Area VFW posts intend on participating in various ways, including a motorcycle ride while wearing their colors by the VFW Riders Association, and a display of a 1968 Kaiser Jeep M35a2, a two-ton vintage vehicle on behalf of The Yolo County Detachment 627 of The Marine Corps League owned by James Jurkiewicz, said County Fair Mall General Manager Al Aldrete.

Reports within Woodland's business community speculate the store will be Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, something the mall's General Manager Al Aldrete will not comment upon due to "non-disclosure" or privacy agreements. "They are definitely not opening at the end of the month," said Aldrete Friday, without naming or hinting at a tenant. "Their timeline right now is the second quarter, probably the end of the second quarter." Demolition began Jan. 14 and is eyed to be complete by Thursday, Aldrete confirmed. Construction will start after that, he said. A permit to remodel the building was issued Dec. 31, 2012 by the Community Development Department. The parking lot area in front of Mervyn's on the western side of the mall is fenced off, presumably to make room for demolition and construction equipment. "Everything is moving forward," Aldrete said. "Things are moving inside Mervyn's."

The mall really started picking up around 8 a.m., according to County Fair Fashion Mall General Manager Al Aldrete. "From what I observed last year, the foot traffic is significantly higher this year. It's nice to see the community support the mall again," he said. Most stores opened at 10 a.m. last year, Aldrete said, versus the 6 a.m. start time this year. Aldrete credits the increase in shoppers partially to the earlier opening hours of big-box stores. "A lot of people got a head start, and came through (the mall) to get the other stuff like clothing and accessories," he said. Could an improving economy be a factor as well? "The verdict is still out on that one," said Aldrete.

"We're hoping for more traffic than normal and hopefully more than last year," said General Manager Al Aldrete.

Al Aldrete, County Fair Fashion Mall manager, lays out four possible economic development models to pursue at Woodland s Economic Development Summit Wednesday morning. The meeting was hosted by the Woodland Chamber of Commerce. (Elizabeth Kalfsbeek/ Democrat ) Key players in the creation and sustainability of Woodland's economic development -- and perhaps the region -- gathered at the County Fair Fashion Mall Wednesday to discuss solutions. The discussion was hosted by the Woodland Chamber of Commerce. City officials, city and county staff and local business people participated. Focusing on action rather than rehashing woes, Al Aldrete, the mall's general manager and a chamber member, cited a Navy SEAL tactic: No complaints without solutions. "Let's face it: Economic development is not sexy," said Aldrete, noting that other municipal issues are at the forefront, such as public safety. The general consensus, however, is the need to gain traction and to stop spinning wheels when it comes to garnering new business and retaining existing business. To that end, Aldrete presented a Powerpoint discussion laying out the pros and cons to four possible models of boosting economic development: Forming a business-economic advisory council; have the city hire a full-time economic development person; have the chamber hire a full-time economic development person or create an economic development corporation that is primarily backed by the private sector. While a regional economic development corporation is the preferred model to pursue, "there are certain spokes of the wheel that are not willing to participate at this time," said Aldrete.