Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 29 April 2015: Albertsons Safeway to kill 800+ California jobs! Safeway anti- 2nd Amendment unAmerican! Massive data breach!

“Safeway and Albertsons don’t have much going for them other than their size. The main thing that saved both companies was to combine and grow together. As an investment, I’m not sure what the upside is.”-David Livingston, grocery store analyst

The San Jose Mercury News reporting that the merged Albertsons-Safeway filed layoff notices with state employment administrators, saying at least 8-hundred Californians are about to be laid off!

Also the new company will be called New Albertsons, and owners New York based Cerberus, and Idaho based AB Acquisitions, will issue new stocks (IPO, Initial Public Offering) by the end of the year.

A side note, at the end of last year AB Acquisitions revealed that “…its third party IT services provider SUPERVALU of a separate, more recent, attempted criminal intrusion seeking to obtain payment card information used in some of its stores………..may have captured account numbers, expiration date, other numerical information and/or the cardholder’s name.”  This was separate from an earlier data breach, and involved “….Albertsons stores in Southern California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Southern Utah were impacted. In addition, ACME Markets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey; Jewel-Osco stores in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana; and Shaw’s and Star Markets stores in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island were affected by this new incident.”

Albertsons just made $33-million USD by selling off three stores,  one in Palmdale, California, and two others in Oregon.  The buyer is Spirit Realty Capital, the sale was mandated by the Federal Trade Commission as part of the merger of Albertsons and Safeway.  No word on what Spirit Realty Capital will do with the three properties, which currently are home to active grocery stores.

Recently unAmerican and pro-British empire Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America took credit for Albertsons-Safeway’s gun ban.  However, Beitbart showed that the grocery stores already had a gun ban in place by 2014, and implied that competitor Kroger’s pro-gun stance actually increased Kroger’s profits: “Safeway did not ban guns in response to a Moms Demand campaign. Rather, Safeway’s store policy has long prohibited guns….. …Safeway’s gun ban was in place during the third quarter of 2014, the very quarter in which Kroger’s profits jumped ’21 percent’ after they refused to ban guns.”

update, 24 April 2015: Haagen stores jack up prices! Safeway bottles city water in drought stricken California! 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 15 – 18 March 2015: “sudden and unanticipated events…” No more Red Cross? ObamaCare kills hundreds of jobs overnight!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama:  After 43 years women’s clothing store The Wagon Wheel shutdown.  The owner says she must focus on other things.

California: In Carson, Tatung of America issued a shutdown WARN, saying 98 people will become jobless in May.  In San Diego, Japan based Sony laid off 75 employees.  In Santa Ana, ITT Cannon issued a layoff WARN saying 56 people will be unemployed by the end of May. The Red Cross shutting down its San Diego call center, 38 jobs lost.

Colorado: In Colorado Springs, 144 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Sinton Dairy Foods announced they will end fresh milk production and layoff 120 employees by May! It’s part of their plan to make a new extended shelf life milk.

Florida: In Orlando, DeVry University issued a layoff WARN saying 50 employees will be unemployed in May.  In Jacksonville, Bank of America WARNed that three more employees will be laid off in May.

Illinois:  Elgin School District U-46 announced they will eliminate 463 jobs!  It’s blamed on what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome).  The state court system is short $14-million USD, and is about to layoff court reporters.  The layoffs and reductions in hours will take place in April.

Iowa: In Ames, the Department of Natural Resources warned they might have to shutdown their 80 years old nursery.  Administrators say revenues are so low they can no longer support themselves.

Kentucky: In Bowling Green, after 29 years the owner of Steve’s Sports Cards announced he’s calling it quits in April, blaming the internet: “It’s been impossible for a single store to compete with the selection and the price you can find on the Internet.”

Maine: After 33 years the Grasshopper Shop in Ellsworth shutdown. No reason was given.

Maryland: Mass producer of frozen food Gourmet Express Acquisition now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales (an almost $20-million drop in sales).

Massachusetts:  The Red Cross announced it is shutting down its Springfield call center in May, 14 jobs lost.

Michigan: The city administrators of Saginaw say they’re being pro-active and will layoff 13 firefighters.  The city never had enough money to pay them anyway, their current salaries being paid for with federal taxes, which are scheduled to end in June.  The FutureMark paper mill in Manistique shutdown, 147 jobs lost!  Company administrators blamed “sudden and unanticipated events including loss of liquidity”.

Nebraska: In Omaha, Great Western Bank shutdown three offices.

New Hampshire: In Hampton, after 39 years O’Donnell’s Imports shutdown their brick-n-mortar store.  They will continue their Irish import business on the internet.

New Mexico: In Sante Fe, after almost 40 years Leishman’s Fine Furniture shutdown.  The owner said she must care for her parents.

New York: In Bronx, warehouse operator Morris Okun issued a shutdown WARN, saying 115 people will be jobless by June!  The property was sold-off.  In Rochester, metal shop Dayton Rogers issued a layoff WARN saying 35 people will be laid off in June, due to the bad economy.  Crashing & burning Viacom laid off “a number of executives and assistants” at Nickelodeon.

North Carolina: In Denton, Councill Furniture surprised its employees by announcing the shutdown of both its furniture factories!  The factories are actually owned by another company, which sold off the factories to a competitor.   Obama Care killed off a home care company overnight! Employees of Royal Home Care arrived to work to find a note stating “With the Medicaid reimbursement rate being inconsistence, another reimbursement rate cut at the beginning of this year, trying to meet everyone’s demand for a higher pay rate/salary, paying all employees in advance who came over from St. Mary’s and now being placed on a prepayment review by DMA due to the spike in volume of clients, Royal will no longer be able to take on anymore debts. Attempts to have the prepayment review status rescinded was unsuccessful. 

We regret to inform you, due to all the above we were forced to close the agency effective immediately.”  At least 24 employees never got their final paycheck, according to state labor administrators.

Cary based convenience store The Pantry is now owned by British empire Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard. As a result, at least 250 people in North Carolina are now being laid off!

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, Great Western Bank shutdown two offices.

Texas: Fort Worth natural gas producer Quicksilver Resources now chapter chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Administrators say they’ve lost so much money they can’t pay debts that aren’t due until 2019!  Failed Radio Shack laid off “several dozens” of people at its Forth Worth HQ.

Virginia: Horizon Behavioral Health laid off 20 employees, blaming new state laws.

Wisconsin: In Marshfield, after 15 years The Back Porch shutdown, the owners said they had to care for their ill mother.

13 – 14 March 2015: Great Depression surviving variety store crashing & burning! 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Dumbing Down the United States, 1st Quarter 2015: “we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!” “I just want to say how sorry I am.” “I don’t think the entire truth is here…!”

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

Incomplete list of publicly announced education layoffs & school shutdowns from January to March 2015:

Alabama: Jefferson County Board of Education will beginning laying off 160 employees in July!

Alaska:  The University of Alaska Southeast shutdown their bookstore, due to crashing revenues.

Arizona: Dysart Unified School District announced they will kill off 147 jobs over the next three years! Administrators added that the 147 job cuts are just the first round of cuts! Back in November tax burdened voters rejected a school levy that would have jacked up their taxes even more. What gets me is why, year after year, school districts need more and more tax creating levies and bonds to be passed? Where is all that money going, especially the lottery money for those school systems that get money from lotteries as well as taxes?!

California:  The Los Angeles School District approved the elimination of 609 teaching jobs! The LASD is short $158-million USD for the upcoming school year.  Castaic Union School District has approved the elimination of at least 43 jobs. Those still employed will be forced to take unpaid days off (furlough). It’s blamed on what I call DSS, district administrators say the school system has lost more than 1-thousand students over the past ten years!   In Los Angeles, is Obama Care behind the layoff of 15 employees at the Bienvenidos Children Center? The WARN only says the layoffs will take place in April.  Denair Unified School District warned it must eliminate at least 16 teachers, shutdown classes and are even offering a bonus to anybody who’ll take early retirement. Administrators blame ongoing DSS.  The Acalanes Union High School District has decided to end its 70 years old adult education program, killing eight full time jobs.  In San Francisco, Apollo Education issued two WARNs saying 38 people will be laid off between June and August.

Connecticut: In Berlin, The Learning Experience preschool shutdown with ten days notice. The operators blamed “several circumstances beyond our control”.  The Milford Board of Education is planning to layoff 18 teachers for the 2015-16 school year, “primarily stemming from continued enrollment decline”. The University of Connecticut admitted they laid off employees, but refused to say how many.  Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system approved a 4.8% increase in tuition.  In Meridian, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Stanislaus School.  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint John Paul II School. Christian administrators officially blame lack of money, but one parent thinks it’s a conspiracy: “I don’t think the entire truth is here because it’s NOT about money!”– Ewald Kuchciak, who pointed out that Christian students are being forced into a smaller school building

Florida: The state Department of Education has ‘failed’ Osceola County military prep school Acclaim Academy, twice, and as a result it shutdown.  In Orlando, DeVry University issued a layoff WARN saying 50 employees will be unemployed in May.

Idaho: In Kellogg, the Sunnyside Elementary school shutdown due to massive population exodus which created what I call DSS: “Since 1970, we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!”-Art Krulitz, Kellogg School District

Illinois:  Warsaw Community School District laid off 11 employees and eliminated vacant jobs, and administrators are now pushing to jack up local property taxes.  Elgin School District U-46 announced they will eliminate 463 jobs, due to DSS!   The 42 years old Aurora Child Development Center shutting down due to state funding problems. Administrators say the great state of Illinois is at least three months behind on their Child Care Assistance Program payments!  In Harvey, after 23 years Ingalls Childcare Center shutdown. Administrators blamed the bad economy for not being able to pay their employees!   The Adler Planetarium laid off 15 people, blaming lack of public attendance: “We’re trying to make it so that our annual revenues match our expenses. For at least the last few years, we were using money either from our endowment or a fundraising campaign to sustain us.”-Marc Lapides

Louisiana: The Pelican State’s Secretary of State Tom Schedler said he is laying off 24 museum employees and reducing operating hours for state run museums in April. A special election is being postponed until October. It’s part of a plan to cut state spending by $61-million. Politicians are blaming crashing tax revenues from the petroleum industry caused by ‘low’ oil prices.  The Gov’na also warned of massive layoffs for the university-higher education system, saying there’s a $1.6-billion shortfall!  Tulane University warned it must consider layoffs due to being constantly $20-million in the hole, year after year.

Massachusetts: Facing less funding, due to DSS, Marshfield will eliminate seven elementary school jobs for the next school year.  In Springfield, private Curtis Blake School shutdown with short notice to parents. Administrators blame what I call DSS, as usual parents were shocked by the bad economic news: “This is a big huge blow, we weren’t expecting this at all!”-Melissa Sullivan

Michigan:  In Lakewood, the Clarksville and Sunfield elementary schools are being shutdown, the school district is short $1-million! The last two libraries of the Wayne County Library system threatened with shutdown. The communities of Ecorse and Taylor say they will follow the other former library system members and go independent, in order to save money.  Baraga Area School District warned that Pelkie Elementary School could shutdown due to massive DSS: “The primary problem is shared actually across the district. We have been experiencing declining enrollments in a very similar pattern that the State of Michigan has, but it really hit hard about two years ago.”-Jennifer Lynn, superintendent

Minnesota: Minneapolis Public Schools laid off 160 people, with only one weeks notice! Administrators implied most of the jobs were administrative and had no direct impact on education, they claim the money saved will now be focused on education.

New Jersey:  In Manville, God refuses to stop the Diocese of Metuchen from shutting down ‘his’ Christ the King School. It’s the 11th ‘christian’ school to be shutdown by the Diocese of Metuchen, since 2009.  The Trenton School District says it must eliminate 226 jobs, and will shutdown schools due to a $19-million shortfall! But wait there’s more, previous announcements said a total of 350 jobs could be lost, once the state government puts out its final funding numbers for the 2015-16 school year! (and those layoffs are for just one of many school districts!)  Kean University announced it will layoff 54 janitors and grounds keepers. The jobs will be contracted out. University administrators claim they’re trying to cut $3.4-million per year, yet this didn’t stop them from spending $219-thousand on a conference table made in China!  The Paterson Board of Education has decided it will not jack up taxes on the impoverished taxpayers, but it means 363 school employees will become jobless next school year!

New York:  God refuses to stop his 156 years old Saint Patrick School in Tiago County from shutting down.  Administrators say enrollment has crashed & burned, they were able to get only 58 students for the year.  In West Nyack, Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge (aka Cambridge University Press) issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in June, 42 jobs lost.   In Brooklyn, upscale The Guild for Exceptional Children preschool shutdown, 81 jobs affected.  Corning Community College shutdown its 30 years old child care center.  In Brooklyn, Milestone School for Child Development issued a WARN saying they will shutdown, 73 jobs lost in June.  Grandpa’s Bus Service issued a massive shutdown WARN saying they lost their state Department of Education contract, more than 5-hundred jobs threatened!

Ohio: In Mentor, school administrators announced that Rice Elementary School will shutdown at the end of the school year. The school now boasts the lowest enrollment in the district.  Owens Community College eliminated 50 occupied and vacant positions, as well as cut wages and salaries. They also proposed new taxes, blaming increased employment costs caused mainly by higher insurance and retirement rates mandated by Obama Care!  In Mansfield, School Specialty revealed it had laid off an undisclosed number of employees last week, this after they claimed to be investing $7-million into a new school supply warehouse.

Pennsylvania:  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Roseto, and ‘his’ Pius X Junior/Senior High School in Bangor.  Pittsburgh based Education Management shutdown all its Art Institutes across the U.S., killing at least 225 jobs! Education Management is in big trouble with the federal Department of Education for basically bribing students and violating other federal education laws.  In Oakmont, after 88 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) God refused to stop the Saint Irenaeus Catholic Elementary School from shutting down. Administrators say enrollment has dwindled to only 44 students.

Tennessee: After 70 years the Christian God refuses to stop the shutdown of Tennessee Temple University. Local news reports say some student athletes were told about the shutdown, and were also told not to tell anybody about it.

Texas:   God refuses to stop ‘his’ Southern Methodist University from laying off 100 people! The Christian school will also eliminate 50 vacant jobs. Typical of ‘christians’ the administrators are living in denial, regarding their financial status, calling efforts to cut $35-million from their budget “addressing our slight structural budget deficit”.   In Abilene, McMurry University announced it will layoff 12 people in May, blaming DSS.

Vermont: Lyndon State College laid off five employees, blaming a huge decline in enrollment.

Wisconsin:    In Green Bay, Excel Driving School shutdown without notice. Somehow the state DMV heard of the shutdown before anybody else. The owner of the driving school said he could no longer juggle his personal life with his business. About 250 paid up students looking for answers and refunds.   University of Wisconsin Madison warned of layoffs: “I just want to say how sorry I am. Because some of the people in this room are going to be impacted by cuts. I know how hard you work for this university and this state… we will get through this.”-Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, apologizing for the actions of Right to Work you over gov’na Scott Walker who wants to cut higher education funding by $300-million over the next two years!

Wyoming: God refuses to stop Saint James of the Valley School from shutting down. Church administrators blame it on what some Christians call The Rapture, or what I call DSS.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Into the New Dark Ages as students ‘disappear’ and Obamacare ‘kills’ 

Business/Economics

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

“It’s not really affordable. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it.”-Erica Cherington, disability case worker reacting to her new Obama Care premium after it was revised upward because of her income, she says it would be cheaper to pay the tax penalty for not having Obama Care!

Incomplete list of healthcare (and other industries) job cuts that took place, or were announced, from January to March 2015, and were directly or indirectly blamed on Obama Care:

A company that specializes in collecting payments for medical bills from individuals, Value Healthcare Services, is now alarmed at how many hospitals are going bankrupt, so much so they are compiling lists of failed hospitals: Hospitals that Filed for Bankruptcy in 2014

An east coast health insurance company is killing jobs, no thanks to Obama Care. Highmark laid off almost 1-hundred people in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia! Administrators admit that since Obama Care went into effect they’ve actually lost customers, so much so that they have to make drastic cuts! Apparently Obama Care favors Highmark’s competitor Aetna as many of Highmark’s customers were forced to change insurance plans and become Aetna and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center customers. One report says Highmark lost 60% of “market share” just in the western half of Pennsylvania!

Alabama: Obama Care forcing the only mental hospital in the Tennessee Valley to shutdown? North Alabama Regional Hospital will shutdown by June, 149 jobs lost!  Obama Care forcing Alabama Psychiatric Services to shutdown. 250 jobs lost and 28-hundred patients affected! Administrators say Obama Care created a situation in which Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama pushed the majority of people into more expensive insurance plans, and effectively killed off most of Alabama Psychiatric Services business! (What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?)

California: In Turlock, MedicAlert laid off 31 employees.  In Gold River, Obama Care caused eHealthInsurance Services to layoff 72 people without warning, then announced plans to eliminate 160 more jobs! eHealth administrators blame The Golden State’s Obama Care exchange program for stealing thousands of eHealth customers!    Keck Medicine of USC issued several WARNS saying 94 people will become unemployed in May.  In San Francisco, legal drugs pusher Amgen announced it will eliminate as many as 3-hundred drugs making jobs and shutdown its recently acquired Onyx Pharmaceuticals ops! News reports say Amgen’s announcement still leaves 2-hundred Onyx Pharmaceuticals jobs in limbo.  In Novato, Fireman’s Fund Insurance issued a WARN saying they laid off 23 people. In Foothill Ranch, legal drugs pusher Pfizer issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in May, 70 jobs lost.   Obama Care forcing El Centro Medical Center to issue a WARN saying 20 people will be laid off in April. In San Pablo, Obama Care forcing Doctors Medical Center to issue a shutdown WARN for April, 709 jobs lost!

Colorado: God refuses to stop Obama Care from forcing ‘his’ Arapahoe County based non-profit Catholic Health Initiative from laying off 15-hundred people across the United States!

Connecticut:  Fairfield based GE (General Electric) canceled Obama Care health insurance for any retired employee who is younger than 65 years! A judge recently allowed GE to kick all its 65-thousand retirees off of company health insurance and onto expensive private Obama Care insurance! Obama Care being blamed for the demise of Waterbury Hospital. Administrators say they are losing $9.7-million USD because of Obama Care, they are now trying to sell the hospital! Four other non-profit hospitals are up for sale as well!  Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 460 jobs threatened!

Florida: In Miami, Obama Care forcing Crothall Healthcare to layoff 54 employees. Obama Care forcing non-profit healthcare provider Florida Blue to eliminate 150 jobs!  In Weston, Obama Care forcing wholesale legal drugs pusher Vital Pharmaceuticals to issue a WARN saying 143 people will become jobless in April!

Idaho: Virginia based Obama Care call center operator Maximus shutdown their Boise call center, rendering 15-hundred people jobless! According to state WARN records, Maximus was planning to shutdown back in April 2014.

Illinois: In Harvey, Obama Care forcing 92 years old Ingalls Memorial Hospital to layoff 80 people and shutdown their child care center. Administrators say Obama Care, plus the bad economy, is forcing them to slash $3.5-million from its budget!

Indiana: CVS Pharmacy issued a shutdown WARN for their Coram Enteral Nutrition Center, at least 124 jobs lost!

Iowa: Gov’na Terry Branstad issued layoff notices for 36 employees at the state run mental health institution in Mount Pleasant. The gov’na wants to shutdown the mental health hospital in Clarinda as well, meaning 150 jobs will be lost between April and mid-summer!

Maryland: In Hagerstown, after 22 years Obama Care forcing the Robinwood Surgery Center to shutdown. The operators said Obama Care is forcing healthcare providers to become smaller, so much for expanding access to healthcare.

Massachusetts: Legal drugs pusher Synta Pharmaceuticals announced it will layoff 20% of its employees. They laid off workers last year.  Obama Care forced Southcoast Health System to layoff 35 people. Three months ago they laid off 70 people.  Near Boston Weak, drugs makers Merck and AstraZeneca both announced they will kill jobs. Between the two more than 2-hundred drug making jobs will be eliminated! Merck is shutting down its recently acquired Cubist ops, and AstraZeneca is shutting down its Infection iMed unit.  In Tauton, the last old school silversmith, 191 years old (surviving the Long Depression, Civil War, Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Reed & Barton now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down in June! The CEO said insurance industry written Obamacare was the final straw as it caused their employee retirement plan costs to skyrocket to as much as $18-million per year: “It absolutely killed us….We hung on as long as we could…it’s been all-consuming for the past year and half.”-Tim Riddle

Michigan: The city of Detroit is kicking many retired city employees off the city health insurance plan, due to a federal court ruling on ObamaCare! Here’s what one ignorant retired city worker said: “How can human beings that have given so much be cast aside?”-Nancy Headapohl (that’s exactly what happened to millions of people in the former Soviet Union, and good ol’ Ronald Reagan took credit for wining that Cold War)

Montana: In Kalispell, Obama Care forcing 30 patients to find a new assisted living center by April. Reports indicate that the owner of Greenwood Village assisted living center can’t make money under Obama Care funding, so he’s turning it into a hotel!  Bilderberger vaccine pusher GlaxoSmithKline announced they’re shutting down their Hamilton research center during 2015, at least 27 jobs lost. Administrators also warned shutdowns and layoffs will take place elsewhere: “Other parts of the business are facing similar restructuring. It’s happening companywide, not just Hamilton, but all parts of GSK’s business.”-Melinda Stubbee

Nebraska: In Lincoln, Nationwide Insurance has notified employees of Allied Insurance that 140 of them will become jobless by 2020! Blame Obama Care, because Nationwide says Obama Care will result in less insurance claims being filed, which is exactly what the insurance industry wanted.  Obama Care forcing CHI Health to kill off a minimum of 156 jobs: “As the landscape of the health care industry changes, how health care systems are organized changes as well. In an effort to bring healthcare costs down, across the country, expense reductions are being made and staffing is being restructured. CHI Health is no different, and will be reducing its workforce across the organization. Many of the reductions will be accomplished through attrition, and not filling open positions. However, the plan also includes the elimination of 156 active positions, about 1 percent of its workforce.”-company statement

New York:  In NYC, Rivington House shutdown their The Nicholas A. Rango Healthcare Facility in February, at least 214 jobs lost!   In Rouses Point, legal drugs maker Pfizer issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by June.   Is Obama Care responsible for the shutdown of Jewish home healthcare services? In Bronx, FEGS (Federation Employment and Guidance Services) Family Care Services (Jewish Home Healthcare) issued a WARN saying they lost their contract with the state Children Services, 80 jobs lost by March. FEGS also issued a WARN saying as a result they must “restructure” resulting in at least 206 employees across the state becoming jobless by May!   Is Obama Care forcing Phoenix House to shutdown its residential treatment center Westchester Academy? 56 employees will be laid off in June. In Staten Island, Obama Care forcing Richmond University Medical Center to outsource their security guard jobs, 31 in-house security guards to become unemployed in June.  In Pomona, Israel based Teva Pharmaceuticals issued a WARN saying they started laying off employees back in December 2014, and it will continue until March 2015. In Irving, TLC Health Network/Lake Shore Health Care Center issued a WARN saying Obama Care forcing them to shutdown their long term care ops in April, 70 jobs lost.  The Nicholas A. Rango Healthcare Facility has been sold to Allure Group, WARN indicates 158 of the 204 employees will become jobless! In Pittsford, service provider for government-sponsored benefits programs such as the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Maximus issued a WARN saying at least 54 people will become jobless due to the failure to win an Obama Care contract.  In Hauppauge, God refuses to stop Obama Care from forcing ‘his’ Catholic Health Services from issuing a WARN saying they will shutdown their Home Support Services in May, at least 40 jobs lost.  In Huntington, Obama Care forcing mental healthcare provider The Pederson Krag Center to sell its offices across New York, at least 85 jobs lost between March and April (not known if new owner will continue operations).  In Suffern, Switzerland based legal drugs maker Novartis began a 4th round of layoffs, letting go 89 employees. By the time the drugs factory is shutdown in 2017, at least 525 jobs will be lost!  In Bronx, HHH Home Care apparently lost its Home health Care Services contract and issued a WARN saying 72 people will become unemployed at the end of June.  That Which cannot be Named refuses to stop Obama Care from shutting down and selling off its non-profit Hebrew Hospital Home of Westchester.  The nursing home in Valhalla has lost more than $1-million after Obama care went into effect!

North Carolina:  British empire legal drugs pusher GlaxoSmithKline eliminating 180 jobs in The Tar Heel State!  Employees of Royal Home Care arrived to work to find a note stating “With the Medicaid reimbursement rate being inconsistence, another reimbursement rate cut at the beginning of this year, trying to meet everyone’s demand for a higher pay rate/salary, paying all employees in advance who came over from St. Mary’s and now being placed on a prepayment review by DMA due to the spike in volume of clients, Royal will no longer be able to take on anymore debts. Attempts to have the prepayment review status rescinded was unsuccessful.

We regret to inform you, due to all the above we were forced to close the agency effective immediately.” At least 24 employees never got their final paycheck, according to state labor administrators.

For the third year in a row Durham based legal drugs pusher Quintiles announced layoffs, this year at least 270 people will become jobless!  New Obama Care taxes forcing Illinois based drug and medical device maker Hospria to shutdown their Clayton factory by the 2nd half of 2015, at least 250 jobs lost!  Obama Care forcing Transylvania Regional Hospital to shutdown its labor and delivery services. Women in the area are complaining they must now travel out of the area to give birth. (What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?)  Thinking about getting that plastic surgery? Lifestyle Lift suddenly began shutting down their clinics, with no notice or explanation. News reports say employees have been working without pay! One doctor blames capitalism: “The more it’s treated like a commodity, the more you’re going to see failures like this.”-Stephen Finical

Ohio: The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities announced plans to shutdown the Montgomery Developmental Center by 2017, at least 213 jobs lost! Apparently Obama Care is forcing them to consolidate operations.  Owens Community College eliminated 50 occupied and vacant positions, as well as cut wages and salaries. They also proposed new taxes, blaming increased employment costs caused mainly by higher insurance and retirement rates mandated by Obama Care!  The Youngstown Developmental Center is being shutdown by 2017, at least 500 jobs lost! It’s part of the massive shutdown being done by the Department of Developmental Disabilities, who blamed crashing government funding and a crashing population. An ‘elected’ representative was upset: “… I, intend, as a state legislator, to hold the governor accountable.”-Michele Lepore-Hagan

Oregon: Obama Care health insurance exchange operation Cover Oregon announced it will layoff its 62 employees by April, blaming the failure of the exchange program: “The state abandoned the exchange in April after deciding it was cheaper to switch to the federal site than to fix Cover Oregon……Lawmakers plan to pass a bill dissolving Cover Oregon….”-KTVZ

Pennsylvania: In Reading, British empire Canada based Surgical Specialties announced it will shutdown its ops in The Keystone State by December, at least 254 jobs be moved to Mexico (possibly to avoid the new Obama Care taxes on medical devices)!  British empire United Kingdom based legal drugs maker GlaxoSmithKline continues to kill jobs, this time 150 people laid off in the Philadelphia region!  In Canton, reports that after 40 years of doctor office operations Arnot Health Systems shut it down. Local news reports say administrators with Arnot Health Systems would not talk to them.  Obama Care forcing 114 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) hospital Penn Highlands Clearfield to layoff 30 people, eliminate 11 vacant jobs and cut hours for 50 employees. Administrators say they’re being forced to cut $3.1-million per year from their budget, pointing out that 65% of their customers are on Medicare or Medicaid, which are being drastically cut by Obama Care!   In Saint Marys, hospital Penn Highlands Elk announced they will eliminate 43 jobs and reduce the hours for 25 employees. A local news report blamed “systemic changes implemented under the Affordable Care Act”. Hospital administrator Raymond A. Graeca said “We’re facing a very different healthcare delivery environment today than we were five years ago, and the American Hospital Association is projecting that the next five years alone will hold more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.”   In Petersburg, legal drugs maker UniTao Pharmaceuticals shutdown without notice. Administrators actually said they won’t re-open until “business conditions improve”! In 2014, govn’a Terry McAuliffe claimed the drugs maker was going to employ 370 people and even gave UniTao $1-million in free taxpayer funded money! UniTao now says it won’t accept the money. 

Rhode Island: Obama Care destroys 41 jobs at the Women & Infants Hospital. Work hours for other employees are being reduced. Local news reports referred to Obama Care as a “challenging healthcare environment”.

Tennessee: In Somerville, God refuses to stop Obama Care from forcing ‘his’ Methodist Healthcare from shutting down in March.

Texas: Obama Care forced Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) to kill off 260 jobs! Administrators blamed Obama Care for causing them to lose $70-million!  Obama Care forced the El Paso Children’s Hospital to layoff five more people, and eliminated vacant positions. The Children’s Hospital also rents space to University Medical Center of El Paso, which reported that Obama Care has caused them to lose $60-million! As a result the University medical Center cannot pay the rent owed to Children’s Hospital.  In Houston, for-profit University General Health System now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, this after shutting down their recently acquired Dallas hospital.  News reports say many hospital employees never got their final paycheck!

Washington:  After less than one year of operation Trios Medical Center now in big financial trouble no thanks to Obama Care (referred to as “the changing healthcare market”) with CEO Glen Marshall explaining that “The national trend has and will continue to be one of doing more with less. We have not been spared in that regard.” 40 employees laid off without notice and hospital assets are now being sold off. An unnamed employee told local news media “On Fridays, on paydays, people are frantically checking their bank accounts to see if they’ll get paid. It’s a real fear that 1,200 plus employees may not be getting a paycheck.”

Wyoming: The Wyoming Medical Center laid off five administrators, directly blaming Obama Care: “In response to rapid and challenging changes in the healthcare market, Wyoming Medical Center regretfully announced today the elimination of five leadership positions. Other management positions will be realigned in order to streamline operations and become more efficient in the way we deliver care.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Obamacare widens the great income divide!

Got subsidized Obamacare? Think again, no tax refund for you! 

“There’s no way they can propose this plan without threatening patient care!”

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 13 – 14 March 2015: Idaho based Great Depression surviving variety store crashing & burning!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: In Gilbert, Barnes & Noble shutdown their Crossroads Towne Center bookstore. It’s part of the company’s plans to shutdown 225 stores by 2023 (proof there is no recovery).

California: In San Diego, Service America Corporation issued a massive layoff WARN saying 831 people will become jobless in April! Two tech companies merged, Cypress Semiconductor and Spansion, and made it clear they will eliminate 16-hundred Golden State jobs by the end of April!

The quietly vacated and now for lease King's Store in Pocatello, Idaho. Prior to King's moving in 3 years ago it was a sporting goods store.

The quietly vacated and now for lease King’s Store in Pocatello, Idaho. Prior to King’s moving in 3 years ago it was a sporting goods store.

Idaho: Burley based King’s Variety Store is crashing & burning, according to Payette news sources.  The 100 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) chain store has 26 stores in five states, but now is forced to shutdown six stores within The Right to Work (you over) Gem State; Payette, Weiser, Emmett, Middleton, Twin Falls and Pocatello.  Administrators blame the suck-ass economy!  In Boise, Post Holdings announced it will shutdown their PowerBar factory in July, 165 jobs lost! Company administrators have decided to outsource the making of their energy food to unknown contractor factories, in the name of increasing profits.  In Kellogg, the Sunnyside Elementary school shutdown due to massive population exodus which created what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome): “Since 1970, we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!”-Art Krulitz, Kellogg School District

Illinois: In Harvey, after 23 years Ingalls Childcare Center shutdown.  Administrators blamed the bad economy for not being able to pay their employees!    The Adler Planetarium laid off 15 people, blaming lack of public attendance: “We’re trying to make it so that our annual revenues match our expenses. For at least the last few years, we were using money either from our endowment or a fundraising campaign to sustain us.”-Marc Lapides

Michigan: The Right to Work (you over) Great Lakes State shut down its unemployment office in Grand Haven!   State administrators say unemployment isn’t high enough to justify so many unemployment offices!

Minnesota: US Steel continues to slash & burn jobs, this time they’re shutting down their Keetac plant in Keewatin, 412 jobs lost in May!   After 57 years the owner of McCormack’s Furniture said she must shutdown by the end of summer.  Local news reports didn’t explain why, but indicated the owner wanted to retire.

New York: After 61 years the Lindenhurst Diner shutdown. The owners say a property developer made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.  Hospital Kaleida Health says Obama Care forced them to layoff 24 managers.

Texas: In Longview, oil services company FTS International laid off about 37 employees: “The reality is that continued decline of oil and gas prices has caused a slowdown in well completions work.”-Lynaia Lutes

Vermont: State administrators warned the taxpayers that as many as 325 state employees will be laid off!  The state leaders have apparently lost $113-million in tax revenues!  Of course, state social services will be slashed & burned.  State employees reminded taxpayers that they’ve been making sacrifices for ten years now: “Our members have for almost a decade come to the table to help the state to balance the budget! We do not think it’s fair that the way we’re balancing the budget is by picking the pocket of snowplow drivers, administrative assistants and nursing aides, working class Vermonters who provide public services….”-Steve Howard, Vermont State Employees Association

Virginia: United Airlines continues to slash & burn jobs, this time 67 people at the Richmond International Airport will be let go by May.  It’s part of United Airlines’ plans to replace in-house employees with cheap-o contractors.  In Culpeper, the owner of 109 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Clarke Hardware announced he must shutdown by June.  News reports say the owner wants to retire, but the owner blames the local Masonic Lodge, who owns the property: “They told me last Wednesday that I have to be out by the end of June. They want the building to renovate. They plan to split it into two sections to get more rent.”-Claude Minnich

Wyoming: God refuses to stop Saint James of the Valley School from shutting down.  Church administrators blame it on what some Christians call The Rapture, or what I call DSS.

11 – 12 March 2015: Harley Davidson motorcycle crashing & burning?

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 11 – 12 March 2015: “The issue is oil and gas drilling.” Coal shutdowns create job loss ripple effect! Harley Davidson motorcycle crashing & burning?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

A natural gas company created as a result of the merger between an Oklahoma company and a Texas company just two years ago, Enable Midstream Partners, is already killing jobs.   About 2-hundred jobs were eliminated, including 1-hundred in Louisiana!   Company administrators warned of the layoffs at the beginning of the year.

California: In Gold River, Obama Care caused eHealthInsurance Services to layoff 72 people without warning.  Who said batteries are more environmentally friendly than gas and diesel? In Vernon, The U.S. EPA forcing Exide Technologies to issue a shutdown WARN saying 84 people are now unemployed, and more will lose their jobs as they shutdown their battery factory after repeatedly violating federal environmental protection rules.  In El Segundo, toy maker Mattel laid off 107 employees!  Paramount Pictures is the latest victim of Viacom’s slashing & burning.  Reports say as many as 40 movie studio employees were laid off.  In San Francisco, legal drugs pusher Amgen announced it will eliminate as many as 3-hundred drugs making jobs and shutdown its recently acquired Onyx Pharmaceuticals ops!  News reports say Amgen’s announcement still leaves 2-hundred Onyx Pharmaceuticals jobs in limbo.

Florida: The state Department of Education has ‘failed’ Osceola County military prep school Acclaim Academy, twice, and as a result it shutdown.

Michigan:  In Lakewood, the Clarksville and Sunfield elementary schools are being shutdown, the school district is short $1-million USD!

Missouri: Iconic U.S. motorcycle maker Harley Davidson issued a WARN saying they will eliminate 169 jobs at their Kansas City factory, beginning in May!  Administrators say the economy is going to suck for the “long term”!   In Saint Joseph the World’s largest wire rope maker, WireCo WorldGroup, announced they will eliminate at least 30 jobs, blaming the petroleum industry saying “The issue is oil and gas drilling.”  Local news media said they asked several employees how they felt, and they all basically said ‘it was news to them’!

New York: Port Washington based computer retailer Systemax announced it will shutdown 31 of its 34 TigerDirect brick-n-mortar stores, and one distribution center, more than 1240 jobs lost by June! Two of the company’s administrators had been convicted of committing financial crimes, including stealing money from Systemax.  Is Obama Care forcing Phoenix House to shutdown its residential treatment center Westchester Academy?  56 employees will be laid off in June.  In Staten Island, Obama Care forcing Richmond University Medical Center to outsource their security guard jobs, 31 in-house security guards to become unemployed in June.  In NYC, Viacom (Video & Audio Communications) administrators said the job culling will continue until profits improve: “As announced, we are in the process of restructuring and there will be employees leaving the company as a result.”

North Dakota: Despite the oil boom, agricultural and construction equipment dealer Titan Machinery shutting down three stores and eliminating 14% of its jobs!

Pennsylvania: Bustin Industrial Products announced it is jumping ship, leaving East Stroudsburg and moving to Missouri, about 40 jobs lost by January 2016.

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls the maker of “special” plastics, electronics and apparel products, Raven Industries, revealed they’ve  eliminated more than 1-hundred jobs due to crashing sales!  Administrators say they need to cut $13-million in costs.  The company got its start making hot air balloons.

Virginia: Waynesboro based fiber optics internet company Lumos Networks laid off a total of 31 people in two states.

West Virginia: Nickolas County Courthouse announced it will kill off 24 jobs and reduce pay for another 20 employees.  Administrators blame crashing tax revenues caused by the massive shutdowns of coal mines.  Since last year the county lost $1.4-million in tax revenues!

Wisconsin: California based jelly bean maker Jelly Belly announced they will sell-off their $43-million Pleasant Prairie factory and gift shop. Company administrators say it’s part of their plan to consolidate operations.

09 – 10 March 2015: “We’re in crisis management now.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

Albertsons Vons Safeway update, 24 April 2015: Haagen stores jack up prices! Vons involved in illegal prescription drugs? Safeway bottles city water in drought stricken California!

Shoppers in Orange County, California, are pissed!  They’ve checked out the new Haagen stores (the ones that replaced Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions ) and found the prices are no different than the Albertsons it replaced: “We walked into the store expecting something spectacular, and as my 7-year-old put it, ‘This is Albertsons.’ It was the same store, and we had stopped shopping there a while ago because of the quality. They have stickers that say low everyday price, but the prices really aren’t low at all. They’re trying to trick you into thinking that you are getting a good deal even though you aren’t.“-Matthew Windish

In another report out of Orange County, it turns out that local grocery stores have been steadily shutting down since 2006.  According to The Orange County Register, “Vons, Pavilions, Albertsons, Food 4 Less and Ralphs – have closed 38 stores since 2006.”

In Ukiah, California, a Safeway employee contaminated the Russian River by dumping at least 55 gallons of used cooking oil into a storm drain!  The Redwood Empire Hazardous Incident Team claims they’ve been able to capture 99% of the spill.  I find that unbelievable because nobody knows how long it was before local residents noticed the oil flowing into the river.  Safeway administrators are trying to say the employee did it accidentally, but then admitted the employee actually used a pressure washer to force the oil down the storm drain!

In Merced, California, it’s been revealed that Safeway is bottling the local water supply and selling it, which pisses off residents who’ve been ordered to cut back on water usage: “You might think that in the midst of a drought emergency, diverting public fresh water supplies to bottle and selling them would be frowned upon!”-Jandrea-Marie Gabrielle

In San Diego, California, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is accusing a local dentist, and her boyfriend, of writing illegal drug prescriptions.  The two alleged drug pushers stole the prescription forms from fellow dentists and then gave people authority to buy drugs at their local Vons grocery stores!   The DEA says the accused even went to Vons to pick up drugs for themselves.  The dentist has a prior criminal record of abusing legal drugs.

In Colorado, apparently the local Monument Safeway has become a stressful place to shop.  A week ago one man accused another of being rude to Safeway employees.  A verbal fight ended up in the parking lot where one man then shot the other in the hand.  The shooter was arrested, posted bond, then shot and killed himself days later!

Albertsons Vons Safeway update, 21 April 2015: Vons going down….Walgreens jumps ship!

 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 09 – 10 March 2015: “We’re in crisis management now.” Target kills 3,100 jobs overnight! More evil debt collectors join the unemployment line!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: A brand new grocery store already shutdown in Bethel! Swanson’s shutdown only nine months after opening, local news media says company administrators refused to answer their phone calls. The owner of the building also refused to talk to the local news media.

California: The Los Angeles School District approved the elimination of 609 teaching jobs!  The LASD is short $158-million USD for the upcoming school year.  Tax-sucking Aerojet Rocketdyne announced it will eliminate 5-hundred U.S. jobs, half of which will be in Sacramento!  What automotive industry recovery?  Palo Alto based electric car maker Tesla announced it will cut its employee numbers in China by 30%, due to down sales caused by problems with charging batteries.  A company whose slogan is “We humanize technology…” fired everybody!  San Francisco based tech news publisher Gigaom is now dead, the internet company never made enough money to pay its massive debts.  Albertsons-Safeway continues to kill jobs at the former Safeway HQ in Pleasanton. A WARN filed on 09 March says 113 people will be laid off at the beginning of May!  In Novato, Life Sales issued a WARN saying at least eight people will be laid off in May.  In Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch Country Club issued a layoff WARN, saying 152 people will become unemployed in April!

Connecticut: In New Milford, iconic Homestead Inn (which survived the Great deflationary Depression) shutdown.  The owner blames it on the death of her husband, and the bad economy, saying she’s moving back to the Philippines.

Florida: At Jacksonville International Airport, United Airlines issued a layoff WARN saying 66 people will be laid off in May.  At the Miami International Airport, United Airlines issued a WARN saying 115 people will be laid off in May!  At Palm Beach International Airport, United Airlines issued a WARN saying 69 people will be laid off in May.  At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, United Airlines issued a WARN saying 148 people will be laid off in May!  In Weston, Bonaventure Resort issued a WARN saying 296 people will become jobless in May!

Michigan: In Lansing, after 50 years gun shop Classic Arms shutdown.   The last of the family owners wants to retire.

Minnesota: Minneapolis based Target killed off 3-thousand 1-hundred jobs, almost overnight! 1-thousand 7-hundred people were laid off and 1-thousand 4-hundred vacant jobs were eliminated!  It’s part of their plans to cut $2-billion in operating costs!

Montana:  The Southgate Mall Sears & Auto Center will shutdown in June, 57 jobs lost.  Sears Holdings hopes to find a sucker for their much smaller independent franchise owner-operator Sears Hometown store, the location of which has yet to be determined.

Nebraska: In Lincoln, Nationwide Insurance has notified employees of Allied Insurance that 140 of them will become jobless by 2020!  Blame Obama Care, because Nationwide says Obama Care will result in less insurance claims being filed, which is exactly what the insurance industry wanted.

Nevada: Gold miner Allied Nevada Gold now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

New York: Louisiana based debt collector Coast Professional saying 264 New Yorkers will become jobless by the end of April!  The debt collector lost its U.S. Department of Education contract.  In Shrub Oak, drug rehab center Phoenix House Westchester Academy issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in June, 57 jobs lost, thank you Obama Care.  In Brooklyn, pipe supplier Ferguson NY Metro issued a layoff WARN saying 31 people will become jobless in June, blaming the bad economy.  In NYC, Cache Incorporated went bankrupt and laid off all 103 employees!  Software company Soft Card issued a shutdown WARN for June, saying 41 employees will become jobless because of the bad economy.  At the John F Kennedy International Airport, DAL Global Services issued a shutdown WARN for June, saying 621 people will become unemployed due to Delta Airlines canceling their contract!

North Carolina: Lowes Food announced it will shutdown its last two grocery stores in Gastonia by April, 160 jobs lost!

Ohio: US Steel began laying off 614 people at its Lorain oil pipe factory!

Pennsylvania: In Oakmont, after 88 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) God refused to stop the Saint Irenaeus Catholic Elementary School from shutting down.  Administrators say enrollment has dwindled to only 44 students (I call that DSS, Disappearing Student Syndrome. Christians might call that The Rapture).

Texas: Houston based oil pipeline company TMK IPSCO announced they will eliminate 78 jobs, saying “If you are not drilling, you lay off your oilfield services people and you don’t order any more pipe. That’s what’s happening to us.”   Another Houston based oil company, BPZ Resources, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

West Virginia: The Mountain State’s largest food bank is about to shutdown. Administrators of the Mountaineer Food Bank, in Gassaway, said they’ve run out of money and can’t pay their employees! Some employees are now working for free: “It’s the hardest working crew I’ve ever been around! They don’t have much, but I’ll tell you what, they understand…the Mountaineer Food Bank spirit is here. It’s a gut wrencher! We’re in crisis management now.”-Dave Karr, interim director

06 – 08 March 2015: “our resources will be used more productively elsewhere”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, Idaho, Influenza

U.S. Food Crisis, April 2015: “…it hit me like a bag of rocks!” McDonald’s crashing & burning! “…cannot afford another two years of substantial losses.” State of emergency declared over food supply! U.S. ice cream can kill you!

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of April, 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.

“We will have to develop stricter bio-security measures to eliminate any possible contact between migratory waterfowl…..and our commercial farms.”-Simon Shane, North Carolina State University, interviewed on Nightly Business Report about massive H5N2 outbreak

China, Republic of Korea (aka South Korea), Taiwan, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda have banned U.S. poultry products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has banned imports of poultry products from Canada.  The USDA implied the H5N2 outbreak in the U.S. might be linked to Canadian poultry.  Taiwan and Japan have banned Canadian poultry.

U.S. based Albertsons-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse in Winnipeg, Canada, by 2016.  At least 172 jobs lost!

Bermuda based booze maker Bacardi announced it will layoff about 80 people in North America, including the United States. It’s blamed on crashing booze sales.

Arkansas: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.

California:  Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  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.”   In Fresno, Charlotte’s BakerEatery sold to competitor Dusty Buns.  After more than 50 years San Francisco’s iconic Capp’s Italian Dinners Family Style shutdown.  The owners blame the greedy landlord and legalities with insurance for their closure.  In Sherman Oaks, Jerry’s Famous Deli issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in June, 60 jobs lost.  In San Jose, NYC Food and Beverage issued a shutdown WARN for June, 144 jobs lost!  Seafood supplier Prospect Enterprises issued multiple WARNs saying at least 130 people will become jobless in July! The seafood distribution ops of Prospect Enterprises were taken over by rival Santa Monica Seafood.

Colorado: In Denver, Texas based Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group announced they will shutdown the 15 years old Wazee Street Sullivan’s Steakhouse at the end of May.  They do not want to renew the lease.

Connecticut: The Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group shutdown two steak restaurants, one in Waterbury and one in New Haven.  At least 70 jobs lost.  The Carmen Anthony Restaurant Group blames Mother Nature, ongoing road construction and the suck-ass economy: “The challenges of this relentless downturn of our fragile economy, in addition to Phase I of road construction that lasted approx 28 months on Chase Avenue, directly in front of my Waterbury Steakhouse, has caused me a tremendous hardship and substantial unrecoverable financial losses. Phase II of this road widening construction has started up again in April 2015 and is projected to last approximately another two years or more to complete this project. I cannot afford another two years of substantial losses. These challenges alone were very difficult to manage but adding this year’s disastrous winter was the last straw that I could not overcome. January, February and March are normally difficult months but this year’s extremely cold weather and snow storms, most of which fell on weekends where I do 30 to 40% of my sales, was devastating.”

Florida:  Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater grocery store in May, 86 jobs lost.  After 40 years the Siesta Market shutdown in Sarasota.  In Niceville, food service company Sodexo issued a WARN saying 176 people will become unemployed in June!

Idaho: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  State administrators deny the reports.

Illinois: Oak Brook based McDonald’s crashing & burning in the U.S. of A!  McDonald’s administrators report their profits fell $400-million USD during their 1st quarter of 2015, their biggest profit decline ever!  As a result they will begin shutting down hundreds of U.S. restaurants!   And in Japan McDonald’s is crashing & burning as well. Administrators say the economy is so bad in the east Asian country that they expect to lose between $210-million to $318-million USD by the end of the year (at least triple their losses last year),  so, they will shutdown 131 Japanese stores, more than 1-thousand jobs affected, and they will layoff about 1-hundred jobs at their Tokyo HQ!  They blame logistical problems getting reliable food!  Globally, McDonald’s says they will shutdown a total of 7-hundred stores this year!  In Normal, That’s So Sweet cheesecake shop shutdown, the owner blamed it on her pregnancy which made it difficult to commute to her Normal store.  In East Saint Louis, grocery store Schnucks shutdown on State Street.  Company administrators refused to explain why.  Central Beverage issued a WARN saying 124 employees are now unemployed!  It’s blamed on the company’s takeover by Lakeshore Beverage.   Airline food supplier Flying Food Fare Midway issued a WARN saying 32 people will become jobless in May.   In Old Irving Park, Mirabell German restaurant shutdown after 38 years of operations, apparently due to the death of the chef.

Indiana: Administrators with Marsh Supermarket announced they will shutdown stores in Lafayette, Mooresville, Fishers and Indianapolis!  They claim the grocery stores “do not meet our business requirements regarding sales or future growth potential”.

Iowa: 5.3-million laying hens will be culled due to an outbreak of H5N2, 3.8-million have already died!  Iowa is the largest supplier of chicken eggs to the U.S. food market, gov’na Scott Walker declared a State of Emergency and called up the National Guard: “Anybody that has a poultry operation, whether large or small, whether you’ve got hundreds of birds or one bird, this should be a wake-up call!”-Randy Olson, Iowa Poultry Association

Kansas: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.

Massachusetts: The Look Restaurant shutdown in Leeds.  The owner blamed the bad economy and rising costs of operation.  At one time he had 17 employees, but by the time he decided to shutdown he had only five.

Minnesota: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  As of 17 April, 1.7-million turkeys have died or been culled due to H5N2!   Wild turkey hunters in five counties are being forced to turn in their kills.  In Saint Paul, after five years Bars Bakery shutdown both of its stores.  The owners say they need more family time.

Missouri: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  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!

Montana: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.

New Jersey: Freshcut Produce issued a layoff WARN saying 1-hundred employees will become unemployed in June!  Company administrators blamed “economic reasons”.

New York: In Buffalo, Dug’s Dive shutdown. It might have something to do with the new landlord.  In Wayne County, the Heluva Good! cheese factory and shop joining the exodus from The Empire State and moving to Wisconsin in June, 53 jobs lost.

North Carolina: In Asheville, booze maker Blue Kudzu Sake shutdown, blaming the crashing U.S. market for preventing them to “secure a large enough market share to make our operation profitable”.  In Salisbury, famous Rick’s BBQ shutdown, the owner blamed his bad health.  Raleigh’s last registered bed-and-breakfast, The Oakwood Inn, shutdown after 31 years. The owner blames “illegal” competition from internet company Airbnb saying “If I have to [be licensed], why don’t they have to do it? And if they don’t have to do it, then I shouldn’t have to!”

North Dakota: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.

Ohio: Columbus based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams joined Blue Bell and recalled all their products! The state of Nebraska discovered the bacteria listeria monocytogenes in Jeni’s ice cream.  In Montgomery, after less than one year Verde Salad shutdown  for “personal and financial reasons”!   In Short North, after ten years the Surly Girl Saloon shutdown, the owner indicated that demand for such a bar in Short North is crashing.  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.  Lancaster based EveryWare Global, owner of food preparation products companies Anchor Hocking and Oneida, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. They report overall sales crashed 17% in their 4th quarter 2014 (so much for Xmas sales). For the year they lost $4.87-million USD!

Oregon: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.

Pennsylvania: Snack maker Pepsi/Frito-Lay announced they will eliminate 7% of jobs at their Williamsport factory. It’s part of Pepsi’s ongoing plan to slash and burn operating costs (jobs).   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! In Lawrenceville, after six years the owner of restaurant Tamari announced it will shutdown in May, but promised to open a new restaurant in the future. After 65 years Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo shutdown. The family owners had tried to sell it for the past year, but nobody was interested, the owners say the bad economy sucked them dry: “It’s just time to go, we’ve got nothing left in us.”-Marianne DelPizzo

South Carolina: In Winston-Salem, the owners of New Town Bistro and Bar announced it will shutdown in May.  They said it needs updates and in the current economy “it just didn’t make sense” to spend the money.   The King Street Grille in the Citadel Mall shutdown: “Due to uncontrollable circumstances, we have determined that it is in the best interest of the King Street Grille as a company to close the Citadel Mall location.”

South Dakota: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  In Roberts County, 66-thousand 6-hundred turkeys dead from H5N2!  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:  Brenham based ice cream maker Blue Bell Creameries recalled all their ice cream across the United States!  Company administrators claim they are being pro-active in fighting a listeria outbreak, however, 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!  The CDC also blames Blue Bell ice cream for three deaths this past year.   Yet another cupcake shop goes down, this time in San Antonio.  The owner of Kate’s Frosting Events announced she will shutdown her last cupcake shop in May.  She shutdown another shop at the beginning of the year.  Her reason is that she wants at least one day off per week.   San Antonio based Food Management Partners shutting down 70 Carrows and Coco’s Bakery restaurants across Arizona, California and Nevada!  Administrators blame the suck-ass economy: “The current market climate has forced us to make difficult decisions about many of our restaurants that are not performing at a competitive financial level.”

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 officials 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.”

Virginia: In Arlington, after 28 years Mother’s Macaroons Bakery shutdown.  The owner blames the death of her husband and the crashing economy saying “It was a series of things, and it hit me like a bag of rocks!”

Washington: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.    It was discovered that 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.

Wisconsin: Poultry industry hit by H5N2.  In Barron County, 126-thousand 7-hundred turkeys possibly infected with H5N2!  In Milwaukee, restaurant Nourri forced to shutdown after its chef and its general manager walked out.  The owners blame frustrations with ongoing road construction that is killing off sales.  Food service company Sodexo told state employment administrators that 3-hundred people will become unemployed at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, in June! Sodexo lost their contract.

March 2015: “…sales dropped off a cliff…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 06 – 08 March 2015: “…our resources will be used more productively elsewhere…”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Netherlands based grocery store chain Ahold announced it will shutdown support offices in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.  At least 120 jobs lost!  Administrators said it was the only way they could keep their food prices low for shoppers.

Germany based software developer SAP announced it will kill off 22-hundred jobs around the World, including in the United States!  Administrators blame crashing sales and the move towards ‘cloud’ based ops.

Arizona: In Tucson, after ten years the owners of Bluefin Seafood Bistro announced they will shutdown in May. They blame the new greedy property owners: “Our lease term is ending and we could not come to an equitable deal on our lease renegotiation with the new center owners.”

California: Old TV show rerun cable channel TV Land laid off 20 people.  It’s blamed on its troubled owner Viacom.   In Santa Barbara, Palo Alto and Laguna Hills after only one year three Fresh Market grocery stores shutdown, 179 jobs lost!  The administrators of the North Carolina grocery chain said “We believe that our resources will be used more productively elsewhere…”, meaning the economy in The Golden State sucks.   In Ontario and Sacramento, United Airlines issued a WARN saying 117 airport employees will become unemployed in May!  In Terminal Island, United Industries issued a shutdown WARN saying 136 people will be laid off in May!  In Emeryville, video game maker Electronic Arts (EA) issued a layoff WARN saying 70 people will become unemployed in May.  In Sunnyvale, personal care product maker Unilever issued a shutdown WARN for May, 57 jobs lost.  It’s been revealed that British empire military taxsucker BAE eliminated 201 jobs in San Franscisco, no WARN was issued before the layoff!  The Acalanes Union High School District has decided to end its 70 years old adult education program, killing eight full time jobs.  Drexel University announced it will shutdown their six years old Sacramento campus.

Connecticut: What automotive industry recovery?  In New Milford, after 65 years the local Volkswagen car dealer shutdown.  The dealership owners blame Germany based Volkswagen.  Their line of credit with Volkswagen requires them to make a profit, which they have been unable to do for the past three years because of the bad economy.

Georgia: In Locust Grove, Smead Manufacturing shutting down their production and distribution center, 150 jobs lost by April!

Iowa: Gov’na Terry Branstad issued layoff notices for 36 employees at the state run mental health institution in Mount Pleasant.  The gov’na wants to shutdown the mental health hospital in Clarinda as well, meaning 150 jobs will be lost between April and mid-summer!

Massachusetts: Near Boston Weak, drugs makers Merck and AstraZeneca both announced they will kill jobs.  Between the two more than 2-hundred drug making jobs will be eliminated!  Merck is shutting down its recently acquired Cubist ops, and AstraZeneca is shutting down its Infection iMed unit.

Minnesota: In Hastings, Smead Manufacturing ending old school file folder production and killing off 114 jobs by August!  In Saint Paul, after 36 years the owner of Golden Lion Antiques announced he will shut it down in April.  The owner blames his deteriorating health.

New Hampshire: What automotive industry recovery?  Automotive parts maker Hitchliner Manufacturing shutting down their 31 years old Littleton factory.  135 jobs affected, the company is consolidating ops.

North Dakota: So much for oil wealth, in Fargo after 92 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the owners of Quality Bakery announced it will shutdown by the end of April. They said the oil boom did nothing for them as they’ve been trying to sell the business for the past seven years, with no luck.

Texas: Woodlands based chemical maker Huntsman Corporation announced it will shutdown color pigment factories in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and even Germany.  At least 120 jobs lost!  Administrators say they need to cut $20-million per year from their operating costs, but this belies their spending $115-million building a new factory in Augusta, Georgia!  Houston based oil exploration company Dune Energy now bankrupt busted and selling off all its assets.  Company administrators blame low oil prices for the cancelation of its planned sale to California based Eos Petro.  Administrators with Eos Petro called it “Negative outside market forces beyond either companies’ control…”   In Erath County, FMC laid off 79 people, that’s on top of the people laid off in January.  Company administrators blame oil prices: “As a result of the dramatic decline in oil and natural gas prices and the resulting decrease in activity from our customers, FMC has undertaken a number of efforts to adjust our business to this lower activity.” 

04 – 05 March 2015:  “more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.