Wal-Mart Loses—Again
May 31, 2007
Citizens are celebrating — again — in Gresham, Oregon today. Sprawl-Busters reported on December 10, 2006 that Wal-Mart had decided to appeal the 57-page decision
May 2007
Special Permit On Big Box Stores Passes Unanimously
May 30, 2007
Large scale retail projects in the town of Blacksburg, Virginia will face a lot more scrutiny because of a new zoning law passed yesterday. On
‘Job Zone’ Just Corporate Welfare For Wal-Mart
May 30, 2007
It’s not often that merchants stand up and fight openly against Wal-Mart, but the owner of a Giant Eagle grocery store in Penns Hills, Pennsylvania
More Tortoises Endangered By Mall
May 30, 2007
Call it an eleventh hour reprieve for some endangered animals. A mall developer has had to step back and count the tortoises — at least
Wal-Mart Smells New Market in Newmarket
May 29, 2007
Everywhere Wal-Mart has stepped along the seacoast of New Hampshire, controversy has followed. In towns like Stratham and Exeter, New Hampshire, Sprawl-Busters worked with local
Empty Wal-Mart Remains An Eyesore
May 27, 2007
The City of Sarnia, in the Canadian province of Ontario, is a community of 70,000 people on the shores of Lake Huron. Sarnia is one
Wal-Mart Bounced Out of Spring
May 26, 2007
On January 25, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had attempted to use the court system to intimidate public officials in Spring Township, Pennsylvania. Wal-Mart took
Residents Say No Public Subsidy for Wal-Mart
May 25, 2007
On April 28, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart’s plans to build a supercenter in Spooner, Wisconsin had hit a major speed bump. The city, the
After Losing Once, Is Wal-Mart Back Again?
May 24, 2007
On April 20, 2006, Sprawl- Busters reported that citizens in Pajaro,California were celebrating the announcement by Wal-Mart that they won’t be building a proposed superstore
Judge Gives Wal-Mart Green Light After Long Fight
May 22, 2007
Sprawl-Busters first wrote about Wal-Mart’s battle to get into American Canyon, California on July 11, 2004. Now, almost three years later, and a costly court
Wal-Mart Pays $750,000 For Killing Shoplifter
May 20, 2007
How much is a life worth at Wal-Mart? Apparently some lives come with an everyday low price. For one man at a Wal-Mart in Texas,
Wal-Mart Supercenters Create More Traffic Than Projected
May 20, 2007
If there is a Bible in the world of traffic engineers, it is the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Manual, which is currently in its
Target Developer Accused Of Forging Support Letters
May 20, 2007
On April 6, 2007, Sprawl-Busters introduced a project called the “East Washington Place,” a large development in Petaluma, California, situated between the Sonoma County Fair
Officials Could Reject Stores That Are Too Big
May 19, 2007
Sprawl-Busters has noted for years that many citizens “hate the box” but love what’s inside. Bargain shoppers will ignore the environmental impacts of a huge
Citizens Settle Lawsuit Against Home Depot
May 19, 2007
On November 19, 2004, Sprawl-Busters began the story of a citizens group’s efforts to block the construction of a Home Depot store in the Coconut
One Wal-Mart Worker’s Story of ‘Terrorism’ On The Job
May 18, 2007
This week, Sprawl-Busters received a 5,900 word statement from an Arabic-born American about his work experience in a Wal-Mart store photolab in Delaware. His report
TIAA-CREF Urged To Divest Wal-Mart Stock
May 17, 2007
TIAA-CREF (TC), the nation’s largest pension system, proclaims itself a leader in corporate/social responsibility, as well as in customer satisfaction. Although its tagline is “financial
‘Lifestyle’ Mall Ends Its Life
May 16, 2007
One of New England’s most prolific large-scale retail developers has ended his efforts to build a massive, 2 million s.f. project in Hudson, New Hampshire.
Wal-Mart Supercenter Drops Overnight Hours
May 16, 2007
In communities all across the country, citizens groups are fighting Wal-Mart and town officials to block the opening of 24 hour supercenters. Overnight operations don’t
Wal-Mart Hopes To Move In Without A Single Vote
May 15, 2007
One Wal-Mart is one more than enough for the residents of Tempe, Arizona. The announcement that Wal-Mart wants to build a second superstore in this
Wal-Mart Stirs Another Controversy at Virginia Tech
May 14, 2007
In the heart of the south, where no unions tread, the battle against Wal-Mart continues to rage, underneath the radar of the major media, which
Wal-Mart Offers To Shrink Store
May 12, 2007
The last time Sprawl-Busters clocked-in on Austin, Texas was on February 11, 2007 when we reported that an estimated crowd of 2,500 Wal-Mart opponents had
Manufacturing Jobs Gone, Wal-Mart Arrives
May 12, 2007
The shoe industry is long gone from Johnson City, New York. Now, instead of manufacturing jobs, residents can buy shoes made in China at their
County Slam Dunks 4th Wal-Mart Supercenter
May 12, 2007
Sprawl-Busters has posted stories about the Hernando County, Florida area for at least six years. The area has been flooded with Wal-Mart stores, beyond any
Women’s Groups Challenge Wal-Mart On Mother’s Day
May 12, 2007
In honor of Mother’s Day, many of the nation’s most influential women’s groups signed a joint letter that calls on Wal-Mart to address its record
Independent Economic Impact Study Bill Gains Support
May 9, 2007
Big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe’s and Home Depot don’t want local officials to understand the real economic impact of their huge proposals on
Wal-Mart Annexation Get Dumped
May 9, 2007
Wal-Mart got the message loud and clear this week in North Aurora, Illinois, when village officials turned down an annexation plan on a 5-1 vote,
Citizen’s Group Publishes Own Big Box Traffic Study
May 7, 2007
The standard procedure in zoning cases across America is that the developer trots out his hired traffic engineer, who proceeds to explain how adding 12,000
Rare Turtles, Fly Ash Part of Wal-Mart Plan
May 6, 2007
Wal-Mart is so desperate for large parcels of land in Massachusetts, that it is willing to locate on top of a former coal ash landfill,
State Teachers Urge CREF To Strengthen Oversight Of Wal-Mart
May 5, 2007
On February 19, 2006, Sprawl-Busters noted that TIAA CREF, the teacher’s pension fund, is the 15th. largest institutional investor in Wal-Mart, holding 20.5 million shares,
Empty Wal-Mart Turned Into A Jail
May 4, 2007
What do you do with a huge, empty Wal-Mart? For the past decade, Sprawl-Busters has chronicled the moth-balling of hundred of what Wal-Mart calls their
Developer Pulls the Plug on Wal-Mart Supercenter
May 3, 2007
Community pressure has squeezed Wal-Mart out of another community. On April 18, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that Anne Arundel County, Maryland, had five Wal-Marts, but the
Wal-Mart Offers City $1 Million ‘Sweetener’
May 3, 2007
Wal-Mart has gone from asking for a public handout, to passing money out in Alabama. The Birmingham News reports this week that Wal-Mart has offered