House OKs $37 million Federal funds for Wal-Mart H.Q. road in Bentonville

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7294560

House OKs $37 million for Wal-Mart H.Q. road
Federal funds set for widening, extending Bentonville, Ark. street
The Associated Press

Updated: 2:06 p.m. ET March 25, 2005

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - The U.S. House has approved a federal highway bill that includes $37 million for widening and extending the Bentonville street that provides the main access to the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
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edit: notice they are essentially being rewarded more than three times as much as they were recently fined. mmm..

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050318/daf009_2.html

Wal-Mart, Government Settle Immigration Investigation; No Criminal Charges Filed Against Company or Its Associates

Friday March 18, 11:30 am ET


BENTONVILLE, Ark., March 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT - News) has resolved on a civil basis the Department of Justice's more than four-year-long investigation into the employment practices of its former floor-cleaning contractors. The agreement came after the government concluded its criminal investigation and announced it would not pursue charges against Wal-Mart or any Wal-Mart associates.

As part of this civil settlement, Wal-Mart has agreed to support the fair enforcement of immigration laws, including making a payment of $11 million to the government.

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is already quite wide (4 lanes, I think) by Wal-Mart headquarters-why does it need to be improved? Next thing you know, they'll declare the first Walton store (on the square downtown) a national shrine or something.

It is a divided four lane and passes several miles from Wal-Mart headquarters. Walton Blvd. is the old US 71 and is a four lane city street in Bentonville that passes on the west side of Wal-Mart headquarters. Eighth Street intersects with Walton Blvd. and passes south of Wal-Mart headquarters and north of the large employee parking lot. That parking lot extends all along the south side of Eighth Street to the intersection with E Street (if I remember correctly). There is almost no reason to drive this section of Eighth Street unless you are going to Wal-Mart headquarters. There are alot of major traffic problems in the NW Arkansas area. The community at large would benefit if these funds were expended to improve other traffic areas. For example, the construction of an east/west running highway would benefit the area. Highway 412 is too far to the south to serve the daily travel needs of the Bentonville/Rogers area. 540 runs north/south and is really the only highway in the area. This means virtually all traffic must travel, at least partially, on city streets.

Gotta take care of the important stuff.

Wal-Mart can't afford to take care of the road improvement?

Next thing you know, its the poor house for Wal-Mart. O8)

I played ball there as a kid. Wal-Mart was just down and across the street. Later, Wal-Mart bought the city park and turned it into an employee parking lot. I guess that was more cost effective than building a parking garage. Although even today if you park in the far back corner of the lot you had better allow a good ten minutes or so to hike to the front of the building.

There is highway gridlock in much of the NW Arkansas (Bentonville/Rogers) area. Last time I was there it took me over an hour (this was NOT during rush hour) to drive the three or so miles eastbound from the intersection of Walton Blvd. and highway 102 to the intersection of highway 102 and Dixieland Drive. These are city streets.

There are other traffic areas in the community that should be improved - and those improvements would benefit the larger community. There is really very little reason to drive down Eighth Street unless you are gng to Wal-Mart headquarters.

Perhaps the company should buy the city street much like they bought the city park and turn it into a private drive. Seriously, they would have much better security without a city street passing between the office buildings and their enormous parking lot.

Congress is a sham under this administration.

must be turning over in this grave. If you read his book, you'll see he wanted to make a difference in small towns that didn't have access to cheap goods. He was an interesting man, but over all seemed to be a fair man. I don't think he ever would have forced himself into a neighborhood, or treat his employees the way most are treated now.

zalinda

As governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton pleaded with Sam Walton to keep purchasing goods from a local shirt manufacturer to keep the money in the area.

Walton agreed, and kept to his word.

Sam Walton died in 1992. Didn't Wal-Mart soon after decide to take over the world?

from from every small town that is 'graced' with one or more WM stores.

without being a very tough and sometimes ruthless businessman. Remember in that same book he spoke about buying controlling interest in the local bank - which allowed him access to credit that might not otherwise have been avalable to him and which likely put other bank depositors and shareholders at higher risk. Wal-Mart's very tough policies with its vendors can be traced back well before Mr. Sam's death. As can his efforts to reduce costs - including labor costs. Early Wal-Mart employees profited handsomely not because they were well paid but because they were able to acquire stock in a company that experienced phenomenal growth. By the way, controlling interest in that one little small town bank has now become controlling interest in a small but growing multi-state bank group.