Tag Archives: idaho

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 June 2015: “It was so humiliating to train somebody else to take over your job! I still can’t grasp it!” Disney kills U.S. jobs with foreigners! World’s richest man shuts down oil company!

Stock market analysts warning of a massive crash coming:

“Companies are tilting the results and the analysts are buying it….

…What if they said they’re going to pay for rent by issuing stock?”-Tom Brown, Second Curve Capital

“The analysts aren’t doing enough to get behind the numbers that management gives them to find out what’s really going on.”-Lynn Turner, former Securities and Exchange Commission accountant

“The longer the rally, the bigger the downside because of all the smoke and mirrors.”-John Del Vecchio, asset manager

“The data is more confusing than it’s been in a long time, and the reason is all the ‘junk’ they put in the numbers.”-Michael Lewitt, Credit Strategist Group

“People [investors] just want to know the number. They don’t care how the sausage is made.”-Michelle Leder, financial analyst with Footnoted.com

Also, what housing market recovery? Federal administrators have changed the real estate sales closing rules.  The Truth in Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (TILA-RESPA) created new home selling rules supposedly to help buyers understand the process, and to ensure that buyers aren’t getting ripped off on their home loan.  Those rules go into effect in August.  However, when I looked at it, it just looks like a heck of a lot more smoke-n-mirrors fine print and it will probably delay home sales, and drive closing costs up.

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: News reports warn that 16-thousand state employees will be laid off if politicians can’t agree on a new budget by 01 July.

California: Albertsons-Safeway issued yet another WARN saying eight more employees will be let go from Safeway‘s Pleasanton HQ, in August.  Back in February, Southern California Edison laid off 4-hundred U.S. citizens, and then replaced then with migrant workers from other countries!  What housing market recovery?  Costa Mesa based 28 years old home decor chain-store Anna’s Linens on the verge of bankruptcy.  Company administrators admit they are trying to sell-off the business.  3-hundred stores across the U.S. will be affected.  Dating app Tinder laid off six employees.  Monterey County has shutdown access to Lake San Antonio, there’s literally no more water.

Florida:  Too Big to Jail Bank of America is shutting down 14 drive-thru teller windows throughout The Sunshine State.  In Orlando, it’s been revealed by former U.S. employees of Disney that they were replaced with migrant workers.  250 U.S. citizens have been laid off at the Disney amusement park in Florida, since October 2014!  An unnamed former employee said they were forced to train their foreign replacements: “I just couldn’t believe they could fly people in to sit at our desks and take over our jobs exactly. It was so humiliating to train somebody else to take over your job! I still can’t grasp it!”

Georgia: Yarn maker Mohawk Industries shutting down their Chatsworth factory in August, 156 jobs affected!  The company is consolidating operations to newer factories.

Idaho: In Coeur d’Alene, youth outreach program Crosswalk North Idaho shutdown due to having its federal taxpayer funding canceled.  Also in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Youth Ranch announced they must shutdown their Anchor House addiction treatment center for boys, it will be re-purposed as a family resource center.

Illinois: God refuses to stop ‘his’ Catholic Charities from shutting down two family shelters and two child development centers by July. The religious organization blames lack of taxpayer funding.  In the U.S., religion is supposed to be separate from government!

Michigan: Injection molder Klein Plastics laid off 74 employees in a first round of layoffs.  Its part of parent company’s Klein Tools’ plan to consolidate its Michigan and Illinois operations to Texas by 2016.  In Ferndale, restaurant Torino suddenly shutdown.  The owners claim that Health Department rules do not allow them to serve the type of food they offer where they are located: “This week we were visited by the Health Department and together we have determined that it is no longer possible to continue serving a menu of our caliber due to the current size of our facility.”

Minnesota: Minnetonka based food processor Cargill laid off 45 more IT (information technology) employees, blaming the not recovered economy.

Missouri:   Chesterfield based oil pipe maker Boomerang Tube now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Reports say creditors could be taking over the company. Boomerang Tube was started by Len Blavatnik, who (according to some news reports) is now considered the World’s richest man. Saint Louis based coal company Peabody Energy eliminating 250 jobs! Administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to cut costs by $45-million USD. In Saint Charles, the Saint Andrews second run movie theater shutdown.  As with many other movie theater shutdowns they probably couldn’t afford to upgrade to digital.

Montana: What housing market recovery?  Cross-laminated lumber maker SmartLam revealed they laid off at least nine employees last week.  Administrators say they are trying to diversify their customer base as they admitted they’ve been focused only on building construction in the oil industry.

Nebraska:  The Nebraska Bookstore shutdown, 20 jobs lost.  Reports say it’s being sold to  the University of Nebraska for $4.75-million.

New Jersey: God refuses to stop the shutdown of two of ‘his’ churches.  In Atlantic City, Saint Michael‘s and Saint Monica‘s will shutdown as the Catholic community will be forced by the Diocese of Camden into one parish.  Catholic administrators blame massive debts and the growing exodus of people on the city’s collapsed gambling industry, and warned more bad things are coming: “The consolidations are not done. There will be more as we go forward.”

New York: Eight years old bakery Sherry Lynn’s Gluten Free shutdown. The owners blamed “struggles keeping this store open”.   Euromarket Designs announced they’re shutting down their big Crate & Barrel store in NYC by August, 137 jobs lost!  NYC based Time Incorporated blasted their managers for apologizing to employees who are being laid off!  At least 11 of their U.S. jobs were off-shored to Philippines.  Local news reports say a total of 80 IT (information tech) workers for Time will be laid off.  A manual on how to fire employees was issued to Time Inc. managers, and somebody  leaked it to the news media, it stated “Don’t say you’re sorry”.  After ten years art venue Proteus Gowanus shutting down, but not because of lack of interest.  The operators said they’ve become too successful, but it was never their intent to create a commercialized/institutionalized/corporatized arts center.  Keep raging against the Machine!  After 40 years the La Marmite restaurant shutdown.

North Carolina: The 20 years old High Point Pier 1 Imports store shutdown.  It’s part of the Texas based company’s plan to shutdown 1-hundred stores this year!

Oregon: The Alhambra music theater shutting down, yet again.  This time it’s blamed on the landlord.

Rhode Island:  The Lonsdale Fire District discovered they have a grand total of $14-thousand to operate on and must layoff all full-time firefighters!  Taxpayers are demanding to know what happened to the money as fire district administrators never warned of any financial problems.

Texas: What housing market recovery?  Houston based real estate company PM Realty Group announced it must eliminated 52 jobs in July.  The jobs were part of a contract to maintain an office building for oil company Chevron.

Virginia:  The iconic Virginia Beach 66 years old Oceanfront Dairy Queen shutting down due to greedy property developers. Property developers forced, I mean convinced family owners to sell it to them. It will be torn down in September to make room for two big hotel developments.  Richmond based Health Diagnostic Laboratory now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, after announcing it will layoff 42 more employees across the country. Last year the medical testing company laid off 162 people! It’s connected to a federal investigation, and subsequent $47-million fine, in which the company is accused of bribing doctors and hospitals.

Washington: What was that about legalized marijuana saving the economy? The evil ‘lawmakers’ passed a new law banning anymore new marijuana shops.  Already the city of Seattle has issued shutdown notices to eight ganja shops!  Three weed sellers have filed lawsuits against the city.  Also in the evil city of Seattle, 38 years old Cinema Books shutdown, the owner was struggling with competing with ‘Big Box’ stores, but the final straw was construction projects that blocked customers. News media say several business in the area report crashing sales due to the fact the construction projects destroyed parking for customers.  What construction industry recovery? After 75 years the Seattle-Snohomish Mill shutdown due to crashing sales.   Cerberus controlled and AB Acquisition owned Albertsons-Safeway decided to shutdown another grocery store: “In Mercer Island, we are also unfortunately facing a substantial rent increase that makes it financially unfeasible to remain in the space.”

04 – 06 June 2015: “…efforts have been unsuccessful…”

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.”—

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 03 June 2015: “…a long, agonizing death…” “…the company is required to terminate all employees’…immediately…” France threatens hundreds of Idaho jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It was revealed by Scottish news sources that British empire United Kingdom based Too Big to Jail HSBC will eliminate 22-thousand jobs around the World, including in the United States!  HSBC is the European Union’s largest bank.  HSBC is also in the process of carving itself up and selling off the pieces.

Arizona: University of Arizona warned of mass layoffs in August, this after the new budget forces the school to make $43-million USD in cuts!

Arkansas: Switzerland based Nestlé laid off 75 people at its Gerber Fort Smith baby food factory. Administrators claim its because they switched to using plastic baby food containers.

California: Recently the city of Fresno learned it would lose at least two Vons grocery stores, now Save Mart announced it to is shutting down. The will shutdown before the end of the month, and company administrators claim all 62 employees will be moved to other Save Marts (which doesn’t make sense because Save Mart will then have a lot of redundant employees). Officially administrators blame competition (really, with Vons getting outta town?), but it turns out that Save Mart owns the property, where they’re closing down their Clinton and Blackstone avenues grocery store, and they’ve decided to play the Sears Holdings game and make more money by leasing it out to their ‘competition’!  Palo Alto based Hewlett-Packard (HP) warned of more layoffs.  HP is in the process of eliminating 55-thousand+ jobs by October!  Originally the plan was to eliminate 27-thousand jobs.

Connecticut: Famous Stratford based helicopter maker Sikorsky announced that it is eliminating 1-thousand 4-hundred jobs around the World!  180 jobs will be lost in The Constitution State!  Sikorsky is consolidating operations due to the bad economy.

Delaware: In Wilmington, DuPont chemical company Chemours warned of layoffs.  This is connected to DuPont’s plan to spin-off Chemours.  City administrators are afraid Chemours will pull stakes and move somewhere else after the spin-off.

Florida: Orlando based Golf Channel laid off 30 employees.  It’s part of Comcast’s plan to downsize.

Idaho: France based French taxpayer owned nuclear power company Areva has been sold off and now 6-thousand jobs around the World are threatened!  Areva has been operating under contract at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in eastern Idaho.   On 03 June the French government approved  the sale of the majority of Areva to a company called EDF (Electricite de France).   Areva administrators are challenging the sale.

Kentucky: Rhino Resource Partners announced they’ve issued layoff notices to 192 coal miners!

Michigan: In Ann Arbor, successful Lexi’s Toy Box shutdown, the owner said she want’s to join her husband in retirement: “I just thought it would be a nice time to be free.”-Crystal Metzger

New Hampshire: After 32 years, the owner of Video Headquarters announced he will shutdown in July: “Despite our success, the home entertainment industry has evolved dramatically in recent years with a major shift to digital media and this evolution is impossible to ignore. After 32 years of operation, the time has come to lock the doors for the last time when our lease ends……It would just be a long, agonizing death, this way we can say we got out on top”-Kenneth McAleer

New York: Nirvana Spring Water now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down their Oneida County bottling factory, 70 jobs lost by September. The company owes millions of dollars to the New York Business Development Corporation.  Obama Care forcing Mount Kisco Medical Group to issue a WARN saying 109 employees will become unemployed by August!   In NYC, law firm Mel S. Harris and Associates issued a shutdown WARN for September, at least 53 jobs lost.  NYC based quirky new products company Quirky laid off between 20 and 30 employees.  The news was reported by three former employees.  Company administrators admitted they had to cut costs by outsourcing their manufacturing.  California based clothier Band of Outsiders shutdown their nine months old Soho store! News reports say company administrators refuse to explain.

Oklahoma: Texas based Apache Oil & Gas announced it will shutdown its Tulsa office in August, 160 jobs affected!

Oregon: In Portland, after 36 years Martinotti’s Cafe & Deli was killed off by the greedy landlord jacking up the rent: “Rent has raised considerably! It’s more than what’s doable for us which is why we aren’t staying.”– Martina Martinotti, granddaughter of owner

Pennsylvania: Administrators of the city of Coatesville learned that Sikorsky will eliminate 720 local jobs over the next 12 months (see above)!   In Kingston, after 24 years the Pizza Mill restaurant shutdown: “We’re moving onto other things. We want to have some time with our families and do some traveling and catch up on lost time.”-Mark Cardone, co-owner

Rhode Island: Empire Beauty Schools blames what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome for the reason they’re shutting down their Providence school.

South Carolina: CertusBank announced it is dead!  Administrators are shutting down their HQ and are carving up and selling off the rest of the Too Big to Jail bank.  The Bank of North Carolina and the Community & Southern Bank have been named as some of the buyers.  No indication how many jobs are lost, CertusBank had dozens of offices in several southern states.

Texas: San Benito School District warned they will make additional layoffs.  A week prior eight employees were let go, the district is trying to cut $14.5-million in costs.  Administrators admitted they made mistakes in hiring more employees at a time when they were losing students (Disappearing Student Syndrome).   Administrators also revealed they’ve already saved $5-million by pushing employees to retire early or quit.  The owners of El Paso Saddleblanket will shutdown their warehouse outlet store in July, and will focus on wholesale and internet sales only.  The maker of cowboy stuff will also keep their El Paso Airport gift shop open.  The owners said 80% of their sales are now wholesale/import-export.

Virginia:  The Entenmann’s Bakery Outlet, on Peters Creek and Brandon in Roanoke, shutdown with no explanation.

Washington: What housing market recovery?  Federal Home Loan Bank laid off 109 people in Seattle!

Wisconsin: Golden County Foods revealed it went chapter 11 bankrupt busted back in May, and has been sold-off, threatening 432 jobs: “As a condition to the sale to Monogram, the company is required to terminate all employees’ employment with the company immediately prior to the closing of the sale…”-Tina Check, Golden County Foods

28 – 31 May 2015: Republicans call 9,500 layoffs a “Good Day”!

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

ObamaCare job destruction, 2nd quarter 2015: Hospitals overcharge by 1,000%! “The mortality rates will increase, we will have deaths….” “…extremely low…reimbursement levels…have finally proven impossible to bear.”

“This is now part of the fabric of how we care for one another, this is healthcare in America!  It seems so cynical to want to take health care away from millions of people.”-Barack Obama, making an Orwelian Double Speak statement about ObamaCare to the Catholic Health Association, 09 June 2015

Health Affairs has published a study which says at least 50 U.S. hospitals overcharged for services rendered by as much as 1-thousand percent!

Nightly Business Report revealed that ObamaCare insurance companies are merging and that will result in higher costs to individuals and less access to healthcare: “The best available economic evidence out there suggests that when insurers consolidate, premiums go up…..no evidence that to the extent that there are price decreases to providers, that these get passed on to consumers…..when there is less competition in a marketplace…there would be potentially a reduction in quality of plan as well, simply because you don’t have to compete as hard to gain business.

So, the real question is, with these transactions, are any of them motivated by the potential to really bring down cost and improve quality?”-Leemore Dafny, Kellogg School of Management

The following is an incomplete list of healthcare (and other industries) job cuts that took place, or were announced, from April to June 2015, and were directly or indirectly blamed on Obama Care:

Japan based legal drugs maker Eisai announced it will eliminate more than 2-hundred jobs within the United States! Eisai has ops in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Administrators blame the job cuts on a 47% drop in profits.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) laid off employees in New York, Washington DC, California and Wyoming. ACLU administrators blamed it on the loss of a major donor, but also mentioned the increased employee health care costs, caused by Obama Care.

California:  In Sacramento, Response 1 Medical Staffing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Managed health care provider Health Net issued three mass layoff WARNs saying 2,122 health insurance related jobs will be eliminated on 26 June 2015! (and never mind the reports that Health Net is being sued for canceling their customer’s treatments, resulting in at least one death!) In Joshua Tree, Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care issued a mass layoff WARN saying 541 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June! In Yucca Valley, Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care issued a layoff WARN saying at least 42 healthcare workers will become unemployed at the end of June.   Bankrupt Daughters of Charity Health System tried to sell-off six hospitals but nobody wanted to buy, so now at least 280 healthcare workers will become unemployed! Administrators stated that the current layoffs will barely “restore our hospitals to break-even status financially” due to Obama Care insurance reimbursement cuts. To make matters worse, and guarantee a total hospital system shutdown, government Obama Care administrators have told ten insurance companies to stop sending their customers to Daughters of Charity Health System!  In Berkeley, East Bay Perinatal Medical laid off 34 people.  In Burbank,  Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center blood donor service, 34 jobs lost.   In San Pablo, taxpayer funded Doctors Medical Center  shutdown at the end of April, and failing to find a new owner/operator it will be carved up and sold-off. 80% of the customers are on Medicare or Medicaid (Medical in California) and Obama Care drastically cut reimbursements, and even forces Medicare/Medicaid recipients to stop going to hospitals. Local news reports said the loss of the hospital results in the residents of West Contra Costa County losing 79% of their access to healthcare: “The mortality rates will increase, we will have deaths related to the closure of Doctors Medical Center.”-Maria Sahagun, registered nurse

In Poway, Palomar Health shutting down their Pomerado Hospital, hundreds of jobs lost and hundreds of patients affected!  And in Escondido, Palomar Health reports that ObamaCare is causing their Palomar Medical Center to lose $20-million USD per year! As a result they’re considering shutting it down (despite a previous announcement that the 56 acre hospital was going to be doubled in size!), forcing the 8-thousand patients who use the hospital to travel at least 12 miles for healthcare: “The right thing to do and the right decision at the right time is to make the recommendation to the board of directors they should close the downtown campus.”-Bob Hemker, CEO

Head Start Child Development issued dozens of WARNs saying they are shutting down operations throughout California, hundreds becoming jobless by the end of June!  In Laguna Hills, Herren Enterprises to shutdown their Doctor’s Ambulance Service in July and issue a WARN saying 117 EMT related jobs will be eliminated!  Fireman’s Fund Insurnace Company issued a WARN saying they will layoff employees in July.  Hollywood Presbyterian Medical issued a WARN saying 87 people will be laid off in July.  In Elk Grove, Sutter Medical Foundation issued a WARN saying 17 people will be laid off in July.  Western Dental Services to stop taking low income patients at 13 California offices, a shutdown WARN indicated 237 jobs could be lost: “…the extremely low funding and reimbursement levels …..have finally proven impossible to bear.”-official Western Dental Services statement

Colorado: In Longmont, the legal drugs seller Walgreens announced it will shutdown its Main Street store in June. Company administrators would only say “We are closing a number of stores that are underperforming around the country.”

Connecticut:  ObamaCare forced Bristol Hospital to layoff 37 employees, and shutdown six vacant positions. Hospital administrators blamed state ‘lawmakers’ for cutting $2-million in Medicaid reimbursements, but directly blamed ObamaCare for the loss of $3-million in Medicare reimbursements! Administrators also warn of more layoffs as they are expecting another $7-million in losses over the next two years!  Bloomfield based global health insurance company Cigna is fighting off attempts by Indiana based Anthem. Recently Anthem tried to buyout Cigna for $53.8-billion. If a takeover is successful you can bet they’ll be massive layoffs in an attempt to eliminate all the redundant jobs as a result.  Yale-New Haven Health System shutting down their East Haven and Branford clinics, through taxpayer funding cuts. 31 jobs lost. Hartford HealthCare to eliminate 355 full-time jobs, plus many part-time jobs, at two of its hospitals; Backus and Windham.  Hartford laid off 350 healthcare workers in 2014: “Despite our best efforts to reduce costs and increase revenues this year, Hartford HealthCare faces additional Medicaid cuts, bringing our total Medicaid payment reductions from the State of Connecticut to more than $100-million over five years. The magnitude of these cuts makes our model unsustainable going forward.”-Jeffrey Flaks

Florida:  50 years old Campbellton-Graceville Hospital to shutdown, at least 95 jobs lost. Administrators said Obama Care was the final straw, causing a huge drop off in people coming in for help, and causing a huge drop in insurance reimbursements.  Panama City’s Crothall Healthcare issued a WARN saying 167 people will become unemployed in July!  In Lake Mary, Access MediQuip laid off 84 people and shutdown, without warning.  46 jobs lost with non-profit OneBlood blood collection service: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Hawaii: The state run ObamaCare Hawaii Health Connector laid off 25 people. It’s because state administrators are shifting from running their own ObamaCare website to the federal government’s insurance exchange website.  Taxpayer funded Hawai’i Health Systems Corporation’s  eliminating 87 jobs in its East Hawai’i Region. That includes Hilo Medical Center, Ka’u Hospital, and Hale Ho’ola Hamakua. Administrators estimate that increasing costs and decreasing Obama Care reimbursements will cost the state hospital system $7-million USD in revenue losses for fiscal year 2016! Administrators warned that Obama Care is actually restricting access to healthcare: “Some healthcare services for our communities will be reduced and disrupted….As a result of operational efficiencies and cost reductions we’ve already instituted, we are able to complete our current fiscal year intact, but those action are not enough to make up for the coming year’s shortfall….it saddens us that very capable people who help care for our community will lose their jobs.”-Dan Brinkman, interim CEO

Idaho: Assurant eliminating 65 health insurance jobs in Boise by August. It’s all part of their plan to get out of the healthcare insurance business, blaming ObamaCare (see New York below).

Illinois:  Hospital operator Porter Health eliminating 70 administrative/IT jobs. In a complicated way administrators blamed the new electronic medical records system pushed by ObamaCare. Chicago based Allscripts Healthcare Solutions to layoff 250 healthcare information tech employees across the United States! It was implied that electronic healthcare records keeping will be, or already has, been moved to India.  Deerfield based legal drugs pusher, commonly known as Walgreens, announced they will shutdown 2-hundred U.S. stores between now and the end of 2017, in order to cut $1.5-billion from their budget. Walgreens shutdown 76 stores in 2014. This comes after Walgreens spent $16-billion to merge with United Kingdom based Alliance Boots, it’s now officially called Walgreens Boots Alliance. More cuts will follow: “These American markets are ready for more consolidation…..We will be at the forefront of consolidation…..we should every year review all the stores and if every year we have to close ten stores…do it.”-Stefano Pessina, acting CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance

Indiana: Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its Noble County factory by the end of the year, 130 jobs lost (layoffs start in June)!  67 Goodwill employees suddenly lost their jobs at the Richard K. Roudebush VA Medical Center. Goodwill administrators said that “Specifically, the Medical Center unexpectedly ended its longstanding contractual relationship with Goodwill without any prior notice of performance problems.” They also hinted at Obama Care, blaming “unforeseeable business circumstances”.  Mental Health America Day Homeless Shelter shutdown. Administrator Jennifer Flora says the police state federal government is forcing cities to round up homeless people into one location: “They’re wanting individuals who are homeless to be able to go to one place…”

The Community Blood Center shutting down its donor centers in West Chester and Richmond by September. This seems to be part of a secret plan connected to ObamaCare: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Iowa: God refuses to stop ObamaCare from shutting down ‘his’ Quakerdale residential treatment programs.  Administrators say since ObamaCare went into effect referrals have crashed and state funding has dried up.

Kansas: Select Specialty Hospital shutting down their ops within the Saint Francis Hospital in Topeka. Administrators directly blamed Obama Care for changing the rules for reimbursing healthcare providers for long term acute care. News reports say about 1-hundred jobs lost!   In Wichita, after 90 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Rieger Medical Supply shutdown. The owner blamed the internet and “massive government regulations”, but the final straw was when her husband died: “A family business doesn’t do well without a family.”-Karin Rieger

Kentucky: Louisville based health insurance company Humana is considering a takeover bid by Connecticut based Aetna. If the deal is accepted then the 12-thousand Humana employees, and the more than 47-thousand employees with Aetna, will be threatened.  In Louisville, Indiana based Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield laying off 54 people in July. Administrators swear they warned employees back in May. Administrators blame it on mergers with other ObamaCare insurance companies.

Louisiana: State Civil Service administrators revealed that 8-thousand 4-hundred ‘classified’ state employees have been laid off since 2008!  The majority of layoffs are directly connected to the taxpayer funded LSU Hospital system!   Civil Service administrators point out that the number of layoffs reported do not include those employees who were pushed to retire early or quit.  They admitted that the original goal was to eliminate 13,615 ‘classified’ state employees!

Maine:  Parkview Adventist Medical Center now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. They plan to merge with Mid Coast Health Services, 180 jobs affected!

Maryland: The first medical research school in the United States, John Hopkins University, announced they must eliminate jobs due to crashing federal taxpayer funding, and increased costs artificially created by new federal regulations. At this point 109 jobs being eliminated or “reorganized”! However, unnamed employees say they’ve been warned that 10% of the 20-thousand employees will eventually be laid off!  Teen pregnancy prevention op Teens Have Choices shutdown due to lack of funding caused by declining teen pregnancies.

Massachusetts: Medical device maker Grove Instruments now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.  Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its New Bedford factory over the next 12 months. Layoffs begin in June, 190 jobs lost!  In Boston weak, Lahey Health to eliminate 130 jobs at three of its hospitals! Administrators referred to Obama Care as “an exceedingly challenging health care environment”. They also blamed the implementation of a new healthcare information sharing system called EPIC.   Partners Health Care-North Shore Medical Center shutdown their Union Hospital, about 1-hundred jobs lost! Administrators say because of ObamaCare slashing and burning reimbursements they have no choice but to consolidate hospitals.

Michigan: Insurance provider HealthPlus to eliminate 5-hundred jobs! The layoffs will begin in July. HealthPlus is selling its Medicaid and MIChild contracts to a competitor.

Minnesota: Minnetonka based IMRIS (Innovative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems) to go chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Reports say the company could be taken over by vulture capitalist Deerfield Management.   In Saint Paul, after 40 years Pro Pharmacy shutdown. The owner has sold it to Walgreens-Boots Alliance, which just happens to be in the process of shutting down 2-hundred Walgreens stores.

Mississippi: Garden Park Medical Center to shutdown eight of its 10 clinics! News reports say the shutdowns will begin in May and end by October, and that hospital administrators have ordered employees not to talk to the media about it, or they will lose their jobs. Administrators say Obama Care is forcing them to cut costs drastically.

Missouri: Mercy Health eliminating 474 jobs across their multi-state hospital system! I guess ObamaCare showed them (Missouri is nicknamed The Show Me State)! Mercy administrators directly blame ObamaCare: “…Mercy faces increasing challenges to our reimbursement structure as we adjust to reductions mandated by the Affordable Care Act and other budget cuts, as well as the lack of Medicaid expansion in most of our states.”

New Jersey: Continuum Health Alliance killed off 88 jobs. Administrators referred to Obama Care as “today’s rapidly changing health care landscape”.

New York:  The Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System announced it is shutting down its Brooklyn unit in July. VA administrators said that with the drastic budget cuts for next fiscal year, the only way to continue funding programs was to shutdown inpatient care.    Brooklyn Kidney Center announced they are selling off their New York Dialysis Services, 65 jobs threatened.  Medical tech company Getinge Sourcing issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Rochester operations in September, 68 jobs lost.   Ortho Clinical Diagnostics turning over their Rochester operations to Nypro in July. They expect at least 105 of their 1-thousand jobs to be lost in the transfer!   Visiting Nurse Service Home Care issued several layoff WARNs saying at least 50 people will be jobless by the end of July.   Legal drugs maker Forest Laboratories reminded state employment administrators that they’ve been sold to Ireland based drugs maker Actavis, and that Actavis plans to move New York ops to New Jersey, 5-hundred jobs affected!  Non-profit Saint John’s Riverside Hospital shutting down and selling off their Michael Malotz Skilled Nursing Facility, 226 jobs to be lost starting in July!  LifeMed Pharmacy has been sold, 65 employees now unemployed.  Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services issued a mass layoff WARN saying they are canceling funding for all Residences and Day Habilitation operations across the state! At least 719 jobs lost by August! In Rockaway Beach, Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care announced it is forced to hand over their Headstart Program to another operator in July, 48 jobs affected.  Mount Kisco Medical Group eliminating 109 jobs over the next 90 days!  In order to deal with reduced reimbursements the largest physician group in the Lower Hudson Valley is outsourcing billing operations.  NYC based Assurant selling-off their Health Insurance ops, claiming that even with the Obama Care payment reductions they are still going to lose $90-million for their 1st quarter of 2015. Basically the Assurant CEO, Alan Colberg, said Obama Care isn’t slashing & burning health care funding big enough or fast enough: “The health and employee benefits business segments possess differentiated capabilities in their respective markets, but we do not believe they can meet our return targets at the pace we require.”

According to a report by Modern Healthcare “Assurant Health also blamed losses on low recoveries from the ACA’s [Affordable Care Act, Obama Care] insurance risk programs and the policy shift that allowed people to stay in plans that are not compliant with ACA standards.” The sale of Assurant Health will affect access to health care for 1-million people! One more thing; Assurant Health admits that the insurance industry written Obama Care failed in estimating just how many sick poor people there are in the U.S., saying the Affordable Care Act “had worse morbidity characteristics than we had assumed”.

North Carolina: Physicians Choice Laboratory Services laid off 120 people at their Rock Hill Riverwalk Business Park! Christine Marks, vice president for marketing, directly blamed ObamaCare/healthcare reforms for reduced reimbursements from Medicare and private insurance.  It’s been revealed that for-profit managed county owned Yadkin Valley Community Hospital shutdown, 150 jobs lost at the end of May! News reports blame disputes between the greedy for-profit managers and the county over the lease.

Ohio: Regency Hospital of Akron shutting down, 85 jobs lost. New York based insurance company Assurant laid off 125 people in Dayton and Springfield due to lack of sales!  In Dayton, the Community Blood Center shutting down its Donor Testing Laboratory in September. This seems to be part of a secret plan connected to ObamaCare: “More stringent transfusion protocols, advances in medical science and Health Care Reform continue to impact how the blood supply is managed.”-Forbes

Oregon: After 20 years the operators of Oregon Coast Periodontics announced it will shutdown, supposedly because the owner moved to Louisiana, which they called “unfortunate circumstances”.  After 43 years the Grande Ronde Child Center shutting down. It’s blamed on the loss of a contract with Greater Oregon Behavioral Health. State mental health administrators blame ObamaCare: “The services currently being offered by GRCC are not in line with the direction health care reform is going.”-Henry O’Keefe, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health

Pennsylvania: ObamaCare caused a riff between the the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Philly.com and the employee’s Newspaper Guild.  The employers did not want to pay more to cover increased health insurance costs, but after negotiations they agreed to pay more for the ObamaCare insurance but in exchange there will be no pay raises for the next two years!  In Bethlehem, Metro Ambulance Service ceased to exist.  Cumberland Family Practice to be merged with Good Hope Family Physicians, and forcing Baughman Family Medicine to shutdown! Doctor Paul Baughman directly blamed ObamaCare for “…dropping reimbursement, increasing overhead and a few unexpected bumps in the road.” Administrators with insurance company Capital BlueCross admitted that ObamaCare was going to drive up the cost of healthcare, ironically by forcing people back into emergency rooms as more health clincs shutdown or consolidate due to reduced reimbursements: “If they have health issues, they may have to go to the ER, hopefully an urgent care clinic, and the ER is an expensive place to get primary care. That adds to the cost.”-Aji Abraham

Rhode Island: non-profit Rhode Island Blood Center to layoff 60 people. Administrators say changes caused by ‘health care reform’ will increase their costs of testing for blood-borne disease by at least $2-million per year!

South Dakota: In Sioux Falls the Veteran’s Outreach Center shutting down in August due to lack of funding. It’s connected in part to the collapse of New York based Volunteers of America, but also because the Obama regime’s Veterans Affairs (VA) has canceled their contract with Veteran’s Outreach Center. Essentially the VA admitted they can’t pay for the care of military veterans!

Texas: In Heights, Select Specialty Hospital issued a shutdown WARN for July, eliminating 222 jobs! Administrators called Obama Care “business reasons”. Taxpayer funded non-profit El Paso Children’s Hospital to go chapter 11 bankrupt busted! In Houston, Access MediQuip laid off at least 80 people and shutdown without warning.

Virginia: Richmond based Health Diagnostic Laboratory now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, after announcing it will layoff 42 more employees across the country. Last year the medical testing company laid off 162 people! It’s connected to a federal investigation, and subsequent $47-million fine, in which the company is accused of bribing doctors and hospitals.  Thrive Healthcare shutdown blaming debts.   Tax-sucker General Dynamics laid off 137 IT workers! Those information technology employees were supporting the Healthcare Quality Improvement Systems contract to “monitor and improve utilization and quality of care for Medicare and Medicaid”.  General Dynamics lost the contract.

Washington: In Castle Rock, Peace Health shutting down their clinic by the end of September.  1-thousand 6-hundred primary and pediatric care patients affected! Customers are being told they will have to travel to Longview for services.

Wisconsin: Health care provider GeminiCares eliminated 7-hundred jobs!  Assurant announced that 1-thousand 2-hundred people in Milwaukee will be laid off starting in August and running into 2016! It’s the result of Assurant getting out of the health insurance business (see above).  Assisted living center Emeritus Senior Living laid off 10 HQ employees.

So Barack Obama, what was that about taking away healthcare “from millions of people”?

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

1st quarter 2015: “more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.” 

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 08 June 2015: Albertsons Safeway suddenly closes Oregon & Washington stores! Property analyst calls B-S on the official reason!

“Today we are a $57 billion dollar company with 250,000 employees, the second biggest traditional grocery chain in America and the good news is we are headquartered in Boise.”-Bob Miller, CEO Albertsons-Safeway, 08 June 2015

Despite the optimism of the new Albertsons-Safeway, they’ve agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by three hedge funds who held stock in Safeway.   The three hedge funds combined will now get an additional $127-million USD for their shares of Safeway!

Cerberus controlled and AB Acquisition owned Albertsons-Safeway blaming an expired lease and a greedy property owner for the shutdown of its Beaverton, Oregon, grocery store.  The 20 years old store is scheduled to shutdown on the 20th.

Albertsons-Safeway administrators claimed “We were caught by surprise” by a rent increase, however, a commercial property analyst called Bull-Shit on that: “They are never caught by surprise! Every big retailer is in the real estate business whether they say so or not!”-Jeff Sackett, Capstone Partners

In Poulsbo, Washington, the Albertsons will shutdown on 05 July because it is “an underperforming store”, according to company administrators.  However, I discovered the real reason for the shutdown is because there is a Safeway just across the street!  60 jobs will be lost.

In Pennsylvania, the last Albertsons-Safeway owned Genuardi’s grocery store shutdown: “We’re the last store that will have the Genuardi banner out there because the lease has expired and the landlord and Safeway agreed to exit the market…..it just happened a little faster than we expected….”– John Vuotto, employee relations

To add insult to the injury of the Genuardi’s shutdown (and the ongoing shutdowns everywhere), Safeway claims they will hire 2-thousand temporary summer-time  employees across the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.: “This full-scale push to hire well beyond attrition is something we have not done for a very long time.”-Lisa Umali, eastern division human resources director

In Henderson, Nevada, a fire damaged a Albertsons-Safeway controlled Vons grocery store.  The store has re-opened.

In Arcata, California, a Safeway was evacuated after people began feeling faint.  Firefighters determined a relief valve for coolant failed and the refrigerant gas leaked into a generator room.

27 May 2015: Albertsons Safeway shuts down Tom Thumb stores!

Updated list:

Manitoba, Canada: Sobeys-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse by 2016, at least 172 jobs lost!

Arizona, U.S.A.: Peoria Safeway and Claypool Safeway will shutdown in June, at least 94 jobs affected. The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

California, U.S.A.: The new Albertsons-Safeway issued more layoff WARNs saying another 21 Safeway employees will be laid off in June. Two Albertsons-Safeway owned Vons stores will shutdown in Fresno, by June, 127 jobs lost! Albertsons-Safeway laid off 129 people from their Pleasanton HQ in April. Albertsons-Safeway issued a WARN saying another 188 layoffs are scheduled for the Pleasanton by the end of May! Albertsons-Vons announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.” Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore shutdown on 18 March 2015, at least 168 jobs lost! The 32 years old Hemet Vons shutdown on 28 December 2014, at least 55 jobs lost. Company administrators claimed it had nothing to do with the hostile takeover by Cerberus. Marina Del Ray Albertsons, shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 80 jobs lost. Pleasanton Safeway HQ laid off at least 26 people in February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway laid off an additional 18 HQ employees in March. A San Diego Albertsons shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; Vons in Palm Desert, Pavillions in Rancho Mirage, two Santa Barbara Albertsons, two Goleta Vons, Lompoc Albertsons, Paso Robles Vons, Arroyo Grande Albertsons, San Louis Obispo Albertsons, Atascadero Albertsons, Los Osos Vons, Palmdale Albertsons, three Bakersfield Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Simi Valley Albertsons, Simi Valley Vons, Oxnard Albertsons, Carpinteria Vons, Camarillo Albertsons, Ventura albertsons, Yorba Linda Albertsons, two Tustin Vons, Mission Viejo Vons, Mission Viejo Albertsons, Trabuco Canyon Albertsons, Laguna Beach Albertsons, Laguna Niguel Vons, Corona Del Mar Albertsons, Irvine (Vons) Pavillions, eight San Diego Albertsons (don’t be surprised if several are closed), San Yisidro Albertsons, Rancho Bernardo Albertsons, Coronado Albertsons, San Marcos Vons, two El Cajon Vons, Santee Albertsons, Poway Albertsons, Del Mar Albertsons, two Carlsbad Albertsons, two La Mesa Vons, three Chula Vista Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), Upland Albertsons, Diamond Bar Vons, Rancho Cucamonga Albertsons, Chino Hills Vons, Burbank Albertsons, Woodland Hills Vons, Westlake Village Albertsons, Thousand Oaks Albertsons, Santa Clarita (Vons) Pavillions, Saugus Vons, Newbury Park Vons, Tujunga Albertsons, Long Beach Albertsons, two San Pedro Albertsons, Lomita Albertsons, Torrance Albertsons, Santa Monica Albertsons, three Redondo Beach Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Los Angeles Albertsons.

Colorado, U.S.A.: Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June! Colorado Springs Albertsons shutdown in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

Florida, U.S.A.: Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater store in May, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii, U.S.A.: Drugs pusher Walgreens canceled plans to open a pharmacy in the Kauai Safeway: “As part of this process, Walgreens did a comprehensive financial reassessment of its plans to open a new store in Lihue on Kauai, and have concluded that it is not in the company’s best interests to move forward with opening a store in that location.”

Illinois: The Jewel-Osco HQ in Itasca was sold for $23.7-million. A local news report implied it was the result of the hostile takeover of Safeway by Albertsons.

Nevada, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Boulder City Vons, three Henderson Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), three Las Vegas Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed).

Oregon, U.S.A.: Beaverton Albertsons being shutdown on 20 June, 68 jobs affected.  In Lake Oswego, Albertsons taken over by Haggen. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

Pennsylvania: The last Safeway owned Genuardi’s grocery store shutdown, 40 jobs lost.

Texas, U.S.A.: Arlington Tom Thumbs shutting down in June, at least 45 jobs affected. In East Dallas, an Albertsons was renamed Minyard Sun Fresh Market. Reports said the grand opening was delayed due to problems switching over the cash register system. A second East Dallas Alberstons became Minyard Sun Fresh Market on 16 February. Only one of the three East Dallas Albertsons will remain Albertsons. One store manager said the changes are a direct result of the takeover of Safeway. Interestingly I found a report that said Cerberus swore there would be no name changes after the takeover of Safeway, but they failed to explain the sale of 12 stores to RLS Supermarkets (apparently the result of a court order). The Tom Thumb grocery stores in Bedford and Grapevine converting to Minyard Sun Fresh Market.

Washington, U.S.A.: The Poulsbo Albertsons shutting down in July,  60 jobs affected.  The Safeway in Spokane Valley shutdown in March, 60 jobs lost. Company administrators said it was not due to the takeover by Cerberus controlled Albertsons, but that the lease expired and it wasn’t worth renewing it. In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics, Idaho

More Economic Decline: After Idaho shutdown, USPS takes 23 hours to deliver package that should have arrived in 3!

15 May 2015 (01:43 UTC-07 Tango 01)/25 Ordibehesht 1394/26 Rajab 1436/27 Xin Si (3rd month) 4713

The U.S. Postal Service’s Gateway Processing Center in Pocatello, Idaho, officially shutdown on April 18th.  Since then all parcel and bulk mail sorting is being done out of state in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I just received a package that, according to the tracking info, took 23 hours to go from Salt Lake City to Pocatello, a drive that normally takes 2.5 to 3 hours!

Here’s the actual info from the USPS: “Tracking # 9400109699938443767549

Departed USPS Facility May-13-15, 04:22 AM, SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84199

Arrived at Post Office May-14-15, 03:09 AM, POCATELLO, ID 83201″

 That’s right, it left Salt Lake City on May 13th at 04:22 hours (that’s 4:22 am for those of you on the 12 hours clock), but didn’t arrive in Pocatello until almost 23 hours later on May 14th at 03:09 hours!

Why did it take the truck driver 23 hours when it’s normally a 2.5 to 3 hours drive (by car, maybe 4 hours by truck) from Salt Lake City to Pocatello?

East Idaho’s Gateway Processing Center is one of 82 across the U.S. being shutdown this year.

Kentucky: In Paducah, the U.S. Postal Service shutting down the mail Processing Center.  Missouri: In Cape Girardeau, the U.S. Postal Service shutting down the mail Processing Center. 

One final look at the Idaho Postal Processing Center most east Idahoans didn’t even know about! 

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 12 – 14 April 2015: “the ongoing destruction of the United States….by President Barack Obama, and his supporters!” Idaho employers continue to lie about layoffs! Surprise Walmart shutdowns, thousands now jobless!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Obama Care causes promising nursing company to go bankrupt?  In Sacramento,  Response 1 Medical Staffing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame it on an embezzlement case.  In Carlsbad, Ortho Organizers issued a layoff WARN for June, 97 people to become jobless.  In Irvine, MV Transportation issued a shutdown WARN for June, 436 people will become jobless!  Albertsons-Safeway announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.”  At least 2-hundred jobs lost!  Albertsons-Safeway issued yet another layoff WARN for Safeway’s Pleasanton HQ, 96 more jobs lost in June.  Walmart shutdown their Pico Rivera store, without warning, 533 jobs lost!  News reports said Walmart shutdown five stores altogether, but they’ve issued only one WARN, for their Pico Rivera store.  News reports say 2-thousand 2-hundred Californians were rendered jobless overnight!  Some people say it’s because Walmart administrators were tired of hearing complaints from their employees!

Florida: Walmart shutdown store number 3436, in Brandon, 429 jobs lost!  You know the economy is bad when Walmart starts shutting down stores!  In Jacksonville, Obama Care forced Medimix, & First Coast Health to issue a WARN saying 95 employees will become unemployed between now and September.

Idaho: In Idaho Falls, after repeated denials Curtiss-Wright Scientech laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  No WARN has been filed with state employment administrators, but the Idaho Department of Labor says they’ve heard rumors of layoffs since October 2014: “We don’t have any official numbers at all. Just simply word-of-mouth is about 30 people, or so.”-Christopher Saint Jeor, Idaho Department of Labor

Illinois: Alton Steel said it must furlough employees for at least three weeks, about 3-hundred jobs affected! Administrators blame the crashing global steel market.

Massachusetts: Obama Care medical device tax the final straw for medical device maker Grove Instruments, who is now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery? Drivetrain and brake maker Merito announced it is shutting down its Heath factory over the next six months.

Mississippi: The Greenwood School District laying off 28 people.

New Jersey: Freshcut Produce issued a layoff WARN saying 1-hundred employees will become unemployed in June! Company administrators blamed “economic reasons”.  Obama Care forcing  Continuum Health Alliance to announce they will kill off 88 jobs in June.  Administrators referred to Obama Care as “today’s rapidly changing health care landscape”.

New Mexico: After 41 years Tony’s Rental Sales & Service sold all their stuff and shutdown: “Everything has to come to an end.”-Tony Tapia

New York: Food service company Sodexo told state employment administrators that 167 people will become unemployed at the Niagara University, in June!  This is on top of the 193 jobs lost in Loudonville, announced last month!  GAD Bakeries joining exodus from The Empire State by issuing a shutdown WARN for their Vanilla Fudge, Sweet Dream Desserts and Great American Dessert Company ops, saying 150 people will become jobless in July!  GAD Bakeries is moving to New Jersey.  In Brooklyn, Quality Transportation reported they’ve lost their contract with NYC, 151 jobs lost by June!

North Dakota: In Grand Forks, after a year women’s clothing store Hey Ocean shutdown.  The owner admitted she was targeting Canadians, maybe that’s why the store didn’t do so good.

Pennsylvania: In Bethlehem, Obama Care killed off Metro Ambulance Service!

South Carolina: The King Street Grille in the Citadel Mall shutdown: “Due to uncontrollable circumstances, we have determined that it is in the best interest of the King Street Grille as a company to close the Citadel Mall location.” 

Texas: What automotive industry recovery? Parts supplier to General Motors (GM), Japan owned (Mitsui) Android Industries, issued a WARN saying that in June  589 Texans will become jobless!   It sounds like Android is moving 131 jobs to Detroit, Michigan, where the company is getting $620-thousand in tax exemptions.  The San Benito School District finally admitted they overspent $12-million USD, and now a as yet to be determined amount of employees will become unemployed at the end of the school year.

West Virginia: Murray American Energy laid off 214 people at three coal mines!  Company administrators are pissed off, blaming “…the ongoing destruction of the United States coal industry by President Barack Obama, and his supporters, by the increased utilization of natural gas to generate electricity, and by the extremely excessive coal severance tax in the State of West Virginia.”

Wisconsin: Food service company Sodexo told state employment administrators that 3-hundred people will become unemployed at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, in June!  Sodexo lost their contract.

09 – 11 April 2015: “this relentless downturn of our fragile economy….has caused…substantial unrecoverable financial losses.” 

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.”

Business/Economics

Albertsons Vons Safeway officially sucks according to Consumer Reports!

14 May 2015 (11:34 UTC-07 Tango 01)/24 Ordibehesht 1394/25 Rajab 1436/26 Xin Si (3rd month) 4713

UnAmerican Cerberus-AB Acquisition now controls Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United (aka United Supermarket & United Express), Pavilions, Star Market, Market Street, Amigos (aka Amigos United) and Carrs.  But, Consumer Reports doesn’t have good things to say about their fresh food or prices.

click the pics to make bigger

Consumer Reports judged 68 supermarkets and eight of them are owned by Cerberus-AB Acquisition.

Out of the 68 grocery stores Tom Thumb ranked 38th, Vons 49th, Albertsons 50th, Randalls 57th,  Safeway 58th, Jewel-Osco 59th, Acme 61st and Shaw’s 64th.  In other words most of Cerberus-AB Acquisition stores suck.

Idaho based employee owned (privately held) WinCo ranked 11th.  Washington based publicly held (traded on NASDAQ) Costco ranked 6th.  The number one grocery store is New York based family owned (privately held) Wegmans.

By the way, Walmart came in 67th out of 68!

kills hundreds of jobs! Demands money for earthquake victims! 

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 28 – 31 March 2015: “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet.” Hallmark going down!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: In Helena, after 13 years the owners of Frankie’s Market Café announced they are shutting down in April. They blame rising costs of operations, especially utility cots.  Jefferson County Board of Education will beginning laying off 160 employees in July!

California: In San Pablo, Obama Care forcing Doctors Medical Center to issue a shutdown WARN for April, 709 jobs lost!  In Fort Irwin, tax-sucker Northrop Grumman issued a WARN saying an additional 476 people will lose their jobs by June!  Vose Technical Systems also issued a WARN saying they will layoff 60 people at Fort Irwin, in May.  In San Francisco, Apollo Education issued two WARNs saying 38 people will be laid off between June and August.  Sutton Place issued a WARN saying they are shutting down by the end of May, 98 jobs lost.  Lightspeed-SkilledUp issued a WARN saying 27 people will be laid off in May.  In Mountain View, tech company Symantech continues to kill jobs, this time their latest WARN says 30 people will be let go in May.

Florida: In Panama City, Flexsteel Pipeline issued a WARN saying 70 people will be laid off by the end of the year.

Idaho: In Nampa, after 69 years Nafziger Men’s Store shutdown.

Indiana: In Evansville, Wesselman’s Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Pollack Avenue store.

Louisiana: Oil derrick operator Loadmaster Derrick & Equipment revealed  they conducted “very minimal” layoffs the week prior.

Maryland: Men’s clothing chain store Jos. A. Bank issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Hampstead HQ and 122 people will be laid off between May and December!  It’s blamed on the take over by Texas based Men’s Warehouse.  Reports say at one point Jos. A. Bank employed more than 7-hundred people in Hampstead.

Missouri: Kansas City based Hallmark Cards wants 2-hundred employees to voluntarily quit, and they’re offering buyout bribes for “eligible employees”!  Company administrators blame “changes in consumer spending”.  In Jackson, Nearly Perfect Shoes shutdown, a co-owner said it was because the local economy can no longer support two shoe stores less than eight miles apart.

New York: In Brooklyn, Milestone School for Child Development issued a WARN saying they will shutdown, 73 jobs lost in June.  In NYC, Skyline Tours announced they’ve been sold-off and 120 jobs will be affected! Grandpa’s Bus Service issued a massive shutdown WARN saying they lost their state Department of Education contract, more than 5-hundred jobs threatened!  In Loudonville, Sodexo issued a WARN saying they lost a major food service contract and will shutdown in June, 193 jobs lost!  DAL Global Services continues to warn that they could lose their contract with Etihad Airways at John F. Kennedy International Airport, 122 jobs lost in May!

North Dakota: In Bismarck, Box Office Video shutdown one of its two stores.

North Carolina: What housing market recovery? In Wilson, bathtub maker Bathcraft announced they will shutdown in May, 87 jobs lost.  HR director Sandy Moore directly blamed the crashing housing market.   In Asheville, the owner of Uncle Junebug’s General Store announced it will shutdown in April.  He blames construction projects: “I had no idea there was going to be so much development of hotels in that area. I’m almost certain that the entire length of my lease, which would have been three years, would have just been eaten up by construction.”-David Hawkins

Ohio: Columbus based oil tank maker Worthington Industries began laying off employees, without any warning.  More than 5-hundred people in Ohio and Kansas now unemployed, as one analyst said “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet.” 

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, after 50 years Amir’s Persian Imports shutdown. The owner says he hopes to continue his rug cleaning business.

Rhode Island: The non-profit East Greenwich Animal Protection League shutdown due to lack of donations.

Virginia: 70 years old The Fine Arts Shop shutdown.  Store managers say the shutdown came without warning, and they thought it was financially stable.  The owners basically said they don’t want to deal with it anymore, and they want to retire while they’re on top.

West Virginia: In Huntington, Oregon based Precision Castparts laid off at least 1-hundred people at their Special Metals factory, without warning!  Administrators blame oil prices for its low “level of business activity.”

26 – 27 March 2015: “all options exhausted…no alternative”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 29 April 2015: Albertsons Safeway to kill 800+ California jobs! Safeway anti- 2nd Amendment unAmerican! Massive data breach!

“Safeway and Albertsons don’t have much going for them other than their size. The main thing that saved both companies was to combine and grow together. As an investment, I’m not sure what the upside is.”-David Livingston, grocery store analyst

The San Jose Mercury News reporting that the merged Albertsons-Safeway filed layoff notices with state employment administrators, saying at least 8-hundred Californians are about to be laid off!

Also the new company will be called New Albertsons, and owners New York based Cerberus, and Idaho based AB Acquisitions, will issue new stocks (IPO, Initial Public Offering) by the end of the year.

A side note, at the end of last year AB Acquisitions revealed that “…its third party IT services provider SUPERVALU of a separate, more recent, attempted criminal intrusion seeking to obtain payment card information used in some of its stores………..may have captured account numbers, expiration date, other numerical information and/or the cardholder’s name.”  This was separate from an earlier data breach, and involved “….Albertsons stores in Southern California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Southern Utah were impacted. In addition, ACME Markets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey; Jewel-Osco stores in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana; and Shaw’s and Star Markets stores in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island were affected by this new incident.”

Albertsons just made $33-million USD by selling off three stores,  one in Palmdale, California, and two others in Oregon.  The buyer is Spirit Realty Capital, the sale was mandated by the Federal Trade Commission as part of the merger of Albertsons and Safeway.  No word on what Spirit Realty Capital will do with the three properties, which currently are home to active grocery stores.

Recently unAmerican and pro-British empire Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America took credit for Albertsons-Safeway’s gun ban.  However, Beitbart showed that the grocery stores already had a gun ban in place by 2014, and implied that competitor Kroger’s pro-gun stance actually increased Kroger’s profits: “Safeway did not ban guns in response to a Moms Demand campaign. Rather, Safeway’s store policy has long prohibited guns….. …Safeway’s gun ban was in place during the third quarter of 2014, the very quarter in which Kroger’s profits jumped ’21 percent’ after they refused to ban guns.”

update, 24 April 2015: Haagen stores jack up prices! Safeway bottles city water in drought stricken California! 

Business/Economics, U.S.

Dumbing Down the United States, 1st Quarter 2015: “we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!” “I just want to say how sorry I am.” “I don’t think the entire truth is here…!”

Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon taking place across the United States, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.

Incomplete list of publicly announced education layoffs & school shutdowns from January to March 2015:

Alabama: Jefferson County Board of Education will beginning laying off 160 employees in July!

Alaska:  The University of Alaska Southeast shutdown their bookstore, due to crashing revenues.

Arizona: Dysart Unified School District announced they will kill off 147 jobs over the next three years! Administrators added that the 147 job cuts are just the first round of cuts! Back in November tax burdened voters rejected a school levy that would have jacked up their taxes even more. What gets me is why, year after year, school districts need more and more tax creating levies and bonds to be passed? Where is all that money going, especially the lottery money for those school systems that get money from lotteries as well as taxes?!

California:  The Los Angeles School District approved the elimination of 609 teaching jobs! The LASD is short $158-million USD for the upcoming school year.  Castaic Union School District has approved the elimination of at least 43 jobs. Those still employed will be forced to take unpaid days off (furlough). It’s blamed on what I call DSS, district administrators say the school system has lost more than 1-thousand students over the past ten years!   In Los Angeles, is Obama Care behind the layoff of 15 employees at the Bienvenidos Children Center? The WARN only says the layoffs will take place in April.  Denair Unified School District warned it must eliminate at least 16 teachers, shutdown classes and are even offering a bonus to anybody who’ll take early retirement. Administrators blame ongoing DSS.  The Acalanes Union High School District has decided to end its 70 years old adult education program, killing eight full time jobs.  In San Francisco, Apollo Education issued two WARNs saying 38 people will be laid off between June and August.

Connecticut: In Berlin, The Learning Experience preschool shutdown with ten days notice. The operators blamed “several circumstances beyond our control”.  The Milford Board of Education is planning to layoff 18 teachers for the 2015-16 school year, “primarily stemming from continued enrollment decline”. The University of Connecticut admitted they laid off employees, but refused to say how many.  Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system approved a 4.8% increase in tuition.  In Meridian, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Stanislaus School.  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint John Paul II School. Christian administrators officially blame lack of money, but one parent thinks it’s a conspiracy: “I don’t think the entire truth is here because it’s NOT about money!”– Ewald Kuchciak, who pointed out that Christian students are being forced into a smaller school building

Florida: The state Department of Education has ‘failed’ Osceola County military prep school Acclaim Academy, twice, and as a result it shutdown.  In Orlando, DeVry University issued a layoff WARN saying 50 employees will be unemployed in May.

Idaho: In Kellogg, the Sunnyside Elementary school shutdown due to massive population exodus which created what I call DSS: “Since 1970, we’ve had a 66% decrease in our enrollment!”-Art Krulitz, Kellogg School District

Illinois:  Warsaw Community School District laid off 11 employees and eliminated vacant jobs, and administrators are now pushing to jack up local property taxes.  Elgin School District U-46 announced they will eliminate 463 jobs, due to DSS!   The 42 years old Aurora Child Development Center shutting down due to state funding problems. Administrators say the great state of Illinois is at least three months behind on their Child Care Assistance Program payments!  In Harvey, after 23 years Ingalls Childcare Center shutdown. Administrators blamed the bad economy for not being able to pay their employees!   The Adler Planetarium laid off 15 people, blaming lack of public attendance: “We’re trying to make it so that our annual revenues match our expenses. For at least the last few years, we were using money either from our endowment or a fundraising campaign to sustain us.”-Marc Lapides

Louisiana: The Pelican State’s Secretary of State Tom Schedler said he is laying off 24 museum employees and reducing operating hours for state run museums in April. A special election is being postponed until October. It’s part of a plan to cut state spending by $61-million. Politicians are blaming crashing tax revenues from the petroleum industry caused by ‘low’ oil prices.  The Gov’na also warned of massive layoffs for the university-higher education system, saying there’s a $1.6-billion shortfall!  Tulane University warned it must consider layoffs due to being constantly $20-million in the hole, year after year.

Massachusetts: Facing less funding, due to DSS, Marshfield will eliminate seven elementary school jobs for the next school year.  In Springfield, private Curtis Blake School shutdown with short notice to parents. Administrators blame what I call DSS, as usual parents were shocked by the bad economic news: “This is a big huge blow, we weren’t expecting this at all!”-Melissa Sullivan

Michigan:  In Lakewood, the Clarksville and Sunfield elementary schools are being shutdown, the school district is short $1-million! The last two libraries of the Wayne County Library system threatened with shutdown. The communities of Ecorse and Taylor say they will follow the other former library system members and go independent, in order to save money.  Baraga Area School District warned that Pelkie Elementary School could shutdown due to massive DSS: “The primary problem is shared actually across the district. We have been experiencing declining enrollments in a very similar pattern that the State of Michigan has, but it really hit hard about two years ago.”-Jennifer Lynn, superintendent

Minnesota: Minneapolis Public Schools laid off 160 people, with only one weeks notice! Administrators implied most of the jobs were administrative and had no direct impact on education, they claim the money saved will now be focused on education.

New Jersey:  In Manville, God refuses to stop the Diocese of Metuchen from shutting down ‘his’ Christ the King School. It’s the 11th ‘christian’ school to be shutdown by the Diocese of Metuchen, since 2009.  The Trenton School District says it must eliminate 226 jobs, and will shutdown schools due to a $19-million shortfall! But wait there’s more, previous announcements said a total of 350 jobs could be lost, once the state government puts out its final funding numbers for the 2015-16 school year! (and those layoffs are for just one of many school districts!)  Kean University announced it will layoff 54 janitors and grounds keepers. The jobs will be contracted out. University administrators claim they’re trying to cut $3.4-million per year, yet this didn’t stop them from spending $219-thousand on a conference table made in China!  The Paterson Board of Education has decided it will not jack up taxes on the impoverished taxpayers, but it means 363 school employees will become jobless next school year!

New York:  God refuses to stop his 156 years old Saint Patrick School in Tiago County from shutting down.  Administrators say enrollment has crashed & burned, they were able to get only 58 students for the year.  In West Nyack, Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge (aka Cambridge University Press) issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in June, 42 jobs lost.   In Brooklyn, upscale The Guild for Exceptional Children preschool shutdown, 81 jobs affected.  Corning Community College shutdown its 30 years old child care center.  In Brooklyn, Milestone School for Child Development issued a WARN saying they will shutdown, 73 jobs lost in June.  Grandpa’s Bus Service issued a massive shutdown WARN saying they lost their state Department of Education contract, more than 5-hundred jobs threatened!

Ohio: In Mentor, school administrators announced that Rice Elementary School will shutdown at the end of the school year. The school now boasts the lowest enrollment in the district.  Owens Community College eliminated 50 occupied and vacant positions, as well as cut wages and salaries. They also proposed new taxes, blaming increased employment costs caused mainly by higher insurance and retirement rates mandated by Obama Care!  In Mansfield, School Specialty revealed it had laid off an undisclosed number of employees last week, this after they claimed to be investing $7-million into a new school supply warehouse.

Pennsylvania:  God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Roseto, and ‘his’ Pius X Junior/Senior High School in Bangor.  Pittsburgh based Education Management shutdown all its Art Institutes across the U.S., killing at least 225 jobs! Education Management is in big trouble with the federal Department of Education for basically bribing students and violating other federal education laws.  In Oakmont, after 88 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) God refused to stop the Saint Irenaeus Catholic Elementary School from shutting down. Administrators say enrollment has dwindled to only 44 students.

Tennessee: After 70 years the Christian God refuses to stop the shutdown of Tennessee Temple University. Local news reports say some student athletes were told about the shutdown, and were also told not to tell anybody about it.

Texas:   God refuses to stop ‘his’ Southern Methodist University from laying off 100 people! The Christian school will also eliminate 50 vacant jobs. Typical of ‘christians’ the administrators are living in denial, regarding their financial status, calling efforts to cut $35-million from their budget “addressing our slight structural budget deficit”.   In Abilene, McMurry University announced it will layoff 12 people in May, blaming DSS.

Vermont: Lyndon State College laid off five employees, blaming a huge decline in enrollment.

Wisconsin:    In Green Bay, Excel Driving School shutdown without notice. Somehow the state DMV heard of the shutdown before anybody else. The owner of the driving school said he could no longer juggle his personal life with his business. About 250 paid up students looking for answers and refunds.   University of Wisconsin Madison warned of layoffs: “I just want to say how sorry I am. Because some of the people in this room are going to be impacted by cuts. I know how hard you work for this university and this state… we will get through this.”-Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, apologizing for the actions of Right to Work you over gov’na Scott Walker who wants to cut higher education funding by $300-million over the next two years!

Wyoming: God refuses to stop Saint James of the Valley School from shutting down. Church administrators blame it on what some Christians call The Rapture, or what I call DSS.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Into the New Dark Ages as students ‘disappear’ and Obamacare ‘kills’