Tag Archives: idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 01 July 2014: NASCAR killing jobs in favor of computers! More Obamacare killing hospitals, “30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!”!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced it will shutdown 82 distribution centers beginning in January 2015, thousands of jobs lost!

The USPS Gateway Station (aka CSMPC) in Pocatello, Idaho, survived past shutdown threats but made the 2015 Phase 2 shutdown list, 50+ jobs lost.

It was leaked by insiders that National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) killed 20 jobs.  NASCAR officials refused to admit to the layoffs, but did admit they want to “modernize the company’s operations with technology”.   In other words, replace humans with computers.

The troubled Family Dollar store chain announced it will shutdown 30 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina, hundreds of jobs lost!  It’s part of the company’s plans to shutdown 370 stores across the U.S.!

Generation mPower nuclear power project has killed 100 jobs across several east coast states (at one point officials said 211 people would become unemployed)!  Generation mPower is a joint nuclear power project by Bechtel and Babcock & Wilcox.  In 2011 they got some state funding, but since then have been relying on private funding, which dried up at the end of 2013.  Efforts to sell a majority stake in the nuke op failed in February.    Bechtel and Babcock & Wilcox said they need a minimum $15-million per year to keep the project running.

Arkansas: Washington Regional Medical Center laid off 27 healthcare workers, directly blaming Obama Care.  Hospital officials blame the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for causing the hospital a loss of $8.75-million USD!

California: In Universal City, reports that movie studio DreamWorks killed as many as 50 jobs, with no warning.  In Palmdale, maker of hydraulic and fuel systems Crissair announced they’re shutting down in September, 170 jobs lost!  It’s part of their consolidations after their takeover of Canyon Engineering last year.

Colorado: Another crappy Old Navy clothing store shutting down, 75 jobs lost.  A Pueblo Jack in the Box restaurant shutdown, 50 jobs lost.  A sign said it was being replaced with a new “concept”.

Idaho: In Pocatello, the USPS Gateway Processing Center made the shutdown list for 2015, about 50 jobs lost.

Florida: In Miramar, marketing company Red Ventures shutting down in September, 255 jobs lost!  The company is consolidating ops into South Carolina.

Massachusetts:  In Foxborogh, after six years Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro now chapter 7 bankrupt and deceased.  The owners blame the suck ass economy: “The combination of a weak economy, high and persistent unemployment, and high staff turnover has led us to this difficult decision.” 

New Hampshire: Franklin Pierce University eliminated 12 positions. Earlier this year the university eliminated academic programs.

New York: In Rochester, Nick Tahou Hots restaurant shutdown.

North Carolina: In Durham,  Datrose Industries shutting down its Technical Response call center, 167 jobs lost!  They lost a major contract.  In Belhaven, Vidant Pungo Hospital shutdown without notice: “Closing this hospital means everybody takes another 30 minutes to get emergency help. 30 minutes is a long time when you’re dying!”-Adam O’Neal, mayor

Hospital officials point out they are building a new 24 hours clinic (which is more cost effective under Obama Care), and they also pointed out that city officials failed to take part in negotiations: “The Town’s recent accusations only serve to disguise the fact that it has failed to fulfill its obligations as outlined by the mediation agreement…… the lack of response made it apparent that the Town knew that it did not have a plan to take over hospital operations…….The mediation agreement clearly stated that the Town of Belhaven was required to work with Pantego Creek, LLC, for use of the hospital property. To our knowledge, the Town never contacted Pantego Creek prior to June 11.”

Texas: In Dallas (Oak Lawn), after 22 years Good Eats shutdown.  The owners blame the greedy property owner saying “our landlord has refused to renew our lease”.  In Austin, the Pour House Pub shutdown.  The property is being demolished for a big retail development.

Virginia:  Buchanan County Public School Board shutting down Russell Prater Elementary School.  It’s blamed on $2.1-million in debt.

28 – 30 June 2014: Massive auto parts store shutdown, despite massive taxpayer funding! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings 24 – 25 June 2014: “We did everything right! ….gave 110%…..no one had our backs!” No more Elizabeth Arden? More proof of massive housing market crash! Obama regime kills Montana deputies? Environmentalists kill lumber jobs in Washington! No more Art Institute?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: What housing market recovery?  The Associated General Contractors & Builders reports that 900 construction jobs ceased to exist between May and June!  From May 2013 to May 2014 the state lost 1400 construction jobs!  In Birmingham, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo NA announced they’re shutting down their commercial real estate loan origination office in July, 468 jobs lost!

Arizona: In Yuma, after 24 years Barenholtz Fine Furniture shutdown.  The owner sold the building and is moving back to Missouri.

California: In Stockton, France based contracted food service and facility management company Sodexo announced more layoffs, this time 73 people will become unemployed in August.  In Oakland, Sears announced they’re shutting down their repair center in August, 75 jobs lost.  In Orange, Obama Care forced Children’s Hospital of Orange County to kill 61 healthcare jobs, with only a couple days notice.   In Chino, biomedical laboratory instruments maker Beckman Coulter shutting down in December, 63 jobs lost.   What automotive industry recovery?  In Carson, U.S. Auto Parts Network announced they’re shutting down their distribution center in August, 78 jobs lost.  San Diego based computer chip maker Entropic Communications laying off 150 employees across the U.S., by September!

Connecticut: In Stamford, legal drugs pusher and maker of evil Oxycontin (which eastern Idaho pharmacists, and law enforcers, have publicly stated turns into morphine in your body) Purdue Pharma laid off 59 people.  Another 41 employees being let go across the U.S.

Georgia: After 27 years upscale snooty elitist Vinings Club restaurant shutdown.  The shutdown was revealed by one of the 871 exclusive members.  40 jobs lost, it’s being blamed on financial reasons which forced the sale of the restaurant.

Idaho: 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.

Illinois: In Oak Park, the Mac Specialist store shutdown.   The owners have been struggling ever since an investor backed out in 2013.  In Lake County, legal drugs pusher Abbott Labs laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  The lying company officials said it was necessary to “reduce costs”, but then they turned around and reported the ‘cost cutting’ action was costing them an additional $194-million USD in “charges”.  On top of that, they announced they are buying a Russian company for as much as $495-million in cash plus $136 million in debt!  And on top of that, they bought a Chilean pharmaceutical company for $2.9-billion plus $430-million of debt!  Now we see the real reason they need to “reduce costs”.

Massachusetts: In Leominster, HealthAlliance Hospital revealed that its recently announced Obama Care job cuts will affect 160 healthcare workers!

Michigan: What housing market recovery?  Washtenaw County announced 259 properties to be bundled into 75 tax auctions!  Compare that to 2013 when 186 properties were bundled for auction!

Missouri: In Kansas City,  Barton Nelson died.  The family owned printing company was only 53 years old.  The family owners left this angry message on their phone service; “…being forced to close its doors by our lenders.”

Montana: Powell County laying off two deputies, leaving an area the size of Delaware with only the Sheriff and two deputies!   County officials blame the Obama regime, because promised funding through the Secure Rural Schools Act never came through!

Nevada: Enterprise based Allegiant Air halting all but two flights to Hawaii.  The move will affect airports in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.  Airline officials called it a “seasonal hiatus”.

New Mexico: In Albuquerque, two shopping centers up for auction; Four Hills Village Shopping Center and Riverside Plaza.  The commercial properties were foreclosed, despite having paying tenants.  Does it have something to do with the Albuquerque metropolitan area losing 2700 jobs from May 2013 to May 2014?!

New York: First Avon, now Elizabeth Arden.  The cosmetics maker announced massive layoffs, but refused to give exact numbers.  Arden is also shutting down their Puerto Rico ops, and canceling some perfume contracts.  Just like Avon, Arden is dealing with crashing sales.  In Queensbury, Tribune Media Services laid off about ten employees.  Last month they laid off 25 employees. The Hempstead School District killed 59 education jobs, in a secret vote.  The teachers union went to local news media to report that 47 teachers, 10 teacher assistants and two administrators had received layoff notices.  In May school officials declared many teaching positions were going to be “excessed”, which basically means there’s not enough money to cover them all.  Sterling National Bank announced they are killing 23 jobs statewide in September.  In Orangeburg, DHS Systems announced they are shutting down in September, 30 jobs lost.  The company specializes in portable hospitals.

North Carolina: What housing market recovery?  In Charlotte, Too Big to Jail Bank of America laid off 540 mortgage workers!

Ohio: God can’t stop all powerful Obama Care from killing 131 jobs with non-profit Christian health system, TriHealth (a partnership with Bethesda and Good Samaritan).  The SeniorLink Program was also killed.  Under Obama Care the program is considered too expensive.  What housing market recovery?  A realtor association in Columbus reporting an 11.3% drop in home sales from May 2013 to May 2014.  On top of that eight counties reported their April sales  dropped by 12.5%.  And this is with a reduction in the number of homes available!

Pennsylvania: British empire U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems killing more U.S. jobs, this time 35 people let go in Jessup.  The Sanatoga Kmart shutting down in August, ironically the store was advertising to hire new employees!  According to local news reports it was the property owner that shutdown the store, not Sears Holdings.  However, an unnamed store employee explained the building was owned by Sears Holdings, but the land was not.  The land owner refused to renew the lease.   Pittsburgh based Education Management Corporation (EDMC) laid off 80 HQ employees, and more are expected.  The for profit higher education system (half owned by Goldman-Sachs) operates in the U.S. and Canada through  Argosy University, The Art Institutes (200 employees laid off earlier this year!), Brown Mackie College and South University.  EMDC has been losing money for the past three years due to disappearing students (enrollment dropped almost 10% just from last year).  EMDC is also facing U.S. federal charges for paying recruiters based on student headcount, which is a violation of U.S. education laws.

Tennessee: The Crittenden Regional Hospital remains shutdown.  The official reason is reconstruction after a fire caused massive water damage by the hospital’s anti-fire sprinkler system.  However, it’s also been revealed the hospital is $23-million in debt, and Obama Care just might not make it worth rebuilding.

Texas: In Austin, Massachusetts based life sciences company Thermo Fisher Scientific laid off 115 people!  The work is being transfered to the state of California and the country of Lithuania.

Vermont: In Rutland, after 42 years the Book King shutting down in July.

Virginia: Dance costume maker Wolff Fording & Company killed 47 jobs.  Is that a big deal?  Consider this; there are now only five employees left in the factory that once employed 120!  It turns out the company was sold off earlier in June.  The new controlling owner is a California based vulture capitalist called Vert Capital.  The new owners admitted they didn’t expect to layoff so many people, but the costume maker was in deep trouble that was “not foreseeable at the time of purchase”.   Former employees are pissed: “We’re hurting!  We did everything right!  We showed up, worked hard, gave 110% and then we were kicked out on our butts with the feeling that no one had our backs!”-Shannon McCallister

Washington: British empire Canada based Interfor shutting down a sawmill in Beaver, and a planer in Forks.  90 jobs lost.  Company officials blame it on the bad economy, exacerbated by nut job environmentalist who managed to get a court order blocking the supply of wood!

West Virginia: In Wyoming County, the largest coal mine run by Cliffs Natural Resources shutting down in August, 450 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on crashing coal prices.  However, company officials said “If something happens in the next 60 days we won’t have to take this action.”  County officials are praying that “something happens”, Commissioner Silas Mullins said “We’re going to lose a great deal of money….” which could affect county jobs and cause a death spiral for the local economy.

Wisconsin: In Sheboygan, newly formed geo-imaging company Quantum Spatial laying off 68 employees in August.   Local news media report that company officials refused to explain why.

22 – 23 June 2014: “Our stores never recovered…”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013

Business/Economics, Idaho, International, U.S.

Global Food Crisis: Late blight kills Idaho’s 2014 potato crops? Confirmed in Bannock County! Blame Mexico or Global Cooling?

19 August 2014 (01:53 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Shawwal 1435/28 Mordad 1393/24 Ren-Shen 4712

“…..just the beginning. The opportunity for this thing to be explosive in its spread is definitely there.”-Phil Nolte, University of Idaho

A few days ago it was reported by local news media that potato late blight was devastating crops in Bingham County, I can tell you it’s here in Bannock County, and it started back in July.

Farm field on the west side of Chubbuck. About 4 weeks ago these spuds were full and green.

Farm field on the west side of Chubbuck. About 4 weeks ago this spud field was full and green.

Don’t blame the drought, since the end of July eastern Idaho has been hit with abnormal rain, so much that University of Idaho pathologists warned the unseasonable heavy rain is causing late blight (Phytophthora infestans).  Late blight was confirmed in Blackfoot farm fields on 11-12 August 2014, in Bingham County.

I can tell you that the farm field on the west side of Chubbuck (Bannock County) was showing signs of disease before the heavy rains started, back at the beginning of July.   It’s an irrigated farm, and several types of crops are rotated every year.   The farmer stopped irrigating by the time the rains hit.

Check out the devastation. Back in July the potato plants were more than 2 feet tall, now they're dead! Late blight killed off the large fields in only a few weeks time.

Check out the devastation. Back in July the potato plants were more than 2 feet tall, now they’re dead! The only plants growing now are the tumble weeds! Late blight killed off the large fields in only a few weeks time.

Apparently it only takes the late blight fungus about five days to begin spreading spores (the spores travel by air).

A late blight is blamed for the infamous Irish Potato Famine, and it made its way to North America in the late 1800s.  But ever since the 1990s new strains of late blight evolved in Mexico, and are making their way north.  The new strains are considered more lethal than the old Irish Potato Famine version.   It attacks tomatoes as well.

University of Idaho ag officials stated that spraying fungicides should kill the blight, however they admitted many farmers are short on cash and can’t afford the chemicals.  A farmer from Aberdeen (Bingham County) stated that he hoped his anti-early blight spray would suffice for preventing late blight, due to cost concerns.   After all, potatoes haven’t really been a money making crop for Idaho farmers (despite the propaganda spouted in the metropolitan areas of the United States).

It’s not just potatoes, Idaho hay/alfalfa growers are facing fungus problems due to the unseasonal heavy rains.  By the end of the first week of August, Jefferson and Bingham counties reported record rain fall totals.

Hay farmers had already shipped off their first cuts, but University of Idaho officials reported that the second cut (now stacked in bales) is in jeopardy of mold contamination due to being soaked: “…..there was enough rain on uncovered stacks that it probably went through the first bale. We could have more hay fires and a bunch of ruined hay. Monitor your stacks.”-Glenn Shewmaker

A Blackfoot hay farmer reported that his hay stacks had already turned black with mold: “It’s the ugliest hay I’ve ever been a part of!”-Dewey Stander, lost 404 hectares (1-thousand acres) of cut hay

Up ’till now the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had been making optimistic reports regarding agricultural crop production in Idaho.

But there’s more climate change threats coming for Idaho farmers.  Climatologist Cliff Harris says he and his colleges agree that Idaho could see a colder than normal Autumn (our temps have actually been unusually cool for August).  He even warns that there could be hard freezes in September, meaning less food for you city folks to eat.

Business/Economics, Idaho

More Economic Decline: Only 3 years after opening, Chubbuck’s Allstate call center already killing jobs!

15 August 2014 (03:25 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Shawwal 1435/24 Mordad 1393/20 Ren-Shen 4712

In October 2010 insurance company Allstate, the mayor of Chubbuck (Steve England) and the governor of Idaho (Butch Otter) announced at a public ground breaking ceremony the creation of a call center that was promised to eventually employ 500 people.

The Allstate call center was built in The Crossings plaza adjacent to the Pine Ridge Mall, and became operational at the end of 2011, but nowhere near 500 jobs were created.

By the end of 2012, there were about 250 employees at the Chubbuck Allstate call center, making Allstate the largest employer in the city.  Many of the positions are part time only.  Allstate claims they spent more than $22-million USD on the project, but I know they got a lot of incentives from the state (taxpayers.  Allstate called it “nine months of negotiations”).

The $22-million+ Allstate call center in Chubbuck, Idaho, already shedding jobs after barely 3 years of operations.

The $22-million+ Allstate call center in Chubbuck, Idaho, already shedding jobs after barely 3 years of operations.

In 2013 Allstate added Roadside Services to the Chubbuck call center (at the expense of Allstate jobs in other states).  Local news reports said the move would create an additional 225 jobs, thereby keeping the promise of nearly 500 jobs made back in 2010.   Well, that didn’t last long.

Right after the groundbreaking ceremonies in 2010. The property is known as The Crossings, with Home Depot being the only occupant until Allstate came along.

On 13 August 2014, it was revealed that Allstate is shutting down their Chubbuck call center’s Roadside Services.  Those jobs will be shipped off to other call centers (including a new call center in Draper, Utah), or the Chubbuck Roadside Services employees can hope to be transfered to the original Chubbuck Customer Contact Center.

Allstate officials told local news media that this does not mean Allstate is leaving Chubbuck after only three years of operations, but guess what folks, Allstate has already done that in other parts of the country.  In fact, Allstate has been shutting down call centers (some only recently opened) across the country for the past two years!  (as I’ve pointed out in many of my Job Losses & Store Closings reports)

Allstate is playing the same game other call center operators are playing: They come to town and build new call centers using taxpayer funded incentives (basically no cost to the call center operators), they employ a couple hundred people for a few years, then, when the tax incentives expire they pull stakes and move on to the next sucker who’s willing (desperate for jobs) to waste their taxdollars on them.

Don’t be surprised if they eventually shutdown the entire Chubbuck Allstate call center.

East Idaho television news didn’t tell the story clearly

500 ALLSTATE JOBS?

Idaho

2014 Chubbuck Days Car Show

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Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:

6TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW, 2012 CHUBBUCK DAYS (PART 1)

Idaho, Technology

Pocatello Airport 1999, 2012 & 2014: Section Eight, Ole Yeller flies on in Idaho

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Click the pics to make bigger, photos by AAron B. Hutchins:

In 1999, there was a small ‘air show’ at Pocatello Airport that was actually a promotional event for what was then called the Confederate Air Force (now called Commemorative Air Force).  One of the planes that showed up was Section Eight.

Me, Denise, little Jenny, and of course Aryssa is getting distracted again.

Me, Aryssa, Alex and little Jenny.

A bunch of crazy kids, get it, Section Eight is military lingo for crazy.

Business/Economics, Idaho

Sears & Kmart closing update, 06 August 2014: “Day of reckoning” Finally it’s official Chubbuck Sears going down! No more Converse shoes? Sears Canada being sold for $2-billion!

“When one player starts to get worried, that’s something that can potentially spread fast. People are very worried about getting stuck with a lot of liability…..There’s a day of reckoning at some point.”-Steven Dennis, former Sears vice president, commenting on the recent ‘disappearance’ of Converse/Nike brand shoes from Sears stores

My past articles showed how the Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears was slowly being killed off.

I’ve been warning and now it’s official; the Sears in the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho, is shutting down.  The mall’s current property manager, Covington Realty Partners, says Sears Holdings gave no “verbal” warning.

North Carolina losing a Kmart in November.  Missouri losing a Kmart in November.  An Oklahoma Sears shutting down in November.  Massachusetts losing a 35 years old Kmart in October.  112 people losing their jobs at 46 years old Kmart in Florida, by November.  Turns out the property was quietly sold to Walmart back in 2012!  Wisconsin losing a Sears.

Reports that Sears Canada might have a new owner.  New York based Sycamore Partners considering paying Eddie Lampert $2-billion USD for Sears Holding’s share of Sears Canada!

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost).

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

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears (jobs lost unknown), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown.  Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why?

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

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, recently revealed Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost). Finally an official announcement; Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost).  Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the “pad”.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) recently revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

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

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost).

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

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

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

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

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

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost).

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

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware.

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), recently revealed Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), recently revealed Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga Kmart (jobs lost unknown, but the store was advertising for new hires!), Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost).

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

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

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

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (no job loss info given), recently revealed Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Idaho, Technology

Pocatello Airport 02 August 2014: Grumman S2F Tracker

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Who knew that this free airshow would also be the last for Idaho’s Pocatello Airport?

Click pics to make bigger, photos by AAron B. Hutchins:

Pocatello Airport: MIG-15 UTI & MIG-17

Idaho, Technology

Pokey Airport 02 August 2014: SISTR Lenco BearCat

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Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger: