Opinion Page
THE BRUNSWKK&BEACON
Edward M. Swealt and Carolyn H. Sweatt Publishers
Edward M. Sweatt Editor
Susan Usher l\etcs Editor
Terry 1'ope Staff "'titer
Johnny Craig Sports Editor
Mary I'otts Office Manager
Cccclln (J,,, f: , *4el net r-*i miner 11 etrsnesm stn tali
Tnmmie Galloway Typesetter
Steve Anderson Pressman
Bill McGowan Photo Technician
Clyde and Mnttie Stout, Jim Ballou Circulation
Page 4-A Thursday, June 20,1985
CoNeqe Doesn't Need
W
Communication Gap
A bill that cleared the N.C. House of Representatives last
week would work to destroy the limited channels of communication
that already exist between county commissioners
and the local college board of trustees.
If approved by the State Senate during this session of the
N.C. General Assembly, House Bill 895 would prohibit future
appointments of county commissioners and local board of
education members to community college boards of trustees.
It may seem like a moot point for legislators to dwell on,
but the bill's impact could be important for Brunswick County
residents. Brunswick Technical College is in the building
phase, a point where help is needed from the state, local county
commissioners and residents in order to survive.
Eliminating the college's only ear to the board of county
commissioners could be damaging to the progress of
Brunswick Technical College. Commissioners appointed Herman
Ixtve to serve as its liaison on the BTC board.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Murray Pool of Sampson
County, who contends that commissioners face a conflict of
interest by serving as a trustee while appropriating county
funds to the institution. It was introduced in response to a bill
filed by Rep. Ed Nye of Bladen County that would have affirmed
commissioners' rights to serve on college boards of
trustees.
There may be times when commissioners face a conflict
of interest by serving on the college board, but a simple
abstention can cure those pains. Under the bill, appointments
made prior to March 1, 1985 would not be affected by the new
legislation.
Local Rep. E. David Redwine opposed the bill, saying
I'tMtnlu ( limmtuutl\>u?ru ut\i\ u?>Kr\n1 l\/t>>i'/l "nun
X.UUIII.J I > IIWDIUIIVI UIWI ?*/V.U a >>VIIUWI UVHUVI IIIUI1IUVIO V.UII
perform ? valuable service by knowing what the community
college needs are and what the future direction of the community
college is going to be. Those members act as a liaison
between the two boards."
It makes good sense. One conflict among neighboring
counties shouldn't create a communication gap for the entire
state.
Some Natural History
I often wonder what the coast of the
Cnrollnas must have seemed to the t.
early explorers. We are told there |jt tj. n-//
were wide expanses of marsh all Dill
along Uie east coast and not nearly as v r
many pine trees us we now have. \ OVGi
Some of the characteristics of the
coastline are related u> sumv of the
early historians and mituralists.
William Hilton wrote alxmt the
const of Florida and is believed to using distilled buzxard's feet to curt
have included information about the sciatica: crane's gall for palsey, con
lower coast of South Carolina. In his sumption, blindness and deafness
"A I tela Hon of a Discovery lately bittern bill ground to u powder fo:
Made on the Const of Florida" in sleep; and the dung of a haw k in wini
lfi-lt, lie wrote "the county abounds to help conception,
with grapes, large figs, and peaches; William Bartram, in "Travel
the woods with deer, conies, turkeys Through North and South Caroliiui"
quail, curlews, plovers, teal, herons; became much more serious in hi;
and, as the Indians say in winter, research and is considered the star
with swans, cranes, ducks..." ting point in American ornithology
In 1714, John l.awson in his He catalogued some 215 species o
"History of North Carolina" reported birds in North America and was ore
wild turkeys weighing as much as 60 of the firs! to deal with migration
pounds. He liad seen luilf a turkey One review of his writings states hi
feed eight hungry men las meals In "Intimate knowledge of living thing:
his writings about Hie Indians and combined with his poetic and sen
their customs lie often succumbed to si live diction."
hearsay and wrote the tales told by Alexander Wilson was a contem
the natives. porary of Audubon and visited thi
In 1722, Mark Catesby landed in South several times in his travels. Hi
Charles Towme as he was exploring completed 320 figures of birds. 39 o
for his "A Natural History of them new to science. He died at agi
Carolina. Florida and the Itnluima 47 and is fairly unfamiliar to mos
Islands" published in 1931 He col- people because of Audubon
lected botanical specimens, many of John James Audubon madi
which were sent to the Swedish several visits to Charleston where t>
naturalist U-nnaeus He was also an worked with John Batiunan, i
artist and completed over 100 plates naturalist and pastor of St John
of American birds Kach species of l.utheran Church. Audubon was a
bird is associated w ith the authority on birds and mammals an
characteristic vegetation of its en- most of us are fanuUar with his wor
vironment Catesby found familiar and with the Society which bears hi
birds such as the teal, wood duck, name His is probably the greatei
bald eagle, mourning dove, robin, contribution of the early naturalist;
bobolink, cardinal, and the now ex- Certainly if not the greatest, the bes
ttnct passenger pigeon. Carolina known!
paraquet. and Ivory-billed We can get some ideas about th
woodpecker. Carolina coast ui the 1700s and 180C
Another North Carolinian was the from these writers and explorers. I
Kdenton-based physician. John the> had used cameras, we mint
Brickell. He tried to expand and un- have a detailed record c
prove on the work done by lawsor\ photographs and hundreds of slid
and in 1757 published "Natural shows But their artistic interprets
History o{ North Carolina" As a Hons leave us a heritage inviting 11
physician, he saw birds in relation to to compare and explore and a|
curing man's physical ills, such as: preciate the work they have done
I
A
Code En
Come July 1 there will be no escaping
it anywhere in Brunswick County?or
North Carolina, for that matter:
state building code enforcement.
By that day every county and
every municipality?by state
order?wiu nave begun enforcing all
volumes of the state building code,
not just some of them. That includes
CCCCtd, jjl'jrohino construction,
heating and air conditioning, electricial,
mobile homes...
Mandated code enforcement
started several years ago, with
larger counties and municipalities
having to make the transition first.
Brunswick County and its
municipalities are in the very last
batch affected.
Officials' telephones have been
ringing steadily since people started
hearing the news. Apparently?though
the media and
Let Prof.
(Editor's note: the following letter,
addressed to the Holden Beach Town
Commissioners, Is printed here at the
writer's request. I
in the June 6 Brunswick Beacon,
we saw a letter written by Mr. Ward
about the rezoning for multi-unit
buildings on the east end of the
beach. The week before there was a
letter from a man who came away in
shock from the commissioner's
meeting where "it happened."
Mr. Ward mentioned Myrtle
Beach, Garden City, Surfside and
other South Carolina beaches. AH one
has to do to see what can happen (and
come away in shock) is to go to the
west end of Ocean Isle Beach.
This Com
To the editor:
Monday our three-year-old
daughter fell from a second-story
porch of a beach house we were renting
at Ocean Isie Beach. We kept her
immobile and sought emergency
help.
WHAT WILL,
(m
u
1 Tips On Rii
s
j If Paco could read, he would be so
proud of the public's concern over Iris
health and well-being Poor Paco. my
( cocker spaniel, was featured in one of
t, my cohunns last month, during a
Ilpriivl vihpn Krvth h?* ! u.-^r?* hou.
' ing a rough tune with fleas.
s Since that column appeared, I have
- received several phone calls and tips
on how to get rid of those pests. Some
i- deal with home remedies while other
p suggestions deal with the more
p medicinal methods
f After dipping Paco and spraying
e the entire yard with a flea-ridding
t agent, the flea problem has subsided.
A few are still found now and then,
p obviously hitchhikers from our daily
p walks along the beach and waterway
a at Holden Beach,
s 1 was also able to use several of the
n tips on flea control that Paco and 1
d received from concerned callers. We
k appreciate everyone's concern and
a would like to pass along the ideas in
it hopes of helping other dogs, cats and
i. animal lovers who are dealing with
it the same problem this summer.
The first caller suggested 1 place a
e teaspoon of vinegar in Pace's wateris
dish. He said the remedy goes way
If bacfc and would not affect the dog
it Another caller. Lucy Harper of
if Ocean Isle Beach, said the solution to
le getting nd of fleas is as simple as goi
mg out and gathering wax myrtle
is bushes.
> A couple of years ago. Ocean Isle
experienced a flea infestation, she
iforcement:
^ Suson
.
local officials have discussed the impending
change for several
years?people didn't realize what
was comi"g. or refused to accept it.
A typical exchange runs like this:
Why? We gotta. Who says so? The
state. What happens if we don't do it?
They do it for us. Who pays then? We
do. Oh?In that case, I guess we'd
rather do it ourselves.
The county commissioners get to
sit back and pass the buck on this
LETTERS TO 1
ierty Owners
We are relative newcomers to
Holder. 0each. We have been going
there since 1972 and had a cottage
finished in l977- We explored all of
the beaches from Topsail to Pawleys
Island before coming back to Holden
Beach. Everyone who loves Holden
Beach understands why?not commercial,
a" cottages (except for one
or two units which were multi-unit
building:5)?a family beach.
A few years ago the multi-units
began to creep?those toward the
west end near the end of the pavement
(then), a few duplexes, then
those near where the causeway
comes into Ocean Boulevard. The
i munify
Thr? r^spon?? from ttiis community
was almost instantaneous?plus
sincere and professional. Police officers,
concerned citizens and
volunteers from the Shallotte Rescue
Squad arrived to help. Even rental
agents from Cooke Reaiiy Co., from
iTQZ ?
WE (3/2
r RAW HE 3.
dding Fleas t
said. The wax myrtles became
popular then. A few still exist arounc
Ocean Isle today.
By placing some wax myrtle limbs
aroupd the dog house or cat house
the fleas will leave. It's as simple as
that The limbs "have a distinct odoi
to it." that drives fleas away, th<
Harpers said. Only the wax myrtles
nrJ thp mw4W
nvni?> ? ?? ?*?r? "v ? ?
Or wax myrtles are no
available, walnut tree branches wil
also work. Clanse Coleman at Oceai
Isle passed the information along ti
the Harpers. They suggested 1 pas;
the information along to thi
Brunswick Beacon readers.
Another concerned dog owner. Lot
Vander Poel of Twin lakes, said sh
use# Proban on her three dogs t
keep fleas from biting. Proban is ;
product obtained from your loca
vetcrnanan that must be mixed witi
the dogs tood according to thei
weight.
My three dogs are on it and the
look great," she said The fleas hut
Grin And i
one: Don't gripe at us, we didn't do
it; take it to the (mean old dictatorial)
state.
But there's another way to look at
it, isn't there always? You could look
at the permitting process as a service
to the people. The code sets a standard?however
minimal?for the
quality and safety of construction.
Theoretically, that's a bonus for prospecuve
buyer:* wiiu wttui lv kiiuw
what they're getting and want to get
what they're paying for.
Many people who come to our area
from other places are accustomed to
permits and construction standards.
I've heard enough complaints since
coming home four years ago to know
that while these folks may like our
lower prices, most would rather pay
more and have something not built
shoddily.
But having a code and enforcing it
HE EDITOR
Vote On So
pace has quickened during the last
two years or so.
Unfortunately a very large majority
of property owners cannot legally
vote in any election of commissioners
or on any other thing. A very different
situation in a city or town. I
firmly believe the commissioners are
headed away from where practically
all property owners want Holden
Beach to go or where to stay?the
primary reason why they chose
Holden Beach in the first place.
Please, let us keep it a noncommercial,
family beach. You have
done many things to help?cars off
the beach, accessways, limiting
>?Even For i
whnm u/p wprp rpntin^ n^mp hv to
assist.
The rescue squadsmen carefully
and gently examined our daughter
and helped reassure us that she was
in good hands. She was iaken by amft
A.. ;g-uOW?
v ^"-rV/
/1 / ' ,
n/^Tot/(?>/?#&
Appreciated
them more than the Proban will, she
added.
Fleas are like lice. They're genuine
pests and don't choose their victims
according to race or stature within
the community. Their bite is not
tremendous or poisonous, but is
unwelcome.
I learned that others within the
community also can't stand having
the pests hanging around and are
, united in their efforts to get rid of
I them.
"The flea, though he kills none, he
. does all the harm he can,"?from
English poet John Donne's "Devo|
tions."
; THE BRUNSWICK&BEACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Teleohon? 7
t Publ.shed Every Thursday
1 At Main Street
Shollotte N. C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTT
One Year $5.23
Six Months $3.14
ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $7.32
Six Months $4.18
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $10 00
i Six Months $6 00
Second class postoge paid at
the Post OfTice in Shallotte
N C 28459. USPS 777 780.
U (wand ... ?ii.
A
Bear It? , I
properly are two different stories,
based on what I've seen locally in
those communities now enforcing
parts of the code.
Building inspectors who do their
jobs and make contractors do theirs
aren't popular. They slow down a
job?sometimes making a worker
tear something out to allow an inspection
or to fix something done
w ? UI15 uUU iivt at'najo uciug
available at the split second a
builder's ready for them. Sometimes
they don't last very long.
But County Attorney David Clegg
says the county inspections depart
ment will enforce the code?that it
won't be a sham operation.
That's good. It protects the county.
And, while a lot of folks don't like the
idea of buying the permits, at least
they'll be getting something for their
money.
me Issues
number of bedrooms per lot (in effect),
nature trails, annual family
type events, etc. Do not let the "condos"
spoil all this.
Why not let all property owners
vote (by letter) on this and similar
very important issues before the
developers and realtors ruin Holden
Beach? If there is a long range plan,
five years or whatever, all property
owners should be allowed to vote on
that. Where does most of the
tax/operating money come from?
The group I am talkling about?and I
believe for.
Virgil E.Verheyden
Roanoke, Va.
Strangers I
b!2l?nce to Tho Rniniwiplf Hnsnit.nl !
Even while we were at the hospital,
several residents stopped by and inquired
about our daughter and made
offers to help.
The staff at the hospital thoroughly
examined our daughter and found no
serious injuries. For that, we were
relieved.
But we were even more relieved to
find that this is a community that
cares?even for strangers.
This was our first vacation at
Ocean Isle Beach?but it likely won't
be our last. We certainly won't forget
it?or the wonderful folks.
Dick and Anita Hainmerstrom
Roanoke, Virginia
Looking Forward
To Retiring Here
To the editor:
Since becoming a homeowner at
Holden Beach, we have been travel
ing down at least once, sometimes
twice a month.
As we come into Shallotte we stop
at the supermarket and get our
groceries and pick ud the Beacon.
I enjoy reading the Beacon and 1
always take it back home to Davie
County with me. My father-in-lawlooks
forward to reading it. Once I
forgot it and he was really disappointed
when he found out I didn't bring
it back with me. He wanted to
jmow how much it cost to subscribe to
it.
He can't come down with us as
often as he would like to; the 200-mile
drive is hard on him. So I'm enclosing
a check for a year's subscription
to be sent home to us.
We enjoy Holden Beach and are
looking forward to retiring there.
Nell Ugle
Mocksville
Passes It On
To the editor:
I subscribe to The Brunswick
Beacon and enjoy it very much. Now,
as a birthday gift, I would like to
subscribe for my sister. Please find
chsck
We both have vacation homes at
? r\ t.i. r? l ? - i
vtcan isjc oeac/i ana enjoy reaaing
the news when we are away.
Carlene F. Hedrick
Kernersville
Needs To Be Informed
To the editor:
A roost enjoyable newspaper:
Please renew my subscription for
two years.
Your editorials are excellent and
your feature writers are to be commended.
Thanks for keeping us up to
date on local laws and proposals.
As absentee owners, we need to be
informed on a regular basis. 1 do not
agree with the decision to build con;
dominiums on Holden Beach. Maybe
j you can write a column on that decision?
Bill Martin
Gastonia