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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Feb 1, 2004

Stoughton, Wisconsin, Adopts Big Box Limits

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/stoughton-wisconsin-adopts-big-box-limits/

After months of pressure from a vocal citizens group, the City Council in Stoughton, Wisconsin, adopted an ordinance banning stores over 110,000 square feet.

Stoughton is a community of 12,500 about 20 miles southeast of Madison. Last year, after Wal-Mart announced plans to close its 40,000-square-foot Stoughton outlet to build a 183,000-square-foot supercenter on undeveloped land, a citizens group called Uff-da Wal-Mart formed. Uff-da is a Norwegian expression of disdain.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Feb 1, 2004

Buy Local Campaign Launched in Northwest Washington

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/buy-local-campaign-launched-northwest-washington/

More than 250 independent businesses in and around the city of Bellingham in northwest Washington have joined together to urge residents to "think local first" when shopping.

Organized by Sustainable Connections, a coalition of locally owned businesses, the campaign aims to build public awareness of the benefits of supporting homegrown enterprises. "People don’t always make the connection between their quality of life and the choices they make through their purchases," said Sustainable Connections director Michelle Long.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Feb 1, 2004

Judge Halts Construction of Superstores in Bakersfield

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/judge-halts-construction-superstores-bakersfield/

A California Superior Court judge has suspended construction of two Wal-Mart supercenters in Bakersfield, California, indefinitely.

Judge Kenneth Twisselman ruled that the city council had not adequately examined the urban blight that could result if existing big box stores close after the new supercenters open. Vacant big box stores, the judge said, have significant environmental impacts that the city is required to consider as part of its environmental review process.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Feb 1, 2004

Hood River Rejects Wal-Mart Supercenter

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/hood-river-rejects-walmart-supercenter/

In early January, the Hood River, Oregon, County Commission voted 3-2 to reject Wal-Mart’s application to build a 186,000-square-foot supercenter.

"This was a marvelous and gutsy decision by the board," said Kate Huseby, co-chair of the Citizens for Responsible Growth (CRG), a grassroots group that has fought the proposal in this community of 5,000 people in north central Oregon for more than two years. "We applaud them for doing their homework, and making the tough vote."

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Jan 13, 2004

Wal-Mart’s False Plays at Ignorance

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/walmarts-false-plays-ignorance/

By Stacy Mitchell
originally published in Progressive Trail, January 13, 2004

In the Wal-Mart economy, where an inexhaustible supply of cheap consumer goods has become more important than family wages for American workers, it should come as little surprise that a company which is known for its ability to track the sale of products down to the penny across a far-flung empire, would plead ignorance when accused of violating labor laws.

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filed under Waste to Wealth | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Dec 19, 2003

Washington, DC

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/washington-dc/

2002-2003 In 2002, ILSR inaugurated its Washington, DC deconstruction training program at the Stanton Dwellings public housing complex, working closely with the DC Housing Authority and Just U Wait’N See CDC (JUWNS), a community development corporation serving the residents of the Stanton community. ILSR provided screening and training guidelines to JUWNS to facilitate the selection,… Continue reading

Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Nov 1, 2003

Malaysia Freezes Hypermarket Construction

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/malaysia-freezes-hypermarket-construction/

Malaysia has placed a five-year ban on the construction of hypermarkets in Klang Valley, which includes Kuala Lumpur, and the states of Johor and Penang. New guidelines also lengthen the approval time for developers seeking to build hypermarkets in other areas from four months to two years.

Hypermarkets are stores larger than 8,000 square meters (86,000 square feet) that sell both department store merchandise and groceries, similar to Wal-Mart supercenters.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Nov 1, 2003

Irish Pharmacies Call for Limits on Corporate Ownership

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/irish-pharmacies-call-limits-corporate-ownership/

The Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) has asked the government to adopt restrictions on the ownership of pharmacies similar to regulations in place in most European countries.

The IPU favors restricting pharmacy ownership to pharmacists, and capping the number of pharmacies any pharmacist can own at five. Eleven of the fifteen European Union countries, including France and Germany, have similar laws prohibiting corporate chains from operating drugstores.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Nov 1, 2003

Vote on Federal Sales Tax Fairness Bill Likely in Early 2004

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/vote-federal-sales-tax-fairness-bill-likely-early-2004/

Legislation introduced in Congress that would require internet retailers to collect state and local sales taxes stands a fairly good chance of passing in the first few months of 2004, according to supporters of the bill.

The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Byron Dorgan (D-SD) and Michael Enzi (R-WY) and in the House by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA), gives Congressional approval to a national compact made up of states that have simplified and aligned their sales tax rules and regulations.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Nov 1, 2003

Alabama Citizens Sue to Block Wal-Mart Giveaways

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/alabama-citizens-sue-block-walmart-giveaways/

Owners of a small business in Birmingham, Alabama, near the site of a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter, have filed suit against the city for giving the retailing giant a $10 million subsidy. Southeast Meats of Pelham, in operation for over two decades, contends the handout gives Wal-Mart an unfair advantage. The suit also asserts that the city improperly threatened to use eminent domain to force owners of the Wal-Mart property to sell. Continue reading