Tag Archives: idaho

“We gave it a shot, it just didn’t work.” “We’re literally working for nothing.”: U.S. Food Crisis, December 2017

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of December, 2017: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, spread of disease and extreme weather.

The Star Beacon: Weather has affected agriculture nationwide

St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Department of Agriculture places restrictions on Monsanto

Reuters: “Minnesota became the latest U.S. state on Tuesday to restrict controversial weed killers made by Monsanto…”

Pine Bluff Commercial: “Arkansas has recently experienced higher wildfire frequency with November setting a record for the most fires in that month since November of 1989.” 

KPCC: Farm hands worked in Ventura County despite Thomas Fire

Daily Mail: California’s avocado crops worth millions of dollars are being destroyed…by wildfires

Associated Press: Some Texas farm-related woes linger months after Harvey

Insurance Journal: Uncertainty Hangs Over Florida Citrus Growers After Irma’s Damage

Michigan State University Extension: Global genetically modified crop acres increase

Arkansas: Little Rock based chain Dixie Cafe-Delta Cafe shutting down all 17 restaurants across three states, saying “We have seen declining sales combined with increasing costs that has made this difficult decision necessary.”

Arizona: In Scottsdale, Papago Brewing revealed on Facebook that the property it was located on was being demolished.  Turns out Papago Brewing outsourced their beer making operations anyway.  In Tucson, after 30 years Las Margaritas shutdown the day before Xmas, due to the owner selling off the property because the city is planning a road project that will impact the property.

California:  P.F.Changs suddenly shutdown its Burbank location, 74 jobs gone without warning one week before Xmas.  Switzerland based Nestlé issued a layoff WARN, 55 people in Oakland jobless by February 2018.  After 71 years the San Jose Tofu Company shutdown, the owners saying “The wear and tear started to catch up with us. It started to get to the point where our health is a lot more important than making as much money as possible.”  Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo reporting crashing donations, leaving Second Harvest with an $8-million USD budget shortfall for 2018!  In Studio City, after 70 years ‘classy’ Du Par’s shutdown, being replaced with a cosmetics store.  After 75 years iconic Twoheys Restaurant shutting down in Alhambra, by the end of January 2018, because the greedy landlords want more in rent money.  In Sunnyvale, after 35 years ‘private table’ Lion & Compass shutdown. In San Diego, Evolution Hospitality issued a layoff WARN, 41 jobs gone in February 2018.  Tyson Foods eliminating 40 jobs in February 2018.  Also in San Diego, after 25 years popular Rebecca’s Coffee House shutdown by the greedy landlords after they found a new tenant able to pay much more in rent: “I thought with all these years being in business, I wish there would have been some consideration on the rent, but no, they gave me a 15-day window to decide. This has become a lot more than a space to sell stuff. It’s my life and I’m losing my life!”-Rebecca Zearing

Colorado:  It’s been revealed that the state Department of Public Health and Environment has been dragging its feet on investigating an unnamed dairy farm for polluting the Big Thompson River.  State inspectors discovered two wastewater ponds leaking into the river back in November 2015.  A cease and desist order was issued back in March 2017.  State inspectors explained to local news media that the investigation is taking so long because they’re trying “…to developing an accurate and comprehensive case.”  In Fairfield, after 45 years Swanson’s Fish Market shutdown when the owner suddenly died just days after putting it up for sale.

Connecticut: In West Hartford, NoRA Cupcake Company announced on Facebook it will shutdown its Blue Back Square location after Xmas. Turns out the cupcake seller had planned on being in operation for only four months at that location, but lasted two years. NoRA Cupcake Company is being replaced by a tenant who was able to pay for a longer term lease.  Also in West Hartford, after 16 years Angelo’s shutdown, there are rumors that it will re-open under new ownership sometime in 2018.

Florida: In Orlando, after 52 years Rossi’s Pizza and Pasta shutdown, local news reports said the restaurant had been struggling ever since 2008.

Idaho:  25% of The Gem State’s ‘elected lawmakers’ are directly involved in the agriculture industry, according to Food Producers of Idaho.  Black Bear Diner, Chubbuck, IdahoWithout warning Black Bear Diner-Joby Management shutdown its less than two years old Chubbuck restaurant, telling local news media that if it wasn’t shutdown immediately they wouldn’t be able to issue final pay to the employees, as many as 57 jobs (depending on the local news source) suddenly gone one week before Xmas, a now pissed-off former employee Nathan Barney said “They called us in for a meeting at 8:30 this morning and told us they were closing the restaurant. They gave us unemployment papers and said Merry Christmas.”  Local news media speculated that there are too many restaurants in the area, including several other Joby Management owned restaurants. You can thank local politicians who’ve been enticing national chain restaurants to move into the area for several years now.

Illinois:  Martin’s IGA issue a shutdown WARN for its Effingham store, 275 jobs gone by January 2018 due to being sold-off!  In Northbrook, France based food service contractor Sodexo lost its contract with Allstate, 73 jobs gone by the end of January 2018.  Aspen Foods issued a shutdown WARN for its poultry slaughterhouse in Chicago, 199 jobs gone in February 2018!  After only one year WonFun and 2Fun Bar suddenly shutdown with no reason given, local news reports say the owners have a history of suddenly shutdown food/bar ops without notice.  After 13 years vegan Green Zebra shutdown and for sale. Also in Chicago, after 27 years Pegasus Restaurant shutdown.  Grace restaurant shutdown when all the employees walked out without warning, apparently in response to a failed attempt by the chefs to buy the restaurant from the current owner.  After five years Francesca’s Restaurant Group suddenly began shutting down all five Glazed and Infused donut shops the day after Xmas!  Local news reports say employees got no warning or severance. Francesca’s Restaurant Group also shutdown its restaurant Davanti Enotca in River North.   In West Dundee, Francesca’s Restaurant Group shutdown its 17 years old Campagna restaurant, without warning.  Local news media say city leaders were pissed about the shutdown because they had been working for several months with Francesca’s Restaurant Group on plans to expand the eatery!  The owner of Francesca’s Restaurant Group would only say that he is focusing on other ‘brands’.

Indiana: In Indianapolis, after five years B’s Po Boy announced on Facebook it will shutdown a couple of days before Xmas, blaming the cold Winter weather for lack of sales. Also in Indianapolis, after 138 years (surviving numerous recessions ans The Great Depression) Old Point Tavern sold-off to a chain restaurant owner so the the tavern owners could retire.  In Winfield, after 96 years John’s Tavern shutdown two days before Xmas, the property was sold to a hospital operator.  In West Lafayette, after three years grocery store Fresh City Market announced it will shutdown, shocked city officials claim they’ll do anything to stop it from happening.

Iowa: Link Snacks issued a WARN, 36 employees unemployed by February 2018.  In Cedar Rapids, after 32 years Sub City suddenly shutdown, the owner blamed it on crashing sales caused by major local employer Verizon conducting mass layoffs, but the final straw was when the historic building the sandwich shop was located in was sold-off to a greedy property developer who going to tear it down.  In Des Moines, after three years restaurant Streetcar 209 shutdown the week before Xmas.   In Sioux City, vandals destroyed the Wild Hill Honey bee farm, killing 500-thousand bees: “They knocked over every single hive, killing all the bees. They wiped us out completely. They broke into our shed, they took all our equipment out and threw it out in the snow, smashed what they could. Doesn’t look like anything was stolen, everything was just vandalized or destroyed.”- Justin Engelhardt

The state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship began a taxpayer funded three years program to subsidize the increased use of ‘cover crops’ and improve water quality: “There is no other incentive like this in the entire country, so we’re really happy that the state of Iowa is breaking ground on this new incentive.”-Aaron Lehman, Iowa Farmers Union

Kansas:  In Oakland Park, after 50 years John’s Space Age Donuts shutdown right before Xmas, after a failed attempt to sell it.  In Wichita, after 13 years Monterrey Mexican Grill shutdown.

Maryland: In Baltimore, after 13 years Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar shutdown, saying on Facebook the “last few years have been difficult for our business, our city and our neighborhood.”  After eight years Firehouse Coffee shutdown.  After 40 years Goldman’s Kosher Bakery shutdown: “It’s a lot of work. My parents did it until they were 80, and we don’t want to do that….”-Leah Cohn, co-owner

After 40 years L’Academie de Cuisine shutdown without warning one week before Xmas: “Graduation was today. Doors are closing. Locks have been changed.”-unnamed former employee to local news media

Massachusetts:  Farmers Supply shutdown its Bernardston location after Xmas, the family owners explaining to loyal customers “Consolidation is what we’re doing to better ourselves, to be stronger. It’s tough out there.”  In Boston, after 25 years Maurizio’s Ristorante Italiano shutdown on Xmas Eve.  In Hadley, Zaskey Christmas Tree Farm reported that $9-hundred USD worth of Xmas trees were stolen over a two weeks period.

Michigan: In Paw Paw, Spiech Farms now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to two bad harvests in a row, causing a $4-million USD crash in sales from 2016 through 2017.   Ric’s Food Center shutting down its 23 years old Hemlock location, local news media reported it was the only ‘hometown’ grocery store in Hemlock.

Minnesota: In Duluth, after a little more than a year ‘top-performing’ Northern Waters Restaurant shutdown, so the owners can focus on their more successful Smokehaus op.  For the first time in 32 years Summit Brewing suddenly laid off about ten people blaming skyrocketing competition within the ‘craft’ beer industry. Summit Brewing also canceled plans to expand operations into six other states.  One of the first restaurants in the Mall of America shutting down, after 25 years Tucci Benucch shutting down by February 2018.  Also in the Mall of America the Magic Pan Crepe Stand shutting down.  Tucci Benucch and Magic Pan Crepe Stand are both owned by Illinois based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.  Inver Grove Heights agricultural co-op CHS suddenly shutdown nasty-ass soy operations in Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota, more than 2-hundred jobs gone! 

Mississippi: Kroger shutting down its 30 years old Clarksdale grocery store, 1-hundred jobs gone with no reason given!

Missouri: Williams Sonoma shutting down its Country Club Plaza location in Kansas City, in January 2018, no reason given.  In Raytown, after 53 years Fun House Pizza & Pub shutdown after Xmas.  King Cash Saver shutdown its Mount Vernon grocery store saying that despite a decent volume of sales it’s not enough to keep up with the cost of the city supplied utilities, which is as much as 40% higher than other areas of the state (city officials swore to local news media that their utility rate was “competitive”).

Nebraska: In Lincoln, after ten years Bread&Cup shutdown, the disappointed owner saying “We gave it a shot, it just didn’t work.”  Nasty-ass soy protein (used in your frozen ‘meat’ foods and ‘real beef’ fast food burgers) maker CHS suddenly shutdown and is selling off its soy factory in South Sioux City, 65 jobs gone before Xmas.

New Mexico: After 20 years non-profit food pantry provider Santa Fe Community Farm shutdown its 2 hectare (five acre) farm, no reason given, but local news media speculated it’s related to the death of the non-profit’s founder.

New York: Innside New York NoMad shutting down its Food and Beverage Department and outsourcing 46 jobs by March 2018.  Mark’s Pizzeria shutdown two locations, one in Liverpool the other in Cicero, because they were “not profitable”, then announced dozens more Mark’s Pizzeria restaurants across The Empire State will shutdown due to the new state mandated minimum wage which affects any restaurant chain with 30 or more locations!  In Buffalo, after six years Ashker’s Juice Bar & Bistro announced on Facebook it is shutting down two locations, on Elmwood and on Main Street, apparently due to “changes” made to the streets.  In NYC, after five years Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar shutdown due to lack of sales after the worst restaurant review ever by The New York Times.  In Bowmansville, after 20 years ristorante Linguine’s shutdown, apparently because of the landlord because the owners stated on Facebook that they’re looking “newer and more modern location”.  In Massena, after 68 years the Village Inn shutdown, the owners saying “Restaurants are for the young.”, but adding that “It takes a village to keep a restaurant afloat.”

North Carolina: In Greensboro, The Traveled Farmer restaurant shutdown two days before Xmas, supposedly being replaced by a catering company.  Also in Greensboro, WP Kitchen + Bar shutdown because the landlord got a better offer for the property from another business.  In Chapel Hill, after 34 years Kitchenworks  shutdown its brick-n-mortar location, but will continue online.   Krispy Kreme Doughnuts laid off 90 HQ employees as part of a ‘global’ plan to move operations away from Winston-Salem.  The frustrated mayor said Krispy Kreme Doughnuts promised to keep its HQ in Winston-Salem.

North Dakota: British empire Canada based SunOpta shutting down its ‘organic’ food roasting ops in Wahpeton, 35 jobs gone by July 2018 due to consolidation operations.

Ohio: Cincinnati based food giant Kroger recalled six months worth of Comfort’s fluoridated bottled water for babies because of a fungal infestation. Talaromyces penicillium originated in southeast Asia and can be lethal. The bottled water was sold at Food 4 Less, Jay C, Jay C Food Plus, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Owen’s, Payless Super Market and Ruler.  In Hamilton, after three decades the Chinese Lantern shutdown.  In Columbus, upscale restaurant De Novo on the Park shutting down by the end of January 2018.  Fortune Chinese suddenly shutdown one of its two Columbus restaurants.  Also in Columbus, Udipi Cafe suddenly shutdown.  In Cleveland, iconic Massimo da Milano shutdown after 27 years, to be replaced by something called a ‘restaurant incubator’.

Oklahoma: In Lawton, after more than 75 years Johnson’s Bakery announced on Facebook that it will shutdown on Xmas Eve.

Oregon: In Portland, after three years Muscadine shutdown, the owner said she’s tired of making fried chicken.

Pennsylvania: In State College, both 85 years old All-American Rathskeller and 30 years old Spats Cafe shutdown due to the leases not being renewed, local news reports indicate the property is under new ownership.  In Wayne, after 50 years Landis Cafe shutdown so the owner can retire.  In Edwardsville, after 60 years Konefal’s Restaurant Catering shutting down in February 2018, so the third generation owners can retire.   After 199 years of producing food, and surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression, the Stewart family farm could be shutdown because of a multi-state electricity power line project!  In Philadelphia, just short of six years and Industry Bar shutdown, on Facebook slyly blaming a “rapidly changing neighborhood”.  Restaurant supplier D&W Fine Pack issued a shutdown WARN for its Harfield operations, 180 jobs gone by March 2018!

South Carolina: Greer BBQ shutdown after 30 years, due to the owners’ ongoing health problems.

Tennessee: In Memphis, after 58 years iconic The Peanut Shoppe shutdown, the owners blamed increased costs, decreased sales and their age.  In Knoxville, after 76 years the last of the iconic Kay’s Ice Cream restaurants shutdown, local news media say at one time there were 158 Kay’s Ice Cream joints!  The owner of the last Kay’s reported that “Sales have been dropping for three years in a row. We’re literally working for nothing.”

Texas:  Coastal Cookies shutdown its 38 years old store in the Sunset Mall, the upset manager told local news media that the owners refused to give a reason for the shutdown.  In Austin, after 45 years Buck Moore Feed & Pet Supply shutting down by February 2018, the father and son owners say the amount of work they put into it isn’t worth it anymore.  After less than a year hand made pasta joint La Dolda shutdown, the owner blaming it on Texans’ lack of appreciation for real pasta.   After ten years Austin’s Flying Saucer Draught Emporium shutdown, the owner blames ‘elected’ lawmakers saying “The landscape of the restaurant industry is changing rapidly across the nation, and unfortunately, the Texas beer industry was introduced to topsy-turvy legislation…” 

Vermont: MyWebGrocer suddenly laid off 18 people, claiming its part of the company’s plan to expand.

Virginia: In Alexandria, after 15 years FireFlies shutdown on Xmas Eve, being replaced by a local competing restaurant.  In Hampton, decades old wine shop and deli La Bodega shutdown, due to crashing sales caused by the shutdown of a nearby taxpayer funded military base in 2011.  In Galax, after five years Scoots restaurant suddenly shutdown due to the owners wanting to suddenly retire.  In Richmond, after more than 26 years ristorante Amici shutdown a week before Xmas due to the owner selling the building: “There are too many restaurants and not enough people.”-Carlo Gaione

Washington: In Yakima County, an employee of a dairy farm was caught auctioning-off his employer’s cows as his own, according to records the employee almost got away with $30-thousand USD in false cow auctions, taking place since 2014!  In Seattle, Mama Stortini’s Restaurant & Bar in the Northgate Mall shutdown due to a norovirus outbreak, at least 15 customers sickened, county inspectors also discovered that 14 employees were sick.  Also in Seattle, after 47 years Bakeman’s Restaurant shutdown three days before Xmas, the owner swore to local news media that it’s because he wants to retire: “Business is still great! It’s actually the best it’s been in years.”-Jason Wang

Washington DC: Federal taxpayers forced to continue funding the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.   

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service issues a final crop report for 2017.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. Food Crisis, November 2017: “SORRY FOLKS THE END HAS COME FOR THE PIG.”

“It’s not just a one-year blip…declines continue to get bigger…”: U.S. government shenanigans, December 2017

Incomplete (i-e ‘Tip of the Iceberg’) list of U.S. Federal/State/Local Government self-destruct announcements for December 2017:

New York Magazine: How Wealthy People Use the Government to Enrich Themselves

Washington Post: How to score big at government auctions

NPR: States Say They Need Federal Government’s Help To Secure Midterm Elections

Associated Press: Global Cooling Requires More Government Money

According to CNBC there are only 13 U.S. cities where you can actually survive on government mandated minimum wage, barely.

Arizona: In Tucson, after 30 years Las Margaritas shutdown the day before Xmas, due to the owner selling off the property because the city is planning a road project that will impact the property.

California: The Los Angeles Times reports that Santa can’t fix these problems with California’s state government.  Taxpayers in Redwood City will be paying for a new home for the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) as city leaders will let the religious organization use a new city funded building complex, as part of some plan to create ‘green spaces’ in the city.

Colorado:  It’s been revealed that state legislators have forgotten a very important part of the taxpayer funded budget for 2018, according to the gov’na there’s not one cent from General Funds allocated for the most obvious of infrustructures; roads and bridges! 

Connecticut: The city of New London has criminally charged its first victim of its new expanded blight laws, for having a huge bamboo grove on his property.   Despite cash strapped voters rejecting three previous city budgets due to jacked-up taxes, the city of Morris is submitting a fourth budget which again includes tax increases, to be voted on in January 2018.

Florida:  Now former congresswoman Democrat Corrine Brown to spend five years in federal prison for helping to raise more than $800-thousand USD for a bogus charity that she used as her personal account.  Manatee County warning that within three years 5-hundred of its employees will be retiring, creating a burden on the county’s retirement funds. Mmmmm, what happened to those retirement funds? County officials are also launching a scare campaign telling local taxpayers they can’t find enough potential employees to replace those who are retiring.

Georgia:  Cash strapped voters in the city of Roswell are so upset with their city’s secretive budget process that city leaders promise to hold two classes openly explaining the budget, in 2018.

Idaho:    In the town of Heyburn two candidates tied in the November elections, by state law a coin toss was held to decide the outcome, however, the loser of the coin toss demanded a hand recount of the votes and low-and-behold that candidate had actually won the election by one vote!  Turns out the one ballot that decided the election was marked so lightly that the machine, which did the original count, couldn’t read it.     The gov’na of The Gem State Butch Otter, released emails criticizing his appointment to fill vacant spots in the state House.  The emails from taxpayers claim the process used by the gov’na violates state law and Idaho Republican Party rules.  Gov’na Otter said he made the appointments to meet the statutory deadline of December 30.

Illinois: State lottery computer services company GTECH-Northstar Lottery Group eliminating 61 jobs in January 2018, due to loss of contract.   A tow truck driver for the city of Chicago sentenced to nine years in prison for offering to illegally release impounded vehicles in exchange for bribes, his wife got 24 months probation for her role in the scam.   Evil government identification computer systems designer France owned-U.S. taxpayer funded MorphoTrust USA (OT-Morpho) issued a shutdown WARN for its Springfield location, 74 jobs gone in February 2018.  Once again, Illinois set another record for the most residents fleeing any U.S. state; 33-thousand-7-hundred people fled for their economic lives from July 2016 to July 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau!  Analysts say it’s only getting worse: “It’s not just a one-year blip. And the declines continue to get bigger from one year to the next.”-William Frey, Brookings Institution

Iowa: DuPont Pioneer suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of employees, as a result of the DuPont-Dow Chemical merger.  Local news media reminded taxpayers that state leaders gave DuPont a $17-million USD as an incentive to maintain 2-thousand-6-hundred jobs in the state.  Taxpayers are now burdened by state and local government debts totaling $15.9-billion USD!   And that’s considered among the lowest debt levels (versus GDP) of any U.S. state!   The state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship began a taxpayer funded three years program to subsidize the increased use of ‘cover crops’ and improve water quality: “There is no other incentive like this in the entire country, so we’re really happy that the state of Iowa is breaking ground on this new incentive.”-Aaron Lehman, Iowa Farmers Union

Michigan:  Vice News reports Detroit’s housing crisis is the work of its own government.  The city of Flint is once again in ‘hot water’ due to accusations of failing to comply with a settlement which required the city to replace contaminated water lines within three years. 

Minnesota: Without warning McNally Smith College of Music shutdown one week before Xmas, due to massive Disappearing Students Syndrome.  State education administrators say they’ll help the 4-hundred affected students, meaning taxpayers are being stuck with dealing with the non-profit’s shutdown.  MinnPost reminding you of The 5 most important local government stories of 2017 that you probably already forgot.

Mississippi: The city of Meridian is challenging Lauderdale County’s 9-1-1 service charges, in one case there is evidence of multiple billings for a single ambulance call.

Missouri: King Cash Saver shutdown its Mount Vernon grocery store saying that despite a decent volume of sales it’s not enough to keep up with the cost of the city supplied utilities, which is as much as 40% higher than other areas of the state (city officials swore to local news media that their utility rate was “competitive”).   Despite violent crime for the entire U.S. being at a 30 years low, Kansas City experienced an explosion of violence in 2017 making it one of the most murderous cities.  One report says at least 207 people were killed.  

Montana: Orwellian sounding national mentoring program Big Brothers Big Sisters warning of shutdown in Helena due to state taxpayer funding cuts and dwindling donations.  Federal taxpayer funding has already been cut.   The state government says the 2018 budget is smaller due to crashing tax revenues.

New York:  Mark’s Pizzeria announced the shutdown of dozens of restaurants across The Empire State, due to the new state mandated minimum wage which affects any restaurant chain with 30 or more locations!   ReEnergy wood-chip fired power plant in Lyonsdale shutting down due to the expiration of its contract with New York State Energy and Research Development Authority.  More proof that relying on federal tax money will doom local governments to failure; the city of Newburgh warning that as many as 70 firefighters could become unemployed in 2018 due to the expiration of a federal grant.  A New York Times investigation revealed that the NYC subway project is now The Most Expensive Mile of Subway Track on Earth.  Investigators found multiple reasons for taxpayer screwing cost overruns as far back as 2010, yet only now are they being revealed.  Some of those cost overruns are unexplained, like two hundred more employees than were supposed to officially be on the payroll who were being paid outrageous wages: “Nobody knew what those people were doing, if they were doing anything. All we knew is they were each being paid about $1,000 every day.”-Michael Horodniceanu, formerly with Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Ohio: Licking County Transit Operation eliminating 48 jobs in January 2018, due to the cancellation of a contract.

Pennsylvania:  After 199 years of producing food, and surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression, the Stewart family farm could be shutdown because of a multi-state electricity power line project!

Texas:  A federal judge is allowing the city of Houston to begin its new anti-homeless police state-ism law.  The city created the law in April, which was challenged by the ACLU.  The federal judge threw out the ACLU’s temporary restraining order against the city.  Yeah, fight homelessness not by creating good paying jobs, but by criminalizing homelessness.  After ten years Austin’s Flying Saucer Draught Emporium shutdown, the owner blames ‘elected’ lawmakers saying “The landscape of the restaurant industry is changing rapidly across the nation, and unfortunately, the Texas beer industry was introduced to topsy-turvy legislation…” 

Washington DC: The Chicago Tribune reports Trump administration rescinding fracking rules on government land.  The Wall Street Journal discovered that about 40% of comments about Net Neutrality posted on the Federal Communications Commission’s website, as well as comments posted on other government websites, were fake!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Government Shenanigans, November 2017:“THE PEOPLE…WILL NEVER, NEVER FIND A BETTER JOB…”

ObamaCare ACA Death Spiral, December 2017:“THE REALITY OF OUR INDUSTRY’S ECONOMICS: FLAT OR DECLINING GOVERNMENT REIMBURSEMENT RATES COUPLED WITH RISING COSTS.”

Dumbing Down the U.S. of A., December 2017:“GRADUATION WAS TODAY. DOORS ARE CLOSING. LOCKS HAVE BEEN CHANGED.”

“the reality of our industry’s economics: flat or declining government reimbursement rates coupled with rising costs.”: ObamaCare ACA death spiral, December 2017

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, announced in December 2017:

Israel based drugs pusher Teva Pharmaceuticals confirmed leaked reports that 14-thousand of its employees, including thousands in the U.S., are about to be laid off.  Investors loved the news and drove up Teva stock prices.

More proof ‘Mericans are druggies; opioid related hospital deaths quadrupled from 1993 to 2014: “Mortality among opioid-driven hospitalizations increased from 0.43 percent before 2000 to 2.02 percent in 2014, an average increase of 0.12 percentage points per year relative to the mortality of hospitalizations due to other drugs—which was unchanged.”

California: Medical device maker AMF Support Surfaces issued a shutdown WARN for its Riverside ops, 72 jobs gone by September 2018.  PharMerica forced to shutdown operations across The Golden State, more than 2-hundred jobs gone the day before Xmas due to PharMerica being taken over by KKR and Walgreens!  God powerless to stop ‘his’ Loma Linda University Medical Center from shutting down, 94 jobs gone by the end of February 2018.  Boston Scientific issued a mass layoff WARN for its Valencia operations, 289 jobs gone by the end of February 2018!  Strategic Medical Ventures eliminated 110 jobs right after Xmas!  Delta Dental laying off 51 people in Rancho Cordova, by the end of January 2018, no reason given according to local news media. More layoffs with Molina Healthcare, this time 60 people in Long Beach suddenly let go.  Newark based drugs pusher Depomed eliminating 328 jobs as it outsources pain killer meds production to a Massachusetts based drugs pusher, as well as move its HQ to another state in 2018!  The city of Los Angeles investigating Avanir Pharmaceuticals for possible violations of federal and state drugs marketing laws. In San Diego, Dart NeuroScience shutting down, 265 jobs gone by February 2018!  It turns out that Dart NeuroScience was being funded by the owner, who could no longer afford to do so.  Scripps Health warned of massive layoffs in 2018, saying “We’ve got to shift our organizational structures around to be able to deal with the new world of health care delivery, find ways of lowering our costs significantly. If we don’t, we will not be able to compete.”  After only three years the Coarsegold and Prather Medical Clinics suddenly shutdown for economic reasons, a pissed-off patient said “I was so shocked, saddened, but mostly mad, when I heard the news of the closure of Coarsegold Medical Clinic Monday morning. I was told by a staff member that they received their ‘closure’ letters Monday morning when they got to work. The sudden closure provides patients with a very short number of days to find a new provider, and what happens to our medical records? Two clinic closures a year apart will force more retired folks to have to move away or put way too many of us onto an already heavily trafficked Highway 41. We sure didn’t move all the way up here 20 years ago to be in this situation. This community deserves better medical facilities than we have now. We used to have an 24 hour urgent care center, we used to have a decent medical clinic.”

Connecticut: Towne Park at Yale-New Haven Hospital issued a mass layoff WARN, 195 jobs gone by the end of February 2018!

Florida:  Family Preservation Services eliminating 249 jobs statewide by February 2018! 

Idaho: Your Health Idaho reports a 10% drop in ObamaCare-ACA enrollments for 2018, compared to 2017, despite an extended sign-up timeline and federal taxpayer subsidies.  In eastern Idaho, 15 doctors are taking a chance and building their own clinics in two locations, accusing the current healthcare system of failing the local population.   Healthcare is still so bad in Idaho prisons that one prisoner had to almost kill himself to get treatment for a flesh eating infection. He’s still alive but his leg was amputated. 

Illinois: Meda Pharmaceuticals issued a shutdown WARN for its operations in Decatur, 80 jobs gone by June 2018 due to consolidations.  South Shore Hospital slashed pay by 10% for the majority of workers, and warned of massive layoffs due to $6-million USD in unpaid Medicaid bills going back to the implementation of ObamaCare-ACA!  Xanitos/AMITA Medical Hospital eliminating 133 jobs by March 2018, due to loss of contracts!  Cigna HealthSpring eliminating 75 Chicago jobs in January 2018.

Iowa: Easterseals laid off 31 people in Des Moines. Healthcare manager Telligen laid off 28 people in West Des Moines.

Massachusetts: The state of RomneyCare is now admitting that by pushing everybody onto healthcare insurance it’s actually costing people more money, not less!  In response to this revelation the exalted lawmakers are pushing a bill that would require drug sellers to tell customers that it would be cheaper to pay with cash than with insurance!   Kindred Living shutting down its Needham nursing home location by March 2018, affecting hundreds of patients and hundreds of employees according to local  news media!

Minnesota: Non-profit, taxpayer owned Winona Health suddenly laid off 17 people, and shutdown 25 vacant positions, and will not fill future vacancies created by retirements.

Missouri: Kindred Healthcare shutting down its Kansas City hospital, 115 jobs gone in January 2018!

Montana: Due to crashing state tax revenues the state Department of Health canceled contracts with four non-profits which help disabled people, affecting 2-thousand-7-hundred Montanans.

New Jersey:  Virtua suddenly laid off 50 people, saying “The healthcare industry is in the midst of significant transformation, both regionally and across the country. Uncertainty resulting from ongoing changes will continue to have a significant impact on health care institutions.”  Fidelity Care eliminating 147 jobs in February 2018! The Medicines Company eliminating 18 jobs in February 2018.

New York: Maimonides Medical Center eliminating 2-hundred jobs due to “the reality of our industry’s economics: flat or declining government reimbursement rates coupled with rising costs.”  Care Connect Insurance issued a shutdown WARN for East Hills, at least 42 jobs gone starting in January 2018.  God powerless to stop ‘his’ Lutheran Augustana Center for Extended Care & Rehabilitation-Langone Health from issuing a shutdown WARN, 286 nursing home jobs gone by June 2018!  Drugs maker Pfizer issued a shutdown WARN for its Rouses Point operation.

Oklahoma: The state Department of Health suddenly laid off 37 people, plus an additional 161 jobs being eliminated by March 2018, claiming the taxpayer funded jobs are redundant!

Oregon: Non-profit FamilyCare Health issued a WARN saying 322 employees will become unemployed by the end of January 2018, blaming lack of payments by Oregon Health Plan-Medicaid!

Pennsylvania: Middletown Community Health Center shutting down in February 2018. The Puerto Rico based owner of nursing home Village of Laurel Run now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, undisclosed number of employees suddenly laid off,  some employees haven’t been paid for weeks, more than $2-million USD in rent hasn’t been paid!  Six months of unanticipated revenue losses are being blamed on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements being put on hold.

South Carolina: Drugs pusher Merck shutting down its Charlotte location, at least 50 jobs gone by June 2018.

Texas:  East Houston Regional Medical Center shutdown due to damage by Hurricane Harvey.  Dallas based Tenet Healthcare eliminating 1-thousand-3-hundred jobs across several states, in 2018! Tenet reported it lost $366-million USD in its 3rd quarter of 2017.  Aperion Biologics now chapter 7 bankrupt dead.

Washington: Bio-tech drugs pusher PhaseRX bankrupt busted only 19 months after its $18.5-million USD Initial Public Offering.   The bankruptcy is blamed on massive debt financing (like issuing stocks?).

ObamaCare (ACA) death spiral November 2017: “SEVERAL SYSTEM AND CONTROL FAILURES”

“Graduation was today. Doors are closing. Locks have been changed.”: Dumbing Down U.S.A., December 2017

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

There’s been a lot of focus on graduation rates for schools across the U.S.  This focus seems to be missing a major point, are high school students meeting graduation requirements? My experience, and my children’s experience, is that too many teenagers are ‘graduated’ even though they can barely read, write or do math (some students are kept from graduating, they is called Super Seniors)!  Instead of focusing on graduation rates taxpayer funded public education needs to focus on getting children ready for adulthood (something it was supposed to do from the beginning of the creation of public education), regardless of how long it takes.   The major concern for high schools is that some states’ current funding regulations actually halt funding for senior students who fail to graduate.  Maybe it’s time we create a new level of schooling, the Super Senior High School.

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”-George Orwell (aka Eric Arthur Blair)

Incomplete (i-e Tip-o-the-Iceberg) list of publicly announced education related layoffs, shutdowns and education crimes, December 2017:

California:  Oak Grove School District appointed a committee to decide how many elementary schools will be shutdown in 2018.  It’s blamed on government mandated benefit increases for employees, and crashing taxpayer funding caused by the loss of 1-thousand-8-hundred students since the end of the 1990s.  A report out of San Francisco revealed that religiously motivated organizations are portraying themselves as representatives of taxpayer funded school districts and tricking taxpayers into attending hours long rallies in which the only way to get out of the rally is to sign a pledge to support the creation of religion based-taxpayer funded charter schools!  Blame immigration?  A lawsuit revealed that The Golden State’s education system’s “reading scores stagnated this year. Fewer than half of students meet its English standards.”

Idaho: The state Board of Education now claims that the statewide teacher exodus is costing taxpayers $6.8-million USD!   IdahoEdNews revealed that a taxpayer funded program to trick high school students into going to college is a dismal failure: “That’s a lot of money for something where we’ve not seen outcomes improve….”-state level Representative Wendy Horman, Idaho Falls

Illinois: La Salle-Peru Township High School District 120 spending 42-thousand+ tax dollars buying a nursing home with the intent of tearing it down for use as a parking lot, one board member said it could be a learning experience for students.   School District 65 began work to replace plumbing contaminated with led (lead) at 13 schools within the district.   School District 308 began eliminating jobs one week before Xmas, due to being $11-million USD in the hole.  Administrators expect to be in financial dire straits until at least 2023!  A former special education teacher (and mother of five kids) was sentenced to ten years in prison for sexually assaulting a student at North Boone High School.  Student loan debt collector Alltran Education shutting down operations in Woodridge, 129 jobs gone by the end of January 2018!

Kansas: Shawnee Mission School District violated at least four of the state’s special-education laws, according to a state investigation report released on 22DEC2017.

Kentucky: The Speed Art Museum (J.B. Speed Memorial) conducted a second round of layoffs (the first round happened just five months after the museum opened) due to shutting down its souvenir shop.  The Courier Journal reports that as a result of The Great Recession the funding disparity between the state’s richest and poorest school districts is as bad as The Great Depression.   Melissa Goins of the state funded Family Resource Center blamed it on one simple fact “We’re a poor state.”

Louisiana: State education officials want to shutdown three charter schools in New Orleans due to lack of academic performance. 

Maine: According to the fifth annual Education Indicators for Maine report the number of poor students in the state increased 10% over the past ten years.   The report also warned that more and more students are failing to become proficient in math and reading exacerbating the state’s “workforce shortage and a skills gap that has reached crisis levels and can no longer be ignored.”

Maryland: The U.S. Department of Education is again investigating the University of Maryland for sex crimes, for a third time this year! Washington County Board of Education member Mike Guessford promised to repay more than $1-thousand-7-hundred USD after being found guilty of ethics violations.  University of Baltimore began furloughing (temporary layoffs without pay) 4-hundred employees one week before Xmas, due to a 15% crash in student enrollments (what I call DSS)!  University administrators claim they’re suffering with a pay cut of as much as 15%, but local news media revealed the pay cut for administrators was voluntary. The university is $4.2-million USD in the hole.   After 40 years L’Academie de Cuisine shutdown without warning one week before Xmas: “Graduation was today. Doors are closing. Locks have been changed.”-unnamed former employee to local news media

Massachusetts: Non-profit Western New England University is asking employees to voluntarily quit (buyouts), not because of problems with student enrollments but because administrators ‘invested’ $90-million USD to “further fortify our University”.

Michigan: God powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 68 years old Ladywood High School in Livonia, due to a 60% crash in enrollments since 2005 (it’s The Rapture eyes tells ya).

Minnesota: Without warning McNally Smith College of Music shutdown one week before Xmas, due to massive Disappearing Students Syndrome.  State education administrators say they’ll help the 4-hundred affected students, meaning taxpayers are being stuck with dealing with the non-profit’s shutdown.

Missouri: Saint Louis Community College began laying off 95 employees one week before Xmas, after a buyout attempt failed to get enough people to voluntarily quit.  According to local news reports, buyouts are still being offered on top of the layoffs.  For-profit Vatterot College shutdown its Saint Joseph campus explaining “When there’s not interest within the community, or need in the community, then we will just teach out a program.”

Nevada: Clark County School District‘s 2018-19 budget will result in the killing of 539 currently filled and vacant jobs!  Also, 240 employees were reassigned new jobs in alignment with low student enrollments.

New Mexico: After four years Taos International School had its charter revoked for the next 12 months, signaling a possible total school shutdown.

New York: NYC Department of Education shutting down 14 schools in 2018! StudentsFirstNY blamed the liberal-lefty-mayor saying “Mayor de Blasio’s expensive school turnaround model has failed miserably.”  After 38 years the pro-Israeli Drisha Institute for Jewish Education is abandoning its location in NYC’s Upper West Side as part of “redeployment” operations, meaning they’re trying to save money by shifting pro-Israeli programs onto NYC synagogues.

Ohio: Who needs litature when you’ve got coffee?  In Mentor, Half Price Books shutting down to, possibly, be replaced by a drive through café.

Oklahoma: The state Department of Education finally revealed that 24-thousand-625 sixth-through 12th-graders were suspended during the 2016-17 school year!  70% of the suspended students were boys. 

Oregon: God powerless to stop the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office from arresting a Springfield Christian School teacher for having sex with one of her students “on a regular basis.”   The sex crime Revelation was made after the teacher’s husband caught her and the 15 years old in bed together, an email was then posted with pics of the two in the act.  Taxpayers in Oregon City voted to build a new $20-million USD police/court building right on the location where a now active school sits, Marylhurst School has to vacate by June 2019.   An editorial in an Oregon newspaper claims that “The rate at which students in Oregon schools are being bullied, harassed or targeted by other troubling or aggressive behavior appears to be skyrocketing.”  The writer not only blames the Trump regime, but the previous Obama regime as well.

Pennsylvania: McGuffey School District dealing with a federal lawsuit accusing three teachers of intimidating a special needs student, supposedly it was recorded on a cell phone.   Scranton School District could lay off 89 people by the end of the school year, because even with grant money the district is still $19-million USD in the hole.  Quakertown Community School District shutting down its Tohikon Valley Elementary School at the end of the 2017-18 school year.  Local news media report it’s the third school in the district to be shutdown since 2011.  Former employees blame the school shutdowns on poor planning by taxpayer funded administrators: “This happened because of a lack of preventative maintenance.  We don’t have a true preventative maintenance program and without it they go quick.”-Vic Bartholomew, former school janitor

Texas:  Dallas Independent School District wants to shutdown four schools in 2018, officially due to low academic performance.  Texas Education Agency (TEA) suddenly canceled a contract with Georgia-based SPEDx, which was meant to find out why the TEA sucks when it comes to educating ‘special needs’ students.  The contract was already being questioned by taxpayers because it was awarded without any bidding by other companies, and most educators had never heard of SPEDx.

Utah: Despite the fact that 30% of Utahans voluntarily attend marriage classes the state Marriage Commission is demanding a new law be created to force all people who want to get married to pay for a premarital education course.  It’s suggested that to help offset the cost of the course that a $20 discount be applied to the Marriage License.  Law students at Brigham Young University have joined the fight against debt collectors. It’s estimated that 70-thousand debt collections cases are filed every year in the Mormon dominated state! The BYU law students are working with a Salt Lake City based attorney to provide debtor’s legal defense free of charge. 

Virginia: U.S. Department of Education investigating Lake Braddock Secondary School for reports of sex crimes committed by a coach, who suddenly retired.

Washington DC:  The federal Department of Education (DoE) reneged on its promise to forgive student loan debt for students who were tricked into attending the now dead Corinthian Colleges, which operated schools with various names across the country.  DoE officials claim they’ll come up with a more fair way to deal with the estimated $550-million USD in outstanding federal student loans.

Wisconsin:  “I wish we could vote, because we’re the ones actually in the education system that they’re fighting to have control over!”Marisa Rodriguez, senior at Saint Joan Antida High School

Dumbing Down November 2017: “CLOSING WAS THE ONLY OPTION.”

More Decline: No more Xmas lights for Chubbuck? The truth about Gentrification

25 DEC 2017 (05:37 UTC-07 Tango 06) 04 Dey 1396/06 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1439/08 Ren-Zi (11th month) 4715

Xmas morn, Tahoe Place, Chubbuck, Idaho

Xmas morn, Tahoe Place, Chubbuck, Idaho

What’s wrong with this pic? Where are all the Xmas lights in the Cotant Park area of ‘christian’ dominated Chubbuck, Idaho?

About 15 years ago 90-95% of the homes around Cotant Park were blazing with Xmas decorations, now 90-95% are dim throughout the end-of-year holiday season.

Most people can’t afford the electric bill, and many residents today are recent arrivals with most of the neighborhood homes now being owned by absentee landlords.  About 15 years ago most of the homes were owned by the people living in them.  This is called gentrification.

The ‘elected’ leaders of Chubbuck, and neighboring Pocatello, constantly claim economic growth, this is because officially gentrification is considered a sign of growth.  According to Wikipedia: “Gentrification is a process of renovation of deteriorated urban neighborhoods by means of the influx of more affluent residents.”

In the United States home ownership was long touted as a sign of economic prosperity, but when most of the homes in your neighborhood become rental units you know the economy is in trouble.  The reality of gentrification, for most neighborhoods throughout the United States, is that rents get jacked-up so high that most Middle Class workers can barely afford to rent them (let alone buy them in competition with elite minority buyers whose sole purpose is to use them as rentals), belying the claim that the average American has become more ‘affluent’.

Here’s some more examples of Chubbuck Gentrification at the hands of ‘elected’ leaders: In 1997 (when I moved here) the deposit for city utilities was $30.  In Summer 2016 I was told by city employees it’s now $350, that’s a 1066% increase!

In the late 1990s the average residential basic water/sewer/trash rate (not including the per thousand gallons water usage rate) was $38 per month.  Now it’s about $98 per month, a 158% increase, and we got no improvement in services (in fact, one year we had to petition the city, twice, over sloppy trash collections)!

Things are only going to get more expensive as in 2017 the city started a Property Improvement Project paid for by $3-million USD in bonds (debt financing), which will be paid back by all you happy taxpayers (somehow).

Small sample of Idaho news sources proving most Idahoans are not ‘affluent’;

Idaho State Journal: Pocatello family of five survives boiler explosion, now homeless

KMVT: Idaho Housing and Finance Association trying to raise half-a-million-dollars in 20 days, to deal with growing homelessness

KIFI: Help save homeless East Idaho animals with your pocket change

Coeur d’Alene Press: “Nationally, transitional housing is going away. Our transitional program has been cut down, so we’re trying to get people into permanent housing so they can have independence. I’d rather deal with a cure than deal with a Band-Aid.”-Jeff Conroy, Saint Vincent de Paul North Idaho homeless program

Idaho Press-Tribune: Boise Rescue Mission prepares to serve nearly 2K meals at Christmas

Idaho Foodbank reports it needs at least 3-million meals this end-of-year holiday season!   Interesting as Idaho’s official population is 1.6-million, proving that most people in Idaho don’t have enough money to buy food!

Idaho Statesman: Boise’s vets home needs more women’s items for its clothing drive

Small sample of news sources proving ‘gentrification’ is a scam to take your property and create a massive poverty class;

Bridge Michigan: What gentrification? Much of Detroit is getting worse.

Forbes: “Gentrification has two faces. There’s an upside that brings in new business, people, and energy, and a higher quality of life, including improved public services. But it’s impossible to overlook the invasive cloud that forces up rents and marginalizes and pushes out locals…”

The Atlantic: The Criminalization of Gentrifying Neighborhoods,  “police actions have coincided with increased gentrification.”

Wall Street Journal:  Gentrification Provokes a Coffee Clash in Denver’s Five Points

The Denver Post: “Gentrification moves fast”: A hard look at economic displacement

Cleveland Scene Weekly: Gentrification: What it Means in the Context of the Rust Belt

PRI: Miami residents fear ‘climate gentrification’ as investors seek higher ground

The Guardian: Nomad stores: the latest sign of gentrification

BlindBatNews;

IDAHO’S ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION 2016: “WE PLAN TO SELL IT DOWN TO THE BONES.”

MY IMMIGRANT IDAHO: FEDERALES (pronounced the Spanish way) SAY IDAHO DOMINATED BY POOR IMMIGRANTS!

“THE DREAM HAS ENDED….The good guys don’t always win.”: U.S. Retail/Banking/Service sector collapse, November 2017

Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss WARNings and store shutdowns made or announced in November 2017:

Department store Bon-Ton (with HQ operations in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania) announced it will shutdown a minimum of 40 stores by the end of 2018, affecting hundreds of jobs, supposedly due to never ending crashing sales.  But wait, somehow the corporation was able to come up with $2-million USD in ‘retention bonuses’ for its executives!  Can you say “bullshit!”?

What automotive industry recovery?  After 93 years Benny’s Home & Auto Stores Famous for Low Prices ramped up its shutdown of all 31 stores, and one distribution center, across Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, at least 715 jobs gone by the end of 2017!

Alaska: In Juneau, after 22 years Lisa Davidson’s Boutique shutdown, the owner blaming “A shift in how I wanna spend my time…”

Arizona: In Tucson, after 23 years ‘retro’ clothier Hydra announced on Facebook it was shutting down after Xmas.

 California: Right after publically committing itself to helping the hurricane ravaged residents of Puerto Rico, 85 years old San Francisco based law firm Sedgwick LLP killed itself!  Sedgwick offices across the U.S. shutting down between now and January 2018, hundreds of jobs gone due to a failed attempt to merge with a competing law firm!  After ten years, independant movie theater operator Cinefamily shutdown due to employees alleging the company bosses routinely sexually harass them.  Despite a strong online presence (website, Facebook, smartphone applications, etc), teen clothier Styles for Less is now bankrupt busted with as much as $50-million USD of debts!  Retailer Robert Talbotts laying off 37 people at its Monterey store in January 2018.  In San Diego, after 125 years (surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression) jeweler Jessop’s shutdown due to nobody in the family wanting to continue the retail operation.  In Santa Barbara, after 30 years vintage costume (some dating to 1870) shop Victorian Vogue shutdown, the owner blaming the loss of sales on the shutdown of the nearby Brooks Photography Institute, whose students accounted for half of Victorian Vogue’s sales.  Build-a-Bear Workshop finally notified the state that it shutdown its Anaheim store, 72 jobs gone back in September. 

Colorado: In Denver, Second Spin record-CD shop forced to shutdown in January 2018 because the “landlord decided to venture into something else.”

Connecticut:  In Ridgefield, after eight years Bise Fashionable Finds shutdown because the owner is moving to North Carolina to take over a bigger store.  In New Haven, after 21 years Sassy Beauty Supply shutdown due to not being able to renew the lease.

Florida: Disney suddenly laid off more than 145 people at its various resorts in the U.S., despite the fact that Disney’s resort parks are the only part of the corporation with growing revenues!  Insurance service provider Patriot National eliminating 250 jobs as part of a plan to let creditors take over the failing business!  Janitor service Mundy Maintenance and Services eliminating 54 jobs right before Xmas. Assurant Valuations eliminating 62 jobs by March 2018.

Georgia:  Department store Belk shutting down its Phipps Plaza Mall ‘flagship’ location, 144 jobs gone sometime in 2018!  In Valdosta, after seven years Red Door Records announced on Facebook it’ll shutdown after Xmas.

Idaho: In Rexburg, after 46 years Targhee Sports shutting down in January 2018, as well as Duck Creek Pawn, the co-owners of the stores blame a “bad business deal” that’s forcing them to sell the land the stores are on.

Illinois: P.R.O.U.D. (Pontiac Redeveloping Our United Downtown) shutting down its Illinois Marketplace Store, apparently they’re not that united because “… it was no longer financially feasible to continue the store.”  In Dixon, after 25 years Downtown Sports shutting down after Xmas, due to the death of one of the owners.  Also in Dixon, after 18 years Super Dollar Store shutdown saying “The numbers are just not there.”  In Alton, after 165 years (surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression) Goulding’s Jewelers shutting down so the current 70 years old owner can retire, who said “…I’m kind of worn out finally, and the business changing. Amazon is taking over the world. And, of course, the local economy is suffering.”  What automotive industry recovery?  In Rockford, after 56 years vehicle retailer Gary Carlson Motors is for sale and will shutdown after Xmas.  Office Specialists shutdown its store in Kewanee as part of its plan to focus more on internet sales.  Department store Lord&Taylor issued a shutdown WARN for its store in Skokie, 119 jobs gone by the end of April 2018!  Bankrupt Maurice Sporting Goods issued a layoff WARN for its Northbrook location, 104 jobs gone right before Xmas!

Indiana: On Facebook the owner of Fun F/X blamed online competition for his Grape Road store’s demise.  It’s ironic because Fun F/X has its own website, where it will continue to do business. Tuesday Morning shutting down its close-out store in the Highland Grove plaza due to losing its lease.

Iowa: In Des Moines, after 122 years (surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression) ‘everything’ shop H.B. Leiserowitz shutdown, blaming the final straw on competition from big box stores, but their sales slowdown started when cameras went digital.  In Ames, after nine years Dyvig’s Pet Shoppe shutdown and is for sale to help pay for the owner’s retirement.

Hawaii: After 37 years bankrupt busted Island Air is now dead, at least 423 jobs in Hawaii gone!  An aviation ‘expert’ blames the airline’s demise on its switch to larger aircraft which “…forced them out of their niche market…….and forced them to go head to head…” with bigger airlines.

Kansas: Topeka based shoe retailer Payless announced “additional steps” starting with an additional undisclosed number of layoffs.  Burlington (formerly Burlington Coat Factory) shutting down its store in Topeka’s West Ridge Mall this Winter.  Also in Topeka, the Ramada West Hotel suddenly shutdown blaming an extremely weak off-season tourist market which caused the property to be sold-out from under the hotel’s feet, 30 jobs suddenly gone.  Tuesday Morning shutting down its close-out store in Andover in January 2018, due to lack of sales. In Halstead, after almost 30 years Shear Image Hairstyling shutdown so the owner could retire.

Kentucky: In Louisville, home decor-clothing store Gifthorse shutting down in December because the owners are moving away.

Louisiana:  In Bossier City, after 33 years guitar seller The String Shop shutting down by January 2018, the owners saying “Been fighting for about a year and a half to keep it going and it’s time. …music industry…is dying out.”

Maryland: In Silver Springs, after 43 years Roadhouse Oldies Make Your Own CD shutdown, the owner lamented “People who were actively accumulating music, albeit records or cassettes or CDs or whatever, are no longer accumulating stuff.”  In Annapolis, department store Lord&Taylor shutting down its store at Westfield Annapolis mall, 141 jobs gone by April 2018!  Lacrosse equipment retailer LAX World suddenly shutdown all its brick-n-mortar stores, and abandoned its HQ, after getting hit with numerous lawsuits from landlords and suppliers.  Bon-Ton issued a shutdown WARN for its store in Hagerstown, 47 jobs gone by the end of February 2018.  What housing market recovery?  First Guaranty Mortgage issued a WARN for its Frederick location, 82 jobs gone by the end of January 2018.

Massachusetts: In Norwell, after 70 years Garden Craft Center shutdown so the owners can retire.

Michigan: Contracted trash collector Diva Disposal suddenly went chapter 7 bankrupt dead, customers say they got no warning and trash is piling up!  In Woodhaven, after 40 years Skateland is now for sale and could shutdown in December.  In Royal Oak, after 83 years Chinn Jewelry shutting down, the property for sale, with the owner blaming “…a combination of the economy…the internet, increased expenses, decreased revenues.”  In Grandville, after more than 80 years Richard Engels Jewelers shutting down when the inventory is gone, the owner is moving to Florida.  In Grand Rapids, god powerless to stop the internet from shutting down ‘his’ christian Eardmans Bookstore. Christian book printer Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company says it’ll focus solely on internet sales.

Minnesota: Minneapolis based Target shutting down 12 additional stores across nine U.S. states by the end of 2017. Target administrators claim their new store openings cancel out any old store shutdowns.  In Rochester, Hight & Randall Ltd. Personal Jeweler announced on its website it is shutting down, to be replaced with “something new in 2018.”

Missouri: Now dead law firm Sedgwick LLP issued a shutdown WARN for its Kansas City office, 75 jobs gone by mid-January 2018.  It should be noted that Sedgwick LLP recently announced efforts to help hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.  Also in Kansas City, after more than 40 years the Gold’s Gym in the Westport district suddenly shutdown without any warning to customers.  However, local news media said customers expected the shutdown as customer service rapidly went down the toilet.  In Warrensburg,  after 61 years B&B Auto Supply shutdown because “We’ve seen many changes in the industry and in ourselves … and with those changes in mind, we’ve decided it is time to focus on our health and retirement.”  In Springfield, after 25 years CD Warehouse shutdown, blaming the shift to digital (despite the fact that CDs are a type of digital platform).

Montana:In Great Falls, after 30 years Forsyth Paint and Decorating shutting down, the owners saying “We’re wearing out.”

New Hampshire: After 29 years consignment shop Two Flights Down shutdown.

New Mexico: In Portales, after 62 years Woody’s Jewelry shutdown because the owner ‘burned out’.

New York: Bon Ton shutting down its department store in Massena by the end of January 2018, due to not renewing the lease.  Also in Massena, after 65 years the owners of Cornell’s Dry Cleaning saying of their multiple locations that “we’re shutting everything right down” by mid-December.  What housing market recovery?  Too Big to Jail Capital One issued a shutdown WARN for its Melville mortgage ops, 26 jobs gone by March 2018.  In NYC, after 53 years Matt Umanov Guitars shutting down in December, Matt says “Commercial rents went up. People left. The community left, and tourism came in.”  Also in NYC, Too Big to Jail Morgan Stanley laying off 29 people between March and June 2018.  NYC based and troubled clothing retailer J.Crew revised its U.S. store shutdown list upward to 50 stores, due to what is now an obvious death spiral in sales.  250 J.Crew jobs were already killed earlier in the year, the increase in store shutdowns means more than 3-hundred additional jobs will be lost!  In Latham, after 39 years Northeast Music, Inc. halting brick-n-mortar ops and going online only (because they believe the hype about online sales killing brick-n-mortars, when by 2017 online sales accounted for only 15% of retail sales in the U.S., and state level internet tax collections prove it).  In Brooklyn-NYC, Apogee Retail issued a shutdown WARN for its Unique thrift store, 58 jobs gone by the end of January 2018.  Also in Brooklyn-NYC,  Red Lantern Bicycles shutdown blaming never ending rent increases: “So we just decided we’d finish out the year and not go through another winter and call it quits now before the next increase kicked in.”-Brian Gluck

North Carolina: What housing market recovery? Landlord Platinum Properties is now chapter 7 bankrupt, and most likely dead.

North Dakota: In Fargo, after 99 years of selling shoes Shu by R&G shutdown because the owner wants to retire.

Oregon: In Portland, after 46 years The Real Mother Goose Fine American Craft shutting down its store on South West Yamhill the day before Xmas, due to the landlord conducting a radical remodel that is forcing all the tenants to leave.

Pennsylvania: Too Big to Jail California based Wells Fargo finally notified the state of its shutdown of its operations in Bethlehem, 468 jobs now gone!  After six decades Stout’s Mower Service shutdown with the owner explaining “I am 76 years old”.  Mormon Mitt Romney’s co-founded wunderkind Staples shutting down its location in Greenwich. Tellingly local news media called the Staples store “Another large store in the Pittsburg-area…” (Staples is by no means a large store)  In York, York Wallcoverings shutting down its sole factory operated 27 years old retail store, when the inventory is gone, blaming the way people now shop.

South Dakota: Celebrity Hotel & Casino now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Tennessee: Memphis based retailer Fred’s suddenly laid off 90 employees right before Thanksgiving as part of a plan to become more competitive, local news media speculated it was just the beginning of more layoffs.  In Memphis, FYE-Spin Street Music shutting down when the lease expires in January 2018, because even sales of Japanese anime and manga items have crashed!

Texas: In Victoria, after 24 years Torin Bales Fine Jewelry announced on Facebook that its shutting down.  What housing market recovery? In Plano, Too Big to Jail Capital One eliminating 950 mortgage related call center jobs as part of its plan to get the hell outta the mortgage lending and home equity business!

Vermont: In Montpelier, after several decades Onion River Sports and The Shoe Horn both forced to shutdown because they are no longer able to get debt financing to buy their inventories!

Virginia: Elder-Beerman shutting down its decades old department store in Vienna, by the end of January 2018.  In Bluefield, after about 20 years Joann Fabrics Crafts shutting down when the inventory is gone, local news media says no reason was given.

Washington: In Seattle, after 42 years Zanadu Comics shutdown for “hundreds” of reasons, the obviously pissed owner adding on his Facebook post  “THE DREAM HAS ENDED….The good guys don’t always win.”  Also in Seattle, after 1-hundred years (surviving numerous recessions and The Great Depression) Crown Hill Hardware shutting down due to a death in the family, which is forcing the sale of the property.

West Virginia: Goodwill suddenly shutdown its thrift store in Wheeling, saying the landlord did not want to renew the lease. Department store Belk shutting down its Morgantown location, 39 jobs gone in March 2018.  In South Charleston, after more than 36 years Village Floral shutting down so the 83 years old owner can retire.

Wisconsin:  In Stevens Point, Mitchell Piano Works shutting down after Xmas, a different music store will take its place.  In Wisconsin Rapids, Heid Music shutting down after Xmas, it is moving to Stevens Point.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. RETAIL/BANKING/SERVICE SECTOR COLLAPSE, October 2017: “RETAIL IS NOT A JOB OR A CAREER…” “THIS YEAR…WOULD BE OUR LAST YEAR”

SEARS KMART DEATH SPIRAL, November 2017:“WE’RE ONE OF THE BEST STORES IN OUR MARKET!”

U.S. INDUSTRIAL/MINING/LOGISTICS LAYOFFS, November 2017:“OUR EFFORT TO FIND A FINANCIAL FUTURE…HAS NOT SUCCEEDED.”

Dumbing Down the U.S.A., November 2017:“CLOSING WAS THE ONLY OPTION.”

U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, November 2017:“AN UNFORESEEN CHANGE”

U.S. government shenanigans, November 2017: “THE PEOPLE…WILL NEVER, NEVER FIND A BETTER JOB…”

U.S. food crisis, November 2017:  “SORRY FOLKS THE END HAS COME FOR THE PIG.”

ObamaCare ACA death spiral, November 2017:“SEVERAL SYSTEM AND CONTROL FAILURES”

GREAT RENEGER: OFF-SHORING OF U.S. JOBS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL INVESTOR MORALE IMPROVES!

“an unforeseen change”: U.S. Hi-Tech/Communications breakdown, November 2017

More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise. Incomplete list of U.S. internet/high-tech/communications job destruction announcements in November 2017:

Internet based WebMD laid off about 170 people after being taken over by vulture capitalist KKR-Internet Brands!

Online news media outlets Washington DC focused DCist, New York City & Chicago focused DNAinfo and eight city focused Gothamist suddenly shutdown, basically because the billionaire owner refused to recognize his New York employees’ new union!

Deutschland based electrical engineering giant Siemens announced it will eliminate 6-thousand-9-hundred jobs globally, including 1-thousand-8-hundred jobs in the United States!  Administrators blame “The power generation industry is experiencing disruption of unprecedented scope and speed. Renewables are putting other forms of power generation under increasing pressure.”

Arkansas: Communications company Windstream Holdings laid off 11 people as part of consolidation operations.

California: After only two years General Electric (GE) Digital already eliminating 148 jobs from its relatively new software development ops in San Ramon! NerdWallet suddenly laid off 53 people for failing to make the internet financier profitable.  Brocade Communications eliminating 308 jobs after Xmas, due to being taken over by BroadCom! BuzzFeed eliminating 1-hundred jobs due to missing revenue goal! AutoDesk eliminating 1-thousand-150 jobs as it radically changes its business model!  San Jose based TechShop suddenly died,  suddenly shutting down all ten U.S. locations on 15 NOV 2017! Is it because membership with TechShop was reported to cost $1-thousand USD?  Verizon’s Oath Inc eliminating 90 jobs in Sunnyvale in January 2018.  Also in Sunnyvale, Infinera Corporation suddenly laid off 73 people. Sunnyvale based Yahoo laid off 560 people in the British empire’s United Kingdom!   Los Angeles based Fullscreen suddenly laid off 25 people and will halt its streaming service in 2018.  San Rafael based TellTale Games eliminating 90 jobs in January 2018,  in an effort to be more competitive.  After four years San Francisco based ‘hearables’ maker Doppler Labs now dead due to lack of sales.  Prysm Visual Workplace (Prysm Inc) issued a shutdown WARN for its San Jose location, 148 jobs gone by the end of January 2018!  Membrane switch manufacturer Nelson-Miller issued a shutdown WARN for its Los Angeles ops, 127 jobs gone right after Xmas!  Florida based Citrix Systems eliminating 97 jobs in Santa Clara, in December.  Collection Technology eliminating 13 jobs in January 2018.  Symantec continues killing jobs, this time 46 people jobless by December. C.T. Mac eliminating 154 jobs in Orange and Riverside counties, in January 2018!

Colorado:  After 20 years internet based Door to Door Organics food delivery service shutdown without warning, vaguely blaming “recent events in our industry”The Denver Post laid off seven people. Almost brand new online news media outlet Denverite already eliminating jobs, saying “journalism is a tough industry”.

Connecticut: Disney owned, Bristol based ESPN eliminating an additional 150 jobs!  In Norwalk, GE (General Electric) Digital issued a layoff WARN, 80 jobs gone at the end of January 2018.

Georgia:  The gov’na announced that taxpayers are being forced to pay an additional $35-million (on top of the $58-million) USD for a massive cyber security/cybercrimes unit campus in Augusta.  The second largest radio station operator in the U.S., Cumulus Media, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, due to $2.4-billion USD in debts.

Idaho: Clearwater Research issued a WARN, 101 jobs in Boise gone right after Xmas!

Illinois: Honeywell made a sudden announcement saying it must halt nuclear power/weapons production at its Metropolis factory, 170 jobs gone before Thanksgiving due to lack of sales!  NBC Sports Chicago suddenly laid off 12 people.

Louisiana: Monroe based CenturyLink suddenly laid off 165 employees, blaming “redundancies”!

Maryland: Digital news outlet owner Tronc suddenly shutdown its Baltimore City Paper.

Michigan: The Detroit News wants employees to voluntarily quit (buyouts) right before Xmas, in preparation for “a tight budget in the year ahead”.

New York: Magazine publisher Condé Nast laid off seven GQ employees, including digital editors, and is halting Teen Vogue hardcopy printing, killing at least 80 jobs.  Massachusetts based  API Technologies shutting down its Fairpoint ops, 61 jobs gone by February 2018.  B&H Foto and Electronics shutting down its Navy Yard Facility ops, 239 jobs gone by February 2018, due to the company moving to New Jersey!  Capacitor maker AVX Corporation  shutting down its Olean Advanced Products factory by February 2018.  Online based New Media News issued a shutdown WARN, 74 jobs in NYC gone by February 2018.

North Carolina:  The evil Carlyle Group owned, and now schizophrenic, Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) laid off 12 InfoTech employees, and is laying off an undisclosed number of HR employees, as part of off-shoring of jobs to an unnamed European location, while at the same time claims to be hiring “hundreds” of new employees.

Ohio:  Quad-Graphics shutting down its ‘junk mail’ advertisement printing ops in Columbus, 116 jobs gone right after Xmas!  Government InfoTech contractor CGI Federal issued a WARN, 64 jobs in Cleveland gone by January 2018.

Oregon: Microsoft increased the number of jobs being eliminated at its Wilsonville operations to 125! Microsoft is eventually shutting down its Wilsonville Surface Hub ops and moving most of the work to China.  In Portland, Jive eliminating 18 jobs after Xmas.  SureID-Fortior Solutions issued a WARN, 25 jobs gone by the end of January 2018 “due to an unforeseen change in business circumstances”.

Pennsylvania:  After only ten years making LED bulbs Appalachian Lighting Systems now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Spirited Media laid off five people due to lack of revenues.

Texas: In San Antonio, government InfoTech contractor CGI Federal eliminating 169 jobs!

Washington:  Seattle based Runic Games suddenly shutdown by its owner Perfect World.  Seattle based Amazon shutting down its Amazon Fresh grocery service in at least nine U.S. states!

Washington DC: Construction industry database publisher Hanley Wood laid off at least 16 people.  Reports that Washington City Paper is for sale.

Wisconsin: Automotive database ‘integrator’ Authenticom eliminating at least 55 jobs by February 2018, due to legal battles with competitors.

U.S. Tech/Communications breakdown, October 2017: “SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”

“sorry folks the end has come for the pig.”: U.S. Food Crisis, November 2017

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of November, 2017: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, spread of disease and extreme weather.

A new study says rain spreads diseases to crops: “While the importance of rain for providing water and nutrients to plant life is well-understood, it also contributes to the dispersal of microscopic pathogen particles.”-American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics

Alabama:  Piggly Wiggly shutting down its grocery store in Cullman, about 30 jobs gone by Xmas due to the undisclosed “decision of the owners.”

Arizona: In Scottsdale, after only six months El Panzon y Frida shutdown without warning or explanation, an unnamed employee revealed the shutdown plan to local news media!  Apparently The Grand Canyon state is experiencing a locust infestation: “I’ve never seen anything like this. At first, there were a few. And then you realize day after day there’s more of them.”-Dianna Isaacson, who says her plants looks like a bunch of skeletons

California:In Sacramento, after 50 years bar Distillery was sold-off and suddenly shutdown.  Outback Steakhouse suddenly shutdown its restaurant in Goleta, blaming the landlord for jacking up the rent (this location was not on the February Outback shutdown list).  Cal Pacific Specialty Foods suddenly shutdown its operations in Moss Landing, 323 jobs gone right before Thanksgiving!  Dole issued a shutdown WARN for its operations in Watsonville, 140 jobs gone by mid-January 2018!  Tyson laying off 70 people in San Diego, in January 2018.  Specialty Commodities (owned by food giant Archer Daniels Midland) issued a shutdown WARN for its Stockton location, 63 jobs gone in January 2018.  In Paramount, Latitude 45 Catering shutting down, 33 jobs gone right after Xmas.  Fruit tree grower L.E. Cooke issued a shutdown WARN for its Visalia ops, 278 jobs gone by mid-January 2018!  Restaurant operator Saddle Ranch Universal issued a mass layoff WARN, 124 people in Universal City jobless by January 2018!

Colorado:  After 20 years internet based Door to Door Organics food delivery service shutdown without warning, vaguely blaming “recent events in our industry”.

Florida:In Orlando, expensive ‘farm-to-table’ Nova Scratch Kitchen suddenly shutdown due to lack of sales.  Hurricane Irma reduced the citrus crop by as much as 70%, which is significant when you realize that The Sunshine State can supply up to 49% of the citrus for the entire United States!

Idaho: After 28 years in Chubbuck, it was revealed that restaurant Taquiera La Costa suddenly shutdown because the immigrant owner failed to become a legal resident/citizen and had to move back to Mexico.  He swears he’ll be back when his ‘paperwork’ is approved.  In Pocatello, after eight years locally run restaurant Efresh-The Gathering Place suddenly shutdown, the owner blaming the sudden escalation in corporate big-box restaurants: “There were so many restaurants that came into town really quickly and people decided to go there and just being a local little business, we felt that hit.”-Emily Fisher, interviewed by KIFI

Illinois:  In Chicago, after 11 years, and recently reporting $19-million USD in sales, popular steak joint Primehouse shutting down in December, apparently due to the landlord James Hotel.  After 52 years Chicago Brauhaus shutting down in December.  In Bellevue, bbq joint Righteous Pig shutdown, the Facebook post simply said “sorry folks the end has come for the pig.”  In Champaign, after two years Brixx Wood Fired Pizza shutting down, 30 jobs gone in December because “We don’t have the volume of customers that we needed to stay viable.”   Farmers blaming stunted corn and soybean crops on the Enbridge Southern Access Extension oil pipeline. 

Indiana:  Police owned Cops & Doughnuts suddenly shutdown their one year old South Bend location, the day before Thanksgiving, an unnamed manager blamed lack of sales. In Hebron, after more than 50 years Patz’s Market finally shutdown following years of online reviews that said it looked deserted.  Aunt Millie’s Bakeries announced it will shutdown its Fort Wayne bakery, 91 jobs gone between now and April 2018 due to “excess capacity and costs” (which is code for too much inventory and not enough sales).   Also in Fort Wayne, after only one year restaurant The Golden shutdown.  In Lafayette, after 50 years Pizza King in the Jefferson Square Shopping Center shutdown, the owner says despite being busy after school hours “… it’s a lot cheaper just to shut it down.”

Iowa:  In Sioux City, after 99 years Coney Island shutting down by the end of the year due to a failed attempt to sell the popular hot dog joint.  After 75 years The Supervisors Club (supposedly an elite club for John Deere employees) shutting down due to lack of members (probably because of all the Deere layoffs).  ICON Ag & Turf issued a layoff WARN, 83 people in Ireton jobless by January 2018.  Mike Naig, state Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, reported “Dry weather, particularly in southern Iowa, stressed crops and did negatively impact yields in some areas.”

Kansas: In Wichita, after five years Ernie Biggs Chicago Style Dueling Piano Bar shutdown.  In Topeka, after 31 years Pepe & Chela’s shutdown because of “an opportunity” the owner couldn’t pass up.  In Manhattan, after a recent name change The Hut shutdown: “… the volume just hasn’t been what it should be.”-Bud Cox, co-owner

Michigan: In Bay City, after 14 years Sweet Boutique & Chocolate Lounge shutdown, the owner credits getting an Idaho Spud Bar from the Idaho Candy Company for giving him the idea to open his shop, however, he says with the way things are “now is the time” to shutdown.  In Farmington, after 50 years Dan’s Giant Submarine Sandwiches shutdown so the surviving co-owner can retire.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, restaurant Como Dockside announced on Facebook that it is forced to shutdown the day before Thanksgiving.  Duluth Homebrew Supply announced on Facebook its sudden shutdown, they couldn’t renew the lease which is $2,690 USD per month.

Montana: Flathead Lake Brewing shutting down its Woods Bay taproom and brewing facility after Xmas, so the owners can focus on their Bigfork location. In Valier, after 29 years restaurant The Lighthouse shutdown.  India hitting Montana pea farmers with a 50% import tax!

Nebraska: In Omaha, Willy Theisen’s Paragon Dundee shutdown saying “We just didn’t get the traction we needed.”

New Jersey: In New Brunswick, after 30 years Old Bay Restaurant shutdown.  Sales were so bad that Kimchi Smoke II suddenly shutdown its five months old Montclair location, despite the lease being in effect for at least two more years!

New York: Hannaford announced it is shutting down its grocery store in Massena, 62 jobs gone by July 2018 due to lack of profits.  In Buffalo, after 68 years wholesaler Willowbrook Farms suddenly shutdown, 22 jobs gone because the family owners don’t want to continue the business.   Green Planet Grocery shutting down its three years old Cicero store once most of the inventory is gone. Bohemia based Vitamin World is now dead, shutting down 124 stores and selling off the remaining 210, at least 1-thousand-478 jobs gone! In Schenectady, after 11 years Cella Bistro shutdown due to health problems with the family owners.  Terrafina issued a shutdown WARN for its snack factory in Bronx-NYC, 109 jobs gone by February 2018!  Restaurant Associates lost its contract with Barclays Executive Dining Room, 37 jobs gone right after Xmas.  In NYC, restaurant Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina shutting down, 98 jobs gone by the end of February 2018.  Tops Markets issued a shutdown WARN for its grocery store in Wappingers Falls, 83 jobs gone by February 2018.  State agricultural commissioner Richard Ball warning of an Asian insect that could destroy crops: “If left unchecked, the spotted lanternfly can wreak havoc on some of our state’s largest and economically important crops…..  including grapes, apples, hops and forest products.”

Ohio: Fusian shutting down its restaurant near Ohio State University, as part of a plan for growing the chain.  In Hamilton, Alexander’s Market & Deli shutdown because the owner doesn’t have the time for it.  In Sandusky, after 42 years Kreimes Cardinal Grocery shutdown because of the family owners’ health problems.  France based food service contractor Sodexo issued a WARN, 30 people in Cleveland jobless right after Xmas.

Pennsylvania: In Dallas, after 17 years Olde House Cafe shutdown after the property was sold to Misericordia University.  In West Nantmeal, Wyebrook Farm shutting down its restaurant after Xmas.  In Craley, after 86 years Barry’s Country Food Market shutdown the day before Thanksgiving, the frustrated family owners told customers “times have gotten too tough.”  In Washington, after more than 50 years restaurant Peppino’s shutdown, the property is for sale.

South Dakota: Corn, soybeans and grain sorghum harvests are expected to go down by 5%.

Tennessee: Spaghetti Warehouse suddenly shutdown its restaurant in Memphis.  It’s still going on, tobacco crops failing and again state inspectors blame contractors for improper herbicide spraying One tobacco farmer says he lost more than $400-thousand USD as a result. 

Texas: Irving based Dairy Queen franchise owner Vasari chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down at least 23 of its 70 Dairy Queens in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, blaming oil industry layoffs and destruction caused by hurricanes.  Grocery giant Kroger suddenly canceled its contract with a  warehouse operator in Keller, 690 jobs gone a week after Thanksgiving! Kroger is now contracting with Penske Logistics for its warehouse operations.  In Dallas, restaurant Sambuca shutting down its McKinney Avenue location because for years the landlord refused to fix ongoing problems with the building, even after being sued.  In Longview, after four years Bootlegger Grill shutdown without warning after failed attempt to sell it: “The problem is there is an oversaturation of restaurants in the Longview market. Nobody wanted to purchase a restaurant.”-Chris Cline, owner

Texas fruit growers are worried about this year’s warmer than average winter forecast: “The trees are not able to set leaf buds or flower buds normally and that can lead to problems. It can also lead to little or no fruit sap.”– Steve Huebner, peach and plum famer

Virginia: In Altavista, after many decades Vista Food Market shutting down, 23 jobs gone in December.  Blaming the “natural business cycle” Not Your Average Joe’s shutdown its 11 years old Lansdowne restaurant. Farm Fresh shutting down its store on Arthur Way, in Newport News, right after Xmas due to lack of profits.  Firefighting themed Halligan Bar & Grill shutdown two of three locations without warning, one had been open for only 90 days, and the other had already been closed officially for remodeling but not anymore!  For some reason the co-owners suddenly decided to retire!

Washington: Seattle based Amazon shutting down its Amazon Fresh grocery service in at least nine U.S. states!

West Virginia: FoodFair shutting down its 13 years old store in Huntington, 30 jobs gone because “Unfortunately, the market conditions have deteriorated…”

Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, after more than 20 years restaurant La Fuente shutdown without warning.  British empire Canada based Saputo shutting down its cheese factory in Fond du Lac, 126 jobs gone by May 2018!  University of Wisconsin says carbon emissions actually increase when crops are grown for ethanol production.  Colder than average temperatures are preventing crops from necessary drying, some farmers reporting that the ground is already freezing which could prevent them from harvesting.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. Food Crisis, October 2017: “SHOCKINGLY CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”

“The people…will never, never find a better job…”: U.S. government shenanigans, November 2017

Incomplete (i-e ‘Tip of the Iceberg’) list of U.S. Federal/State/Local Government self-destruct announcements for November 2017:

Alligations of sexcrimes by your ‘elected’ officials not only revealed a now no longer secret federal taxpayer funded hush fund (Congress paid $17 million in settlements. Here’s why we know so little about that money), but even State’s have their own state taxpayer funded sexcrimes hush funds (“State governments’ practice of spending taxpayer funds to settle sexual harassment lawsuits against legislators and staff has created an uproar…”)!

Alabama: A U.S. Army Reserve officer from The Heart of Dixie spending four years in prison, and forced to pay-up $4.4-million USD, for selling Chinese made caps and backpacks to U.S. Army Recruiting Command which requires such items to be made in the United States. According to the court documents, the officer got three federal government contracts worth $6.2-million for the recruiting items, which he falsely claimed were made in the United States.

Alaska:  According to the Rain Coast Data/Southeast Conference, state government jobs declined by 720 from 2014 to 2017.

California:  “We have rapists in this building. We have molesters among us. There are perpetrators, enforcers and enablers in this building, and … a lot of us know who they are. We find out through that whisper network. People do talk, they just don’t come forward.”-Christine Pelosi, California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus, talking about The Golden State’s government system

California’s electricity rates are still 50% higher that the national average, despite claims that mandating renewable energy sources would bring costs down.  This as the state Public Utilities Commission predicted that Southern California Gas Company will fail to meet customers’ needs this Winter.

Colorado:  State agencies warning people getting healthcare assistance for their children from a federally funded program to prepare to get nothing, because the federal government halted funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Connecticut: According to U.S. Government Spending, state government tax spending has outpaced the state’s gross domestic product (GDP), since the 1990s!

Florida:  Federal taxpayers giving The Sunshine State at least $615-million USD to help recover from Hurricane Irma. Local news media pointed out that there is currently no plan on how to distribute the money and predicted most of the money won’t get to those who need it.

Georgia:  The gov’na announced that taxpayers are being forced to pay an additional $35-million (on top of the $58-million) USD for a massive cyber security/cybercrimes unit campus in Augusta.

Idaho: Recently appointed (not elected) state-level senator from Idaho Falls, Tonny Potts, was revealed to have gone chapter 7 bankrupt busted back in March. Potts was appointed to his senator job by Right to Work (you over) gov’na Butch Otter in October.  Current state level representative Ryan Kerby got a slap-on-the-wrist for committing a criminal act while he was superintendent for School District 372 (aka New Plymouth School District).  According to the Professional Standards Commission’s review, Kerby “willfully or deliberately” submitted a falsified teacher qualification report.  Kerby can challenge the slap-on-the-wrist letter of reprimand.     More court proven cases of voter fraud as a man who lost his ‘right’ to vote (due to being on criminal probation) somehow voted in this month’s elections.  Ada County elections employees warning that the three years old Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program doesn’t work, for a simple reason: “We learned the hard way that there are many people who share names and birth dates across the country.”-Phil McGrane, Ada County chief deputy clerk

Idaho Statesman: Idaho is sharing your private voter data (even though it promised not to)

Illinois: Cook County’s new budget calls for the elimination of 321 jobs due to a failed tax on soda-pop, starting in December: “The people should really wonder what kind of government we are when we are laying off this many people at this time of year. The people losing their jobs will never, never find a better job than the one they’ve lost.”-Larry Suffredin, county commissioner

Louisiana: The state’s First Circuit Court of Appeal ruled that the gov’na cannot issue an executive order protecting homosexuals working for state government from discrimination, harassment and firing based on their sexual thing.

Michigan:  Local taxpayers in the Evart area are pissed about Switzerland based Nestlé’s request to increase its use of local water to 794-million liters (210-million U.S. gallons) yearly.  The water is then sold as bottled water under various Nestlé brands at huge profits.

Mississippi: The state administered SNAP (commonly called food stamps) is under federal investigation for submitting fake food stamp claims.

Missouri: The current federal tax bill might save state taxpayers  $1-billion USD by affecting something called ‘rolling conformity’ of standard deductions at the state level.  State tax collection officials refused to comment to local news media as to what the state government would do to make up the difference.

Montana: The Treasure State could lose $30-million USD in federal taxpayer funding if the current federal tax plan becomes law.  The loss would come from changes to ObamaCare-ACA and mining royalty payments.  To offset the possible loss Montana politicians are thinking about jacking-up state taxes.

New Jersey: A taxpayer funded Bergen County animal shelter had a Catholic bishop bless the animals, and is now facing a lawsuit over 1st Amendment violation.

New York:  Voters in The Empire State overwhelmingly voted against a Constitutional Convention.  Such a thing could end the United States as we know it.  British empire United Kingdom owned, U.S. taxpayer funded, Luxfer Magtech halting its manufacture of U.S. Department of Defense Meal Ready to Eat ‘flameless’ ration heater at its factory in Riverhead, 60 jobs gone by February 2018 due to production being moved to other factories.

North Carolina:  After several years of ‘mistakes’ the state is now accused of owing federal Medicaid $41-million USD due to overpayments.   It’s been revealed that the Office of State Human Resources does not keep records of government employees disciplined for sexual crimes.  The state Department of Health and Human Services took-over mental health provider Cardinal Innovations for giving former executives millions of dollars in taxpayer funded severance.

Ohio:  An audit revealed that over the past ten years $3.4-million USD in payments to the state government never made it into government accounts, because of criminal taxpayer funded government employees: Time and again rogue employees have successfully robbed governments because they were entrusted with total, unchecked control over fiscal operations. It’s time for more administrators to take up shields and involve themselves in the defense of their financial resources.”-David Yost, state auditor

Oklahoma: State taxpayers have been paying for politicians to buy promotional items like key chains, stress balls and T-shirts, up to $58-million USD worth every year!  It’s called ‘swag’ by insiders and gov’na Mary Fallin issued an executive order banning it.

Pennsylvania: Evil for-profit prison operator The Geo Group laid off 51 people at the Coleman Hall prison.

Puerto Rico:  The island territory, which provides relatively little in national tax revenues, wants $94-billion USD in national taxpayer funding to deal with the unprecedented damage caused by Hurricane Maria. Hell, even the States are struggling to pay for things with both state and federal taxpayer funding, so where is all this extra natural disaster recovery funding coming from?

Tennessee:  Developers working for Japan’s Toyota and Mazda want taxpayers to fork-over an additional $72-million USD to complete the Memphis Regional Megasite, which has already cost $144-million in state taxpayer funding!  Toyota and Mazda claim they’ll hire 4-thousand people once the Megasite is finished!  At what point does state taxpayer funding outweigh tax revenues created by jobs in an industry that no longer provides steady long-term employment?

Texas:  State Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) spending at least 60-thousand tax dollars to get rid of an estimated several hundred sewer rats at their Austin HQ.  The Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) questions the payment because state agencies are supposed to go through the TFC with any building maintenance problems, which the HHSC did not.  Veteran Texas cops began operation Government Crime Stoppers, aimed at politicians!  Whistleblowers can get up to $10-thousand USD for ratting-out politicians who commit crimes: “We’re looking for corrupt government officials, which has been a problem throughout the state. ….Twenty-five years ago I was hoping for something like this.”-James ‘Perry’ Huckaba

Utah: A state resident was sentenced to two years in federal prison after he was caught stealing $3.4-million USD in U.S. Army equipment at Dugway Proving Grounds.  The stolen medical equipment and vision devices ended up with U.S. wholesalers and retailers.   Youth suicide in the Mormon dominated state approaching record levels, four times faster than the national average according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The CDC study also indicated that the three official anti-suicide programs in Utah are not working.

Washington: King County Superior Court ruled that Seattle’s left-wing-liberal income tax solely on wealthy people is illegal: “The city knowingly violated several laws in imposing this tax.”-Brian T. Hodges, attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation

It should be noted that the tax system in Washington is considered the most repressive in the United States for poor people, meaning poor people pay a higher percentage of tax than rich people.

Washington DC: The federal government admitted that a U.S. citizen is being detained in Iraq by the U.S. Department of Defense, without legal recourse!

West Virginia: China Energy is making a 20 years $84-billion USD investment into petroleum operations within the state, and state and federal (Team Trump) government leaders refuse to give any details about it, or how it came to be.  The state Division of Corrections shutdown a 34 years old prisoner work-release center supposedly due to fire code violations.  Kanawha County Magistrate Jack Pauley pled guilty to charges of making court decisions that resulted in two men dying!  Judge Pauley told the court he made the decisions in haste in an effort to expedite court cases.  His punishment could be a slap-on-the-wrist 45 day suspension!

Wisconsin:  After spending years driving away good paying jobs, Right to Work (you over) Scott Walker now wants taxpayers to spend $7-million USD to bring good paying jobs back

Governing.com: Sexual Harassment Investigations Are Kept Secret in Wisconsin, and That’s How Lawmakers Want It.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Government Shenanigans, October 2017: “WHO’S PROFITING…?”

ObamaCare ACA Death Spiral, November 2017: “SEVERAL SYSTEM AND CONTROL FAILURES”

Dumbing Down the U.S. of A., November 2017: “CLOSING WAS THE ONLY OPTION.”

“It shook my entire house!” Explosions in the sky as more minor quakes hit Idaho!

01 DEC 2017 (01:55 UTC-07 Tango 06) 10 Azar 1396/12 Rabi ‘al-Awwal 1439/14 Ren-Zi 4715

On 30 NOV 2017, just before 13 hours after midnight (that’s just before 1pm for those of you who insist on using a 12 hours clock to track the 24 hours in a day) the area around Soda Springs, Idaho, was hit by yet another 3 magnitude earthquake.

Ever since September southeast Idaho has been hit with low magnitude quake ‘swarms’, possibly due to petroleum exploration.

But in the south central part of the state, in the Twin Falls area, people have been reporting unexplained sounds of explosions, or “booms”.  Many say it sounds like the booms are coming from the sky, but one woman saw a smoke cloud rising from across the Snake River: “It shook my entire house! It freaked me out. …..It looked like it came off the ground and was slowly dissipating and rising. It was yellowish or maybe even greenish.”– Sara Bloss, as quoted by Twin Falls Times-News

The National Weather Service said there were no big cloud-to-cloud lightning strikes. Idaho Department of Transportation swore they had no road construction projects in the area.  The U.S. Air Force at Mountain Home refused to comment about a ‘secret bombing range’.  Interestingly, according to local news media these Skyquakes happen at the same time every year.

Apparently nobody in the Twin Falls area speculated that it could be petroleum exploration.  Perhaps it’s because a professor from Boise State University claimed there were no seismic registrations.  In mid-November a lawsuit in Oklahoma revealed that a former university professor was being bullied not to make a connection between increased quakes and petroleum exploration/fracking: “Researchers have linked the spike in the number of earthquakes in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and other states to the underground disposal of wastewater from oil and gas production. Holland said he was reprimanded for helping publish a peer-reviewed journal article on how to cope with such earthquakes.”-Associated Press

For November, Oklahoma continued to be plagued by fracking quakes: Yukon earthquakes linked to fracking well

Numerous small earthquakes recorded in northern Oklahoma

“researchers are certain the quakes are a result of fracking practices of the oil and gas industry”

Two earthquakes rattle Oklahoma town

Earthquake swarm leaves Oklahoma residents unsettled

To get an idea just how many quakes The Gem State of Idaho experiences on a daily basis, visit Earthquaketrack.com.  According to the website, Idaho has experienced 919 earthquakes in the past 12 months!

WestVirginiaPublicBroadcasting: How the U.S. Government Hid Fracking’s Risks to Drinking Water