Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Louisiana/Texas based oil exploration company Saratoga Resources now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. While they blamed oil prices, they also admitted they were dealing with challenges in their field operations.
Arizona: The Ritz Carlton Phoenix hotel is shutting down, 2-hundred jobs lost by July! The hotel was sold to a competitor.
Arkansas: In Cabot, after 45 years the owner of Ann’s Beauty Shop is shutting it down in July.
California: What housing market recovery? In Palo Alto, a start up company that makes ‘smart’ smoke detectors and night lights for homes, Leeo, laid off more than 30% of their employees due to lack of sales. An inside unnamed source reported to VentureBeat that “Sales were definitely pretty terrible, and on top of that, there was just not any real direction or vision from the senior leadership. No one ever knew what the next product was going to be.” In San Diego, after 19 years the Great News Cookware Store and Cooking School shutting down by July. After 23 years Golden Rugs Gallery shutting down their Miramar Road store. In Walnut Creek, a 21 years old Barnes & Noble book store shutting down in January 2016. Administrators said they could not agree on a new lease agreement with the property owner. In Oakland, the Swap-o-Rama DIY clothing swap shop shutdown. In San Francisco, Pier 1 Imports shutdown their SoMa location. It’s part of the Texas based company’s plan to shutdown 1-hundred stores this year! In Turlock, the owner of Ann’s Fish and Chips reports that the greedy landlord has forced her to go elsewhere, due to jacking up the rent. The restaurant must shutdown by the 4th of July. After 34 years newspaper and magazine printer Paradise Post Printing shutdown, at least 41 jobs lost: “Our commercial print business has eroded to the point that it is no longer sustainable to stay in business.”-Bruce Meissner, general manager
Florida: In Fort Walton Beach, after 40 years Mama Rosa’s Pizza shutdown and for sale despite the owners claim that business is good. The owners said they’re moving to Georgia. In Orlando, award winning Wolfie’s Pizzamia shutting down next month. The landlord signed a new lease with a gourmet dessert restaurant. In Largo, Thai Basil Westbay restaurant shutdown, yet again, by health inspectors. News reports say the restaurant has been accused of recurring problems with roaches, rodents, ants and improper food temperatures. What housing market recovery? In Melbourne, after two years home loan serving company Wingspan Portfolio Advisors shutting down, 150 people jobless by the end of the month! Reports say that in 2013 the mortgage company had 4-hundred employees!
Illinois: The township of Blue Mound shutdown its police department, the Macon County Sheriff’s department will handle law enforcement. ObamaCare forcing hospital operator Porter Health to eliminate 70 administrative/IT jobs. In a complicated way administrators blamed the new electronic medical records system pushed by ObamaCare. 99 jobs lost as the North Mayfair Kmart being shutdown to make room for a seafood store. The owner of Eric’s Restaurant gave up and shutdown after he lost his booze license: “He is closed and is thinking about keeping it closed and moving to a different location because he’s completely worn out.”-Hal Jennings, attorney
Iowa: In Mason City, after 30 years the Bonanza steak restaurant shutdown. The property owner swears another restaurant is moving in. The owners of Görtz Haus Gallery shutting down in August. It’s blamed on a $5,000 USD fine for refusing to host a homosexual wedding.
Louisiana: Oil spill claims centers, set up after the 2010 BP (British Petroleum) oil blowout, have shutdown. The Pine Prairie Correctional Center shutting down in July. Greedy state ‘lawmakers’ turned it over to evil for-profit concentration camp operator GEO. The mayor of Pine Prairie, who said the deal seems to have been done in secret, is totally pissed-off: “We were averaging from $5,000 to $5,500 a month from the facility, which is around $60,000 dollars a year, so we’re going to lose that!”-Terry Savat
Maryland: Teen pregnancy prevention op Teens Have Choices shutdown due to lack of funding caused by declining teen pregnancies.
Massachusetts: Blaming what I call Disappearing Students Syndrome, Gordon College warned of impending layoffs. As of last month only 475 freshman students made the required deposits for the upcoming semester.
Minnesota: Duluth Parks and Recreation Commission warned they are being forced to shutdown the Lake Superior Zoo. Administrators say the zoo must be brought up to current standards, which will cost at least $40-million, but administrator Jim Filby Williams said “We simply don’t have the money.”
Montana: In Helena, a kitchen fire has permanently shutdown Louie’s Casa Diego restaurant. The owner says the cost to repair the damage is too high, especially after his insurance provider claimed they never got any of his premium payments: “I’ve put in a lot of money and I’m strapped now. So I can’t get no farther.”-Luis Lopez
Nebraska: H5N2 causing mass layoffs at Michael Foods Egg Products. The food factory is shutting down and more than 1-hundred people will be “temporarily” unemployed! The Knolls golf, tennis and swimming Country Club & Restaurant shutting down in November. Locals claim a lot of people use the facility, but the owners say otherwise. Membership crashed to only 70 at the beginning of the year.
New Jersey: The Route 33 Foodtown grocery store shutting down. Local news reports say company administrators refused to explain, but a local grocery store analyst said there was too much competition. In Long Branch, after 85 years pizza joint Tony’s Tomato Pies shutdown. The owner said they never recovered after Hurricane Sandy: “Basically, times have changed after 85 years….after Sandy a lot of businesses got hit hard.”-Gina Chiafullo
New York: What housing market recovery? NYC based start up company Quirky gave up on its ‘smart’ home products company Wink and put it up for sale. After clothier J.Crew laid off 175 people, there are news reports that the arrogant executive that issued the layoff notices then went out and bragged about it, calling it the Hunger Games! Supposedly he has been fired. NYC based Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia on the verge of being sold-off. The new owner will be Sequential Brands, which will make money by licensing the use of the name Martha Stewart to other companies, meaning there’s no need for the original Martha Stewart employees. NYC based NBCUniversal eliminated as many as 30 jobs with their E and Esquire networks. Hartwick College eliminated more than 20 jobs, without warning. Administrators also suddenly changed their 2015-16 school year budget. Apparently those who were laid off are forbidden to talk about it: “This culture will exacerbate the uncertainty and negative feelings following the layoff. They will feel that leadership does not care….”-Theodore Peters, professor
North Carolina: In Raleigh, after 20 years the Cat Banjo boutique shutting down, the owner is focusing on her animal rights foundation. Sears Holdings shutting down their Greenville Kmart in September, 75 jobs lost. In Washington, after 24 years The Moss House bed & breakfast shutdown. It has been sold to a buyer that will make it their private residence. In Elkin, Heaven’s Scent Restaurant shutting down, the owners would only say that “…our journey is coming to an end…”. They will continue catering, but only until the end of the year.
Ohio: After 17 years Medina Steak & Seafood shutdown. The owner blames competition.
Pennsylvania: Stonebridge Bank now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and for sale. Lancaster based chocolate maker Hershey Company (Hershey’s) announced it will eliminate at least 3-hundred jobs by the end of 2015! Administrators would not give details, but implied they don’t see any economic recovery taking place: “Removing cost and complexity from our business will make us more flexible to quickly react to changing consumer and competitive marketplace trends.”-John Bilbrey, CEO
Tennessee: Shelby County Schools laid off 5-hundred people! 490 teachers and 30 administrators: “We are a district with declining enrollment and budget issues. Every year we’re having to make tough decisions, and we try to keep as many of those decisions away from the classroom as possible.”-Sheila Redick
Texas: In Austin, Freddie’s Place restaurant being shutdown, the property was sold to another restaurant. The franchise owner of the Palestine Sears Hometown quit and shut it down, saying he can make more money as an assistant manager at a nearby Dollar General!
Virginia: Thrive Healthcare shutdown blaming debts. In Chester, after 27 years the Weekend Brewer shutdown, the owners retired.
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County warns that it must contract out its Mental Health Complex blaming ObamaCare for causing “Uncontrollable expenses significantly influence the cost of doing business as a county…”. 585 jobs could be lost! Assurant announced that 1-thousand 2-hundred people in Milwaukee will become unemployed! The layoffs start in August and will continue into 2016. It’s the result of Assurant’s earlier announcement that it is getting out of the health insurance business, and as I wrote in an earlier post administrators directly blame ObamaCare. Racine Unified School District halting public use of their classroom decorations and resources facility, in order to save taxpayer money.
17 – 18 June 2015: “I…couldn’t take it anymore.”
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.”