Despite terrible economic troubles, and retailers posting large losses recently, Wal-Mart is still making the big bucks. They're about the only ones, raking in over $3 billion in profit this quarter alone.

Despite people flocking to Wal-Mart of late, the store remains controversial. Today alone, we found 3 local reports of folks coming out of the woodwork when a new Wal-Mart is likely to go up near their homes. We've seen a drop in Wal-Mart's growth of late,largely due to the economy, but when Wal-Mart does build a new store, people take notice.

Here's an excerpt from the Green Bay Press Gazette entitled Wal-Mart expansion at Bellevue store brings fear of more crime:

Neighbors of Wal-Mart say crime is a problem in the area and they fear it will increase once the store expands

...Property owners near the store — primarily those on Guns Road — say the store has brought trespassers and traffic to their neighborhood.

Here's another from the Norwich Bulletin:

Hundreds of Brooklyn residents flocked to a Wal-Mart open house Wednesday, getting a first look at the Supercenter proposed for Route 6 at Brickyard Road.

...Some residents said the information provided, especially about traffic, was vague. They also were concerned about the statement printed on a poster board: Intersections will remain at an “acceptable level of service.”

“I came here with a negative viewpoint in mind and they haven’t convinced me otherwise,” resident Frank Pimental said.

And still another from the Arizona Republic:

A proposed 30-acre shopping center at Riggs Road and Arizona Avenue is expected to pack the City Council meeting Thursday night.

If e-mails are any indication, spectators will speak on both sides of the issue and the focus will be on a major discount retailer whose name doesn't appear on public documents: Walmart.

...According to a city memo, officials have received about 90 e-mails and letters opposing the project and 20 in support of the plan.