Wal-Mart Wants 200 More Japanese stores
December 8, 2004
With its international division showing the greatest future growth potential, Wal-Mart’s global appetite hopes to make sushi of the Japanese economy by taking over a
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Wal-Mart Tries To Slip In Before Moratorium
December 8, 2004
Wal-Mart is very sensitive to local community needs, and wants desperately to keep local needs uppermost in its planning for store locations. That’s why City
Home Depot & Lowe’s Owe Millions in Credit Card Rebates
December 4, 2004
Attention Christmas shoppers, the home improvement twins are offered a small rebate to customers who were talked into buying their credit cards. Home Depot and
Residents Oppose Annexation for Wal-Mart.
December 4, 2004
Some residents in the small community (8,000 pop) of Grinnell, Iowa don’t think the city should have to annex more land just to help a
The Battle Over Wal-Mart Stays In Court
December 3, 2004
Undaunted by a preliminary court decision in favor of Wal-Mart, a group in Florence, South Carolina, called Citizens for Responsible Economic Development (RED) is appealing
Former Kmart Exec’s Caught in Financial Scam
December 2, 2004
This week the federal Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart Corp. executives and five current and former managers of
Salvation Army Targets Target
December 2, 2004
In a case of the kettle calling the Target black, fans of the Salvation Army are threatening to take their money away from Target, in
Planning Board Rejects Wal-Mart Rezoning.
December 1, 2004
Wal-Mart lost the first round in November. But will be back for the final decision in December. That’s the story from Columbia, Missouri, where the
Wal-Mart Faces More Union Pressures
December 1, 2004
Wal-Mart gives every store manager a thick “Manager’s Toolbox” manual on how to stop unionization efforts at Wal-Mart, including a toll free secret Union Hotline
70% of Wal-Mart Textiles Come From China
December 1, 2004
According to the China Business Weekly, 70% of the textile merchandise inside Wal-Mart is from China. Wal-Mart’s addiction to Chinese take out is so pervasive,
Lawmakers Propose Tighter Controls Over Big Box Developments
December 1, 2004
Legislation now pending before the New Jersey state legislature would require cities and towns in the Garden State to take into account the potential effects
Class Action Status for ‘Off the Clock’ Lawsuit Denied in Florida
November 27, 2004
The 1st District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee, Florida has let Wal-Mart off the hook — for now — in a class action lawsuit that
New Property Compensation Law Weakens Urban Growth Boundaries
November 27, 2004
One of the nation’s most progressive land use concepts has been successfully damaged by property rights zealots. On November 2nd, voters in Oregon approved a
City Puts 40 Conditions on Wal-Mart.
November 24, 2004
If Wal-Mart wants to build a superstore in Avondale Estates, Georgia, it’s going to be required to give up its 24 hour operations, and provide
Chinese Force Wal-Mart to Agree to Unions
November 23, 2004
Wal-Mart proved today that if it wants a market bad enough, it is willing to do extraordinary things to get it. Under mounting pressure from
Wal-Mart Fined For Used Oil Tank Violations.
November 21, 2004
The Associated Press reported this week that state officials in Florida have fined Wal-Mart $750,000 for breaking state laws regarding oil storage tanks at their
Kmart & Sears In Double Suicide Pact
November 21, 2004
Is the $11 billion merger deal announced this week between Kmart and Sears nothing more than a grizzly double-suicide note to retail America? After all,
Home Depot and Wal-Mart to Move Horse Graves
November 21, 2004
We’ve written in the past about Wal-Mart’s penchant for buildings stores over human remains, like the recent fiasco in Honolulu, where Wal-Mart unearthed nearly twenty
Residents Beat Meijer’s Store–And It Only Took Six Years
November 21, 2004
Residents in the village of Lisle, Illinois probably never thought they’d see the end of the Meijer’s proposal to build a 215,000 s.f. superstore. But
Coconut Grove Not Nuts Over Home Depot
November 19, 2004
Residents of one of Florida’s most impressive villages, Coconut Grove, kicked off an organized effort this week to stop Home Depot from taking over a
Big Box Stores Abandon Town.
November 19, 2004
Texas is the all-time leader in emptied Wal-Marts. They have more empty boxes than any other state. So it should come as no surprise to
Former Wal-Mart Exec Took Supplier Kickbacks
November 19, 2004
They say the hand is faster than the eye, which is why bribes and kickbacks are so rarely witnessed in the business world, yet so
Wal-Mart and Pike’s Peak–Defiling National Treasures
November 19, 2004
There’s a big controversy in the small town of Woodland Park, Colorado, population 7,000. Here’s how local residents described the problem back in October: “It
Planning Board Nixes Wal-Mart Supercenter
November 19, 2004
Wal-Mart got off on the wrong foot this week in Gainesville, Georgia. Here’s a report from the front lines: “Last night Hall County, Georgia held
Study Says No Jobs, Little Tax Gain From Big Box Proposal.
November 14, 2004
A nationally-known economist has concluded that a 510,000 s.f. mall including a Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Kohl’s, proposed for Route 117 in Leominster, Massachusetts will produce
Wal-Mart Still Silent About Parking Lot Murder
November 14, 2004
On February 12, 2000, Newsflash ran a story about the death of a 42 year old man who had been shot and killed in a
Wal-Mart Supercenter Opens With A Crime
November 13, 2004
Residents in Hemet, California who warned about crime at Wal-Mart supercenters must have been saying “I told you so” this week when city taxpayers had
Study Says Wal-Mart Raises Poverty Rates
November 13, 2004
A new report released this week by Penn State University’s Center for Economic and Community Development says that Wal-Mart stores actually “stifle” a lowering of
Home Depot Founder Gives $1 Million for Bush Ad
November 13, 2004
Home Depot helped nail the election victory for George W. Bush. The home improvement giant’s founder, Bernie Marcus, was one of the major contributors to
Voters OK Size Cap, Block Lowe’s.
November 13, 2004
Voters in Talbot County, Maryland, hard by the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, ratified an earlier vote by county officials to place a size
First Pyramids, Now Wal-Mart Near Volcano.
November 13, 2004
Wal-Mart’s incursion into the Teotichuacan, Mexico historic pyramid site has raised the ire of local residents, but now they have begun an effort to locate
Voters Reject Zone For Big Boxes.
November 13, 2004
Ohio was not just a critical state in the race for President, but a lesser watched vote in Hudson, Ohio was more important to local
Wal-Mart Rejects “Made In USA” Business Deal.
November 11, 2004
Sam Walton boasted about his “Bring It Home To the USA” Program, which he started in 1985 “in response to the soaring U.S. trade deficit.”
Residents Don’t Want a Second Wal-Mart Supercenter.
November 11, 2004
Residents in Gainesville, Georgia want to prevent Wal-Mart from making any further gains in their community. Gainesville already has a Wal-Mart supercenter, but the company
Village Mayor Pleads With Town To Stop Wal-Mart
November 10, 2004
The Mayor of the Village of Albion is trying to save his community from the town of Albion’s Wal-Mart proposal. Village Mayor Ed Salvatore told
Wisconsin Taxpayers Spend Millions to Subsidize Wal-Mart workers.
November 7, 2004
Wal-Mart insists that it gives its workers a decent health care plan, but the workers may be voting with their feet. Critics have charged that
Ordinance to Allow Big Boxes Narrowly Passes
November 4, 2004
Big corporate special interests squeaked out a shallow victory on November 2nd. in Belfast, Maine. This community has already passed a zoning code to limit
Effort to Give Voters A Say In Big Boxes Falls Short.
November 4, 2004
Measure R on the Lodi, California ballot November 2nd. was defeated by a vote of 10,655 (57.7%) against imposing new restrictions on big boxes, to
Residents Get Organized to Fight Wal-Mart “Done Deal” Syndrome
November 3, 2004
Wal-Mart has stirred up another battle in the community of Helotes, Texas. A citizen’s group called the Helotes Area Heritage Association (HAHA), thinks that a
California’s Lawmakers Want Public Pension To Drop Wal-Mart Stock
November 3, 2004
Wal-Mart money helped defeat Proposition 72 in the November 2nd California election, but the retailer could win the battle yet lose the larger war. Prop
The Most “Responsible” Government Wal-Mart Can Buy
October 31, 2004
Running a big business is not cheap. To keep government on your side costs money. But that’s one thing Wal-Mart has plenty of. That’s why
Wal-Mart Tries to Get Class Action Lawsuits Off Its Back
October 31, 2004
A new report from USAction profiles Wal-Mart as a leading lobbyist for new legislation “designed to kill the use of class action lawsuits, which have
Wal-Mart Sues Federal Taxpayers For $1.4 Million Refund
October 30, 2004
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette filed a story on October 28th. that Wal-Mart, the wealthiest retail corporation in the world, with nearly $9 billion in profits
Citizen Wal-Mart Spends $50,000 To Support City Candidates
October 30, 2004
Wal-Mart is using its corporate funds to try to influence elections on November 2nd in Antioch, California. The company is using its deep pockets to
Developer Suddenly Withdraws Wal-Mart Plans.
October 29, 2004
We reported on July 24, 2004 that a developer in Lincoln, California had shocked local residents by proposing the city’s largest retail development, anchored by
Trade Unions In China Stir Fry Wal-Mart
October 27, 2004
Wal-Mart is profoundly anti-union. So the latest news out of China has to be setting off firecrackers in Bentonville. According to Associated Press reports, China’s
Wal-Mart Gives $500,000 To Stop Health Care Question in California.
October 26, 2004
Citizen Wal-Mart announced this week it is making a $500,000 contribution to a group called Californians Against Government Run Health Care, a coalition that is
Town Council Slam Dunks Wal-Mart Rezoning.
October 26, 2004
There was another slam-dunk of Wal-Mart this week. Citizens in Windsor, Colorado, a town of about 15,000 people, celebrated a victory over Wal-Mart on Monday
Residents Seek To Defeat Big Box Zone Referendum
October 24, 2004
On November 2nd in Belfast, Maine, they’ll be counting more than Presidential ballots, as the city deals with a referendum on the future of big
Another Wal-Mart Impact Study
October 24, 2004
A new economic impact study has been released in Kilmarnock, VA and the Northern Neck, quantifying the likely impact of a proposed Wal-Mart superstore in