Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

“…it’s got to come to an end.” Despite thousands of layoffs Microsoft loses $3.2-billion!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 21 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Japan based video game maker Gree laid off 30% of employees at its San Francisco operations. Analysts say it’s the result of Gree failing to accomplish its goal to dominate the mobile gaming market.  In Monterey, Osio Cinemas being shutdown by its investor owners who blame competition, rising debt and crashing sales.  Aliso Viejo based data storage company QLogic warned 2-hundred employees of mass layoffs, due to unexpected crashing sales.  In Sacramento, after 22 years City Limits Showgirls strip joint shutting down due to county ‘lawmakers’ re-zoning the land.

Connecticut: In Stamford, the New York Sports Clubs shutting down.  Administrators blamed “recent events” but didn’t go into details.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 43 years Roller Dome South shutting down in August.

Iowa: In Sioux City, after 30 years Wilmes Do It Best Hardware shutdown.

Kansas: In Manhattan, the country’s oldest Pizza Hut shutdown after 55 years due to crashing sales.  The franchise owner lamented “…in 1960….No one here even knew what a pizza was! Imagine that! But I don’t think I would have guessed how big Pizza Hut ….would get either.”   The controversial taxpayer created (Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004) investment company Kansas Bioscience Authority revealed it laid off 50% of employees last week.  Administrators blame lack of state taxpayer funding.   ‘Lawmakers’ say KBA has failed to bring in the big investment bucks needed to save the ‘christian’ state’s failing economy. (…the love of money is the root of all evil…: 1 Timothy 6:10)

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

Massachusetts: In Hamilton, after six years Winfrey’s Fudge & Chocolates shutdown “…due to the lack of parking and foot traffic.”  The property is for sale.  In Cambridge, music venue T. T. The Bear’s Club shutdown.

Michigan: After 51 years shoe store Alfano’s Stride Rite shutting down.  But wait, it’s not just one store but five stores spread across the state: “Outlets are really affecting business…..it’s got to come to an end.”-Nick Alfano, owner

Minnesota: In Madelia, crime is being blamed for the shutdown of The Furniture Clinic after the inventory was destroyed by vandals.  What makes this worse is that the owner of the store recently started the business after he lost his regular job due to losing his eyesight!

Montana: What was that about ObamaCare increasing access to healthcare? ObamaCare forcing Lolo Family Practice to shutdown.  It’s the only medical care in Lolo.  People will have to travel to the next town for healthcare.

Nebraska: Be’ne Pizza and Pasta shutting down after 14 years.

New Jersey: Four Pathmark grocery stores in Middlesex County shutting down due to parent company A&P’s bankruptcy.

New Mexico: In Santa Fe, after 33 years Robert R. Bailey Clothiers shutting down.  The family owners decided it wasn’t worth it to renew the lease.

New York: In Manhattan, Bis.Co.Latte shutdown their brick-n-mortar store, blaming greedy property owners jacking up the rent by more than 35%!  Their handmade biscotti is still available over the internet.

Ohio: On the corner of Healthy and Happiness, Walgreens admitted they’re shutting down their Chillicothe store.  It’s part of the plan to shutdown 2-hundred stores by the end of the year.

Pennsylvania:  ObamaCare causing Geisinger Medical Group to consolidate operations and shutdown their Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in August.

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!

Washington: Those 26-thousand layoffs couldn’t stop Redmond based Microsoft from losing $3.2-billion USD in its 4th quarter!

West Virginia: Animal Friends of Barbour County warned it will shutdown due to lack of funding.  When you realize how many animals the shelter saves it’s a sad reflection of the bad economy: “Last year we took in 1,120 animals. That’s pretty evenly divided as far as dogs and cats. We run and operate as a no-kill facility.”-Carol Talbot

Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin‘s two year Colleges eliminating 83 jobs by consolidating administration jobs.  It’s blamed on Right to Work you over gov’na Scott Walker.

19 – 20 July 2015: “significant downturn in business”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics

“significant downturn in business”: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 19 – 20 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

British empire’s United Kingdom based Too Big to Jail Barclays will eliminate 30-thousand jobs around the World, including in the United States, by the end of 2017!  Administrators are suddenly calling those positions “redundant”, but the real reason for the massive layoffs is an attempt to double the stock price of the failing bank.

Colorado: Software company Intuit now shutting down their Denver call center, 59 jobs lost.  It’s part of last month’s announcement that the California based company will eliminate 399 jobs!

Delaware: The now bankrupt A&P grocery chain will shutdown two Delaware stores.

Florida: Vizen sushi restaurant shutdown.  Critics said it was good but too expensive.  Moore’s Stonecrab shutdown, reports say a new restaurant will open, a year and a half from now!

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 39 years Abby Brown’s Candy Shoppe shutting down in August, due to the death of one of the co-owners.

Iowa: In Spencer, hydraulic pump make Eaton laid off 49 employees, the rest of the factory’s employees will be furloughed for a week in September.  Administrators blame the bad economy.

Massachusetts: In Somerville, after 46 years Johnny D’s Uptown Restaurant and Music Club shutting down by 2016.  The owner wants to ‘repurpose’ the property as a mixed retail-residential building .

Michigan: In Escabana, after 30 years the Record Rack shutdown due to the co-owners’ retirement.

New Jersey: Montvale based Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted (again) and will shutdown at least 25 stores and sell-off at least 120.  The Montvale HQ building was put up for sale back in January.  At least ten New Jersey A&P grocery stores will shutdown.

New York: It’s been revealed that NYC based Time received $10-million USD in taxpayer funded grants and incentives to prevent the publisher from moving to New Jersey. But according to a WNTC report, the taxpayer funded bribe allows Time to eliminate 9-hundred jobs!   NYC based radio broadcaster Westwood One laid off 50 people across several states as part of consolidation with Cumulus Media.   The now bankrupt A&P grocery chain will shutdown five New York stores.

Pennsylvania:  The now bankrupt A&P grocery chain will shutdown eight Pennsylvania stores.  A local TV station interviewed people about what they thought, many said they thought the A&P grocery prices were too high.  In Berwyn, the Pathmark grocery store is shutting down. In Kennett Square, the Super Fresh grocery store is shutting down.

South Carolina: In Charleston, after eight years Social Restaurant & Wine Bar being replaced by a restaurant targeting old fogy tourists: “The dynamic of this neighborhood has changed drastically. We’ve lost our late night. We’ve lost the younger crowd that helped keep the lights on. East Bay now has an older demographic that’s more touristy.”-Brad Ball, owner

South Dakota: Rip off discounter Big Lots shutting down their five years old Sioux Falls store in August, 17 jobs lost.

Texas: In Houston, Ohio based TimkenSteel laying off 39 employees due to “significant downturn in business” with the petroleum industry.  The Ohio company laid off 52 people outside of Texas, back in March, for the same reason.

Washington: In Seattle, “provider of travel and hospitality services” Bags will eliminate 190 jobs in August!

18 July 2015: “…they’re messing with people’s lives!”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics

“…how I will now make a living?” “…they’re messing with people’s lives!” Mom & Pop operators hint at new laws meant to shut them down!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 18 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arkansas: In Paragould, after 33 years The Treasure House being forced to shutdown by August, the owner lamented “…how I will now make a living?” 

California: In Oakhurst, popular Grocery Discount Center shutting down in August. It’s blamed on the death of one of the owners.  Locals say the business will be missed: “I have watched them feed the poor, pray for the hurting … it’s like a family here …”-Debra Burnett

Colorado: Premier Bank has been seized by the FDIC, assets turned over to United Fidelity Bank.

Connecticut: Fairfeild based GE (General Electric) has eliminated hundreds of jobs since the beginning of the year on the grounds that revenues are going down, as well as selling off its financial ops, yet that hasn’t stop it from paying ‘investors’ $50-billion in dividends and buybacks, and now GE is about to spend $13.5-billion USD on the take over of electricity generation from France based Alstom: “We like this deal. It is our intention to really close the deal.”-Jeff Immelt, ceo

It sounds like GE’s true reason for eliminating hundreds of jobs and selling off sections of the company was all about raising cash to buyback stocks and takeover other companies.

Illinois: In Lincoln Park, after 36 years iconic dance club Neo lost its lease and is looking for a new home.  However, don’t blame the club owners, the property owners swear they offered Neo a “big drop” in rent in exchange for the dance club cleaning up its act: “You would go in and there was all kinds of dust and cobwebs and there were rats coming up in the floor behind the bar. I’ve got tenants upstairs who pay quite a lot of money in rent. You can’t have a shit-hole downstairs! It’s not fair to everybody else in the building.”-John Crombie, property owner

Louisiana: After 52 years clothier Belk Tallywood shutdown, 27 employees are supposedly being transfered to other Belk stores.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, after 30 years the 7th Street Tavern shutting down by the end of the month.  It’s blamed on crashing sales due to crashing customer traffic at the mini-mall location.  Near Hastings, after about 60 years The Point restaurant shutdown. It’s been sold to convenience store/gas station operator SSG, who already owns the surrounding land.  Maplewood based 3M just eliminated another 51 jobs across the country, but this time it’s not military contract jobs.  3M is consolidating their filtration products business.

New York: In Elmsford, Pets Alive announced they must shutdown their animal shelter, blaming rising costs of operations and crashing revenue.  In Potsdam, after 37 years outdoor clothing and equipment store Wear On Earth shutting down by August.  Co-owner Shannon Klein said current business laws/regulations now work against mom & pop stores: “The business [Wear on Earth] is based on being owner-operated. There is no business left when the owner can’t do it anymore.  What was transferred to us cannot be transferred to a future owner due to changes in the industry during the time we owned the business…”

Ohio: In Genoa, after 61 years family owned Samsen Furniture and Design shutdown, it’s being replaced with a new franchise operation.  In Merle Hay, the 45 years old Earl May garden center forced to shutdown due to “…we lost our lease and will not be able to continue at this location.”  On Buckeye Lake, both The Copper Penny and the Sailor Joe’s restaurants shutting down.  The owner blames it on crashing water levels in the channels that feed the lake, caused by state administrators who supposedly did it to make repairs to a dam.  The owner regrets buying the restaurants just a few years ago: “They didn’t take away just the boating; they’re messing with people’s lives!….80% of our business is boats…”-Jeff Reed

Texas:  In Corpus Christi, supplier to public and private schools Rainbow Books shutting down after 31 years.  The owners are selling it to help fund their retirement, but they hope they can find a buyer who will continue the business.

Wisconsin: In Superior, Too Big to Jail banks forcing Norm’s Beer & Brats to shutdown by refusing to renew the mortgage (debt financing).  The owner hopes to find a new location soon.

17 July 2015: “…it’s all about money now.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics

Albertsons Safeway update 18 July 2015: Stock issue to result in more store shutdowns?

Analysts are expecting good things for Albertsons-Safeway (owned by New York based Cerberus Capital Management) when the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of stocks are made.   That is they think a lot of ‘investors’ will buy those stocks because investors like what they see is being done with the new grocery chain (meaning shutdowns and layoffs after Albertsons lost $1.2-billion USD in 2014!), but what does it mean for employees of Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market and Carrs?

Analysts describe a couple of scenarios about what Cerberus would do with all the new money they’ll have after the IPO, and both scenarios seem to point to more layoffs.

1: What’s been happening to make the new Albertsons-Safeway ‘more efficient’ (including shutdowns & layoffs) will ramp up.

2: Use the new money to take over even more grocery store chains, but my experience is that the main reason you take over competition is to shut it down.  Over the past several months I’ve read several news reports out of New Jersey, concerning the increasing number of local grocery store shutdowns, and the consensus in that state is that there is too much competition.

By the way, Albertsons is reported to have $12-billion of debt!

Right now Cerberus is the second largest grocery store operator in the U.S.

Number one is Kroger (Baker’s Supermarkets, City Market, Dillons Food Stores, Fry’s Food & Drug, Gerbes Super Markets, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, Kroger, Owen’s, Pay Less Super Markets, QFC, Ralphs, Scott’s, Smith’s, Fred Meyer, some Food 4 Less, Foods Co and Ruler Foods, to name a few), and even they’ve been shutting down stores.

Haggen conducts mass layoffs after taking over Albertsons & Vons grocery stores! 

Business/Economics

“…it’s all about money now.” Go on vacation, lose your job! Project Century about killing jobs!: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 17 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  Even the rich and famous are cutting back spending. In Beverly Hills the Hakkasan restaurant shutdown, the owners also admitted that their Las Vegas operation is losing money as well.  TV ratings company Nielsen is selling off its National Research Group, the latest reports from Deadline say at least a dozen employees were suddenly laid off in Los Angeles.  One employee was on vacation when she got a phone call telling her not to bother returning to work! Another employee stated “It’s unbelievable that management who steered this company into the rocks is still standing!”

Florida: Yet another railroad company conducting mass layoffs. CSX will begin furloughing 6-hundred employees around the country in its 3rd quarter of 2015! It’s blamed on crashing shipments of coal caused by the crashing coal mining industry/market.

Illinois: General Mills shutting down their West Chicago food factory by 2017, at least 5-hundred jobs lost!  This will be the 3rd General Mills factory in West Chicago to shutdown!  It’s part of their Project Century plan to deal with crashing sales.  Unionized employees said “…it’s all about money now.”

Kansas: Olathe School District warned layoffs were coming due to $2-million USD shortfall.  Administrators did not blame enrollment, but blamed increased costs (like ObamaCare insurance rates for employees) and reduced funding from the state and federal governments.

Maryland: After 37 years pre-school The Eyman Children Center shutting down by the end of the month. The owner said “It’s time to get serious about retirement and enjoying what years are left.”   Gov’na Larry Hogan eliminated 63 ‘public safety’ (prison & parole) jobs, pissing off the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees: “They’re firing people. When you abolish positions, you’re firing people. That’s what happens when you cut 2% of the department’s budget across the board!”– Patrick Moran, AFSCME Council 3

After seven years restaurant Clementine is shutting down. The co-owner said she’s focusing on catering only because it’s not a good time to run a restaurant: “…is the toughest business ever. It’s really, really, really hard. There are just so many moving parts, and we’re working so many hours. And our events schedule has really been picking up. You start to ask yourselves, ‘What’s going to give?’”-Cristin Dadant

Michigan: Davenport University shutting down several campuses due to crashing enrollment.  Some campuses will be merged while others will become two year colleges.  What I call Disappearing Students Syndrome has resulted in Davenport losing 3,341 students since 2010!  In Howell, after 35 years Antiques On the River mini-mall shutting down.  Apparently the two story building will see a different business take over, and antique dealers will have to find a new venue to sell from.

Minnesota: Golden Valley based food producer General Mills revealed Project Century, a plan to shutdown dozens of factories and eliminate 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs!  General Mills also runs Project Catalyst, which has eliminated 8-hundred ‘white-collar’ jobs! Just last month General Mills announced a new Project Compass which will eliminate 725 jobs over the next 12 months, and is in edition to the other two projects!  The crashing coal mining industry is being blamed for future job losses at the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Administrators stated that as of now the volume of shipping is normal, but they expect that all the massive mining industry layoffs recently announced will result in decreased shipments, meaning no need for all those Port Authority employees.

Missouri: General Mills shutting down their Joplin food factory, 120 jobs lost! It’s part of their Project Century plan to deal with crashing sales.

New Jersey: School bus contractor First Student just issued a WARN saying 135 people in Trenton will become unemployed in September!  Local news reports said the contractor is consolidating ops to save money.  Taxpayers are finding out the real reason for hundreds of layoffs at the Atlantic City School District; four new ‘director’ positions were created and the jobs went to employees who were supposed to be laid off, and who got huge pay raises as a result! District administrators justified their game by claiming the four new positions will be handling the work of 18 positions that were eliminated.

New York: In Tarrytown, Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics issued a shutdown WARN for October.  In Troy, after 67 years men’s clothier Rodino’s shutdown.  The current owner admitted that he not being a taylor, and not being able find one for the past two years, negatively impacted sales: “It took a long time to decide. I’ve been working here for 40 something years. I’ve seen a lot of changes here in business trends. We always had a faithful following. It’s a bittersweet-type moment.”-Michael Rodino

North Carolina: In West Asheville, after one year clothing store Rhetorical Factory shutdown. The owner found out the hard way that in a bad economy it doesn’t matter what you do: “I did it the best way I knew how. We recycled clothes. We took out labels. We sold art. We paid people well, and I was really stubborn about who I chose to hire and what products we sold. For four months out of the year to be really slow was really hard…..the way the rent is structured. I felt like I was spending six months out of the year trying to make it through those four months.”-Bethany Adams

Ohio: The city of Niles has been in a state of fiscal emergency since October.  Now administrators are warning of layoffs pending “good data” and the hope of “looking for more money”.  In Dayton, Practice Yoga shutdown, the owner saying only “After exploring several other options, all signs point to this, a difficult but necessary move.”  Private yoga classes will be available for the hardcore pretzel benders.  Despite reporting a 9% increase in earnings, and despite announcing they will return home loans ops, and despite having enough money to donate $1-million to Cleveland State university, Too Big to Jail KeyBank (KeyCorp) announced it will shutdown as many as 30 offices by the end of the year. Local news reports say that in the past 12 months KeyBank has already laid off 4-hundred people across the country, and suspect more layoffs are in the works!

Pennsylvania: After 32 years Dunning’s Grill shutdown.  Restaurant Isabela shutting down by the end of the month and being sold-off due to family health problems.  In Sayre, after 23 years Paint, Paper & Lighting Place shutting down, it’s been sold to help fund the co-owner’s retirement.

South Carolina: South Carolina State University shutting down nine buildings, including four dorms, in an attempt to save money. Obviously with less buildings to take care of there won’t be the need for all those building maintenance jobs. Administrators admit that struggles with enrollment resulted in not enough money to perform needed repairs and upgrades to the nine buildings.

Texas:  Education testing contractor Pearson laid off 208 employees in The Lone Star State, and another 62 in other states! It’s blamed on the loss of their testing contracts.  Houston based Milagro Oil & Gas now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, and will begin selling off its oil wells.

Washington: In Bellingham, Mount Baker Vapor issued a shutdown WARN for September, 92 jobs lost.

Washington DC: National Journal halting its hardcopy edition. Administrators said the print version was a financial failure, yet at the same time claimed the company was in good financial shape. They will now focus on their internet version.

West Virginia: As part of their plan to kill-off 175 stores, clothier Gap shutting down their 18 years old Charleston Town Center store by the end of the month.

Wisconsin: Associated Bank announced they’re shutting down 13 offices, and basically they’re following the herd of other banks doing the same thing.

16 July 2015: “I’m not going to put a gun to anybody’s head…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 17 July 2015: Haggen conducts mass layoffs after taking over Albertsons & Vons grocery stores!

“The prices are higher and I don’t really like it so far. I wouldn’t go out of my way to shop at this store, not even in my neighborhood.”-Art Webb, California resident pissed off at the new Haggen stores that replaced Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Safeway

You knew if had to be, it always happens when one corporation sells out to another.  After taking over Vons and Albertsons stores new owner Haggen is killing jobs, despite previous announcements to the contrary!

Reports out of California say Haggen has begun laying off an undisclosed number of employees and cutting work hours for the rest, after taking over 83 California grocery stores from the recently created Albertsons-Safeway (a total of 146 Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Safeway stores across the country were sold to Haggen as part of the Albertsons Safeway merger).

Executives with Haggen finally admitted they cannot keep prices low with all those employees on the payroll.  Grocery industry analysts say Haggen has bitten off more than it can chew with the purchase of 146 stores: “Clearly they are underperforming. This is a clear sign that their sales expectations are not being met.”– Jim Prevor, PerishablePundit.com

Another analyst said get ready for more changes: “This is the biggest conversion in Southern California or anywhere else in the last 15 to 20 years. It’s going to be evolutionary to go through the transition and correct the pricing and everything else that comes up.”-Burt Flickinger 3rd, Strategic Resource Group

Haggen did admit in a press release that they were eliminating jobs in California, Arizona and Nevada. But would only say that the number of layoffs would “vary by store” and blamed “unprecedented” competition.

Albertsons Safeway shuts down forgotten Island store!

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis: USDA declares Idaho a food production disaster area! Montana, Washington & Oregon close behind!

17 July 2015 (18:22 UTC-07 Tango 01, 16 July 2015)/26 Tir 1394/30 Ramadan 1436/02 Gui-Wie (6th month) 4713

In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared more than 90% of Idaho’s 44 counties to be food production disaster areas because of the 15 years long drought!  Never has the USDA declared an entire state a disaster area!

For those weenie-heads back in the New England states Idaho is a large state, encompassing several New England states (the biggest Gem State county, Idaho County, is 8,485 square miles or 21,980 square kilometers).  In other words one of the United States’ major food growers cannot meet demand!

The USDA also designated 18 counties in Washington and 15 counties in Montana as disaster areas!  Oregon has at least seven counties designated natural disaster areas.

Idaho wheat crop dying!

Business/Economics, Idaho

“I’m not going to put a gun to anybody’s head & make them buy a lottery ticket…” Powerball sales crash?: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 16 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Another coal miner going down, this time Walter Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The bankruptcy will affect mining ops in Alabama and West Virginia, but will not affect operations outside the U.S.

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

Connecticut: ObamaCare forced non-profit Eastern Connecticut Health Network to layoff 24 employees, eliminate 14 vacant positions and cut hours for other employees.  It’s directly blamed on lower Medicaid reimbursements and higher taxes.  In Rocky Hill, news reports revealed that KS Partners replaced about 20 of their long term career janitors with cheap migrant workers: “They put in new people. No benefits. Minimum wage.”-Domingo Guerrero, 16 year employee replaced with new immigrant labor

News reports say administrators with KS Partners refuse to comment.

Idaho: KPVI revealed that Walmart was ripping off a Pocatello business.  The owners of Pocatello based American Built Apparel (not associated with troubled California based American Apparel) discovered Walmart was selling shirts with their logo on it, but they weren’t made by them!  The shirts were made by a company Walmart contracts with, called Hybrid Apparel, and Hybrid Apparel decided to settle the lawsuit brought by American Built Apparel.  American Built owner Nicholas Carson said the U.S. corporate system is unfair: “You jump through all the hoops, jump through the legal system to get a federal trademark to protect your business, and a big company comes in and steps all over it!”-KPVI interview

Pocatello administrators have revealed their hyped up deal to bring a major employer to Pocatello Regional Airport is dead, for now.  Administrators have been claiming since November that an unnamed company code named Project Pipe was about to set up shop at the airport.  One problem, the operation might be in conflict with FAA environmental regulations.  The so called Project Pipe company has announced they are not going to wait any longer for a decision by the FAA regarding the environmental impact of the project, and will go elsewhere to set up shop: “Project Pipe needed to be in place by a certain date. We were already five months behind schedule and we were getting bogged down in the environmental review process.”-David Allen, Pocatello Regional Airport press release

‘Pokey’ administrators will now play a shell game to rezone some of the airport land as no longer being airport land, to avoid the FAA rules: “We are taking the necessary steps to remove about 900 acres of land from the official Airport property map. This land was already released by the FAA for non-aeronautical use and can be removed from the map under proper procedures. The City will still own the land, it will still be annexed into the City limits and it will still have advantageous access to air transportation. But once it is no longer Airport property, it no longer falls under FAA rules. When future projects are identified, the City would only have to ensure the project does not create an aviation hazard or otherwise impact aviation.”-David Allen

Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter is forcing taxpayers to give ‘lawmakers’ multi-million dollar retirements!  Idaho Freedom Foundation reports that Dean Cameron of Rupert has been promised $1.4-million USD if he stays in office for only four years!  Bob Geddes of Soda Springs is being promised a little more than $1-million if he remains the Department of Administration’s director for a mere 30 months!  Gov’na Otter told Boise radio interviewers that his offers of huge pensions to at least 11 ‘officials’ were “miniscule”!  Powerball Lottery administrators in The Gem State have revealed that their kickbacks to the state are crashing.  The state dividend from Powerball fell by 8% compared to 2014.  It’s the first time the lottery dividend dropped from the previous year.  Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter stopped short of mandating lottery ticket purchases: “I’m not going to put a gun to anybody’s head and make them buy a lottery ticket…We can do marketing; we can encourage people in a responsible way.”

Interestingly lottery administrators said they were not going to spend anymore money on advertising, when you couple that with Otter’s statement it suggests that Idaho taxpayers will be funding the “marketing” Otter proposes.  And now for an update on the scandal ridden and now defunct Idaho Education Network (IEN); news reports say gov’na Otter and his cronies spent at least 1-million taxpayer dollars paying attorneys to defend the IEN!  This is on top of the millions of taxpayer dollars that will be spent settling lawsuits with Syringa Wireless, Education Networks of America and Qwest Communications!

Missouri: Bermuda based Bunge shutting down its cooking oil packaging factory in Bradley by 2016, about 210 jobs lost!  Administrators are consolidating operations.

Ohio:  Fiat-Chrysler announced they are considering shutting down their Jeep Wrangler factory in Toledo. However, it’s not due to bad sales but because the 2017 model Wrangler is so radically different they must re-tool the factory to build it.  The factory could be closed for at least 60 days.   Owens Community College revealed what I call massive Disappearing Students Syndrome.  In 2009 they had 23,606 students, by January 2015 they were down to 11,719!  Despite the crashing enrollment, administrators claim they will not layoff anymore employees (they’ve already eliminated 50 positions, and ask employees to take time off without pay).

Rhode Island: In Woonsocket, J’s Deli shutdown due to lack of employees, despite the fact the owner pays more than minimum wage: “Due to our repeated unsuccessful efforts to hire a full team of quality associates to join us at this location of J’s Deli, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend operations at this location only.”-sign on door

Texas: After taking-over 99 years old competitor Forest Oil, Houston based Sabine Oil & Gas now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame low oil prices, but maybe it’s really the $2.2-billion in pro forma debt as a result of taking over Forest Oil.  It’s been revealed that L3 Communications has laid off 207 people at the Corpus Christi Army Depot!  Those layoffs took place over the past six months and more could be coming due to L3 losing its tax-sucking military contract.

Virginia: In Buena Vista, packaging label maker Mundet-Hermetite is shutting down, at least 40 jobs lost by September.

Wisconsin: In Superior, after 16 years Joe’s Pagoda restaurant shutdown.

15 July 2015: “The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

U.S. Food Crisis 15 July 2015: Idaho wheat crop dying!

Idaho’s Clearwater County declaring a state of emergency as the 15 years long drought has killed off 66.67% of the local wheat crop!

County administrators say the recent rain was too late, and rain coming now will actually cause sprout damage for the remaining wheat crop.

The Gem State is the 5th largest wheat producer in the U.S. 

Drought turning fresh water poisonous….killing pet dogs!

Business/Economics, Idaho

“The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge…” Union Pacific, BNSF & Ford to kill thousands of jobs! Micron turning Chinese?: U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 15 July 2015

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: Maxine’s Firewood Bistro shutdown, an unnamed employee said the owners were moving to a new location.

California: Florida owned San Mateo based 11 Main internet selling site eliminating about 150 jobs!  11 main was once owned by China’s Alibaba, who sold it to Harris Corporation’s OpenSky last month.  Unnamed 11 Main employees report that the San Mateo HQ is shutting down.  Prior to the Alibaba sale of 11 Main to OpenSky, Alibaba laid off dozens of people at 11 Main as well as U.S. subsidiaries Auctiva and Vendio.  San Diego County has decided to shutdown its child prison known as the Juvenile Ranch Facility in Campo.  The good news is that administrators blame a lack of child prisoners (but really they’re trying to save $700-thousand USD per year in operating costs).  In Napa, Fagiani’s Bar and The Thomas Restaurant shutdown to make room for a New York based property developer’s bigger restaurant.  In Half Moon Bay, after 40 years the Bay Book store shutdown.

Connecticut: After two years the owner of S&S Sweet Treats shutting down her Torrington ice cream shop in September: “Essentially there is a lack of support for small businesses and a small business simply cannot exist without its community’s support.”-Tina Pesillo

Florida: Triangle Service of South Florida apparently lost their trash contract with the Tampa International Airport, they issued a WARN saying 249 jobs will be lost by the end of September!  The Red Cross shutting down their West Bradenton ops and consolidating to Lakewood Ranch.  In Sarasota, for the second time in as many years the Oriental Buffet shutdown for failing health inspections.   Florida has had a spat of restaurant shutdowns due to health code violations.  Vero Beach based Piper Aircraft announced “As a direct result of the slowdown in sales, Piper Aircraft….will require that the current workforce be reduced. While the total number of impacted employees is not yet confirmed, the company expects that the reduction will involve approximately 15 percent to 20 percent of the current workforce.”

Hawaii: After eight years Hank’s Haute Dogs will shutdown in August.

Idaho: 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.   In Meridian, after 26 years Miss Tami’s restaurant shutting down.  The owner said the economy is forcing them to scale down to a catering/drive thru operation only.  Payette County administrators have a plan to take advantage of neighboring Oregon’s new legalized marijuana; instead of jailing pot heads that cross the border into Idaho they simply fine them.  They save money by not packing their county jail full of weedies, and they’ll make money off the thousands of fines they expect to collect.

Iowa: Interstate Power and Light-Alliant Energy could shutdown five coal fired electricity generating power plants, hundreds of jobs lost!  Iowa’s second largest electricity maker must also spend $7-million in pollution controls on other coal plants, or switching to natural gas. It’s the result of being fined by the U.S. EPA and Department of Justice for violating pollution regulations.

Kansas: Wichita State University shutting down their 35 years old Lake Afton Public Observatory in August, due to lack of funding.  Also, the number of people who look to the stars has crashed by 50% compared to public attendance when it first opened in 1981.

Louisiana: News reports say that presidential hopeful gov’na Bobby Jindal killed 8,442 state classified jobs since he became gov’na in 2008!   That number does not include unclassified positions that were also eliminated.

Maine: After 28 years Videoport shutting down, owner Bill Duggan said “We can’t raise prices anymore, because of competition, so it’s hard to keep up with costs.”

Michigan: What auto industry recovery?  Despite reporting profits Ford is threatening to shutdown its massive factory in Wayne and move production of C-Max trucks and Focus cars to Mexico, 4-thousand jobs could be lost!

Minnesota: South African based Sappi Fine Paper shutting down their Cloquet paper mill for a one week furlough “Due to global market conditions…”.   In 2014 Sappi eliminated 110 U.S. jobs!

Missouri: Canadian news reports revealed that Kansas City based Kansas City Southern Railway will layoff at least 110 people!  Women’s homeless shelter Shalom House shutting down and being sold-off after 47 years.  Administrators blame crashing donations for forcing them to abandon 4-hundred women!

Nebraska: Canadian news reports revealed that Omaha based Union Pacific Railroad will furlough at least 1-thousand employees!  Union Pacific is the largest U.S. railroad operator by sales.  The Canadian news reports said it wasn’t just Union Pacific but several railroad companies across North America will be eliminating jobs due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries: “The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge, especially in coal volumes. The challenge is trying to align the size of the network in real time with demand that’s shifting in surprising ways.”-Keith Schoonmaker, Morningstar railroad analyst

Nevada: In Reno, clothiers Gap and Ann Taylor shutting down in The Summit Mall.  The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority eliminating 45 jobs as it switches to contractors to do the work, in an attempt to close a $1.8-million shortfall.

New Jersey: God refuses to stop ‘his’ 54 years old Mount Laurel Monastery from shutting down. Monks say it’s due to lack of work, however, local journalists discovered the property has been zoned for residential use and valued at $1.3-million, and church administrators had conducted an audit of assets on the property. Sounds like the false christians are about to sell their souls, I mean property for money.  Food flavor additive maker Frutarom shutting down their North Bergen operations by August, 50 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on the millions of dollars spent taking over British empire United Kingdom company FoodBlenders and Belgian company  Taiga International.  Sears Holdings announced the Vineland Kmart will shutdown in October, 74 jobs lost.  In the land of presidential candidate gov’na Chris Christie, the state Supreme Court revealed it is truly an economically Failed State and gave local governments the go-ahead to eliminate union jobs at will: “….municipalities acted for reasons of economy based on municipal fiscal distress existing at the time, rendering the management choice to use a temporary or permanent layoff solution one that constituted a managerial prerogative not subject to negotiation.”-Jaynee LaVecchia, Supreme Court judge

New York: NYC based drugs pusher Pfizer is shutting down their 50 years old drugs factory in Navi Mumbai/Thane, India. Company administrators revealed they halted drugs production at the factory back in 2013, affecting at least 212 jobs!  Reports reveal that the computer crash at the New York Stock Exchange might have been caused by the mass layoffs made by the new owner of the NYSE.  In 2012 InterContinental Exchange (ICE) took over the NYSE, and some reports say as many as 8-hundred people were laid off, including many techies!  NYC based IBT Media owned Newsweek will end its European hard copy publication just 18 months after it started!  Newsweek’s Europe/Middle East/Africa edition will apparently be edited in NYC instead of London, U.K.: “We felt that this was an important moment to create a more unified editorial platform…”-IBT Media

North Carolina: ObamaCare forcing Winston-Salem based Novant Health to layoff 4-hundred people!  Administrators said Novant Health is “financially healthy and strong today” but that ongoing “declining reimbursements and many other challenges” caused by ObamaCare are forcing them to re-organize.

North Dakota: In Fargo, Metro Drugs shutting down by the end of the month, blaming crashing sales despite the recent oil boom that skyrocketed the population.

Ohio: Yet another Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples store shutting down, this time in Moraine.  It’s preparation for the pending merger of Staples and Office Depot.  Staples will shutdown a total of 225 stores while Office Depot will shutdown 135, by the end of the year!

Texas:  Canadian news reports revealed that Forth Worth based Warren Buffet owned BNSF Railway laid off an undisclosed number of employees, due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries.  BNSF is the second largest U.S. rail operator by sales.

Utah: In Logan, the World’s biggest maker of fitness equipment Icon Fitness & Health will layoff 4-hundred people by October!  Administrators blame competition and crashing profits.  Local news reports say local police were called to the factory before the announcement was made, as part of factory production was suddenly shutdown.

Virginia: In Portsmouth, the civil war between the Sheriff and the Courthouse is ramping up.  A few months ago the Sheriff was reprimanded for trying to hoist the U.S. flag on the Courthouse property.  Then the Sheriff was forced to layoff 25 deputies, so he chose those deputies who specifically handle Courthouse security.  The result is long lines of citizens trying to get into the Courthouse to conduct legal business.

Washington: So much for legalized pot!  The city of Seattle has created new licensing laws that will result in dozens of marijuana shops being shutdown!  It sounds likes city administrators aren’t happy with the explosion of new ganja shops since 2013, and neither are the owners of several ganja shops that opened prior to 2013 (guess they can’t handle the competition).  On top of that, King County administrators revealed they’ve shutdown 15 marijuana shops in the past few weeks!

Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, after two years the now bankrupt Blue Jacket restaurant shutting down in ten days, their chef already quit.     In Sturgeon Bay, God refuses to stop ‘his’ United Methodist Church’s addict recovery Kimberly House from shutting down.  It’s blamed on crashing donations, and crashing funding from United Way.  The city of Madison warned of mass layoffs due to a shortfall of $7.9-million: “Unfortunately because of the situation we’re in, it’s really going to be incumbent upon people to focus on what they want to retain in terms of city services and city programs rather than exploring new areas.”-Paul Soglin, mayor

14 July 2015: “I sold the land…to put food on the table.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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