HERMISTON Corporate officials have fired at least one manager at the Walmart Distribution Center and may have terminated as many as nine.

Earl Wilson, former general manager, was fired April 25. He declined to offer any details when contacted at his home Thursday.

Dan Fogleman, a Walmart spokesman at headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., confirmed there had been some personnel changes, but declined to elaborate.

We discovered activity in the building that indicated a lack of operational control, he said. We made changes that we deemed necessary to run our operation in a manner that meets our expectations.

Dean Brickey