North Carolina Newspapers

I’aKo 2-A-THK HRl NSWK K BKAC ON. Thursday. September 17. 1987 COMFORT INN PROPOSED Calabash Council Moves Closer To Staggered Terms BY DOUG RUTTER Following a public hearing Mon day. Calabash town council unanimously approved a resolution of intent to create staggered four- year terms for council and the mayor. Council will most likely approve an ordinance and amend the town charter during its Sept. 28 meeting, according to Mayor Doug Simmons. The ordinance would first take ef fect following the 1989 municipal election. At that time, the three elected council members receiving the fewest number of votes would in itially ser\’o a two-year term. The next election for these three seats would be in 1991. Thereafter, these three seats will be up for elec tion ever>' four years. The two elected council members receiving the highest number of votes during the 1989 election and the person elected mayor ai ihai time will ser\ c four-year tenns, with the next election for those seats coming in 1993 and each four years thereafter. Currently, the entire council and mayor are elected every two years. According to the resolution, “It is in the best interest of the town that there be more continuity and stabili- t\- in the governing body of the town, and that such continuity and stability could be better accomplished if the entire governing board of the town were not subject to change every two years." Their decision is almost the op posite of one made recently by Holden Beach voters, who voted to return to two-year terms after trying four-year staggered tenns for the board of commissioners and mayor for several years. Variance Sought Council members agreed to con sider a request from hotel represen- UiVive Bi\’ C.ocV.ayne for a zonino variance that would clear the way for construction of a Comfort Inn hotel in Calabash. Zoning in the area proposed for the hotel, along N.C. 179 between the Quick Stop convenience store and Marsh Harbour Yacht Club, only per mits two stories and a maximum height of 35 feet. Cockayne said plans for the propos ed hotel called for a three-story, 10-foot high structure. The national-franchise hotel would include 90 rooms, 90 parking spaces and a swimming pool and would cater to golf packages and yacht club members. Plan Coming Also Monday, the council approved a resolution allowing Simmons and Town Clerk Janet Thomas to act on behalf of the town in authorizing and instructing a company to develop a town land use plan. •Acting Town Attorney Mark Ix!wis told council that such a plan “would help decide what is best for the town in terms of growth." He added, “This is especially good for a small town like Calabash where no one has the time to sit down and decide what is the best way to grow." Ms. Thomas said the plan would cost about $10,000, of which $8,000 would be financed by a state grant. Variance Approved In other business Monday, meeting as the town board of adjustments, members approved a variance to allow the Calabash Elks Club to con tinue meeting within the town limits. In doing so, an ordinance against clubs in the town of Calabash was bypassed. Elks member and coun cilman Robert Weber was not per mitted to vote on the issue. Other Business In other business Monday, town council: •Asked Ms. Thomas to get contract estimates from landscapers and pest control companies for the maintenance of the town hall. Ms. Thomas said the money which had been budgeted for maintenance was reserved for the land use plan study. •Heard from Ms. Thomas that an anticipated $183 in Federal Revenue Sharing funds was being appealed by the federal government and that the town may not get it after all. A public hearing to determine how the money is to be spent has been scheduled for -Spnl. 28. •Heaiil from Ms. Thomas that a $12,000 Department of Transporta tion project to pave Wilson Street, I-ake Drive and Trader’s I.ane would shortly be underway. •Heard from Ms. Thomas that Lit tle River Trash Service manager Bill Jordan was requesting a new five- year contract with the town. She said he wanted a new contract before council changed seats in November and that he would be pre sent at the Sept. 28 meeting to make his request in person. LITTLE REMAINS of what was once Dr. Karen Paine’s office on Forest Drive. Fires (Continued From Page 1-A) lost, Hewett said her patient records and billing information were on com puter tapes at another location. She also lost irreplaceable photos of a son who had died. “I sure don’t understand anybody doing anything like this,’’ said Hewett. "It hurts." Waters Reopen The state has reopened shellfishing waters closed a week ago. Affected are waters in the Cape Fear, Ixickwood Folly and Shallolte rivers. The closure was due to increased pollution caused by stormwater runoff. OCEAN ISLE FIREFIGHTERS take a needed break after mopping up at the chiropractic center fire Mon day morning. Gockwise from the lower left are Chief Terry Barbee, Al Crawford, Dave Harrell, Ray Ericksen, Steve Brinsfield and Butch Walker. Shallotte Man Given Four Life Terms BY RAHN ADAMS "It was a very emotional, heart rending trial," Assistant District At torney Wanda Bryant said of a case heard last w*cck in Brunswick Count** Superior Court in which the jury con- 3(^year-ol'i Shallolte nian on sex charges. He wets sentenced four consecutive life prison terms. According to the Brunswick County Clerk of Court’s office, jurors deliberated for more than 2'i hours last Thursday before convicting the man of two counts each of first- degree rape, first-degree sexual of fense, incest and taking indecent liberties with a minor. Ms. Bryant served as prosecutor in the trial, which began Tuesday after noon in Bolivia and included two days of graphic testimony on sexual of fenses involving the man’s 9- and 10-year-old daughters. The girls used anatomically-corrcct dolls during puiTiuiis of liieil tOStUiiOi'iy. Tbi' girls, both Shallolte area residents, were eight and nine vears old at the time of the offenses. Ms. Bryant said the 10-year-o'd girl testified last week in court that the offenses had been “going on a couple of years.” “I’m certainly pleased with the outcome of the trial from the pro secution’s standpoint and from the standpoint of the well-being of the children,” Ms. Bryant said. “The jury, by this verdict, was saying they believed thase children.” Brunswick County Detective Nan cy Simpson, the arresting officer in the case, said the man initially was charged May 11 with two counts each of first-degree rape and first-degree sexual offense, lie was released irorn the Brunswick County Jail the same day on a $30,000 secured bond. Ms. Simpson .said the man actually had turned himself in to authorities following an investigation of le.ss than four weeks. She said the alleged offenses had been reported to the sheriff’s department through Brunswick County Social Serx'ices. On May 18, a Brunswick County Grand Jury returned eight true bills of indictment, adding the incest and indecent liberties counts to the initial charges against the man, Ms. Simp son said. At the conclusion of last week’s trial. Judge Henry W. Highl Jr. last week handetl down the mandatory* life sentences for the four rape and sex offense counts, and ordered that they be serx’ed consecutively. The man aLso received an addl- tioiia! IS years prison: years for each incest conviction and 3 years for each indecent liberties convic tion. According to iMs. Simpson, the man was transported to Central Prison in Raleigh last Thursday night im mediately following the trial. The man’s identity is being withheld by The Brunswick Beacon in order to protect the identity of the children. Defense attorney Michael Ramos has filed notice of appeal. All Eight Drug Suspects Are Cauaht Ixiwmen last week apprehended all eight Southport-Oak Island men who were indicted Sept. 8 by a Bi*unswick County Grand Jury on drug-related charges. The indictments were the result of "Operation Nova,” an undercover drug investigation conducted by the Long Beach Police Department, Brunswick County Sheriffs Depart ment Narcotics Squad and the SBI. Brunswick County Sheriff John Carr Davis said Monday the in vestigation is continuing. According to Det. Sgt. David Crocker of the department’s Nar cotics Squad, five of the eight were arrested in Brunswick County within hours after the indictments were handed down. Also, one vehicle was seized, he said. Crocker said one suspect, Ira Spencer of Southport, was taken into Brunswick Islands Got Rain Sept. 8 through 14 was another rainy week across the South Brunswick Islands, with Shallotte Point meteorologist Jackson Canady recording 2.37 inches of rainfall in his gauge. The week was also four degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, with an average daily high of 88 degrees combining with an average nightly low of 72 degrees for an average daily temperature of 80 degrees. He recorded a maximum high of 91 degrees on Sept. 9 and a minimum low of 69 degrees on Sept. 14. Both temperatures and precipita tion should be near-normal during the next few days. Canady said temperatures should average in the mid-60s at night, ranging into the niid-80s during the day, with about three-quarters inch of rainfall. custody Sept. 8 in Roanoke Rapids. Chief Deputy John Marlowe said two others—Noah Hough, 24, and Marshall Starns, 23, both of I>ong Beach—were arrested last Wednes day in Monroe. According to Jailer Linwood Gray, all but Hough and Starns had been released by iMonday from the Brunswick County Jail on $10,000 bonds. Bonds for all eight originally were set at $50,000 but were reduced to $10,000, Gray said. Charges against the eight men in cluded: Red Gowan, Southport, conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana. Spencer, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana. Hough, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, con spiracy to sell and deliver mari juana, sell and deliver cocaine. Gene D. Melliville, 25, Ixmg Beach, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, sell and deliver co caine, conspiracy to sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of distribution. Wilford Smith, Southport, sell and deliver cocaine and possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine. Starns, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana, conspiracy to sell and deliver marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver co caine, sell and deliver cocaine and conspiracy to sell and deliver co caine. Donnie Price, 17, Long Beach Road, Southport, conspiracy to sell marijuana, conspiracy to sell co caine, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, sell and deliver marijuana. James E. Price, Long Beach Road, Southport, conspiracy to sell mari juana, sell and deliver marijuana, po.ssession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana. '•4‘J s \ II : sW. It s Gifts •Pottery •Baskets •Jewelry Country Crafts •Door Wreaths & Arrangements I (pre-made or made-to-order) s Artists Oils and Supplies ? BRUNSWICK HAUS GIFT SHOP I Bnmswick Square Village, S Main St., Shallotte ; Phone 754-811 1 ? LOOK FOR THE SIGN OF THE RED LION I HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRUNSWICK^BEACOM POST OFFICE BOX 2558 Shallotte north Carolina 28459 For Award-Winning News Coverage ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: In Brunswick County ' 7 50 Elsewhere in North Carolina lO.CC Outside North Carolina 12.50 Complete And Return To Above Address Nome Address ' ity. Stole Sr. Ciliien 6.50 9.00 11 50 ip ujacoui'j'j' ON ■' PF.RSONALIZED CHRISTMAS ' ' CARDS OHDI R 111 I OKI October 1, 1987 The SHIPPING STATION RESORT PLAZA 754 7456 I,HE BRLWSWKKftBEACON Estoblished Nov. 1, 1962 Telephone 754-6890 Published Every Thursday .At AAoin Street Shallotte. N. C. 28459 SUBSCRIPTION RATES IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY One Year S7.50 Six Months $4.(X) ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA One Year 510.00 Six Months S6.00 ELSEWHERE INU.S.A. One Year $12.50 Six Months S7.00 Second class postage poid ol the Post Office in Shullotto ' N. C. 28459. USPS 777-780. US Hwy. 17, Shallotte US Hwy. 133, Southport C 1985 McDon.Hd 1 Corporjlion McD =1308? fC 341 14? P„nici) ,n un.ita Stales ol America SPECIAL qQc 2 Sausage Biscuits plus tax Limited Time