Tag Archives: employment

Business/Economics

“We’ve put more money into it than we’re making.” God joins exodus from New York!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 03 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Stop blaming the internet: Japan based Sony is ending its Online U.S. shop in August!

Alabama: Food Outlet shutting down their 27 years old Jacksonville grocery store. Administrators say new competition has “split our customer base in half”, combining that with increasing costs of operations it just wasn’t worth while to continue.

Arizona: Illinois based Cochise Regional Hospital shutdown without warning because ObamaCare cut off all Medicare funding!  The shutdown was revealed by Copper Queen Community Hospital administrators who said they were being flooded with patient transfers from Cochise.

California: After 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) gourmet grocer A.G. Ferrari Foods shutting down its Castro location.  Since bankruptcy in 2011 the gourmet grocery chain has dwindled from 13 stores to five.

Florida:  In the Miami metro area the Oolite restaurant shutdown without warning, despite being voted best on South Beach.  Gastropod restaurant shutdown.  Food critics were surprised when Pubbelly Boys’ L’Echon Brasserie shutdown.  The L’Entrecote de Paris shutdown as well.  In Fort Lauderdale, Taps Restaurant, Bar and Lounge and Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill both shutdown.  In Latana, Pizzeria Oceano shutdown.

Georgia:  ObamaCare forced non-profit Southern Regional Medical Center to declare chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Reports say the hospital will be sold to a California non-profit. Despite ObamaCare claiming to provide every U.S. citizen with medical insurance, Southern Regional administrators say 30% of their customers are still uninsured, and the hospital is owed at least $21-million USD for services rendered in 2014!

Illinois: Too Big to Jail Mesirow Financial shutting down their bankruptcy consulting ops.  They tried to sell it but nobody wanted to buy, so 50 people will become unemployed and probably, ironically, have to file for bankruptcy (if unAmerican corporate America can do it so easily, why not individuals?).  Taffies Restaurant shutdown: “We just need to find a new location. This restaurant has been here for 35 years. It’s a leased building. We’ve put more money into it than we’re making.”-Angela Van Matre

Massachusetts: After 56 years The Beachcomer shutdown and was sold-off.  The new owner says it will be torn down, and maybe a new ‘high-end’ restaurant will be built.  Cupcake Town shutting down in Mansfield.

Michigan: The Saint Joseph Mercy Port Huron hospital is for sale.  Supposedly California’s Prime Healthcare Services wants to buy it.

New Jersey: In Parsippany, cereal maker Post Foods issued a WARN saying 48 people will become jobless by the end of September.

New York: That Which Cannot Be Named refuses to stop ObamaCare from forcing Menorah Home & Hospital from issuing a shutdown WARN for their Adult Day Health Center in Brooklyn, 47 jobs lost by October.    News sources report that God has joined the mass exodus from The Big Apple: “Dozens of NYC churches closed this week: Could they be reborn for another purpose?”

“Poor, immigrant communities adversely affected by shutdown of religious centers as Mass attendance drops”

“Sad to report that after 2.5 great years on 2nd Ave, we’ve decided to close Alder at the end of August. The search for a new home begins…”-Wylie Dufresne, celebrity chef

After 16 years Mixed Greens art gallery shutting down by the end of 2015.

Pennsylvania: Lehigh County taxpayer funded Cedarbrook nursing homes eliminating as many as 45 jobs.  Shippensburg and Cheyney universities have warned their unionized employees of mass layoffs.

Texas: National Oilwell Varco issued a shutdown WARN for its ops in Willis, 150 jobs lost!  Bankrupt busted Cal Dive International issued layoff WARN saying they will eliminate 126 jobs starting at the end of the month!  45 years old Stanley’s BBQ shutdown.  Two years ago it was sold to a family that tried to keep it alive but failed, blaming crashing sales.

Wisconsin: Ramen noodle joint Tochi shutdown in Shorewood due to problems with the new lease.  The owner is hoping for a new location.

01-02 August 2015: “Help us…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Idaho

Poky Pavegate fallout: Taxpayers asked to clean up their own streets, while paying more taxes!

03 August 2015 (12:45 UTC-07 Tango 01)/11 Mordad 1394/16 Shawwal 1436/19 Jia-Shen 4713

For the past few weeks the Mormon dominated (74.5% according to census data) Gem State city of Pocatello has been running TV PSAs asking taxpaying residents to voluntarily clean out storm drains in their neighborhood streets.  This comes after revelations of “abuse of authority” at the hands of the city’s Mormon mayor (“Blad is clearly conservative, something his Mormon, southern Idaho upbringing certainly influenced…”-Tara A. Rowe, commenting on Blad’s suprise 2009 election win), and a new investigation by the state Attorney General for a trend that’s hitting cities across the U.S.: Pavegate.

Pocatello’s storm clean up campaign (led by mascots Drip and Drop) is also part of a growing trend across the country, as cities supposedly don’t have the tax funding to pay their own road crews to do the clean-up, but in Pocatello’s case Pavegate makes the public service campaign questionable.

Pocatello’s (aka Poky) Pavegate started back in June 2014, when residents  noticed Pocatello road crews doing road work in other cities.  This pissed off Pokey taxpayers because for years they’ve been told there wasn’t enough funding to tackle all the road work needed in Pocatello.

When the city council was first questioned about it, they denied it was happening.  In July 2014, local TV station KPVI even questioned Poky mayor Brian Blad about it, he actually denied knowing anything: “I don’t know if our crews were up there or not. I know our equipment was up there. We may have had crews up there. If we did, then there will be a swap where the County is doing the work for the City of Pocatello for us as well.” 

In that instance KPVI was asking about Poky road crews doing work for the city of McCammon.  McCammon administrators indicated that Poky administrators offered to save McCammon taxpayer money by doing needed road repairs for the cost of materials only, the labor was free (meaning Poky taxpayers paid for the labor)!

By August 2014, city council members (who are part timers only) were concerned enough to pay for an independent investigation: “We’ve got to have the facts. We just don’t know at this point.”-Craig Cooper, council president

In September 2014, KPVI was basically told that what was to be called Poky Pavegate was nothing more than semantics: “I’m confident that what they are looking at is not an invoice. What they are looking at is a work order……No we haven’t reimbursed the City of Pocatello for these costs.”-Kurk Bybee, attorney for the city

It is not uncommon for one city to hire-out its road crews to another city, and get paid for it.  But in this case it seemed that the full time mayor indeed knew about the farming out of Poky road crews to other cities (after denying it on local TV news) but did not charge for the labor, and the part time city council members continued to claim they knew nothing.  Industrious taxpaying residents found out otherwise: “A large volume of documents secured by Pocatello resident Steven Medellin under a Freedom of Information request show numerous paving projects were done in Driggs and Teton County dating back to 2013 with no documentation showing payments to the city of Pocatello for the work.”–Out-of-town Pocatello paving projects spur audit (even at this point the mayor feigned no knowledge of the Pavegate)

These Pavegate lies by Mormon dominated city administration are just the tip of the iceberg, as residents (the majority being Mormons themselves, 74.5%) have publicly questioned the jacking up of property taxes, the hiring-on of 30 new city employees, “secretive” projects and the seemingly sudden disappearance of millions of taxpayer funds.

In January 2015, Deanton & Company made public the results of their Pavegate investigation:  “Although there appears to be an abuse of authority, because of the nature of fraud, no assurances can be given that fraud does not exist……..it became clear that various levels of management within the city of Pocatello do not fully understand their level of authority…….There was also a lack of supporting evidence of communication between management and….City Council.”

The quickly done investigation said Poky taxpayers paid for at least $15,773 USD worth of labor costs, and in response the mayor adamantly stated that he would not seek reimbursement from the cities that benefitted from that labor: “…we’re going to move on and be done with it.”  

In February 2015, the city’s own Chief Financial Officer, Joyce Stroschein, revealed that they’re basically missing $1.5-million!  She blamed it on three ongoing projects in which there was no accountability in how the money was spent: “It’s all about cleaning house….. Cleaning up the project resolution because the projects have ended at this point.”

By April 2015, the Idaho Attorney General announced an investigation of his own.  The investigation was pushed for by a Pocatello grass roots committee Taxpayers for Honest Government: “Taxpayers for Honest Government has methodically investigated and reviewed public information…and found that the city of Pocatello is in serious trouble, both financially and ethically….most of the problems facing the city of Pocatello are because of the abuse of power created by Mayor Blad’s secretive, closed-door governing style.”– Helen Delahunt-Avila

The disappearance of millions of taxpayer dollars, confirmed by the city’s own treasurer in February, should be noted because the mayor continually stated the city wasn’t hurting for money.  Now Poky tax payers are being asked to clean out the storm drains in their neighborhood streets!

In June 2015, despite missing millions in funding Pocatello created a new Public Information Officer job, hiring a former KPVI reporter as their new Public Information Officer.  The first order of business for that PIO was reporting that Poky administrators suddenly ordered road crews to put fresh blacktop on dozens of city streets, and then claimed it was done in a way that saved taxpayers money.  City administrators say they are now conducting an almost year long review of finances as “…a kind of review of how we look at ourselves.”

In July 2015,  CFO Joyce Stroschein proposed jacking up taxes and fees for Poky residents, in order to fund the city’s 2016 fiscal year.

Poky’s Martin Luther King Way project, despite no money

Pocatello considers fines for false fire alarms

Pocatello Fire Department responds to record number of calls

Pocatello considers moving money to fund connector project

Despite being broke, Pocatello Sanitation Department loans $2 million to Federal Aid Project

Pocatello Regional Transit gets free busses?

Massive Wellness Complex no cost to taxpayers?

Poky’s South Valley Connector project 

Pocatello & Chubbuck consider merging Fire Departments

City Council OKs $1.04 million for vehicles

City Must Cut $2.2 Million from Budget

LDS leader arranged outside attorney on LGBT ordinance

NSA paying Mormons big bucks to guard data centers! 

Business/Economics, Idaho

“Help us…” “We are ramping down…experiencing a massive reduction in staff.”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 02 August 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Colorado: After 12 years con artists, I mean investment company Curian Capital stopped accepting new suckers, I mean accounts, and said they will shutdown sometime in 2016, at least 3-hundred jobs lost!  Here’s their official reason for shutting down: “Given the industry-wide changes in technology, product offerings and market size, Curian has determined that it is no longer commercially positioned to provide clients high value investment programs over the long term.” (in other words they see the economy getting so bad that even the stock market is going to crash, for real this time)

Florida: Keolis Transit Services issued a shutdown WARN for their Naples ops, 103 jobs lost by the end of September!  At Kennedy Space Center, InoMedic Health Applications issued a WARN saying 172 people will become jobless by the end of September!  ObamaCare medical device taxes, and changes to Medicare, forced home medical device provider Univita to quit!  According to WARNs, 785 people in Miramar are now unemployed!  Last week Univita employees were told “We are ramping down our operations and will be experiencing a massive reduction in staff.”  It should be noted that the privately run Better Business Bureau said Univita was a terrible company.

Georgia: California based bankrupt busted Anna’s Linens announced they’re shutting down their less than two years old Augusta store. It’s the result of the company totally crashing & burning, 2-hundred stores across the U.S. will shutdown!  

Hawaii: No more dinner cruises?  After a month of being idle 102 employees of Roberts Hawaii were laid off with only three days warning!  #Roberts Hawaii No Aloha

Idaho: In Boise, Supervalu grocery store announced they will shutdown in October, 115 jobs lost!  What housing market recovery? Recently KPVI reported on Pocatello housing projects that have sat unfinished for years.

Illinois: In Pontiac, after eight years Joanna’s Floral Creations & Gifts shutting down.  The owner blames the bad economy for destroying her American Dream: “…I have two small children, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, and it’s just too hard to run a business full time and raise them…If the economy were a little bit stronger…It’s just hard times.
It’s difficult to run a small business the way the economy is right now, especially this type of business.”-Joanna Von Rhein

Kansas: After less than ten months Take Five Coffee + Bar shutdown due to the lack of customers: “We don’t have a choice. There is no option to press forward.”-Lori Chandler, co-owner

Kentucky: Liquor Barn in Saint Matthews shutting down, it might have something to do with their ongoing lawsuit against a local rival.  In Louisville, Target is shutting down their only store on the Dixie Highway, just in time for Xmas.

Maryland: ObamaCare forcing Laurel Regional Hospital to become an outpatient clinic only!  News reports say hundreds of people will be laid off over the next year!  The hospital will be remodeled (at a cost of at least $25-million) and re-open around 2018 as an ambulatory care clinic (walk-ins only).  Many hospital administrators say they cannot make enough money under ObamaCare as a full hospital service, so they are either merging with other hospitals, reducing services to walk-in only clinics, or shutting down all together.

North Carolina:  Administrators with Legacy Paddlesports announced that due to crashing sales they are merging with a rival, and then they laid off 25 employees without warning.

New York: Addiction treatment center Narco Freedom issued a shutdown WARN for all locations in The Empire State, 513 jobs lost by the end of September!  The owners of the non-profit were accused of frauding the government and customers of billions of dollars.

South Carolina: ObamaCare medical device tax killing off medical products maker Hill-Rom, 70 jobs lost.  That’s a huge drop from the number of employees they had in 2008, according to local news reports Hill-Rom at one time employed 4-hundred people in that location.  Hill-Rom is consolidating their manufacturing and call center ops.

Tennessee: After 16 years Rhythm & Brews shutting down in September.

Virginia: After 28 years toy store Quilts ’N’ Treasures shutdown, the owner has stage 4 lung cancer.   Collapsing Bristol based coal miner Alpha Natural Resources is making it official and going chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  A Cardinal Camera store shutdown with no warning in Richmond.  No explanation, but a sign taped to the door said “Help us stay in Richmond…..and look for a new home…” implying they lost their lease.

31 July 2015: “…a catastrophic event…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Technology, U.S.

Paranoid NSA paying Mormons big bucks to guard data centers!

03 August 2015 (20:19 UTC-07 Tango 01, 02 August 2015 )/11 Mordad 1394/16 Shawwal 1436/19 Jia-Shen 4713

“For a variety of operational security reasons, NSA does not disclose the full range of these relationships.”-NSA statement

It’s been revealed by the Salt Lake Tribune that in the past year and a half the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has paid Utah Highway Patrol more than $1-million USD to guard the entrance of the World’s largest data spy center.  And all the cops had to do was sit in their patrol cars outside the complex located on Utah’s National Guard training center known as Camp Williams.

One estimate said it works out to about $50 per hour per patrolman, to just sit and wait.

Now realize the Utah Data Complex sits on state military property (see links below), yet they had to hire-on the Highway Patrol as extra security?  According to news reports the big bad ass NSA feels threatened by peaceful protestors outside the Camp Williams-Utah Data Complex.

NSA Data Center Plagued by Arc Flashes

Mormon dominated Idaho makes big money off Beer!

Operation Jupiter: Utah’s Dugway Proving Ground part of JUPITR ATD plan to spread weaponized anthrax around the World

Utah, home base for massive NSA data center

Utah home to military intelligence wargames aimed at you

ebay, Dell, HP, federal & state governments build World’s largest data collection spy system, in Utah

Utah National Guard base to become site of largest personal data center in the U.S. 

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…a catastrophic event…” “…it had a domino effect.” “It has to come to an end…”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 31 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

“…it’s unfortunate for employees that are put into this situation when it occurs, and you hate to say it, but typically investors reward stocks for these types of layoffs. Stocks react favorable to big announced layoffs.”-Brian Yarbrough, Edward Jones retail analyst

British Petroleum (BP) claims it lost $6.3-billion USD, and as a result “…significant headcount reductions in upstream and downstream as we progress through the year and I think you’ll see more of that before we get to the end of the year.”-Brian Gilvary, cfo

Alabama: Bankrupt coal miner Walter Energy revealed it will eliminate as many as 739 jobs!  US Steel shutting down their Fairfield Works blast furnace next month, the company just posted a $261-million USD loss (more than twice their loss for the same time last year)!  County commissioner Jimmie Stephens calls the Fairfield Works shutdown “…a catastrophic event for western Jefferson County.”

California: News reports say Burbank based visual effects company Stereo D laid off about 225 people!  Work is being shifted to Canada.  In Berkeley, after 40 years Nabolom Collective Bakery shutting down on Sunday. News reports say the operators refuse to explain.   More Haggen grocery store fallout: “When we met with Haggen management prior to the store conversions, they assured us that they were committed to making this takeover a success and that they would do everything possible to keep the customers. It is now apparent that they have not followed through on those commitments and, in fact, have done nothing to assure that customers’ first impressions would be positive. We know that many of you have offered positive suggestions that have been disregarded. Haggen’s failure to live up to their commitments is extremely disappointing.”–UFCW Local 770

Colorado: Switzerland owned Diamond Materials Tech laid off 46 people in Colorado Springs in order to “further optimizing the cost structure and production capacity.” They laid off 43 people in January, and 105 people in October 2014!

Connecticut: Stone House Restaurant shutdown after being bought out by the non-profit Rothberg Institute: “We were just going about our day-to-day operations when a realtor said someone was interested in buying this building. We weren’t actively thinking about selling, but this was an opportunity for us to get out before another storm hit and we were left with nothing.”-Peter Hamme, co-owner

Delaware: Casino Dover Downs revealed it eliminated 48 jobs over the past three months, twice what it originally claimed: “When we cut those table games, it had a domino effect. We ended up not needing food and beverage workers, valet operators and other jobs that provided services during that same time period.”-Denis McGlynn, ceo

Idaho: The city of Coeur d’Alene (population about 45-thousand) must layoff four employees to meet their new budget.  The state Department of Labor reports that personal farm income fell 18%, and profits crashed 23% from the end of 2014!  Economists say expect more crashing & burning: “We’re looking at soft prices for every crop in the state basically, except for beef. Cash receipts will be way, way down this year.”-Garth Taylor, University of Idaho

Maryland: In Joppatowne the only marina is about to shutdown. Gunpowder Cove Marina told boat owners to ship out by November.  Residents are pissed: “They lost the pool, they lost this place, the neighborhood is changing!”-Bill Moore, Joppatowne resident since 1965

Michigan: Five Port Huron firefighters forced to retire early as part of budget cuts.

Ohio: Remke Markets announced they will not renew their lease on their Westwood neighborhood grocery store, 63 jobs lost by October.

Utah: Despite recently announcing the shutdown of their fitness machine factory in Logan (eliminating 400 jobs), ICON Health & Fitness administrators posted a “Now Hiring” sign on the very same factory.  They claim they need to hire 1-hundred temp workers to meet demand before they officially shutdown the factory in October. ICON Health & Fitness is moving production ‘overseas’.

Tennessee: After 42 years shoe store The Athlete’s House shutting down in August: “It has to come to an end sometime….it’s just time while everything is good. It’s best to go out on top.”-David Graeflin, owner

Texas: In Dallas, World of Beer on SMU Boulevard shutdown.  Black-eyed Pea in Preston Center shutdown, employees blame lack of parking for customers.  In Arlington, Olenjacks restaurant shutdown.   In Deep Ellum, BBQ joint Mama Faye’s shutdown. Here’s one reason why the construction industry is not recovering; Gander Mountain retailer shutting down its Corsicana store due to an incompetent building contractor: “Based on the recent recommendation from independent engineering experts, it is apparent that the Corsicana Gander Mountain building has certain significant defects. These defects resulted from mistakes made by contractors during the construction of the building.”

30 July 2015: “…taxpayers were…underwriting a vast criminal enterprise…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

Mormon dominated Idaho makes big money off Beer!

31 July 2015 (03:24 UTC-07 Tango 01 )/09 Mordad 1394/14 Shawwal 1436/16 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

“In the last year, our sales have gone up at least 50%!”-Taresa James, Pub New Harmony in Pocatello, interviewed by KIDK

According to a 2013 National Public Radio report, 25% of people in The Gem State are Mormons, oh, I mean members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

My brother is a Mormon, and the overwhelming majority of my neighbors are Mormons.  In fact if you based your perception of which religion is the dominant religion in Chubbuck on the number of churches, you’d have to say LDS,  because in a city of about 18-thousand residents there are three LDS ‘Wards’.  The Catholic Saint Paul’s church died several years ago, and still sits vacant on West Chubbuck Road (my mother used to go there whenever she visited).

There is a church called Gate City Christian, and a recently built University Bible Church on the western outskirts of the city, and supposedly there is a very small Baptist Church.  But that’s it, no Synagogues, no Mosques!

Now realize that Mormons are not supposed to drink booze yet Idaho’s beer business has become worth $1.2-billion USD!  The Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association also says Idaho’s beer industry has paid out at least $10-million in wages!

I’ve had many co-workers who call themselves Jack Mormons because they love their beer (and they refuse to go to church and pay their extortion, I mean tithe. “Mormons believe that paying tithing brings peace”).  When I was in the Idaho National Guard I knew several prominent high level LDS Ward members who used their weekend and summer training as an excuse to justify drinking beer!

In the city of Pocatello, which is overwhelmingly Mormon (75.4% according to Census Bureau data!), a massive malting operation is taking place.  It’s Great Western Malting, and recently they got a $75-million USD investment from their Australia based parent company GrainCorp to massively increase production.  Pocatello’s Mormon  mayor even took part in a ground breaking ceremony to expand the Great Western malting operation.  Mormons tout their family values but when it comes to making money, anything goes (in direct ignorance of 2 Nephi 9:30 “..wo unto the rich….they despise the poor and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god……”)

The Chalk Horse

Mormon bank caught violating U.S. sanctions against Iran!

By the way, I’m not anti-beer, I’m anti-money: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”-1 Timothy 6:10 King James Version

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…taxpayers were…underwriting a vast criminal enterprise…”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 30 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) has revealed that Washington based grocer Haggen has drastically reduced working hours for hundreds of cashiers.  It’s part of Haggen’s drastic cuts eliminating 8-hundred California jobs after taking over 83 California Albertsons-Safeway stores.  Another Golden State tech company in trouble, Santa Ana based Ingram Micro lost $34.3-million USD in its 2nd quarter, prompting administrators to warn of $100-million worth of mass layoffs!  Cetera Financial Group shutting down their J.P. Turner & Company operations, 3-hundred “advisors” affected!  Is it the result of $1-million USD in fines by FINRA? 

Florida: ObamaCare forcing Southeast Homecare to eliminate 217 jobs by September!  Layoffs have already begun.  In Lake Park, the only Dunkin’ Donuts with waitresses is shutting down.  The 53 years old uniquely rebelious Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant also served burgers-n-hot dogs and other things the other Dunkin’ Donuts joints don’t serve, but corporate communist weenie heads cracked down and are forcing it to turn into a plane ol’ boring Dunkin’ Donuts shop. In Tallahassee, after 30 years Tally’s Grille shutdown without warning, loyal customers lamented “We just came here for regular breakfast and saw the sign on the door. …don’t know what we’re going to do now!”

Idaho: Once again, in the land of Republicans, Idahoans ripped off! Despite taxpayers shelling out $180-thousand on an anti-distracted driving campaign, the Idaho State Police report a 61% spike in deaths by car accident compared to the same time last year (from Memorial Day weekend through July 29)!  Gov’na Butch Otter spending big taxpayer dollars on a new Cyber Security Task Force, claiming that “We have seen dozens of cyber attacks that seem to be increasing in frequency and boldness, costing our businesses and taxpayers untold billions of dollars each year.”  But that’s at the national level, not state level, you numbskull!  The Idaho Falls Regional Airport is spending money on a new website in an attempt to attract more customers.  They claim it will show how much money you can save by using a smaller airport.  Also in Idaho Falls, the 135 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Post Register newspaper is up for sale.  The president of the family owned newspaper told employees “…I have nothing more to add to the welfare of the company.”  Turns out the newspaper has been for sale for quit some time, but nobody wants to buy it.

Illinois: Deerfield based food conglomerate Mondelez International announced it will eliminate 6-hundred jobs in Chicago, as part of a new round of $130-million USD in ‘investments’ into “…four state-of-the-art manufacturing lines — ‘Lines of the Future’ — at….Salinas, Mexico.”  In other words, automated bakeries.

Indiana: Pennsylvania based Too Big to Jail PNC will shutdown the only bank in Monroeville!

Louisiana: After four years satirist Mid-City Theater shutting down.

Maryland: The Baltimore City Detention Center being shutdown, after investigations proved the prison employees were corrupt gangsters (“…guards ran a criminal conspiracy inside vermin-infested, 19th-century walls and thwarted decades of attempted reforms.”-Associated Press).  However, the real reason for the prison shutdown is ostensibly to save taxpayers $15-million per year (or protect the ‘lawmakers’ from big lawsuits?): “…taxpayers were unwittingly underwriting a vast criminal enterprise run by gang members and corrupt public servants. Ignoring it was irresponsible and one of the biggest failures in leadership in the history of the state of Maryland.”-Larry Hogan, gov’na

Massachusetts: The Boston Globe revealed it will eliminate more jobs in an effort to attain a “modest profit”.

Michigan: ObamaCare forcing HealthPlus to begin “voluntary separations”.  So far 250 people will be let go! Outright layoffs will begin at the end of September, company administrators reportedly have a goal of eliminating 5-hundred jobs!  In May the insurance company got out of the Medicaid business by selling off its Medicaid and MIChild operations.

Nebraska: In Lincoln, after almost nine years The Yarn Shop shutdown.

Nevada: Grocer Fresh & Easy shutting down three stores in the Las Vegas metro area, by the end of next week.

New Jersey: Home to 425 race horses, Showplace Farms shutting down in October.  Elitist supporters want taxpayers to bail the horse racing industry out!

North Carolina: A National Public Radio report revealed a booming business; new cemeteries for the thousands of veterans allowed to die by the evil hands of the Veterans Affairs; As Cemetery Building Booms, Veterans Hope To Be Buried Close To Home

Pennsylvania: Non-profit Channels Food Rescue shutting down because “it is not a viable, sustainable business model any more”, according to executive director Vicki DiSylvester.

Oklahoma: Colorado based natural gas supplier QEP Resources announced it is shutting down its regional office in Tulsa, 70 jobs lost. QEP joins dozens of other U.S. companies consolidating operations due to the bad economy.

Texas: Despite reporting “better than expected” profits, Houston based oil company ConocoPhillips stated they will continue eliminating jobs.  Since 2014 the “World’s largest independent E&P company” has eliminated 1-thousand 5-hundred jobs, but says that because they expect oil prices to crash they want to cut another $1-billion in costs (mainly jobs) over the next two years!

29 July 2015: “…economic conditions dire…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

Business/Economics

Sears Kmart closings 30 July 2015: Worth more dead than alive! Taxpayers getting stuck with the bill, again!

In Mexico, it’s been revealed that the independently owned (Carlos Slim’s Grupo Sanborns) Sears Mexico is making money hand over fist.  In the 1st quarter of 2015 Sears Mexico saw sales increase 7.1%.  This is a clear sign that the economy in Mexico is better off than the economy in the United States: “They’re still very viable in Mexico. There’s a nice long runway for growth.”-Martha Shelton, Itau BBA

It was discovered that taxpayers in one school district barley missing the bullet when the Houston County School Board gave up on buying the abandoned Sears building.  The original plan was to spend big taxpayer bucks on turning the old retail center into a tech school.  Turns out such a purchase would have violated Alabama law! (you’d think those exalted school board ‘officials’ would’ve known that at the start)

In Louisiana taxpayers are about to be stuck with the bill (again) because Lake Charles city ‘officials’ are stupefied about the lack of action with an abandoned Sears property.  In 2006 dumb city administrators spent big taxpayer bucks buying the property after Sears said ‘Bye Bye’.  But it seems they made a deal when they sold it to a property developer for $1.065-million USD.  But wait, it’s not over!  The deal required the developer to actually develop the property within 42 months.  There are only 18 months left, if the developer doesn’t come through the city of Lake Charles must buy back the property!

In New Philadelphia, Ohio, the Community Reinvestment Area program ‘investing’ taxpayer dollars (in the form of property tax abatements) tearing down the old Kmart. It’s expected to cost about $18.3-million!

For the past few weeks Eddie Lampert’s new finance shell game REIT Seritage SRC Finance LLC has been busy buying up Sears stores.  $17.2-million spent buying two properties in Tennessee.

Evercore ISI Institutional Equities has issued an analysis of the value of Sears Holdings, and basically Sears and Kmart stores are worth more dead than alive.  Evercore told its investors that even with Lampert’s new Seritage purchases the value of Sears Holdings stock is too high compared to the actual value of the stores/properties.  To put it another way, if the value of shares of Sears Holdings were ‘corrected’ investors might be better off shutting down and selling the stores/properties.

In Pennsylvania, Sears Holdings issued a WARN for the Brookhaven Kmart,  it’ll be shutdown by September.   And Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) announced it will tear down the Exton Kmart.  In news interviews, administrators with PREIT admitted they don’t move forward with any project without state taxpayer funding.

It was finally revealed (through a WARN) how many Californians will lose their jobs when the Cupertino Sears operation shuts down; 98.

And what’s that about Sears & Kmart losing millions of dollars?  The March of Dimes reports that their biggest donor is Kmart!   Kmart has donated $9-million so far this year!  Apparently Kmart employees are better at raising donations than getting customers to buy products.

14 July 2015: Sears hires another executive known for corporate cannibalism! 

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost), Vineland Kmart (74 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…economic conditions dire…” US Airways officially dead! “Home Depot has killed us…”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 29 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: The University of Arizona issued another warning about mass layoffs saying the new state budget is forcing them to cut $25-million USD in operating costs!  (this is actually less than the $43-million they were warning about earlier this year)

Arkansas:  Employee recruiting firm Cameron Smith & Associates revealed they are prepping for “a surge of phone calls, emails and resumes” as Walmart initiates mass layoffs.   It’s expected that Walmart will layoff 1-thousand people just from its Bentonville HQ!

California: Torrance based grocery store chain Fresh & Easy announced it will shutdown 14 stores! Administrators said “…progress was not enough to bring their performance in line with the rest of the business.” This is on top of the 55 Fresh & Easy stores closed across several states earlier this year.  In Newark, Raley’s grocery store shutting down on Saturday, blaming “…decreasing number of customers and decreasing sales.”  In San Jose, the owners of Palo’s said they’re being forced to close both their restaurants because “…our landlord has chosen not to extend our lease.”   Eliteland based (Beverly Hills) Relativity Media now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators say 75 people have been let go, but some news reports say as many as 1-hundred people have been laid off!  More proof high-tech is not recession proof; San Francisco based video game maker Kixeye laid off an undisclosed number of employees.

Georgia: Darley Stables at the Aiken Training Track is being shutdown by its oil rich owner from Dubai, who is also the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.  Local news reports failed to explain why the elitist oil man is shutting it down by September.

Idaho: In Ketchum, after less than five years Main Street Market grocery store shutting down in August.  The operators blame escalating rent: “The original five-year lease term is ending, and it did not make sense to extend the lease for the required seven-year commitment.”

Illinois: After 40 years Jo-Ann Fabrics shutting down their DeKalb store in November.

Iowa: Tax collector IRS announced they are shutting down their Waterloo Taxpayer Assistance Center on Tower Park Drive, due to more taxpayers using the internet to get help paying taxes.  No word on how many jobs will be lost.

Kansas: After less than one year the new owners of two years old YOLO Grill shutting it down because “…YOLO Grill hasn’t had the volume to support itself…” 

Maine: A 45 years old Arby’s roast beef sandwich shop shutting down in Bangor, 20 jobs lost.  There are now only five Arby’s in Maine.

Michigan: The Wayne Community Center shutting down on Sunday, due to the lack of a new lease with any contracted operator.

Minnesota: Cliffs Natural Resources announced it is shutting down its United Taconite mine, and its pellet operations, 480 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on oversupply and competition.  However, it should be noted that Ohio based Cliffs Natural Resources has just reported a profit for its 2nd quarter. Administrators admit those profits all came from mass layoffs as their sales were down 33%!

New York: What construction industry recovery?  One of the oldest architecture companies in the U.S., WASA Studio, now bankrupt busted.  After 12 years, art gallery Wallspace shutting down in August.  In Lockport, Donna Eick’s Restaurant shutting down, the family will focus on catering only.  In Horseheads, appliance store  Werninck’s shutting down after 42 years: “Home Depot has killed us….Lowe’s has beat us….It is not a secret that independent family businesses are dying.”-Lionel R. “Dick” Werninck, owner

North Carolina: In Research Triangle Park (RTP), news reports say the Massachusetts based drugs maker Parexel is about to layoff the 2-hundred former GlaxoSmithKline employees it hired-on earlier this year!  Apparently this is part of their bigger plan to eliminate 850 jobs!  Philips Lighting shutting down their Philips-Optimum factory in Henderson, 50 jobs lost.  URS shutting down their Elizabeth City factory, 96 jobs lost (possibly due to URS being taken over by AECOM).  California based Avery Dennison shutting down their Lenoir/Greensboro factories by the end of August, 225 jobs lost!  What automotive industry recovery?  Fan belt maker DAYCO shutting down their Fayetteville and Red Springs ops, 135 jobs lost by October!

Pennsylvania:  California based “specialty pharmaceutical” (oxycodone-OxyContin) company Impax Labs shutdown their Pittsburgh ops, 86 jobs lost.  Sears Holdings issued a shutdown WARN for the Brookhaven Kmart, 89 jobs lost by September.   US Airways issued a shutdown WARN for their Corapolis ops, at least 6-hundred jobs lost by the end of August!  News reports also say US Airways shutting down its Moon dispatch center, about 50 jobs lost. It’s due to American Airlines taking over US Airways.  In York, after nine years Amish owned Gish’s Furniture and Amish Heirlooms shutting down as soon as they can get rid of $2-million worth of inventory, no reason for the shutdown given.  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette trying to bribe 120 employees to voluntarily quit (voluntary buyouts)!  Administrators blame “…weak revenue and a difficult advertising climate have created economic conditions dire enough to require thinning the newsroom.” 

South Carolina: What automotive industry recovery? Ohio based Parker Hannifin ’s Engineered Materials Group continues its crash, this time they will shutdown their Beaufort County Racor Division vehicle filter factory, 75 jobs lost by December.  They are consolidating their filter production to fewer factories.

Tennessee: Electronic company TS3 Technology suddenly shutting down this Friday, 81 jobs lost.  Teddy Bear Portraits by Nationwide Studios laying off 69 people.  Paper and packaging company WestRock ending their Tullahoma operations, 50 jobs lost.

Texas: Fort Worth based American Airlines announced it is ending all US Airways operations, thousands of jobs lost!  Fort Worth based oil service company Range Resources reported that despite eliminating 11% of its jobs they still lost $118.6-million during its 2nd quarter 2015!

Virginia: Colorado based canning supply company Ball announced it will shutdown its Bristol factory by the first half of 2016, about 230 jobs lost!  Ball Corporation joins dozens of other companies consolidating their operations in preparation for more economic crashing & burning.

Washington DC: Yet another hardware store going down; Brookland True Value Hardware shutting down, the owner blames a doubling of rent in the past three years.

Wisconsin: After nine years Tulip Restaurant shutting down on Friday.

28 July 2015: “It’s not a good thing, Lord o’mercy!”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”

U.S.

Fracking causes Oklahoma quakes, ironically shuts down oil wells!

29 July 2015 (20:41 UTC-07 Tango 01, 28 July 2015)/07 Mordad 1394/12 Shawwal 1436/14 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

Oklahoma suffered more earthquakes blamed on fracking shale oil, but this time oil wastewater wells were hit!

The area around Crescent has felt increasing quakes in the past few days, and the state’s Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Division requested two oil and gas wastewater disposal wells to shutdown.

Those wells are located right next to the recent seismic activity, the oil service companies apparently shut them down voluntarily.

Between 27 and 28 July the area around Crescent was hit with three earthquakes ranging from 3.1 to 4.5 magnitude.

“Re-fracking” as companies hoard Black Gold! 

5000% increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma, surpassing quake prone California! 

False Flag: Movie theater shooting connected to U.S. oil industry?