Wal Mart

Livengood's our man Of the many candidates being considered for appointment to theHuntington Beach City Council, one stands out as a natural choice: Tom Livengood. Livengood has served the citizens of our city in dozens of key roles for over three decades. His involvement in the business community (Chamber of Commerce), environmental groups (Amigos de Bolsa Chica, Bolsa Chica Foundation), homeowners groups (Home Council) and city committees and commissions (charter revision, budget and general plan committees and Planning Commission)

1) JAMES TARWATER, 55, Irvine ... Superintendent of the Ocean View School District ... Key figure in bringing the Wal-Mart project to the district, an issue that kept the community in a whirl of controversy for five years ... His work with the retail giant will bring the district about $400,000 a year in lease income ... Designed state-of-the-art student promotion and retention program ... District was at the brink of bankruptcy...

Andrew Wainer HUNTINGTON BEACH -- A five-year storm of controversy and rancor ended with a quiet note of resignation and satisfaction Tuesday night with the defeat of Measure I, thus securing the development of a Wal-Mart at the 14-acre Crest View school site. Had it passed, the measure would have forced the city to rezone the closed campus on Talbert Avenue near Beach Boulevard to residential and thwarted Wal-Mart's plan to build a 150,000-square-foot store there.

Eron Ben-Yehuda The controversial Wal-Mart project will be the subject of a mid-January debate, a representative for the League of Women Voters announced Monday at the City Council meeting. Those interested in submitting questions to be asked during the debate should send them to the League by Jan. 8, spokeswoman Judy Lewis said. Because of its reputation for fairness and impartiality, the League was asked by the council to set up a format agreeable to both sides in the bitter and ongoing conflict, which centers around plans to open a 150,000 square-foot retail complex at the site of a closed school at Talbert Avenue and Beach Boulevard.

Kenneth Ma HUNTINGTON BEACH--Construction on the controversial Wal--Mart store will begin sometime this summer, once the developer receives all its architectural and building-related permits from the city. Cynthia Lin, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the 135,000-square-foot store--to be built on the 14-acre former Crest View school site on Talbert Avenue near Beach Boulevard--probably will be completed by Spring 2001. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s proposal to build a store on the school grounds ignited tense divisions within the city and sparked a local ballot campaign to block the project.

Andrew Wainer HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Save Our Schools this week launched its campaign to defeat Measure J, which if approved by voters will prevent Wal-Mart from leasing the Ocean View School District's closed Crest View school site. Tracy Pellman, a co-chair of the group, said about 50 people attended a kickoff event at the Waterfront Hilton Beach Resort. Pellman said the group plans to walk precincts, call voters, and send out fliers urging residents to vote against the measure.

Retail giant Wal-Mart will open its doors Wednesday, capping years of fighting between residents and school district officials. The 135,000-square-foot store sits on a 14-acre site at 8230 Talbert Ave. Wal-Mart officials could not provide an opening time by press deadline. In March 2000, 54.1% of voters cast their ballots defeating Measure I. Had it passed, the measure would have forced the city to rezone the former Crest View School campus on Talbert Avenue near Beach Boulevard to residential, halting Wal-Mart's plan to build there.

Eron Ben-Yehuda HUNTINGTON BEACH -- With Wal-Mart foes claiming to have gathered 22,000 signatures of voters who oppose building a store at the closed Crest View campus, you might think no one supports the giant retailer. Think again. "There's really nothing wrong with a Wal-Mart," said resident Jim Martin, who lives within walking distance of where the company plans to build a 150,000-square-foot retail complex on Talbert Avenue. Martin said he not only looks forward to shopping so close to his home, but he's also sympathetic to the money crunch that compelled the property's owner, the Ocean View School District, and the city to welcome Wal-Mart with open arms.

Eron Ben-Yehuda HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Wal-Mart's developer may legally challenge the will of the voters if they decide against the controversial project in March, a City Hall official said. Attorneys for the Arnel Retail Group informed the City Council during a closed-session meeting Jan. 3 that they may still pursue a lawsuit against a resident-sponsored ballot initiative, which aims to rezone the site on Talbert Avenue by Beach Boulevard, where the retailer plans to open a 150,000-square-foot complex.

Eron Ben-Yehuda HUNTINGTON BEACH -- With its most recent contribution, Wal-Mart has made the campaign over its future here one of the most expensive in the city's history, City Councilman Tom Harman said. The retailer pumped $116,500 last month into the war chest of a campaign committee fighting to defeat an anti-Wal-Mart ballot initiative set for a vote in March, according to public disclosure statements filed last week. When combined with a previous contribution, Wal-Mart so far has forked over roughly $225,000, outspending its opponents by more than 16 to 1, documents show.