The retail giant abandons its plans to build a "super-center" atop a Civil War battlefield in Virginia after facing strong resistance from a coalition of preservation organizations.
The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition, made up of 6 preservation societies, successfully prevented Walmart from opening a store on the site of the Battle of The Wilderness. The announcement came just before the long-awaited trial between Walmart and the coalition was set to begin. Walmart spokesman Bill Wertz said the retailer will instead look at another, less controversial site in Orange County, VA.
He maintains that Walmart "stand[s] ready to put this controversy behind us and protect the battlefield from further encroachment... We firmly believe that preservation and progress need not be mutually [exclusive]."
FULL STORY: Wal-Mart drops plans for building on Virginia battlefield site

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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