Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Arizona: After 29 years the Actors Theatre of Phoenix shutdown due to constricted cash flow, and tickets that were already sold off will not be refunded: “We made a lot of changes, and some things did improve, but it wasn’t enough. When we started putting all the numbers next to each other, it became clearer and clearer that this was a math problem. The cost structure of supporting professional artists is no longer something that Actors Theatre was able to do.”-Matthew Wiener, artistic director
Arkansas: North Little Rock library laying off 11 people. Incompetent ‘elected’ and appointed administrators admitted they grossly underestimated the cost of expanding the library!
California: Jamba Juice revealed it will layoff 23 people (including three senior vice presidents) at its Emeryville support center in 2015. Company administrators say the economic situation is forcing them to reduce costs. In Anaheim, Norco Delivery issued a WARN saying 93 people will become jobless in February 2015. Taxsucking Boeing issued several WARNs (again) saying at least 170 people across California will become jobless in February 2015! OfficeMax-OfficeDepot issued a WARN saying the Menlo Park OfficeMax will shutdown in February 2015, at least 71 jobs lost. In San Francisco, once again the evil British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems issued a layoff WARN saying 192 people will become unemployed in January 2015!
Connecticut: Provider of turbine engines to airlines and military, Pratt & Whitney announced they will furlough most of their salaried employees in 2015! The furloughs will take place in April, May, July, September, October, November and December. Company administrators admit they don’t expect any ‘recovery’ soon: “We won’t see the benefits of our new programs for a few years.”-Ray Hernandez
Florida: Naples based Beasley Broadcast Group laid off more than 12 employees. Employees said there was no notice. Does it have something to do with the recent takeover of seven North Carolina radio stations?
Hawaii: Mark’s Hallmark at Kahala Mall shutdown despite making $1-million USD per year! Hallmark administrators say it’s still not enough money! It might have something to do with the high rent: “We love being here, but you have to make the economics work.”-Jim Cox, Mark’s Hallmark
Slow death of Chubbuck’s Carmike Cinema 7, as of December 2014. It 1st opened in 1990 by Excellence Theaters, becoming Carmike 7 in 1998 who then sold it off in August 2014.
Idaho: In Chubbuck, the demolition of the 24 years old Carmike Cinema 7 is slowly underway. Rumors are spreading that it will be replaced by an Olive Garden. I’ve been hearing that Olive Garden rumor since 1996, I’ll believe it when I see it!
Maryland: After nearly 70 years plastic container maker Hedwin announced they are shutting down their Baltimore ops by 2017, and moving to Delaware. 300 jobs will be lost in Maryland!
Massachusetts: Gateway Schools threatening to reduce parent-teacher days or seven teachers will get laid off! School administrators are struggling with how to deal with funding cuts of about $200-million!
Michigan: In Ann Arbor, after 26 years Falling Water Books & Collectables shutdown due to the greedy landlord jacking up the rent.
Minnesota: The Northern Star Bank failed, being taken over by the FDIC who then turned over the bank’s assets to BankVista.
New York: In NYC, lottery company GTECH issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by the end of January 2015. At least 31 jobs lost due to losing the state lottery contract. In Saint Johnsville, foam filter maker Opflex Environmental Technologies issued a WARN saying their landlord is evicting them, which will result in 51 jobs lost. Too Big to Jail First Niagara began advertising to hire 200 people, the exact number of people they also announced are being laid off in 2015! Bank administrators said it’s all part of the banking industry’s “strategic” growth plans. Hauppauge based law firm Binder & Binder now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. It made millions of dollars every year by suing Social Security, yet is now in debt by as much as $50-million! The bankruptcy filing shows administrators plan on eliminating 566 jobs over the next two years! In Binghamton, after more than 85 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) MacLennan’s Flowers shutdown: “The area’s gone from a manufacturing base to a retail base, and that’s a big difference in paychecks.”-Scot MacLennan, 3rd generation owner
Pennsylvania: New Freedom based 90 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) sports store Shenk & Tittle shutting down all its Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia stores, saying “We had a great ride, but now we must say goodbye and close forever.” In Kingston, after more than four years the owners of Vanderlyn’s Restaurant announced that New Year’s Eve is their last day of operations. They said they need more “family time”. In Centre County, after nearly 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the Mount Nittany Inn shutdown. The restaurant has been for sale for the past three years, but nobody wants to buy. A co-owner blames the lack of ‘recovery’ and evil Too Big to Jail banks: “We tried our best! There just isn’t enough cash flow….”-Nancy Silvis
Rhode Island: Central Coventry Fire District now officially bankrupt busted after administrators and employees failed to solve a budget crisis: “The cost of the fire district has risen beyond the willingness of the taxpayers to pay, and now bankruptcy is the only means available to restructure the district’s operations and obligations to restore it to fiscal solvency and stability for the future.”-Lincoln Chafee, state governor
Virginia: After only seven months Dash Kitchen & Carry restaurant shutdown! The owners admitted they were ignorant of the bad economy saying “…we misjudged the demand for it in that market and failed….Dash will either be sold ….or will be reimagined…” In Virginia Beach, after 39 years the owner of pet store Animal Jungle announced he will shut it down by January 2015. In Richmond, the co-owner of ‘adult themed’ Tiki Bob’s club announced they will shutdown in February 2015, blaming competition and lazy city administrators: “After 16 years we’ve hit the end! You see all the great food and stuff going on in Richmond. There’s no more room for just a club anymore. I’ve waited a year for the city to get the ballpark. I can’t wait any longer….I don’t know if I want to put another 200-300k in the bottom without the city doing anything down here.”-Erik Brockdorff
Washington: East Pierce Fire and Rescue failed to reach a deal with the union to alleviate a $1-million shortfall. Seven positions will now be eliminated. Administrators say the economy has not recovered as evidenced by crashing local tax revenues, which have fallen 30% over the past five years!
Wisconsin: Concrete company Ojibwa Ready Mix now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.
16-18-december-2014: “I’ve never seen such incompetence.”
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.