Tag Archives: food

International

Climate change caused by people, not pollution! Time to kill all humans!

07 February 2016 (07:18 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 18 Bahman 1394/27 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/29 Wu Yin 4713

“The population movement effects on urban climate is a new research topic….Our research highlights the role of population movements in urban climate, and may help deal with urban environmental problems.”-Zhang Jingyong, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Studies in China show true ‘global warming’ is caused by people themselves, not pollution!  According to researchers who tracked mass migrations of humans they discovered that atmospheric temperature changes actually follow mass congregations of humans, especially in metropolitan areas.  It’s called Urban Heat Island (UHI).

Zhang Jingyong, lead scientist of the research, said “The change in temperature, though less than 1 degree Celsius, is comparable with the magnitude of global warming over the past century.” 

In other words, you dumb city folk and your misconceptions about climate change are the true cause of ‘global warming’!

More proof humans don’t cause climate change: Plankton did it! 

Business/Economics

74 restaurants shutdown without warning! Another company admits it “over-hired” in 2015! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 05 – 06 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

According to some reports, 70% of the jobs ‘created’ in January were minimum wage, temp jobs!   The so called increase in wages was a piddly-ass half a percent (0.05%) compared to December!

California:  More proof the internet is not recession resistant; San Francisco based Indiegogo admitted it eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs “A few weeks ago…..to invest in growth.” (it used to be that layoffs were not seen as a sign of growth)  And San Francisco based Marinello School of Beauty shutting down its 56 schools across the U.S., due to it being caught ripping off the U.S. Department of Education!  In Oxnard, after 27 years frozen veggie food maker Coastal Green Vegetable shutting down, 137 jobs lost by March!  The owners blamed currency wars, crashing sales and gave out a list of increasing costs; water, regulations, wages and ObamaCare health care.  In Malibu, expensive clothier Banana Republic shutting down, the general manager said the high rent is not justified.  In Redding, God refuses to stop ‘his’ Simpson University from laying off ten people.  Administrators blame The Rapture, I mean crashing enrollment of students which I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.

Delaware: What housing market recovery? Without warning, Too Big to Jail Capital One eliminated more than 1-hundred jobs at its mortgage operations in Wilmington.

Georgia: Fayette County Schools laying off 18 people. Administrators say the layoffs are not connected to the fact the school system is lacking money, but that student enrollment has declined by 1-hundred!  God refusing to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ British empire based Salvation Army second hand Family Store in Decatur.  But it’s not due to lack of sales, instead the heating system in the building never works so they’re looking for a new location.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, Tsukiji Fish Market and Restaurant shutdown due to the landlord demanding the keys to the store by Monday.  The landlord is one of my former evil employers, GGP (General Growth Properties).  A rep for the operator of the restaurant said there were three years left on the lease.

Illinois: Sycamore School District 427 says it must eliminate a yet to be determined number of teaching jobs, as part of their three year plan to reduce expenses.  Administrators blame “financial constraints and unknown enrollment”.  TFC Bank replacing 33 offices with ATM machines.  Number of jobs being killed was not disclosed.

Kentucky:  Delta Airlines eliminating 120 jobs and reducing hours for another 185 at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport!  Administrators claim they “over-hired” in 2015.  Alliance Coal warning of another 75 layoffs at several of its mines.

Louisiana: California based Chevron eliminating 385 jobs between April and June!  Chevron revealed it is selling off its oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico.  While The Empire State of New York bribed Alcoa to stop mass layoffs there, the cash strapped state of Louisiana isn’t so lucky.  Alcoa eliminating dozens of jobs at its Lake Charles operations, on top of the 130 job cuts announced back in September!

Michigan:  The Bradley Kmart has a new owner who is shutting it down.  Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart will be shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018.

Minnesota: Egan based Ovation Brands suddenly shutdown 74 restaurants!  Apparently the only warning was given back in August when company administrators warned they were about to begin shutting down ‘underperforming’ restaurants (August is also when Ovation Brands was taken over by Food Management Partners).  The shutdown restaurants include Home Town Buffet (three just in the San Francisco area of California), Old Country Buffet, Ryan’s, Fire Mountain and Country Buffet (as opposed to Old Country Buffet?).

New Jersey:  New York Life Insurance issued a WARN, 70 people in Lebanon and Parsippany losing their jobs by April.

New York: Despite a massive taxpayer funded bribe to stop the mass layoffs at Alcoa’s Massena operations (as I reported back in November), Alcoa will still layoff 37 unlucky employees by the end of the month.

Oklahoma:  Without warning oil exploration company Helmerich & Payne laid off about 40 employees in Tusla.

Ohio:  The 28 years old Sears and its Auto Center in New Philadelphia shutting down by mid-April, 46 jobs lost.

Oregon: Perfect example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL); in Springfield, after 32 years Thurston Book Exchange shutting down.  The owner blames loss of customer traffic on the shutdown of the next door Haggen grocery store (which was caused by Haggen being tricked into buying up hundreds of failing Albertsons grocery stores).

Pennsylvania: In Heidelberg, after 63 years Target Cleaners shutting down.  The owners say their business is great, but they need to retire.  Customers (including schools and churches) are upset because Target Cleaners is one of the last dry cleaners in the area.

Texas:  Houston based natural gas company Ryckman Creek Resources and its sibling company Peregrine Rocky Mountains both chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Operations in Colorado and Wyoming could be affected.

Virginia: Genworth has halted its life insurance operations and as a result 330 employees  will become unemployed starting within 60 days of now!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

04 February 2016: “…deteriorating beyond repair for…several years.” Layoffs skyrocket 218%! 

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

Business/Economics

Sears Kmart update 05 February 2016 : It’s worse than a Goodwill thrift store! Sears sues to stop economic expansion!

The former owner-operator of two Sears Hometown stores is now facing federal charges of stealing $400-thousand USD from Sears.  The woman operated the stores in Missouri, her contract with Sears stated she didn’t have to pay for the Sears supplied merchandise until after she sold them.  The money was deposited into a special holding account and Sears attorneys say she made unauthorized withdrawals from that account.

Local news media reporting that General Growth Properties (GGP) will tear down part of their Pembroke Lakes Mall Sears store (in Florida) to build a new movie theater, pending approval by the local zoning board.

Also in Florida, Sears Holdings created Seritage Growth Properties is suing to stop Aventura Mall from expanding!  Apparently a contract signed with Sears in 1982 gives Sears control of two parking lots, the mall owners want to expand the shopping area into those parking lots.  In effect, Sears Holdings (thru Seritage) is suing to stop economic development.

Prosper Analytics & Insights surveyed nearly 4-thousand women (sexist survey) and only 1% liked shopping at Sears, even the Goodwill Industries second hand store ranked higher!

22 January 2016: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah! 

Here’s the updated list (new shutdowns in bold) of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April.  No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.”   Local news reports say there is a Now Hiring sign posted on the Kmart store front.   Reports that the Glendale Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors. Recently revealed Arrowhead Towne Center Sears sold-off then rented back! Chandler Fashion Center Sears sold-off then rented back!

Alabama: Prattville Kmart will shutdown in April, 70 jobs lost.   Florence Kmart in March, 64 jobs lost!  A local news report said the employees knew nothing about it and were shocked to hear it from the news media!  Dothan Kmart (south side of Ross Clark Circle) shutting down in March, 56 jobs lost.  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: Anaheim Kmart shutting down, 107 jobs lost! Between March and April, the Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutting down, a total of 3-hundred jobs lost!   El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (98 jobs lost), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings. San Mateo Kmart being demolished to make room for 599 unit apartment complex, as part of the the Hayward Park Caltrain Station project. Atwater Kmart (74 jobs lost), Los Banos Kmart (67 jobs lost).

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

Connecticut: 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: The Lutz Kmart shutting down by March, 62 jobs lost.  The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March, 86 jobs lost.   Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost). Dicks Sportings Goods subleasing space in an existing Sears store in Palm Beach Gardens.

Georgia: The 37 years old Carrollton Kmart shutting down by the end of April.  Dublin Kmart will shutdown in April, 71 jobs lost.  Milledgeville Kmart shutdown in April, 60+ jobs lost.  Unconfirmed reports that the Rome Kmarts shutting down by mid-April, no word on how many jobs lost. Mount Berry Square Mall Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March, 86 jobs lost.  Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Iconic 25 years old Nimitz HWY Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart shutting down in March, 141 jobs lost!  Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Boise Kmart on Fairview shutting down by mid-March, 56 jobs lost.   Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.  Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost).

Illinois: Morton ‘green’ Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 47 jobs lost.  Canton Kmart shutting down in April, 38 jobs lost.  Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. North Mayfair Kmart (99 jobs lost), Chicago Kmart at 5033 North Elston Avenue (99 jobs lost). By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

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

Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April, 38 jobs lost.  Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September), 56 years old Mason City Sears & Auto Center (more than 100 jobs lost).   Davenport Kmart (59 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down by Spring, 49 jobs lost.  Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

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

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

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

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost), Parkville Kmart (102 jobs lost), California Kmart (71 jobs lost), Sears Hometown Store in Perryville.

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).   Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive shutdown.  Also, the Braintree South Shore Plaza Sears store is renting out an entire floor to Ireland based Primark.   Even with the lease to Primark there is still 4-thousand square feet of vacant space in the Sears store.  The Sears at the Auburn Mall shutdown on Black Friday due to electrical fire.  The store was experiencing electrical problems, an investigation is underway.

Michigan: The Bradley Kmart has a new owner who is shutting it down. Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart will be shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018.  The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost.  Three Kmart stores by April, one in Virginia, Superior and Ironwood, 137 jobs lost!  Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million! Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant; snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. The Kmart Plaza in Sandusky sold to “A group of investors”, no word on what will happen to the Kmart store.

Minnesota: Dundas Kmart by April, 32 jobs lost.   Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April, 48 jobs lost.  Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutting down in April, no word on job losses.  Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: 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).  After 18 years Sears Holdings shutdown their Roselle Sears Hardware store due to “landlord issues”.

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

New York: Staten Island Mall Sears Auto Center will shutdown in February, 20 jobs lost.  Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost), Lancaster Kmart sold for $1.7-million to Dave’s Christmas Wonderland. Herkimer Sears Hometown, Saranac Lake Sears Hometown the ‘independent’ co-owners said Sears Holdings forced them to shutdown. Melville Appliance Repair Division (31 jobs lost).

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

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

Ohio: The 28 years old Sears and its Auto Center in New Philadelphia shutting down by mid-April, 46 jobs lost.  Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown.  Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April, 63 jobs lost.  Zanesville Kmart shutting down mid-April, 47 jobs lost.  Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April, 65 jobs lost.   Boardman Kmart by April, 81 jobs lost.  Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost), Tiffin Sears Hometown Store. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

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

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

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

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

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

South Dakota: The Pierre Kmart shutting down by the end of March, 45 jobs lost.  The Michell Kmart shutting down in April, 52 jobs lost.   Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: The Murfreesboro Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 43 jobs lost.  A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutting down in April, 109 jobs lost!  Clarksville Kmart shutting down in April, 68 jobs lost.  Cleveland Kmart shutting down by mid-March, 67 jobs lost.  Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost), Simon Property Group owned McAllen Sears store & Auto Center (so far no word on how many jobs will be lost), recently revealed Palestine Sears Hometown (franchise owner quit to work as assistant manager at a local Dollar General).  Wichita Falls Sears (56 jobs lost right before Xmas).

Utah: 35 years old Richfield Kmart will shutdown in April, 63 jobs lost.    North Logan Kmart shutting down by April, 58 jobs lost.  Murray Sears (local news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost), Provo Kmart demolished in anticipation of yet another AtHome furniture store.

Vermont: The Bennington Sears Hometown Store shutdown.  Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost),  South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virginia: The Cedar Bluff (50 jobs lost), Covington (36 jobs lost) and Virginia Beach on General Booth Boulevard (no job numbers reported)  Kmarts shutting down by mid-April!  The Sears Hometown Store in Culpeper shutting down by the end of the month.  Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Winchester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

Here’s a list of 11 Sears stores 100% owned by GGP:

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

International

Catholic & Orthodox churches to unite, thanks to Islamic State!

05 February 2016 (16:22 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 16 Bahman 1394/25 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/27 Wu Yin 4713

For the first time in 962 years the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox ‘christian’ churches will officially meet, next week in Cuba!

Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill will meet to discuss an end to the Great Schism which began in the Gregorian year 1054.  Reports say a major motivation for re-unification is the U.S., U.K., Israeli, Saudi created Islamic State-ISIS-ISIL-DAIISH (DA for al-DAwla, I for al-Islamiya, I for al-Iraq, SH al-SHam [al-Sham=Syria]).

However, I’ve documented that Pope Francis is part of a group that has been pining to bring all ‘christian’ denominations under the control of the Vatican.

Pope says Christians will be united through bloody persecution! 

coming Civil War among Christians and failure of the War with Islam 

International

Iran refuses U.S. Dollar for oil payments!

05 February 2016 (15:54 UTC-07 Tango 01) / 16 Bahman 1394/25 Rabi’a’-Thani 1437/27 Wu Yin 4713

“In our invoices we mention a clause that buyers of our oil will have to pay in euros……  Iran shifted to the euro and cancelled trade in dollars because of political reasons.”-unnamed administrator with National Iranian Oil Company

The true reason the U.S. invaded Iraq was because Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti stopped taking U.S. dollars for oil, and started taking euros.  The true reason the U.S. and U.K. allowed the destruction of a stable Libya was because Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi  refused to join the U.S. created United States African Command, and wanted to create a new African currency based on gold.

Now the National Iranian Oil Company has signed a deal with several European oil companies in which the U.S. dollar is banned!  Only euros will be used.

Not only does Iran want euros for oil payments, but all past international debts now owed to Iran under the nuclear agreement must be paid in euros.

Wells Fargo home foreclosures covering bad U.S. oil industry debts

Iran to push oil to $10 per barrel! U.S. to impose new sanctions! 

Destroy U.S. Dollar: China & Iran deal in Rial & Yuan, only? 

Proof the oil industry is full of shit, oil company hands out $100,000 bonus to all employees! 

Destroy U.S. Dollar: U.S. petrodollar meet the new Iran Petroleum Contract! 

Louisiana movie theater shooting….Oil industry involved? 

man who helped the U.S. & U.K. assasinate Gaddafi is tortured to death!

U.S. ambassador to Libya assassinated, blowback for assasinating Gaddafi! 

Libyan Rebel leader says Western Powers wanted Gaddafi killed, because of his knowledge of the evil secrets of Europe & United States 

NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS LIBYA NOT INVOLVED WITH PAN AM LOCKERBIE BOMBING! GADDAFI WAS INNOCENT?

Gaddafi died after being stabbed with a bayonet in the anus and not in a firefight as originally claimed

U.S. & U.K. were paying Gaddafi to torture suspects in the U.S. led War on Terror 

Western sanctions not about Iran’s nuclear industry…it’s all about controling the international oil market 

Gaddafi right, Rebelion came from outside, not Arab Spring!

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…deteriorating beyond repair for…several years.” Layoffs skyrocket 218%! Idaho beggars for donations! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 04 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Arizona: In Yuma, a local business is blaming currency wars for its demise.  After two years restaurant Carnivores of Yuma shutting down due to lack of Snow Birds from Canada.  The Canadian dollar has dropped in value against the U.S. dollar, making it too expensive for many Canadians to travel within the United States.  I lived in hot-as-hell Yuma for almost two years and I can tell you that Snow Birds from the north, during winter, are a major source of revenue for local mom-n-pops.  The rest of the year revenues come from taxpayer funded Yuma Marine Corps Air Station and Yuma Army Proving Grounds.

Arkansas:  In Little Rock, non-profit Lewis Burnett Employment Finders shutting down after 29 years of helping former prisoners find jobs.  It’s blamed on health problems of the founder.

Connecticut: Governor Dannel Malloy is calling for the elimination of thousands of state jobs, by July!  The gov’na also wants cuts to state benefits and pay in order to cut $500-million USD from the state budget.   The first state employees to be laid off will be non-union members.  Ohio based Xpect Discounts shutting down the last three of its stores in The Constitution State, 178 jobs lost by April!

Florida: BlackBerry issued a WARN for its Sunrise factory, 75 jobs lost by the end of the month.

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

Illinois: Chicago based employment analysts Challenger, Grey & Christmas report a 218% increase in U.S. job losses from December 2015 to January 2016! Even compared year to year (January 2015 vs January 2016) U.S. layoffs jumped 43%!

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, drugs pusher Walgreens shutting down their 20 years old store on Pettit Avenue.  But don’t cry, local news reports say Walgreens has a monopoly on the Fort Wayne market, with at least 15 other drug pushing stores in the city.

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery?  Ireland based Eaton announced it’s no longer worth it to continue its transmission factory in Shenandoah, 250 jobs lost within six months!  Local news reported that at one point there were at least 1-thousand employees at the factory, between October 2015 and now hundreds were let go! 

Kansas: After 50 years friend to unwanted pets Merriam Great Plains SPCA’s Lost Pet & Intake Center shutting down by the end of the month: “After being the center point of animal welfare in Johnson County for 50 years, the building just simply can’t keep up with the volume of animals. It’s been deteriorating beyond repair for the past several years.”-Courtney Thomas, CEO

Michigan:   Flint based McLaren Medical Group eliminating 89 jobs by April.  The layoffs will hit medical operations in four cities.  In Muskegon County, maker of printing inks and paints SunChemical laid off 20 employees without warning, and then had them escorted off the work site.

New York: CNN forcing Maslow Media Group to issue a shutdown WARN for several NYC locations, 97 jobs lost by the end of April.

North Carolina: California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo continues to kill jobs, this time 87 people in Raleigh losing their jobs to “better align with current market volumes.”

Ohio: Oil pipe maker TMK-IPSCO laying off 106 employees, in Brookfield, within 60 days!

Pennsylvania: Texas based upChuck Cheese, I mean Chuck E. Cheese pizza joint shutting down in the Clearview Mall by the end of March.

South Carolina: South State Bank shutting down two Orangeburg offices, as part of bigger plans to shutdown offices across South Carolina and Georgia.  It’s the result of South State Bank taking over failed Bank of America offices in 2015.

Tennessee: What automotive industry recovery? In Bristol DlhBOWLES shutting down, 1-hundred jobs lost by April!  The company makes parts for the automotive and other industries, the shutdown is the result of two companies merging;  DLH and Bowles Fluidics.

Texas: In Austin, restaurant Arro shutting down on Friday, apparently it’s being turned into a bar.

Virginia: Catabwa Hospital shutting down as part of the governor’s plan to shutdown mental health hospitals.

Washington DC: National debt now at record $19-trillion USD!  $1-trillion in debt added in the past 13 months!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

“…we just didn’t realize the enormity of it.” Target kills 10-thousand jobs in 1 city! Idaho’s ObamaCare kills 1-thousand people in 3 years! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 03 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California:  After four years the Malibu Bank of Books shutting down in April.  The owner blames lack of sales and points out that the landlord actually tried to helped the bookstore.  Yet more proof the internet is not recession resistant; San Rafael based AutoDesk eliminating 925 jobs in order to expedite its transition to ‘the cloud’!  Plus the administrators claim they “over-hired” in 2015.

Florida: In Lake Buena Vista, Fulton’s Crab House issued a shutdown WARN, 214 food service jobs gone by mid-April!

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

Louisiana: In Lafayette, after seven years Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro shutting down next week.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  After announcing it will shutdown its sales operations in Japan and Indonesia, Dearborn based Ford announced it will eliminate $200-million USD worth of jobs in Europe!  Administrators say the job cuts are necessary to “build a viable business in the future”.

Minnesota: The Minneapolis Downtown Council discovered that retail giant Target eliminated 10-thousand jobs within the city over the past two years!  Local news reports say Target administrators confirmed the number!

Mississippi: Hattiesburg Public Schools cutting pay and eliminating jobs “immediately”.  No details about how many jobs will be lost, local news reports say employees have yet to be notified.

Nebraska: Food giant ConAgra shutting down a frozen food production line in Council Bluffs, administrators claim this time they won’t layoff any employees.

New York: In NYC, D’Agostino Supermarkets on 3rd Avenue shutting down, 41 jobs lost by the end of April.

Ohio: In Cincinnati, House of Adam clothier shutting down after 61 years.

Pennsylvania: Waynesboro, after 15 years Dru’s Books-n-Things Hallmark gift store shutting down by the end of the month.  Despite massive layoffs throughout the state, partly caused by failure to create a state budget on-time, ‘lawmakers’ enjoy “generous pay, benefits and job security” according to Berks & Beyond.  Steel worker Dan Adam even blasted state ‘lawmakers’ because “They do live in their own little bubble and it’s not right! But what are we going to do about it?”

West Virginia: Boone County Schools eliminating 77 jobs after the bad economy caused tax revenues to be cut by more than half: “There were signs that it was happening….just didn’t expect it all at once…came on very quickly….we just didn’t realize the enormity of it.”-Jerry Pcholinsky, Boone County Education president

Wisconsin: More layoff points for Right to Work (you over) Scott Walker as Public International shuts down its Yorkville office, 50 jobs lost because a major client walked.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

U.S. central bank going negative? Insurance wants martial law enforcement of ObamaCare! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 02 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

British empire based British Petroleum (BP, formerly known as Anglo-Iranian Oil) boosting its January layoff announcement by another 3-thousand! Last month it said it would eliminate at least 4-thousand jobs around the world, now it’s 7-thousand jobs gone by the end of 2017, including within the U.S.  Low oil prices and lawsuit settlements caused BP to lose $5.2-billion USD in 2015 (its biggest loss ever).

Alabama: Birmingham based Regions Bank (aka Regions Financial Corporation) announced it will eliminate 260 jobs across several states!  The layoffs will take place by the end of March.

California: In Los Angeles, t-shirt shop Johnny Cupcakes shutting down by the end of April.  News reports say despite being popular sales weren’t high enough to justify the “overpriced lease”.  In Oakland, Outer Harbor Terminal now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. It’s the result of a major client shifting to other port operations along the U.S. west coast.

Connecticut: Hartford based health insurance giant Aetna is now accusing the federal government of not enforcing ObamaCare with martial law, saying current enforcement is “not sufficient”!  Greedy Aetna administrators blame low ObamaCare participation rates for their loss of revenues.

Florida: In Bradenton, after almost five years Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar shutting down by the end of the month, because of an evil landlord: “Our landlord has chosen not to renew our lease. Why? He states we are not successful. We have always paid our rent and a percentage of our sales to him on time, which has equated to almost $1.1 million in five years, and our initial investment of over $800,000 to build Tarpon Pointe.”-Facebook posting

Illinois: Eastern Illinois University quietly issuing layoff notices to non-instructional staff (latest reports say as many as 2-hundred!).  It’s blamed on the state ‘lawmakers’ failing to come up with a budget. The layoffs will start in March, university administrators say the state owes them at least $40-million USD.  Chicago Public Schools (CPS) warning of even more layoffs after the teacher union rejected their latest offer.  The Failed State system CPS claims it is lacking $500-million for its latest budget, but they’re actually $1-billion ‘in the hole’, structurally!  In Carbondale, after 32 years The Great Outdoors clothing store shutting down, the owner said his retirement is an “economic decision”.  Local news media revealed that three other Carbondale/Route 13 area businesses shutdown in January; KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Show Me’s Restaurant and Advanced Auto Parts.  In Galesburg, after 21 years Casey’s Party Creations shutting down in March.

Kansas: In Wichita, payday loan shark Speedy Cash laid off 50 people at its HQ and call center.  Administrators blame a ‘slow’ federal tax return season.  However, Speedy Cash also shutdown ten offices in the British empire country of United Kingdom (can’t blame U.S. tax refunds on that).

Louisiana: In Lafayette, the Winn-Dixie grocery store, on Ambassador Caffery Parkway, shutting down.  61 jobs lost by March.

Michigan: Midland based Dow Chemical revealed it eliminated 1-thousand 2-hundred jobs and will eliminate another 1-thousand jobs, for a total of 2-thousand 2-hundred!  Administrators say they need to cut $300-million USD in costs this year.

Mississippi:  Chapter 11 bankrupt busted (for the second time in nine years) Baldwyn based Hancock Fabrics shutting down/liquidating at least 70 stores across the U.S.  

New York:  In Brooklyn, after seven years the owners of Bark Hot Dogs shutting down their Park Slope eatery this weekend, saying “…economics just weren’t working out.”  NYC based music event promoter SFX Entertainment now chapter 11 bankrupt busted after only two years on the NASDAQ.  In Yonkers, Sterling National Bank eliminating ten jobs by June.

Oklahoma: Non-profit Sayre Memorial Hospital shutdown without warning, due to “continual financial strain” caused by declining Medicare reimbursements, and the crashing-n-burning of the local economy.

Oregon: In Portland, California based logistics company UTi Worldwide issued a WARN, 41 jobs lost by the end of March.  After 36 years Sewick’s Dive Bar shutting down, to be replaced by a 46 unit apartment building.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh based Horsehead Holding now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame the low prices of zinc, however it also sounds like financial incompetence as the bankruptcy attorneys could only guess that the company had between 1-thousand and 5-thousand creditors!

Virginia: In Fredericksburg, after 27 years The Cat’s Closet shutting down in late Spring. The family owners will rent out the building to somebody else.   Huntington Ingalls Industries eliminating 738 jobs at the crashing-n-burning Newport News shipyards!  It’s blamed on the completion of construction of new USN aircraft carriers, and reduced taxpayer spending by the federal government.  In Richmond, God refuses to get involved with the scandal with ‘his’ Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board (IMB).  The so called Christian organization began laying off employees without warning, drawing criticism from fellow Baptists: “Unexplainably, IMB planned no announcement about eliminating its entire communications department. Nothing was to be said about jettisoning about 10 percent of its staff or about how IMB would tell its missions stories going forward.”-Bob Terry, editor The Alabama Baptist

Washington DC: The Federal Reserve Bank about to go the way of Japan and officially charge negative interests rates.  Essentially Too Big to Jail banks would actually be paid to ‘borrow’ money from The Fed.

Wisconsin: Sussex based Quad Graphics announced it will shutdown two printing ops, one in Pennsylvania and one in Kansas.  The newspaper insert shutdown in Pennsylvania will cost 150 jobs, that’s on top of 4-hundred Pennsylvania Quad Graphics jobs lost at the beginning of January!  About 1-hundred jobs lost in Kansas!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

“We fought a battle we just couldn’t win…” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 01 February 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Florida: Preferred Medical Plan eliminating 18 jobs in Coral Gables, by the beginning of April.  At Patrick Air Force Base two contractors, GCR and InDyne, issued mass layoff WARNs for 209 people by the end of March!

Illinois: Peabody Energy’s Arclar Mine Complex eliminated 75 coal mining jobs due to crashing demand for coal.  In Evanston, Montoya Fiber Studios shutting down after 13 years of tying up locals in yarn.  The owners said it’s time for them to travel.

Maryland: C&S Wholesale Grocers shutting down their distribution ops on Lums Road, about 2-hundred jobs lost by April!  A county administrator said she was surprised because C&S was recently advertising to hire more employees!  C&S administrators told county officials they could not stop the shutdown due to the sudden loss of a major contract.

Massachusetts: In Somerville, after five years Sabertooth Vegan Bakery shutting down so the owner can get the hell outta Boston Weak Massachusetts and go on “permanent vacation”: “…things here just haven’t been working out. It’s always been my dream to live in California and work on an animal sanctuary and I was offered an amazing opportunity to do that.”-Evie Noël   

Missouri: Doe Run Company announced it must eliminate 75 mining jobs as a result of complying with Environmental Protection Agency lawsuits.

New York:   New York Life Insurance is shutting down their IT & Finance office in Sleepy Hollow, layoffs will take place between April and December. Administrators indicated they were moving the jobs elsewhere, but didn’t say where.   Principal Service Solutions-Global Foundries revealed they laid off at least 28 people in Hopewell Junction due to loss of a maintenance contract.    Brach’s Supermarket issued a shutdown WARN for their Lawrence grocery store, 127 jobs lost by the first of May! Administrators blame the bad economy.

Despite a grand opening send-off by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, Constantino’s Market in Rochester’s College Town shutting down after less than one year in business!  It’s blamed on lack of sales: “Unfortunately, Constantino’s was ultimately not supported at a level that allowed them to be profitable.”-Randy Ruttenberg, Fairmount Properties

North Carolina: Flex Global shutting down their Charlotte logistics operation, 255 jobs lost by April!

Ohio: Key Bank shutting down their Canton office by the end of April.

Oklahoma: Oil company Unit Corporation confirmed to local news media that it laid off several Tulsa employees in the past week, no numbers given.   In OKC, Texas based Spaghetti Warehouse suddenly shutdown, with no explanation why: “After more than 30 years in the community, we have made the difficult business decision to suspend operations and announce the closure of the Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurant in Oklahoma City. The closure is effective on Tuesday, February 2nd. ….we are hopeful that in the near future we can reopen Spaghetti Warehouse….”

Texas: Houston based Southwestern Energy issued a mass layoff WARN saying 376 people will lose their jobs by March!  National Oilwell Varco has begun laying off 129 employees!  And yet another of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL) as Argentina based steel oil pipe maker Tenarus shutting down their Houston factory, 166 jobs lost by the end of March!   Forth Worth based bankrupt Quicksilver Resources will eliminate 164 oil industry jobs!   Retailer Kohl’s shutting down their Plano store by mid-February, supposedly the 80 employees are being transferred to other Dallas area Kohl’s.

In El Paso, Airline International Luggage shutting down their Westside brick-n-mortar shop, blaming people who buy luggage over the internet.  The owners of Airline International Luggage should know about the shift to internet shopping, they began selling on the internet in 1995! They continue to operate their Eastside location which includes their online shop and warehouse.

Washington: Cardinal Health issued a WARN for its Auburn ops, 59 jobs lost by the end of March.

West Virginia: Kingston Mining laying off 89 coal miners, blaming declining demand for coal.

Wisconsin: In Sheboygan, after five years restaurant Weimann’s Sports Center shutting down this weekend, despite being voted best sports bar.  The owners blame constant road construction projects among other issues: “We fought a battle we just couldn’t win and ultimately felt it would be a lot less stressful for our family to not be in business. It’s a tough business.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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

Harley-Davidson crashes 43%! Massive REL! No more Live365! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 30 – 31 January 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alaska: Taxpayer funding cuts (caused by the crashing & burning oil industry) are forcing University of Alaska Fairbanks to shutdown the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Soil and Plant Analysis Laboratory.   It’s the only soil testing lab in the state and is not only helpful to gardeners but is used to help pilots land on unprepared runways: “That lab has been responsible for saving the aviation industry probably millions of dollars in aircraft damage. The closing of the lab has so many ripple effects that are just hard to calculate.”-Steve Brown, Agricultural Extension agent

California: San Ramon based Chevron confirmed it eliminated 3-thousand 2-hundred jobs in 2015, and that another 4-thousand oil jobs will be destroyed in 2016!  Administrators say they lost so much money in 2015 that they need to cut more than $9-billion USD in operating costs!

More proof the internet is not recession resistant; Foster City based Live365 internet radio officially shutting down, analysts are blaming the Copyright Royalty Board.  Back at the end of December it was reported that Live365 was laying off the majority of its employees, no word on how many people will lose their jobs.  Health insurance company Blue Shield of California eliminating at least 99 jobs at their Lodi call center, apparently forcing people to buy ObamaCare insurance isn’t generating enough captive audience profits.

Georgia: In Garden City, Daylight Donuts shutdown due to problems with the building and low sales.

Illinois: Jake’sTavern shutdown after 78 years in Galesburg, the current owner refused to say why. 

  Here’s three fine examples of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL);  Illinois base heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar issued a press release stating they will eliminate 10-thousand jobs between now and 2018, due to the crashing mining-oil industry!   In Danville, Germany based ThyssenKrupp Crankshaft eliminating 48 jobs due to declining sales caused by the declining heavy vehicle industry, which is the result of the declining mining-oil industry.  Also in Danville, Freight Car America eliminating 180 jobs by mid-February, blaming the declining railroad industry, which is the result of the declining mining-oil industry!

Missouri: In Clayton, after five years Coastal Bistro & Bar shutdown, no comment from owners. In Chesterfield, Miller’s Crossing Pub & Grill shutdown with no warning or explanation.  In Krikwood, after five years Petra Restaurant shutdown, no further info.

New Jersey: In Freehold, Top Tomato grocery store shutdown, a manager of another Top Tomato store told local news media that relative to sales volume the Freehold store is “too big for them”.    However, on Facebook the owner of the Top Tomato chain straight up blamed the greedy landlord: “…due to circumstances with our landlord that could not be resolved and were out of our control, we were forced to close our Freehold sister store.”

New Mexico: Illinois base heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar eliminated 50 jobs without warning when it suddenly shutdown its Santa Fe factory.  Caterpillar took over the factory from CleanAir Systems in 2010.  In Albuquerque, after 18 years stationary and gift shop Gatherings shutdown, the owner blamed competition with the internet.

New York:   RCS Capital (Realty Capital Securities) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Back in December they WARNed they were shutting down their NYC office by March.  The bankruptcy filing will somehow provide the failing investor $150-million USD and take it ‘private’.  No wonder big companies like to file bankruptcy so much, who knew it was just another way for them to make money?   That Which CanNot Be Named refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘its’ 51+ years old kosher bakery Monsey Kosher Bake Shop (aka Frank’s Family Bakery).  Yehuda Frank began crying when he told local news media that “circumstances made that we close”.   Those “circumstances” include the health and age of the owners.

North Carolina: In Greenville, Fitgerald’s restaurant shutdown without warning less than two years after opening.  Local news media report that the building now has a sign that says “Do not enter, no one”.   Asheboro Elastics shutting down their Narrow Fabrics military fabrics factory.  The vice president of AEC Narrow Fabrics admitted that selling products to the military is not as profitable as they thought, 90 jobs lost between March and April.

North Dakota:  In Fargo, Eloise Boutique & Gift shutting down by the end of March.  The store owner is also the property owner and she admitted she could make more money just being the landlord instead of the tenant.

Ohio: In Columbus, after 29 years Patrick J’s Food + Drink shutdown, apparently the owner could end up in prison for 20 years after pleading guilty to charges of ‘interference with commerce by threats’.

Oregon:  For the second time in one week,  Aequitas Capital Management announced layoffs.  This time 1-hundred people, almost all the remaining employees, will be laid off! Company bosses blame significant financial problems after it was revealed their debt/investment agency was involved in questionable student loans.

Wisconsin: Illinois base heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar eliminating 220 jobs at its factory in Prentice!  What automotive industry recovery?  Milwaukee based iconic Harley-Davidson dropped its expected 2016 shipments of motorcycles from 3% to 1%!  Profits were down 43% for 2015!  Lack of sales means they’re stuck with a 31% increase in leftover inventory compared to 2014.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

29 January 2016: Governor kills state jobs claiming lack of money, then Senator reveals $400-million+ cash surplus!

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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.”