According to a report on NBC Channel 4 in Virginia, residents in the Virginia town of Front Royal don’t want a Wal-Mart. The huge retailer wants to build a superstore on riverfront land, and local residents think that plan is full of water. Wal-Mart wants to put a 24-hour store on a piece of rural land near the South Fork Bridge by the Shenandoah River. But opponents say it will ruin their small town, and that the location on 120 acres of open farmland would be unsightly at the gateway to the community. Instead, opponents have suggested an alternate site near the town. Wal-Mart’s lawyer claims, however, that the site the citizens want is too rocky and would require a lot of blasting before construction could begin. Instead, Wal-Mart appears comfortable blasting away at the citizens to remove any resistence they might provide. “For all the fussing and moaning we’re hearing, Wal-Mart coexists happily with literally thousands of American towns,” Wal-Mart’s lawyer told the press. He’s right about the fussing and moaning. It’s happening in thousands of American towns right now. NBC 4 began a viewers survey in which they asked the public to respond to the Wal-Mart supercenter: YES, a riverfront location is fine; or YES, but it should not be built along the river; or NO, the store does not belong in the town. As of earlier today, 151 people had voted, and 80% of those responding said the store either does not belong in the town (46%) or should not be built along the river (34%). Only one in five callers (20%) said the riverfront location was fine. The Wal-Mart proposal in Front Royal is turning into a Royal Affront.
For local contacts in Front Royal, contact [email protected]
