Idaho’s Clearwater County declaring a state of emergency as the 15 years long drought has killed off 66.67% of the local wheat crop!
County administrators say the recent rain was too late, and rain coming now will actually cause sprout damage for the remaining wheat crop.
The Gem State is the 5th largest wheat producer in the U.S.
Drought turning fresh water poisonous….killing pet dogs!
Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alaska: Maxine’s Firewood Bistro shutdown, an unnamed employee said the owners were moving to a new location.
California: Florida owned San Mateo based 11 Main internet selling site eliminating about 150 jobs! 11 main was once owned by China’s Alibaba, who sold it to Harris Corporation’s OpenSky last month. Unnamed 11 Main employees report that the San Mateo HQ is shutting down. Prior to the Alibaba sale of 11 Main to OpenSky, Alibaba laid off dozens of people at 11 Main as well as U.S. subsidiaries Auctiva and Vendio. San Diego County has decided to shutdown its child prison known as the Juvenile Ranch Facility in Campo. The good news is that administrators blame a lack of child prisoners (but really they’re trying to save $700-thousand USD per year in operating costs). In Napa, Fagiani’s Bar and The Thomas Restaurant shutdown to make room for a New York based property developer’s bigger restaurant. In Half Moon Bay, after 40 years the Bay Book store shutdown.
Connecticut: After two years the owner of S&S Sweet Treats shutting down her Torrington ice cream shop in September: “Essentially there is a lack of support for small businesses and a small business simply cannot exist without its community’s support.”-Tina Pesillo
Florida: Triangle Service of South Florida apparently lost their trash contract with the Tampa International Airport, they issued a WARN saying 249 jobs will be lost by the end of September! The Red Cross shutting down their West Bradenton ops and consolidating to Lakewood Ranch. In Sarasota, for the second time in as many years the Oriental Buffet shutdown for failing health inspections. Florida has had a spat of restaurant shutdowns due to health code violations. Vero Beach based Piper Aircraft announced “As a direct result of the slowdown in sales, Piper Aircraft….will require that the current workforce be reduced. While the total number of impacted employees is not yet confirmed, the company expects that the reduction will involve approximately 15 percent to 20 percent of the current workforce.”
Hawaii: After eight years Hank’s Haute Dogs will shutdown in August.
Idaho: Boise based micro chip maker Micron is about to be sold-off. The potential buyer is China’s Tsinghua Unigroup, which is offering $23-billion for the troubled company. If Micron agrees the deal must be accepted by the Committee on Foreign Investment. In Meridian, after 26 years Miss Tami’s restaurant shutting down. The owner said the economy is forcing them to scale down to a catering/drive thru operation only. Payette County administrators have a plan to take advantage of neighboring Oregon’s new legalized marijuana; instead of jailing pot heads that cross the border into Idaho they simply fine them. They save money by not packing their county jail full of weedies, and they’ll make money off the thousands of fines they expect to collect.
Iowa: Interstate Power and Light-Alliant Energy could shutdown five coal fired electricity generating power plants, hundreds of jobs lost! Iowa’s second largest electricity maker must also spend $7-million in pollution controls on other coal plants, or switching to natural gas. It’s the result of being fined by the U.S. EPA and Department of Justice for violating pollution regulations.
Kansas: Wichita State University shutting down their 35 years old Lake Afton Public Observatory in August, due to lack of funding. Also, the number of people who look to the stars has crashed by 50% compared to public attendance when it first opened in 1981.
Louisiana: News reports say that presidential hopeful gov’na Bobby Jindal killed 8,442 state classified jobs since he became gov’na in 2008! That number does not include unclassified positions that were also eliminated.
Maine: After 28 years Videoport shutting down, owner Bill Duggan said “We can’t raise prices anymore, because of competition, so it’s hard to keep up with costs.”
Michigan: What auto industry recovery? Despite reporting profits Ford is threatening to shutdown its massive factory in Wayne and move production of C-Max trucks and Focus cars to Mexico, 4-thousand jobs could be lost!
Minnesota: South African based Sappi Fine Paper shutting down their Cloquet paper mill for a one week furlough “Due to global market conditions…”. In 2014 Sappi eliminated 110 U.S. jobs!
Missouri: Canadian news reports revealed that Kansas City based Kansas City Southern Railway will layoff at least 110 people! Women’s homeless shelter Shalom House shutting down and being sold-off after 47 years. Administrators blame crashing donations for forcing them to abandon 4-hundred women!
Nebraska: Canadian news reports revealed that Omaha based Union Pacific Railroad will furlough at least 1-thousand employees! Union Pacific is the largest U.S. railroad operator by sales. The Canadian news reports said it wasn’t just Union Pacific but several railroad companies across North America will be eliminating jobs due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries: “The whole market is surprised at the rapid plunge, especially in coal volumes. The challenge is trying to align the size of the network in real time with demand that’s shifting in surprising ways.”-Keith Schoonmaker, Morningstar railroad analyst
Nevada: In Reno, clothiers Gap and Ann Taylor shutting down in The Summit Mall. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority eliminating 45 jobs as it switches to contractors to do the work, in an attempt to close a $1.8-million shortfall.
New Jersey: God refuses to stop ‘his’ 54 years old Mount Laurel Monastery from shutting down. Monks say it’s due to lack of work, however, local journalists discovered the property has been zoned for residential use and valued at $1.3-million, and church administrators had conducted an audit of assets on the property. Sounds like the false christians are about to sell their souls, I mean property for money. Food flavor additive maker Frutarom shutting down their North Bergen operations by August, 50 jobs lost. It’s blamed on the millions of dollars spent taking over British empire United Kingdom company FoodBlenders and Belgian company Taiga International. Sears Holdings announced the Vineland Kmart will shutdown in October, 74 jobs lost. In the land of presidential candidate gov’na Chris Christie, the state Supreme Court revealed it is truly an economically Failed State and gave local governments the go-ahead to eliminate union jobs at will: “….municipalities acted for reasons of economy based on municipal fiscal distress existing at the time, rendering the management choice to use a temporary or permanent layoff solution one that constituted a managerial prerogative not subject to negotiation.”-Jaynee LaVecchia, Supreme Court judge
New York: NYC based drugs pusher Pfizer is shutting down their 50 years old drugs factory in Navi Mumbai/Thane, India. Company administrators revealed they halted drugs production at the factory back in 2013, affecting at least 212 jobs! Reports reveal that the computer crash at the New York Stock Exchange might have been caused by the mass layoffs made by the new owner of the NYSE. In 2012 InterContinental Exchange (ICE) took over the NYSE, and some reports say as many as 8-hundred people were laid off, including many techies! NYC based IBT Media owned Newsweek will end its European hard copy publication just 18 months after it started! Newsweek’s Europe/Middle East/Africa edition will apparently be edited in NYC instead of London, U.K.: “We felt that this was an important moment to create a more unified editorial platform…”-IBT Media
North Carolina: ObamaCare forcing Winston-Salem based Novant Health to layoff 4-hundred people! Administrators said Novant Health is “financially healthy and strong today” but that ongoing “declining reimbursements and many other challenges” caused by ObamaCare are forcing them to re-organize.
North Dakota: In Fargo, Metro Drugs shutting down by the end of the month, blaming crashing sales despite the recent oil boom that skyrocketed the population.
Ohio: Yet another Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples store shutting down, this time in Moraine. It’s preparation for the pending merger of Staples and Office Depot. Staples will shutdown a total of 225 stores while Office Depot will shutdown 135, by the end of the year!
Texas: Canadian news reports revealed that Forth Worth based Warren Buffet owned BNSF Railway laid off an undisclosed number of employees, due to crashing sales caused by the oil and agricultural industries. BNSF is the second largest U.S. rail operator by sales.
Utah: In Logan, the World’s biggest maker of fitness equipment Icon Fitness & Health will layoff 4-hundred people by October! Administrators blame competition and crashing profits. Local news reports say local police were called to the factory before the announcement was made, as part of factory production was suddenly shutdown.
Virginia: In Portsmouth, the civil war between the Sheriff and the Courthouse is ramping up. A few months ago the Sheriff was reprimanded for trying to hoist the U.S. flag on the Courthouse property. Then the Sheriff was forced to layoff 25 deputies, so he chose those deputies who specifically handle Courthouse security. The result is long lines of citizens trying to get into the Courthouse to conduct legal business.
Washington: So much for legalized pot! The city of Seattle has created new licensing laws that will result in dozens of marijuana shops being shutdown! It sounds likes city administrators aren’t happy with the explosion of new ganja shops since 2013, and neither are the owners of several ganja shops that opened prior to 2013 (guess they can’t handle the competition). On top of that, King County administrators revealed they’ve shutdown 15 marijuana shops in the past few weeks!
Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, after two years the now bankrupt Blue Jacket restaurant shutting down in ten days, their chef already quit. In Sturgeon Bay, God refuses to stop ‘his’ United Methodist Church’s addict recovery Kimberly House from shutting down. It’s blamed on crashing donations, and crashing funding from United Way. The city of Madison warned of mass layoffs due to a shortfall of $7.9-million: “Unfortunately because of the situation we’re in, it’s really going to be incumbent upon people to focus on what they want to retain in terms of city services and city programs rather than exploring new areas.”-Paul Soglin, mayor
14 July 2015: “I sold the land…to put food on the table.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”
15 July 2015 (22:16 UTC-07 Tango 01, 14 July 2015)/24 Tir 1394/28 Ramadan 1436/30 Gui-Wie 4713
It’s been revealed by a whistleblower that the U.S. Veterans Affairs has killed off 238-thousand veterans who needed healthcare but were put on hold instead!
According to the once secret data that’s 1 out of every 3 veterans on the healthcare waiting list! The Huffington Post reports they were given the internal data by a man working for the VA Health Eligibility Center in Georgia.
The culling of U.S. veterans will increase because, if you’ve read my latest Job Losses report, the VA says it will shutdown dozens of VA hospitals!
So, the VA has managed to kill more military personnel than those killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and who knows elsewhere!
Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alabama: Sears Holdings announced the Bel Air Mall Sears Store and Auto Center will shutdown between August and September, more than 100 jobs lost!
Arkansas: Jefferson County going the way of Greece, announcing that they will barley be able to pay their employees for work in July. County administrators warned that layoffs for ten employees are coming due to crashing tax revenues. Administrators blame their own dumb-ass department heads for ignoring a hiring freeze ordered two years ago: “Now we are in a tough situation.”-Dutch King, County Judge
California: In Sacramento, after almost 100 years Porter-Sprague Auto Shop shutdown. The owner’s secret for success is “good vodka.” In Fullerton, after 20 years Steamers Jazz Club & Cafe shutdown. The owner admitted he’s been trying to sell the place for the past four years, apparently he finally sold it to a brewery. San Diego based semiconductor maker Qualcomm warned of massive layoffs; 4-thousand! More details will be revealed by the end of the month. Qualcomm eliminated 1-thousand 4-hundred jobs back in December! It’s blamed on the crashing computer chip market. City administrators of Atwater revealed that Sears Holdings will shutdown the Kmart in October.
Colorado: Business owners in Idaho Springs say construction work on Interstate 70 is killing their local economy. Despite promises to have the road construction done in time for the tourist season, the road work is still ongoing, ever since Autumn 2014. Local news reports say sales for Idaho Springs shop owners are down 60%!
Georgia: Shaw Industries shutting down their Augusta Evergreen Carpet recycling operations, 70 jobs affected. Recycling ops are being moved to a new facility.
Idaho: In yet another example of failed state ‘lawmakers’ wasting taxpayer money, The Gem State now owes Syringa Wireless $930-thousand USD! It’s connected to the controversial and now defunct Idaho Education Network scandal. Syringa sued the state after being blocked from the IEN contract. Of course state taxpayer funded lawyers are appealing the case, but wait there’s more! Education Networks of America and Qwest Communications are demanding at least $6-million for unpaid work they did on the IEN project! Idaho ‘lawmakers’ have a history of wasting millions of taxpayer funding on attorneys. The Right to Work you over gov’na Butch Otter refused to comment.
Illinois: In Chicago, Cyrano’s Farm Kitchen has been sold and will shutdown in August, the now former owner saying “I just need to move on.” Obama regime stoogie Rahm Emanuel warns that Chicago Public Schools is facing another $60-million in cuts on top of the recently announced 1-thousand 4-hundred layoffs! He said while 2-hundred schools are reporting student enrollment increases they’re being outpaced by a mass exodus of students at more than 4-hundred other CPS schools! CPS is short $1-billion in taxpayer funding! Also in Chicago, for-profit DeVry Education Group shutting down their office in September, 90 jobs lost. The failing higher education outfit also returned $100-thousand of local taxpayer financing to the city. After warnings from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, it’s been revealed that Eastern Illinois University has not renewed contracts for at least 10 faculty members, and 26 contracted faculty members have not been given teaching assignments. Three faculty members have had their hours cut in half. In Joliet, Glasscock Farm shutdown their corn growing ops. The owner said he had to sell most of the property as a matter economic survival: “…I sold the land at 125 times what my father paid for it back in 1959, and now I have an inheritance to put food on the table.”-Scott Glasscock
Indiana: Dean Foods (aka Dean’s) issued a WARN saying it will shutdown its Rochester factory, 138 jobs lost in October!
Iowa: In another example of Failed State-ism, state ‘lawmakers’ want to eliminate prison programs and conduct mass layoffs of prison personnel in order to save money, despite the fact an audit showed at least $1-million is wasted on perks for top prison managers!
Louisiana: In New Orleans, four Freret Street businesses shutdown; Freret Garden Center, Freret Auto Service Center, Jaques Clothing and Full Blossom Chic.
Massachusetts: JCPenney is shutting down their eight years old Natick Mall store in August, 95 jobs lost.
Michigan: Texas based Pier 1 Imports shutting down yet another store, this time in Genoa Township. It’s part of their plan to eliminate at least 1-hundred stores in three years.
Minnesota: California based clothier Gap and Gap Kids shutting down their stores in the IDS Center. It’s all part of their plan to shutdown 175 stores.
Missouri: Software company Answers Corporation eliminated 1-hundred jobs last week! It was revealed by former employees. It’s the result of Answers’ takeover of Michigan tech company ForeSee.
Montana: Stillwater Mining laid off 11 employees. It’s blamed on crashing prices of platinum and palladium.
New York: In Buffalo, California clothier Gap announced it will shutdown its 39 years old Boulevard Mall store. Gap stores in Syracuse and Ithaca are also being shutdown. The city of Tonawanda shutdown the Wheeler Street fire station. Administrators hope their budget shortfall is temporary. NYC based CBS Radio (formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation) eliminated 2-hundred jobs across its U.S. network, and the latest reports say more heads are gonna roll! Some of the news reports I’ve read say radio personalities who’ve been on air for at least 20 years have been laid off, other reports said some of the stations affected are the top ranked in their market, yet I found no explanation for the mass layoffs. Another report I read said CBS Radio has no massive debt, but might be prepping itself for sale, or station swap, to a company called Entercom.
North Carolina: Stokes County School Board voted to shutdown their Francisco Elementary School. It’s blamed on what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome, enrollment is down to 50 students.
Pennsylvania: Consol Energy conducted a new round of layoffs. The news is so new that it’s unknown how many people got canned this time. Back in April 190 people lost their jobs! Consol administrators also said that due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on ObamaCare they will end healthcare benefits for retired employees! After 15 years the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network shutting down. Local news reports said the Network didn’t explain why.
South Dakota: Printing company Midstates laid off 55 employees last week, blaming crashing sales.
Texas: Houston based Noble Energy (the company heavily involved in Israel’s Leviathan gas fields, which is the true cause of unrest in the region) announced it will shutdown the Rosetta Resources HQ, 306 jobs affected! Noble Energy took over Rosetta Resources back in May. Once California based but Germany owned Fireman’s Fund Insurance shutdown their Dallas office. Local news reports say at one time their Ross Tower location employed 4-hundred people! Fireman’s Fund was taken over by Germany’s Allianz in the 1990s. But since the implementation of ObamaCare, Allianz has been carving up and selling off Fireman’s Fund.
Virginia: Norfolk based Freedom Home & Electronics shutting down 11 stores near military bases. The company targets military personnel. Administrators blame increasing rents, and decreasing profit margins that cannot be offset by increasing sale volumes.
Washington: Spokane based Ambassadors Group shutting down by the end of 2015. The travel company has been laying off employees for years now, last year they were down to 170. Administrators blame it on crashing sales.
Washington DC: The Veterans Affairs announced it will shutdown more VA hospitals due to a lack of $2.5-billion in taxpayer funding. VA administrators claim they’re forced to use $3-billion in Veterans Choice funding to make up the difference.
Wisconsin: What construction industry recovery? After 38 years construction company TCI issued a WARN saying they’re done! 39 jobs already eliminated and more to come as the company shuts down in December.
13 July 2015: “prepare for a steady decline”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”
New Jersey losing another Kmart by October. Layaway customers are responsible for moving their layaway purchases to other stores. Vineland city administrators said they are not surprised because a couple of months ago a property developer made inquiries about the Kmart property.
California losing another Kmart, in October. Local news reports say the Kmart is the third major employer to leave Atwater this year, and was a major tax generator for the city: “It’s obviously going to be a hit economically, and for jobs going to be lost, it will be a double hit!”-Jim Price, mayor
Alabama losing a Sears and Auto Center by August, however some local news reports say employees were told the store would shutdown before the end of September.
Sears Holdings has hired on yet another executive known for running corporations into the ground. Joelle Maher used to run children’s clothing-merchandise chain Gymboree. Here’s what I found out about failing Gymboree: Bloomberg just reported that California based Gymboree (as well as other clothing chains) are doing little to break stereotypical girls and boys clothes; pink for girls blue for boys, so how does that set Gymboree apart from the retail herd?
Last month, California news reports said Gymboree joined the Sears Holdings trend of selling off its own properties and then renting them back. Gymboree sold its Dixon distribution center for close to $27-million USD back in May, then they turned around and signed a 15 year lease with the new owner!
You have to think of corporations selling off their own properties only to rent them back as a type of corporate self cannibalism; they’re broke, so to raise cash they sell off parts of their bodies hoping in the long run they can grow back those parts they cannibalized.
In April, Gymboree announced they lost $7.4-million in their 4th Quarter 2014. As a result they’re in the process of shutting down 40 stores across the U.S.
02 July 2015: Barnes & Noble going the way of Sears Holdings!
Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:
Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors. Recently revealed Arrowhead Towne Center Sears sold-off then rented back! Chandler Fashion Center Sears sold-off then rented back!
Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost), recently revealed Sears Store and Auto Center at the Bel Air Mall in Mobile (more than 100 jobs lost).
California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings. San Mateo Kmart being demolished to make room for 599 unit apartment complex, as part of the the Hayward Park Caltrain Station project. Recently revealed Atwater Kmart (so far no mention how many jobs lost).
Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).
Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 jobs lost).
Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).
Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost).
Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.
Guam: Sears Hometown Store.
Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).
Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.
Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. North Mayfair Kmart (99 jobs lost), Chicago Kmart at 5033 North Elston Avenue (99 jobs lost). By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.
Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (“approximately” 68 jobs lost), Bloomington Sears to be replaced by Whole Foods grocery store.
Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).
Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).
Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost). Rural King farm & home store has taken over the abandoned Wincester Kmart.
Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown, Laplace Sears Hometown Store.
Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost), Aroostook Centre Mall Sears Auto Center leased out to VIP Tires & Service.
Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).
Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).
Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million! Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant; snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. The Kmart Plaza in Sandusky sold to “A group of investors”, no word on what will happen to the Kmart store.
Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.
Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).
Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 jobs lost).
Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).
Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).
Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).
New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).
New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost), recently revealed Vineland Kmart (74 jobs lost).
New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).
New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost), Lancaster Kmart sold for $1.7-million to Dave’s Christmas Wonderland.
North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost), Greenville Kmart (75 jobs lost), Kinston Sears Hometown Store shutdown with little notice.
North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).
Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost), recently revealed Tiffin Sears Hometown Store. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost), Tulsa BigKmart (51 jobs lost).
Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost). Ontario Kmart (55 jobs lost).
Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark, East Towne Mall Kmart (51 jobs lost), Frackville Kmart in the Skuylkill Mall (80 jobs lost), Mount Pocono Kmart (66 jobs lost), Fairless Hills Sears Hardware. Granite Run Mall shutdown, meaning the Sears and Sears Auto Center now apparently on a month to month (possibly day to day) lease are soon to follow.
Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).
South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).
Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).
Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost), Simon Property Group owned McAllen Sears store & Auto Center (so far no word on how many jobs will be lost), recently revealed Palestine Sears Hometown (franchise owner quit to work as assistant manager at a local Dollar General).
Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost), Provo Kmart demolished in anticipation of yet another AtHome furniture store.
Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).
Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 jobs lost).
Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).
West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).
Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost), Wauwatosa Kmart (103 jobs lost).
On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.
Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:
Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs
Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)
Florida: West Oaks Mall
Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)
Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)
Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)
Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)
Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)
Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)
14 July 2015 (00:02 UTC-07 Tango 01)/23 Tir 1394/27 Ramadan 1436/29 Gui-Wie 4713
According to a survey conducted by Idaho Politics Weekly, Idahoans who consider themselves independent of any political party now outnumber the formerly entrenched Right to Work you over Republicans.
Idaho became a Red State back in the early 1980s, and then became a Right to Work state. If you do the research you’ll see a direct correlation between crashing wages and benefits and the Republican Right to Work you over employment laws. Back in the 1980s Idahoans were promised by Republicans that going Right to Work would actually create more, and better paying jobs, the opposite happened.
Corporate & Polictical Evil: Right to Work laws have nearly destroyed Idaho’s economy!
Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alabama: Another oil service company down the drain, but not because of prices. Mobile based Signal international is accused of joining the growing list of U.S. companies being caught using slave wage trafficked workers. Signal lost a $20-million USD lawsuit filed by former workers from India, who were trafficked into Mississippi. Now the oil rig maintainer is chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Administrators with Signal claim ignorance because they contracted out the hiring of foreign workers to ‘immigrant specialists’.
Arizona: In Flagstaff, taxpayer funded Coconino County dental clinic shutting down by the end of September. Is crashing patient participation being caused by ObamaCare? County administrators say in the past year about 50% of patients never showed up for their scheduled appointments! The patient turnout is so low now that the only county public health dentist quit!
California: Amy’s Baking Company shutting down. The owners blame the landlord for complaining about “weird odors”.
Connecticut: After 32 years the Red Barn Restaurant shutdown, no explanation.
Georgia: Pediatria Healthcare blames ObamaCare for forcing them to shutdown five of their daycare operations for children with medical problems! Administrators say since 2013 ‘reforms’ to Medicaid resulted in massive funding cuts and affected patient referrals. ObamaCare is forcing the families of the “medically fragile” children to care for them at home, on their own: “DCH is working alongside the provider to transition all children to in-home skilled nursing support services. (DCH) is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the parents and guardians are connected to and able to access the full scope of Medicaid services available to their children.”– Department of Community Health
Illinois: Health insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield began laying off 60 employees across the state. Apparently those jobs are being contracted out so the ObamaCare insurance company can make bigger profits for the shareholders. The Alton Animal Control Department shutting down in August. City administrators are trying to cut $80-thousand by contracting out the work.
Iowa: Iowa Student Loan lost their government contract, 60 jobs gone. Administrators would only say that their “…administration of the program did not live up to goals described when the legislation was approved by Congress…”
Kentucky: In Benton, after 40 years the King Brothers grocery store shutdown.
Massachusetts: Gordon College just added seven professors to the previously announced 14 layoffs. It’s blamed on what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome.
Michigan: In Ann Arbor, tech company ForeSee conducted a second round of layoffs, refusing to confirm how many people are now jobless. Local news reports say as many as 37 employees were laid off. Back in January as many as 70 people were laid off. It’s blamed on ForeSee being taken over by Answers Corporation. The Bellaire Village Council announced they “have to prepare for a steady decline” in tax revenues due to the collapsing mine industry. The village also voted to require cash or credit cards for utility payments, no more checks.
New Jersey: Atlantic City has warned all its union employees of massive layoffs this Autumn.
New York: Too Big to Jail KeyBank shutting down their City of Newburgh office by October. After 13 years the Lit Lounge will shutdown by September, one co-owner blames Millennials who “don’t go out”. NYC based Barnes & Noble will shutdown all Nook stores outside of the U.S. and U.K. The book seller will remove their Windows based content and start refunding customers their money. After seven money losing years the Tourism Center in Queens is shutting down, blamed on lack of tourists. In 2012 an employee revealed that the majority of visitors to the Center are residents of Queens!
Ohio: In Toledo, God refuses to stop ‘his’ Good Shepherd Parish from shutting down in August. They lost 65% of their congregation to the Rapture (well, they went somewhere)!
Pennsylvania: Macy’s is shutting down their Pittsburgh store by the end of September. They sold their iconic 128 years old 13 story building to a real estate company. 170 jobs affected!
Texas: In Pasadena, the Sun Products household cleaning products factory shutting down in August because “the chemical manufacturing assets” are being sold-off. 115 jobs lost!
Virginia: The largest employer in Amherst County, Central Virginia Training Center, is shutting down. Layoffs start this October, more than 1-thousand jobs will be lost by 2020! But wait, that’s the tip of the iceberg; four of the five taxpayer funded Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Training Centers are being shutdown because of what was revealed in a $2-billion 2012 lawsuit brought by the federal government! Some people are afraid their disabled relatives will die without the services of the Training Center, even though the 2012 federal lawsuit accused Virginia of “needlessly warehousing” undesirable (disabled) people instead of providing proper medical care. Here’s a history lesson of why Training Center is evil; NAZI Germany used Virginia’s Training Center as a template for creating one of their ‘final solutions’ for “inferior races”!
Wisconsin: After 65 years the National Ace Hardware on North 4th Street in Milwaukee shutting down. The Right to Work you over gov’na Scott Walker‘s (and his minion’s) plan to create jobs has done the opposite according to American Bridge 21st Century: “At the halfway point of 2015, Wisconsin employers have already notified the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) of more planned layoffs than in all of 2014.
10 – 12 July 2015: “It was a whole lot easier…up to 2006.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”
Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Arizona: New York based perfume maker Coty eliminating 205 jobs at its philosophy believe in miracles operations in Phoenix!
Arkansas: New rumors say Bentonville based Walmart-Sam’s Club eliminating 1-thousand HQ jobs by November! They already eliminated 50 HQ jobs back in February. In June reports said Walmart was going to charge manufactures for the ‘privilege’ of having Walmart warehouse their products in Walmart stores! Back in May news reports out of California said Walmart eliminated 2-thousand 2-hundred jobs in The Golden State! About 429 jobs were lost in Florida! If Walmart is the ‘bellwether’ of the U.S. economy then there ain’t no recovery.
California: In Lake Tahoe, after two years Tom Wohrman’s Sports is shutting down and moving to Big Bear Lake. In San Jose, Maxim Integrated issued a shutdown WARN, 150 jobs lost by March 2016! In Monterey, McGraw Hill Education issued a layoff WARN, 137 jobs lost by the end of August! In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard (HP) issued a late WARN revealing they laid off 65 people back in the middle of June. Also in Palo Alto, ObamaCare forcing Bosch Healthcare Systems to shutdown by the end of September, 55 jobs lost. In Carlsbad, ObamaCare medical device taxes forced medical device maker Alphatec Spine to layoff at least 99 employees! ObamaCare forcing Long Beach Memorial Medical Center to layoff 88 employees by August. Boeing issued yet another layoff WARN, 56 jobs lost in Long Beach by September. In El Segundo, tax-sucking ‘security’ contractor Leidos issued a layoff WARN for September, 72 jobs lost. In Los Angeles, Encompass Digital Media issued a shutdown WARN for September, 41 jobs lost. Mountain View based Symantec continues to eliminate jobs, this time 60 people will become jobless by the beginning of August. In Santa Maria, “customer care, technical support, billing inquiry, inbound sales and retention” Fusion Contacts Centers issued a shutdown WARN, 50 jobs lost in August. Tech company KLA-Tencor issued a mass layoff WARN for their Milpitas ops, 213 jobs lost in September! A major utility company known for replacing U.S. citizens with foreign workers, Southern California Edison, issued yet another WARN. This time they’re shutting down their San Clemente ops by September, at least 1-hundred jobs lost! In Wilmington, State Fish Company shutting down by September, 76 jobs lost. In San Diego, Bridgepoint Education laying off 22 people by September. Also in San Diego, Washington based Microsoft laying off 129 people by September! In San Francisco, once again British empire based U.S. tax-sucker BAE Systems issued layoff WARNs after the fact, revealing they laid off 82 people at the end of June. Washington based Starbucks shutting down two Bay Bread operations in September. The closure of Bay Bread’s South San Francisco and San Fernando bakeries will result in 171 people becoming jobless! In Brentwood, it was discovered by local newsies that Cafe Röckenwagner quietly shutdown two weeks ago.
Iowa: The Ashford University shutting down its Clinton campus in May 2016, due to what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome: “Ashford’s Clinton campus has been unable to resolve its significant and ongoing enrollment shortfall, a trend that is especially troubling in today’s highly competitive environment.”-Gregory Geoffroy, board of trustees.
Minnesota: What automotive industry recovery? Maker of cabs for heavy vehicles (and consoles for computers), Crenlo announced 30 people will be laid off by the end of the month. It’s blamed on crashing sales.
New York: Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples shutting down yet another store, this time their Altamont Avenue store in Schenectady. In Staten Island, after 54 years restaurant supplier Twin Supply blaming the internet for the demise of their last brick-n-mortar store. The owners should know, they began switching to internet sales in 2000: “In 2002 we took our trucks off the road, we sold two buildings and began to concentrate on the web. A lot of major corporations, and major hospitals are our customers.”
Ohio: The University of Akron announced a three years plan to eliminate at least 215 jobs! What I call Disappearing Students Syndrome has caused the university to lose $60-million USD. Another factor is the skyrocketing costs of employee healthcare costs caused by ObamaCare. Administrators say they will renegotiate healthcare benefits with employees, meaning it will cost the employees more money for the same benefits.
Pennsylvania: In Ridley, Boeing revealed it laid off 49 people back in the middle of June.
Tennessee: In Nashville, after 19 years the bar stool capital of Middle Tennessee, Norbert’s Home Decor, shutting down in August.
Texas: In San Antonio, after 34 years advertising agency Bromley shutdown. The owner wants to get a PhD in the shopping behavior of sheeple.
Virginia: Tax-sucker Newport News Shipbuilding warned employees of massive layoffs over the next year and a half, due to crashing orders from the U.S. Navy.
Washington: After nearly 70 years the Merry Go Round children’s store shutting down. The current owner says something sinister happened to the U.S. economy in 2006: “It literally is just a completely different place now. Consumers these days are completely different than they’ve ever been, and the industry is tougher than it’s ever been. It was a whole lot easier to be a small business owner up to 2006.”-Molly Pressey
09 July 2015: No “fairy tale ending” just an “Irish wake”!
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”
10 July 2015 (11:37 UTC-07 Tango 01)/19 Tir 1394/23 Ramadan 1436/25 Gui-Wie 4713
For years we in the United States have been told how impactful U.S. economic sanctions against Iran have been. Our main stream news media has no problem finding ‘experts’ who constantly tout that Iran “is suffering greatly under sanctions”, yet Iran has enough wealth to give Syria a $1-billion USD loan?
Syria’s government run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) also revealed that the loan was agreed to back in May. The Syrian parliament ratified it this week.
Syria needs the loan due to the four years old U.S./NATO-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-Israel backed ‘civil war’ causing the Syrian economy to crash by 50%!
In another move to spur their economy the Syrian parliament banned the charging of interest, and even fees, on small business loans for farmers. Administrators don’t blame the U.S. led war, but say it’s due to the 2013-14 drought. Farmers have until the end of 2015 to become current on their loan payments.
However, Syrian government economists admit that the U.S. led war against the elected Syrian government is the main reason for their economic difficulties.
NATO Member Turkey is also working against Syria by cutting off 40% of water supplies to northern Syrian farmers. Syrian agricultural administrators are now working with Iraq to provide new sources of water.
The Syrian government is also working to protect the transportation of newly harvested wheat and cotton. Another option to help the farmers financially is the possible purchase of harvests by the government itself.
Despite the war, Syria is hosting the Agricultural Veterinary Exhibition. Syrian veterinary services are now an export commodity serving 42 countries. The CEO of Al-Farabi Company claims his company has 2-hundred licensed products and is expanding exports to Europe.
Syria is also holding Food Expo 2015, administrators stated it was a protest against the U.S. led war: “The exhibition is a message that the Syrians are determined to continue production and work.”-Kamal Eddin Toma, Industry Minister
Of course there’s oil. Oil production is slowly increasing since Syria has pushed the U.S. led insurgents out of oil producing regions. As of April petroleum oil production was at 9-thousand 5-hundred barrels, gas production at 15.6-million cubic meters, per day. The latest news is that Syria and the South American country Venezuela are working to accelerate the opening of the joint refinery project known as Furqlus.
Back in the U.S. sanctions strapped Iran, a new massive bridge is being built from the mainland to the island of Qeshm, in the Persian Gulf. It will be the longest bridge built by Iranian engineers and will have two lanes of wheeled vehicle traffic as well as a rail line. The Qeshm bridge is part of a new economic corridor extending all the way north into Central Asia. Qeshm island has massive amounts of iron ore. Once the bridge is completed it’s hoped that 7-million metric tons of iron ore will be shipped out to steel factories throughout the region.
On top of that, the government which is supposedly struggling under U.S. sanctions is investing $2-billion USD into the South Pars Sangan iron ore mining project. It’s expected to produce 17-million metric tons per year! Iran’s iron ore/steel production is expected to increase by 100%! Two Chinese companies are joining the massive iron ore extraction operations. Iran already exports 4-million metric tons of steel per year.
In March and April of 2015 Iranian exports hit $5-billion USD! That does not included oil or gas! NATO members Turkey and Italy join Pakistan and Oman as top buyers of Iranian products.
Speaking of U.S.-led NATO member Italy, a 3-hundred strong trade delegation is preparing to visit the Aryan (Iranian) country. Administrators with Iran’s Trade Exhibition Company have revealed that a “number of American companies” are now exploring the possibility of setting up shop inside Iran.
Wait, there’s more! Iranian airlines now have direct routes to the European Union and Russia. Iranian fisheries have signed deals with Russia to export 28-thousand metric tons of fish to Russia in August.
What was that about U.S. sanctions?
Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: Despite obvious signs of a death spiral economy, the administrators of the Elk Grove Teen Center claim they’re shutting down because of a great economy! News reports say 4-hundred poor teenagers take advantage of the program, but the administrators are now claiming they can’t justifiably stay open because those poor teenagers are no longer considered poor!? However, administrators also admitted that many of the poor teenagers that come to them for help are not part of the Elk Grove School District and therefore cannot be officially counted in their program! After 31 years Video Journeys in Silver Lake shutdown:”…Video Journeys will not be getting a fairy-tale ending. The vibe in the place these days is akin to an Irish wake.”-The Hollywood Reporter
Florida: DS Services of America shutting down their Flowery Branch call center, an undisclosed number of people will be laid off as the company consolidates operations. Local news reports said some employees knew back in April that they would lose their jobs, while others said it was a surprise. After 70 years Fox’s Lounge (aka Fox’s Sharron Inn) shutting down, property speculators are tearing it down to build a hotel.
Georgia: In Valdosta, the Community Depot thrift store shutting down by the end of the month, blaming lack of community support (yeah, nobody has any money).
Hawaii: ObamaCare forcing the taxpayer funded Leahi Hospital and the taxpayer funded Maluhia Hospital to layoff 64 employees. Administrators said these layoffs, coupled with reducing the number of people seeking medical help, are their last resort in an attempt to prevent an all-out shutdown of the hospitals caused by drastic funding cuts: “We hope that the impacts for current patients will not be severe because we do hope that we will accomplish this by reducing new admissions.”-Linda Rosen, Hawaii Health Systems
Idaho: Liberty Publishers Service and Orbital Publishing have been banned from doing business in The Gem State. The reason is that they are not ‘publishing’ companies but are debt collectors acting like magazine publishers! They’ve operated under various names: Allied Publishers Services, Associated Publishers Network, Associated Publishers Services, Magazine Billing Network, Publishers Billing Association, Publishers Billing Exchange, Publishers Distribution Services, Publishers Periodical Services, Publishers Service Exchange and United Publishers Services.
Illinois: The Bunge North America grain elevator in Fulton shutting down by the end of the month: “Fulton requires a significant investment in its barge loading equipment to keep it operating effectively. It would not be cost effective to make the upgrade based on market conditions…”-Deb Seidel
Iowa: Berry Plastics continues its downward spiral, this time they’re shutting down their Iowa Falls factory, selling it to food producer Cargill.
New Jersey: 37 years old Park and Orchard restaurant sold off and will eventually be shutdown by new owner.
New York: Sterling National Bank issued layoff WARNs for at least 59 employees who will become jobless in October. The Commerce restaurant shutdown due to legal battles with the landlord. Seafood restaurant Barchetta shutdown. The Whiskey Soda Lounge shutdown due to “the fact it never really caught on”. Reports say Gameloft will shutdown their NYC office, 1-hundred jobs lost! Company administrators refused to confirm, but did not deny the rumor. In the Bronx, God refuses to stop ConEd from shutting down ‘his’ Greater Love Deliverance Center. The pastor says that from May to June their utility bill went from $507.15 to $10,321.89!
North Carolina: The Roanoke Rapids Staples store shutting down in August, it’s just par for the course with the Mitt Romney wunderkind : “As customers shift online, we are taking aggressive action to right-size our retail footprint.”
Ohio: Texas based industrial pump maker National Oilwell Varco shutting down its Springfield ops, 150 jobs lost! After 22 years the Duck Creek Antique Mall shutting down in August, 10 jobs lost and more than 1-hundred dealers affected, the owner blames the greedy landlord: “I felt the lease was too high. I love the land, but I’m not willing to put my own personal finances on the line.”-Ginger Dawson
Tennessee: In Hermitage, after 65 years Benson’s Market shutting down: “It’s just time that I got out of the business. It’s a tough business to be in right now.”-Richard Benson
Texas: Kilgore College contracting out their entire maintenance department, employees forced to retire early or be laid off, at least 40 jobs affected. Is it because maintenance employees went to state officials reporting that college administrators deliberately ordered violations of environmental laws? Willacy County Judge Aurelio Guerra is warning of layoffs, position eliminations and benefit cuts due to the loss of $2.7-million in revenue caused by the shutdown of the county prison (which was caused by a prison uprising due to evil conditions). The evil county is now relying on revenue loss insurance payments for money. Hastings shutting down their College Station store, 30 jobs lost “due to store operating profit being less than required by management”.
Vermont: In Shelburne, Archie’s Grill shutdown, the owner sold out to Dunkin’ Donuts saying “It’s about me and my family, that’s what’s first.”
Virginia: Bristol based Alpha Coal (Alpha Natural Resources) revealed they are being sold-off and announced that in preparation 292 people will be laid off at coal mines in Kentucky and Virginia! What construction industry recovery? In Shirlington, after 50 years ABC Distributors is shutting down their lumber yard by the end of summer: “It’s been a struggle, to be honest with you, in the last seven years to stay in business.”-Bernard Lynch
Washington: Joint Base Lewis McChord about to lose another 1,250 military personnel! Since 2012, the Department of Defense has laid off 4,721 personnel from Joint Base Lewis McChord! In West Seattle, Eats Market Café being shutdown by Westwood Village Mall management: “The mall management has decided not to renew my lease. This is a huge loss not just for me but for my wonderful staff and for all of you, my favorite customers. We have all become a family over the last 10 years and it truly breaks my heart to have to say goodbye.”-Toby Matasar
08 July 2015: “It’s out of our hands. We don’t call the shots.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”