Tag Archives: food

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.”

Idaho, U.S.

West Nile Virus hits U.S.! Idaho girl a carrier?

31 July 2015 (19:05 UTC-07 Tango 01, 30 July 2015)/09 Mordad 1394/14 Shawwal 1436/16 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

California‘s Los Angeles County revealed that a “young male” is now at home recovering from West Nile.  One person died of West Nile in Nevada County.  More and more counties in The Golden State are reporting mosquitoes found carrying the virus, it’s being blamed on the drought.

Colorado reports one woman and one horse infected with West Nile.  Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo and Weld counties reporting mosquitoes carrying the virus.

Volusia County, Florida, reports one man infected. Walton County reports three chickens infected.

In Washington and Payette counties, Idaho, two women and one horse have been confirmed to be infected with West Nile.  One woman is hospitalized.  West Nile virus has been found in mosquitoes in the counties of Adams, Washington, Valley, Gem, Payette, Canyon, Ada, Owyhee, and Bingham.

In Emmet, Idaho, a 14 years old girl found out that what she thought was influenza is really West Nile.  She’s been sick for more than a year!  To show you how dumb the local doctors are, not only did they not diagnose West Nile but they prescribed her antibiotics for a viral infection (antibiotics have no effect on viruses)!  According to local news reports the doctors finally ordered a blood test when her symptoms worsened, after more than a year had gone by!

The Boston Weak state of Massachusetts declared the following communities to be at moderate risk of West Nile: Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Newton, Revere, Somerville and Watertown.

Mississippi reports two people infected.  In Lincoln County a fire fighter lost his battle with West Nile, he got infected two years ago!

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reports two people infected.

In Lakewood, Ohio, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health announced a possible human case of West Nile.

In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Health Department is spraying new bug killer called Zenivex after finding mosquitoes loaded with West Nile.  Venango County confirms one woman infected with the virus.

Lubbock, Texas, reports mosquitoes carrying the virus.  At least one person infected in Dallas County.

Most U.S. states are reporting mosquitoes found carrying West Nile Virus.

Standing water claim a myth?

Blood donors with no symptoms are carriers!

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.”

Idaho

Chupacabra attacking goats in northern Idaho?

29 July 2015 (20:51 UTC-07 Tango 01, 28 July 2015)/07 Mordad 1394/12 Shawwal 1436/14 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

In Coeur d’Alene, a goat herder reported that three of his goats were attacked.  Two were alive with stab wounds, the third was found dead with its head almost cut off.

The goats were being used by the city for weed control and were found near a local water well.

Is this a case of chupacabra, or alien dissection, or animal sacrifice, or some idiot running around high on ‘speed’?

Amphetamines, it’s what Islamic State does!

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? 

Business/Economics, Idaho

“It’s not a good thing, Lord o’mercy!” Puerto Rico ordered to destroy all schools!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 28 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: What housing market recovery? Crown Columns and Millwork shutting down, 1-hundred employees being forced to move 182 miles away or become unemployed!   The mayor of Attalla freaked out at the news: “It’s not a good thing, Lord o’mercy! Usually, in the town the size of Attalla, a hundred jobs is a lot of jobs!”-Larry Means

California:  In San Jose, after 33 years Sousa’s Restaurant shutdown, the 73 years old owner sold out to property developers.  The city of Garden Grove shutting down Joe’s Italian Ice by August.  The city owns the land has has sold out to a hotel developer!   Chevron announced it will eliminate 5-hundred jobs in San Ramon! Chevron says it need to cut costs by $1-billion USD!   Cisco Systems revealed they laid off 192 people in San Diego!   The drugs company formerly known as Actavis, now known as Allergan, is prepping to be sold off again this time to Israel’s Teva.  A layoff WARN has been issued for September, 45 jobs lost in Corona.  Highland Hospital Substance Abuse Treatment Center shutting down, taxpayer funded Alameda Health System says ObamaCare makes it not worth it to renew their contract to operate the treatment center.  Utility company Southern California Edison continues to replace U.S. citizens with migrant workers, this time 138 people will become unemployed in September, that’s on top of the 4-hundred laid off since the beginning of the year!  In Carlsbad, Taylor Made Golf shutdown, 64 jobs lost.  Bus contractor First Transit issued layoff WARNs, 198 people across California to be unemployed by the end of August!   ProCourier issued several WARNs saying 115 people will be unemployed by September!  ObamaCare forcing Aramark Healthcare to shutdown their Support Services in Culver City, 53 jobs lost by October.   Tax-sucking military contractor IAP Worldwide Services laying off 67 people in Mountain View.  Is it connected to the company administrators being caught bribing Kuwaiti officials: “IAP Worldwide Services Inc. (IAP), entered into a non-prosecution agreement and agreed to pay a $7.1 million penalty to resolve the government’s investigation into whether the company conspired to bribe Kuwaiti officials in order to secure a government contract. A former vice president of IAP also pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for his involvement in the bribery scheme.”

Colorado:  Tax-sucking Lockheed Martin eliminating 270 Colorado Springs jobs due to losing a GAO contract!

Idaho: North Dakota’s Industrial Commission fined Alturas Energy $900-thousand for massive wastewater spills that have yet to be cleaned up.  News reports said the Hailey based oil service company’s phone number is no longer in service.  North Dakota’s Department of Mineral Resources also accused Idaho’s Alturas Energy of abandoning oil wells: “I think it’s important, especially with the lower oil price paradigm that we’re in, that we send a message to companies that we mean business.”-Lynn Helms

Kentucky: Green Market Regional Food Co-op shutdown in Glascow: “…there’s just not enough people who are interested in this who are willing to pay the little extra it is to get it here in Glasgow. The people who have the money drive to Nashville or to Louisville and go to Whole Foods.”-Mary Stockler, co-op volunteer

Louisiana: Too Big to Jail Capital One revealed it will shutdown five New Orleans branch offices in October.  In Monroe, after 64 years Simmons Exxon and Hitch Center shutdown.  The founder, Reubin Simmons, lamented “I remember selling it [gasoline] for 26 cents a gallon!”

Massachusetts:  Intel selling off their shuttered Hudson chip factory. Intel shut it down after 2013, killing 7-hundred jobs!

New York: Restaurant Associates issued a shutdown WARN saying 32 people will become unemployed by September due to loss of food service contract with The Brooklyn Museum.  NYC based Quirky finally revealed how many New Yorkers will lose their jobs by August, 111!  Korea based Samsung issued a WARN saying they’ve terminated their NYC based “PX Project Research and Development Team”, 42 jobs lost.  In Staten Island, newspaper Advance Publications is outsourcing 45 jobs in October.  Depalino Restaurant Corporation is shutting down their City Crab and Seafood Company in August, 73 jobs lost.  Too Big to Jail Sterling National Bank laying off 18 employees in October.

Ohio: After two years Crazy Mango Bar and Bistro shutdown.  The restaurant was located in a plaza known as The Greene, which has become a revolving door for dozens of failed restaurants.  University of Akron shutting down their Multicultural Center and UA Press, all 161 employees to be laid off!  That’s apparently on top of the 213 jobs that have yet to be eliminated!

Oregon: California based Chevron is not only killing oil industry jobs but mom & pop burger joints as well!  In Hillsboro Baker’s Burgers shutdown because fuel station operator Cain Petroleum Chevron needs the land.

Pennsylvania: Swimsuit maker to the stars A&H Sportswear shutting down their Upper Nazareth factory by September: “We can no longer afford to responsibly make garments in the Upper Nazareth area.”-Jack Waldman, vp

Puerto Rico: Global strategic and policy advisory firm  Centennial Group advises the U.S. territory to start shutting down its schools, and a group of 34 ‘investor’ hedge funds are now demanding Puerto Rico comply!  The Puerto Rican education system spends only 79%  of what is spent in the 50 states, yet the capitalist hedge funds declared that to be “overspending”!  The evil A-hole ‘investors’ also want the U.S. territory to sell off $4-billion worth of public property!

Texas: California based Chevron announced it will eliminate 950 Lone Star State jobs!

Virginia: Department store Belk shutting down its 20 years old store in Culpeper, 25 jobs lost.

Washington: After 80 years moving company Blue Bird Transfer shutdown.

West Virginia: Century Aluminum shutdown its smelter in Ravenwood, without warning.  Administrators blame competition with Chinese companies.

Wisconsin: Yet another Ace Hardware store shutting down, this time it’s 65 years old Olson’s Ace Hardware in Waukesha.

26 – 27 July 2015: “How I’m going to make it anymore?”

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.”

International

NATO ground forces defend Islamic State! Openly attack Kurds & Free Syrian Army troops!

28 July 2015 (03:42 UTC-07 Tango 01)/06 Mordad 1394/11 Shawwal 1436/13 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

“Instead of targeting IS terrorists’ occupied positions, Turkish forces attack our defenders positions. …..We are telling the Turkish Army to stop shooting at our fighters and their positions.”–Kobani Command, YPG (Yekîneyên Parastina Gel‎, Kurdish People’s Defense Units of Rojava)

On 24 July 2105, ground forces of U.S. led NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member Turkey invaded northern Syria, attacking Kurdish freedom fighters and the Free Syrian Army forces engaged in battle with DAIISH (DA for al-DAwla, I for al-Islamiya, I for al-Iraq, SH al-SHam [al-Sham=Syria]) aka Islamic State.

The YPG reports that Turkish armored vehicles shelled their positions repeatedly, wounding four Free Syrian Army personnel and several sillyvilians.  It must be noted that NATO is supposed to be supporting the Free Syrian Army.

In Iraq, NATO member Turkey has been using U.S. made F-16 Falcons to bomb Kurdish PKK (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, Kurdistan Workers’ Party) forces.  The United States considers the PKK terrorists even though the PKK is fighting against a supposed common enemy called DAIISH.

In response, the PKK declared open hunting season on Turkish forces, saying the 2013 truce with Turkey was broken by Turkey: “The conditions for maintaining the ceasefire… have been eliminated.”

Today, NATO member Turkey invoked Article 4, an emergency meeting to claim its territory is under threat and to seek other NATO members to get involved.  The United States is already ramping up air operations from Turkey.

While Turkey is using a weekend suicide bombing as the excuse for their offensive, there is another reason why; the Syrian government has launched a massive country wide offensive against DAIISH.  Is NATO just trying to protect their true ally, Islamic State?

NATO biggest drug dealer in the World? Amphetamines, it’s what Islamic State does! 

Iran loans Syria $1-billion!

Free Syrian Army working with Islamic State

Who buys Islamic State oil?

Business/Economics

“How I’m going to make it anymore?” 27-thousand jobs gone! No Turkey for T-giving? Puerto Rico defaults!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 26 – 27 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Japan based Nintendo ending its three years old TVii service in North America in August.  Administrators say they must focus resources (code for money) “on other projects.” 

France based Publicis Groupe (aka Publicis Healthcare Communications Group) owned Rosetta North America has been eliminating U.S. jobs ever since it was merged with Razorfish Healthware.

Alabama: Audio-visual company MindGear Labs ending their ops in Madison, saying they are focusing on their educational services.  They are also reducing their membership rates in September, however new memberships won’t be accepted until next year.  Administrators added that “Our online products will go on hiatus until the latter part of 2015. However, we will continue to work small and large projects for individuals and companies.”

California: What automotive market recovery?  Japan based Toyota issued shutdown WARNs for their operations in Gardena and Torrance, 3-thousand 1-hundred jobs lost by December, happy Xmas!  Sears Holdings finally revealed how many people will lose their jobs when the Cupertino Sears & Auto Center shuts down in October; 98.   Michigan based Associate Management Resources issued a shutdown WARN for their San Diego ops, 588 jobs lost!  In San Francisco, Cafe de la Presse told state administrators they’re closing, supposedly temporarily in September, 85 jobs lost. After three years of operations ‘mail order’ retailer Minno shutting down in September, 255 jobs lost!  Sunglass maker Oakley issued multiple layoff WARNs saying 167 Californians will become unemployed in September!  Albertsons-Safeway issued yet another layoff WARN for Pleasanton, another 14 people being let go in September.  Beverage delivery company DS Services of America issued shutdown WARNs for Los Angeles and Pasadena, 320 jobs lost by the end of September!  In San Jose, Maxim Integrated issued another layoff WARN for September, 11 jobs lost on top of the 150 made public just a week ago!  Boeing issued yet more layoff WARNs, saying 244 more Californians will be jobless by September! In Monterey, American Management Services shutdown, 56 jobs lost.

Hawaii: More ObamaCare job loses at Hawaii Health Systems.  After eliminating 87 jobs administrators say they must eliminate another 30, mostly from their Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and West Kauai Clinics.  This time administrators blame state ‘lawmakers’ for cutting  $3-million USD from their fiscal year 2016 operating budget.

Indiana: More layoffs in the coal industry.  Hallador Energy owned Sunrise Coal laid off 175 people!  They blame low coal demand for forcing them to consolidate operations.  In South Bend, pasta restaurant Ciao’s shutting  down, the owner doesn’t know what he’s going to do.   In Mishawaka, DeCloedt’s Flower Place shutdown after more than 60 years.  The 85 years old owner blames decreasing sales and increasing costs of operations: “I sat here the other morning and wondered ‘How I’m going to make it anymore?'”-Mary Ann DeCloedt

Iowa: News reports out of Des Moines report skyrocketing egg prices, and turkey shortages, due to the H5N2 bird flu.  Grocery chains Hy-Vee and Fareway report that while turkey prices are steady, supply is crashing forcing them to ration: “We just receive a percentage of what we normally get, then we allocate that out to our stores.”-John Turner, Fareway Stores

The price of eggs in grocery stores have tripled, and at restaurants diners are paying an average of 25 cents more per egg.  One restaurant owner said the high price of eggs has jacked up the cost of making pancakes by  $1,200 USD, per week: “It’s really starting to get pricey. We hope it will be a short-lived situation.”-David “Stoney” Stone, Waveland Cafe

Kansas: After 22 years Bella Luna Cafe shutdown.  It’s being blamed on a recent death in the family and trying to run three restaurants at one time: “It’s not about money for me. It’s about being happy, and I’m not happy…”– Matteo Taha

Michigan: Italy owned Fiat-Chrysler has been ordered to buy back hundreds of thousands of Dodge and Jeep vehicles and pay a record $105-million in fines, after it was shown that drivers of the vehicles could lose control too easily, and that plastic gas tanks are exploding upon impact.  Also, it was recently proven that you can hack into computer controlled vehicles (meaning most vehicles built in the past 15 years) during a wireless takeover demonstration using a Jeep.

New Hampshire: ObamaCare forcing the Lakeview NeuroRehabilitation Center to shutdown.  It’s officially being blamed on an investigation by the Disability Rights Center.  However, the Associated Press points out that ever since ObamaCare went into effect in 2013 “…13 states had shut down state-run developmental centers, and many more are on the path to closure. ….moving away from placing people in institutions and focusing instead on caring for them within their homes…”.  The owner of Lakeview NeuroRehabilitation Center blames drastic cuts to Medicaid payments and the fact that ObamaCare has cut the number of patients in the 88 bed treatment center to just 10!  After 30 years Reel to Reel video store shutdown.

New York:  Restaurant Associates issued a shutdown WARN saying 84 people will become unemployed by September due to loss of food service contract with Credit Suisse and “Building Renovations”.  God refused to stop ‘his’ Church of the Nativity, on Second Avenue in the East Village, from shutting down.  Only 30 people showed up for its last Sunday service.  NYC based temp employment agency Corporate Resource Services now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It has something to do with Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo and a payroll service contractor.

North Carolina: The Providence Volunteer Fire Department shutdown in Weddington.  Town residents voted to use fire services from Wesley Chapel because they think it will be cheaper.  Harris Teeter shutting down their Monroe grocery store before the end of August, administrators calling it a “strategic” decision.

Oregon: In Portland, Too Big to Jail Capital One issued multiple shutdown WARNs saying 846 people will become jobless between October 2015 and January 2016!

Puerto Rico: The U.S. territory’s Government Development Bank announced it cannot make its debt payments for 01 August!  Also, the Infrastructure Financing Authority gave up on trying to get a new loan for $3-billion!

Texas: In Plano, after 117 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Vincent’s Seafood restaurant shutdown. The owner blames steadily declining sales over the past few years.   British empire Scotland based Howco shutting down its Yorktown oil tools factory as soon as they fill the last order, at least 17 jobs lost.  Oil field service companies Halliburton and Baker Hughes revealed they’ve eliminated 27-thousand oil industry jobs!  Administrators with the companies blame low oil prices, but its really because the two companies are about to merge.   However, news reports say both companies have sworn to FTC regulators that they are not cutting jobs because of their planned merger.  More jobs cuts are expected if the FTC approves the merger.

Washington DC: Despite the main stream U.S. news media quoting dozens of housing market analysts who continue to say things are good all over, the U.S. Department of Commerce says otherwise.  For June new home sales fell 6.8%, and for May the numbers were revised downward by 29-thousand homes!

25 July 2015: “Times have caught up with 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.”

International

Obama led NATO biggest drug dealer in the World? Amphetamines, it’s what Islamic State does!

27 July 2015 (02:39 UTC-07 Tango 01)/05 Mordad 1394/10 Shawwal 1436/12 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

Syria’s Drugs Combating Department announced they recently arrested a man and a woman, caught selling 90-thousand pills of a type of ‘speed’ known as Captagon (Abu Hilalain).  The man and woman also had 40-thousand U.S. dollars on them, which Syrian administrators say were counterfeit!  The drug bust went down in Damascus.

Back on 4th of July, the Drugs Combating Department arrested a group of men in Damascus, selling hashish (probably from U.S. controlled Afghanistan) and Captagon.

Captagon is also known as fenethylline, or  phenethylline, or fenetylline, or amphetaminoethyltheophylline. It is considered a mild version of amphetamines (a legal version of meth), and was originally meant to treat ADHD children.  Countries began banning it in 1986.   Since 2011 there have been reports that DAESH (incorrectly called Islamic State by the ‘western governments/news media) has been jacking up their recruits on this form of ‘speed’.  This would explain the horrific treatment of captives.

During the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) led overthrow of Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Libya, in 2011, he stated that the NATO supported insurgents were acting crazy, as if on drugs, specifically hallucinogens and caffeine.  ‘Western’ news media labeled Gaddafi as insane for such remarks.  He was brutally murdered by those drug crazed insurgents live on cell phone video in August 2011.

The Global Initiative suggested that one reason there’s a ‘civil war’ in Syria is that it’s a great place to base illegal drug running ops from: “For drug traffickers, Syria is a geographically well-positioned staging ground not only for the Middle East’s amphetamine market, but also for Europe’s far more lucrative cocaine and heroin market. The smuggling networks that bring weapons in and humans and antiquities out of the country could well be used for narcotics trafficking.”

June 2015:  Israeli news media accused the enemies of U.S. backed DAESH (ad-Dawlah al-Islāmiyah fī ‘l-ʿIrāq wa-sh-Shām) as being the ones who are making Captagon.  Not only that, but Israeli news media went as far as accusing Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Palestine of selling “fake Captagon”.

May 2015: 2 tons of illegal drugs (mainly hashish and Captagon) seized by Syria near the beach of Cape of Ras al-Bassit.

The French language, Tunisia based, news source Tunisie Numerique reported “By the way, where does this ‘Captagon’ originate? ….in a NATO laboratory in Bulgaria.”–The mystery fighters DAESH revealed: Their magic pill Captagon!

October 2014: “They are filthy, with straggly beards and long black nails.  They have lots of pills with them that they all keep taking. It seems to make them more crazy if anything.  They become agitated and excited, desperate to punish even children for the smallest thing.”-Ekram Ahmet, fled Kobane, Syria, with his family after burying his neighbors’ headless children, interviewed by Mirror for their story Drug-crazed ISIS savages rape, slaughter and behead children

2010: Annual Report to United Nations’ International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), paragraph 655: “Reports of amphetamine seizures in countries in the Middle East continue to refer predominantly to tablets sold as Captagon. Although it is not always clear which psychoactive ingredients are contained in such tablets, reports suggest that the main component is amphetamine smuggled from South-Eastern Europe and that such tablets frequently contain caffeine. Analysis of Captagon tablets seized in Iraq confirmed that they contained between 7 and 20 milligrams of amphetamine and other ingredients such as caffeine and theophylline and not fenetylline.”

Paragraph 657: “Captagon tablets containing amphetamine that are illicitly manufactured in laboratories in the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey are smuggled into Saudi Arabia, the largest illicit market for Captagon, and Iraq. In 2009, a laboratory illicitly producing Captagon tablets from amphetamine was discovered in Istanbul, Turkey.”

Paragraph 658: “…Most of the amphetamine seized in Saudi Arabia had been sent from Jordan; the Syrian Arab Republic and Egypt…”

March 2009: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reported that fake Captagon pills were being sold in Iraq: “The exhibits were seized in Al Anbar Province, Iraq by U.S. Department of Defense personnel…..all contained in a package illustrated with an ad for a Toyota SUV…[&]…a Mercedes-Benz SUV…”

It should be noted that just because the pills were ‘fake’ doesn’t mean they didn’t have real drugs in them, the DEA says the predominant ingredient was amphetamine.

September 2005:  A study done in Jordan, a key U.S. ally in the fight against Syria, determined that pills being sold as Captagon (fenethylline) were in fact amphetamines: “Samples from 124 batches seized were analyzed by means of gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis demonstrates the presence of amphetamine…the absence of fenethylline.”–Chemical characterization of counterfeit captagon tablets seized in Jordan

What seems clear is that fake Captagon is being eaten like candy by the U.S., Saudi, Israeli backed DAESH, and it is actually the drug loved by the ‘western’ world known as amphetamine.

Money laundering drug running by Bank of Utah

Iran says ever since the U.S. occupied Afghanistan there has been skyrocketing drug smuggling into Iran. Mainly heroin, but also U.S. made Meth! 

More evidence the U.S. & U.K. are the biggest drug dealers in the world! 

Iran claims U.S. and Israel smuggling Crack & Meth from Afghanistan