To the editor:

I’m outraged that local residents Bill Newsome and Doug Compton, co-owners of 6Wak Land Investments LLC, would stoop to blatant extortion to force their Wal-Mart development upon the city of Lawrence (Journal World, Oct. 29). “Wal-Mart is not going away … We’re in this until the end,” Newsome said of their legal battle to get development permission at the contentious Sixth and Wakarusa site. “This is an enormous black hole for the taxpayers of Lawrence … And the black hole is getting deeper and deeper every day that this dispute goes on,” he said of the city’s legal costs to fight the development.

The dispute, which pits nearby residents and others concerned about a traffic-magnet like Wal-Mart near Free State High School against Wal-Mart and their local sponsors/developers, centers on simple semantics. Is Wal-Mart a “department store,” which is forbidden at that location, or a “variety store,” which is allowed? Who cares?! Whatever you call it, it’s a huge store (with well-defined departments) whose proposed building site is inappropriate and obviously undesirable to many citizens of our community as well as city officials charged with making development decisions.

That should be enough to deter Wal-Mart and their developers — especially those who have grown their businesses and made their fortunes in this community. Threatening to force acceptance by breaking this city’s bankbook is unethical, ungrateful and unwise. Another site will do — and 6Wak’s businesses may even survive the bad publicity and bad feelings that these bully tactics create.

Sharon Dewey,

Lawrence