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“I can’t go on forever.” Kohl’s & Sport Chalet shutting ’em down in Cali! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 27 – 28 April 2016

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

More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise;  Mormon Glen Beck’s ‘news’ network The Blaze is warning at least 40 employees across the U.S. that they will lose their jobs.  This is at least the second round of layoffs for Glen Beck.  Back in February a Daily Beast report basically said former employees accused ‘christian’ Beck of being a backstabber.  It’s blamed on crashing ratings and the crashing numbers of people looking at Beck’s websites Glennbeck.com and TheBlaze.com.

Alabama: In Auburn, after 38 years Price’s Barbeque House shutting down sometime between May and December.  The greedy (and tired) owner admitted he decided to ‘join the crowd’ and sell-out to a property developer for a lot of money: “It’s a good living, but it’s a tough one as well. It’s something that I’ve had to think about for a very long time, and I can’t go on forever. The timing is just right, as sad as it is.”-Jeff Price

Arizona: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; California based Intel eliminating 560 jobs in Chandler, by the end of May!

California: Wisconsin state based department store Kohl’s issued mass shutdown WARNs for nine Golden State stores, 780 jobs gone by mid-June! La Cañada city based Sport Chalet issued mass shutdown WARNs for six Golden State locations, 367 jobs gone by mid-June! In Gonzales, Sonora Packing issued a shutdown WARN, 176 jobs gone by mid-June!  British empire Scotland based school bus contractor First Student issued mass shutdown WARNs for at least three Golden State locations, 212 jobs gone by mid-June!  In Gardenia, Normandie Casino shutting down by mid-June, 380 jobs lost!  Elitist Burke Williams Day Spa shutting down their Los Angeles location, 101 jobs gone by mid-June!  Montana based engineering company MSE Tech issued a layoff WARN for their Van Nuys ops, 205 jobs gone by mid-June!   In Torrance, Japan based Kubota Tractor shutting down, 72 jobs gone by mid-June.  Southern California Edison eliminating 46 jobs in Rosemead by June.  More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; in Irvine, Sage Software eliminating 26 jobs by the end of June.  In San Jose, Western Digital Technology eliminating 71 jobs by mid-June.

Florida: Netherlands based Louis Dreyfus Company Citrus eliminating 59 jobs and shutting down its Winter Garden ops by the end of May.  The orange juice maker sold its Winter Garden ops to a competitor (Peace River Citrus) who apparently has no plans to continue the operation.  In Orlando, Florida Connections Academy issued a WARN, 80 jobs lost between June and August.

Kansas: Too Big to Jail Shawnee Mission based Waddell & Reed Financial says it must eliminate 10% of jobs at its Overland Park location, due to ongoing crashing revenues.

Kentucky: A week after eliminating 61 jobs, Jefferson Community and Technical College notified 34 more employees of layoffs.

Louisiana: Texas based Union Tank Car WARNing that it will eliminate 224 jobs in Alexandria, by the end of June, due to the oil industry BS!

Missouri: Proof that the economy sucks; lack of tax filings!  Kansas City based tax filing preper H&R Block announced that there were so few filings this year that they must eliminate 250 jobs!

New Jersey: The Lacey Township School District eliminating 25 jobs and jacking up local taxes by 4.4.%!  Local news reports said school taxes are supposed to be capped at 2%!

New York:  Sodexo lost its food contract with Fordham University, 382 jobs gone by the end of June!  

The company behind those crappy entertainment shows like American Idol, NYC based CORE Media, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Despite years of high ratings the company was not able to pay off massive debts, and now ratings for those BS shows are crashin’-n-burnin’.

North Dakota:  University of North Dakota suddenly laid off 20 people and halted admissions to several programs.  The school is short at least $5.3-million USD!  However, local news reports said the UND music therapy program, itself, is short $7-million USD!   

Pennsylvania: In Lansford, Our Lady of Angels Academy has gone from 8-hundred students to just more than 1-hundred, and god is powerless to stop the shutdown in July.  Administrators said the only way they could stay open was to jack up the fees, but christian parents can’t afford to pay more fees.

Tennessee: In Farragut, after 24 years the original Aubrey’s restaurant (originally called Aubrey’s Cafe) shutting down by mid-May.  The administrators blame the shutdown on the age of the building.

Washington DC: The Migration Policy Institute discovered that refugees get more help from taxpayer funded social programs than do poor U.S. citizens (30% vs 27%).  The report (Young Children of Refugees in the United States: Integration Successes and Challenges) is actually meant to praise the U.S. efforts at helping refugees, but inadvertently reveals it’s at the expense of citizens who also need help.

 Wyoming: Another mine layoff, this time bankrupt Virginia based Alpha Natural Resources laying off 37 coal miners at Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte mines.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

26 April 2016: “It just never came back after the recession.”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

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

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

ObamaCare Job Destruction, April 2016: “…it’s referred to as restructuring & the cuts aren’t deep enough…”

It must be noted that I started documenting these ObamaCare/healthcare related shutdowns at the beginning of 2014. In that year I posted the reports biannually (every six months). In 2015 ObamaCare cutbacks ramped up and I posted quarterly (every three months). For the past four months of 2016 there have been so many ObamaCare cutbacks that I’ve posted a report every month!

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, April 2016.

California:   In Berkeley, Sutter Health shutting down their Alta Bates Summit ER operations. But wait, don’t blame ObamaCare on this one. It’s the result of a 1994 state regulation (SB 1953) requiring hospitals to meet tougher earthquake survival standards, by 2030.  In Temecula, Abbott Vascular continues with its medical device layoffs, this time 131 people laid off without warning at the beginning of April!  In Pacoima, after 50 years (and surviving several robberies) Laurel Pharmacy shutdown. Owner Barry Wise was hoping somebody could takeover the business, “But I couldn’t find a buyer, so it’s sad.”  San Francisco based health tech diagnostic company Counsyl laid off 27 people, despite boasting of “double digit” demand for their carrier screening services.   More proof ObamaCare is a failure: “Something has to give. Either insurers will drop out or insurers will raise premiums. The industry is clearly setting the stage for bigger premium increases in 2017”-Larry Levitt, Kaiser Family Foundation commenting on the ObamaCare “correction”

Connecticut:  Danbury based IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics is reporting that for the second year in a row, since ObamaCare went into effect, U.S. residents will be paying more for their prescription drug fix, and it will continue going up until at least 2020.    Immucor Transplant Diagnostics issued a shutdown WARN for its Stamford location, 59 jobs lost by the beginning of June.   More proof ObamaCare is a failure: “We continue to have serious concerns about the sustainability of the public exchanges.”-Mark Bertolini, Aetna CEO referring to the ‘correction’ of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare)

Florida:  In Pinellas Park, Transitions Optical laying off 11 people by the end of June. In Panama City, healthcare “revenue cycle” manager Navigant Gymetrix issued a WARN, 60 jobs gone by the end of June.

Hawaii: Taxpayer funded Wahiawa General Hospital is begging for emergency funding to stop it from shutting down. Administrators revealed that since ObamaCare went into effect they’ve lost $9-million USD!

Idaho: The Gem State’s version of ObamaCare is in trouble, news reports reveal that at the end of March a warning letter was sent out to Your Health Idaho employees telling them what to do if a healthcare provider is dealing with a person with life threatening issues, yet doesn’t qualify for Idaho’s version of ObamaCare: “Please be sure to include MEDICAL URGENT in the subject line as well as a detailed description of the client’s situation in the message body.” (this is probably due to the claims by hospital directors that at least 1-thousand Idahoans have died as a direct result of not qualifying for ObamaCare through Your Health idaho) However, an insurance agent in McCall said he deals with insuring people in five other states and compared to them Idahoans have it good: “It’s just an absolute train wreck! I’m licensed in six states, and believe me, in the other five states, it’s even worse.”-Stanley Dean

A Twin Falls woman is in desperate need of brain surgery but doesn’t have enough money to pay for insurance herself, yet also does not qualify for ObamaCare under Your Health Idaho! But wait, that’s not all! It turns out that when she first went to doctors they ignorantly told her she was crazy and didn’t have a physical problem! Finally, after several MRIs she was diagnosed with Chiari malformation: “If it goes untreated, then I will slowly become paralyzed, and from there I will end up on machines. That is something that is a reality for me if I don’t get it taken care of.”-Brittany Long

Yet another hospital manager is condemning Idaho’s version of ObamaCare; Your Health Idaho. Michael Baumann, of the Mountain Division of the Hospital Corporation of America, said “…those who are not getting the care that they need, by the time they show up, it’s even more costly. So why don’t we provide the access up front through Medicaid expansion? ….You know I’m actually fairly conservative, but when it comes to healthcare…..I’m just really open to the fact we need change.”

In Boise, christian healthcare scammer Saint Luke’s Regional Medical Center has been found in violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In 2015 an employee reported to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) that Saint Luke’s was not ‘coding’ certain time off as FMLA. The DoL reviewed two years worth of “hundreds” of employee records and concluded that Saint Luke’s “…failed to ensure that all employees on FMLA-covered leave received all the protections…” Interestingly the DoL determination, and resulting Saint Luke’s resolution actually took place in November 2015, but only now is being made public! In February I reported how Saint Luke’s was caught stealing local property taxes! 

Illinois: Maker of hospital administrative software Valence Health suddenly laid off 75 people, including an executive. I should point out that in 2014 the company got at least $11.9-million USD from state taxpayers to create jobs in Obama’s homie town of Chicago.  Germany based Siemens Medical shutting down their Wood Dale location by March 2017, at least 29 jobs lost.    “Financial” issues forcing Pioneer Center for Human Services to issue shutdown WARNs for its Woodstock and McHenry locations, 103 jobs lost by mid-May! Nathan Health Care shutdown their East Saint Louis nursing home, 87 jobs gone.

Indiana: In LaPorte, after 62 years Hilbish Drug shutting down: “We just got to the point where it was time to move on.”-Tom Hilbish

Kansas: In Hutchinson, after 77 years Fraese Drug Store and Soda Fountain shutdown. A co-owner said ObamaCare and inflation forced him to take a job with a competitor: “We just had no choice but to do this because of decreased payments from Medicaid and Medicare. Also, add into that the huge increase in the cost of generic drugs. A lot of them jumped 1,000%! That really hurt our profitability.”-Don Kaufman

Maine: In Farmington, Franklin Community Health Network laid off a little more than 50% of its employees (mostly full time jobs), blaming $15-million USD in losses on ObamaCare! Administrators say the losses would have been much bigger if they hadn’t received a one-time federal grant.   In Portland, Mercy Hospital shutdown its outpatient addiction treatment center, blaming ObamaCare reduction in funding. Mercy is joining with other organizations, including local police, in forming the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative as a way to provide addiction recovery services for those with little or no health insurance.

Massachusetts:   Baystate Health is demanding $10-million taxpayer dollars to avert the layoff of 2-hundred people, due to ObamaCare. Administrators say that’s just for starters, calling it “bridge funding”, if the ObamaCare situation continues then additional taxpayer funding will be needed!

Minnesota: The largest health insurance company in the United States is getting the hell away from ObamaCare! Minnetonka based UnitedHealth joins BlueCross-BlueShield is declaring the Affordable Care Act Dead on Arrival! UnitedHealth will begin exiting ObamaCare plans beginning with the states of Arkansas and Georgia. In 2014 UnitedHealth entered the ObamaCare market, but is getting out while it can still live to tell about it: “It was for us a bad decision. In retrospect, we should have stayed out….”-Stephen Hemsley, CEO

Mississippi: Magee based Pioneer Health Services now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Pioneer Health Services operates hospitals in Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. Administrators blame ObamaCare reimbursement reductions and the forced shift to outpatient care.

New Hampshire: Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine laying off 30 people, and conducting restructuring that will affect 285 employees! The 285 are being considered for transfer to Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

New Jersey: Middleton shutting down their 911 dispatch, eliminating 15 jobs. 911 services will now be handled by Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department.

New York: Buffalo Cardiology and Pulmonary Associates issued a shutdown WARN for its Williamsville location, 119 jobs gone by mid-May!   In Bronx NYC, Saint Barnabas Rehabilitation & Continuing Care Center has been sold to a vulture capitalist, a shutdown WARN has been issued, 254 jobs lost in July!  In White Plains, The Esplanade nursing home shutting down due to renovations of the building, 55 jobs lost by mid-July.  Quantum Medical Imaging shutting down their medical instrument factory in Ronkonkoma, 83 jobs lost between July and November.  NYC based EmblemHealth warning of “several hundred” layoffs in their Information Technology (IT) department! The IT jobs are being outsourced to cheap-o contractors as part of ObamaCare “modernization” of the healthcare industry.

Ohio: Northside Medical Center eliminated 68 full time jobs because ObamaCare has greatly reduced “the community’s usage of services”.   In McArthur, after more than 19 years Gill’s Family Pharmacy shutdown. The drug seller has been praised for community service such as buying computers for county first responders.  The county of Warren is privatizing its employment service for disabled people, known as Production Services Unlimited, 60 county jobs will be lost. County administrators blame ObamaCare saying they’re following orders from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.   After 164 years (surviving The Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) children’s mental health treatment chain Beech Brook forced to eliminate 179 jobs due to Medicaid funding cuts!

Oklahoma: Integris Health notified employees of massive layoffs, blaming Oklahoma’s version of ObamaCare for “…a 25% reduction in provider fees…beginning June 1…” attributed to “…the state’s struggling economy….also…the Affordable Care Act…”

Pennsylvania:  In Harrisburg, DST Health Solutions issued a WARN, 107 jobs gone by the end of June!

Puerto Rico: The economy is so bad that CNN reported that one doctor per day is fleeing the U.S. territory! National Public Radio reporting that 50-thousand people flee Puerto Rico every year! You must note that Puerto Rico has true socialized healthcare, and the lack of taxpayer funding, caused by crashing tex revenues, is forcing most doctors to go to Plan B: “Plan B is you have to leave the island because there’s no other way, there’s no choice.”-Antonio Peraza, doctor interviewed for NPR

South Carolina: In Orangeburg, Regional Medical Center laying off 33 employees, cutting hours for 27 and eliminating 30 vacant jobs. Because of ObamaCare the hospital needs to cut $4.9-million USD in expenses!

Texas: In Dallas, Select Medical issued a WARN, 77 jobs gone by the end of May.  Massive oil industry layoffs have revealed a major lie about ObamaCare. One of the promises of the Affordable Care Act was that people who were not employed, or who lost their jobs, would still be covered for healthcare under ObamaCare. A Houston Chronicle investigation found that most oil industry survivors have learned they don’t qualify for ObamaCare: “In the U.S., losing your job could mean losing your health insurance. Most other countries don’t do this. …The ACA, if anything, entrenched our dependence on employer-provided health insurance….. That’s the hole. It is contrary to the spirit of the law.”-Jessica Roberts, University of Houston’s Law Center

Virginia: Augusta Health shutting down two Convenient Care clinics located inside Walmarts, by May. Administrators say ObamaCare is pushing people to go to Urgent Care clinics instead.

Washington: In Arlington, Cascade Valley Hospital & Clinics shutting down, 418 jobs lost by the end of May!   After prodding by local news, health insurance company Premera Blue Cross admitted it eliminated 165 jobs since November 2015! Employees are pissed because they say corporate administrators never told anybody there were going to be mass layoffs: “Layoffs are handled poorly, allowing rumors to spread like wildfire, creating a horribly negative atmosphere. And instead of owning it and calling it layoffs, it’s referred to as restructuring and the cuts aren’t deep enough the first time around, so everyone knows they’ll be coming again…”-unnamed employee to local news media

ObamaCare job destruction, March 2016: “we have been unsuccessful…we are now forced to close permanently” 

ObamaCare = Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Gun Ban Fail : Anti-gun NYC cops caught taking bribes from Jews for guns! Gun running outpaces drug dealing?

26 April 2016 (11:04 UTC-07 Tango 01) 07 Ordibehesht 1395/18 Rajab 1437/20 Ren-Chen 4714

“New York City, as a major city in the U.S., is one of the most restrictive cities in the country concerning gun licensing laws. What they’re doing is they’re creating a privilege for having a gun and licensing it and they’re creating this ‘Prohibition’ style system where people are paying someone off to get a gun”-Stephen D’Andrilli, retired cop

Only days after New York City police shot and killed a man in Brooklyn, and after a former Westchester County police commissioner was caught illegally armed with a loaded gun (unnamed cops say they were ordered to let him go),  and after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) caught two “high ranking” NYC cops taking bribes, a member of a Jewish ‘security’ organization was charged with attempting to bribe an honest cop (who blew the whistle on the bribery) with $6-thousand USD to “expedite” city gun licenses for his fellow security organization members.  But wait, this is after the Jewish ‘defense leaguer’ bribed dishonest NYC cops (who’re more than happy to go along with the illegal deal) with nearly $1-million to obtain 150 guns!

Demand for guns is so high in the anti-gun Big Apple that illegal gun running now rivals dealing illegal drugs!  NYC prosecutors say they’ve just busted a gun running gang that had been successfully selling banned guns for at least the past ten years!

I’ve written in many other articles how those areas of the world with the strictest anti-gun laws also have some of the highest gun ownership and violence rates, despite what the anti-gun peaceniks tell you.  There are some things that you can’t get rid of by making them illegal, you actually end up increasing demand.  Study what happened with the failed U.S. anti-alcohol decade known as Prohibition.  Study the continuing disaster known as the U.S. War on Drugs.  How about the never ending U.S. War on Terror?

Gun Ban Failure: UnConstitutional NYC laws fail to stop attack on cops! 

Police Cause Gun Violence: Cops charged with murder triples, former cop credits video evidence!

U.S. Civil War 2014: 1-million New Yorkers flip the bird at the new anti-gun SAFE law! 

Martial Law U.S.A. 2014: Strict anti-gun laws fail to stop New York cop from being killed with his own government issued gun!

Martial Law U.S.A. 2014: Anti-gun NYC blames increasing gun crimes on teenagers! Connection to Chicago civil war? 

U.S. Civil War 2014: Anti-gun ban in NYC fails to stop NYC cops from runnin’ guns at the Zoo, and at McDonald’s! 

Mormon university criminalizes rape victims!

26 April 2016 (10:31 UTC-07 Tango 01) 13 Ordibehesht 1395/18 Rajab 1437/20 Ren-Chen 4714

“They treated me in such an un-Christlike way, like I was some sinner. There was no forgiveness and mercy.”Brooke, rape victim at Brigham Young University who says when she reported being raped she got an official suspension letter stating that university administrators viewed the rape as “consensual sex” therefore violating the Mormon university’s official Honor Code.

BYU protesters say they’ve been shamed by Honor Code: The Salt Lake Tribune

Who’s the real christian god? “It’s for sale, someone can turn it into a restaurant if they want to.” : U.S. Christian job destruction 1st Q 2016 

LDS kills Mormon bookstore!

Mormon ‘Sheriff’ insists “our” Rape is “Consensual”! 

2 Idaho prisoners die in 1 day! Evil Mormon MTC involved? 

“It just never came back after the recession.” Tech bubble exploding! Company loses $4.18-billion in 3 months! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 26 April 2016

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

Arizona: Despite reporting better than expected revenues, Phoenix based mining company Freeport-McMoRan says it will go ahead with plans to layoff 25% of its petoleum sector employees and sell-off assets.  Freeport-McMoRan’s ‘better than expected’ results were a loss of $4.18-billion USD for the first three months of 2016!  It’s blamed on the low prices of oil, gas, gold, silver, copper, etc.

California: Intel issued several WARNs, at least 565 jobs across The Golden State gone between now and 2017, due to crashing computer sales!  Insiders are reporting that Apple has laid off all its employee recruiters, more than 1-hundred employees!  Recruiting bonuses were also slashed from 40% to only 10%.  In Berkeley, Sutter Health shutting down their Alta Bates Summit ER operations.  But wait, don’t blame ObamaCare on this one.  It’s the result of a 1994 state regulation (SB 1953) requiring hospitals to meet tougher earthquake survival standards, by 2030.

Kentucky:  In Louisville, after 73 years grocery store First Link now up for auction.  The grocery section is shutdown, but the Liquor Store ops will continue until the auction, which is mid-May.  I have yet to find info as to why it’s being auctioned (other than the company needs the money).

Maine: After 110 years (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) the last of the Brooks Brick factories is shutting down.  News reports say they were down to a “handful of employees”.  In Portland, Mercy Hospital shutting down its outpatient addiction treatment center this Friday.  It’s blamed on ObamaCare reduction in funding.  Mercy is joining with other organizations, including local police, in forming the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative as a way to provide addiction recovery services for those with little or no health insurance.

Massachusetts:  Baystate Health is demanding $10-million taxpayer dollars to avert the layoff of 2-hundred people, due to ObamaCare.  Administrators say that’s just for starters, calling it “bridge funding”, if the ObamaCare situation continues then additional taxpayer funding will be needed!

New Jersey: British empire United Kingdom and Netherlands based Unilever issued a WARN for their Englewood Cliffs operations, 106 jobs gone by the end of June!  It was also revealed that Unilever is getting almost free money from the European Central Bank, as the ECB bought $339-million USD worth of Unilever bonds, at a piddly 0.08% interest.   The “consumer goods” company is also shutting down a call center in Canada.

New York: Iconic New York Times announced it will shutdown its Paris, France, printing ops. 70 jobs lost due to consolidation of operations.  Despite reporting a ‘strong’ first quarter, elitist clothier Coach announced it will eliminate 3-hundred jobs!  Even though Coach made its first quarterly profit in the past three years administrators say they must become more “efficient” by 2017.

Oregon: California based Intel issued a mass layoff WARN, 784 jobs gone by the end of May!

Pennsylvania: It’s been revealed that Texas based petroleum contractor Halliburton secretly laid off 2-hundred employees near Montgomery, last week!  In a fine example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL), the impact is immediate as locals are reporting that mom-n-pop shops in Montgomery are already shutting down: “The layoffs are hurting people and its hurting our economy.  A lot of store fronts are closing up and small business people can’t survive. Its not a good thing.”-Allen Bean, resident

“Its hurt us financially, when you have a large company like Halliburton pull out of an area and let a lot of people go it’s a lot of lost revenue.”-Rick Sanguedolce, owner of Riverside Campground

Vermont: Ski resorts Jay Peak and Q Burke Mountain forced to shutdown due to a federal fraud investigation.  The owners of the ski resorts are being accused of frauding investors out of $200-million USD!

Washington: California based Intel shutting down its DuPont location (according to the mayor of DuPont), killing 350 jobs!   DuPont Mayor Michael Courts says Intel administrators did not tell him when the plant would shutdown.   In Browns Point, after 24 years the Ace Hardware shutting down sometime next month: “Business has gotten a little bit quiet. The cost of business has gone up. The amount of money it takes day-to-day; we are just not able to make that number. We’re down 15% over the year. It just never came back after the recession. The years 1991 to 1996 were the best brick-n-mortar retail years.”-Mark Wenner, owner

Washington DC:  After 41 years Bistro Français shutting down so the owner can retire.   What housing market recovery?  The U.S. Department of Commerce reporting that new homes sales have fallen for three months in a row (January to March).  Declining new home sales are falling fastest in the western United States.  The U.S. Navy is shutting down 16 Navy College offices in October.  The Navy hopes to save money by consolidating College offices onto the internet, and eliminating soon to become redundant jobs.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

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

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

“I’m losing everything….This is what puts food on my table.” Corporations secretly kill 13,300 jobs in 3 months! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 25 April 2016

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

Arizona: More proof higher education is a waste of your time and money; the state Department of Administration says the fastest growing sector of the Grand Canyon State’s job market (by 27.7%) are jobs that don’t even require a high school education!   The next biggest job sector is that which requires only a high school diploma.  You should note that the ‘elected’ state leaders have been focusing job promotion on sectors that require higher education.  The city of Nogales is bemoaning the planned shutdown of the money making Kmart in July.  It’s a money making store because the city collects boo-koo sales tax off it, and city managers don’t know what they’re going to do after the Big Kmart (it’s also sells groceries) shuts down!  The Big Kmart is a money maker because many of its customers are Mexicans who shop on the U.S. side of the border, because the variety is better in the U.S. than in Mexico. Christopher Teal, U.S. Consul General in Nogales, Mexico, said “They’re shopping, they’re at the malls, they’re out buying, they’re out doing activities. It has a huge impact for our economy in Arizona and our economy in the United States, I can’t speak positively enough really about that part of the relationship.”  In other words, Sears Holdings’ Eddie Lampert is shutting down a profit making international store!

California: In Milpitas, family owned Raley’s is shutting down their 28 years old Nob Hill Foods grocery store by the end of May.  50 jobs lost due to lack of sales, Raley’s administrators say they wanted to shutdown their Milpitas location three years ago.

Colorado: In Denver, Firefly Furnishings shutting down their Firefly Kids store in the Cherry Creek North plaza.  No reason given.  Firefly Furniture got new owners in 2014 who told local news media they wanted a brick-n-mortar operation to complement their internet business pillow.com.

Connecticut: Norwalk based Xerox revealed it eliminated 4-thousand 8-hundred jobs in the first quarter of 2016!  Xerox has been slashing jobs since 1991.

Hawaii: In Hilo, after almost 65 years food joint Kawate Seed Shop shutting down this weekend.  The family owners blame the landlord for jacking up the rent!

Illinois:  In Chicago, after 34 years Bel-Port Liquors forced to shut  down by the greedy landlord who made a better deal with a coffee shop: “I’m losing everything. ….This is what puts food on my table.  All of a sudden, he [landlord] turned 360 degrees on me! I’ve never seen him like this before.”-Joe Barbari, liquor store owner who says rents everywhere are too high for him to open a new store

Indiana: It’s been revealed that the Castleton Perkins restaurant was forced to shutdown by the greedy landlord, who then tore it down for ‘new development’: “We did everything we possibly could to talk them into letting us stay, but the landlords had other ideas. Our lease was up in February, and we were forced to closed.”-Gail VonHolten, former restaurant owner

Maine: The British empire’s christian Salvation Army shutting down their 102 years old (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) Alder Street Family Thrift in Portland, calling the shutdown “the most responsible choice.”  

Massachusetts: In Burlington, Texas based jungle themed Rainforest Cafe shutting down.  Local news sources think it’s being replaced with a furniture store.

New York: Insiders and union members are reporting that iconic New York Times will eliminate “hundreds” of jobs by November!   This comes after the CEO of New York Times saw his income skyrocket to $8.7-million USD last year!

Ohio: Columbus based restaurant chain Bob Evans conducting a second round of mass restaurant shutdowns.  Last year they shutdown 20 eateries, this year it’ll be 27 with at least 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs lost!  The overwhelming majority of those restaurants being shutdown are ‘owned properties’ of Bob Evans and the plan is to try and raise $20-million USD by selling them.  State ‘elected’ leaders are giving five companies big tax breaks to bring in a piddly 444 jobs (some companies will only have to maintain their current employment levels).  The five companies are Ball Metal Food Containers, Genco, Everything but the House, Rotex Global and SportsBrain.

Texas: Halliburton revealed it eliminated 6-thousand oil industry jobs in the first quarter of 2016!  Schlumberger revealed it eliminated 2-thousand 5-hundred petroleum industry jobs in the first quarter of 2016!

Washington DC:  The tax-draining U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is asking for permission to conduct yet another round of base shutdowns.  Leadership with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force now claim they have more posts (bases) than they really need!  But wait, don’t think this is going to save taxpayers money, the DoD wants to use the money saved by shutting down bases, and laying off thousands more personnel, on buying even more outrageously expensive high-tech weapons (like robots to replace human personnel).

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

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

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

“losing your job could mean losing your health insurance.” More ObamaCare lies! Idaho hospital violates U.S. Medical Leave Act! 76,000 cases of worker discrimination! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 24 April 2016

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

California: In San Diego, iconic record store Off The Record shutting down: “It’s a number of reasons: Finances, gentrification of the neighborhood, the raising of rent, the fact that this neighborhood has transitioned from a place to shop to a place to drink…”-Paul Russe, manager

“Licensing can become a powerful tool to limit innovation and competition and act to limit upward mobility.”Occupational Licensing: Bad for Competition, Bad for Low-Income Workers

Delaware: Governor Jack Markell is blaming high unemployment on the fact that more than 25% of jobs require some kind of license.  The cost and time needed to get those licenses is a major barrier for many people interested in those jobs.  Markell ordered a review of employment (occupational) licensing regulations in Delaware.

Idaho:  In Boise, christian healthcare scammer Saint Luke’s Regional Medical Center has been found in violation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  In 2015 an employee reported to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) that Saint Luke’s was not ‘coding’ certain time off as FMLA.  The DoL reviewed two years worth of “hundreds” of employee records and concluded that Saint Luke’s “…failed to ensure that all employees on FMLA-covered leave received all the protections…”  Interestingly the DoL determination, and resulting Saint Luke’s resolution actually took place in November 2015, but only now is being made public!  In February I reported how Saint Luke’s was caught stealing local property taxes! 

Illinois: Local news reports say Harper College in Palatine, and College of Lake County in Grayslake, laid off about 49 employees due to the failed ‘elected’ lawmakers’ budget battles.

Louisiana: The A-Hole Jefferson Parish Council was pushing to outlaw their own parish appointees and attorneys from having a second job!   Their paranoia was put to rest when parish president Mike Yenni revealed there are already regulations prohibiting such behavior.

Michigan: In Coldwater, after 44 years Taylor’s Stationary shutting down this week, the building has a new owner.

Nebraska: In Hastings, a former manager of the local Holiday Inn is paying a $5-hundred USD fine and serving one year of probation after being caught employing an illegal immigrant as a supervisor.  The case involves another hotel run by Kearney Hospitality.  The illegal immigrant left Kearney Hospitality after it was discovered that the U.S. Social Security Administration (SS) was investigating the employee’s legality.  Federal prosecutors say an administrator with Kearney Hospitality told the manager of the Holiday Inn to change the name of the employee on the employment records because of the SS investigation.  The administrator with Kearney Hospitality will be sentenced next month.

New Hampshire:  Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine laying off 30 people, and conducting restructuring that will affect 285 employees!  The 285 are being considered for transfer to Dartmouth-Hitchcock.  In Milford, Eversource (Public Service of New Hampshire) shutting down their Elm Street electric station.  This has people upset as Eversource claims demand for power is doubling and has proposed bringing in electricity from British empire Canada, as well as jacking up utility rates to pay for natural gas.   Eversource is also dealing with numerous lawsuits.

New York: Quantum Medical Imaging shutting down their medical instrument factory in Ronkonkoma, 83 jobs lost between July and November.  NYC based EmblemHealth warning of “several hundred” layoffs in their Information Technology (IT) department!  The IT jobs are being outsourced to cheap-o contractors as part of ObamaCare “modernization” of the healthcare industry.  Sears Holdings issued a WARN for the shutdown of the Irondequoit and Plattsburgh Sears stores, 154 jobs lost by the end of July!  In Plattsburgh, Nova Bus/Prevost eliminating 70 jobs, apparently due to reduction of taxpayer funding of public transportation (administrators called it a reduction in “market demand”).  In Sidney, tax-sucker Amphenol Aerospace laid off at least 90 employees blaming a sudden ‘stop order’ by U.S. Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime.  In Albion, after almost six years the owners of Bindings Bookstore suddenly announced it’ll shutdown this week.  Sales are good, but not good enough for the owners and they’re trying trying to sell it off.

North Dakota: In Mandan, after 17 years the Dollar Store shutting down, the building was sold to a chiropractic clinic.

Ohio: In Toledo, after 40 years pawn shop Standard Loan shutting down when the inventory is gone.  The owner told local news sources that he’s financially broke.

Pennsylvania: In Hazleton, after 65 years Fierro Furniture shutting down.

South Carolina: In Orangeburg, Regional Medical Center laying off 33 employees, cutting hours for 27 and eliminating 30 vacant jobs. Because of ObamaCare the hospital needs to cut $4.9-million USD in expenses!

Texas:  Massive oil industry layoffs have revealed a major lie about ObamaCare.  One of the promises of the Affordable Care Act was that people who were not employed, or who lost their jobs, would still be covered for healthcare under ObamaCare.  A Houston Chronicle investigation found that most oil industry survivors have learned they don’t qualify for ObamaCare: “In the U.S., losing your job could mean losing your health insurance. Most other countries don’t do this.  …The ACA, if anything, entrenched our dependence on employer-provided health insurance…..  That’s the hole. It is contrary to the spirit of the law.”-Jessica Roberts, University of Houston’s Law Center

Washington: A little more than a month after killing 120 IT jobs, Seattle based retailer Nordstrom announced it must layoff an additional 4-hundred employees!  Administrators blame it on crashing sales.

Washington DC: The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) is trying to push two changes with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); discrimination and how workers are paid. At the same time the U.S. Congress is trying to block those changes, accusing the DoL EEOC of failing to investigate 76-thousand cases of employer discrimination of employees!   In a connected case, the U.S. Census Bureau has admitted to intentionally discriminating against ‘minority’ citizens with criminal backgrounds.   The Census Bureau is settling a lawsuit accusing it of refusing to employ ‘minorities’ who have completed prison sentences after being convicted of a crime.  The amount it will cost taxpayers has yet to be revealed, but it is being called a “landmark” case of discrimination by a federal government employer.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

22-23 April 2016: “It makes zero sense”

Sears Kmart update 21 April 2016 : “A lot of customers don’t even believe this”

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

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

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

“all companies need to create real business.” : 4th Q 2015, Proof U.S. brick-n-mortars can’t blame internet/high-tech for their demise

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

Solar power parts company SunEdison eliminated 730 jobs in California and Missouri! It might be connected to the takeover of Vivint Solar.

Arizona:  In Phoenix, a whistleblower told ABC15 that taxsucker Honeywell is eliminating at least 1-thousand jobs, right after forced unpaid holiday furloughs! The whistleblower said employees close to retirement will also be laid off, as well as pay cuts for those who will still be employed. One reason for the secret layoffs is Honeywell is planning to move its call center operations to Mexico.

California:  Irvine based newspapers, websites and mobile applications operator Freedom Communications now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Video game maker Red5 laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  New York based ITT ( International Telephone & Telegraph) shutting down its Perris office, at least 18 jobs lost by February 2016. Internet based grocery delivery service Instacart (once valued at $2-billion USD) laid off 12 employees. Administrators also stated they “no longer need to maintain such an aggressive hiring pace” in 2016.   Cupertino based Apple computers has essentially admitted to tax evasion charges in Italy. Apple wil pay the equivilant of $347.7-million USD to settle unpaid Italian taxes from 2008 to 2013.  Palo Alto based internet advertising company PubMatic eliminated 150 jobs since October! Administrators blame crashing ad sales, in fact they admitted they lost “90% of our revenue”! Mass layoffs for San Jose based networking computer maker Cisco, at least 289 people by January 2016!  San Francisco based music streamer Rdio issued a shutdown WARN, 123 people out of a job right after Xmas!  Internet ‘storefront’ Humble Bundle laid off 12 people admitting they were way “too ambitious” in their hiring practices.  Also in San Francisco, wearable electronics maker Jawbone laid off 60 employees “As part of our strategy to create a more ….successful company…”   Internet based HotelTonight reservation app laid off 34 people. Redwood City based Oracle Corporation announced it will eliminate 150 jobs in Germany as part of a plan to consolidate IT jobs to Romania! Since 2002, Oracle has eliminated about 1-thousand 3-hundred jobs in North America and Europe! And CoreLogic shutting down an office by January 2016, at least 21 jobs lost.   Circuit board maker ISOLA USA shutting down their Elk Grove ops after Xmas, 72 jobs lost.  In Fremont, Wisconsin based electronics maker Plexus issued a shutdown WARN, 204 jobs lost by September 2016!  In the City of Commerce, AT&T eliminating 99 jobs by January 2016.  In Irvine, Verizon issued a layoff WARN saying 171 people will become unemployed after Xmas!   Tax-sucking defense contractor Microsemi eliminating 57 jobs in Garden Grove, by the beginning of January 2016. Tax-sucker Boeing issued more layoff WARNs adding another 66 layoffs to the hundreds already announced.  Pennsylvania based Vishay Intertechnology announced they will eliminate 292 Santa Clara jobs by March 2016! They are moving jobs to other countries, calling it “…moving headcounts into lower cost geographies.”  Marvell Semiconductor revealed they will layoff 21 people right before Xmas. Washington based Microsoft laying off four San Diegans right before Xmas. In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard (HP) just can’t stop with the layoffs, an additional 65 jobs eliminated. News analysts say HP could hit 85-thousand layoffs since 2012!  In Thousand Oaks, tax-sucker General Dynamics eliminated 55 jobs right after Thanksgiving. Audio electronics maker Western Digital eliminated 111 jobs right before Xmas! TTM Technologies shutdown with short notice, 175 jobs lost in Milpitas!  Twitter issued a layoff WARN, 240 people in San Francisco lost their jobs before Xmas!  In Emeryville, MobiTV laying off 57 people right after Thanksgiving.  U.S. tax-sucker Space Systems Loral (SSL) laid off 90 people without warning, notifying state employment administrators five days after the fact.   Sunnyvale based AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) eliminated 5-hundred jobs! Administrators essentially said there ain’t no economic recovery.

Colorado: Englewood (Meridian) based Dish-Network reported a net loss of 23-thousand customers in its 3rd quarter!  Cybersecurity doesn’t guarantee economic security as One World Labs (OWL) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. In 2014 the company had $3-million USD in revenue, but somehow is now in debt by $750-thousand USD. The company gained attention after hacking into dozens of airliners’ computer systems.

Connecticut: Administrators of Hartford based taxpayer rapist United Technologies warned employees that they will cut $1.5-billion USD in costs in 2016 (meaning jobs).  Japan based Canon Solutions America announced it is shutting down its Trumbull office, by the end of February 2016.

Florida: TV and internet shopping network QVC issued a shutdown WARN for their Port Saint Lucie Call Center, 640 jobs gone by April 2016!  In Miami, two Systemax companies, TigerDirect and Syx killing hundreds of jobs! Direct marketing retailer TigerDirect eliminating 76 jobs by mid January 2016. SYX Services and SYX Distribution issued WARNs saying 165 jobs lost by mid January 2016!   Fort Lauderdale based software company Citrix Systems eliminated 1-thousand in-house and contracted jobs! West Palm Beach based ‘clean technology’ fertilizer maker BioNitrogen chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The company hasn’t even finished construction on its first clean fertilizer factory! The company lost a $1.4-million lawsuit, but it was its own fault as the lawsuit was over unpaid debts.  Lake Mary based Faro Technologies warned of about 1-hundred layoffs due to crashing sales in China and Japan.

Georgia:  Electronic machine maker Sparton shutting down its Lawrenceville factory by June 2016, 82 jobs lost. ‘Optimizing facility footprint’ is the new term for consolidation.

Illinois: Internet advertising company Centro laid off 29 employees. CEO Shawn Riegsecker admitted corporate America is bullshitting everybody about profits and said “We’re at a moment where all companies need to create real business.”    Expedia eliminating 326 Orbitz jobs in Chicago in the beginning of 2016! It’s because Expedia now owns Orbitz.  Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar ‘escorted’ an undisclosed number of Global Information Services employees out the door. Administrators tried to say they were the employees who took the “voluntary buyout” (then why the escort out the door?).

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone company Sprint has begun its planned $2-billion USD in layoffs/cost cutting a month early! The layoffs were originally to take place by the end of January 2016, now Sprint administrators say the undisclosed number of massive layoffs will be “largely completed” by the end of January. Don’t forget, Sprint administrators claim they’re hurting for money so much that for employees laid off after January 2016 the severance package will be cut in half!

Louisiana: In New Orleans, Jacobs Technology/NASA eliminating 195 jobs at its Michoud Assembly Facility!

Maine: Payment processor WEX eliminating 80 jobs in South Portland.

Maryland: Bethesda based taxsucker Lockheed Martin eliminated 250 jobs in its Missiles and Fire Control division, right after Thanksgiving!

Massachusetts:   3D Systems shutting down in the Boston Weak state and eliminating 85 jobs, calling it a “strategic decision”.   California based computer chip maker Intel eliminating 175 jobs from its Hudson factory, starting January 2016! At one time the Hudson factory employed 7-hundred people!

Michigan: Midland based lithium ion battery maker XALT laid off another 106 employees (35 in September) blaming the failure of its Chinese customer who so far hasn’t been buying all the batteries it ordered back in March. This is what happens there’s only one global customer with the money to buy your product, and their economy starts crashing.  Oakdale based Imation warned of more job cuts, possibly due to its $7.5-million takeover of Connected Data.

Minnesota:  Minneapolis based software company Code42 laid off 30 employees. The arrogant administrators said the employees weren’t a good fit for the new corporate culture of growth.

Nevada: California based solar panel maker SolarCity leaving The Silver State because the state Public Utilities Commission jacked up fees charged to people who put solar panels on their homes, and reduced how much electric power companies have to pay those home owners for extra power generated by the solar panels. The net result is that people who put solar panels on their homes will actually see their electricity bill go up by about $40 per month! Up till now analysts say Nevada homeowners with solar power panels had reduced their electricity bill by a measly $15 per month. Evil utility companies demand that even people who go off the power grid should still have to pay to support that evil grid! SolarCity’s exit from The Silver State could affect at least 2-thousand jobs!

New Jersey: Mercer County Community College eliminated at least 24 IT jobs.   In Piscataway, IDT Corporation issued a WARN saying 84 employees rendered unemployed by January 2016. In Florham Park, Germany based BASF issued a WARN saying 92 people will be laid off by mid-January 2016.  Basking Ridge based cell phone rip-off artist Verizon on the verge of eliminating 6-thousand jobs! This is according to an investment advisor who says he’s been warned of the massive layoffs from inside sources.

New York:  12 New Yorkers lost their jobs with video game company Avalanche Studios.  In NYC, ancient internet company AOL eliminated 1-hundred jobs due to its takeover of evil cell phone company Verizon! Reports say more AOL-Verizon layoffs are in the works.  Internet music site Songza being shutdown in January 2016 by its new owner Google Play.   New York Life Insurance WARNed that they were “relocating” jobs within their Information Technology and Finance Operations, at least 59 IT employees affected between February and September 2016.  Internet ‘members only’ shopping site Ideel issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC operations. They’ve joined the mass exodus from the Big Apple and will move to Illinois, 63 New Yorkers unemployed by March 2016.  Semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries warned of mass layoffs at its Luther Forest Technology Campus. Administrators said they’d have more details about just how many people will be let go by the end of the month. The California based company is also killing jobs in Germany.  Infrared vision device maker ORAFOL Display Optics issued a shutdown WARN for their Rochester facility, 27 jobs lost right after Xmas.  Maker of 3D printers MakerBot eliminated 20% of its jobs, for the 2nd time: “We are facing tremendous challenges at MakerBot. Across the board throughout the industry we are seeing a very slow growth pace in the 3D printing space, and of course MakerBot is impacted by that as well.”-Jonathan Jaglom, ceo

North Carolina: In Weaverville, Arvato Digital services shutting down their 32 years old CD-DVD ops, 120 jobs lost! Administrators said “We still have customers, but not enough….” 

Oregon:  In Beaverton, Micro Power Electronics eliminating 140 jobs after Xmas, New York based administrators refused to say why!

Pennsylvania:  In Richland Township, Concurrent Technologies laying off 30 people after Xmas. Company administrators say it’s the only way they can stay “competitive” in this suck-ass global economy.  After three years non-profit ‘tech incubator’ Seed Philly shutdown due to the new property owner terminating the lease early.

Rhode Island: Blue Cross Blue Shield announced it will eliminate 80 IT jobs over the next 18 months. The health insurance company is joining the trend of contracting out its IT operations, ironically blaming ObamaCare (ironic because the health insurance industry created ObamaCare).

Texas:  Giant corporation General Electric is demanding local taxpayers kickback some money for the GE Manufacturing Solutions train factory in Fort Worth, under the Triple Freeport Exemption which burdens those who do pay taxes!  Round Rock based Dell made the biggest tech takeover deal ever ($67-billion USD). Now the administrators of Dell/EMC hinted at mass layoffs: “Of course when we do this we want to make sure we do this in a way that’s very attractive to the EMC shareholders and a fair deal…”-Joe Tucci, EMC ceo

Vermont: Semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries warned of mass layoffs at its Essex Junction and Hopewell Junction fabs.

Washington: Seattle based internet streaming service RealNetworks laid off 60 people, blaming their new contract with evil Verizon.  Redmond based Microsoft announced yet another round of mass job destruction, this time 1-thousand more people will join the already 25-thousand 8-hundred people who’ve lost their jobs due to Microsoft!

Washington DC: Education tech company Blackboard laid off an undisclosed number of employees. News reports guesstimate 1-hundred people lost their jobs!

Wisconsin:   Rockwell Automation warned of 255 layoffs in 2016, saying “…we believe we’ll see a slowing of the economy.”   Littelfuse shutting down their Hamlin circuit protection maker HQ in Lake Mills, layoffs begin before Xmas. Local news reports say at one time Littelfuse-Hamlin had 2-hundred employees in Lake Mills.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

“It makes zero sense.” Less jobs = more homelessness = more police state-ism! GM shuts down U.S. factories! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 22 – 23 April 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: In Huntsville, after 20 years the Tai Pan Palace restaurant shutting down on Sunday.

California: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high-tech for your demise; San Louis Obispo based e-commerce company Kibo (Shopatron) suddenly laid off an undisclosed number of people (reports vary from eight to 25), blaming it on Kibo’s merger with two other e-commerce companies.  The A-Hole nazi Oceanside city administrators want to shutdown iconic Municipal Pier at night, claiming it’s because of ‘security’ issues caused by the increasing number of homeless people using the pier as a place to sleep.  Local fisherman Roger Adams calls bullshit on the city’s plans saying “It makes zero sense. I come here everyday. There is nothing that bad that it warrants closing the pier.”  Here’s an idea for Oceanside, why not create a better economy so there aren’t so many homeless people?   In North Oakland, after 90 years (surviving The Great [deflationary] Depression and numerous recessions) Genova Delicatessen shutting down by the end of the month, due to disagreements over the rent: “We’ve always felt the prices should be reasonable and the food really good quality which we have been able to manage, but the cost of doing business is to the point now where it became uncomfortable.”-Patti DeVincenzi

Idaho: Yet another hospital manager is condemning Idaho’s version of ObamaCare; Your Health Idaho.  Michael Baumann, of the Mountain Division of the Hospital Corporation of America, said “…those who are not getting the care that they need, by the time they show up, it’s even more costly. So why don’t we provide the access up front through Medicaid expansion?     ….You know I’m actually fairly conservative, but when it comes to healthcare…..I’m just really open to the fact we need change.”

Louisiana:  Oklahoma based Helmerich & Payne shutting down Gulf of Mexico oil rig operations after contracts were canceled, 50 jobs lost. 

Michigan:  What automotive industry recovery?  Detroit based General Motors (GM) announced it will shutdown three U.S. factories and one Canadian factory starting Monday, using the excuse that there’s going to be a parts shortage caused by the recent earthquake in Japan.  Thousands of people ‘temporarily’ laid off (furloughed).

Nebraska: Downsizing by the world’s largest uranium mining company, British empire Canada based Cameco, will result in 85 layoffs at the Crow Butte uranium mine.  It’s blamed on five years of low commodity prices for the radioactive rock.

New Jersey: The Clifton Board of Education approved the outright elimination of 49 jobs and also notified 5-hundred non-tenured employees that they will not be considered for re-hire next school year!

New York: In Lower Manhattan NYC, ‘tasting-menu’ restaurant Recette shutting down.  The owner is consolidating the concept with one of his other restaurants, in an attempt to save money on escalating rents.

North Carolina:  The 3rd largest cigarette maker in the U.S. International Textile Group (ITG Brands) confirmed it will layoff 375 employees in Greensboro, in June!  It’s blamed on crashing cigarette sales.

North Dakota: In Williston (a place I remember to be a true ‘Mayberry RFD’, but now a hell-hole no thanks to the oil boom), less than three years after opening, the Home Depot shutdown due to the oil bust.  The oil bust is so bad for Williston that the Home Depot was down to just five employees before they shut it down!

Oklahoma: The state Department of Human Services warning of layoffs and “catastrophic cuts” to services due to $150-million USD shortage in tax funding!

Texas: Dallas based AT&T is now offering poor families internet service for as little as $5 per month!  This is because the federal government (FCC Lifeline program) is finally recognizing that there are now more poor people than ever before and that the overwhelming majority of employers now do hiring through the internet only (no more walk-ins like when I was younger).

South Carolina: What housing market recovery?  In Fort Mills, California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo eliminating 91 mortgage jobs, blaming crashing demand for home loans.  In North Charleston, Boeing is pushing 2-hundred employees to take bribes to voluntarily quit!

Wisconsin: Texas based oil-gas fracker EOG Resources eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs without warning, blaming “market conditions”.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

20-21 April 2016: “We are in a battle with our landlord”

Sears Kmart update 21 April 2016 : “A lot of customers don’t even believe this” 

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

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

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

Fracking sets Australian river on fire!

Coal seam gas mining (fracking) causes the Condamine River to become flammable with methane!  To prove the point an Australian Member of Parliament set the river on fire!  The methane contamination was first noticed in 2012.

Fracking Food Crisis: Idaho, Oregon, Washington hit by contaminated water, coincides with oil industry Fracking!