Tag Archives: ows

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, International

Corporate Evil: Too Big to Jail German bank admits role in deliberately crashing Global Economy!

24 April 2015 (20:36 UTC-07 Tango 01, 23 April 2015)/04 Ordibehesht 1394/05 Rajab 1436/06 Geng Chen (3rd month) 4713

“For years, employees at Deutsche Bank illegally manipulated interest rates around the globe including LIBORs for U.S. Dollar, Yen, Swiss Franc and Pound Sterling, as well as EURIBOR in the hopes of fraudulently moving the market to generate profits for their traders at the expense of the bank’s counterparties.”-Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant U.S. Attorney General

Deutsche Bank has admitted to manipulating international interests rates and agreed to pay about $2.5-billion USD in fines!

The U.S. Department of Justice says the Too Big to Jail German bank took part in illegally controlling the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).  Deutche Bank is the 6th global financial institution to admit to causing economic havoc around the World.

In 2012 Swizterland based UBS admitted to manipulating LIBOR as well.

LIBOR: Japan orders investigation

LIBOR: RBS takes action against its own employees

LIBOR: Rate fixing scandal an excuse to create One World Bank! New CIBOR scandal! 

$20 trillion stolen away and horded by Global Elites…..Money hording causes poverty, destroys economies, is a threat to National Security!!! Too Big to Fails & LIBOR involved! 

LIBOR: Barclays says order to rig rates came from Bank of England. Governments calling the shots! 

LIBOR: Geitner & Paulson knew of rate fixing! British banks confirm.

LIBOR: More proof the bad economy is the fault of the Too Big to Fails! 

LIBOR: U.K. orders new investigation! Top three Japanese banks involved in international rate fixing! 

LIBOR: More proof of Trilateral Commission operations! 

LIBOR: proof the Evil British Empire controls Corporate America

Fukushima, Idaho

Fukushima – WIPP – Radiation Fallout: Siberian fires prove North America blanketed with Japanese radiation!

23 April 2015 (09:17 UTC-07 Tango 01)/03 Ordibehesht 1394/04 Rajab 1436/05 Geng Chen (3rd month) 4713

Massive wild fires in Siberia, Russia, have been smoking out the Pacific Northwest of North America for days now.  The smoke is now reaching the Atlantic Coast.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the majority of North America is blanketed by the smoke.

The wild fires started about a couple of weeks ago, and have killed dozens of people in Siberia.  If the smoke is already covering most of North America in less than two weeks, then imagine the massive radiation contamination that is still spewing from Japan’s exploded Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors!   The same wind currents that bring the smoke from Siberia are bringing radiation from Fukushima.  Of course, U.S. and Canadian environmental administrators have denied that high levels of radiation from Fukushima has reached North America.

Japanese news media reported that four years after the explosions at Fukushima new data has been released by the U.S. Department of the Navy.  The data shows 75% of  the initial radiation contamination released after the explosions actually took place several days afterward, and was released for much longer than first thought.  Researchers learned that a metal used to make fuel rods, zirconium, continued overheating even after thousands of tons of water was poured into the reactors.  It turns out the water actually acted as a catalyst and could have contributed to what looks like  a slow burn China Syndrome, that is still ongoing.

To prove that radiation contamination is still ongoing, administrators with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) revealed yet more airborne and waterborne leaks, and admitted they knew about one leak a year ago!  TEPCo says airborne radiation levels inside reactor building 1 (Fukushima #1) are so high they will kill you in one hour!  They determined this after two robots sent into the building were disabled by the radiation levels.

The most recent water leaks happened this week, when all the water pumps failed.  An unknown amount of contaminated water went into the Pacific Ocean.

Then there’s the leak TEPCo knew about one years ago, but said nothing until now.  TEPCo described the contaminated water leak as “highly radioactive” and said it’s been pouring into the Pacific Ocean, from reactor building 2 (Fukushima #2), since April 2014!

In a possibly related story, the residence of the neo-imperialist Japanese prime minister was found to have a highly radioactive RC drone on the roof!  Security personnel say nobody had been on the roof for the past month, and they don’t know how it got there.  The drone was carrying a container of liquid contaminated with cesium that comes from nuclear reactors.   The drone was marked with radiation warning labels.

In Takahama, a Japanese court judge has blocked the re-start of two reactors at the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant.  The judge reviewed data and declared the reactors to be unsafe, and that the new national government regulations for nuclear factory safety to be insufficient.  Even government administrators admit a catastrophic accident could still occur even with the new regulations.  It turns out the Takahama nuke reactors, operated by Kansai Electric Power Company, are built over three earthquake fault lines!

The Journal of Ornithology has published a study that shows radiation is killing off Japanese birds.  The journal Environmental Indicators published a study saying the radiation levels around Fukushima are far worse than Chernobyl.

In the U.S. state of New Mexico radiation problems continue at the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP).  The DoE accuses the Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory (LANL) of causing the explosions inside WIPP by improperly packing mixed nuke waste in 55 gallon drums.  The DoE investigation confirmed that at least one drum exploded.

The contractor running the site has been hit with $7.3-million USD in fines!  The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) effectively accused Nuclear Waste Partnership of failing across the board, from lack of maintenance programs to outright violations of DoE regulations!

To try and remedy their failed operations at WIPP, Nuclear Waste Partnership has selected a new manager to run WIPP.  He was in charge of the plutonium facility at Idaho National Laboratory, and also worked at the Savannah River Site.

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has also been accused of contributing to the WIPP disaster, as it is one of the users of WIPP for nuke waste storage.  Now the INL is now asking for permission to receive 2-hundred pounds of spent nuclear fuel, for the purpose of researching new ways to store and/or recycle nuke waste.  Former Idaho governors Phil Batt and Cecil Andrus condemned the proposal, pointing out it would violate a 1995 deal banning nuke waste shipments into The Gem State.

Nobody can trust anything administrators say at the INL, it turns out there was a nuclear accident there six months ago, but only now was made public!  It was revealed by the DoE during a local public hearing.  Back in October 2014, at least one employee was contaminated during the re-packing of nuclear waste.  It shutdown the New Waste Calcining Facility for several weeks.

Fukushima – WIPP – Radiation Fallout:  Santa Barbara hit by giant radioactive lobsters?

Business/Economics, Idaho, International

More Economic Decline: Idaho’s failed Hoku leads to 1st Chinese company to default on loan payments? Evidence of economic warfare by United States?

22 April 2015 (10:19 UTC-07 Tango 01)/02 Ordibehesht 1394/03 Rajab 1436/04 Geng Chen (3rd month) 4713

“Our company suffered huge losses in 2014…..Our company has lost financing ability and suffered from a capital shortage. We can’t raise enough money to repay interest, despite all the efforts we have made.”-Baoding Tianwei

For the first time a government controlled Chinese company has defaulted on a massive loan.  Tianwei says it can’t even make the interest payment of 85.5-million yuan ($13.8-million USD)!

If you’ve followed my reports on the failed polysilicon factory in Pocatello, Idaho, then you’d know that Tianwei became the default owner of the troubled Hoku Materials plant, by becoming the only financier of the operation.

Hoku Materials (originally owned by Hoku of Hawaii) was to produce polysilicon for use in solar power products.  The Chinese solar power industry was happy to get involved, but in 2013 market prices for polysilicon hit record lows, then “…the Obama administration jacked up tariffs so high on Chinese polysilicon companies that it wasn’t worth it to do business in the U.S.”

Was the increase in tariffs by the Obama regime, which finally killed the Hoku Materials factory in Idaho, nothing more than economic warfare against China?

Tianwei operates a group of companies known as China South Industries Group, Tianwei Group, Tianwei USA, Tianwei Solution and Baoding Tianwei Solar Firms.

More Economic Decline: New owner of Pocatello’s Polysilicon factory gives up

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.

Business/Economics

Albertsons Vons Safeway update, 21 April 2015: Vons going down in California! Walgreens jumps ship! Closings hit Florida & Canada! Joins government data collection operations?

“It is going to get worse before it gets better!”-Mitchell Marks, College of Business at San Francisco State University

“If their favorite store is Albertsons, and the FTC’s [Federal Trade Commission] decision is to close their local Albertsons store, consumers are going to look around.”-Dale Achabal, Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University

It’s been revealed that the new Albertsons-Safeway has updated its data collection technologies by contracting with DataStax and Hewlett Packard (HP): “We’re finding traction in retail, finance, media, government and healthcare.”-Billy Bosworth, DataStax

“The predictability of DataStax Enterprise software and the scalability of HP Moonshot servers enables our joint customers to handle large amounts of data…..”-Susan Blocher, HP

Albertsons Vons Safeway update, 23 February 2015: Starbucks being shutdown! 

Updated list:

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

Arizona, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

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

Colorado, U.S.A.: Colorado Springs Albertsons shutting down in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

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

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

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

Oregon, U.S.A.: In Lake Oswego, Albertsons being shutdown on 16 February, being taken over by Haggen in March. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

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

Washington, U.S.A.: 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.  In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

Walmart suddenly closes 5 U.S. stores, kills 2200 jobs overnight! Is it because the employees went on strike?

18 April 2015 (17:54 UTC-07 Tango 01)/28 Farvardin 1394/29 Jumada t-Tania 1436/30 Geng Chen 4713

“Everybody just panicked and started crying!”– Venanzi Luna, a Walmart store manager in Pico Rivera, California

It’s been revealed that Walmart shutdown five stores, without warning, on 13 April 2015.  About 22-hundred employees are now unemployed!

The stores are located in California, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. Employees were given a two hours notice!

CNN Money reports say Walmart administrators claim the stores had “plumbing problems”.  However, the CBS TV affiliate in Los Angeles, California, says no required building repair permit has been filed by Walmart.  The ABC TV affiliate in Midland, Texas, reports that Walmart actually turned away a plumbing contractor who responded to claims there was a major plumbing problem in the store.

Walmart administrators claim they have yet to identify the plumbing problems, but say the stores will be shutdown for at least six months!  A Walmart plumbing contractor was interviewed by a Florida TV station and he contradicted the official corporate report: “Even if they had to replace the whole sewer line, it wouldn’t take six months to replace…”– Codi Bauer

Walmart administrators claim they will pay employees a two months severance.  An employee in California suggested the true reason for the shutdowns and mass layoffs: “This is the first store that went on strike. This is the first store in demanding changes for Walmart.”-unnammed Pico Rivera Walmart employee

Walmart issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their huge two story Massapequa store, at least 295 jobs lost! 

Walmart revealed it eliminated 210 jobs at its Ontario, Canada, office! The latest round of layoffs are on top of 750 revealed earlier this Spring! 

slave wage workers in Cambodia! All in the name of….Walmart! 

Walmart …ends portrait studios

Walmart blames you!

Walmart refuses to pay rent….gets shut down for selling bad meat. 

9th straight quarterly decline in sales

U.S. Supreme Court screws 1.5 million Walmart employees!

Argentina warns South Africa: Walmart will destroy your economy 

Business/Economics, Idaho

More Economic Decline: New owner of Pocatello’s Polysilicon factory gives up, starts chopping up the former Hoku Materials factory!

17 April 2015 (15:57 UTC-07 Tango 01)/27 Farvardin 1394/28 Jumada t-Tania 1436/29 Geng Chen 4713

“We did a worldwide marketing effort to sell the plant. We obviously wanted to find a user.  It’s a damn shame!”-Mark Fleischauer,  JH Kelly senior vice president, Idaho State Journal interview

After a little more than a year, the winning bidder for the failed Hoku Polysilicon Materials factory has given up trying to find an operator, and is now chopping up and selling off the factory bit by bit.

JH Kelly is the contractor hired by Hoku to build the factory in Pocatello, Idaho.  Hawaii based Hoku failed to pay JH Kelly about $25-million USD for the work, and then JH Kelly spent their own $8.3-million buying the failed factory (which was valued at $700-million).

The entire Hoku Materials story is an example of optimistic thinking run wild, involving local and state administrators basically giving away the land for the factory, to company administrators failing to understand the polysilicon market and becoming financially dependent on Chinese sources of money, which was finally ended when the president of the United States imposed heavy tariffs on products tied to Chinese solar power companies.

Read More about the Hoku Materials saga, beginning with: Unpaid contractor is winning bidder for abandoned Hoku….again!