CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHTS: UP AGAINST A GIANT
Should Oakley welcome Wal-mart? [Antioch (Calif.) Press]
There may be no retail chain more shopped at, worked in – and reviled – than Wal-Mart.
When a new Wal-Mart is about to open and seeks employees, people are often lined up around the block for the chance to work there. And the fact that it’s one of the most successful businesses in U.S. history is evidence that many people shop there for the good selection and low prices.
But it seems that as many people hate Wal-Mart as shop there, claiming its non-union employees are under-compensated in pay and benefits; that the retail giant underprices mom and pop stores, putting them out of business; and that it’s just, well, too big for its retail britches.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Monday, June 18 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHTS: PURSUING LAND AND A SUPERFIGHT
Wal-Mart pursuing Skypark Plaza land [Enterprise-Record (Calif.)]
PARADISE—After nine years of controversy over what to do with the land that welcomes people into Paradise, a Wal-Mart Supercenter might be in the works for the Skyway Plaza.
While the sale is not finalized, lead developer Fred Katz said as long as Wal-Mart remains interested, it will fund the development process for the land just west of Paradise.Wal-Mart is not yet an applicant and does not have control of the project, said Kevin Loscotoff, Wal-Mart’s senior manager of public affairs. It is pursuing the opportunity with intent to buy the land, but has not completed the purchase.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Friday, June 15 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHTS: PURSUING LAND AND A SUPERFIGHT
Super Fight over Suisun Super Wal-Mart [News10.net - (Sacramento, Calif.)]
A citizens group opposed to a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter in Suisun City presented documents Thursday that they say indicate the store, if built, could jeopardize the future of Travis Air Force base.
“We are adamantly opposed to the encroachment on Travis,” said Dwight Acey of Suisun Citizens League. Acey and a half dozen other residents were on hand for a news conference where they released a internal e-mail written by John Foster, chairman of the Airport Land Use Commission.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Friday, June 15 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHTS: PURSUING LAND AND A SUPERFIGHT
Suisun Wal-Mart Supercenter May Kill Travis AFB, a Local Economic ... [NewsBlaze (Folsom, Calif.)]
SUISUN/FAIRFIELD - The Solano County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) tonight is expected to discuss a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter project here, and whether the store could lead to the closure of Travis Air Force Base - which contributes $1 billion to the local economy and employs more than 14,000 residents.
That meeting will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the Solano County Administration Center (675 Texas St., first floor) in Fairfield.
Earlier Thursday, community groups rallied against the Wal-Mart, and released letters from the chair of the ALUC, and Travis Base Commander suggesting that the Wal-Mart violates the Travis Airport Land Use Plan, and would “encroach” on the base. That encroachment could lead to the base closure.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Friday, June 15 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHT: LAND UP FOR GRABS
Wal-Mart may buy gateway project [Paradise (Calif) Post]
The 59-acre parcel of land proposed to house the Skyway Plaza shopping center could soon be purchased by Wal-Mart, developer Fred Katz confirmed Wednesday.
He said his partnership FHK Companies, which currently owns the land, has entered into an agreement with the company to purchase the land. The FHK Companies partnership has started to sell off its assets and dissolve, mainly due to his two partners wanting to retire, Katz said. Through negotiating with Wal-Mart as a potential anchor store in the Skyway Plaza shopping center, a deal was struck for the company to eventually own the property and construct a Wal-Mart superstore.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Thursday, June 14 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHT: RESIDENTS VOICE TRAFFIC CONCERNS
Residents Say Wal-Mart Store May Lead to Traffic Deaths [News Blaze (Calif.)]
Residents call Wal-Mart a ‘pirate,’ claim proposed Supercenter may lead to more traffic, deaths along ‘blood alley’ section of Highway 12
Residents here rallied against a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter Saturday, charging the retail giant is more of a “pirate” than a savior - and predicted the Wal-Mart store could lead to more deaths on an already deadly stretch of Highway 12, known as “Solano County’s version of blood alley.”
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Wednesday, June 13 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHT: WAL-MART LAND GRAB
Wal-Mart buys 52-acre Orcutt property [Santa Maria (Calif.) Times]
Less than a year after the Santa Maria City Council said it would not make land-use changes to allow Wal-Mart to build a controversial “super center” in town, the big-box retailer purchased property in Orcutt, just outside the city limits.
Known in the Orcutt Community Plan as Key Site 26, the 51.5-acre site is east of Highway 135 along Orcutt Road, south of Foster Road and west of Hummel Drive. The proposed extension of Union Valley Parkway runs through the site.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Tuesday, June 12 | 0 comments | Permalink
CALIFORNIA SITE FIGHT: COUNCIL MEMBERS DEBATE WAL-MART
Tran part of new majority [San Gabriel Valley (Calif.) Tribune]
There has been political turmoil in Rosemead for a number of years because council members voted 5-0 in 2004 to permit a Wal-Mart Supercenter to be built in southern Rosemead despite widespread residents’ opposition. But change has finally come to Rosemead.
A new City Council three-member alignment (Polly Low, John Tran and John Nu ez) bodes well for the future peace and prosperity of Rosemead residents.
Two pro-Wal-Mart council members, Bill Alarcon and Joe Vasquez, were defeated in 2005 by anti-Wal-Mart candidates Tran and Nu ez. But that left three pro-Wal-Mart council members in power (Margaret Clark, Gary Taylor and Jay Imperial). Citizens were rebuffed in their attempt to exercise their right of referendum to overturn the development agreement with Wal-Mart. But the fight continued.
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Posted by Beth Gostanian on Tuesday, June 12 | 0 comments | Permalink
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