Local News Comments

I sure hope that all of the people pushing to stop this are aware of what Walmart does for our community. They donate a lot of money for the community. We also get sales tax from people in our neighboring communities that come here to shop. They provide affordable items for people that don't have a lot of money. Unions need to be a thing of the past. I think they are no longer necessary. Let competition dictate wages. If the store next door is paying more then they will have all the good employees. We can't afford unions! I hope that all of you who are against the Walmart expansion don't shop there. Put your money where your mouth is, pay more. We live in America and have the freedom to choose. Let them expand and if you don't like them don't shop there!

This is good news. We don't need a Super Walmart in Sonora.

I am probably the few that are happy to read this this morning. With all the toxic cr**p that is in Wal Mart I would NEVER eat anything from their grocery store...it may all be imported from CHINA or MEXICO who doesn't follow our regs.I know that is an exaggeration BUT, even COSTCO has food from China and I won't buy it. I am only allowed to go in to Wal Mart twice a month, for 30 minutes, with my respirator on. It is shopping for soft goods, paper products, etc. Be careful when you shop there, since insecticides are Wal Marts best friend when unloading the "slow boat from China".Wash every thing you are going to wear before you allow it to touch your skin. Gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about their "fresh food"...gmo's here we come via Wal Mart

Same old crying story "it will hurt union-wage grocery jobs in the area and shut down local businesses". How many grocery stores are there in Sonora and they all seem to be doing a good business. Shut down local businesses is what they said about Lowes and OSH seems to be still there and Andy's owner retired probably with a good payment from the hospital for the building and land.

We need walmart to @supersize@ like we need a bullet in the head.

Who cares anymore? This is a city now. As for union jobs being hurt by Wal-Mart expansion? Charge less for your food and people will buy it rather than go to Wal-Mart and no job will be harmed.

I am so sick and tired of these groups using the CEQA laws as a way to slow growth. We are being held hostage by a small band of people that refuse to let go of thier long lost memories of how Sonora and Tuolumne county used to be. Do we want to stay where we were in the "Good Ol' days", or do we want to see a bit of progress? Think what you will about Walmart and Lowes, but the store that offers me the best value for my money is where I go. Do I only need a few items, then I go to Tuolumne Market or Twain Harte Market. Big ticket items or a big grocery trip - straight to Walmart then Safeway. Same goes for hardware. I patronize Twain Harte Lumber for some things, but straight to Lowes if I need something big.

(sarcasm, on, if you can't tell) ooo can we at least get the third Starbucks put into Walmart? There's only TWO in the parking lot already, and I hate to be more than 100 yards from a Starbucks! And it is so inconvenient to have to go all the way to the other side to Safeway, or around the corner to SaveMart, or down the road to the other SaveMart.

(sarcasm, mostly off)Wow. I'd like to see progress, but seriously, I haven't seen any progress planned in this expansion. How much money i$ being $pent to get the an$wer that the big box want$ here?

It is the small businesses charging high prices posing as annonomys "concerned citizens" trying to keep out the competition. Charge a fair price and provide good service and you don't have to worry about WalMart pushing you out of the market.

It never ceases to amaze me. The people who try to stop the growth in our area, usually are not 1st generation themselves. They feel like now that they are here they will shut down the growth. Shop where you want but don't cry about Walmart costing union jobs. The unions give away benefits and pay so rich that NONE of the other employees in our county, who aren't union, can even dream of having. If the union stores gave less benefits maybe there prices would be closer to Walmart.

Wait? Did we vote for the monstrosity across the highway from Walmart? We are talking about the environmental impact of the rock lot between Walmart and Big Lots! What about the impact of what that freakin' parking lot where the injustice center is supposed to go??? If it saves my family money on food then please put it in.
Stoopid people are stoopid.

@Duck Mom: Your statement "Unions need to be a thing of the past. I think they are no longer necessary." I find it hard to believe anyone could be so naive.
We need unions more in today's world than ever. Or do you think everyone should be making below minimum wage? Unions are there to protect the people.Without unions, companies would be free to do any darn thing they want.Believe me, everyone would suffer. Years ago, when I was very young, I was harassed by my boss, I filed a complaint with my union rep, and guess who was fired? Not me.Without a union I would have to have submitted to his wishes or quit my job. Unions stand up for the workers, and Unions are the Heart and Soul of America. Some people would rather be living in a communist society as well.

Sieramatt, I don't consider growth to be good. You're rght, it's too late to pretend this is a charming tourist town. The Chamber of Commerce types decided they want Modesto and city values here. We already have too many flatlanders. At some point, some town, somewhere will choose to STOP the mindless "growth" and remain a charming small town. That is not Sonora. It's too late. Let Wal-Mart expand and let the pro-growthers enjoy the fuits of the metastisized cancer they call "growth" and "progress."

amtgal, local businesses don't stock their shelves with all-American made products. Stop blaming businesses for the loss of our manufacturing base. Look at the President and Congress. Demand renegotiaton of all trade agreements. Raise tariffs and raise thm NOW. Blame Cinton, Bush, Obama.

70 percent of Walmart products are from Communist China, you know, where all our manufacturing jobs went. Old man Walton would be turning in his grave when Hillary Clinton was on the Board of Directors and transferred the manufacturing to her friends in China. Be a real American, Buy American whenever you can ! PS: China makes junk.

PLEASE We need a Super walmart! I don't know about you but I enjoy being to feed my family! I get double the food at a super walmart then what I get at Safeway or Savemart.If you don't like Walmart then don't shop there! The food cost this this town is outrageous and I try not to buy local for that reason. Stop your whining about local jobs and union jobs. If the prices were reasonable then they wouldn't be worried now would they!

You may wonder why in retail WalMart is referred to as the "Merchant of Death." They kill local businesses and in the process take the profits that local businesses earn and spend here out of town. There is a large overall net loss to the community. In the long run, WalMart is the end of small, locally owned businesses and the source of low paying jobs that most families can not live on. The community loses both ways. You think WalMart offers low prices but you are paying for it long run. Condemning your community to live in "Wally World" does not sound like progress to me.

SierraMatt

Ahh..so people that over-run the natives should be the character. Sounds like we should just keep playing.
So, SierraMatt. We AREN'T letting you take OUR county.
We like NO crime, and we like pristine areas. Unlike some of you, who profess it.

I went to Lowes for a simple trash can for the bathroom. They had the cans but no lids to go with them....very efficient staff trying to find a lid that matched then left with a shoulder shrug, guess they'll come in later?

KICK ROCKS WAL MART!

@amtgal Are you serious?!

1: Find ONE place in sonora that sells 100% american goods.
2: I have actually never seen food sold here that was made/packaged in china. Please, enlighten us as to what these items are.
3: There is nothing wrong with Mexican Produce. Its grown the exact same way we grow it here by the exact same people.
4: Your respirator comment seriously made me laugh, I can only hope you made it in jest.

As for Super Walmarts grocery items, they come from the same places the other grocery stores get them from. They just have mass buying power, similar to that of Costco or Winco. Thats why they can charge less for the same items.

WE DONT NEED MORE CHINA * WHICH IS WHAT WALMART HAS ADDICTED US TO NO THANX

I would be all for the expansion if Walmart was still being run the way Sam Walton intended. But it's not. It might as well be called "ChinaMart".

@Stuka,your comment about Mexican Produce is absolutely incorrect,there are no regulations on sanitary conditions in Mexico....no Porta Potties in the fields for one....that is FACT!!!Talk to anybody in the CDC,they will tell you

If all you people cursing WalMart for china had a bussiness, and you could get your product made for half the price in China! were would you go? you would go to China! If you want to blame anyone, it should be unions who get there members $50 hr for something you could train a monkey to do, and probably do better! If you took imports out of the U.S we,d be living in caves!