Death, Courts and Deceit: A Wal-Mart Labor Day Tale
September 8, 2002
Reporter Martin Kuz of The Cleveland Scene has produced this week’s Labor Day story about a Wal-Mart employee whose tragic death was surpassed only by
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Street Protests Against Costco Lead to 32 Arrests
September 7, 2002
An incredible story of big box resistance from Mexico. Residents in Cuernavaca, Mexico are locked in a bitter, and higly visible battle with Costco that
Someone Get Wal-Mart A Shoe Horn.
September 7, 2002
Wal-Mart is going to need a shoe horn and some grease to fit a planned 142,000 s.f. supercenter on 10 acres of land in a
Floridians Cut Big Boxes down to size with 65,000 s.f. cap.
September 7, 2002
The North Bay Civic Association in Naples, Florida is declaring victory this week over big box stores. Three years ago, a piece of property in
Residents Angered by Wal-Mart Saturation.
September 7, 2002
In the last 24 hours, Sprawl-Busters has received around a dozen urgent emails from upset residents in the Willowbridge suburb northwest of Houston, Texas. This
Wal-Mart Wants In, Where Target Was Defeated.
September 4, 2002
The citizens group “Save Our Sandfly” (SOS), named after a neighborhood in Savannah, Georgia, probably figured that after they beat Target in December of last
Fear and Disgust for Wal-Mart.
September 4, 2002
According to the Star Tribune newspaper in Duluth, Minnesota, all it took was whispers of a Wal-Mart real estate “scout” poking around Lake Superior’s North
Judge Orders Home Depot to Halt Building
September 3, 2002
A circuit Judge in Miami-Dade county has ordered the county to stop construction work on a red hot Home Depot project that has swirled in
Wal-Mart Faces Class Action Suit from Women Employees Over Birth Control
September 2, 2002
According to a report filed by the Cox News Service this week, a federal judge in Atlanta has granted class-action status to a lawsuit charging
Sprawl development worsens drought problems.
September 1, 2002
Sprawl is bad for the environment — on many levels. Another example of this was featured in an August 28th. article by Reuters news service.
The Wal-Mart Gorilla is Back.
September 1, 2002
On February 18, 1999, Newsflash reported that Wal-Mart was scrapping its plans to build a supercenter in Gilbert, Arizona at the corner of Lindsay and
Wal-Mart In the City of No Vision.
August 31, 2002
Residents in Rio Rancho say a developer has broken his agreement with them in order to make millions off the sale of his land for
Home Depot Vs. The Bog
August 29, 2002
Home Depot is trying to build a monument to itself on the top of a hill in Windham, Connecticut, in an environmentally-sensitive location. Here’s a
Wal-Mart Files Second Lawsuit. Bad Manners in Manor.
August 27, 2002
Wal-Mart seems to have a hair-trigger legal department. The company has filed a second lawsuit against Manor Township, Pennsylvania. The town recently voted to reject
Wal-Mart Wants a Superstore to close existing Wal-Mart.
August 27, 2002
Citizens in Shelbyville, Indiana (pop 18,000) are battling to stave off a Wal-Mart supercenter. The city already has a 70,000 s..f Wal-Mart, which is likelyk
More Labor Suits for Wal-Mart.
August 26, 2002
More labor woes pile on for Wal-Mart, the company that has more lawsuits than Imelda Marcos has shoes. The Indianapolis Star reported August 25th that
Wal-Mart Mired in Asbestos, Wetlands Violations
August 20, 2002
A Connecticut developer who is trying to build two new Wal-Mart supercenters within 37 miles of each other in Western, Massachusetts has run into environmental
City Blights homes of 122 Families Just To Build A Wal-Mart.
August 17, 2002
Sprawl-busters in Maplewood, Missouri, a small suburb of St. Louis (9,200), report that they have a Wal-Mart battle on their hands. Here is their account:
Monks Withdraw Wal-Mart Plans, Answer to Locals’ Prayers.
August 16, 2002
Residents in Belmont, North Carolina had their prayers answered today. They learned that the Monks in Belmont Abbey have decided — for now — to
Other Shoe Drops At Ames.
August 14, 2002
It was just about a year ago to the day that Newsflash asked: “How long will it be before Ames issues another press release” announcing
Wal-Mart Drops Plans for Distribution Center
August 14, 2002
Residents in Marion County and Ocala, Florida who were opposed to a planned Wal-Mart distribution center on a horse farm, are celebrating this week’a news
Residents Begin Boycott of local Wal-Mart supercenter.
August 11, 2002
Residents in Spring Hill, Florida fought off a Wal-Mart supercenter for about two and a half years (search “Spring Hill” for earlier stories.) Wal-Mart eventually
A Tale of Wal-Mart Customer Service: Its a Crime.
August 10, 2002
Kathy Martin of Festus, Missouri had a close encounter with Wal-Mart customer service. Here’s her story: “On January 17, 2001, my Daughter, Granddaughter, and I
Wal-Mart Ties to Banks & Newspapers
August 10, 2002
By now the public is growing dimly aware of the fact that Wal-Mart has branched out into sundry retail ventures from gas stations and used
Campaign Contributions Help Move Wal-Mart Forward
August 9, 2002
Is the city of Asheville, North Carolina for sale? Last April, Newsflash reported that Wal-Mart had returned to the city of Asheville to try and
“Bully” Wal-Mart Sues County
August 8, 2002
Residents in Monroe and Union County, North Carolina have thus far successfully kept out a Wal-Mart supercenter. But now the ungainly giant from Arkansas has
The Monkish Wal-Mart
August 8, 2002
Local residents of Belmont, North Carolina not only have to deal with a new proposed Wal-Mart supercenter, but also with a religious order of Monks
Residents Unite to Fight Wal-Mart
August 5, 2002
Sprawl-busters in the town of Carollton, Georgia — a state which is second only to Texas in the number of empty Wal-Marts (34) — filed
Wal-Mart and Target Employ Secrecy, Code Names, and Corporate Welfare to build Distribution Centers
August 4, 2002
It sounds like something sinister from a George Lucas movie: “The Empire Zone.” It’s a special place in the universe where large corporations go to
Two Lawsuits Filed Against the “Garden” Wal-Mart
August 3, 2002
Pres Kabacoff, the developer of a 200,000 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter in the historic Lower Garden District of New Orleans, has two new suits to try
Landlords Don’t Want Wal-Mart’s Dark Stores
August 2, 2002
Since 1997, Sprawl-Busters has been publicizing the existence of “abandoned” Wal-Mart stores, which the company refers to in George Lucas vocabulary as “dark stores.” When
Wal-Mart’s Store in a Floodplain Still Up in the Air.
July 31, 2002
Wal-Mart’s marathon battle to float a 183,000 s.f. supercenter just over the city line of Decorah, Iowa is now more up in the air than
Parlez vous Wal-Mart? Not in Paris.
July 30, 2002
Wal-Mart is not spoken here. That was the sentiment of what the Bourbon Times newspaper called a “capacity crowd” that turned out in Paris, Kentucky
Town Passes “Study Fees” Bylaw to Make Developers Pay For Reports
July 29, 2002
Midddletown First, a citizen’s group opposing sprawling development in the community of Middletown,Rhode Island, has helped pass a new zoning ordinance that levels the playing
Home Depot Site Hit by Vandals
July 24, 2002
According to a report in the July 23 Keene Sentinel, “vandals” attacked a Home Depot construction site this week, in just the latest incident in
Banking & Wal-Mart Don’t Mix.
July 24, 2002
A major player representing 5,400 community banks, has told federal regulators that Wal-Mart should be denied its request to purchase a small bank in Broken
Citizens Delayed Wal-Mart Construction For One Year
July 24, 2002
A Wal-Mart denied is better than a Wal-Mart delayed — but either is preferable to a Wal-Mart opening. There is no such thing as a
“Beautiful” Wal-Mart Rejected. Company Files Suit.
July 23, 2002
According to the Orlando (FL) Sentinel, Wal-Mart has filed a lawsuit challenging a decision in June by the Volusia County Council to reject plans for
Menards Prompts Citizens Protest
July 23, 2002
“Barbaboo has a very good chance of losing its identity.” That’s one of the concerns of John Smith, one of the leaders of a new
Residents Start Boycott of Giant Eagle over Empty Store
July 21, 2002
Many big box retailers leave “dark stores” behind them when they prematurely close one unit, and move to a bigger one. Wal-Mart has 400 “dark
Mayor Wants Big Box Moratorium
July 19, 2002
All it took was Wal-Mart turning over a little dirt just outside of town to put Mayor Eric Amundsen on edge. The Mayor of the
The link between Big Box stores and the lack of bathrooms downtown.
July 14, 2002
What’s the connection between big box sprawl and the lack of public bathrooms in downtown business districts? It may not be the most compelling reason
Lowe’s Sued Over ‘Chinese’ Overtime
July 14, 2002
A law firm based in Rochester, New York is handling a class action lawsuit against the second largest home improvement chain store in the world,
Home Depot Pays Largest Fine in History Over Unit Pricing Law
July 13, 2002
The Attorney General’s Office in Michigan has been on Home Depot’s case for years regarding the corporation’s lack of compliance with Michigan law which requires
Moms Vs. Wal-Mart Says: Stop Building Near Schools
July 13, 2002
A new group of citizen activists from around the country, based in Pittsfield, Michigan, wants to send Wal-Mart back to the classroom. The lesson plan
Wal-Mart Wants Horse Farm for Distribution Center
July 7, 2002
Noel Hickey made a good living for himself breeding and training horses on the 320 acre farm in Marion County, Florida that he bought in
Residents want to “Freeze Glacier Mall”.
July 5, 2002
It takes a lot of nerve to name a mall after a Glacier, but that’s just what one developer in Kalispell, Montana has done. And
Planners Want Demolition Bond for Big Boxes
July 4, 2002
The very visible and costly proliferation of “dead” big box stores that are littering American highways has caused some communities to try and deter the
Local Officials Irate Over Wal-Mart Tax Cut
July 4, 2002
A change in Wal-Mart’s corporate tax status in Massachusetts has triggered a volley of angry reactions from local officials across the state. The town reaction
Wal-Mart The Time Bandit
July 4, 2002
Wal-Mart’s tendency to short its workers their overtime hours has now made it onto the grand stage. The New York Times on June 25th published