Tag Archives: idaho

Business/Economics

“Competition has increased unbelievably.” Bankruptcy = Growth? Idaho Panama Papers connection! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 18 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: Shaw Industries shutting down their Plant 14, 183 jobs lost due to the company’s ongoing consolidations (160 jobs eliminated last year)!  In Birmingham, after 42 years McMillan’s Big & Tall clothier shutting down in June. The building will be torn down.

California: In Stockton, after three years restaurant French 25 shutting down by June due to the greedy landlord: “We tried to negotiate a new lease. It didn’t happen.”-Bruce Davis, restaurant owner

Connecticut: In Stamford, British empire Too Big to Jail RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) laying off 33 people by the end of June.

Florida: Saks Fifth Avenue shutting down their Fort Myers store, on Cleveland Avenue, 50 jobs gone by the end of October.

Idaho: More corruption news out of the ‘christian’ dominated Gem State.  A month after the Panama Papers were made public by whistleblowers “…a number of Idaho shareholders were listed under Accelonic Ltd., an offshore company with more than 1,000 officers around the world.” Another sham offshore company reportedly involves an Idaho company that makes chemicals to preserve potatoes.  Some other sham companies involving Idaho investors are Uluwatu Holdings and DocDoc.  “First, where did the money being held in these entities come from? Second, why was the money held in these entities and hidden from view?”-John Miller, University of Idaho

Also, the AFL-CIO’s annual Executive PayWatch survey reports that chief executive officers in Idaho are paid an average 277 times more than Idahoans earning minimum wage, and 149 times more than Idahoans earning a ‘living wage’!

Illinois:  In Chicago, elitist diner Baffo shutting down by the end of the month, the owners admitted their “very expensive” eatery “is not capturing the Chicago diner as intended.”

Indiana: In Lafayette, after 37 years Aardvark Furniture shutdown, the owner says its time to retire because “The community has dramatically changed in the last 15 years. Competition has increased unbelievably.”

Kansas: In Wichita, at least three adult learning centers were shutdown due to taxpayer funding cuts.

Kentucky:  Mega grocery store owner Kroger refuses to renew the lease for the Bristol Bar and Grille, which has been located at the Kroger owned Prospect Village Shopping Center for the past ten years.  Kroger administrators admitted to local news media that they found a new tenant who is willing to pay much higher rent.

Maine: Franklin Community Health Network eliminating 40 jobs and halting any planned pay raises.  Administrators blame it on Maine’s version of ObamaCare.

Massachusetts: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Boston Weak based electronic payment processor Merchant Customer eXchange (MCX) laid off 30 people and is once again delaying the release of its new payment processing software.

Michigan: McLaren Flint outsourcing its food service jobs, at least 83 in-house employees unemployed by July.

Minnesota: Globe University-Minnesota School of Business  shutting down four campuses due to the state attorney general charging them with frauding students, at least 45 jobs lost.

Mississippi: Merit Health Natchez laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  Merit Health Natchez was created when Natchez Regional Medical Center and Natchez Community Hospital merged in an attempt to deal with reduced customer traffic caused by ObamaCare.  Administrators said ObamaCare has reduced customer traffic so much that even their new merged hospital ops are still too big!

New Jersey: Paterson School District conducting a second round of layoffs, local news media say administrators are not willing to disclose how many people are becoming unemployed.  In Closter, after 13 years the owners of Harvest Bistro and Bar suddenly announced they were shutting down this weekend.

New Mexico: Albuquerque Public Schools eliminating 82 jobs due to being short $9.5-million USD!

New York: In NYC, concert producer SFX Entertainment-Beatport chapter 11 bankrupt busted, at least 60 people losing their jobs. Clothier The Limited shutting down their NYC Lafayette Street store, 39 jobs lost by August. Sears Holdings issued yet another WARN, this time for their Rotterdam Square Mall store, 67 jobs gone by August.  The new owner of mattress seller Sleepy’s announced they will eliminate an undisclosed number of jobs, despite building a new warehouse-office in Hicksville.   More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise;  IBM shutting down its Somers operations by March 2017.  Local news reports say at one time the IBM Somers campus employed 3-thousand people!

North Carolina: Medical device maker Arrow International eliminating 456 jobs in Ashboro, between now and sometime in 2017!

Pennsylvania: Too Big to Jail ‘financial services holdings’ company BB&T issued mass layoff WARN, 241 jobs gone by mid-July!  Pocono Medical Center laid off 55 people.

Tennessee: In Chattanooga, after more than two years Brash Coffee shutting down by the end of the month.  The owners blame their employees “for moving on with their careers……..Brash Chattanooga cannot continue without these amazing people…” 

Texas: Three years after emerging from bankruptcy, Dallas based phone number publisher dexmedia.com now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Administrators said it’s part of their “new strategy” for growth.

West Virginia: In Chester, River Islands Collectibles shutdown.

Wisconsin: Globe University-Minnesota School of Business shutting down two of its four Wisconsin campuses due to the Minnesota state attorney general charging them with frauding students.

17 May 2016: “There’s no reason to be here!”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.

I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Business/Economics

“600,000 additional job losses” ObamaCare to shutdown cancer clinics? Taxpayers fund prison labor! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 16 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Palo Alto based Jive Software laying off 1-hundred people by the end of June, in an attempt to reach “sustainable profitability.”  In San Francisco, after 20 years OK Corral Western and Work Wear shutting down, despite the fact they’re also on the internet: “We are closing because the whole demographic has changed a lot.”-Juan Carlos Mora, owner

Colorado: British empire Canada based petroleum services company Sanjel sold-off their Colorado operations, 155 jobs lost by the end of the month!  The new owner of the oil field ops, Liberty Oilfield Services, says it will not hire-on the former Sanjel employees.

Idaho:  More corruption in the ‘christian’ dominated Gem State; Olympus Healthcare agrees to pay Idaho $107,219 in restitution after getting caught bribing (kickbacks) Idaho healthcare providers!

Illinois: Dynegy shutting down two of three of its coal fired generators at the Baldwin Energy Complex, 122 jobs lost!  Administrators blame the Midcontinent Independent Service Operator for setting electric rates so low it guaranteed they would financially fail.

Kentucky: Gateway Community and Technical College laid off ten people and halted four programs, due to massive state taxpayer funding cuts.

Minnesota: Local news reports revealed a new Obama regime plan to fight terrorism; give them jobs!  The new ‘anti-radicalism’ program is through the U.S. Department of Justice and is focused on preventing refugee/immigrants from going all terrorist on your ass by using your tax dollars to create busy-work programs for them.  For some reason the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota (CSCM) is getting the lion’s share of the busy-work funding.  Local news reports say the local Somali population suspects the ‘anti-radicalism’ program is just another way to illegally spy on them.

Missouri: After 20 years the Campbell 16 movie theater shutting down by the end of July: “I will tell you that attendance has been declining, and it’s made it impossible to keep the doors open.”-Kelly Hoskins, Wehrenberg Theatres

New York: Local news sources revealed that the Obama regime is spending more of your tax dollars on busy-work programs for refugees settling in Utica.   It’s part of a $21-million USD federal grant spread across 11 U.S. cities, under the guise of providing refugee ‘students’ with summer jobs. 

Oklahoma: Petroleum explorer SandRidge Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

The state Department of Corrections shutting down 15 prisoner work camps, local news reports say slave loving municipalities are crying in their ‘christian’ beer about how they’re going to replace their cheap prison workers.  State administrators revealed the prisoner work camps were actually costing taxpayers $18-million USD to operate! 

Vermont: Burlington College shutting down by the end of the month!  Administrators blame it on their 2010 decision to buy property once owned by the ‘christian’ god, saying the college “struggled under the crushing weight of the debt incurred by the purchase of the Archdiocese property on North Avenue.”

Washington: In Blaine, after more than ten years Dakota Creek Winery shutting down so the owner can enjoy a “true retirement”.  

Washington DC: After 40 years the U.S. Department of Treasury finally revealed by how much the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) owns your sorry taxpaying ass; $117-billion USD! That puts KSA in 13th place (China and Japan are currently tied for the #1 position).  The revelation was forced by a Freedom of Information Act demand by Bloomberg.   U.S. Representative Peter J. Visclosky, of Indiana, and Congressional Steel Caucus Chairman Tim Murphy stated “Recognition of China as a market economy by the WTO would be devastating to the American steel market and its supply chain costing upwards of 600,000 additional job losses and sending catastrophic shockwaves across the entire United States economy.”   Utah based cancer doctor William E. Nibley is warning that the Obama regime is about to institute an Medicare Part B ‘experiment’ which could result in the shutdown of 75% of cancer treatment providers!  In 2013 the Obama regime slashed Part B reimbursements and under this new cancer treatment experiment will slash and burn payments to doctors/clinics even more!  Obama regime cronies (with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) say the ‘experiment’ is meant to see if reducing payments will actually reduce the level of care for people dealing with cancer! 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.

I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Business/Economics

50% of new jobs pay poverty wages! Idaho fires tax saving employees! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 14 – 15 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: Despite Kroger’s claim that they plan to hire 14-thousand people this year, and after Kroger issued a shutdown WARN for their Indian Wells grocery store,  and revelations of the shutdown of their Rialto Ralphs, local news reports say the Arcadia Ralphs in the Rancho Santa Anita Shopping Center is also being shutdown. A spokesman for Ralphs claims that between 80 and 1-hundred Arcadia Ralphs employees have been transfered to other stores.  In Paso Robles, after 11 years Faultline Music shutting down next month.    The ignorant owner blames internet competition, even saying that “Even the big guys like Walmart, Target…” are suffering despite the fact that Walmart and Target sell on the internet!

Connecticut: The failed ‘elected’ state lawmakers finally passed a budget; state agencies, and private non-profits getting taxpayer funding, will lose a total of $821-million USD, resulting in massive shutdowns and layoffs!

Idaho: ‘Suspect’ State Treasurer Ron Crane is now facing wrongful termination charges by a former employee, who was fired “in direct retaliation for communicating in good faith the existence of extensive waste of public funds/manpower and illegality”.  In November 2015 five state employees reported to their superiors massive corruption in the Republican ‘christian’ controlled state government. Instead of being praised for revealing the waste of taxpayer funding, they were accused of insubordination!  Two were fired!     The Idaho Housing and Finance Association reports that the number of homeless people in northern Idaho has increased 5% since 2015.  Local charities say the homeless rate is actually higher than the official count because not all localities are included in the head-counting, and warned the homeless rate will go up: “Although the homeless number is always interesting, those living from paycheck to paycheck who are on the verge of losing their homes is far greater. That’s the bigger issue.”-Jeff Conroy, Saint Vincent de Paul of North Idaho

New Hampshire: Teledyne PCT was sold-off and local news reports say the new owner, FTC Circuts, plans to shut it down, 80 jobs lost. 

New Jersey: Sussex County Community College eliminated 47 jobs.

New Mexico: Albuquerque Public Schools shutting down 57 years old Acoma Elementary, due to what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome (low enrollment).

New York:  New York City’s own Quarterly Economic Update admits that almost 50% of all new jobs in The Big Apple pay poverty level wages.  This is proven by the fact that the number of people finding jobs have increased, yet city level personal income tax collections are crashing due to the low wages: “New York City’s private sector added 41,700 jobs, or 4.6 percent (seasonally adjusted annualized rate), in 1Q16, after adding a moderate 8,800 jobs in 4Q15….           ….NYC personal income tax (PIT) revenues, a proxy for personal income, fell 0.3 percent on a year-over-year basis to over $3 billion in 1Q16, due to weak collections and a higher volume of refunds.”

North Carolina: Without waring Vertex Railcar laid off 60 people, but then turned around and said a new order for railcars came in so they’ll rehire some of those laid off: “…market conditions and commodity prices change all the time. Because of our global footprint, Vertex understands the challenges that come with the ever-changing nature of the industry.”-Donald Croteau, ceo

Ohio: In Harrison Township, after 46 years Barnsider restaurant shutdown on Saturday, the building was sold-off three days prior.

Oklahoma: Despite surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions, Lyon’s Indian Store shutting down after 1-hundred years in Tusla. 40% of sales went to tourists. The owners are dealing with health problems and tried to sell the iconic novelty store, but nobody made a “true offer”.

Tennessee: In Chattanooga, after two years Harvest Grocery suddenly announced it was shutting down.  An arrogant loyal customer blamed “the community” for not “supporting” the ‘natural foods’ store.  Personally, my lack of income is enough to prevent me from “supporting” such expensive ‘natural foods’ ops.  The economy sucks because the ‘99%’ don’t have any cash because the ‘1%’ are sucking it up.  99-percenters stop blaming each other!

Virginia: In Waynesboro, after 60 years McCoy’s Furniture shutting down when the inventory is gone.  The store was sold to a guy in Texas because the original owner’s adult children did not want to take over the business.  The ‘new’ Texas owner refused to say why he was shutting down the supposedly successful store.

West Virginia: In Belle, Walker Machinery issued a WARN, saying an undisclosed number of employees will become unemployed in July.  I’ve repeatedly pointed out that a sure sign your ‘system’ has failed is the jack-up of taxes and/or creation of new taxes.  Gov’na Earl Ray Tomblin has called a special legislative session to do just that!  On the agenda is increasing the state sales and tobacco taxes and creating a telecommunications tax.  The gov’na says it’s the only way to prevent funding cuts.

Wyoming:  What housing market recovery? In another example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL), in Gillette local news reports say residential vacancies have skyrocketed due to the oil-mining industry BS: “About 18 months ago, finding an apartment to rent was difficult, with a stingy vacancy rate of only 0.7 percent. By the end of March, the vacancy rate has jumped to 12 percent.”

“It was costing us more to keep it open.” : 13 MAY 2016

 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.

I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Technology

Google demands “economic assistance funds”! IBM in death spiral? : 3rd Q 2015, brick-n-mortar store owners can’t blame internet/high-tech comp for their demise

Incomplete list of U.S. internet/high-tech job destruction announcements from July to September 2015

“For all you people who got RAed [laid off]. I pray for you. For all you people who found out you have not been RAed (yet) and have not joined the Alliance, and still will not join, I pity you…when are you gonna fight for your job and paycheck??? Doing nothing doesn’t do anything.”-anonymous IBM (International Business Machine) employee

After raising $5.5-million USD, and in a span of 24 hours “the secret weapon of successful people” Zirtual shutdown and told 4-hundred employees they were not needed, then Startups.com announced “We’ve acquired Zirtual and we’re excited to bring it to new levels. With that being said, we’d like to invite you back.”  Some news reports said work for Zirtual suddenly slowed down with no explanation.

Recently merged France owned Razorfish-Rosetta laid off an undisclosed number of U.S. employees, mainly in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia.

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

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

California:   In Camarillo, Semtech laying off 8% of employees. Back in 2014 they eliminated 6% of their jobs. It’s blamed on crashing sales: “Given our recent revenue decline driven primarily by weak Korean smartphone demand, we have made the very difficult decision to reduce our headcount and operating expenses across a majority of Semtech’s locations.”-Mohan Maheswaran, CEO

San Jose based electronic payment service Paypal has shutdown all Paypal users in Greece! This means that people in Greece are not able to access their money in Paypal accounts. This also directly affects people trying to sell items on ebay! Apparently this is because the Greek government has frozen all bank transfers to Paypal, and other e-payment services. Speaking of Paypal, they just spent $890-million USD to buy rival Xoom.  Monterey based CTB/McGraw-Hill laid off at least 33 Ryan Ranch HQ employees, due to selling off ‘key assets’ to Minnesota’s Data Recognition Corporation.  Aliso Viejo based data storage company QLogic warned 2-hundred employees of mass layoffs, due to unexpected crashing sales.  Santa Rosa based Keysight Technologies eliminating at least 1-hundred jobs in an attempt to cut costs by $25-million USD! Administrators claim that by killing jobs now it will somehow result in new jobs later.  Santa Ana based Ingram Micro lost $34.3-million USD in its 2nd quarter, prompting administrators to warn of $100-million worth of mass layoffs!  Burbank based visual effects company Stereo D laid off about 225 people! Work is being shifted to Canada.  Los Gatos based Netflix announced it will shutdown its last brick-n-mortar data center. Netflix will now put customers’ data on the publicly accessed ‘cloud’.  No mention of how many humans (jobs) will be lost.  Redwood City based Evernote said it will eliminate 13% of its jobs (about 47) and shutdown three offices, saying the economy is forcing them to downsize.   Western Digital issued a mass layoff WARNs saying 280 people will become jobless right before Thanksgiving!   Cupertino based (but incorporated in Ireland as a tax dodge) Seagate laying off 1-thousand 112 people between T-giving and Xmas!  In San Ramon, AT&T issued a mass layoff WARN saying 219 people will lose their jobs! Santa Clara based Marvell Tech announced it will eliminate 17% of its global jobs, and immediately investors drove the price of the company’s stock skyward!  Expected mass layoffs by Qualcomm will be nearly 5-thousand! Qualcomm employs about 12-thousand people in San Diego.  Also in San Diego, Soitec Solar Industries shutting down in October, 1-hundred jobs lost! And United Technologies issued a shutdown WARN for September, 21 San Diego jobs lost.  Again in San Diego, Washington based Microsoft laying off 129 people by September! Cisco Systems revealed they laid off 192 people in San Diego, and halted its Invicta Appliance and its Scaling Systems development, and eliminated 50% of positions at their United Kingdom cell phone ops known as Ubiquisys!   Japan based GREE International finally revealed they laid off 114 people in San Francisco, back in July! San Francisco based video game maker Kixeye laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  In Berkeley, reports say biotech company XOMA eliminating 58 jobs in order to “lower operating expenses and preserve capital”.  In San Jose, Maxim Integrated eliminated 161 jobs in September!  Email marketer Lyris Technologies laying off 79 people by the end of September.  In Sunnyvale, Illinois based Motorola laying off 213 people by the end of October! (Does it have anything to do with the merger with China’s Lenovo?) Tax-sucker Raytheon Intelligence issued a shutdown WARN for their Chula Vista ops, 41 jobs lost in October.  Mountain View based tech company Intuit eliminating more jobs, this time 249 laid off!  Mountain View based Symantec continues to eliminate jobs, this time 60 people will become jobless by the beginning of August. Palo Alto based Hewlett Packard (HP) announced that 30-thousand people will become jobless in November! That’s when the new HP Enterprise company will be spunoff: “Hewlett Packard Enterprise will be smaller and more focused than HP is today. As a separate company, we are better positioned than ever to meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world.”-Meg Whitman (HP has already eliminated 50-thousand+ jobs!)

Colorado: Switzerland owned solar power parts supplier Diamond Materials Tech laid off 46 people in Colorado Springs in order to “further optimizing the cost structure and production capacity.” They laid off 43 people in January, and 105 people in October 2014!   California software company Intuit shutdown their Denver call center, 59 jobs lost.  In Denver, anonymous IBM (International Business Machine) employee reported “11 people on my team RA’d today, including our boss. Worked 12 years for IBM and recently received special awards from my VP for customer service. Our India team does not have the training or background required to support our customer’s specialized applications. This will result in GTS loosing more accounts. My spouse thinks that IBM Senior Mgmt is so tight, they will want to be buried with their money!” In Boulder, anonymous IBM (International Business Machine) employee reported “21 years with the company. Good reviews. Same as all the others. Finally got my call this morning for the RA. It’s finally my turn. My main customer requires US workers, but it hasn’t stopped IBM from trying to secretly send the work to India before (until the customer found out). Not sure if they will try again, or if they will just transfer it to another US team. I know that my team is too overloaded to be able to pick it up. Last RA hurt us bad, this one will likely drive my department under. So sad to watch IBM implode like this, as it used to be such a great company to work for. Looking forward to what the future holds for me!” Another Boulder employee said “Got ra’d today after 36 and 1/2 years. I was told it was not because of my performance. I asked them why they are keeping the girl who calls in an average of 60 days a year. All he said was ‘I know’” 

Connecticut: Norwalk based Xerox announced 3-thousand more job cuts, due to the never ending crashing-n-burning sales!

Georgia: Anonymous reports say IBM (International Business Machine) contracting out their in-house Recovery Management and Help Desk functions in Sandy Springs, by the end of August.

Idaho: Reports that Boise based micro chip maker Micron is about to be sold-off. The potential buyer is China’s Tsinghua Unigroup, which is offering $23-billion for the troubled company. If Micron agrees the deal must be accepted by the Committee on Foreign Investment.   Education Networks of America and Qwest Communications are demanding at least $6-million tax dollars for unpaid work they did on the the failed Idaho Education Network! Boise based Syringa Networks announced it is ending its Syringa Wireless service after Xmas: “….Syringa Wireless has fought hard to maintain low prices and high quality service for our Idaho communities…..Over the last 3 years we have made extensive financial investments [of which $930-thousand is still owed to Syringa by the ‘elected’ officials of Idaho, for the failed Idaho Education Network]…..As a small, locally owned and operated provider, we have arrived at a point where it’s simply not feasible to continue to operate.” 

Illinois: Chicago based internet couponing company Groupon announced it will kill 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs over the next year, as it ends operations in six countries! Groupon is also selling-off 45% of its Republic of Korea ops.  In Chicago, Motorola laid off 5-hundred people! At one time Obama regime stooge Rahm Emanuel called Motorola Chicago’s “major economic engine”.  Rip-off DeVry Education Group announced they will eliminate 95 DeVry Online Services jobs by September.   Northfield based insurance giant Allstate laid off an undisclosed number of InfoTech employees, according to unnamed employees. Allstate administrators confirmed by saying “As a result of a recent review, positions have been eliminated in some of Allstate’s technology areas.” Local news reports revealed that while Allstate has been eliminating jobs in the U.S. they’ve been creating jobs elsewhere, like India.

Kentucky: Lexington based printer maker Lexmark will eliminate at least 5-hundred jobs! It’s the result of Lexmark taking over companies like Kofax and ReadSoft.

Louisiana:  After promising to hire 8-hundred people in exchange for $20-million USD in state tax breaks, Monroe based cable-phone-internet service provider CenturyLink announced they will eliminate 1-thousand jobs across the U.S., administrators blame crashing profits, partly caused by ObamaCare: “CenturyLink’s results for the second quarter were below our forecast and Street consensus, primarily due to continued pressure on wholesale revenues and higher employee and benefit costs.”

Maryland: British empire United Kingdom owned high tech antenna maker Lorch Microwave eliminated 10% of its Salisbury employees due to crashing sales.

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

Michigan:  In Ann Arbor, tech company ForeSee conducted a second round of layoffs, refusing to confirm how many people are now jobless. Local news reports say as many as 37 employees were laid off. Back in January as many as 70 people were laid off. It’s blamed on ForeSee being taken over by Answers Corporation.

Minnesota: Imation notified local news media that it had just conducted a “mass layoff” at its World Headquarters in Oakdale, but refused to say how many people lost their jobs.  Maker of cabs for heavy vehicles and consoles for computers, Crenlo announced 30 people will be laid off by the end of the month. It’s blamed on crashing sales.  In Hutchinson, after seven years video game store GameStop shutdown with little warning.

Missouri: Local news reports say IBM (International Business Machine) has been secretly laying off employees in Columbia. The info comes from unnamed IBM employees. It also turns out that IBM lost a Missouri taxpayer funded deal because IBM failed to meet the employment requirements in that deal. Given the mass layoffs IBM has conducted since January, it’s not a surprise.  Software company Answers Corporation eliminated 1-hundred jobs! It was revealed by former employees. It’s the result of Answers’ takeover of Michigan tech company ForeSee.

New Mexico: The administrators of Google aren’t that smart after all, they just have too much money to play with. Google suddenly pulled its Titan Aerospace solar powered drone program from Moriarty Airport, right after state taxpayers shelled out $955-thousand USD to upgrade the airport just for Titan Aerospace! State administrators claim they’ve successfully forced Google to pay back the “economic assistance funds”. Yeah, like Google needs economic assistance?

New York: New York Life Insurance Company laying off eight InfoTech employees after Xmas.   E-book operator Oyster killed-off as Google hired away most of the talent.  After many financial troubles internet based invention company Quirky now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, after laying off at least 111 people! Reports say Flextronics wants to take over Quirky’s Wink division.  In White Plains, AT&T issued a layoff WARN saying 42 people will be laid off right before Thanksgiving.  Honeywell Scanning and Mobility issued a layoff WARN for their Skaneateles Falls location, to take place on 31 December 2015.    Korea based Samsung issued a WARN saying they’ve terminated their NYC based “PX Project Research and Development Team”, 42 jobs lost.    Dozens of ‘Work at Home’ employees of Armonk based IBM (International Business Machine) reporting they’ve been given notice that they are now unemployed, saying they’ve been RAed (Resource Action, IBM’s term for layoffs). One RAed employee says IBM is secretly outsourcing jobs to India, despite contracts that require those jobs to remain in the United States! However, IBM employees in Australia say IBM is outsourcing their jobs as well: “Blood bath happening in Australia at the moment. L1 manger got hit. The L2 had a conference call to let us all know, when questioned as to the rationale behind the RA he replied ‘have you seen the share price today??!’ At least he told the truth for a change.”-anonymous employee called Over It In Oz 

North Carolina: IBM announced they will eliminate jobs at the Research Triangle Park, as part of their ongoing “workforce rebalancing”. It’s blamed on non-stop crashing sales. However, cfo Martin Schroeter admitted IBM spent $700-million USD taking over at least five small companies in 2015.

Tennessee: Electronic company TS3 Technology suddenly shutdown, 81 jobs lost. 

Texas: Singapore based Flextronics laying off 168 people at its Fort Worth factory by the end of 2015! In 2014 they laid off 223 people at their newly opened Motorola factory, also in Fort Worth!

Utah: California based Fairchild Semiconductor shutdown and eliminated 361 jobs in Salt Lake City! It’s part of the company’s 2014 plan to eliminate 1,350 jobs! Back in August 2014 Fairchild Semiconductor claimed it had 5-hundred employees in Salt Lake City, but their WARN to state administrators says they were down to 361 by April 2015.

Washington: Seattle based Amazon laid off “dozens of engineers” at its California located Lab126, blaming it on their failed Fire Phone.  China (Taiwan) based tech company HTC killing more jobs in the U.S., this time 132 people were laid off in The Evergreen State!  After losing another $3.2-billion USD, Redmond based Microsoft announced it will eliminate an additional 7-thousand to 9-thousand jobs worldwide!  Microsoft even sold-off its bing mapping service to Uber, as well as bing-ads to AOL (which caused 1-thousand 2-hundred people to lose their jobs)!   From July 2014 to June 2015 Microsoft eliminated at least 18-thousand jobs!  The 3-thousand employees of shopping network Zulily are demanding to know what’s going on as their boss announced the surprise sale of Seattle based Zulily to Pennsylvania based QVC (who is itself in financial trouble). The CEO of five years old Zulily bold faced lied and said “This acquisition is not about cost savings”.  My decades of experience with unAmerican corporate America is that such sales or mergers are precisely about “cost savings” (job cuts), and that managers are not above bold face lying about job security to the faces of their employees!

“all companies need to create real business.”: 4th Q 2015

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

Business/Economics

“It was costing us more to keep it open.” Secret Jewish hospital shutdown underway! Boise steals business investments? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 13 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; after three years the website The Toast will cease new postings by July.  The owners revealed they’ve been discussing shutting it down altogether for the past six months.  They also admitted it’s actually difficult to finance such a website.

California: Despite Kroger’s claim that they plan to hire 14-thousand people this year, and after Kroger issued a shutdown WARN for their Indian Wells Ralphs grocery store, local news reports say the Rialto Ralphs is also being shutdown.  A spokesman for Ralphs said the “The store had been significantly under-performing for many years” and will shutdown by June.   57 years old Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena shutdown, supposedly it’s being replaced by a $250-million USD project.

 

More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Mountain View based software company Symantec announced a restructuring plan that will eliminate 1-thousand 2-hundred jobs and shutdown some operations!

Florida: God powerless to stop ‘his’ Saint Leo University system from eliminating 30 jobs due to “restructuring”. Interestingly local news reports say administrators claim they’re actually creating new jobs.

Idaho: The Idaho Technology Council reports that from 2014 to 2015  business investments into The Gem State tripled ($3.47 billion to $16.29 billion)!  However, when you break it down by region all the big increases in investments went to the Boise area (aka southern sector of the state), north and east sectors saw little change in investments.  And 60% went to the service sector (retail).

New Jersey: Paterson School District eliminating 80 office jobs, and considering shutting down four schools.

New York: That which cannot be named powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘its’ Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center.  The Villager reports that three nurses are blowing the whistle on plans to shutdown the hospital, which has survived The Great Depression and numerous recessions.  Administrators had been talking about renovations, but three months ago that talk stopped and now some nurses are being offered transfers elsewhere.  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; 3D printer maker MakerBot issued a layoff WARN for their Brooklyn location, at least 80 people jobless by mid-July.  After ten years Northeast Kingdom restaurant shutting down by the end of the month, the owners are focusing on their upstate farm.

Ohio: The Top Ohio Pet Shelter in Logan County shutting down due to massive debt, more than 60 dogs and cats threatened. Administrators say they get only $7-thousand USD from the county every month, which is not enough to cover all expenses, and commissioners refuse to give anymore.   Despite surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions, Gearhart’s Hardware Store shutting down saying the economy is not recovering: “It’s just that people are not buying. It just seems like the economy hit us hard on this side of town. I just don’t have anything left. I’m basically broke. I’m going to have to file for bankruptcy.”-David Miller, owner

Pennsylvania: Camden School District eliminating 154 jobs due to a $39-million USD budget shortfall!   Despite surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions, Radnor based oil drilling company Penn Virginia now bankrupt busted with $1.4-billion in debts!  In Lebanon, after 31 years American Home Video shutting down. The owners tried everything to beat the competition including selling non-video items, then they tried selling the property but nobody wants it: “It was costing us more to keep it open. We’re just ready to get rid of it. It’s a good location, but there’s just no interest in it so far.”-Darlene Springborn

Texas: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Austin based video game maker Wizard101-KingIsle Entertainment revealed they laid off an undisclosed number of employees, after canceling the release of some new smart phone video games.  In Cypress, reports say eT Craft Burgers and Beer suddenly shutdown, even their social media site is gone.

Washington: In Pasco, CRF Frozen Foods suddenly shutdown, 250 jobs on hold!  Administrators claim the shutdown is temporary due to the listeria outbreak connected to its products.  In Bellingham, Cozy Corner Books & Coffee shutting down tomorrow, due to not being able to renew the lease.

Wyoming: Due to the continued mining/oil industry layoffs, Wyoming Machinery laid off an undisclosed number of employees, without warning.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Idaho

“We’ve lost a lot…since 2007.” : Idaho Economic Decline 2014

Incomplete list of economic related events in The Gem State of Idaho, Gregorian year 2014.

JANUARY:  In Gooding, Glanbia Foods officials warned of layoffs saying “….we are actively pursuing a number of strategic growth opportunities, the current milk supply situation in Idaho is extremely tight.” Glanbia Foods claims to be the number one manufacturer of American Style Cheese, with four factories in Idaho and the world’s largest cheese factory in New Mexico!

In Garden City, after 54 years The Stagecoach Inn shutdown. The owners blame “not enough business” for their failure to pay taxes and the loss of their booze license.

In Boise, the Saint Luke’s affiliated non-profit Elk’s Rehab Hospital laid off “…less than 20 positions, all licensed practical nurses within the inpatient unit…” in an effort to adjust to reduced funding caused by ObamaCare. Elk’s Rehab Hospital began in 1947 to help victims of polio.

In Pocatello, the short lived Marhaba restaurant shutdown. The building auctioned off at the end of the month.  It’s now one of them-there vapor joints.

Also in Pocatello, the property that acted as construction storage for Sunbelt Broadcasting (a previous owner of NBC affiliate KPVI Channel 6) was abandoned and put up for sale.  It’s been replaced with a medical clinic.

FEBRUARY: In Boise, ObamaCare call center operator Maximus announced it will kill 1-thousand 6-hundred jobs by the end of April! Retail businesses located around the call center say they will be directly impacted. Employees are suing because they have not been paid for overtime that they’ve worked, and they were told the jobs were permanent full time positions. Company officials now say the positions were officially temporary! Company officials directly blame ObamaCare: “The reduction in staffing is based on the nature of the contract and the reduced volume of calls, both of which are directly related to the enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act.”

Boise based computer chip maker Micron reported profits at the end of January, but it was revealed that they also killed 419 jobs in Italy! It’s blamed on Micron’s take over of Italian chip maker Numonyx. Layoffs could be coming for Idaho.

In Meridian, cement/minerals engineering company FLSmidth laid off 46 employees.

Also in Meridian, Utah based First National Bank of Layton killed 56 jobs.

In Coeur d’Alene, Office Depot announced it will shutdown in May. It’s blamed on the merger with Office Max.

In Twin Falls, upscale home decor store Inspired Living shutdown. The owner said she wanted to retire.

Presbiterian/Agnostic Warren Buffet owned Heinz Frozen Food made it official and notified Idaho that it will shutter its Pocatello plant, killing at least 4-hundred jobs! State Department of Labor analysts said the frozen food factory shutdown will have a domino effect and kill an additional 2-hundred ‘support’ jobs in Pocatello/Chubbuck!

In Aberdeen, food and agriculture giant Simplot announced they will kill 309 food processing jobs by April!

MARCH: In Nampa, food producer Simplot announced they will shutdown operations at the end of May, 206 jobs lost! It’s part of their ongoing consolidations of food processing.

In Idaho Falls, according to an official WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Center Partners laid off 4-hundred call center employees!

APRIL: Sandpoint based women’s clothing retailer Coldwater Creek now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down all 365 stores. More than 1-thousand jobs will be lost across the U.S.! Idaho will lose 490 of those jobs by June!

In Boise, Pennsylvania based diesel-electric locomotive maker Motive Power announced it will kill 162 jobs in June!

JUNE:  In Twin Falls after only two years of production at the world’s largest yogurt factory, Chobani laid off an undisclosed number of employees. Officials say the layoffs are because production quotas were reached (in other words the former employees did their jobs well)! But wait, more layoffs could be in the planning! Chobani officials told local news media that the factory was still using hundreds more employees than they really need. The new factory was designed for 4-hundred employees, but state employment officials estimate there are between 5-hundred and 1-thousand people working the successful operation.

Also in Twin Falls, after 47 years the Twin 12 Cinema movie theater shutdown.

Timberline already up for auction! Note that their Grand Opening sign is still up!

Timberline already up for auction! Note that their Grand Opening sign is still up!

In Pocatello, After less than three months Timberline Home Furnishings-3G Used Car Sales is already busted! The location used to be the Ashley Furniture Liquidation store, which went away in March.

JULY: In Boise, Italy owned highway and airport food service company HMS Host (Host Marriott Services Corporation-Autogrill S.p.A.) issued a WARN saying they will kill 79 jobs by the end of September.

Also in Boise, the Elk’s Rehab Center shutting down, 516 jobs lost as Saint Luke’s Health System takes over in September! Reports say Saint Luke’s claims it needs only 4-hundred employees to do the same job, so a net job loss of 116!

In Nampa, Macy’s Clearance Center shutdown, eight jobs lost. Local news reports indicated that the lease on the property was still in effect.

What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter the Boise-Nampa area had 765 properties in foreclosure, and 237 homes abandoned!

What housing market recovery? In Naples, it was revealed that Washington based Alta Forest Products (whose main product is fencing for homes) laid off at least 25 employees. Hours for other mill employees were reduced. Salesman Jeff Cook kinda blamed the housing market saying “We’ve lost a lot of sawmills and building products companies since 2007.” However, it’s probably due to the May 2014 merger of TMI Forest Products and Welco Lumber, which created Alta Forest Products. What’s (not) funny is company officials promised that job security was the goal of the merger: “This agreement will help secure employment to the local communities and strengthen the regional economy built on the growing lumber industry.”-company statement

In Pocatello, the U.S. Postal Service Gateway Processing Center made the shutdown list for 2015, about 50 jobs lost through transfers, early retirements or outright layoffs.

AUGUST:  In Chubbuck, Sears Holdings finally decided to put their dying Sears store, at the Pine Ridge Mall, to death. The store will close in October.

Also in Chubbuck, the 24 years old Carmike Cinema 7 was sold off to property developers and will be torn down. Word is that the owner does not think it’s worth it to convert the theater over to digital, especially when he already spent boo-koo bucks building a new digital theater on the north side of the Pine Ridge Mall property.

In Blackfoot, after 15 years Tweedy’s Music shutdown. The owners revealed there are two speculators competing to buy their property.

SEPTEMBER:  The fact that so many former employees of recently created Scientech (a division of nuclear industry Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company) are applying for unemployment assistance reveals a layoff of at least 25 people in Idaho Falls. Local news reports say company administrators refuse to talk. At the end of 2013, Scientech announced they were to set up business in Idaho Falls by the summer of 2014, meaning the company had just barely started ops before killing jobs already.

NOVEMBER: In Boise, after 73 years Molenaar Jewelers announced a going out of business sale, the owner was unable to find a buyer for the business which will shutdown in Janaury 2015.

Also in Boise, a year after taking over Boise Paper (aka Boise Inc) for $1.27-billion USD, Packaging Corporation of America issued a WARN saying they will shutdown the Boise location by March 2015, at least 152 jobs lost!

After 66 years Blackfoot Appliance & Furniture announced they will shutdown by the end of January 2015, “everything must go!”

The mayor of American Falls reported that the local ALCO store was shutting down, he was alerted when he saw employees putting up the going out of business signs. It’s one of five Idaho ALCO stores being shutdown. The American Falls mayor says his small city can’t afford more job losses: “Any worker who loses their income will have an impact on the city!”-Marc Beitia

In Challis, Colorado based Thompson Creek Mining (aka Thompson Creek Metals) issued a WARN saying they will layoff 160 people and shutdown their molybdenum mine in December. Administrators blame the crashing price of moly-B.

School District 25, in Bannock County, warned they could be $1.5-million USD in the hole, with the ending of current levies. But wait, there’s more bull-shit! District 25 administrators want new levies valued at $10-million! This despite decades of levy and bond issues burdening tax payers, as well as decades of lottery payments which school district administrators can’t seem to account for! It’s interesting the school levies and bonds always pass ‘elections’ no matter how many people publicly oppose them.

In Chubbuck, after 23 years the iconic local Dapco Hobbies now up for sale. The current owner (not the friendly family owners that moved the shop to Chubbuck, Corey & Melia) is selling everything off and wants out of the hobby business. Dapco Hobbies was originally located on Garrett Way in Pocatello (according to the BBB that was beginning in 1991), then, after Corey & Melia took over Dapco relocated to Chubbuck around 2007-08. For a very brief time Dapco Hobbies had a shop in Ammon, then moved that one to Idaho Falls (apparently they left about the same time the ‘big box’ Hobby Town left Idaho Falls), and they even had an internet website. They started out focused on trains, then shifted to RC when that got big.

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

Also in Chubbuck, the demolition of the 24 years old Carmike Cinema 7 is slowly underway. It will be replaced with yet more redundant chain restaurants.

In Post Falls, office furniture maker Kimbal International issued a WARN saying they will shutdown beginning in February 2015, at least 251 jobs lost!

What housing market recovery? Administrators with “the nation’s largest supplier of building materials for home building” ProBuild announced they’re shutting down their Sandpoint ops due to crashing sales.

“We’re going to go down.”: Idaho’s Economic Decline 2015 

“It was a blow, cut us off at the knees.”: Idaho, Economic Decline 2013 

Business/Economics

“We are done….It’s been a long, hard time.” 35% increase in layoffs! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 09 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Connecticut: In South Windsor, school bus contractor First Student issued a layoff WARN, 48 people jobless by the end of June.  In Bridgeport, Parcc Health Care shutting down Astoria Park nursing home, 127 jobs lost by September/October!   Last year state administrators took control of the nursing home using the excuse the “…facility has sustained a serious financial loss or failure which jeopardizes the health, safety and welfare of the patients or there is a reasonable likelihood of such loss or failure.”

Florida: In Saint Armands, ‘resort’ clothing boutique Patchington shutting down this weekend.  Another Patchington in Sarasota has already shutdown.  At one time Patchington had 50 clothing stores in several states, now they’re down to about a dozen in Florida and New Jersey.  Don’t blame the internet, they have a website.

Idaho: Idaho state level ‘elected’ politicians have so far spent $136-thousand taxpayer dollars on travel expenses for this past 75 days legislative session! The revelation was made after The Associated Press forced the release of data through a Freedom of Information demand.  Not all reimbursement requests have been submitted, so expect the total tax dollars spent to go up.

Illinois: Chicago based employment tracker Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports a 35% increase in publicly announced layoffs from March through April, the biggest increase since January to April 2009!

In Chicago, The Berghoff Restaurant issued a shutdown WARN, 156 jobs gone by the end of June due to sale of the massive restaurant! In Aurora, UTi Integrated Logistics issued a shutdown WARN, 31 jobs lost by the end of July. In Buffalo Grove, car insurance and information management company LYNX Services-HyperQuest issued a shutdown WARN, 55 jobs lost by mid-June.   “Poor economy” being blamed for the shutdown WARN issued for Wood River Power Station, 83 jobs gone by mid-July.  The Kmart Super Center in Bradley shutting down this weekend, 125 jobs lost!  Sears Holdings sold the building to Meijer, unconfirmed reports say the Kmart Super Center (which has a full grocery op) was actually making money.

Michigan:  Michigan South Central Power Agency shutting down the 30 years old coal fired Endicott power plant, 65 jobs lost by the end of the month.

Missouri: In Washington, after 27 years Town ‘N Country Lanes shutting down by the end of the month: “We are done….It’s been a long, hard time. We can’t make ends meet anymore. It’s devastating.”-Lance Unnerstall, owner

New Hampshire: Elliot Health Systems shutting down their five years old Ob-Gyn operations in Manchester.  The two doctors that work there say lack of customers is not the reason as 210 babies were born last year!   Administrators of Elliot Health say they’re now focusing on ‘high risk pregnancies’ only, one of the affected doctors calls it BS: “I really didn’t think they’d do it because we’re just so busy….I don’t know the reasons of why they’re closing the practice.”-Thomas Antisdel

New Jersey: NGR Solar announced it is streamlining its home solar division, meaning 5-hundred employees becoming unemployed!

New York: In Albany, god powerless to stop ‘his’ girls only Academy of the Holy Names from shutting down its elementary school, due to crashing enrollment (Rapture?).   After 20 years all remaining 15 Scoop NYC clothing stores shutting down due to lack of sales!  Don’t blame internet competition because Scoop NYC has its own website.  After more than 20 years Other Music shutting down their brick-n-mortar store and ending their mail order business, they will focus on their recording ops.  The owners said “times have changed”.

Ohio: What auto industry recovery? Wheel bearing maker KBI (Kyklos Bearing International) shutting down their Sandusky factory, more than 3-hundred jobs gone by the end of the year!  Without warning the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections announced they will shutdown 10 prison farm ops, even though they recently spent $9-million tax dollars upgrading farm equipment.  72 unions jobs threatened, the union says they could sue because their contract requires state administrators to discuss such a shutdown with union members before making a decision to do so.  In Pleasant Ridge, the Highland Remke Markets grocery store shutting down, 54 jobs gone in June.  Administrators say shutting it down is the only way they can pay to remodel other better performing Remke Markets.

Tennessee: JoS. A. Bank Clothiers shutting down its massive store at The Columns, this weekend.  There will be no ‘going out of business sale’, this is part of the parent company’s plan to shutdown 250 JoS. A. Banks and Men’s Warehouse stores across the U.S.!

Virginia: In Arlington, after 35 years Dominion Pet Center shutting down, incorrectly blaming the internet when in fact it could be the big national chain pet store that moved into the neighborhood a couple of years ago.

Washington: In Bainbridge Island, after 60 years Winslow Drug shutting down.  The owner blames multiple reasons, but says the final straws were when Virginia Mason announced it was shutting down its Bainbridge Island Medical Center, and reductions in insurance reimbursements caused by ObamaCare. 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Business/Economics

“I’m going down with the ship” “too difficult to compete” Idaho doctors addicted to drug money! Gun factory shuts down! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 06 – 08 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Ireland based generic prescription drugs maker Endo International reported huge quarterly losses and will now eliminate 740 jobs in Alabama and North Carolina!

Arkansas: El Dorado based Murphy Oil announced its first ever quarterly loss and revealed they’ve already laid off at least 250 employees! Murphy Oil lost nearly $200-million USD, primarily from contracted customers who failed to pay for their oil and gas!  

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; video game maker Glu Mobile warning of mass layoffs after losing $8.6-million USD during its last quarter.

Colorado: In Colorado Springs, after more than 40 years Zerbe Jewelers shutting down due to family health problems.

Connecticut: General Electric (GE) eliminating 1-hundred local jobs as a result of moving its HQ to Massachusetts!

Florida: Stride Rite Shoes shutting down their Coral Square mall location in August, due to not being able to renew the lease.

Idaho: According to magicvalley.com in the past year and a half Idaho doctors were paid-off by drug companies, to the tune of $24-million USD of ‘incentives’!  Now you know why so many people in The Gem State are wacked on evil prescription drugs!  What housing market recovery?  The Wilderness Society reports that most of the non-federally owned land in Idaho has been sold-off by the state government, resulting in “…lands in the hands of an elite few and Idaho’s biggest industries: the Simplot Corp., Potlatch, Boise-Cascade, cattle companies and law firms. Under these private ownerships, the new owners can lock out the public altogether or charge a trespass fee.”  (also, you now know the real reason why rents are getting jacked up)

Illinois: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Chicago based e-coupon company Groupon laid off 30 people as part of their larger plan to eliminate 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs by 2016!

Indiana: What housing market recovery? Pennsylvania based home builder Innovative Building Systems shutting down its Decatur operations, 88 jobs gone within ten days.    Administrators also mentioned that the landlord issued them an eviction notice.

Kentucky: Iconic gun maker Remington announced it is shutting down its Mayfield factory, 2-hundred jobs gone!   Remington is joining the rest of corporate America in the consolidation trend, because their market analysis says they must become more “focused and competitive” in the near future.  (once again proving there ain’t no economic recovery)   Retailer ‘gordmans‘ shutting down its Hamburg Pavilion store because they can’t afford to renew the lease.

Maine: France based Sodexo lost its food contract with Colby College, 146 jobs gone by the end of June!  What housing market recovery? After laying off 60 employees Kaiser Homes announced they are shutting down, 123 additional employees will become unemployed!  The company is owned by now defunct Pennsylvania based Innovative Building Systems.

Massachusetts: In Worcester, after 60 years Hallmark Putnam Card & Gift shutting down, the owner blames too many other retailers selling Hallmark items.  The employees are truly loyal: “I always said, ‘I’m going down with the ship.’…..I loved my job. We are trying to go out with dignity. We straighten, clean and vacuum every day.”-Betty Ann LeBlanc, store manager and employee for past 35 years

Ohio:  Columbus Castings now up for sale after eliminating “more than 150 jobs”!  If no buyer is found by mid-June then the whole thing shuts down, rendering hundreds more employees unemployed!

Pennsylvania: What housing market recovery?  Mechanicsburg based home builder Innovative Building Systems is warning that it could go chapter 7 bankrupt (which usually means they’re dead forever).  The bankruptcy will also affect All American Homes, Epoch Homes, excelHOMES, Future Homes, HandCrafted Homes, IDBS, Kaiser Homes and Modukraft, as they are all owned by Innovative Building Systems.  Administrators say the Too Big to Jail banks refuse to continue debt financing their operations, and they tried to sell the company but nobody is interested in buying.  In Carlisle, after 56 years Rillo’s Restaurant shutdown.  The owner wants to retire and sold it to an investment group, adding “We do not know their plans or who they are negotiating with for this property.”

Texas:  In Abilene, after 19 years Box Office Video shutting down: “We were the first store in Abilene to rent DVDs when they hit the market in 2000……  It is just too difficult to compete….”-Patti Harris, owner

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Business/Economics

“the reality of the emerging…economy” More people losing their final paychecks! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 05 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Connecticut: In Manchester, after 27 years Choice Video shutting down by the end of the month.  The owner of the video business did not blame declining sales but “the escalating cost of operating a small business.” (especially rent)

Florida: Boca Raton based Cancer Treatment Centers of America revealed it laid off 350 people across the U.S.!  Administrators blame ObamaCare referring to it as “the reality of the emerging healthcare economy”.   In Miramar, United Health issued a WARN, 68 jobs gone by July as the insurance company begins dropping ObamaCare plans.  In Sarasota, Direct Energy issued a WARN, 159 property management jobs gone between July 2016 and April 2018!

Georgia: Another fine example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL). In Augusta, Resolute Forest Products eliminating 95 jobs due to crashing paper sales to newspaper publishers.

Pocatello Wing It eatery no more.

Pocatello Wing It eatery no more.

Idaho: In Pocatello, the Wing It chicken wing joint recently shutdown.

Illinois: Sports analytics provider to news media Stats eliminating 50 jobs, on top of the 30 jobs eliminated back in October.

Kansas: In Hutchinson, after 63 yeas Johnson Music store shutting down.

Maryland: Silver Spring based Discovery Communications warning of impending employee buyouts and mass layoffs, this after the CEO took a 79% pay-cut last year!  The job cuts are expected to be finalized by 3rd quarter 2016.

Nebraska: Hastings Public Schools shutting down 85 years old (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) Morton Elementary. The shutdown decision was made six years ago.

New Jersey: Lakeland Bank shutting down their Hewitt office in July.  In Princeton, after more than 20 years the Masala Grill shutting down next week because the greedy landlord jacked up the rent.

New York:  Too Big to Jail Goldman Sachs continues to kill sales jobs, admitting that the economy is so bad for its traditional elite clients that it is forced to hit up ‘commoner’ investors for cash.  In Buffalo, popular restaurant Martin Cooks being forced to shutdown by the end of the month.  The operators say they’re looking for a new location.  British empire Chartwells Dining Services lost its contract with Polytechnic Institute of NYU, 39 jobs lost by the end of the month.  Harris Publications suddenly shutdown its NYC ops, 65 jobs lost at the end of last month.  Sears Holdings issued a shutdown WARN for its Plattsburgh Sears store and Auto Center, 56 jobs lost by the end of July.  Power Drives is moving its factory from Falconer to Buffalo, 96 jobs affected.

Ohio:  Cincinnati Museum Center laying off 60 people in anticipation of the renovation of Union Terminal (it’s location), which will result in the museum losing $6-million USD in yearly ticket sales for the next two years!

Pennsylvania: Fabricator NuWeld has defaulted (apparently because their bank accounts were frozen) and now shutting down their Williamsport factory, 150 jobs lost due to the oil industry BS!  Local news reports say those 150 employees won’t be getting their final paychecks because NuWeld is totally broke-busted!  Education Management issued a shutdown WARN for its Pittsburgh location, 222 jobs gone by July!  France based Sodexo lost its food contract with Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, 108 jobs gone by the end of June!

Texas: Marshall Grain shutting down their 70 years old Fort Worth store by the end of June, due to crashing sales and skyrocketing crime in the neighborhood (due to more and more people losing their jobs, the city’s own crime stat website shows that since February, 27 crimes took place in that specific neighborhood)!

Virginia: In Madison County, after 180 years (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) E.A. Clore Sons “will cease manufacturing our handcrafted furniture within the year.”  Local news reports didn’t explain why, but implied it was due to competition with cheap-o fiber board furniture people buy at places like Walmart.

04 May 2016: “a terrible freakin’ thing!”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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

Business/Economics

“a terrible freakin’ thing!” Twin Falls & Chubbuck make massive shutdown list! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 04 May 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: What automotive industry recovery? In Piedmont, Ohio based maker of seats Commercial Vehicle Group eliminating 120 jobs, leaving only 40 employees to run operations: “It’s a terrible freakin’ thing! Some people have been here 20 years. This is the only job I’ve ever known! ….They told us in October that this was the number one plant CVG had, the most profitable plant in all the CVG organization. Now, all of a sudden business is short, this plant ain’t good enough?”-Jacob Collins, employee

Arkansas: Pine Haven Golf Course shutting down at the end of the month due to crashing revenues.

California: In Oakland, Barclays Pub forced to shutdown by the greedy landlord.  The pub operators say they were willing to go with current market lease rates but “…it just doesn’t seem like he was interested in negotiating a lease at any amount… …It’s bizzare….doesn’t make any sense.”  

Connecticut: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech competition for your demise; Norwalk based internet travel company Priceline warning of bad results for its upcoming quarterly report.   Amid massive state employee layoffs, the city of Hartford notified 40 employees they will become unemployed soon, due to lack of tax revenues.  I’ll keep saying this: Crashing tax revenues are sure sign your economy has failed.  But those highly edumagcated ‘elected’ officials will counter low tax collections by jacking up tax rates, and even creating new taxes.  Hello!  Lack of good paying non-government jobs equals lack of tax revenues, no matter how high the rates go!

Florida: In Brandenton, after 27 years Smitty’s Pub & Grill shutting down mid-month, the owner saying “I’m taking a whole year off and then we’ll see.”    Despite claims of ever increasing revenues, local news reports say the Sunshine State’s hotel industry is eliminating the most jobs since 2009, at least 585 hospitality workers (just in southern Florida) will become unemployed between now and the end of June!  The Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association actually blames it on increased tourism, saying it’s forcing many hotels to renovate to accommodate increased numbers of customers, but that means hotel shutdowns during the renovations.  In Port Richey, the American Health Institute college shutdown without warning.  The owner blames the administrators for wasting money while former administrators blame the owner for wasting money!  Administrators also told local news media they have evidence the owner was lying about enrollment numbers to get more federal funding.  The college had only 50 med-tech students.

Idaho:  Near Grangeville, Blue North Forest Products confirmed that low lumber sales forced them to sell their mill to competitor Idaho Forest Group (who so far refuses to say what their plans are), 65 jobs threatened.

Iowa:  Surprise! A Sears store not on the recent official Sears Holdings shutdown list is shutting down! The Des Moines Southridge Mall Sears shutting down by August.  Sears Holdings administrators actually refused to say how many employees were becoming unemployed!

Kansas: Aircraft parts maker Triumph Group reported $1-billion USD in yearly losses and used it as an excuse to begin consolidation of its ten factories, resulting in an undisclosed number of mass layoffs.  Investors cheered the mass layoffs by driving stock prices up!

Louisiana: Surprise! A Kmart store not on the recent official Sears Holdings shutdown list is shutting down! The Bossier Kmart shutting down by August.

Massachusetts: In Boston-Weak, The Boston Globe prepping for yet another round of layoffs, due to continued crashing subscriptions (and don’t blame the internet ’cause they have an internet version).

New York:  In Clay, after 13 years Liehs & Steigerwald Downtown Butcher-Grocer-Pub shutting down by the end of the month, the owners are focusing on a bigger food project.  Gourmet grocery chain Fairway Group Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  After three years, and a lot of location and marketing changes, NYC clothier Carson Street shutting down by the end of June.  Bankrupt NYC based clothier Aéropostale released its shutdown list: Alabama; Spanish Fort & Birmingham.
Alaska; two stores in Anchorage, one in Fairbanks.
Arizona; Scottsdale & Tucson. Arkansas; Little Rock, Hot Springs & Rogers. California; San Jose, Chula Vista, Los Angeles, Citrus Heights & Chico. Colorado; Lakewood; Bel Mark, Grand Junction & Silverthorne.  Connecticut; Waterford.  Florida; Sarasota, Beach,
Miami, Orlando, Estero & Palm Beach. Georgia; Athens, Lithonia &
Macon. Hawaii; Honolulu, Kaneohe & Aiea.  

The Pine Ridge Mall, Idaho location

The Pine Ridge Mall, Idaho location

Idaho; Chubbuck (Pine Ridge Mall, one of my many former employers [the mall, not Aéropostale]) & Twin Falls. Illinois; Springfield, Carbondale, Geneva, Bolingbrook, Forsyth & Bourbonnais. Indiana; Bloomington & Wayne. Kentucky; Paducah,
Elizabethtown & Owensboro.  Louisiana; Monroe & Slidell. Maryland; Glen Burnie & Ocean City. Massachusetts; Worcester. Michigan; Muskegon, Fort Gratiot, Jackson, Traverse City & Howell.  Minnesota; Maplewood, Blaine, Woodbury & Coon Rapids.
Mississippi; Southaven & Flowood.  Missouri; Columbia, Kansas City & Branson. Montana; Missoula. Nebraska; Lincoln & Omaha. Nevada; Las Vegas. North Carolina; Asheville. New Mexico; Santa Fe. New York; Amherst, Clay, Buffalo, Brooklyn & NYC.  Ohio; Clairsville, two stores in Cincinnati, Heath, Zanesville, Youngstown, Akron, Niles & Columbus.  Oklahoma; Norman, Oklahoma City & Shawnee.  Pennsylvania;  Monroeville, Moosic & Chambersburg. South Carolina; Columbia. South Dakota; Rapid City. Tennessee; Chattanooga, Cleveland, Memphis & Kingsport.  Texas; Plano, Houston, Hillsboro, Lake Jackson, San Antonio & San Angelo. Virginia; Christiansburg & Chesapeake. Washington; Bellingham & Bellevue. West Virginia; Bluefield. Wisconsin; Wausau & Fond Du Lac.  Wyoming; Casper.

North Carolina: Greensboro based gourmet grocery chain The Fresh Market shutting down 13 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Texas, starting now!  In fact all Texas Fresh Markets will shutdown.   A news source estimated that 60 people work at each store, that’s 780 jobs lost within the next two months!  In Cramerton, South Fork Deli shutdown without warning, due to family health problems.  Also in Cramerton, Captain Jim’s Seafood and Steaks shutdown due to the owner’s death, and Next Generation Interiors of Bakers posted “Going out of business” sale signs.

Ohio:  Across the U.S. 197 Cargill employees to become unemployed 18 months from now!  It has something to do with the sale of Cargill’s sauces unit to California based Ventura Foods.

Texas: In Denton, after 20 years Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios shutting down.  It sounds like they’re being kicked out: “We apologize for the sudden news, and how that may affect those whom have shows booked after that date. Please trust us when we say we didn’t want or expect this to happen. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around the shock of it all ourselves.”

Vermont: Burlington School District eliminating 24 jobs, in line with the budget approved by cash strapped voters.

Wisconsin: Childfirst shutting down two daycare ops, one in La Crosse and one in Onalaska. Two other Childfirst locations are being taken over by Red Ballon.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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