U.S. job losses & store closings 06 – 09 March 2014: “2013 was an awful, awful year for us!” Greedy property owners kill furniture stores & restaurants! Disappearing students kill universities & sandwich shops! No more Fritos?

Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

California:  TV soap opera producer Prospect Park Network now bankrupt busted.   The company blames the ABC television network.  In San Jose, Diddams Party & Toy Store shutdown.  The owner said sales are not strong enough to cover the rent.  In Sacramento, The Fresh Market grocery store chain shutdown three stores!  The company blamed the bad economy.   Disney Interactive finally revealed how many video game jobs it will kill in California; 276!  In Los Angeles, YouTube prodigy Machinima laid off 42 employees, it’s more proof the internet is not making money! Also, what automotive industry recovery?  The Buerge Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge dealership shutdown, 125 jobs lost!  In San Diego, Salix Pharmaceuticals killed 200 jobs!  In Valencia, tech company Arvato laid off 30 employees.  Kroger shutdown two more Ralph’s grocery stores, 107 jobs lost!  In Orange, Obama Care killed 152 jobs at Saint Joseph Hospital!  More layoffs with Sutter Health-Alta Bates Summit Medical Centers, this time 28 jobs lost.

Colorado: Durango School District laying off 24 people.  School officials say that despite increasing student enrollment the state has drastically cut funding.

Delaware: Who said tech jobs were recession proof? Computer equipment maker Emerson Network Power announced it is laying off 63 employees in June.  Company official blame the bad economy.

Florida:  The Tampa Bay Times newspaper is now offering employees bribes to get them to voluntarily quit (employee buyouts).  Employees must decide by the end of the month, then full scale layoffs will take place.

Georgia: In Lawrenceville, another Hallmark card shop is shutdown.  After 21 years Jen’s Hallmark now closed for good.

Illinois:  Obama Care killing 148 jobs with Accretive Health!  Passages Hospice laid off 88 employees, the owners are facing health care fraud charges.  Plastic container maker Graham Packaging says it will kill 170 jobs in May!  Other companies reporting layoffs include OfficeDepot, PolyOne designed Structures and Solutions, Sodexo and American TV and Appliance of Madison, totaling 1-thousand job losses!

Kentucky:  In Corbin, taxsucker General Dynamics laying off 93 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services employees in May. It’s blamed on Obama Care.  Local government officials say the announcement was unexpected, especially since General Dynamics was one of 18 contractors to be awarded a five year $800-million USD contract to implement Obama Care plans to force people out of long term hospital care and into home care.

Maryland: The Baltimore city Housing Authority warned it might have to layoff 24 employees.  However, some reports say as many as 200 employees could become unemployed! It’s blamed on federal funding cuts, but it was revealed by one local news source that the public housing agency wants to sell off housing units to private developers under the recently created federal Rental Assistance Demonstration program.

Massachusetts:  Mormon Mitt Romney’s wonder child, Massachusetts based Staples, now shutting down 225 office supply stores!  Other cost cutting actions will take place as well.  Thousands of jobs will be lost!

Michigan: In Royal Oak, Birkenstock shoe store Footprints shutdown.

Minnesota: In Hibbing, after 30 years Zimmy’s restaurant shutdown. The owner was unable to pay taxes and lost their booze license.

New Jersey: Newark School District will kill 30% of their 3200 teaching jobs over the next three years!  They will base the layoffs on performance evaluations.

New Mexico: In Farmington, after only three years My Big Fat Greek Restaurant shutdown, 38 jobs lost.  The restaurant owner blamed the greedy property owner.

New York:  New York based pizza chain Sbarro now bankrupt busted, and that’s after shutting down 155 stores!  Home Furniture Gallery shutdown two stores and laid off employees at its HQ.  It surprised employees because originally only one store was to shutdown.  According to company officials the property owner of the store sites “yanked” the leases!  In Long Island, legal drugs maker Forest Laboratories laying off 20% of employees.   In Dewitt, electric motor maker Advanced Motors & Drives laid off 69 employees.  In Rouses Point, legal drugs maker Pfizer laying off six employees in June.   In NYC, Disney Interactive killed 33 jobs.

Oregon: In Brownsville, a Too Big to Jail Key Bank branch to shutdown in June.  Bank officials blame lack of customers.

Pennsylvania: At State College, after only four years Quizno’s sandwich shop shutdown.   The owner blamed the bad economy and the declining college student population (disappearing students).  In Fell Township, eyeglass maker Gentex Optics announced they are shutting down their factory in October.  145 jobs lost!  Company officials said making eyeglasses is no longer profitable.  In Waynesboro, Johnson Controls shutting down and moving to Mexico by the end of 2015, 203 jobs lost!

Tennessee: God refused to stop for profit Christian Victory University (Crichton College) from  shutting down!  A wealthy California Christian investor says his family has lost millions trying to float the university for the past five years!  The problem is declining enrollment due to disappearing students, and the fact that the majority of enrolled students are there on scholarships.

Texas: In Oak Cliff, Frito-Lay announced they will shutdown a factory and a warehouse in August. The number of jobs being killed was not revealed.   In Austin, after 27 years Toy Joy shutdown due to foreclosure.  The co-owner blames the gott damned economy: “2013 was an awful, awful year for us!”-Trevor Yopp

Vermont: Norwich University announced it will kill an undisclosed number of jobs in June.  It’s blamed on disappearing students.

Virginia: In Virginia Beach, after 33 years Cape Henry General Merchandise and Hardware Store shutdown.   The owners say the bad economy over the past few years killed them.

04 – 05 March 2014:  God kills The Jewish Mother! 

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 shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013