Occupy Columbia Day 14, October 28, 2011

Friday was another stellar day for protesting but the forecast calls for rain overnight. At 2:00 p.m. Bob Guild, an environmental lawyer, gave a teach-in about the proposed new Wal-Mart on Assembly Street. Occupy Columbia has set up an entire committee to monitor this development. It appears that the property to be bought includes Rocky Branch Creek, which often floods. Should the property be developed for a big box store this would become an even greater issue. Rocky Branch Creek also appears to be a major contributor to flooding in other parts of Columbia. Should it be re-channeled or impeded further, the flooding would probably worsen. These concerns don't even begin to address the impact a Wal-Mart would have on local mom and pop type stores.