Wal-Mart Loses In Unanimous Decision
August 20, 2005
The final word will not be in until September, but this week Wal-Mart lost its first crucial vote in Avondale, Arizona. The Southwest Valley Republic
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Overflow Of Anti-Wal-Mart Residents Forces Hearing Delay
August 19, 2005
Too many anti-Wal-Mart people showed up this week at the Harrisburg, North Carolina Town Hall. The overflow crowd of more than 120 people forced the
Wal-Mart Disappears From Plan
August 18, 2005
The incredible vanishing Wal-Mart is gone from Independence Township, Michigan, leaving not even a shadow behind. After citizens gained national attention on Sprawl-Busters for proposing
Residents Upset With Wal-Mart Plans, Despite Moss Color
August 18, 2005
Avondale, Arizona already has a Wal-Mart supercenter, but as in hundreds of other communities, the retailer is willing to cannibalize its existing stores to put
Traffic Issues Kill Wal-Mart Plans
August 17, 2005
In a press release dated August 17th, the City of Gresham, Oregon’s Community and Economic Development Department announced that the city has rejected a proposal
Wal-Mart Promises Bavarian-Looking Wal-Mart
August 17, 2005
The Saginaw News reported on August 15th that officials in Frankenmuth, Michigan, which celebrates its Bavarian heritage as a theme throughout the community, are being
State Hits Wal-Mart With $1.15 Million Environmental Fine
August 16, 2005
Connecticut’s Attorney General this week blamed Wal-Mart for showing “a pattern of national disregard” for environmental laws, and said the company’s environmental lawbreaking was a
Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, BJs Fined for Environmental Pollution
August 15, 2005
Four major big box chain stores in Massachusetts have been fined by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection for violating air quality and hazardous waste
Opponents Work to Stop Wal-Mart Bank
August 15, 2005
Here’s something you can take to the bank: the banking industry in America will suffer if the world’s largest retailer is allowed to cross the
Wal-Mart Accepts Another Defeat
August 12, 2005
On June 16, 2005, Sprawl-Busters reported that the Environmental Development Commission in St. Petersburg, Florida had voted 5-2 to reject Wal-Mart’s application for a special
Wal-Mart’s Dog & Pony Show Gets Sent To the Dogs
August 11, 2005
It definitely wasn’t the kind of reception that Wal-Mart wanted. The corporation lined up three venues this week in the community of Livonia, Michigan to
Wal-Mart Uses Computer Program To Lower Workers’ Hours If Sales Drop
August 10, 2005
According to a confidential Wal-Mart training memo for managers, the giant retailer instructs store managers to decrease the hours of its workers if sales projections
Traffic Congestion Puts Wal-Mart Plan In Jeopardy
August 10, 2005
Traffic tie-ups have tied up Wal-Mart’s plans to build a supercenter in Gresham, Oregon. City officials released a report recently that warned a superstore could
Five Years After Wal-Mart Came To Town
August 9, 2005
Sprawl-Busters reported on October 25, 2000, that Wal-Mart wanted to shut down its existing discount store in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and build a supercenter nearby.
Residents Organizing to Stop Wal-Mart
August 8, 2005
Once again, Wal-Mart has chosen a very small town with the wrong zoning, and is the process of pushing its way past local wishes. The
Wal-Mart Won’t Waste Calories Over Back-To-School Boycott
August 6, 2005
Shoppers across America are being asked to find someplace besides Wal-Mart to purchase their back-to-school supplies, in protest of the retailer’s violation of child labor
Residents Alarmed By Report Of Wal-Mart Interest
August 6, 2005
All it takes is the breath of a Wal-Mart development in Oregon to create a backdraft of community opposition. The retail giant has had tough
City Agrees to Hear Citizen’s Wal-Mart Complaints
August 6, 2005
More updates from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where residents have sent in this story to bring Sprawl-Busters up to date: “After a 7 month uphill battle,
Wal-Mart Finally Pulls Out of Town
August 6, 2005
In May of 2004, Sprawl-Busters carried a story about the community of Ellenwood, Georgia, which was organizing to fight off a Wal-Mart. That was 15
Wal-Mart Blows Appeal For Wrong Postage
August 6, 2005
Wal-Mart must have gone “postal” this week, when its attorneys failed to properly notify defendents in a lawsuit because they used the wrong postage on
See No Wal-Mart, Speak No Wal-Mart
August 6, 2005
Residents in Yelm, Washington have to be careful what they say these days. They just might utter the banned words that strike fear into the
Cabela’s Big Box Wants $10 Million In Welfare Payments
August 6, 2005
The low price of big box stores keeps rising. This week, Cabela’s, which bills itself as the world’s largest outdoor outfitter, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska,
Home Depot Worker Finds Job Disappears
August 6, 2005
Good things happen when Home Depot comes to town. At least, that’s what the company says. But here’s a story that came into Sprawl-Busters about
Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s. You Name It.
August 5, 2005
Think your community is overrun with sprawl? The residents of Hadley, Massachusetts, which used to be a picturesque postcard farming community, has transformed itself over
Wal-Mart PR Guy Sent Packing
August 5, 2005
As a footnote to yesterday’s story about the citizen’s victory in Newport News, Virginia, over Wal-Mart, here’s a story sent to Sprawl-Busters about how the
Wal-Mart Energy Savings Called ‘Insignificant Greenwashing.’
August 4, 2005
Wal-Mart recently opened its “green” store in McKinney, Texas with a full-blown media effort to spin the company as an environmentally-friendly giant. Kevin Gainer, Managing
Citizens Force Wal-Mart To Withdraw Plan
August 4, 2005
It didn’t take long for the news in Newport News, Virginia to spread: Wal-Mart withdrew its plans today to build a superstore in this community
Home Depot Gets Subpoena On Hazardous Waste
August 2, 2005
This week Home Depot got slapped with a grand jury subpoena, served up by the U.S. Attorney??s office in Los Angeles. The grand jury wants
Wal-Mart Drops Lawsuit Over Liquor License.
August 2, 2005
Residents in Macomb, Illinois are raising their glasses to Circuit Court Judge William Henderson, who dismissed the civil lawsuit that retail giant Wal-Mart filed against
Residents Call Wetlands Home Depot ‘Ludicrous’
August 2, 2005
Residents in Lorain, Ohio think that Home Depot is all wet. The giant home improvement chain wants to locate a store on 63.5 acres of
After Defeat, Wal-Mart Is Back One Year Later
August 2, 2005
Last June, Sprawl-Busters narrated the story of Thornton, Colorado’s victory over a Wal-Mart rezoning. But like a weed with deep roots, Wal-Mart keeps coming up
Wal-Mart Developer Contributes to City Councilor
August 2, 2005
Residents in Albuquerque, New Mexico have been bought off with a few trees and design changes to a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. But one City Councilor
Church Groups Organize Against Wal-Mart
July 28, 2005
The United Church of Christ (UCC), a community of faith founded in 1957 and based in Cleveland, Ohio, has taken on Wal-Mart’s corporate behavior. In
Cleaning Products Company Won’t Sell To Wal-Mart
July 28, 2005
Seventh Generation is an organic cleaning products company based in Burlington, Vermont. The company says it is the nation’s leading brand of non-toxic and environmentally
Court Overturns Rezoning Vote
July 27, 2005
For those who wonder if its worth it for citizens to go to court to stop big box sprawl, consider the case this week from
Citizens Seek Tax For Big Box Legal Defense Fund
July 27, 2005
Citizens in Independence, Michigan (pop. 32,000) want to protect their independence from big box stores by building up a war chest to fight them legally
Planners Reject Wal-Mart Supercenter–For Now.
July 27, 2005
Township Planners in Spring, Pennsylvania took a little spring out of Wal-Mart’s step this week when they voted against a conditional use permit for a
Coalition Hosts Site Fight Conference Sept 1st
July 27, 2005
The growing interest in communities fighting big box sprawl has led to scheduling of a “site fight” conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sprawl-Busters is one
The Strange Case Of Wal-Mart Snake Boots
July 27, 2005
What does a pair of underwear, boots made out of snake skin, a Bloody Mary mix, and a pair of headphones have to do with
Sprawl-Busters Asks TIAA-CREF To Divest Wal-Mart Stock
July 27, 2005
Last week, representatives from Sprawl-Busters, as part of a larger coalition, attended the annual shareholders meeting of TIAA-CREF, the nation’s largest pension fund, with holdings
Mayor Urges Mayor To Stop Wal-Mart Supercenter
July 26, 2005
Mayor Jim Bernard of Milwaukie, Oregon has a simple message for his friend Mayor Tom Potter of Portland, Oregon: Don’t let Wal-Mart destroy our downtown.
Wal-Mart Opponents Want ‘Better, Not Bigger.’
July 26, 2005
Anti-Wal-Mart activists took their case to City Hall this week in protest of plans to build a Wal-Mart supercenter at Carriage Place. The proposal requires
Residents Force Aug 2 Vote On Wal-Mart Rezoning
July 24, 2005
Local officials in Fabius, Michigan think Wal-Mart is the solution to their revenue woes, but other local residents say Wal-Mart brings the woes only. Citizens
Residents Band Together In Response to Big Box Plan
July 23, 2005
All it takes is the smell of a big box store to get local citizens upset. Here’s a brief report filed from Paramus, New Jersey:
Planning Commission Rejects Wal-Mart Rezoning.
July 21, 2005
So far, so good in Newport News, Virginia. Local officials have handed Wal-Mart a major setback this week, but local residents are not celebrating yet.
Wal-Mart Says Sayanara to Profits
July 20, 2005
Fortune magazine this week has a major story about China as Wal-Mart’s new cash cow, but things are not so bright in the land of
Citizens Appeal Home Depot Decision
July 20, 2005
The City Council in El Cajon, California may be looking at a lawsuit from its own citizens in the wake of their decision to approve
Wal-Mart Goes ‘Green’?
July 19, 2005
Wal-Mart has discovered the environment. Yes, that same environment its been damaging for more than four decades. The giant retailer now is repairing its ways,
Citizens Organize to Slow Down Wal-Mart
July 18, 2005
The following report came in this week to Sprawl-Busters from residents in Denver, North Carolina, who have formed the group Denver First: “Wal-Mart filed for
Plans for Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Scrapped
July 17, 2005
A developer from Wisconsin has announced that the company is leaving Grandville, Michigan and going back to Wisconsin, abandoning an ill-fated Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club