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Business/Economics

Sears Kmart Closing update 02 June 2015: Finally, stockholders rebel against Eddie Lampert! Sears franchise owner says he can make more money as a lowly assistant manager!

Back in 2013, a Michigan Kmart distribution center shutdown and was sold-off for $17-million USD, now it’s finally getting a new tenant. Snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. No Polaris is not expanding, rather they are following the corporate trend of consolidation, moving their other warehouse ops into the old Kmart facility (meaning the old warehouses will shutdown).

In Texas, the franchise owner of a Sears Hometown store has quit, saying he’ll be better off working as an assistant manager at a local Dollar General store!  The Palestine Sears Hometown store has shutdown.  Local news reports say nobody at Sears Holdings would comment.

Finally, individual stockholders of Sears Holdings have filed a class action lawsuit against Eddie Lampert (majority stockholder), claiming everything he’s done is only to line his wallet with cash, and has nothing to do with saving Sears and Kmart from oblivion.

The final straw was when Lampert recently announced he would create yet another REIT to ‘sell’ Sears properties to, as a way of raising $2.5-billion cash for Sears Holdings.  Sounds like a complicated pyramid scam to me, but apparently it’s legal.  The lawsuit accuses Lampert of making these deals for himself, saying “The proposed transaction is a financially and structurally unfair deal.  Sears and its stockholders would receive a severely inadequate cash payment that the defendant Lampert-controlled company may use to cover operating losses and debt obligations for another year or so, before stockholders are left holding the bag in an insolvency widely viewed as inevitable if the proposed transaction occurs.”

Seritage Real Estate (Seritage Realty Trust) is just another smoke & mirrors operation by Sears Holdings. 

Lampert has reportedly already made $150-million in this latest self financing shell game. 

Reviewing Its Joint Venture With Simon Property Group

More taxpayers paying for abandoned Kmarts!

21 May 2015: Store shutdown makes Sears $14.4-million! 

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling 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), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 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 repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings.

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

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

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

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), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). 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’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

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?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

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

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), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

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

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (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 shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

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

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

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 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, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million!  Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant.  Snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. 

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. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

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

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost).

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

New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost).

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

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

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), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).

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

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

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-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), recently revealed Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 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), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

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

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

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)

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 11 – 12 May 2015: “I didn’t see this coming at all. We’ve been assured repeatedly…that everything was really good…”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Trona, evil gold miner CR Briggs issued a WARN saying 39 employees will become unemployed in July.  The city of Shasta Lake laid off three firefighters due to lack of tax payer funding.  The fire chief was upset: “It’s horrible, I told three friends of mine they don’t have a job anymore…”-Dennis Bech

Colorado: Zenith Education Group continues mass kill-off of jobs, this time in Thornton.  131 call center employees were laid off!  It’s the result of Zenith’s takeover of failed Corinthian College, as well as what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS): “We had a reduction in the student population and we are merging some call centers to the one located in Tampa.”-Krissy Humenesky 

Florida: Darden Restaurants laid off 30 people at their Orlando HQ. They laid off employees last year as well. Administrators say the economy is forcing them to “streamline”. Darden operates Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Eddie V’s Prime Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52 and Bahama Breeze.

Georgia: In Augusta, after 35 years Ming Yat Chinese Restaurant shutdown.

Illinois: God refuses to stop the shutdown of the 44 years old  Sunshine Preschool based in the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church.  It’s blamed on the need for renovations and The Rapture, I mean Disappearing Student Syndrome.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Decatur, Allied Recreation Group laid off more than 50 recreational vehicle (RV) employees due to crashing sales.

Maryland: Unilever announced it is moving its vegetable oil and margarine (like Country Crock and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) ops from Baltimore to Kansas, 137 jobs lost by June!  Company administrators blamed it on crashing demand, resulting in too much supply (which they called “over-capacity”).

Michigan: In Parchment, paper products company Georgia-Pacific announced they’re shutting down their Dixie factory in December, at least 57 jobs lost.  Parchment mayor Rob Heasley reacted as any ‘merican who doesn’t pay attention to economic reality does, saying “I didn’t see this coming at all. We’ve been assured repeatedly by the plant staff that everything was really good and the place was very profitable.” If he really paid attention he’d realize that corporate America always claims things are going good right before they shut things down, it’s standard propaganda.

New York: In Cheektowaga, second run Movieland 8 Theatres (note the British empire way of spelling theater) shutdown, apparently without notice. The owners said they couldn’t afford to upgrade to digital.  Theaters are being forced to upgrade to digital because more and more movies are available only in digital.  The owners tried to raise money through crowdsourcing, but it failed.  Lackmann Culinary Services issued a WARN saying they’ve lost their contract with Stony Brook University’s Kelly Dining Center, 386 jobs lost by the end of June!  In Bronx, Amertex Textile Services issued a WARN saying 95 laundry workers will become jobless in August, due to the bad economy.  In North Syracuse, Seneca Data Distributors (owned by Arrow Electronics) amended their 2014 WARN, yet again, this time pushing their shutdown to September. They are joining the mass exodus from The Empire State and moving to Arizona.  What automotive industry recovery? In Tonawanda, British empire Canada owned auto parts wholesaler Uni-Select issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in August, 33 jobs lost.  The assets of the U.S. Uni-Select operations are being sold to U.S. based Icahn Enterprises, which will affect 38 warehouses, 240 stores and 3-thousand 5-hundred U.S. employees across the country!    It’s part of Canadian owned Uni-Select’s plan to get out of the suck-ass U.S. market!   The Delaware and Hudson Railway Company is no more!  They’ve issued a shutdown WARN that affects nine locations, and at least 3-hundred jobs will be lost by August!

North Carolina: Employees of computer company Lenovo reported that the company is laying off people.  Local news reports say Lenovo administrators refused to talk at first, but then admitted they were eliminating the jobs of 235 former IBM employees!  It’s the result of  Lenovo’s purchase of IBM’s System X ops.   Software company  ChannelAdvisor admitted it laid off employees, but refused to say how many.  Local news reports say the company hasn’t filed a WARN, yet.

North Dakota: In Bismarck, After almost 80 years Corwin Churchill Appliance shutdown.  Bruce Whittey, the president of the appliance chain store, blames the greedy landowner who sold the property out from under their feet!

Oklahoma: Cinemark shutdown its Tusla theater.  The movie venue had degraded to a ‘second run’ operation in recent years, and apparently Cinemark didn’t think the Tusla market was worth upgrading their 26 years old eight screened theater.

Pennsylvania: Camden City School District laid off 92 employees due to funding cuts caused by what I call DSS.  Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard called it “a brutal process”.

Texas: In San Antonio, specialty grocery store Gaucho Gourmet shutdown. It will continue to sell on the internet.  Maritime diesel engine maintainer Kirby laid off 2-hundred people, due to crashing demand for the service!

Washington: In Spokane, aircraft interior manufacturer Triumph Composite Systems laid off 25 employees.

West Virginia: Only 18 months after emerging from bankruptcy, Patriot Coal is again chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The mining company has $1-billion of debt.  Kanawha Eagle Coal, Patriot Ventures and Highland Mining Company also went chapter 11 bankrupt.

08 – 10 May 2015: “I love the business….I’m just not making money.”

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, Influenza

U.S. Food Crisis, May 2015: “To give everything that you have and…they treat you like a piece of trash!” Higher education killing restaurants! Mother Nature killing off Bees, Chickens & Turkeys!

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of May, 2015: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, and spread of disease.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is alive and well, destroying food for humans, and other animals!   About 5-thousand U.S. beekeepers reported losing 42% of their bees from April 2014 to April 2015!  For the same time period of 2013-14 they lost 34%!   A group of universities and research laboratories (called Bee Informed Partnership) have been keeping track since 2010, this past year has been the worst bee die-off they’ve seen.  As a group, individual and industrial farmers spend almost $15-billion USD per year using honey bees to pollinate the crops they grow.  Without that, not enough fruit will develop.   As I’ve written in the past, the researchers blame lack of food for the bees (the pollen they eat is lacking in nutritional value, which will also affect us humans), pesticide and GMO use (no thanks to companies like Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland, Dow Chemical and many others) and disease carrying parasites.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms more than 38-million birds in 15 states are infected with H5N2 influenza virus!  This number is not up to date, as at the state level various state health administrators are already reporting far more than have already died, or been culled!  USDA also stated that H5 viruses have adapted to wild birds, implying that it originated with domestic poultry not the other-way-round.  Because of that adaption USDA employees expect the devastating H5 epidemic to last until spring 2016.

Arizona: More trouble for Texas based Blue Bell ice cream maker.  Blue Bell Creameries is closing three Grand Canyon State distribution centers, more than 1-hundred jobs lost!   In Phoenix, after 59 years iconic Bill Johnson’s Big Apple restaurant shutdown, 32 jobs lost.  It’s being turned into a parking lot for the worthless taxpayer supported GateWay Community College!  Also in Phoenix, the Downtown Deli shutdown by a greedy landlord jacking up the rent. One of the co-owners, Glenn Schultz, said the bad economy doesn’t make it worth it saying “For 45 minutes a day we’re busy, but I pay rent 24 hours a day. Others are willing to pay more than we are, and good luck to them.”  In Scottsdale, after 60 years the iconic Pinnacle Peak Patio steak restaurant will shutdown in June.  Evil property speculators are tearing it down and replacing it with residential houses.  Also in the same area, the 40 years old Greasewood Flat restaurant and bar being shutdown to make room for housing development.  In Mesa, after 34 years Landmark Restaurant shutdown, the building was sold to a company that specializes in weddings.

California: In Modesto, vegetable processor Olam issued a shutdown WARN for their Spices & Vegetables operation, saying their remaining 65 employees will become jobless in July. That’s on top of the 177 people laid off in December 2014! Olam administrators stated “We’ve had sales diminish and costs continue to rise.”    Fruit distributor Fruit Patch issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Dinuba operations in July, 132 jobs lost! Local news reports blame the vulture capitalist owners, American Capital, saying there are unconfirmed reports that Fruit Patch assets are being sold off (American Capital administrators refused to talk to local reporters).  Perhaps the decision to shut it down was pushed by the decades long drought, which has adversely affected fruit production?  The shutdown will affect 10-thousand grocery/retail stores across the U.S.!   T.G.I. Friday’s issued a shutdown WARN for its La Jolla restaurant, 54 jobs lost in June.  In La Mirada, Switzerland based frozen bakery products seller Aryzta issued a shutdown WARN, saying 131 people will become jobless at the beginning of July! Aryzta became the World’s largest bakery after taking over bakeries in Germany and the U.S. in 2014.   In San Bernardino, after 67 years the owners of The Mug restaurant announced it will shutdown in June.  Loyal customers call it  “a huge icon”.  Local news reports said the owner would not explain why it was being shutdown, but employees explained that the area has been losing businesses for several years now, and that’s negatively impacted the number of people that check out the restaurant (in other words, sales have crashed).  In Duarte, Kroger announced they will shutdown their Ralph’s grocery store on Huntington Drive, in July, about 50 jobs lost. Kroger administrators claim the store has “failed to perform” for years.    News reports say Cerberus-AB Acquisition controlled Albertsons-Safeway announced two Vons in Fresno will shutdown in June, 127 jobs lost!  However, I found shutdown WARNs for three, not two, Fresno Vons totaling 2-hundred jobs lost!  Albertsons-Safeway also issued yet another layoff WARN for Safeway’s Pleasanton HQ, saying an additional 28 people will be let go in July.  In San Francisco, New York based restaurant ‘witchcraft issued a shutdown WARN for July, 29 jobs lost. However, I’ve checked their website and they’ve already removed any references to their San Francisco eatery.  In Santa Maria, Coco’s Bakery Restaurant shutdown due to being sold to a competitor.  The employees discovered that management threw all the employee data into a dumpster (instead of destroying the data) on the same day they were laid off: “To give everything that you have and just like that, they treat you like a piece of trash that’s it, go, you know, it feels bad.”-Elvia Calderon

Colorado:  Cerberus-AB Acquisition controlled Albertsons-Safeway announced 10 Safeway stores across Colorado will shutdown, hundreds of jobs lost by June!

Connecticut: In Milford, Uno Pizzeria and Grill shutdown without warning.

Florida: Darden Restaurants laid off 30 people at their Orlando HQ.  They laid off employees last year as well.  Administrators say the economy is forcing them to “streamline”.  Darden operates Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Eddie V’s Prime Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52 and Bahama Breeze.  In Tampa, US Foods issued a shutdown WARN saying 206 people will become jobless by August!  The company is consolidating ops and is trying to merge with rival Sysco. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is challenging the merger.  In Jacksonville, after 30 years Benny’s Sandwich Shop shutdown due to the owner’s health problems.

Georgia: In Augusta, after 35 years Ming Yat Chinese Restaurant shutdown.

Hawaii: The Lawai Menehune Food Mart shutdown.  The owner said he couldn’t renew the lease.

Illinois:  In Quincy, tire maker Titan International announced they must kill 60 jobs due to volatile currency markets and crashing sales to the farmer’s markets: “North America large agriculture is down approximately 35 percent, and we believe it will remain that way for the balance of 2015…..Titan’s first quarter sales were below our internal plan, but well over half of the decrease was due to currency impacts from Europe, South America, Russia and Australia.”

Iowa: In Sioux City, after 73 years farm equipment maker Soo Tractor Sweep-Rake is shutting down, 53 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame crashing farm equipment sales.  State health administrators report four more H5N2 outbreaks.  News reports say Iowa’s poultry industry has lost nearly 24-million birds (and that’s just laying hens), so far!

Kansas: In Wichita, after 20 years Garcia’s Tacos shutdown.

Louisiana: In Lafayette, after more than 40 years the owners of Whole Wheatery Eatery announced they will shutdown in June.  Owners Jean Goodman blame the landlord for jacking up the rent and “We’ve had poor sales for the past year. We’ve noticed an exodus of offices, just vacancies of offices and lots of for rent signs in the area.”  In Metairie, a greedy landlord shutdown the 38 years old Tiffin Inn Pancake House.  The property owner signed a new contract with a home decor chain store.

Maryland: In Baltimore, after less than two years the Shoo-Fly Diner is about to shutdown, the owner is trying to work a deal to keep the place open during summer.  Critics have written that the food isn’t that good.    Unilever announced it is moving its vegetable oil and margarine (like Country Crock and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) ops from Baltimore to Kansas, 137 jobs lost by June! Company administrators blamed it on crashing demand, resulting in too much supply (which they called “over-capacity”).

Massachusetts: In the state of Boston Weak, after nearly 50 years the owner of Taunton’s Benjamin restaurant went chapter 7 bankrupt busted and laid off 1-hundred employees without warning! It sounds like it was caused by a family feud that ended up in court.  The property is now for sale.  In Cambridge, the award winning Hungry Mother restaurant being shutdown in July due to one of the co-owners leaving, and the other co-owners deciding to try something else.

Michigan: In Northville, the owners of Riffle’s Homestyle Kitchen announced it will shutdown in June.  After 31 years they said they’ve finally realized you can’t provided quality food while competing against the low prices of ‘Big Box’ restaurants, so “Rather than cut corners or raise prices, we’ve elected to move on to other endeavors.”  In Flint, after 29 years Salvatore Scallopini restaurant shutdown without warning by the greedy landlord and city administrators, 28 jobs affected.  Unbeknownst to the restaurant operator, the landlord and the city council agreed to replace the Italian restaurant with a shitty IHOP: “I was stunned! It just kind of happened and everyone found out.”-Bill Nivicki, restaurant operator

Minnesota: H5N2 causes Jennie-O Turkey to layoff 233 people at its poultry processing factory in Faribault!  H5N2 causing Rembrandt Enterprises egg farm to layoff 231 employees, due to “quickly declining” production!  At this point 88 poultry farms are affected, 5.76-million birds lost (and not all farms have reported their losses)!  The Minnesota Board of Animal Health wants the state fair, and all county fairs, to ban poultry!  The University of Minnesota reports that H5N2 is possibly airborne!  Air samples collected near four poultry barns turned up positive for the avian flu: “Our results indicated that influenza genetic material can be detected in air samples collected inside and immediately outside of infected poultry facilities. We still don’t know whether virus was viable or not, and those analyses are in progress. So far we have shown that HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] can be aerosolized from infected facilities.”-Montse Torremorell

Montana: In Helena, after 32 years The Donut Hole shutdown once and for all.  Back in January the owner tried to find funding to help him move the store to a new location but nothing panned out, so the donut shop was sold to property speculators from Utah who claim they will turn it into a coffee shop.

Nebraska: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirms 1.7-million egg laying chickens affected by H5N2 in Dixon County!

Nevada: In Reno, Scolari’s Food & Drug announced they will shutdown their Sharlands Avenue East store in June: “We have struggled at this location since it opened because of the downturn…..because of the economics of our lease…..” 

New Jersey: Cereal maker Post is shutting down their Parsippany HQ  in May, and moving it to Minnesota.  Administrators say 2-hundred jobs around the country will be affected!

New York: Empire State based Burger King franchisee Carrols Restaurant Group announced they will shutdown 25 restaurants, as their leases expire.  This is strange because Carrols administrators reported an 11.5% increase in sales at their Burger Kings.  Administrators say the restaurants they’re shutting down just didn’t make enough money to satisfy them.  In Long Island, Krinos Foods issued a WARN saying they are moving to Bronx in August, taking 70 Long Island jobs with them.  In Sullivan County the largest employer in the county, Ideal Snacks, began laying off employees, however, local news reports say most of those employees turned out to be illegal migrant workers! In 2012 administrators swore they were employing U.S. citizens at $13 per hour. They made these statements in an attempt to get tax breaks. Local news reports say Ideal Snacks administrators are ignoring their questions about the “large number” of layoffs.  In Jamaica, milk products distributor Derle Farms issued a shutdown WARN saying they are moving operations to Bathpage by September, 72 employees will be affected.  Lackmann Culinary Services issued a WARN saying they’ve lost their contract with Stony Brook University’s Kelly Dining Center, 386 jobs lost by the end of June!

North Carolina: After 80 years Captain Bill’s Waterfront Restaurant shutdown in Morehead City.  In Winston-Salem, after almost four years District Roof Top Bar & Grille shutdown, the owners blame the un-recovered economy: “It takes time, resources and a bit of luck to establish a restaurant. In our case it was just one winter season too many.”-Mark Skoggard, co-owner

Pennsylvania: In Deptford, the owners of 37 years old Freeway Diner announced it will shutdown on Memorial Day.  The property is being re-purposed as a strip mall.  In Sunbury, 68 years old Pop Snyder’s restaurant shutdown.  The corporate owner (RAS Bar) said the restaurant was not making enough money, even after they spent big bucks remodeling the eatery in 2014.

Ohio: In Mansfield, after 59 years the owners of Weidle’s Meats and Delicatessen announced they will shutdown in June.  It’s been up for sale since October 2014.  In Dayton, after 23 years China Royal restaurant shutdown.  The property owner blamed a grease fire as being the final straw, implying that the old buildings in Dayton need to be updated to prevent such fires.

South Carolina: After 95 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Pruitt’s Grocery shutdown due to the owner’s poor health.

South Dakota: The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirms H5N2 affecting 1.3-million poultry in Flandreau!  The area makes up half of all egg laying poultry in The Mount Rushmore State!

Texas: In San Antonio, specialty grocery store Gaucho Gourmet shutdown.  It will continue to sell on the internet.  You knew it had to be, if you recall 100% of your product and shutdown all your food processing factories layoffs are inevitable.  Brenham based ice cream maker Blue Bell Creameries is now killing off 1,450 jobs, plus furloughing  another 1,400 employees, plus reducing pay and hours for the 1,050 employees who will remain working, for a grand total of 3,900 jobs affected!  (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that ice cream made by Blue Bell has contained listeria for at least five years, beginning in 2010!)

Virginia: Artfully Chocolate bistro shutdown. Everything is being sold in an internet auction.  Another Artfully Chocolate was shutdown in 2014.  In Richmond, MARTIN’S Food Markets announced they will shutdown their 42 years old store on Staples Mill Road, in July. They claim “the store has not achieved performance goals.”  MARTIN’s bought the store from Ukrop in 2010.  In Orange, after 19 years the Dairy Korner Restaurant shutdown.

Washington: In Spokane, without warning the 25 years old Olive Garden restaurant shutdown by owner Darden Restaurants, 80 jobs lost overnight.  Local news reports said Darden Restaurants administrators accused the Spokane Olive Garden of failing to perform.

Wisconsin: State health administrators report finding dead owls, which tested positive for H5N2.   Food processor ConAgra announced it is shutting down its Ripon cookie factory by the end of the year, at least 3-hundred jobs lost!  The associated Rippin’ Good Cookie Outlet Store will also be shutdown.  Plover based frozen snack food maker Golden County Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. Food Crisis 27 May 2015: Starving man steals food using tazer! Albertsons Safeway shuts down Tom Thumb stores!

April 2015: “…cannot afford another two years of substantial losses.”  

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 08 – 10 May 2015: “I love the business….I’m just not making money.” Company that got huge tax breaks employed illegal workers, and lied about wages? God begins consolidation ops!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Has the drought killed off Golden State fruit?  Fruit distributor Fruit Patch issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Dinuba operations in July, 132 jobs lost!  Local news reports blame the vulture capitalist owners, American Capital, saying there are unconfirmed reports that Fruit Patch assets are being sold off (American Capital administrators refused to talk to local reporters). The shutdown will affect 10-thousand grocery/retail stores across the U.S.!  In Modesto, vegetable processor Olam issued a shutdown WARN for their Spices & Vegetables operation, saying their remaining 65 employees will become jobless in July.  That’s on top of the 177 people laid off since December 2014!  Olam administrators stated “We’ve had sales diminish and costs continue to rise.”   In San Diego, British empire oil company BP (British Petroleum) issued a shutdown WARN saying at least 90 people will become unemployed in July.  In Long Beach, tax-sucking Boeing issued yet another WARN saying 26 employees will be laid off in July.  Tech company Avago has taken over networking company Emulex, several WARNs issued saying at least 88 Californians will become jobless in August as a result.  In Napa, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Joseph’s Religious Gift & Bookstore: “I love the business. And I really love the people, but it’s just not enough. I’m just not making money.”-Joseph Sciambra

Colorado: Albertsons Safeway shutting down the following grocery stores; Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June!   Littleton based oil service company American Eagle Energy now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, admitting they haven’t paid their bondholders for at least two months.

Florida: Turns out Fort Myers is yet another U.S. city that relies on federal tax money to pay its firefighters, and yes that money is coming to an end and as a result 21 firefighters will become unemployed.

Illinois: The FDIC shutdown the Edgebrook Bank, assets have been turned over to the Republic Bank of Chicago.   In Sterling, the owners of Kidder music store on East Lincolnway announced they’re shutting down in June.  It’s located in the same plaza that once held a Kmart (which shutdown last year).  Administrators for the Kidder chain indicated their reason for shutting down the Sterling store was that too many retailers have left the area, creating a downward spiral in customer traffic.  Plus, the greedy property owners jacked up the rent: “Even with smaller places, the expenses go up in more active retail areas.  And with the numbers and trends we see, we just couldn’t make that investment.”-Beth Houlihan, Kidder president

Iowa: In Belmond, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 112 years old Saint John Lutheran Church.  Church administrators said they’re lucky if 15 people show up on Sundays.  Originally sermons were done in German, reflecting the fact that German, not English, was the most popular non-hispanic European language in the early days of the United States.

Kentucky: Yet another coal mine shutting down, this time in Harlan.  Alpha Natural Resources announced they must shutdown their Clover Lick #3 mine, 64 jobs lost.  Local news reports say over the past two years 5-hundred coal related jobs have been lost, and it’s their main industry!

Maryland: U.S. tax sucking France based military contractor Labinal Power Systems says it must layoff 480 employees in Salisbury!  The French company is consolidating operations to Texas, only about 1-hundred Maryland employees will be transfered to The Lone Star State.

Montana: Call center operator Asurion announced they’re shutting down their Great Falls operation in August, 348 jobs lost!  Tennessee based Asurion is the 4th largest employer in Great Falls.  Asurion threatened employees, when one employee was approached by a local reporter she said “We aren’t allowed to speak and were told to refer reporters to public relations.”   The Asurion building still has a display reading “Become a valued team member. See what career awaits you at asurian.com/careers.”  Local reports say $550-thousand USD is still owed to the Great Falls Development Authority, and the Montana Board of Investments, for the Asurion building.

New Jersey: The cash strapped Atlantic City and the Atlantic City School District warned another 4-hundred city and school district employees they could be let go!  That’s on top of the 2-hundred who already got layoff notices!  This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket (specifically the gambling industry).  In Pittman, after 48 years Bob’s Hobbies and Crafts shutdown.  The busy owner says it’s time to retire, the property is for sale.

New York:  In Sullivan County the largest employer in the county, Ideal Snacks,  began laying off employees, however, local news reports say most of those employees turned out to be illegal migrant workers!  In 2012 administrators swore they were employing U.S. citizens at $13 per hour.  They made these statements in exchange for tax breaks.  Local news reports say Ideal Snacks administrators are ignoring their questions about the “large number” of layoffs.   Empire State based Burger King franchisee Carrols Restaurant Group announced they will shutdown 25 restaurants, as their leases expire. This is strange because Carrols administrators reported an 11.5% increase in sales at their Burger Kings. Administrators say the restaurants they’re shutting down just didn’t make enough money to satisfy them.  God refuses to stop the shutdown of two of ‘his’ Westchester Catholic churches.  Also, God is joining unAmerican Corporate America and will consolidate the following churches; Our Lady of Mount Carmel in White Plains and Our Lady of Pompeii in Dobbs Ferry.  Saint Matthew in Hastings-on-Hudson will unite with Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ardsley.  Saint Paul’s in Congers and St. Ann’s in Nyack.  At least 28 parishes will be affected when the consolidations and shutdowns are complete.

North Carolina: France owned body care products chain store The Body Shop announced it is moving its Wake Forest U.S. HQ to New York City, and eliminating 145 jobs!   Essentially the L’Oréal owned company is doing what so many other companies are doing in this bad economy, consolidating operations and killing jobs.

Ohio: In Amherst, after more than 1-hundred years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Riddle’s True Value Hardware shutdown.  The owner said he had to sell the property, blaming his poor health and implying he was tired of competing with ‘Big Box’ stores.  At one time the store operated under the Western Auto brand.

06 – 07 May 2015: ObamaCare vampires draining blood supply! 

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. Job Losses & Store Closings, 06 – 07 May 2015: ObamaCare vampires draining blood supply! Art Institute no more!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Birmingham based 28 years old Simply Fashion and Dots clothing chain now dead, 243 stores across the U.S. to be sold-off or shutdown!

California:  After 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Dick’s Menswear shutdown in Fresno.  Apparently the new Albertsons-Safeway is shutting down three Vons grocery stores in Fresno (one more than earlier reported) because they’ve issued three WARNs for July, totaling 2-hundred jobs lost!  In Duarte, Kroger announced they will shutdown their Ralph’s grocery store on Huntington Drive, in July, about 50 jobs lost. Kroger administrators claim the store has “failed to perform” for years.   In Elk Grove, Obama Care forcing Sutter Medical Foundation to issue a WARN saying 17 people will be laid off in July. In West Sacramento, Greatwide Distribution Logistics issued a WARN saying 71 people will be laid off in July.  In San Francisco and Santa Clara, social media gaming company Zynga suddenly laid off 180 people, then announced that a total of 364 people will become jobless by the end of the year!  Company administrators say they need to cut $45-million USD per year, due to crashing sales.    In San Jose, Cypress Semiconductor finally issued a WARN revealing they killed off 51 jobs back in January!

Connecticut: In Milford, Uno Pizzeria and Grill shutdown without warning.

Florida: Military themed Acclaim Academy shutdown without warning.  Various school district administrators said they were told by the owner of the military charter schools that there was no more money. Thousands of families now struggling to find schools for their children.   Obama Care being directly blamed for the of 46 jobs lost with non-profit OneBlood blood collection service: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Illinois:  What automotive industry recovery?  In Quincy, tire maker Titan International announced they must kill 60 jobs due to volatile currency markets and crashing sales to the farmer’s markets: “North America large agriculture is down approximately 35 percent, and we believe it will remain that way for the balance of 2015…..Titan’s first quarter sales were below our internal plan, but well over half of the decrease was due to currency impacts from Europe, South America, Russia and Australia.”

Indiana: What construction industry recovery?  After 100 years, the company that provided the doors for the Twin Towers (NYC Trade Center, bombed in 9/11), International Revolving Door Company, shutdown!   Company administrators say orders for doors had crashed to only 22 in the past year!

Louisiana: In Port Allen, First Student lost its school bus contract, 72 people to become jobless in June.  Company administrators say the loss of contract was “sudden” and “unforeseen”.  In Fort Polk, tax-sucker Northrop Grumman issued a WARN saying 426 people will become unemployed between June and July, unless Northrop Grumman can renew their contract.  Evil for profit prison contractor CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) issued a WARN saying 252 privatized Winn Prison employees will be laid off in July!  Just like Idaho, Louisiana refuses to renew the contract with evil CCA.  (CCA abandons prisoners in Idaho prison! CCA says Idaho officials just as evil!) (Evil CCA has lost their contract with Ohio)

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  In Holland, automotive parts supplier Visteon shutting down and consolidating ops to Detroit, 240 jobs affected!

Missouri: What construction industry recovery?  In Springfield, HVAC maker Mammoth announced it will shutdown in December,  2-hundred jobs lost!  Local news reports said the shutdown would also affect another 2-hundred support jobs outside the company! It sounds like the company is joining dozens of other companies and consolidating operations into fewer factories, a sure sign there is no recovery.

New Jersey: The World’s largest pet drug supply company, New Jersey based Zoetis’s (spun-off from Pfizer), announced it is shutting down or selling off ten drugs factories, and eliminating 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs across the United States!   This comes even as the company is spending big bucks expanding operations in Nebraska.  The shutdowns and layoffs are being blamed on stockholders who are demanding the company ‘right-size’.  In Hazlet, Jam Apparel shutdown.  The owner said her rent was jacked up and she didn’t have the money to pay it.

New York: In East Syracuse, “global diversified technology and industrial leader” Johnson Controls issued a shutdown WARN for their Operations and Maintenance unit in July, at least 39 jobs lost.  In NYC, Northern Leasing Systems issued a shutdown WARN for July, 29 jobs lost. The company is joining the exodus from The Big Apple, moving ops to Albany and Jersey City.  In Hicksville, Land O’Lakes issued a layoff WARN for August, saying 32 food distribution jobs will go away as the dairy company consolidates operations due to the bad economy.  In Westbury, tax-sucker Raytheon issued a shutdown WARN for their Air Traffic Control training ops in July, 33 jobs lost due to loss of contract.  In Amityville, NBTY is getting outta the food supplement business, and outta New York.  They issued a WARN saying they’re transferring the operations to a California company between July and October, 214 jobs lost!

Ohio: In Mansfield, God refuses to stop the shutdown of Saint  Peter’s Child Care Center in June.  Church administrators say “The Child Center’s operational losses have been substantial, with a projected shortfall this year in excess of $50,000. These factors make it impossible for St. Peter’s to continue offering this service to our community.”

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh based for-profit Education Management Corporation is shutting down at least 15 of its Art Institute college campuses over the next two years!  Education Management Corporation is one of several for-profit schools under investigation by U.S. Department of Education.

Tennessee: Call center operator Conduit Global announced it will eliminate 592 jobs in Cordova, starting in July!   Administrators blame “an unforeseen loss of business”.   Some of the employees being let go were hired last month.  Last year the company promised to bring 1-thousand jobs to the area in exchange for $2-million in tax breaks.  Now only 70 jobs will remain.

Texas: The oil industry meltdown affecting the planned $7.6-billion deal involving Germany based Siemans taking over Houston based Dresser-Rand.  The European Union is also reviewing the takeover bid.  What will happen to Dresser-Rand if the sale fails?  By the way, Siemens announced it is eliminating 4-thousand 5-hundred jobs around the World! (so what would happen if the sale is approved?)

03 – 05 May 2015: “it has become impossible for us to compete”

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 27 May 2015: Starving man steals food using tazer! Albertsons Safeway shuts down Tom Thumb stores!

In Eureka, California, a man stealing food used a tazer to rip off a Safeway grocery store.  A store employee tried to stop the food robber when he saw the man leaving without paying for the food. But the man, who was obviously hungry as he didn’t try to steal any cash, pulled a tazer on the store employee.  Later on, law enforcers found and arrested the man on charges of Armed Robbery.

Albertsons-Safeway owned Tom Thumbs grocery store in Arlington, Texas, will be shutdown in June.  The pharmacy is being shuttered by the end of the week.  As with other recent shutdowns, Albertsons-Safeway claims nobody is going to get laid off!

The shutdown comes after Albertsons-Safeway announced plans to build a new Tom Thumbs store as part of a $200-million USD retail project in Dallas.  That’s the real reason for the Arlington shutdown, and the new trend in retail America; if you’re going to build a new store you’ve got to shutdown an old one, or two, or more.  (so the net result of job creation will be zero, or even negative)

U.S. Food Crisis 25 May 2015: Albertsons Safeway claims nobody will get hurt!

Updated list:

Manitoba, Canada: Sobeys-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse by 2016, at least 172 jobs lost!

Arizona, U.S.A.: Peoria Safeway and Claypool Safeway will shutdown in June, at least 94 jobs affected. The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

California, U.S.A.: The new Albertsons-Safeway issued more layoff WARNs saying another 21 Safeway employees will be laid off in June. Two Albertsons-Safeway owned Vons stores will shutdown in Fresno, by June, 127 jobs lost! Albertsons-Safeway laid off 129 people from their Pleasanton HQ in April. Albertsons-Safeway issued a WARN saying another 188 layoffs are scheduled for the Pleasanton by the end of May! Albertsons-Vons announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.” Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore shutdown on 18 March 2015, at least 168 jobs lost! The 32 years old Hemet Vons shutdown on 28 December 2014, at least 55 jobs lost. Company administrators claimed it had nothing to do with the hostile takeover by Cerberus. Marina Del Ray Albertsons, shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 80 jobs lost. Pleasanton Safeway HQ laid off at least 26 people in February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway laid off an additional 18 HQ employees in March. A San Diego Albertsons shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; Vons in Palm Desert, Pavillions in Rancho Mirage, two Santa Barbara Albertsons, two Goleta Vons, Lompoc Albertsons, Paso Robles Vons, Arroyo Grande Albertsons, San Louis Obispo Albertsons, Atascadero Albertsons, Los Osos Vons, Palmdale Albertsons, three Bakersfield Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Simi Valley Albertsons, Simi Valley Vons, Oxnard Albertsons, Carpinteria Vons, Camarillo Albertsons, Ventura albertsons, Yorba Linda Albertsons, two Tustin Vons, Mission Viejo Vons, Mission Viejo Albertsons, Trabuco Canyon Albertsons, Laguna Beach Albertsons, Laguna Niguel Vons, Corona Del Mar Albertsons, Irvine (Vons) Pavillions, eight San Diego Albertsons (don’t be surprised if several are closed), San Yisidro Albertsons, Rancho Bernardo Albertsons, Coronado Albertsons, San Marcos Vons, two El Cajon Vons, Santee Albertsons, Poway Albertsons, Del Mar Albertsons, two Carlsbad Albertsons, two La Mesa Vons, three Chula Vista Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), Upland Albertsons, Diamond Bar Vons, Rancho Cucamonga Albertsons, Chino Hills Vons, Burbank Albertsons, Woodland Hills Vons, Westlake Village Albertsons, Thousand Oaks Albertsons, Santa Clarita (Vons) Pavillions, Saugus Vons, Newbury Park Vons, Tujunga Albertsons, Long Beach Albertsons, two San Pedro Albertsons, Lomita Albertsons, Torrance Albertsons, Santa Monica Albertsons, three Redondo Beach Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Los Angeles Albertsons.

Colorado, U.S.A.: Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June! Colorado Springs Albertsons shutdown in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

Florida, U.S.A.: Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater store in May, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii, U.S.A.: Drugs pusher Walgreens canceled plans to open a pharmacy in the Kauai Safeway: “As part of this process, Walgreens did a comprehensive financial reassessment of its plans to open a new store in Lihue on Kauai, and have concluded that it is not in the company’s best interests to move forward with opening a store in that location.”

Illinois: The Jewel-Osco HQ in Itasca was sold for $23.7-million. A local news report implied it was the result of the hostile takeover of Safeway by Albertsons.

Nevada, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Boulder City Vons, three Henderson Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), three Las Vegas Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed).

Oregon, U.S.A.: In Lake Oswego, Albertsons taken over by Haggen. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

Texas, U.S.A.: Arlington Tom Thumbs shutting down in June, at least 45 jobs affected.  In East Dallas, an Albertsons was renamed Minyard Sun Fresh Market. Reports said the grand opening was delayed due to problems switching over the cash register system. A second East Dallas Alberstons became Minyard Sun Fresh Market on 16 February. Only one of the three East Dallas Albertsons will remain Albertsons. One store manager said the changes are a direct result of the takeover of Safeway. Interestingly I found a report that said Cerberus swore there would be no name changes after the takeover of Safeway, but they failed to explain the sale of 12 stores to RLS Supermarkets (apparently the result of a court order). The Tom Thumb grocery stores in Bedford and Grapevine converting to Minyard Sun Fresh Market.

Washington, U.S.A.: The Safeway in Spokane Valley shutdown in March, 60 jobs lost. Company administrators said it was not due to the takeover by Cerberus controlled Albertsons, but that the lease expired and it wasn’t worth renewing it. In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 03 – 05 May 2015: “it has become impossible for us to compete” ObamaCare kills Catholic Charities in New York? Why are Iron Ore mining companies shutting down?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: What automotive industry recovery?  Illinois based automotive parts maker Flex-N-Gate says it must layoff 97 people at their McCalla factory in May.  Local news reports say Flex-N-Gate administrators wouldn’t talk to them.

California:   Is Obama Care forcing the Fireman’s Fund Insurnace Company to kill jobs?  They issued a WARN saying they will layoff employees in July.  Obama Care forcing God’s Hollywood Presbyterian Medical to issue a WARN saying 87 people will be laid off in July.  In Santa Maria, Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples shutdown their Superstore in the Crossroads Shopping Center. Employees said they were given a two weeks notice.  Also in Santa Maria, Coco’s Bakery Restaurant shutdown due to being sold to a competitor. The employees discovered that management threw all the employee data into a dumpster (instead of destroying the data) on the same day they were laid off: “To give everything that you have and just like that, they treat you like a piece of trash that’s it, go, you know, it feels bad.”-Elvia Calderon

Colorado: God refused to stop his Colorado Springs based non-profit poverty fighter Compassion International from laying off 48 Christians.  Despite increased donations, company administrators say volatile currency prices are making it harder to pay for expenses in the various countries they work in.

Florida: In Ormond, Zenith Education Group announced they will layoff 18 people in June.  In Cantonment, Marianna Airmotive announced that 80 people will become jobless in May.  Obama Care forcing The Manors at Hobe Sound to issue a WARN saying 164 healthcare and social workers will become unemployed in August!

Georgia: Atlanta based global payment processing company First Data announced it will eliminate “a few thousand” jobs and shutdown their smaller offices this year!  Some of the U.S. job cuts will be the result of ‘offshoring’ of those jobs to other countries.  Administrators didn’t explain why, but said that despite increased revenues they need to cut $200-million USD in operating costs per year.

Hawaii: The Lawai Menehune Food Mart shutdown. The owner said he couldn’t renew the lease.

Illinois: Chicago based maker of video game devices and electronic slot machines WMS Gaming issued a WARN saying 247 people will become jobless in June!  It’s the result of the merger of Scientific Games and Bally Technologies.  WMS Games was taken over by Scientific Games in 2013.

Massachusetts: In the state of Boston Weak, after nearly 50 years the owner of Taunton’s Benjamin restaurant went chapter 7 bankrupt busted and laid off 1-hundred employees without warning! It sounds like it was caused by a family feud that ended up in court. The property is now for sale.

Michigan: Midland based Dow Chemical announced they will kill-off 1,750 jobs!  Administrators said they need to cut $300-million in costs per year, but also admitted it was all about increasing their profits.  In Kalamazoo, after five years women’s clothing store Cakes Boutique shutdown.  Local news reports said the shop was empty even though signs on the store said they’d remain open for that week.

Minnesota: H5N2 causes Jennie-O Turkey to layoff 233 people at its poultry processing factory in Faribault!  After laying off employees in April, Grand Rapids based iron ore mining and recovery company Magnetation now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Creditors agreed to give Magnetation until 2018 to pay-up.

Nevada: In Reno, Scolari’s Food & Drug announced they will shutdown their Sharlands Avenue East store in June: “We have struggled at this location since it opened because of the downturn…..because of the economics of our lease…..” 

New Jersey: Administrators of failing Atlantic City announced that at least 2-hundred city employees will have to be laid off.  It’s due to the crashing & burning casino industry, which provided the overwhelming majority of tax revenues for the city.  Woodbridge based tech company RCC Consultants now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The company is so broke they admitted they haven’t paid their employees: “As of the petition date, employees are owed approximately $1.3 million (consisting of 4½ missed payrolls). Officers, performing as employees, are owed approximately $1 million (consisting of 10 missed payrolls), and have not been reimbursed for business expenses totaling approximately $250,000.”-Mike Hunter, CEO

New York: In Buffalo, steel bar maker Niagara LaSalle issued a WARN saying they are shutting down at the end of July, 49 jobs lost.  In Melville, Arrow Electronics announced their exodus from The Empire State by issuing a WARN saying they are moving to Colorado between June 2015 and March 2017, taking 135 jobs with them!  God can’t stop Obama Care from forcing Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services to issue a mass layoff WARN saying they are canceling funding for all Residences and Day Habilitation operations across the state!  At least 719 jobs lost by August!  In Rockaway Beach, Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care announced it is forced to hand over their Headstart Program to another operator in July, 48 jobs affected.

North Carolina: In Shelby, Fireside Books shutdown: “… it has become impossible for us to compete with the many shopping choices online as well as the big box stores pricing…” 

Ohio: Iron ore mining company Cliffs Natural Resources announced it is eliminating 1-hundred non-union jobs! News reports said company administrators claim they must cut operating costs, but refused to explain why.

Texas: In Stephenville, FMC Technologies announced a third round of layoffs, this time 46 people are being let go due to “continued decrease in activity from our customers”.  In March 79 people were laid off, and 5% of employees were laid off in January.  FMC administrators say it’s part of their plans to eliminate 2-thousand jobs across the U.S.A.!  San Benito Consolidated Independent School District decided to layoff 37 employees for the upcoming school year.  Administrators say they need to cut $14.5-million over the next three years.

Wyoming:  News reports say about three dozen WyoTech-Laramie employees got laid off by the new owner, Zenith Education Group.  Wyo-Tech is one of many schools formerly owned by failed California based Corinthian Colleges.  Zenith Education Group blamed the layoffs on crashing student enrollment, saying the campus is down to just 5-hundred students.  I call it Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS).

01 – 02 May 2015: ObamaCare insurance company admits ObamaCare fails, will cancel insurance for 1-million people! 

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. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 02 May 2015: ObamaCare insurance company admits ObamaCare fails, will cancel insurance for 1-million people! Greedy politicians killing casinos! World’s largest bakery killing jobs! Head Start program killed in California!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: Anchorage School District warned they could eliminate 74 jobs from next school year, blaming state level funding cuts.

Arizona: Northern Arizona University warned it must cut courses and eliminate 60 jobs for next school year, blaming $17.3-million USD in state level funding cuts.

California: What automotive industry recovery? South Korea based Kumho Tire issued a shutdown WARN for its U.S. HQ in Rancho Cucamonga, at least 20 jobs lost at the end of June.  In San Rafael, BMW dealer Sonnen BMW issued a shutdown WARN, 114 jobs lost in July!   In Anaheim, electronics rack maker California Chassis issued a shutdown WARN for July, 20 jobs lost.  T.G.I. Friday’s issued a shutdown WARN for its La Jolla restaurant, 54 jobs lost in June.  In La Mirada, Switzerland based frozen bakery products seller Aryzta issued a shutdown WARN, saying 131 people will become jobless at the beginning of July!  Aryzta became the World’s largest bakery after taking over bakeries in Germany and the U.S. in 2014.  In Laguna Hills, Obama Care forcing Herren Enterprises to shutdown their Doctor’s Ambulance Service in July and issue a WARN saying 117 EMT related jobs will be eliminated!  Head Start Child Development issued dozens of WARNs saying they are shutting down operations throughout California, hundreds becoming jobless by the end of June!

Delaware: Casino Dover Downs laid off an additional 24 people, on top of the 10 laid off during the 1st quarter of 2015, and 21 laid off in 2014.  Operating times for the casino have also been reduced. Casino administrators blame outrageous taxes and operating costs: “Last year, we generated an $80 million operating profit but had to pay out $80.7 million to the state and the horsemen so we were left with a net loss!”-Denis McGlynn, CEO

Florida: In Fort Pierce, Blockbuster shutdown their last video store east of the Mississippi!

Georgia: In Lexington, God refuses to stop the shutdown of his 230 years old Lexington Presbyterian Church!  It’s blamed on the Rapture, I mean crashing membership (one report indicated they were down to just three members!).

Hawaii: Island Air cutting flights and laying off about 70 employees, blaming competition and crashing sales.  One airline analyst, Pater Forman, basically says Island Air is using the wrong planes because “…the ATR’s are too big for the small markets and they’re really not nice enough on the big markets…”  However, Island Air administrators say they’ve had to cancel planned purchases of new aircraft.

Illinois: What automotive industry recovery? Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar continues to slash & burn jobs, this time 150 jobs at their Decatur factory were eliminated!   School District 122 laying off nine school lunch employees, because they are considered unnecessary.  It’s actually part of a larger plan to cut $2.3-million from next school year’s  budget.

Michigan: In Livonia, Cloverlanes Bowl shutdown.  News reports say the property owner is selling it because the property is now worth way more money than the revenue generated by the bowling lanes.  What automotive industry recovery?  Detroit based General Motors (GM, Chevy, Buick, Cadillac) announced they will layoff 1-thousand Canadians at their Canadian Oshawa factory!  Supposedly GM is moving Camaro production in Canada back to the U.S.

Missouri: What housing market recovery?  New Jersey based maker of home plumbing supplies American Standard Brands announced they will shutdown their 45 years old Nevada factory in June, 133 jobs lost!  Because of the bad economy American Standard Brands is consolidating production to other factories.

New Jersey: What automotive industry recovery? Germany based Mercedes-Benz is relocating its U.S. HQ from Montvale to Atlanta, Georgia.  375 jobs New Jersey lost over the next two years (about 172 jobs eliminated outright, the rest transferring to Georgia)!

New Mexico: Texas based ConocoPhillips announced they’re laying off another 250 people, including employees at their San Juan Basin ops.

New York: In Long Island, Krinos Foods issued a WARN saying they are moving to Bronx in August, taking 70 Long Island jobs with them.  In Clarence, Gildan Apparel-New Buffalo Shirt Factory issued a shutdown WARN for August, 85 jobs lost.  In NYC, magazine publisher ALM Media issued a layoff WARN saying 61 employees will become unemployed beginning in July.  In Latham, after 30 years Russ & Rebel Leather shutdown, the owner blames the outrageous Empire State tax system, and himself for refusing to sell on the internet.     Obama Care forcing NYC based Assurant to sell-off their Health Insurance ops, claiming that even with the Obama Care payment reductions they are still going to lose $90-million for their 1st quarter of 2015.  Basically the Assurant CEO, Alan Colberg, said Obama Care isn’t slashing & burning health care funding big enough or fast enough saying “The health and employee benefits business segments possess differentiated capabilities in their respective markets, but we do not believe they can meet our return targets at the pace we require.”   According to a report by Modern Healthcare “Assurant Health also blamed losses on low recoveries from the ACA’s [Affordable Care Act, Obama Care] insurance risk programs and the policy shift that allowed people to stay in plans that are not compliant with ACA standards.”   The sale of Assurant Health will affect access to health care for 1-million people!  One more thing; Assurant Health admits that the insurance industry written Obama Care failed in estimating just how many sick poor people there are in the U.S., saying the Affordable Care Act “had worse morbidity characteristics than we had assumed”.

North Carolina: After 80 years Captain Bill’s Waterfront Restaurant shutdown in Morehead City.

27 – 30 April 2015: “When you can’t pay your bills, you don’t keep going.”

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 25 May 2015: Albertsons Safeway shutdown more stores, claims nobody will get hurt!

The new Albertsons-Safeway announced that two Safeway stores in Arizona will shutdown in June.  Administrators swore to local news media that nobody would be laid off, that somehow they would find jobs for the now redundant employees at other Safeway stores (and then probably use that as an excuse to massively reduce work hours so they don’t have to provide Obama Care insurance).

Albertsons Vons Safeway officially sucks according to Consumer Reports! 

Updated list:

Manitoba, Canada: Sobeys-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse by 2016, at least 172 jobs lost!

Arizona, U.S.A.: Peoria Safeway and Claypool Safeway will shutdown in June, at least 94 jobs affected.  The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

California, U.S.A.: The new Albertsons-Safeway issued more layoff WARNs saying another 21 Safeway employees will be laid off in June. Two Albertsons-Safeway owned Vons stores will shutdown in Fresno, by June, 127 jobs lost! Albertsons-Safeway laid off 129 people from their Pleasanton HQ in April. Albertsons-Safeway issued a WARN saying another 188 layoffs are scheduled for the Pleasanton by the end of May! Albertsons-Vons announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.” Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore shutdown on 18 March 2015, at least 168 jobs lost! The 32 years old Hemet Vons shutdown on 28 December 2014, at least 55 jobs lost. Company administrators claimed it had nothing to do with the hostile takeover by Cerberus. Marina Del Ray Albertsons, shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 80 jobs lost. Pleasanton Safeway HQ laid off at least 26 people in February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway laid off an additional 18 HQ employees in March. A San Diego Albertsons shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; Vons in Palm Desert, Pavillions in Rancho Mirage, two Santa Barbara Albertsons, two Goleta Vons, Lompoc Albertsons, Paso Robles Vons, Arroyo Grande Albertsons, San Louis Obispo Albertsons, Atascadero Albertsons, Los Osos Vons, Palmdale Albertsons, three Bakersfield Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Simi Valley Albertsons, Simi Valley Vons, Oxnard Albertsons, Carpinteria Vons, Camarillo Albertsons, Ventura albertsons, Yorba Linda Albertsons, two Tustin Vons, Mission Viejo Vons, Mission Viejo Albertsons, Trabuco Canyon Albertsons, Laguna Beach Albertsons, Laguna Niguel Vons, Corona Del Mar Albertsons, Irvine (Vons) Pavillions, eight San Diego Albertsons (don’t be surprised if several are closed), San Yisidro Albertsons, Rancho Bernardo Albertsons, Coronado Albertsons, San Marcos Vons, two El Cajon Vons, Santee Albertsons, Poway Albertsons, Del Mar Albertsons, two Carlsbad Albertsons, two La Mesa Vons, three Chula Vista Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), Upland Albertsons, Diamond Bar Vons, Rancho Cucamonga Albertsons, Chino Hills Vons, Burbank Albertsons, Woodland Hills Vons, Westlake Village Albertsons, Thousand Oaks Albertsons, Santa Clarita (Vons) Pavillions, Saugus Vons, Newbury Park Vons, Tujunga Albertsons, Long Beach Albertsons, two San Pedro Albertsons, Lomita Albertsons, Torrance Albertsons, Santa Monica Albertsons, three Redondo Beach Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Los Angeles Albertsons.

Colorado, U.S.A.: Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June! Colorado Springs Albertsons shutdown in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

Florida, U.S.A.: Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater store in May, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii, U.S.A.: Drugs pusher Walgreens canceled plans to open a pharmacy in the Kauai Safeway: “As part of this process, Walgreens did a comprehensive financial reassessment of its plans to open a new store in Lihue on Kauai, and have concluded that it is not in the company’s best interests to move forward with opening a store in that location.”

Illinois: The Jewel-Osco HQ in Itasca was sold for $23.7-million. A local news report implied it was the result of the hostile takeover of Safeway by Albertsons.

Nevada, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Boulder City Vons, three Henderson Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), three Las Vegas Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed).

Oregon, U.S.A.: In Lake Oswego, Albertsons taken over by Haggen. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

Texas, U.S.A.: In East Dallas, an Albertsons was renamed Minyard Sun Fresh Market. Reports said the grand opening was delayed due to problems switching over the cash register system. A second East Dallas Alberstons is expected to make the changeover to Minyard Sun Fresh Market on 16 February. Only one of the three East Dallas Albertsons will remain Albertsons. One store manager said the changes are a direct result of the takeover of Safeway. Interestingly I found a report that said Cerberus swore there would be no name changes after the takeover of Safeway, but they failed to explain the sale of 12 stores to RLS Supermarkets (apparently the result of a court order). The Tom Thumb grocery stores in Bedford and Grapevine converting to Minyard Sun Fresh Market.

Washington, U.S.A.: The Safeway in Spokane Valley shutdown in March, 60 jobs lost. Company administrators said it was not due to the takeover by Cerberus controlled Albertsons, but that the lease expired and it wasn’t worth renewing it. In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 27 – 30 April 2015: “When you can’t pay your bills, you don’t keep going.” Toyota kills 900+ jobs in California! ObamaCare kills 2-thousand+ health insurance jobs in 1 day! 12-thousand U.S. Steel jobs gone!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Obama Care forced managed health care provider Health Net to issue three mass layoff WARNs saying 2,122 health insurance related jobs will be eliminated on 26 June 2015!  (and never mind the reports that Health Net is being sued for canceling their customer’s treatments, resulting in at least one death!) In Joshua Tree, Obama Care forced Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care to issue a mass layoff WARN saying 541 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June!  In Yucca Valley, Obama Care forced Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care to issue a layoff WARN saying at least 42 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June!  In Corona, Ireland based legal drugs maker Actavis issued a layoff WARN for July.  In Modesto, Switzerland based chocolate maker Nestle issued a layoff WARN saying 56 people will become jobless by the end of June.  The new Albertsons-Safeway issued more layoff WARNs saying another 21 Safeway employees will be laid off in June.  In Duarte, Kroger issued a WARN saying they are shutting down their Ralph’s grocery store in July, 72 jobs lost.  In San Diego, aerospace company and tax-sucker Hamilton Sundstrand issued a WARN saying they will shutdown at the end of June.  In Mountain View, tech company Symantec continues to layoff people, this time they issued a WARN for June.  In San Francisco, law firm Littler Mendelson issued a mass layoff WARN saying 113 people will become jobless in July!  Santa Anna based Corinthian Colleges announced it will shutdown all remaining 28 campuses across the U.S.! It’s the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education which revealed the for-profit school was frauding its students!  In Pleasant Hill, Gun Works shutdown.  The owners said they were “just exhausted” from fighting a combination of unAmerican anti-2nd Amendment activists and politicians, greedy landlords who jacked up the rent, and new local anti-2nd Amendment laws.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Torrance, Toyota suddenly shutdown their Motor Credit Corporation, 941 jobs gone overnight!

Florida: In Saint Petersburg, finance and insurance company PSCU issued a WARN saying 53 people will be laid off in June.  In Tampa, Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Oak Fair Boulevard store between July and October, 47 jobs will be lost.

Illinois: In Old Irving Park, Mirabell German restaurant shutdown after 38 years of operations, apparently due to the death of the chef.  After 43 years Joliet Area Suzuki Strings shutdown, blaming crashing student enrollment: “We just cannot financially sustain it anymore, our numbers have been gradually going down over the last four or five years. Last year, we were down to 40 students, and now we’re at about 25. You just can’t exist with that.”-Mary Smelser, founder

Indiana: What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of cast iron engine blocks Pure Power Technologies shutting down its Indianapolis factory, 153 jobs lost by November!

Michigan: In Pittsfield, Pier 1 Imports shutdown.  Local news reports said company administrators wouldn’t say why, and even ordered employees not to talk about it.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, after five years Bars Bakery shutdown both of its stores. The owners say they need more family time. Minneapolis based retailer Target announced more layoffs, this time 140 corporate positions have been eliminated! Company administrators say they are trying to reduce expenses by $2-billion USD, that’s how bad they think the economy is going to get!  In Cloquet, after 28 years Robert’s Home Furnishings shutdown.  The owner said the bad economy was forcing him to “consolidate” everything to his store in Duluth.

Missouri: Grocery store chain Schnucks laid off 52 people, and eliminated eight open jobs, at its Saint Louis HQ.  No explanation given. This comes weeks after administrators spent $1.69-million buying a property that they’ve rented for years. Administrators admitted they weren’t using the Saint Louis property for anything, and had no future plans for it!

New York: In Melville, NCO Financial Systems issued a shutdown WARN for their Extended Office Services, 28 jobs lost by July.  In East Syracuse, General Super Plating finally notified state employment administrators that they shutdown back in March, 95 jobs lost.  In NYC, Cambridge University Press issued a layoff WARN saying 67 of their 190 employees will be jobless by July.  God refuses to stop his Museum of Biblical Art from shutting down, due to the American Bible Society selling off the building (those greedy Christians)!   In Albany, the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in July, 37 jobs lost.   The Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Girls is also shutting down in July, 35 jobs lost.  In Rochester, Durham School Services issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in July, due to loss of contract, 142 jobs lost!  In Webster, iconic Xerox issued a WARN saying they’re contracting out their Corporate Trucking & Cross Dock jobs in July, 35 in-house jobs lost.  The new Obama Care medical device tax possibly forcing Ortho Clinical Diagnostics to hand over their Rochester operations to Nypro in July.  They expect at least 105 of their 1-thousand jobs to be lost in the transfer!  In Clifton Park, Berkshire Bank announced they will shutdown their 15 Park Avenue office in July.

North Carolina: In Winston-Salem, the owners of New Town Bistro and Bar said it will shutdown in May.  It needs a major remodel and the owners said in this bad economy it wasn’t worth it.  Also, after 60 years Towne Jewelers shutdown, the owners said “It’s time for a change.” The state Department of Transportation announced they will eliminate 81 jobs by June.  It’s due to a new state law forcing taxpayer funded agencies to hire cheap-o contractors.

Ohio: After more than 40 years the West Chester Garden Center shutdown, due to competition from ‘Big Box’ stores.  The owners gave a good example of why the economy sucks; they could barely afford to pay their employees $10 per hour, but admitted you can’t live in the area on $10 per hour without financial assistance.  New Albany based Bob Evans Farms announced they will shutdown 20 restaurants! After spending millions of dollars trying to improve their restaurants, administrators decided that at least 20 of them still weren’t “meeting expectations.” They said most of the failed restaurants were outside Ohio.  After numerous layoffs, the owners of the Toledo Free Press gave up and shutdown: “When you can’t pay your bills, you don’t keep going.”-Tom Pounds, publisher

Oklahoma: Oil rig maker Falcon Rigs now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, saying they can’t pay 192 creditors!

Pennsylvania: After more than 90 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression) restaurant Cohick’s Trading Post shutdown. One of the co-owners turned evil greedy and actually sued the other co-owner to force them to sell the family business!  Pittsburgh based US Steel announced another 9-thousand people will become jobless this year!  That’s on top of the almost 3-thousand people they’ve already laid off since January!

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, after 25 years Valentino’s restaurant shutdown. The owner said the restaurant business ain’t what it used to be: “This is such a demanding industry right now, and right now most people don’t realize we’re still ranked very high in the nation for restaurants per capita. So it’s gotten more challenging over the years, so it takes a lot. It takes a lot out of you.”-John Jones

Texas: Fort Worth based federal tax-sucker Bell Helicopter announced they will layoff 1-thousand 1-hundred people!  It’s blamed on its tax-payer money-pit the continually (literally) crashing V-22 tilt-rotor assault plane.  In Robstown, Maxum Petroleum issued a WARN saying 60 jobs will be lost in June.  Soon to be a part of Halliburton, Baker-Hughes issued a WARN saying 21 people at their Alice 2 site will be laid off.

Utah: Cereal maker Kellogg Company (aka Kellogg’s) announced they are shutting down their Clearfield facility, at least 2-hundred jobs lost! It’s part of the company’s “efficiency and effectiveness program”.  Idiotic and out-o-touch city administrators say they’re confident “Another company will come in right behind, and we’ll still continue to have a lot of employment here in Clearfield.”

Vermont: Concord High School will shutdown due to lack of funding caused by lack of students.

Virginia: In Carytown, the owners of ‘artesian retailer’ Modern Artifacts said they’re quitting in May, calling it a “lifestyle choice”.

Washington:  Simpson Lumber shutting down three mills, 120 jobs lost due to sale of company to competitor in California!

24 – 26 April 2015: 27-thousand home care product jobs gone!

Food Crisis 29 April 2015: There’s human in that can of tuna? “I think our lives are in the hands of the Lord of Death.” 

U.S. Food Crisis 29 April 2015: Albertsons Safeway to kill 800+ California jobs! 

U.S. Food Crisis, April 2015: “…it hit me like a bag of rocks!”

ObamaCare job destruction, 1st quarter 2015: “more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.”

Dumbing Down the United States, 1st Quarter 2015: “we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!”

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.”