Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.
Arizona: So much for animal ‘rights’. A bill is about to become a new state law outlawing dog racing. The result will be as many as 4-hundred Greyhound dogs at the Tucson Greyhound Park made instantly homeless! The bill was passed partly due to criticism about abuse and neglect of racing dogs, but to those who support the bill I ask “How many of you will adopt one of those 4-hundred dogs soon to become homeless?”
Colorado: ‘Elected’ lawmakers have admitted they’ve been violating federal law by jailing poor people who can’t pay their fines! The admission comes in the form of House Bill 1311, which states that in the future local courts must prove the individual is not financially destitute before sending them to jail for failure to pay fines.
Florida: The Conservancy of Southwest Florida shutting down their Upscale Resale Furniture & More Store by mid-month. Administrators confirmed there is no economic recovery, and they don’t think they’ll be one: “Over the last few years, we have seen a steady decline in net profits from sales at the store. A task force was put in place recently to assess the current situation……Projected earnings would continue to decline even with a very large amount of effort and investment…”– Rob Moher, ceo
The following is an incomplete list of restaurant shutdowns, recently revealed from last month, across The Sunshine State: Bazi, Tap Global Beer Collection, Hudson, Oaki Steakhouse, Sheila’s Conch & Wings, Rhino Doughnuts & Coffee and Hickory Sticks BBQ.
Georgia: Surprise! A Kmart store not on the official Sears Holdings shutdown list is shutting down! The 23 years old Rome Kmart shutting down by August, 1-hundred jobs lost! Administrators say employees can apply at other Sears Holdings stores, but local news reports say the Rome Kmart is the last Sears Holdings store in the area!
Idaho: The state livestock Brand Inspector, Justin Archer, resigned after being charged by Jerome County Sheriff’s Office with felony grand theft! Washington based Potlatch Corporation has sold-off 69605.9 hectares (172-thousand acres) of Gem State tree-land to ‘investors’ in U.S. state of Georgia, blaming Idaho’s suck-ass economy: “We purchased the central Idaho timberlands in 2007 intending to take advantage of what was a strong rural recreational real estate market around McCall…..Unfortunately, that market declined significantly due to the recession and the bankruptcy of the Tamarack Resort.”– Mike Covey, ceo
DraftKings and FanDuel shutting down their Idaho participants’ accounts, after state Attorney General Lawrence Wasden shutdown fantasy sports gambling: “….paid daily sports offerings provided by these companies constitute gambling under Idaho law. I have a duty to enforce and uphold that law. I commend the companies for negotiating in good faith and agreeing not to make these contests available in Idaho.”
Maine: In Westbrook, after 77 years Colonial Bowling Lanes shutting down because the owner was unable to pay $14-thousand USD in back due local taxes! The property was sold to pay the taxes.
Michigan: After 17 years The Great Lakes Shipping Co. Restaurant and Tavern forced to shutdown by the end of the month. The greedy landlord, CWD Real Estate Investment, has other plans for the property. Surprise! A Kmart store not on the official Sears Holdings shutdown list is shutting down! The Farmington Hills Kmart shutting down by mid-July, 61 jobs lost.
Mississippi: As I’ve said before, lack of tax revenues is sure sign your economy has failed. Possible collapse coming for state departments and agencies as ‘elected’ lawmakers drastically reduced funding across the board, due to lack of tax revenues. In some cases the reduced state funding will result in less federal funding as well, such as the Department of Health which says the state funding cuts will mean $4-million USD in automatic federal funding cuts!
Missouri: In Shrewsbury, after 20 years Powerhouse Gym shutdown without warning, and without refunding 2-thousand 3-hundred customers’ money! Local news reports say employees were shocked when an unknown man began locking the doors. They blocked his efforts and eventually the owner called in local police, not to help employees but to help the unknown man shutdown the 24 hours workout joint!
New York: In Long Island NYC, after three years the Doshi STEM Institute shutting down due to lack of enrollments and a lack of $1-million USD in taxpayer funding!
NYC based clothier Aéropostale joins the growing list of retailers going down as it files for chapter 11 bankruptcy and announces the shutdown more than 1-hundred stores! The bankruptcy comes right before rent payments for May are due, which means many landlords might not get paid! Aéropostale was kicked off the New York Stock Exchange last month. Fortune reports that in 2010 the clothier was worth $3-billion USD, today it’s worth only $30-million! Sears Holdings issued yet another WARN, this time 75 people in Rochester losing their jobs by mid-July.
North Carolina: In Charlotte, By Design furniture store shutting down as soon as the inventory is gone. The property owner claims they’ll be a new tenant moving in.
The state Department of Commerce reports an official 1-thousand 235 publicly revealed layoffs in April! (that’s more than in April 2015)
Oklahoma: Broken Arrow based oil industry manufacturer Zeeco revealed it began eliminating jobs “from various U.S. offices” last Friday. Administrators refused to give numbers.
Ohio: In Hubbard, god powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Patrick School. The Bishop of Youngstown blames it on ten years of declining enrollment.
Puerto Rico: The U.S. territorial government failed to make a $422-million USD debt payment, but in this case (and unlike other governors throughout the U.S.) governor Padilla is looking out for residents: “I had to make a choice. I decided that essential services for the 3.5 million American citizens in Puerto Rico came first.”-Alejandro Garcia Padilla
Texas: In Houston, Gems by Chao shutting down after 44 years.
Virginia: In Blacksburg, after seven years Sal’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria shutting down mid-June.
Washington: In Seattle, after eight years Cairo local music venue-art gallery-clothing store shutting down due to lack of revenues.
West Virginia: Surprise! A Kmart store not on the official Sears Holdings shutdown list is shutting down! The Bluefield Kmart shutting down by August.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification. I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs. The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!
Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”
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.”