The sale to C & S Wholesale Grocery is part of the proposed merger between Safeway parent company Kroger and Albertsons. The merger will not affect Farmington's Albertsons and Smiths grocery stores.
The merger's divestiture plan may also result in the sale of the Albertsons grocery store at 31 College Drive in Durango and the Safeway at 1580 E. Main Street in Cortez.
More details were released about how a proposed merger between two major grocery chains will impact food shoppers in the Four Corners. Grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons have proposed merging their two companies. Critics of the merger say it will create a grocery monopoly. The companies have now released a divestiture plan, which would sell 579 stores in 18 states to a new, competing company. Four of those stores are located in the Four Corners:
In Farmington, that includes the city's two Safeway stores, the Safeway in Cortez, CO, and the Albertsons in Durango, CO. These stores would be sold to C & S Wholesale Grocery, which already operates 160 retail locations and supplies more than 7,500 retail stores, supermarkets and military bases. C & S operates stores under the names Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union.
The merger is still far from a done deal. Several legal challenges have been made to stop the merger, including action by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).
As Vice President of Diversity Affairs at FLC, Heather Shotton has played a pivotal role in advancing a culture of belonging and enhancing student access and success. In addition to her work in diversity affairs, she serves as Acting Dean of Student Engagement, overseeing more than 70 staff members supporting student well-being and success.
The initial call was received at 5:23 AM. The individual was identified from video surveillance. The male was contacted by Durango Police Department Patrol and is now in custody. He has been identified as Joe Brinkerhoff, a resident of the City of Durango. Due to a prior incident, Joe Brinkerhoff was trespassed from the property and his Rec Center privileges were suspended.
After a thorough and ongoing investigation by detectives and working with the district attorney's office, a thorough review of the case was conducted, and the decision to proceed with criminal charges was made. A warrant was issued to charge Heather Fernandez-Hoefer. She was taken into custody without incident on April 1, 2025.
Upon arrival, deputies made contact with multiple individuals including juveniles and young adults and located a deceased individual identified as Samuell Tariq Liggins, age 20.
Following an extensive investigation by Farmington Police Department detectives, an arrest warrant was issued for 40-year-old Matthew Sandoval, who is known to have a family connection to Madrid, who has been charged with 1st Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence. On March 28, Sandoval was located by U.S. Marshals in the 400 block of W. Animas. Farmington Police officers responded and arrested Sandoval on the outstanding warrant.