Dry Branch has grocery stores and/or supermarkets. A grocery store essentially sell food items. The kind of items available can be quite broad in its spectrum and can incorporate the tastes and preferences of a multicultural population (including "exotic" food products favored by people of a particular ethnicity). A supermarket is an expanded form of a grocery store, being self-service in nature and having a selection of both food and non-food/household items available for sale. Items that are usually sold here include meat, fresh produce, dairy, baked goods, alcohol, pet supplies, medicines, household cleaners and clothes (the items available in the non-food section can vary a fair bit). The store in Dry Branch is located close to residential areas for ease of the customers. The items for sale are put up in displays for convenience of selection (as well as an advertising tactic), and the shopping hours are often long, in some cases, being open 24 hours in a day. The prices are often kept low, prioritizing higher sales vis-a-vis profit margins. Some other facilities may also be available along with the store, such as banks, cafés, childcare options during shopping, photo processing, video rentals and gas stations. There are a number of supermarket chains throughout the country. They usually operate on the franchise model.

Water, Water Everywhere … Part II

By:  Lee Ann Rush                                                     The topic is water; specifically, its availability to the public in light of Nestle CEO Peter Brabeck’s recent megalomaniacal assertion that people should only have access to water if they pay for it.  In a world where water shortages are reason for concern as demand begins to exceed supply, Brabeck’s plan..