'Stories from Porterville' In 1991, Porterville residents welcomed a Wal-Mart distribution center into their neighborhood. It was a decision they came to regret.
'The Weight of the Air' Merced residents suffer from some of the worst air quality in the country. Watch local doctors and moms tell their stories.
We are the Merced Stop Wal-Mart Action Team: a broad, grassroots coalition of community groups and thousands of Merced residents opposed to the construction of the proposed Wal-Mart distribution center in Southeast Merced.
I’m opposed to the Wal-Mart distribution center for several reasons, the main reasons being the increase of traffic on the Campus Parkway and Hwy 99 as well as the increase in air pollution that will be a direct result of the project.
I worked at the Farmer’s Insurance office that was located on Parsons and Hwy 99 for 20 years, and the truck traffic on the freeway was very bad. In the winter when the fog season set in, many days visibility was zero. I can remember standing on the lawn hearing squealing brakes and the sounds of vehicles colliding and not being able to see a thing. With 450 more trucks entering and leaving the freeway on a daily basis the problem that was BAD ten years ago will be horrendous. UC students and residents of the area will also be trying to enter and exit the highway making the situation even more deadly.
