Tag Archives: martial law

Business/Economics, Idaho

“an economy in distress” Idaho kills thousands of Equine jobs & tens of millions in revenues! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 21 March 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

A warning for people who shop for food in grocery stores: U.S. employee unions are warning that the 2015 Giant Food (based in Netherlands) and Food Lion (based in Belgium) merger will result in the sell-off or shutdown of at least eight Giant and Martin’s grocery stores in Maryland and Virginia!  The sell-off is the result of U.S. anti-trust laws (the same reason Albertsons-Safeway used to trick now bankrupt-dead Haggen into buying 130 failing stores).

The National Association of Realtors said sales of existing homes dropped 7.1% in February.

Idaho: In Garden City, after 40 years The Gem State’s largest horse racing op Les Bois Park suddenly shutdown. It’s the latest victim of a recent decision by A-hole Christian regulators declaring ‘instant horse racing’ machines to be “unconstitutional”! Boise State University conducted an economic study which concluded that Les Bois Park alone generated $50-million USD for Ada County, and provided 536 jobs, all lost now!  The Idaho Horse Council says there will be a domino effect across Idaho’s equine economy: “It’s the feed, the hotels, the traveling, eating… it’s just a trickledown effect. Horses are going to be shipped out of state and that’s income Idaho doesn’t get. That’s devastating for our horse economy.”-Myron Amsden

Indiana: In Mishawaka, Cinemark Six shutting down their dollar movie theater this Thursday.  Local news reports say it’s been for sale for some time, apparently nobody is interested in buying it.

Michigan: Jackson based CMS Energy (aka Consumers Energy) reported they are on track to shutdown seven coal fired electricity power plants, by the end of Spring.  Administrators claim their natural gas fired plant can replace the seven coal fired plants, but they didn’t say what’s going to happen to all those employees.

New Jersey: In Swedesboro, Netherlands based potato starch supplier Royal Ingredients issued a WARN, 80 jobs lost by mid-May.

New York:  In Cohoes, after 26 years Tables Chairs and More shutting down so the owner can retire, blaming the bad economy: “…the overall business conditions aren’t the best, and I don’t think that there has ever been a real full recovery from the recession in 2008, and it’s become more of a struggle.”-Fred Turcotte

North Carolina:  In Durham, after five years G2B Brewery & Restaurant shutting down.  Despite being critically acclaimed they never generated enough sales to pay their expenses.  In Chapel Hill, after six years upscale restaurant One shutting down after the third set of lead chefs (since opening) decided to leave.

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, after 36 years God powerless to stop ‘christian’ education supply store The Apple Tree from shutting down by the end of May, blaming the lack of economic recovery (proving once again the real ‘god’ is money): “…. the sustainability of a small business in an economy in distress and an industry….has become increasingly difficult to remain competitive…” 

Pennsylvania: ‘Life sciences’ drugs maker Morphotek laid off 27 people. What construction industry recovery? Plumbing parts maker Zurn issued a shutdown WARN for their Erie HQ, no layoff numbers made public.  Zurn is moving their HQ to Wisconsin between May and August.  Zurn administrators claim that Wisconsin is the land of “global water industry leaders”, so that’s where the business is.

West Virginia: In Huntington, after 70 years Glaser Furniture shutting down by April.  The owners say their adult children are not interested in carrying on the family business.

Wyoming: After 14 years community owned clothing co-op Powell Mercantile shutting down, blaming locals for buying on the internet or traveling all the way to Billings to do their shopping.  Apparently the co-op is shifting to stores that offer products not easily found elsewhere.  Casper County wants $5-million USD in state taxpayer funding to shutdown their trash dump! And they say that’ll cover only half the costs to shutdown Horsethief Canyon Landfill! Of course the state ordered the shutdown, due to leaking toxic materials.  This is a fine example of how taxpayers are royally screwed over by ‘their’ system.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

“…haven’t been able to get that magic to happen.” Dept of Education falsifies employment numbers! Saudi Arabia controls U.S. refineries? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 19 – 20 March 2016

Japan based electronics maker Toshiba, who was caught out last year cooking its own accounting books revealing that it was actually losing money (over the past seven years), is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  The U.S. investigation is about Toshiba’s U.S. subsidiaries lying about their revenues to avoid paying U.S. taxes, and includes the U.S. nuclear power plant maker/operator Westinghouse (which is now owned by Toshiba).  Toshiba has recently been fined a record $66-million USD by Japan’s Financial Services Agency for lying about their revenues.

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

California: In Sacramento, after more than 20 years furniture store Three Women & an Armoire shutting down by April, blaming jacked up rent and jacked up competition.   In San Mateo, after 60 years Kaufmann’s Cameras shutting down due to the new landlord quadrupling the rent: “… it was very difficult finding someplace in the new economy. I almost kind of doubt we’ll open up a brick and mortar again. We’ll look for it and if we find it we’ll do it, but that’s not our thought right now.”-Warren Kaufmann

Connecticut:  The mayor of Bridgeport laid of the city’s Health Director, who says he doesn’t have the authority to do that and will sue. This is just one of many recent controversal personnel issues that the mayor’s administration claims are attempts to save money, but many critics say it’ll cost the city more money fighting legal actions.

Florida: In Naples, after 45 years, and several armed robberies, Thalheimers Jewelers shutting down due to injuries the owner suffered in a bike accident last year.

Idaho: An update on that false organic seed selling operation that ripped off dozens of farmers east of the Rockies for five years; one of the co-owners of Saul Farms/Bliss Seed pled guilty to mislabeling products.  Prosecutors say the seed sellers sold ‘inorganic’ seed at organic seed prices, getting at least $1 USD per pound more than they should have, resulting in $1.9-million USD in fraudulent sales!  And there’s even more fraud from the Christian dominated Gem State; this time illegal drugs involving a doctor and his family.  In Coeur d’Alene a doctor, his wife and his son appeared in federal court and pled not guilty to charges of running a meth/heroin/oxycodone op that covered the states of Idaho, Washington, Montana, Nevada and North Dakota!    Two of the doctor’s other children pled not guilty at an earlier court appearance.  The FBI and multiple local police agencies from several states made the bust, describing it as a massive drug running-money laundering op. The investigation also included the U.S. Border Patrol.  Local news reports say the doctor was “prominent” in the area and was part of the larger multi-state operation.  This isn’t the first time huge drug running ops have been shutdown in Idaho.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, Gropp’s Famous Fish of Stroh shutting down  due to the retirement of the owners.  The family hopes to make money by licensing its secret recipes.

Louisiana: In Baton Rouge, restaurant supplier Ready Portion Meat shutdown their 56 years old retail operation this past Friday, and eventually will end wholesale ops as well.  It’s connected to the 2013 sale of the company to Washington based government contractor Mobius Industries.  Administrators with Mobius refused to give job loss numbers, but blame the shutdown on crashing sales to the restaurant industry, a 20% crash just last year: “We put a tremendous amount of effort into increasing sales in the last year or two and haven’t been able to get that magic to happen.”-Brian Clayton  (the claim of crashing restaurant industry sales is interesting because every year the National Restaurant Association claims sales are way up)

New York: Lack of funding and students forcing Kenmore Town of Tonawanda District to shutdown the Roosevelt and Hamilton elementary schools and Kenmore Middle School (Junior High damn it, we’re not supposed to be part of the bloody British empire!) next school year.  Local news reports say the district has been trying to figure out a way to cut taxpayer costs since 2012, and this was the best they could do.

North Carolina: The 3rd largest cigarette maker in the U.S. International Textile Group (ITG Brands) laid off 20 salaried employees in Greensboro, as part of their recent massive layoff announcement blamed on declining cigarette sales.

Ohio: In Cleveland, Playmatters Toys shutting down its 20 years old Shaker Square store.  It’s the third Playmatters store to shutdown, apparently there are only two stores left.  Don’t blame competition, local news reports say ever since 2008 dozens of mom-n-pop toy stores in the region have shutdown, Playmatters owner Michael Ziegenhagen confirmed by saying “…we had really strong years before the recession hit in 2008…”

Pennsylvania: In Philadelphia, Perch Pub shutting down next week, the building’s owner wants to construct a hotel.

South Dakota: The state level corruption investigation into the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) has revealed that contractors are lying about employment data, using old employment rosters to pad current employment numbers in order to get more taxpayer money! (in Nigeria it’s called creating Ghost Employees, and they claimed they learned it from the U.S. government) Those bogus employment records were part of contracts with “…former top officials of the state Department of Education, the University of South Dakota and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education.” What’s really scandalous is that no criminal charges have yet to be filed!

Texas: Royal Dutch Shell and Saudi Aramco are splitting up their oil refinery ops in the United States, the result is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia now controls the largest U.S. refinery located at Port Arthur!

Virginia: In Richmond, tonight is the last picture show at the 78 years old Regal Westhampton Cinemas.  Local news reports said the manager told them she was not allowed to publicly say why.

Washington DC: Independently operated Law School Transparency has revealed that only 56% of law school graduates find full employment after graduating, which challenges the official employment placement claims made by the top law schools in the U.S.

Wisconsin: Food service company and construction industry supplier Mantiwoc Company announced layoffs for their operations in Manitowoc and in the state of Pennsylvania. No numbers were given but it’s part of Mantiwoc Company’s “right sizing” which recently included the spinning off it’s construction crane maker subsidiary called Cranes.  In Milwaukee, after 28 years Paintball Dave’s shutting down due to operational costs that now exceed revenues.

Wyoming: In Casper, oil equipment maker Power Service eliminated more than 50 jobs. Administrators admitted that since 2008 they’ve been struggling to control operational costs, but the oil industry downsizing pushed them over the edge.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

18 March 2016: “If the plant goes out this town will dry up!” States admit to ignoring federal unemployment laws!

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.” 

Fukushima

McDonald’s so desperate for employees they turn to Anime!

20 March 2016 (04:04 UTC-07 Tango 01) 01 Farvardin 1395/10 Jumada t-Tania 1437/12 Xin Mao 4714

Five years after the 11 March 2011 disasters began in Japan McDonald’s has been struggling, first with lack of food due to supply cutoff caused by the quake-tsunami-nuke meltdowns, then with fleeing customers caused by contaminated meat from U.S. suppliers using Chinese slaughter houses, now they can’t find anybody to work for them!

https://youtu.be/5e-zAljAgqs

McDonald’s Japan has turned to Anime (cartoons) and the J-Pop group AKB48 Team 8 to recruit high schoolers.  Miyazawa Yasunari, in charge of hiring for McDonald’s, admitted that every year fewer and fewer people apply for a job with the so-called burger joint.  Their new employee recruitment campaign is called Join The Crew.

It’s not just McDonald’s, apparently all U.S. style fast food restaurants in Japan are having trouble finding employees.  Mos Burger has established a call center specifically to recruit potential employees, and

Skylark (sold to evil Mitt Romney co-created vulture capitalist Bain Capital in 2011) is now targeting people over 50 years of age for employment!

Oh, by the way, in January McDonald’s Japan introduced a new version of French Fries covered with chocolate, called McChoco.  Hope you don’t choke on it like the people who ate burgers with human teeth in them!

Currency Wars force foreign investors to flee Japan!

Japan intentionally suiciding teenagers? Or just more gross incompetence by officials!

No more McDonald’s, Japan style? 131 restaurants shutting down due to lack of food? 

Sabotage as McDonald’s investigates food contaminated with metal & even human teeth? 

Report shows that Japanese contracted nuclear plant workers are paid the same wage as McDonald’s! 

McDonald’s, Subway & Starbucks struggle in Japan

International

South Africa accuses Obama Regime USAID of coup attempt!

19 March 2016 /22:04 UTC-07 Tango 01 (30 Esfand 1394/10 Jumada t-Tania 1437/12 Xin Mao 4714)

“We have observed attempts by imperialists to destabilize not just South Africa but the sub-region. They have taken 45 young people to America to train them as part of a leadership program.  What we got from those young people was not is not what they expected; they were trained about destabilizing the country and regime change.”-Zizi Kodwa, African National Congress

Since February there’s been growing accusations that the Obama regime has launched a covert coup attempt in South Africa, some of those accusations come from the very ‘students’ who went to the United States to take part in a program offered by the Obama regime, and the terrorist organization known as USAID.

That program is called Mandela Washington Fellowship-Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and was started by Barack Obama in 2014, ostensibly to “…empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. In 2016, the Fellowship will provide 1,000 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. higher education institution with support for professional development after they return home.”

Note that this YALI logo does not refer to the country of South Africa, instead calling it “southern Africa”, and only mentions one of the three governing cities of South Africa: Pretoria.

Leaders of the ANC claim the YALI program is nothing more than an attempt by the Obama regime to create a type of Arab Spring in South Africa: “Those meetings in the American Embassy are about nothing else other than mobilisation for regime change. We’re aware of a program that takes young people to the United States for six weeks, brings them back and plants them everywhere.”-Gwede Mantashe, African National Congress president

U.S. embassy officials in South Africa have not only denied such claims, but the U.S. ambassador claimed he was too incompetent to do such a thing: “…I always imagined that if I organised a coup it would look like Mardi Gras…”-Patrick Gaspard, twitter tweet

Nigerian Shadow Government: USAID spends millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars every year, and on top of that Nigeria gets millions of U.S. consumer/investor dollars through the Coca-Cola operated Africa Foundation! Now the new Nigerian government uncovers Shadow Government stealing all that money via ‘ghost employees’!

VW diesel scandal: Why is the U.S. terror agency known as USAID pushing the leasing of Electric Vehicles through their Finance and Economic Development program? 

USAID spends more big bucks on vague ‘women’s’ programs! 

USAID spends another $33-million tax dollars!

USAID admits $2-billion scam!

2014 Ebola Outbreak: African burial teams, under the direction of the terror group USAID, have not been burying the dead in prescribed mass graves. 

2014 Ebola Outbreak: United Nations, African Development Bank, USAID, World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other ‘western’ globalist organizations are pushing the use of GM seeds, and even dumping Genetically Modified (possibly modified with deadly organisms like ebola) food aid in African countries. 

More USAID taxpayer rip offs, proving it was all about the oil! 

Proof USAID is a Global drug dealer!

More proof USAID is money laundering!

U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction accuses USAID of corruption!

More free money (your tax money) from World Bank & USAID! 

International

Operation Jupiter: Women caught operating massive illegal vaccine business!

19 March 2016 (17:01 UTC-07 Tango 01) 29 Esfand 1394/09 Jumada t-Tania 1437/11 Xin Mao 4714

A five years mom-n-daughter vaccine running operation was finally shutdown.  The women are accused of illegally buying vaccines then selling them on the street, and even to some legitimate clinics at greatly jacked up prices.

Police say the women were posing as legal buyers, getting most of their vaccines from legal manufacturers, however, they avoided the mandatory secure shipping methods, did not refrigerate the vaccines (also a requirement, because vaccines actually spoil in the heat), and many of the vaccines are suspected to have been diluted to increase their profit margin.

It happened in 18 of China’s provinces generating at least $88-million USD for the two faux vaccine sales-women!  They were finally arrested by the Jinan Public Security Bureau in Shandong Province.

The illegal vaccine running was discovered back in January-February when Jinan Public Security Bureau’s Food and Drug Department was tipped off about a warehouse full of spoiling vaccines.   Chinese health administrators warned that spoiled “….vaccines have potential side-effects and can even cause disability or death.”

25 types of vaccines were found including vaccines for influenza, hepatitis and rabies.  Local news reports say when the investigators made the bust ’employees’ inside the warehouse were scrambling to “destroy the evidence”.

But wait, there’s more!  The two women arrested are just the tip of illegal vaccine iceberg as Jinan Public Security Bureau believes the massive operation also includes more than 1-hundred pharmacies and a suspected 3-hundred individuals!

Operation Jupiter: Massive Syphilis outbreak near U.S. military base! Not 1st, 2nd or 3rd time U.S. govt spread the disease!

Operation Jupiter: For past 40 years a major Vaccine maker lied about how they make vaccines!

Business/Economics, Idaho

“If the plant goes out this town will dry up!” States admit to ignoring federal unemployment laws! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 18 March 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Colorado: Employment administrators with The Centennial State admit they ignore federal unemployment laws: “We have no enforcement authority. We can’t call companies and say we’re hearing about layoffs.”-Bill Thoennes, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, who says people screwed over by their employers are told to hire their own lawyer (hey, that happened to me and a dozen of my co-workers here in the Right to Work [you over] state of Idaho, back in 2012)

Connecticut: Xpect Discounts announced it will exodus The Constitution State, shutting down all remaining four of its stores and laying off more than 1-hundred people, by the end of the month! At one time they had seven stores in-state.    Evil Too Big to Jail British empire taxpayer owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) issued several layoff WARNs, 37 people in Stamford losing their jobs between now and May.  West Hartford Walmart shutting down mid-April, 111 jobs lost! Back in August 2015, laser maker Lumentum announced it will shutdown their Bloomfield factory. Now they’ve revealed how many jobs will be killed; 231 by October!  Georgia based cardboard box maker WestRock shutdown their Uncasville factory, 87 jobs lost this past Wednesday.  Germany based Siemens Healthcare shutting down their Brookfield diagnostics ops, at least 236 jobs lost by March 2018!  Retailer Macy’s shutting down their Enfield store, 104 jobs lost by the end of the month!  Hallmark Cards shutting down their Enfield warehouse-distribution operation, 553 jobs gone by Summer!

Florida: In Center Hill, Central Beef issued a WARN, 214 jobs being eliminated between now and the end of May!  For nearly a decade the meat packager was dumping water contaminated with salt and feces onto a rancher’s property. It took the rancher filing several court actions, and a plant manager turning whistleblower, to get any of the state and federal government agencies to act!  The dumping was stopped, however, criminal charges against the food company were eventually dropped.  So far there’s no explanation for the mass layoffs.

Idaho: Is ObamaCare at fault for the shooting death of a 60 years old man in the parking lot of an Idaho Falls hospital?  It happened today, in the parking lot of the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), police are investigating the true cause of the shooting.  It was just a few months ago that the director of EIRMC testified to Failed State ‘lawmakers’ that their version of ObamaCare was directly responsible for the deaths of at least 1-thousand Idahoans!  And just yesterday Idaho senator Dan Schmidt gave back his state taxpayer funded health plan to protest republicans’ continued refusal to close the ObamaCare gap responsible for such deaths. 

Illinois: After 152 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) law firm Schiff Hardin laid off 11 lawyers, and back in January 22 left voluntarily.  Administrators are now blaming its “realignment” on the 22 who voluntarily left.  In Niles, Meijer department store shutting down in June, no word on how many employees will become unemployed.  There was no explanation for the shutdown either, although Meijer recently used the excuse of age to shutdown their huge Columbus, Ohio, store.

Maine: In Portland, after 40 years Paul’s Food Center shutting down, and being sold-off due to the death of the owner.

Massachusetts: Rockland Trust has taken over Bank of Cape Cod and as a result will shutdown all Bank of Cape Cod offices that are located near Rockland Trust offices.  Administrators claim they will try to find jobs for the soon to be former Bank of Cape Cod employees.

New York: Harlem Hand Carwash issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC ops on Adam Clayton Powell Junior Boulevard, due to “non renewal of the lease”, 34 jobs lost by the end of the month.  Also in totally corrupt NYC, a non-profit (sure) political organization connected to the current mayor shutdown.  Campaign for One New York had been accused of operating as a ‘shadow government’, and official investigation requests have been filed.  So called ‘mayor’ de Blassio would only comment “The work is done….bottom line.”  In Buffalo, the Blue Monk beer church (just kidding) shutting down sometime between April and May.  A co-owner of the brew-pub says his partner is also the landlord’s son, and they no longer get along!

Oregon: Washington based Starbucks coffee rip-off artist suddenly shutting down their Lancaster Mall shop this weekend.  The press release gave no explanation why, and local news sources said even the employees refused to talk!

Pennsylvania: Another fine example of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL). Pittsburgh based US Steel issued mass layoff WARNs in Alabama and Texas saying at least 8-hundred people will become unemployed! It’s blamed on crashing orders for oil pipe from the oil industry.

Rhode Island: The evil state is finally shutting down a nursing home after years of multiple accusations of abuse, and even a death of a disabled resident!  The taxpayer funded College Park Apartments will shutdown next week.

Virginia: Just a few of days after announcing the end of 530 jobs,  British empire based-U.S. tax sucking BAE reduced those layoffs to 265 shipyard jobs gone by the end of the month! Administrators credit new contracts for work, but warn they’re only good ’till May, meaning more possible layoffs.  BAE also laid off 345 employees in November and December last year.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Altavista, bearing maker Timken shutting down their factory, 125 jobs lost by Spring 2017! Just like the rest of corporate America, Ohio based Timken is consolidating operations: “Everybody here works up there at Timken. It’s just the life of a small industrial town… If the plant goes out this town will dry up!”-Corrie Thacker, Altavista resident

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

16 March 2016: “Shame on us!”

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.”

Business/Economics

Sears Kmart update 18 March 2016: “We will rightsize the labor…” Kmart takes over Target? Sears gets “protection” for retirees!

In Australia, after denials the Castle Hills’ Kmart admitted they will shutdown, but only for the remodeling of the Castle Towers shopping mall. Not known when it will re-open.  Castle Hills is located in The Hills Shire of New South Wales.

While Kmarts shutdown in the United States, a new Kmart opens in New Zealand.  The new Kmart is the second for the city of Tauranga and is part of the new Bethlehem Town Centre mall.  It should be noted that Kmarts in Australia and New Zealand are owned by an Australian based company called Wesfarmers, not the inept U.S. based Sears Holdings.   And here’s a shocker, the chief executive officer of Wesfarmers’ Kmart is now the chief executive officer of Target, and as of today is running both Australian retailers at the same time!  Target Australia was originally owned by Coles Group, but Wesfarmers took over Coles Group in 2007.  So in the Land Down Under Kmart is the top dog and owns Target! (more proof that everything in the Southern Hemisphere is opposite the Northern Hemisphere)

Sears Canada still in trouble after all the cuts it has made.  Now they’re trying to sell off their Calgary store, and then pay rent on it!  This is just an accounting shell game way of raising short term cash to pay debts!  In the long run it’s gonna bite them in the ass.  Sears Canada administrators also stated, today, that they need to cut another $126-million CAD in costs! Their end of 2015 holiday quarterly sales were down by 0.8%, but actual revenue fell by 8.7%.  Despite that, they reported a profit for the quarter due only to the sale of their evil money grubbing JP Morgan Chase credit card contract (sold to the evil British empire Bank of New Scotland [Nova Scotia]).

Sears Canada just signed a new ‘point of sale’ financing deal with a company called goeasy.com (aka BRIEF-goeasy, aka easyhome Leasing).   The company’s main forte is financing backed by real estate. They also loan money to businesses that “…may not be able to purchase merchandise due to a lack of credit or insufficient cash resources…”  

And back in the States, is Sears Holdings prepping for the end?  Today they announced they placed their employee retirement program under the “protection” of Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.  The plan is to protect the retirement funds by a “ring fence” of real estate assets.  Sears Holdings claims they’ve been doing this on their own since 2006, so why contract it out now?  Maybe it’s just another of Eddie Lampert’s accounting shell games: “Concluding this agreement is another positive step forward for the Company; it preserves the Company’s operational and financial flexibility to continue with the transformation and provides meaningful protections…..”-Edward S. Lampert, ceo

On 10 March, billionaire Bruce Berkowitz’s Fairholme Capital revealed it dumped 706,600 shares of Sears Holdings at the beginning of the month.  Fairholme Capital still owns 25% of Sears Holdings.

02 MARCH 2016 :  BLAME IT ON THE DEMISE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS?

Here’s the updated list of U.S. store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011, new closing revelations in BOLD:

Arizona: The Prescott Valley Kmart shutting down by April 2016. No word on how many jobs lost, but one employee was quoted by local news as saying “Walmart won.” Local news reports say there is a Now Hiring sign posted on the Kmart store front. Reports that the Glendale Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors. Recently revealed Arrowhead Towne Center Sears sold-off then rented back! Chandler Fashion Center Sears sold-off then rented back!

Alabama: Prattville Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 70 jobs lost. Florence Kmart in March, 64 jobs lost in 2016. A local news report said the employees knew nothing about it and were shocked to hear it from the news media! Dothan Kmart (south side of Ross Clark Circle) shutting down in March, 56 jobs lost in 2016. Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost), Sears Store and Auto Center at the Bel Air Mall in Mobile (more than 100 jobs lost).

California: On 10 March the Garden Center roof of the Santa Rosa Kmart collapsed during a rain storm.  Fire inspectors said the roof was already compromised due to dry rot before the rain storm, a local news reporter said managers knew about the condition of the roof because it was sagging, and they called in contractors. The contractors tried to prop up the roof before the rain storm hit.   Anaheim Kmart shutting down, 107 jobs lost in 2016! The Chula Vista Kmart, San Mateo Sears and Citrus Heights Kmart shutting down between March and April 2016, a total of 3-hundred jobs lost! El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (98 jobs lost), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings. San Mateo Kmart being demolished to make room for 599 unit apartment complex, as part of the the Hayward Park Caltrain Station project. Atwater Kmart (74 jobs lost), Los Banos Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: The Lutz Kmart shutting down by March 2016, 62 jobs lost. The 46 years old Daytona Beach Kmart, on International Speedway Boulevard, is shutting down by mid-March 2016, 86 jobs lost. Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost). Dicks Sportings Goods subleasing space in an existing Sears store in Palm Beach Gardens.

Georgia: The 37 years old Carrollton Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016. Dublin Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 71 jobs lost. Milledgeville Kmart shutdown in April 2016, 60+ jobs lost. Mount Berry Square Mall (Rome) Sears and Auto Center shutting down in March 2016, 86 jobs lost. Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Iconic 25 years old Nimitz HWY Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart shutting down in March 2016, 141 jobs lost! Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Boise Kmart on Fairview shutting down by mid-March 2016, 56 jobs lost. Pocatello Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 65 jobs lost. Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost).

Illinois: Eliminated 401 Hoffman Estates HQ jobs due to crappy 2015 holiday sales! 151 of those jobs were already vacant. Morton ‘green’ Kmart shutting down by the end of April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Canton Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 38 jobs lost. Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. North Mayfair Kmart (99 jobs lost), Chicago Kmart at 5033 North Elston Avenue (99 jobs lost). By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Bloomington’s College Mall Sears & Auto Center shutting down by mid-June 2016, at least 52 jobs lost.  In Schererville, Sears Hardware shutting down in April 2016. Terre Haute Kmart by April, 62 jobs lost. Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (68 jobs lost), Bloomington Sears to be replaced by Whole Foods grocery store.

Iowa: Ottumwa Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 38 jobs lost. Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September), 56 years old Mason City Sears & Auto Center (more than 100 jobs lost). Davenport Kmart (59 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Kansas: North Topeka Kmart shutting down in 2016, 49 jobs lost. Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown, Laplace Sears Hometown Store.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost), Aroostook Centre Mall Sears Auto Center leased out to VIP Tires & Service.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost), Parkville Kmart (102 jobs lost), California Kmart (71 jobs lost), Sears Hometown Store in Perryville.

Massachusetts: Fairhaven Sears Appliance & Hardware shutting down by mid-April. Local news reports said the ignorant employees actually thought the shutdown notice was a joke! I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News.  79 jobs lost as the Fall River Kmart shuts down in May 2016. North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost). Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive shutdown. Also, the Braintree South Shore Plaza Sears store is renting out an entire floor to Ireland based Primark. Even with the lease to Primark there is still 4-thousand square feet of vacant space in the Sears store. The Sears at the Auburn Mall shutdown on Black Friday due to electrical fire. The store was experiencing electrical problems, an investigation is underway.

Michigan: The Bradley Kmart has a new owner who is shutting it down in 2016. Retailer Meijer bought the Kmart property for $5-million USD. The Kmart will be shutdown in May, but the new Meijer store won’t be ready until 2018. The Sears and Auto Center in Fort Gratiot shutting down by mid-March, 48 jobs lost. Ironwood Kmart by mid-April, 47 jobs lost. Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million! Shakopee Kmart distribution center shutdown and sold-off for $17-million in 2013, now it’s finally getting a new tenant; snowmobile and electric cart maker Polaris Industries will rent out a fraction of the building to use as their new parts warehouse. The Kmart Plaza in Sandusky sold to “A group of investors”, no word on what will happen to the Kmart store.

Minnesota: Dundas Kmart by April 2016, 32 jobs lost. Thunderbird Mall Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 48 jobs lost. Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: The 44 years old Greenville Kmart shutting down in April, no word on job losses. Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lodi Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 75 jobs lost. Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost), Closter Kmart (102 jobs lost), Vineland Kmart (74 jobs lost). After 18 years Sears Holdings shutdown their Roselle Sears Hardware store due to “landlord issues”.

New Mexico: Albuquerque’s Coronado Center Sears suddenly shutdown their Auto Center, and will reduce the size of the main store by 50% within two months. Sears goon Howard Riefs stated “We will rightsize the labor…”, but gave no numbers. The ‘rightsizing’ of the Coronado Center store is in partnership with one of my evil former employers, mall owner GGP.   SearsLas Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Staten Island Mall Sears Auto Center will shutdown in February, 20 jobs lost. Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford (Sangertown Mall) Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost), Lancaster Kmart sold for $1.7-million to Dave’s Christmas Wonderland. Herkimer Sears Hometown, Saranac Lake Sears Hometown the ‘independent’ co-owners said Sears Holdings forced them to shutdown. Melville Appliance Repair Division (31 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost), Greenville Kmart (75 jobs lost), Kinston Sears Hometown Store shutdown with little notice, Lexington Sears Hometown Store.

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: 78 jobs lost as the Lancaster Kmart is shutting down in May 2016. 18 jobs lost as the Dixie Highway Sears Hardware shuts down this Friday. The 28 years old Sears and its Auto Center in New Philadelphia shutting down by mid-April 2016, 46 jobs lost. Without warning the Medina Sears Appliance & Hardware Store shutdown. Warren Kmart on Parkman Road NW will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. Zanesville Kmart shutting down mid-April 2016, 47 jobs lost. Steubenville Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 65 jobs lost. Boardman Kmart by April 2016, 81 jobs lost. Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost), Tiffin Sears Hometown Store. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost), Tulsa BigKmart (51 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost). Ontario Kmart (55 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Reports that the Exton Kmart will shutdown, no word on job losses. Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark, East Towne Mall Kmart (51 jobs lost), Frackville Kmart in the Skuylkill Mall (80 jobs lost), Mount Pocono Kmart (66 jobs lost), Fairless Hills Sears Hardware. Granite Run Mall shutdown, meaning the Sears and Sears Auto Center now apparently on a month to month (possibly day to day) lease are soon to follow. Brookhaven Kmart (89 jobs lost).

Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).

South Carolina: 61 jobs lost as the North Augusta Kmart is shutting down by May 2016. Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

South Dakota: The Pierre Kmart shutting down by the end of March 2016, 45 jobs lost. The Michell Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 52 jobs lost. Spearfish Kmart (51 jobs lost), Sturgis Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Tennessee: The Murfreesboro Kmart shutting down by the end of April, 43 jobs lost. A Memphis Sears and Auto Center (on Poplar Avenue) shutting down in April, 109 jobs lost! Clarksville Kmart shutting down in April, 68 jobs lost. Cleveland Kmart shutting down by mid-March 2016, 67 jobs lost. Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears, Nashville Bellevue Center Sears & Auto Center (at least 44 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost), Simon Property Group owned McAllen Sears store & Auto Center (so far no word on how many jobs will be lost), recently revealed Palestine Sears Hometown (franchise owner quit to work as assistant manager at a local Dollar General). Wichita Falls Sikes Senter Mall Sears (56 jobs lost).

Utah: 35 years old Richfield Kmart will shutdown in April 2016, 63 jobs lost. North Logan Kmart shutting down by April 2016, 58 jobs lost. Murray Sears (local news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost), Provo Kmart demolished in anticipation of yet another AtHome furniture store.

Vermont: The Bennington Sears Hometown Store shutdown. Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), South Burlington Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Virginia: The Cedar Bluff (50 jobs lost), Covington (36 jobs lost) and Virginia Beach on General Booth Boulevard (no job numbers reported) Kmarts shutting down between March and April 2016! The Sears Hometown Store in Culpeper shutting down by the end of the month. Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Winchester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 jobs lost), Virginia Beach Hilltop Square Shopping Center Kmart (82 jobs lost).

Washington: Eatonville Sears Hometown store. Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: Superior Kmart shutting down in April 2016, 42 jobs lost. West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost), Wauwatosa Kmart (103 jobs lost).

In April 2015, Sears Holdings (through Seritage Growth Properties) and General Growth Properties (GGP) became 50/50 joint owners of 12 Sears stores.

Here’s a list of 11 Sears stores 100% owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

Currency Wars force foreign investors to flee Japan!

17 March 2016 /21:49 UTC-07 Tango 01 (27 Esfand 1394/07 Jumada t-Tania 1437/09 Xin Mao 4714)

“The market is saying we’re worried no matter what Yellen says and shows there can be no real relief until we can truly see what’s happening in the U.S. economy.”-Wako Juichi, Nomuro Holdings strategist essentially blaming Japan’s investor exodus on the United States

Foreign investors have sold-off a record amount of stocks in Japanese companies. Could this be the final death blow to an economy that’s been struggling since the 1990s?

Foreigners make up 70% of the investments in Japan and for the past ten weeks they’ve been dumping those investments at record rates.

Tokyo Stock Exchange reports that just last week ‘bears’ beat out ‘bulls’ by $10.7-billion USD, beating the last record sell-off from 1987!

The number one concern of foreign investors is the value of the yen (JPY) against the U.S. dollar (USD).

An analyst with Citi Group’s Citi Research also blames the neo-imerialist government’s tax increases (part of what’s called Abenomics).

Others blame the Bank of Japan’s controversial use of negative interest rates. Believe it or not, yesterday Bank of Japan said they could drop rates even more!

“wild swings in currency” killing U.S. shoe stores?

Currency wars kill tens of thousands of U.S. jobs! 

How the Currency Wars can double your profits without increasing sales! 

Currency Wars Pushing Global Inflation

Business/Economics, Idaho

“Shame on us!” Idaho Democrat gives back taxpayer funded health insurance! Using less electricity gets your rates jacked up! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 17 March 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

China is leading the world in dumping a record amount of U.S. Treasury Bonds: 

Yesterday I noted that Michigan is suffering from increased violence (which is directly impacting businesses), and noted that lead poisoning is directly connected to violent behavior.  Now, a USA Today report revealed that at least 350 water suppliers to public schools across the United States are serving up lead contaminated water!   Is that the real reason for increased school violence? (stop blaming guns)

Arizona: More proof you brick-n-mortar store owners can’t directly blame the internet/high tech for your demise; Washington DC based e-commerce Living Social shutting down their Tucson call center, 160 jobs lost by the end Spring!  Administrators claim the bad economy is forcing them to restructure, and they warned the call center shutdown was just “the initial phase” (even though they’ve eliminated 6-hundred jobs since 2014!).

California: Plumas Unified School District laying off ten teachers due to lack of taxpayer funding.  Wisconsin based Kohl’s shutting down eight department stores by June, about 8-hundred jobs lost!  San Francisco based drugs dealer McKesson eliminating at least 1-thousand 6-hundred jobs due to the loss of several buyers!  In San Diego, non-profit Scripps Health eliminating 1-hundred jobs, blaming ObamaCare: “….Scripps is financially strong, but we cannot continue to allow our costs and operations to rise while our revenue continues to be flat.”-Chris Van Gorder, ceo who took over in 2002 promising “no layoffs” 

Florida: Kohl’s shutting down two department stores by June; Hialeah and Tallahassee, about 2-hundred jobs lost! The owners of three Denmark Interiors stores have shut them down and sold them off to fund their retirement!

Georgia: Kohl’s shutting down three department stores by June; Roswell, Lithonia and Atlanta, about 3-hundred jobs lost!

Idaho: The biggest electricity supplier in The Gem State is asking for a 2.2% increase (more than $2 per month for ‘average’ users) in utility bills.  Idaho Power says current rates are not allowing them to cover their “fixed costs” of operations. What’s not being reported is that more and more Idaho Power customers are using less electricity, and Idaho Power administrators expect that to continue, that’s the true reason for the rate jack up!   Idaho senator Dan Schmidt gave back his state taxpayer funded health plan to protest republicans continued refusal to ‘close the healthcare gap’, which according to an east Idaho hospital director has directly caused at least 1-thousand deaths in Idaho since ObamaCare was imposed: “I don’t think it’s fair that I get the taxpayers of Idaho to buy me health insurance, and we’re not willing to look at that problem for our other citizens who don’t have that benefit….  …And shame on us for not solving it!” -Dan Schmidt

Some good news for Idaho; New York based yogurt maker Chobani announced plans to expand what is already the world’s largest yogurt factory, in Twin Falls, primarily to make products for sale in Mexico! (yesterday I reported how Idaho’s ag industry was addicted to Mexican money)

Illinois:  Kohl’s shutting down their Saint Charles department store by June, about 1-hundred jobs lost!  Barrington District 220 notified 114 employees of layoffs, saying they’re prepping for the state ‘lawmakers’ to cut their funding by $2.6-million USD!  God powerless to stop ObamaCare from forcing ‘his’ Catholic Presence Health to eliminate 7-hundred jobs through attrition and outright layoffs! CEO Michael Englehart said ObamaCare was forcing them “to get in line”.

Massachusetts:  In New Bedford, Flagship Cinemas shutting down in August due of the A-hole city administrators who secretly rezoned the property: “….they rezoned the space to industrial about two and a half years ago and city officials wanted nothing to do with a movie theater anymore.”-John Crowley, who said city administrators never notified him of the zoning change

Michigan:  In Lansing, 50 years old restaurant House of ING shutting down by the end of the month.  The owner says he must focus on his other restaurants.

New Jersey:  Kohl’s shutting down their Princeton department store by June, about 1-hundred jobs lost!

New York: It’s been revealed that troubled NYC based restaurant chain Fig & Olive eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs, revealed by at least four former employees.  Fig & Olive had to shutdown restaurants back in 2015 because of a salmonella outbreak.

North Carolina:  Kohl’s shutting down their Charlotte department store by June, about 1-hundred jobs lost! 

Pennsylvania:  Cancer treatment center Helomics eliminating 125 jobs in Pittsburgh by mid-April!

Texas:  In Houston, after two years Georges Bistro shutting down by the end of the month, the husband and wife immigrant owners (who’re longtime Houston restauranteurs) are getting the hell outta Dodge and returning to their home country of France!

Washington: In Bellingham, Medicare policy seller Sterling Insurance shutting down their Barkley District office, 55 jobs lost by May.  Too Big to Jail (provocateur of the home foreclosure scandal) California based Wells Fargo issued a layoff WARN for their Vancouver Mortgage Servicing office, to take place by April.

Washington DC:  The Obama regime is giving $35-million USD in taxpayer funding to coal mining communities hit hard by the Hillary Clinton admitted conspiracy to shutdown the coal industry.

Wisconsin: In Fond du Loc, after 17 years Trinkets ‘n Treasures Arts & Crafts & More shutting down by the end of the month.  The store owner is selling the property to fund her retirement, but also admitted her sales crashed after 2008.  After more than 1-hundred years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Kremer Pharmacy shutdown.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”

Business/Economics, Idaho

4 years later Sandy officially kills New Jersey! Michigan violence skyrockets, is it the water? Idaho Ag industry reveals addiction to Mexico! Military behind oil industry shutdown? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 16 March 2016

Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Alabama: In Huntsville, Haysland Square Shopping Center losing two stores in one blow; Goody’s and Burkes Outlet, between now and the end of April.

California:  Premium Transportation-Total Transportation Services claiming chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing lawsuit brought by its contracted drivers, and blaming “downward pricing pressure from some of its major clients”.  The trucking company is also facing other lawsuits and claims to have lost $4-million USD fighting recent court actions (this is a lesson in why you should treat your employees and clients with respect), they also spent a lot of money on hydrogen powered trucks.   After 18 years the Lafayette Art Gallery shutting down due to sales so low they can’t pay their rent.   Office Depot shutting down their Pleasant Hill store in April, directly blaming “The overlapping retail footprint created by the merger of Office Depot and OfficeMax in 2013…” In El Segundo, after ten years restaurant Farm Stand shutting down next week.  The owners hope to open a new restaurant with new partners somewhere in Los Angeles, sometime next year.

Connecticut:  Expect mass hospital layoffs as gov’na Malloy is refusing to issue $140-million USD in payments to state hospitals!  To show you how much The Constitution State is a Failed State, republican ‘lawmakers’ claim they’re willing to cut their own pay by 10% in order to get a budget passed!  In Derby, a 15 years old Walmart is shutting down by the end of July, 150 jobs lost!

Idaho: In Boise, after only four months the brand new Boise Co-op grocery store located at The Village at Meridian laid off 29 employees, due to lack of sales!  Boise Co-op opened the store in November 2015, expecting big sales because Maureen Valko, Boise Co-op marketing manager, assumed there was a demand for their products saying  “There’s a demand for a good, natural food store on this side of town….”  It should be noted that in 2015 Boise Co-op was hit with numerous health code violations by city inspectors, in connection to a June 2015 salmonella outbreak at an older store.  So much for ‘natural foods’.  Also in Boise, it was revealed that Idaho Heritage Inn was sold-off last month, the former owner blames a 20% crash in bookings on Airbnb.com.  However, it should be noted that the bed-n-breakfast owner accepted a healthy offer from Saint Luke’s Medical Center for the land.  And just how addicted to Mexican money is Idaho?  Recently Mexico’s Minister of Trade Armando Orellana died.  Idaho’s government and agriculture industry are officially mourning Orellana as he’s credited for making Idaho a major ag partner for Mexico, generating $191-million USD in sales for Idaho’s minority (mainly corporate owned now) farmers-ranchers, just in 2015:  “Idaho agriculture lost a great friend. He touched many lives over the years and the tragic loss of Armando will be felt throughout Idaho.”-Celia Gould, Idaho Department of Agriculture   (Idaho even has its own website promoting itself in Mexico)

Kansas:  Parsons based oil industry Tank Connection Affiliate Group revealed it conducted two rounds of layoffs, but still refuses to say how many people lost their jobs.  We will never know, because people who get severance when they’re laid off are not counted in the government’s ‘official’ unemployment reports.

Kentucky: Yet more of what I call Ripple Effect Layoffs (REL) as Florida based rail transporter CSX eliminating more jobs, this time an additional 101 Russell facility workers being let go.  CSX has been eliminating jobs since 2015, blaming the oil industry.

Maine: Penobscot Valley Hospital eliminating 10 jobs due to crashing revenues.  Administrators say the hospital has been losing money since 2012 due to declining local population.

Massachusetts: In Needham, after 18 years Cowlicks Deli suddenly shutdown last Thursday.  It’s due to the new landlord refusing to renew the lease.  The new landlord is convenience store chain 7-Eleven.

Michigan: In Lansing, violence being blamed for the shutdown of Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge.  The owner is voluntarily shutting it down after police responded to 60 calls of violence in 2015.  Is there something in the water? (there is a connection between lead poisoning and violent behavior)  And speaking of health, Blue Cross Blue Shield eliminated 22 IT jobs, as part of their bigger plan to eliminate $300-million USD in Michigan jobs by 2018, no thanks to ObamaCare!  Farmington Public Schools approved the shutdown/repurposing of three schools. The school district has lost 12% of its student population since 2000, causing an $11-million USD reduction in taxpayer funding.

New Jersey: Proof of no recovery four years after Hurricane Sandy, in fact many coastal communities are officially Failed States as taxes were jacked up and nothing was done to return things to ‘normal’.  The biggest proof is that tax revenues are down despite tax rates being jacked up.

Pennsylvania: Iconic Meadville based hand-tool maker Channellock laid off 15 managers, “In order to remain competitive….”  J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital eliminated 11 jobs, and is being forced by ObamaCare to eliminate inpatient care and focus on outpatient services.  Brockie Internal Medicine, Pine Grove Adult Medicine and Saint Charles Internal Medicine all shutting down! ObamaCare forcing them to be consolidated into one operation called WellSpan Internal Medicine, with a lot fewer employees.

Tennessee: God powerless to stop ‘his’ Texas owned Saint Francis Hospital from laying off 33 people. Administrators said ObamaCare was forcing them to do business “more efficiently.”

Texas:  Albertsons-Safeway shutting down their Plano Albertsons on Custer Road.  Local news reports say Albertsons-Safeway is not responding to inquiries, but unnamed employees say the grocery store will shutdown by the end of April.  In Longview, blaming the oil industry Trinity Tank Car announced that 6-hundred local employees will become unemployed with “no expectation of recall”!

Washington: Xerox notified 325 call center employees they are about to lose their jobs!  The call center in Redmond will shutdown in May.

Washington DC: President Barack Obama reneged on yet another ‘promise’ refusing to lease oil drilling rights in the Artic and off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.  Don’t go praising (or condemning) environmental wackos, point the finger at the U.S. Department of Defense.  The DoD objects to the oil drilling locations because they would interfere with “live training events” for the military.   (low oil prices might also have something to do with it)  Taxpayer funded United Medical Center eliminating 112 jobs as a result of demands by city administrators to reduce costs by $10-million!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

15 March 2016: “I never thought it would end!”

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.”