Walmart

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- New York City's outer boroughs may be as close as Wal-Mart tries to get to Manhattan, according to comments the retailer's c.e.o. and chairman made earlier this week in an interview with The New York Times.

DETROIT, Mich. -- Julie Roehm, the advertising executive who was fired from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. at the end of 2006, has released a statement calling the retailer's accusations against her a "smear campaign."

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. here said yesterday it's teaming up with the University of Arkansas and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arkansas, Alabama, and Illinois to launch the Center for Innovation in Health Care Logistics, which will work to improve the health care delivery system via information technology. The chain said it will pour $1 million into the effort.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. here said yesterday it's teaming up with the University of Arkansas and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arkansas, Alabama, and Illinois to launch the Center for Innovation in Health Care Logistics, which will work to improve the health care delivery system via information technology. The chain said it will pour $1 million into the effort.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. -- the world's largest retailer -- said yesterday that in 2006 the company gave more than $300 million -- or $5.8 million per week -- to support the 6,700 worldwide communities in which it operates. That reflects a $30 million increase over 2005.

LANDOVER HILLS, Md. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. yesterday opened its first store inside the Capital Beltway in Landover Hills, Md. -- a market that the retailer named one of its 10 "Jobs and Opportunity Zones" across the country.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said yesterday it has promoted Don Frieson, a veteran operations and logistics executive, to s.v.p. of Wal-Mart operations for its 14-state Central Division.

WILTON, Conn. -- America's leading retailers -- representing 80 different classes of trade, including supermarkets -- will open more than 94,000 new store locations over the next five years, according to the 2007 Retail Tenant Directory, released yesterday by Nielsen Trade Dimensions, a business service of The Nielsen Co.