Newspapers / State Port Pilot (Southport, … / April 22, 1998, edition 1 / Page 13
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, ^ jUnSW'C^ County Democratic convention was a homecoming for Yaupon Beach’s David Kellv p'm c ,'‘ured :'re S«est speaker Richard Moore, secretary of the N. C. Department of Crime Control anil I umic fsatety, and county Democratic party chairman Connie Powell. County convention held Violence among youth is Democratic concern By Terry Pope County Editor The Brunswick County Demo cratic convention Saturday was a homecoming for Yaupon Beach’s David Kelly, who was appointed last year by Gov. Jim Hunt as deputy secretary of the N. C: Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Richard Moore, who serves as secretary and Kelly’s boss at the department, was guest speaker at the county convention. He reminded Democrats of what happened in 1994 when voters were angry and Republicans took control of the state legislature. “We have all got to work harder." said Moore, who served a term in the N. C. House of Representatives before he ran unsuccessfully for Congress. He also served as assis tant U. S. Attorney before he was appointed by Hunt to oversee 11 state agencies. “During two hurricanes, he was there and he played an instrumental role in seeing that we got help," said Richard Moore reminded Democrats of what happened in 1994 when Republicans gained control of the state House. He said Democrats have got to work harder this election. Southport traffic flow is addressed Democrats on Saturday adopted one new resolution presented by the Southport I precinct and restated their support for ones approved last year. The Southport I resolution, presented by Ron Thompson, states: “Whereas traffic in Southport is already a severe problem, and now that Southport is experiencing rapid growth and development in the eastern part of town, therefore, be it resolved that the Brunswick County Democratic Party adopt a resolution asking for a state study to he made to provide an additional route to the eastern part of Southport. ' "Southport presently is accessible only by one major and one minor road. An additional road would also be very important in improving traffic flow in the event of an emergency. We respectfully request that copies of this resolution he presented to Mr. David gedwine. Mr. Dewey Hill. Mr. R. C. Soles and to Mr. Michael Mills, our DOT representative.” It was approved without opposition and by majority vote of Democrats. There were no other resolutions presented by precinct leaders. Brunswick County sheriff1 Ronald Hewett. “I can call him and it gets done. I personally think he is a ris ing star in North Carolina. When you look at Richard Moore, you are looking at someone with character" County Democrats enjoyed good attendance at this year's convention held at party headquarters neat Supply. However, it has been a quiet and uncertain period heading into the May 5 primary. Party memlvi - heard for the first time Saturday that the local primary is still on as sclied uled, despite a judge's ruling that will delay voting for Congressional - seats until September. Alan Holden, chairman of the Mike McIntyre campaign locally. ' said his volunteers worked overtime to get signs out for the candidate only to learn they must he taken down until September.'.';/’ ■Locally, Democrats control both the school board and county com mission, the •sheriffs seat, clerk <>l court and register of deeds. ■ “This has been a very exciting year lor us," said county party chan man Connie Powell. "We are in the majority and we d like to keep it that way in November" Democrats invited an eneigciic speaker to their annual gathering in Moore, who became a sixth-genera* tion of Moores elected to the stale House. He decided to run for led Valentine's Congressional seat when Valentine retired, but lost licit campaign. “Peopleask me if I miss serving in the N. C. House." said Moore, "and I always say. ‘I never miss it on pay day.’” Moore said Brunswick County has the "best inside person" to his department in his right hand man. David Kelly. Together, they oversee operations of the N. C. Highway Patrol, N. C. National (maid. Division of Emergency Manage ment and other agencies connected to crime control and safety, Moore said this is One agency where prop erty owners can see their tax dollars at work. "The next time people are coin plaining about property taxes. I hope they remember that those tax dollars came back in and fixed inha structure from the storms." said Moore. "That's value " Perhaps the biggest challenge lac ing Moore and Kelly at the moment is how to get a handle on the rising juvenile crime problem. While over all crime in the state has trended, downward, that's not the case with juvenile crime, which has increased 172 percent in the past ten’years.. "This is at a time when the juve nile population is smaller." said Moore. "We will have more people in this age group with the rising baby boomers population that’is mi the way. "II you think things haven t changed out there, theii.yoti mo wrong, said Moore. "The over whelming majority of our kids ate great kids. A small 'group' has become more violent, more aggies sivc at a younger age. We need to/ get them off the streets in a hum we can protect the others " ( Vote Senator "A Powerful Voice For The People Of North Carolina." TUESDAY, MAY 5 PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT SEN. R.C SOLES % Committee To Elect Ken Messer Sheriff of Brunswick County ^ Who is Ken Messer? He is the mayor of J3elville, which once was the smallest town in Brunswick County. Now Bel ville is one of the fastest-growing towns, per capita," in the State of North Carolina. Mayor Messer saw the potential of this small town and used this to help it grow. The town has constructed a two-million-dollar sewer system, which has the projected growth of approximately 4,000 new homes as well as new and expanded industry. All of this has been done without incurring any debt to the citizens of the town. Ken Messer is also running for the office of sheriff of Brunswick County. He wants to help the county grow and be a safe and desirable area for all the people living here now and in the future. To the Citizens of Brunswick County: Wanting to help the people of the county that I live in to feel safe and protected is the reason that I am running for the position of sheriff of Brunswick County. 1 feel that the present administratioh in the sheriff’s department is failing the people of Brunswick County. Sheriff Hewett would have you believe that the county is progressing,- when the truth is that it's not. A young woman was kidnapped and repeatedly raped for three days. When the sheriff’s office was notified of this incident an inexperienced officer took the report, (and) not knowing how to handle this situation contacted a detective. The detective failed to respond or take any action at that time to contact the police department in the community where the incident took place. The incident was finally reported two and a half days later to the proper police department. After the original report was filed on Sunday the young lady was left to deal with this trauma on her own while the detective left the file lying around the sheriff’s office. Once the report was filed by the victim, no follow-up investigation took place until the following Tuesday when the officers in the community where the incident took place were notified, Does the sheriff understand how devastating this was to this young woman? How would you, as citizens, feel if this was your wife, daughter or even you? How would it make you feel, knowing that the people there to protect us treated this type of incident with total disregard as though it was a minor problem? . Hpvv about the fact that a young man was arrested, placed on a million-dollar bond, was released on a fifty-thousand-dollar bond and was murdered shortly after his release. It does not take someone with 12 years’ experience to realize that a deal was struck and the bond reduced because of that deal. Was this public knowledge? Information concerning this case was being discussed by a deputy from Holden Beach to the general public. Could this conversation have been the cause of this young man’s death? Maybe or maybe not, but that is something the public will never know. What about the fact that a little over a year ago.this same young man faced similar charges but suddenly the arresting officer’s ’ ' services were no longer needed under Sheriff Hewett’s administration and the charges seemed to just disappear? This was. strange, to say the least, considering this young man was related to Sheriff Hewett, After several raids, some drug dealers have said they knew about the raids in advance. What does this say about the integrity of this administration? Where is Sheriff Hewett’s more dependable department you were promised? Where are the officers with the experience to handle these matters as they should have been handled? Where are the new ideas that were going to make this a stronger, safer county? Why won’t Sheriff Hewett respond to the questions I have asked of his administration? The citizens of Brunswick County deserve the best possible protection that our sheriff’s department can provide. Are they getting it? Could it be due to officers not having the experience to handle these situations properly? Why are reported rapes and kidnapping cases handled with such indifference? Why are people who cooperate with his office murdered? I ask Sheriff Hewett to please explain to the citizens of Brunswick County how a solid, dependable department can have so many problems and so few answers? The people in Brunswick County deserve better. That’s why, as a man with 12 years law enforcement and 14 years as mayor, I feel that l am in touch with the needs of Brunswick County and its citizens. I am asking for your support in this election to help bring Brunswick County into the next century with the best possible sheriff’s department that we . can have and that we deserve. „ 3 Please vote for Ken Messer for sheriff. Thank you for your support. c ■ ™ - ■■■
State Port Pilot (Southport, N.C.)
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April 22, 1998, edition 1
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