PaRi‘ 2-A-THK RIU:nSU K'K RKACON. Thursday. November 5. 1987
Brunswick Tech Teacher Gets Suspended Sentence For Fraud
BY HAHN ADAMS
Within hours of iH'inR iiulicter! for
fraud Monday, a former Brunswick
Technical Coucrc quiUiiiR teacher
pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and
received a suspeiuletl sentence in a
plea bargaining arrangement.
Monday afternoon in Brunswick
C’ounty Superior Court. Bertie Faye
King of Freeland entered a guilty
plea to a misdemeanor charge of
"obUiining advances under promi.se
to work and pay for same." accor
ding to the Brunswick County Clerk
of Court’s office.
Districl Attomey Mike Easley,
who handled the case in court Mon
day. described the charge as "misde
meanor fraud."
Easley said the charge stemmed
from a continuing education class in
which Ms. King reported two
students as being registered when
they in fact were not. in order to meet
a required minimum of 15 students.
‘ She only had 13 (students), and
WITHOUT REFERENDUM
Calabash Will Go Ahead
With Water Assessments
BY doit; HinTER
Calabash 'I’own Council took no ac
tion during a special meeting last
Friday, but said it will proceed with
town water system assessments
regardless of any referendum.
.According to Mayor Doug Sim
mons. "We’ve completely dropped
the referendum. As it stands now.
we’re going ahead with the water
lines and assessing people as we go."
The referendiun. which was su|>-
posed to be decided during 1'uesday’s
I ■«> t
f^v**v*«*« *|>va •
off the ballot lK*cau.se of an apparent
mix-up between stale and local
governing bodies.
Although the referendum calling
for upfront asse.ssmcnUs was never
expected to pass, town attorney Mike
Hamos said he is working towards
acquiring a copy of the bill to deter
mine if a referendum is required.
Simmons said the town will
develop a water system ‘piece by
piece" as the funds become
available, regardle.ss of any referen
dum.
Me said the town will bear the up
front costs of the water line installa
tion and assess property owners
receiving the ser\'ices after the water
lines are installed.
The town recently hired Ixjwis &
Associates of Shallotte to develop a
$9,000 water engineering study for
the waterfront area including Ivey
Higli Hoad. Oak Slrcel and Hiver-
We re going ahead
\A/ith the wafer iines and
assessing people os we go.”
—Mayor Doug Simmons
view Drive. Calabash had budgeted
about $45,000 for water line installa
tion during the 1987-88 fiscal year.
Simmons said. “We’re going to put
it in one way or the other."
He also explained that the town is
not to blame for the omission of the
rcfcrciiduirt froiii llie uailoi.
Simmons argued that the state
should have notified the county board
of elections or at least instructed the
town to do so. He said the town was
never informed when the bill calling
for the referendum had been passed
by the N.C. General Assembly.
"We pul the ball in their court," he
said. "They should have handled it
from that end or told us what steps
had to be taken."
He added, "We got a little bit of
education with this incident.
Somebody’s coming up a little bit
short .somewhere."
According to Calabash Town Clerk
Janet Thomas, the cost to conduct a
special election for the referendum
would be about $375.
She said the town had only
budgeted for one election this year
and council decided these funds could
be better used for the water line in-
slnUaliot\.
Hearing Set
(Continued From Page l-.Ai
maintenance for the districl.
In recent yeai-s. private property
ovmers have handled maintenaiu'e t»f
portions of the canals.
Chappell said last week he feels the
board of commissioners will help
coordinate re-e.stablishmenl of the
drainage district but that the Imard is
not in favor of funding the pi ojecl.
•'I think it’s got to be done by the
property owners," Chappell said.
But Brunswick (’oimly .Soil and
Water Conscrv'ation District Chair
man James Bellamy last week said.
“If there’s anything done, it’s got to
be by the comniissioncrs."
Bellamy added that he felt the
mr«t viable option would be for the
county to maintain the drainage
district through the county’s water
management department
He cited a Februan’ 8. 1977. letter
from then (’ountv Attorney John U.
Hughes to the U.S. Soil Conservation
Service, which stated "it is the inten
tion of record of the Brunswick Coun
ty Board of Commissioners to con
tinuously and perpetually inspect
and maintain the structural
measures of the improvements of the
('awcaw drainage project.. ."
However, Chappell said last week
that he didn’t think the parties in
volved should "rehash the past," and
that he “hopes we’re all in unison,
working for a belter situation."
Both Chappell and Bcllamv agreed
that they felt Friday night’s turnout
will lx* good and that a majority of
citizens will be in favor of re-
activiating Uie drainage district.
“I think you’ll hear a pro’ sound
out of it flhe hearing),’’ Chappell
said last week.
•*T here will be a mix, but there will
be 90 percent to support it.’’ Bellamy
.said.
Comfortable Weather's Ahead
Comfortable weather is in the ai ea
forecast for Uie next few days, with
temperatures expected to range
above normal, with near-normal
precipitation.
.Shallotte Point meteorologist
Jackson (’anady said temperatures
should range from the mid 50s at
night into the mid 70s during the
daytime, with about a half-inch of
rainfall.
F or the period ucl. 27 through Nov.
‘2. he recorded a maximum high of 79
degrees on Nov. 2nd and a minimum
low reading of 33 degrees on Oct.
■29th.
The daily average high was 72, the
daily average low 47, for a daily
average temperature of 59 degrees,
which Canady said Is about two
degrees below normal.
All of the rain for the month of Oc-
tol)cr fell on day. with a .92 inch total.
she put down two students who were
not members of the class," Easley
explained Tuesday.
According to the clerk of court’s of
fice, Judge Samuel T. Currin gave
Ms. King a 30-day suspended
sentence, with one year of unsuper-
vised probation.
Also. Currin ordered her to pay
$‘255.29 in restitution to the state, a
$25 fine and court costs.
Ms. King was represented by
Shallotte attorney Wayne lx>ng.
Earlier Monday, a Brunswick
County grand jury had indicted Ms.
King on a charge of obtaining money
with intent to cheat and defraud by
failing to perform work.
According to the indictment, the of
fense in question occurred between
June 30.1986. and Nov. 30,1986.
Jesse Clemmons, dean of continu
ing education at Brunswick
Technical College in Supply, earlier
said Ms. King’s classes were held in a
workshop area behind her home.
m
r.
'■V,
SIAM phOIO Bv Rahm aoaws
STATE REP. DAVID REDWINE (left) displays the cake he bought for $42
during a fundraising auction at a Brunswick County Democratic Party rally
held Saturday aftemuun in Bolivia. Cummissiuner Chris Chappell (rightl
was auctioneer, while Register of Deeds Robert Robinson | center) served as
his assistant.
Democrats Look
Toward '88 Campaign
BY RAHN ADAMS
More than 200 Brunswick County
Democrats turned out Saturday for a
fundraising rally that party officials
hope will set the stage for a suc
cessful campaign year in 1988.
The rally was held at the Public
Assembly Building in Bolivia. It
featured the announcement of five
candidates for county offices: three
for the board of commissioners and
two for clerk of court.
‘ “This turned out to be a perfect ral
ly," said Democratic Parly Chair
man W.A. (Bill) Stanley Jr. "I am
very, very pleased with the turnout,
and I’m pleased with the enthusiasm
shown. Tltis is the forerunner to a ral
ly we're going to have in September
or October of ’88."
Stanley said the purpose of next
year’s rally will he in "heal the
wounds" from any divisions the par
ty suffers as a result of primary
races.
As far as the focus of next year's
campaign is concerned, he added,
"WeTe going to just let it slide now
until the primar>' and see how the
primary turns out."
Incumbent Commissioners Chris
Chappell of District One and Jim
Poole of Districl Three announced
Saturday that they will seek rc-
clection next year.
Also, Frank Galloway of Bolivia
told the gathering that he will run for
the District Four seat currently held
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The indictment stemmed from an
SBI investigation into irregularities
involving continuing education
classes at Brunswick Tech.
A Brunswick County grand jur>'
returned six "presentments" against
Ms. King on Sept. 8, after the grand
jury heard a summary of the SBI’s
probe from the investigating agent.
Easley defined a "presentment” as
a written statement from the grand
jury requesting an indictment and/or
investigation from the district at
torney’s office.
Easley said Tuesday that his of
fice’s investigation is closed, and that
it "is now being handled by the
Department of Community College’s
administration division."
A state audit of Brunswick Tech
tliat was released last month cited
"serious problem areas that need to
be addressed by management."
The audit said the college “main
tained and reported the enrollment of
students in continuing education
courses in an improper manner."
Lee Indicted
On Drug Counts
A Dunn man was indicted on addi
tional dnig charges Monday by a
Brunswick County grand jury.
Ronald Lewis I^e, 38, was one of
more than 30 people indicted here in
June on cocaine trafficking charges
by a special investigative grand jur>'.
According to the Brunswick County
Clerk of Court’s office, Ixie was in
dicted Monday on five counts of con
spiracy to traffic in cocaine, involv
ing quantities ranging from more
than 28 grams to more than 400
grams of the controlled substance.
He also was indicted on three
counts of possession of cocaine, in
volving more than 28 grams and
more than 200 granns.
According to the indictments, the
alleged offenses occurred between
July 20. 1986, and June 1, 1987.
In June, I^ec was indicted by the
special investigative grand jury on
two counts each of conspiracy and
trafficking in cocaine.
Following his initial indictments,
he was captured by authorities in Iaic
County. Fla., and was extradited to
Brunswick County in September.
Other indictments handed down
Monday by the grand jury included:
•Oren Herbert Davis, 59, Route 1,
Shallotte, assault with a deadly
weapon with intent to kill inflicting
serious injury;
•Kenneth E. Hewett, 34, Supply, in
decent liberties, two counts of crime
against nature;
•Phillip Hill, 31, Mulberry Street,
Shallotte, assault with a deadly
weapon inflicting serious injury;
•Andrew Hooper, 26, Route 1,
Ix^land, second-degree burglary;
•Dean Hooper, 22, Route 1, Lcland,
second-degree burglary and armed
robber)';
•Glenn H. Parker, 52, North Myrtle
Beach, S.C., failing to stop at the
scene of an accident involving per
sonal injury;
•Terry L. Pigotte, 29, Shallotte,
larceny;
•Haywood Daniel Sullivan, 48,
Wilmington, three counts of first-
degree sexual offense and three
counts of taking indecent liberties.
Clemmons Gets Life Term
by Republican Commissioner
Frankie Rabon.
Diana Morgan, who was appointed
clerk of court last month, announced
she will seek election to the post. Ms.
Morgan replaced Clerk of Court Greg
Bellamy, who resigned after
pleading guilty to felonious posses
sion of cocaine in Brunswick County
Superior Court.
Joe Stanley, who is employed as
branch executive for United Carolina
Bank in Bolivia, stated that he will
also run for clerk of court.
In addition to local and area
dignitaries present at Saturday’s ral
ly, state Sen. Tony Rand of
f-uiDborland County was cr. hand to
speak to local Democrats. Rand is
seeking nomination as the
Democratic candidate for lieutenant
governor.
"The primary Uirusl of my cam
paign will be in the field of
education," Rand said. "I think if we
can do more in education to prepare
our children for the challenges
they’re going to face, hopefully the
other problems will fall in line behind
them."
Rand added that his campaign
would also address "things impor
tant to southeastern North
Carolina." such as economic
development and highways.
Saturday’s rally also included food,
entertainment and an auction to
rai.se money for the upcoming cam
paign.
Ronnie I^ee Clemmons this week
was sentenced to life in prison, after
he entered a guilty plea to second-
degree murder in the February
shooting death of a Shallotte man.
According to the Brunswick County
Clerk of Court’s office, Clemmons
pleaded guilty as part of a plea
bargaining arrangement Tuesday
morning during a special criminal
session of Brunswick County
Superior Court.
After hearing sentencing
testimony from SBI Agent Rick
Gainey, Judge Samuel T. Currin
handed down the life sentence.
Clemmons, 30. of Leland, was
represented by Shallotte attorney
Roy D. Tresl and Southport attorney
William F. Fairley.
District Attorney Mike Easley,
who handled the case in court Tues
day, said he fell the life sentence was
“appropriate."
"The defendant (Clemmons) has a
history of criminal activity and cer
tainly needed a life sentence,"
Easley said Tuesday. "He served
time before, and it apparently didn't
do any good."
Easley said his office did not pro
secute Clemmons for ftrst-dcgrcc
murder because there were “no ag
gravating factors as required by our
current capital statute" in the case.
Clemmons was indicted for first-
degree murder by a Brunswick Coun
ty grand jury in June, in connection
with the Feb. 6 shooting death of
Joseph Sherwin Reeves, 31. of
Shallotte.
Reeves was shot in the back at his
Bellamy Drive home.
Following an extended manhunt,
Clemmons turned himself in to SBI
agents from the Wilmington office,
according to Shallotte Police Chief
Don Stovall.
On Tuesday evening, Jailer Un
wood Gray said Clemmons was still
in the custody of the Brunswick Coun
ty Jail.
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