated by Obama Care: “…. key services are being eroded around the state at the very time when services are needed to respond to the growing demand resulting from coverage expansion.”-Jeff Dye, NMHA

New York:  In Hawthorne, Quintiles Medical Education warned it is shutting down in December, at least 27 jobs lost. In Buffalo, medical supplies maker Ethox Medical warned it is being sold off sometime after December, 62 employees affected.  Is Obama Care behind the shutdown of Robert Mapplethorpe Residential Treatment Facility? Administrators say they will shutdown in December, at least 33 jobs lost.  God refuses to stop Obama Care(?) from shutting down the Convent of Mary the Queen nursing home. Christian leaders say they will shut it down by June 2015 (layoffs will begin in December), and shift many of the residents to a Jewish nursing home. That Which Cannot be Named is refusing to stop Obama Care from killing 58 mental and physically disabled healthcare jobs at the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services.  That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop the selloff of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Yeshiva University Substance Abuse Treatment program at three Bronx locations, 189 jobs now in limbo!  In Hamilton, is Obama Care behind the shutdown of Community Memorial?  Nursing facility administrators warned they will shutdown in December, at least 29 jobs lost.  It was revealed that Obama Care killed jobs with Rural/Metro Medical Services in July. Company administrators finally notified the state in September that they killed off at least 68 jobs.    In Vestal, Obama Care forced Practicare Medical Management to kill 76 healthcare jobs in November.  South Brookhaven Health Center West announced they will kill 93 healthcare jobs at their two hospitals in Shirley and Patchogue.  231 jobs lost as the Rivington House Healthcare Facility shutdown!  In NYC, healthcare provider SinglePoint Care Network warned they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 22 jobs lost.  59 employees were already let go from October to December.  In Fishkill, Mid Hudson Medical Group revealed they have sold out to Mount Kisco Medical Group, 746 healthcare jobs now in limbo!  Due to Obama Care Eastern Niagara Hospital ceased its inpatient care services at its Newfane hospital, and ceased its ER ops at its Lockport hospital, 300+ jobs lost as a result! Eastern Niagara Hospital administrators say they’ve lost $1.7-million since Obama Care went into effect: “Healthcare is undergoing a very significant change. Hospitalizations are decreasing and work is shifting to outpatient care, so we are reacting to the shifts that are occurring.”-Clair Haar, CEO

In Wyandanch, Obama Care forced Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center to shutdown in October, 64 healthcare jobs lost.   The Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center sold off its Chronic Dialysis Centers in Bay Shore and Lindenhurst, at least 102 jobs in limbo!  The Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care (VNSNY) added more people to their Obama Care job culling; dozens of healthcare workers at 13 locations will become jobless in January 2015.

North Carolina:  Washington County Hospital in Plymouth laid off 35 employees. Administrators blamed it on problems with North Carolina’s handling of Obama Care.  UNC Health Care reports that Obama Care has lost them $4-million in revenue! They are now $8-million behind on their budget! UNC Health Care administrators say they are still owed $15-million from the state and federal governments!  Dosher Memorial Hospital now asking that all healthcare workers who’re 60 years of age and had five years of employment, to take early retirement! If that’s not enough they’ll be forced to outright layoff healthcare workers. Hospital officials blame the bad economy made worse by reduced insurance payments due to Obama Care. Administrators with giant Vidant Health are directly blaming Obama Care for crashing revenues, which are forcing them to kill 175 healthcare jobs! Vidant Health runs eight hospitals in-state and was planning on spending $128-million for upgrades, but officials say if the Obama Care insurance payments reductions get worse then the upgrades are off.  Obama Care killing off the Women’s Hospital in Greensboro. The operator, Cone Health, says cost cutting forced by Obama Care means they must consolidate healthcare services into fewer hospitals.   After 35 years Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) forced Cancer Centers of North Carolina (CCNC) to shutdown in October, 135 healthcare jobs lost: “The doctors have really tried for the past couple years to stay independent. They just can’t sustain it anymore.”-Sheri Dyke, CCNC director

In Belhaven, Vidant Pungo Hospital shutdown without notice: “Closing this hospital means everybody takes another 30 minutes to get emergency help. 30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!”-Adam O’Neal, mayor

Hospital officials point out they are building a new 24 hours clinic (which is more cost effective under Obama Care), and they also pointed out that city officials failed to take part in negotiations: “The Town’s recent accusations only serve to disguise the fact that it has failed to fulfill its obligations as outlined by the mediation agreement…… the lack of response made it apparent that the Town knew that it did not have a plan to take over hospital operations…….The mediation agreement clearly stated that the Town of Belhaven was required to work with Pantego Creek, LLC, for use of the hospital property. To our knowledge, the Town never contacted Pantego Creek prior to June 11.”

Cape Fear Valley Health reported a $24-million loss in 2013, and expects to loose another $16-million by the end of 2014 due to Obama Care, so they fired 19 of their Harnett Health employees.  Morehead Memorial Hospital laid off 22 people, and reduced the work hours for another 160!  WFMY News 2 reported that hospital administrators directly blame Obama Care.

Ohio:  Medical supplies maker Invacare killing 210 healthcare jobs globally, 60 in Ohio.  Obama Care killing 47 healthcare jobs at Trumble Memorial Hospital. Obama Care is forcing the hospital to get rid of LPNs, however, the unionized nurses will take it to court.   United Rehabilitation Services shutdown its Berry Hearing Center.  Butler County eliminated 14 jobs by shutting down the Family Connections operation, as well as five other Children Services jobs. County administrators are contracting out the jobs to save money as a result of the radical changes in Medicaid payments caused by Obama Care.

Pennsylvania:  Apparently Obama Care doesn’t want men having sex.  A legal drugs pushing company that makes money off of penis dysfunction, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, laid off 200 employees! Company administrators directly blamed the new taxes created by the so called ‘Affordable Care Act’, and warned more layoffs on the way as they are now moving their U.S. operations to Canada!  Medical device maker Echo Theraputics announced they must layoff 35% of their employees.  In Lehigh County, Obama Care killed 11 jobs at the county funded Cedarbrook nursing home.  Sharon Regional Health System eliminated about 87 jobs, some local news reports said the actual number is a secret.

South Dakota: In Rapid City, Planned Parenthood shutdown in December, due to federal funding cuts.

Tennessee: City of Memphis officials say Obama Care has jacked up the cost of employee insurance so much that they’re forced to reduce how much the city pays, meaning employees will have to pay a greater share of their insurance costs. Hey you cops, don’t get mad at your employer, get mad at insurance industry authored Obama Care! God can’t stop pro-insurance industry Obama Care from forcing Baptist Memorial Health Care from killing 112 healthcare related jobs! The Memphis based hospital system runs 14 hospitals in several states. Administrators reported that as of June 2014 Obama Care caused them to lose $124-million!

Texas:  More Obama Care BS as United Regional Health Care System laid off 14 employees. An anonymous letter to a local newspaper said the affected employees were “certified phlebotomists”.   Obama Care involved in University Medical Center’s (UMC) decision to kill 56 healthcare jobs at the two years old non-profit El Paso Children’s Hospital (which was built with local taxpayer funding). UMC officials say most of the patients at the Children’s Hospital cannot pay for their medical care, despite Obama Care, to the tune of $70-million in lost revenue for UMC! The UMC director was slightly perturbed: “It’s just plain shitty! There’s a lot of emotion, but that’s how I feel!”-Jim Valenti, UMC CEO for past ten years

Valenti says UMC must now borrow $20-million to float itself. He refused to directly blame Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) but said that because of the so called federal health care reforms “We are in no position to continue subsidizing Children’s Hospital through the coming years.”

God refused to stop the ‘Christian’ operator of the taxpayer owned Ambrosio Guillen Veterans Home from becoming chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Senior Dimensions-Sears Methodist Retirement System swears their bankruptcy won’t affect the care of military veterans. However, an unnamed insider told a local news source that “They’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. Things were going real good a year ago. Not now.”

Virginia: In Fredericksburg, non-profit Mary Washington Healthcare laid off 66 healthcare workers without notice: “This came as a complete shock! Everyone had their mouths open!”-hospital employee who refused to be named by local news media  (obviously healthcare workers haven’t been reading my job losses reports, or they would be well aware of the Obama Care job destruction)

Mary Washington Healthcare administrators said they’re also cutting pay for 46 other employees. 157 employees will be transfered elsewhere! The non-profit hospital has lost $31-million since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care)!

Medical testing lab Health Diagnostic Laboratory revealed they laid off 132 employees!  However, the company has been accused of paying (bribing) health care providers to use their service.

Washington: Legal drugs pusher Amgen announced they will shutdown their Seattle area ops, killing off 274 jobs by 31 December, another 386 jobs will be killed off in 2015! The announcement comes just a couple of days after Amgen announced it would kill off 349 jobs in California three days before Xmas! It’s all part of Amgen’s plans to kill off a total of 29-hundred jobs by the end of 2015!

Wisconsin: Non-profit WPS Health Insurance (aka Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation) laid off 20 IT (information technology) workers. The company laid off 250 people in 2013!   Administrators blame their military Tricare (formerly known as CHAMPUS, Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services) and Medicare contracts, as well as blaming Obama Care: “The reality is the competition for these government contracts, along with health care reform, is requiring everyone to look for more efficiencies.”– Ellen Foley

1st six months of 2014

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Food Crisis, December 2014: “…we’ve hit the end!” No more Coca Cola? Famous burger joints shutdown on Xmas eve! Mystic make-over restaurant gets evicted? No beef in Montana, no thanks to ObamaCare? Even a Jackass (BBQ) says there ain’t no recovery!

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of December, 2014: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production.

California:  In Folsom, after only  two years Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill shutdown without explanation.   Jamba Juice revealed it will layoff 23 people (including three senior vice presidents) at its Emeryville support center in 2015.  Company administrators say the economic situation is forcing them to reduce costs.   Only a year after ‘expanding’ Berkeley founded Peet’s Coffee & Tea shutdown all six Ohio shops, plus three in Pennsylvania and two in Michigan, without warning! 70 jobs lost, company administrators said only that those stores “…are not performing to our sales expectations and didn’t have a promising future…” Peet’s also shutdown seven former Caribou Coffee House stores in August, killing off 150 jobs!  After eight years award winning restaurant Hatfield’s shutdown.  No explanation, but the owners swore they’d be back with a new restaurant.  In Rancho Mirage, Acqua Pazza California Bistro at The River shutdown due to not renewing the lease.  Jerry Keller, co-owner, pointed out how risky the restaurant business is saying “It’s been a great 10 years and when you think that 90% of restaurants here close in two years, that’s a pretty good run.”    In Santa Rosa, after nearly 40 years Arrigoni’s Deli & Cafe shutdown.   Safeway announced they will shutdown one of their  Vons grocery stores in Hemet by January 2015, at least 55 jobs lost.  And in Pleasanton, Safeway HQ will layoff at least 26 people by 13 February 2015, due to the takeover by Cerberus owned Albertsons.   Uniform and food service contractor Aramark issued several WARNs saying they are shutting down ops across the Golden State, at least 570 jobs lost!

Georgia: Atlanta based iconic Coca Cola announced it is cutting $100-million AUD from its Australian ops in 2015, killing off at least 250 jobs in the Land Down Under!  Coca Cola already killed off at least 157 Australian jobs for 2014!  But wait there’s more! Coca Cola is also killing off 2-thousand jobs in the United States, before the end of January 2015!  Company administrators say the U.S. economy is so bad they’re forced to cut $3-billion USD by 2019!

Dying food court (The Courtyard), only zombified Orange Julius and Mario's Pizza left. The obligatory pretzel joint moved to center court. Mrs. Powell's, Dairy Queen, the corn dog place and others all died.

Dying food court (The Courtyard), only zombified Orange Julius and Mario’s Pizza left. The obligatory pretzel joint moved to center court. Mrs. Powell’s, Dairy Queen, the corn dog place and others all died.

Idaho: In Chubbuck, Mario’s Pizza and Orange Julius announced they will shutdown their Pine Ridge Mall stores in 2015.  Local TV station KPVI said company administrators told them the economy was so bad in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area that it wasn’t worth keeping the decades old pizza joint and juice blender open any longer.

Illinois: In Chicago, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi laid off an undisclosed number of North America Nutrition (Gatorade, Quaker, Tropicana) employees.  Pepsi also extended its cost cutting plan (originally to end in 2014) to 2019, saying it now needs to save $8-billion!  A Panera Bread store shutdown.  Company administrators said the city’s recent minimum wage hike, to $13 per hour over the next five years, was the final straw that broke their Beverly store’s back.  Rumors say the company will simply open a new store just outside city limits.  The owner of Beverly’s Original Rainbow Cone warned she is contemplating a similar decision.   In Urbana, after only one year a Kroger owned Ruler Foods discount grocery store shutdown without notice.  For some reason Kroger built three Ruler Foods stores in Urbana in the space of two years, apparently that was one too many.  Company administrators refused to talk to local news media.  In Mount Prospect, the owners of Randhurst Village shopping center forced the three years old The Billy Goat Tavern to shutdown. Basically the shopping center owners found a new tenant who’s willing to pay more in rent.  In Oregon city, after four years Jackass BBQ shutdown with little notice, the owner is pissed about the lack of any economic recovery, he’s now forced to auction off his personal tools: “Business is slow here in Oregon…Most people from Dixon do not drive here anymore….We will have lots of Craftsman tools and toolboxes, antiques, household items and furniture. We have a welder and oxygen acetylene cutting torches, along with several steel industrial work benches.”-Andy Riegel

Iowa:  In Cedar Rapids, after nine years Cranky Hank’s pizza joint shutdown.

Michigan:  Battle Creek based cereal maker Kellogg was forced by union members to admit they are shutting down two major cereal making factories.  It’s blamed on crashing cereal sales.  However, company administrators refuse to say which factories will die.

Minnesota: After only nine months Boneyard Kitchen and Bar shutdown, some customers told local news that they were not happy with the menu items.

Missouri:  In Kansas City, 65 years old Golden Ox steak restaurant shutdown.  News reports said the owner wanted to retire, but could his retirement have been influenced by the skyrocketing prices of beef?  In Florissant, after 95 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Yacovelli’s Restaurant to shutdown on New Year’s Day.  In Columbia, the Marconi Grill shutdown without notice.  A local news source discovered it when they spotted moving vans at the property.  Reports said a few months ago it was rumored the restaurant would close, but employees said it was for remodeling. Those loyal employees are now eating crow, as competing restaurants are now being flooded with applications from former Marconi Grill employees.

Montana: The state’s Department of Livestock warned of layoffs and unpaid furloughs due to increased spending on brucellosis testing on cows, and increased employee insurance and retirement funding mandated by Obama Care!  To make things worse, state administrators have actually cut overall funding for the Department of Livestock.

New Jersey: Rumors that after 15 years Stanley’s Prime Meat Market shutdown.  In Hoboken, after 78 years Helmers’ Restaurant shutdown.  Reports say the German themed restaurant has been in trouble ever since a fire in 2006.  The property owner has reportedly rented out the space to a new tenant at $15-thousand per month!

New York: In Ithaca, after more than 40 years Manos Diner shutdown.  The news was revealed by an employee.

North Carolina: In Willmington, Golden Corral all you can eat at the Monkey Junction shutdown without notice on 29 December.  Local news reports said company administrators wouldn’t talk to them, but an employee said sales had crashed.  In Fayetteville, after 57 years Vick’s Drive-In restaurant shutdown by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to make way for the rerouting of the nearby Rowan Street bridge.

Ohio:    In Waverly, 78 years old Lake White Club restaurant shutdown.  After months of spending money on renovations, the bad economy forced the current owners to put the restaurant up for auction in October, but nobody bid on it.  Iconic White Castle burger joint shutting down all five restaurants in Cleveland and Akron!  To top it off, they’re being shutdown on Xmas eve!  Administrators of the family owned burger joint says the economy is so bad in Cleveland and Akron that they can’t afford to continue operating in those cities.  In Lakewood, the World of Beer bar shutdown, apparently with no explanation.  In Hilliard, after only two years the Auddino’s Bakery & Cafe on Fishinger Boulevard shutdown.  The bakery owners say the property owners didn’t promote the business as promised.

Oregon: In Ashland, only one month after getting a Restaurant Impossible TV show make-over Mystic Treats shutdown, without explanation.  Prior to the make-over the landlord was in the process of evicting Mystic Treats.  In Portland, after 35 years the Hunan Restaurant shutdown “Due to personal health issues”.

Pennsylvania:  In Kingston, after more than four years the owners of Vanderlyn’s Restaurant announced that New Year’s Eve is their last day of operations.  They said they need more “family time”.  In Centre County, after nearly 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the Mount Nittany Inn shutdown. The restaurant has been for sale for the past three years, but nobody wants to buy. A co-owner blames the lack of ‘recovery’ and evil Too Big to Jail banks: “We tried our best! There just isn’t enough cash flow….”-Nancy Silvis

Tennessee: After 17 years the GollyWhoppers sandwich shop shutdown the day before xmas.

Utah: In Ogden, after 38 years the family owners of Sandy’s Fine Foods restaurant announced they will shutdown by the end of the month.  It will end with a yard sale of restaurant memorabilia.  The family will focus on their catering business.

Vermont:  In Burlington, after five years Das Bierhaus German restaurant shutdown: “Renewal time had come and, as the dust of negotiations and exploring other options settled, I was fortunate enough to have been presented with an offer I could not refuse.”-Nick Karabelas, owner

Virginia: After only seven months Dash Kitchen & Carry restaurant shutdown! The owners admitted they were ignorant of the bad economy saying “…we misjudged the demand for it in that market and failed….Dash will either be sold ….or will be reimagined…”  In King George, after 18 years the owner of Howard’s Bakery & Restaurant announced they will shutdown after Xmas.  Local news reports said the owner blamed the past three years of suck-ass sales.  In Richmond, the co-owner of ‘adult themed’ Tiki Bob’s club announced they will shutdown in February 2015, blaming competition and lazy city administrators:  “After 16 years we’ve hit the end! You see all the great food and stuff going on in Richmond. There’s no more room for just a club anymore. I’ve waited a year for the city to get the ballpark. I can’t wait any longer….I don’t know if I want to put another 200-300k in the bottom without the city doing anything down here.”-Erik Brockdorff

Wisconsin:  In Madison, after 22 years Jolly Bob’s Caribbean restaurant shutdown.  The owner, Tim Erickson, blamed the lack of economic recovery: “The last five years have been really difficult, not that the first 17 years were easy, but especially the last five years have been really tough. And I’m not a young man anymore.” 

U.S. Food Crisis, November 2014

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 03 November 2014: “…to stop seeking future work is a result of…changes…in healthcare.” More ObamaCare job destruction! Again, no more Sprint?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  New Obama Care taxes forcing medial device maker Volcano to make even more job cuts; 170 people in Rancho Cordova will become jobless before Xmas!  At one time Volcano employed 700 people at the Rancho Cordova factory, but will have less than 100 after 16 December.  In San Diego, Ashford University/Bridgepoint Education issued a WARN saying 160 people will become jobless in January 2015! However, local ABC10News said an inside source reported that 167 people were already let go! 

Florida: After 33 years Ruben’s Cuban Restaurant being shutdown by the landlord. The landlord claims it’s only for remodeling, but long time customers are so upset that the local news media demanded confirmation from the landlord that the restaurant will be reopening soon.  In Miami, Envoy Air issued a WARN saying they will eliminate 478 transportation and warehousing jobs by April 2015!

Illinois: In Chicago, after 82 years Altman’s Shoes announced they will shutdown on 31 December.  The family owners still have new shoes from decades ago that were handmade in Italy, and other vintage brand shoes.

Kansas: Overland Park based, but 80% Japan based SoftBank owned, cell phone service provider Sprint increased the number of people who will become jobless, yet again; this time 2-thousand additional employees will be let go due to the company losing $192-million USD and 272-thousand customers in its most recent quarter!

Missouri:  Builder of hospitals, HBE Company, has ceased building new hospitals due to Obama Care!  Former employees blamed it on the Obama Care funding crash, saying losses accelerated into Death Spiral mode in 2013.  Here’s what HBE President and CEO Fred Kummer said: “The reason for the decision to stop seeking future work is a result of the very real changes that the current administration in Washington has brought about in healthcare.”

New Hampshire: What automotive industry recovery? In Newport, after 80 years City Auto RV Superstore announced they will shutdown sometime in 2015.   The current owner says she’s going back to being a nurse.

New York: In North Tonawanda, Community First Holdings issued a WARN saying they will cease publication of the Tonawanda News and eliminate 20 newspaper jobs in January 2015.  In Brooklyn, The Guild for Exceptional Children issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their preschool in January 2015, at least 81 jobs lost.

North Carolina: The USMC warned of layoffs at its Community Services ops at Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station.  Between 35 and 50 people could become jobless in 2015.  Hours for Community Services will be reduced.  Child care services will also see prices go up by 50%.  It’s blamed on cuts to federal taxpayer spending.

Pennsylvania: UniTek Global Services now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and is preparing to be taken over by creditors.

Texas: In Houston, Too Big to Jail Capital One announced it will layoff 100 ‘processing’ employees during the 1st quarter of 2015!

30-31-october-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 30 – 31 October 2014: “This has developed in a ‘perfect storm’…completely out of our control.” God hates Chicago as students get raptured? Target does 1-80 on opening new stores! No more Ghirardelli Chocolates?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Corona, Ireland based legal drugs maker Actavis issued a WARN saying 200 people will become jobless in January 2015!  In Santa Cruz, Chaminade Resort & Spa Issued a WARN saying 180 people will become jobless in January 2015!  In San Francisco, Ghirardelli Chocolates issued a WARN saying they will shutdown just three days after Xmas, 84 jobs lost.  However, it’s supposed to be temporary.  Boeing issued a couple of WARNs saying 221 Californians will become jobless in January 2015!  In El Monte, Associated Third Party Administrators (ATPA) issued a WARN saying they will shutdown at the end of December, 85 jobs lost.  In San Gabriel, SoCalGas (Southern California Gas) issued a WARN saying 45 people will be laid off in January 2015.

Colorado: In Steamboat Springs, after more than 25 years a Wendy’s burger joint shutdown. Apparently there were problems between the restaurant management and the property owners.  In Paonia, Kentucky based Bowie Resource Partners announced that 150 jobs are being eliminated at the Bowie #2 coal mine!  It’s blamed on the termination of a contract with taxsucking TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) as more power plants switch to natural gas.

Florida: Obama Care forces WellCare Health Plans to issue a WARN saying 60 of their employees in Tampa will become jobless by February 2015.  In Ocala, fire truck maker Spartan ERV issued a WARN saying 70 people will become jobless by June 2015.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, after only two months the Beach Bum Cafe shutdown. The owners blame the bad economy saying their product was “…just priced too high for the market.”

Illinois: God must hate the Chicago area; seven Christian schools being shuttered and six others being consolidated!  At least 200 jobs lost!  The schools being shutdown are Saint Agatha Catholic Academy, Saint Peter in Skokie, Saint Hyacinth Basilica, Saint Ladislaus, Saint Turibius, Saint Rene Goupil, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole in Matteson.  It’s blamed on massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), since 1965 Christian student enrollment in Cook and Lake counties has crashed by 284-thousand!

Iowa: Too Big to Jail CitiGroup told local news media that it will render 370 Iowans jobless by Summer 2015!  Bank administrators said they must become even more efficient.

Massachusetts: In Holyoke, Susan’s Cafe shutdown due to crumbling building foundation. The owners spent what spare money they had trying to fix the problem, as their insurance refused to cover the damage. (more proof insurance is a mafioso rip off)

Minnesota: What housing market recovery?  Minneapolis based retailer Target eliminated 120 real estate manager jobs (80 occupied, 40 vacant) as the company decided to drastically cut back its plans to open new stores.  After five years of selling Italian motorcycles, Ducati Motors shutdown in the Lyn-Lake area: “We are closing because we are unable to be profitable.”-Merrill Ferguson

Missouri: The American Red Cross announced it will shutdown their Saint Peters office in November.  It’s part of a plan to shutdown offices across the United States.

Nebraska: Switzerland based legal drugs pusher Novartis killing off more jobs in Lincoln, this time 75 jobs lost.  Company administrators said it was the third phase of their plans to kill off 40% of their jobs, as part of their merger with Glaxo SmithKline (to become official in 2015).

Ohio: In Lima, Switzerland based Ineos Group announced it is shutting down its only global Barex-brand PolyAcryloNitrile resin factory.  At least 50 jobs will be lost in the 1st quarter of 2015.  Company administrators blame PAN resin for being a “specialty niche” product, but that didn’t stop them from taking over a Japanese PAN maker last year (maybe that’s the real reason for the Ohio shutdown?).  Sears Holdings issued a WARN saying they will shutdown a distribution center in time for Xmas, 162 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: Iconic Rubbermaid issued a WARN saying they will begin rendering at least 119 people jobless from December 2014 through September 2015, when they shutdown their Pottsville factory!  Also in Pottsville, after 51 years of distributing beer Brewers’ Outlet shutdown its warehouse: “This has developed in a ‘perfect storm’ manner, and this development is not Brewers’ Outlet desire and completely out of our control.”-company statement

Cheyney University (originally created to target ‘black’ Americans) laid off at least six instructors and will eliminate programs.  University administrators blame crashing revenue.  Interestingly, the university lists several administrative positions as being available, but adds “Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to your phone calls about vacancies or about the status of a recruitment and your application.”  In Erie, Verizon Wireless issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their call center, 117 jobs lost just in time for Xmas!  Company administrators blame crashing demand for their service.

Virginia: In Carytown, a second Dixie Donuts shop shutdown, the owners of the “best donut shop in Virginia” basically saying the economy can’t support all their store fronts, so they’re focusing all their efforts on their original store.

29-october-2014

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.