Solution: Evolution Losing Groups

[Adam Voigt]

Ok, this is really a cop-out, but I don't have time to try and browse
through Evolution's thousands of lines of code, so a simple changing of
permissions as a workaround fixed the groups disappearing.

So, if anyone is having there groups disappear, this should fix it:

chmod ug-w ~/evolution/shortcuts.xml

That will make you unable to add new groups, but atleast your current
ones will stop disappearing.

Thanks everyone for helping out.

-- 

Adam Voigt
adam at kotisprop.com