Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Oct. 12, 1989, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE BRP' ~'#BEACON TWenty-seventh Year, Number 49 ?mn?wick mtcom Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, October 12, 1989 25 C Per Copy 34 Pages, 3 Sections STAFF PHOTO BY KAHN ADAMS LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL emergency management officials drive the strand at Ocean Isle Beach last Thursday morning to determine where emergency berms should be contructed. I Mother Nature To Decide Impact Of Upcoming 'Spring' High Tide BY RAHN ADAMS With this weekend's weather as the key, an astronomical high tide ? possibly the highest one of its kind in 10 years ? may either help or hurt already damaged beachfront areas in Brunswick County. Tom Jarrett, chief of the Coastal Engineering Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Fri day that areas in greatest risk of flooding through Monday will be those where dunes were ieveieu in Hurricane Hugo last month. Under ordinary spring tide conditions, no major problems are anticipated where dunes still exist. "It (the upcoming spring tide) is high relative to normal spring tides," Jarrett said, "but it won't be that unusual if we don't get any wind with it..the thing that would make this a problem would be if we goi onshore winds with it." But with little or no winds and gentle wave action, the high water could actually bring sand onto the beach from offshore and build up damaged dunes, he added. Shallotte Point meteorologist Jackson Canady said Tuesday that extended forecasts ? uiougil they can change quickly ? indicate "fair ly tranquil" weather through this weekend in the Shallotte area. "At this point, there don't appear to be any significant storm systems that will affect our weather," Canady said. Tuesday, the National Weather Service's extended forecast, which covered Thursday through Saturday, called for fair weather and light winds in southeastern North Caro lina. A high pressure system was expected to form ever the south eastern United States Thursday (to day) and dominate local weather at least through Saturday. Normal spring tides occur during the full moon ? a time in the lunar cycle when the moon, earth and sun are oriented in nearly a straight line. The full moon this month is on Saturday. However, another factor contri buting to the upcoming astronomi cal high tides is that the moon is at its perigee ? its nearest point to the earth ? on Sunday. "The combination of the moon at its perigee on the 15th and the full moon on the 14th is producing these high astronomical tide predic tions," Jarre!! said. A similar situa tion will occur in November, with the moon at its perigee on Nov. 12 and the full moon on Nov. 13. According to tide predictions from the National Ocean Service, the highest tides this month in the South Brunswick Islands are ex pected to occur on Sunday and Monday, around 8:03 a.m. and 8:49 am. respectively. The high tides both days are predicted to be 6.5 feet above mean low water or ap proximately 4.5 feet above mean sea lev?' Jarrett said that under "normal" circumstances, the upcoming spring tides probably should be approxi mately 1.3 feet above mean high water here. Unless they are pushed higher by winds, these tides should be only about 0.1 of a foot higher than other astronomical high tides that have occurred over the past decade, he added. The high tides on the mornings of Nov. 13 and 14 are expected to reach the same level ? approximate ly 4.5 feet above mean sea level ? as the high tides this Sunday and Monday mornings, according to the National Ocean Service. With county help, several local beach towns Tuesday were to begin constructing emergency berms on their strands in front of public ac cessways, to protect against the an ticipated high water, said Bruns wick County Emergency Manage ment Coordinator Cecil Logan. As of Monday afternoon, the towns of Holden Beach, Long Beach and Yaupon Beach had asked the county for assistance in pushing up sand with county equipment, Lo gan said. He added that Ocean Isle Beach indicated it would take care of the work on its own. Logan had not contacted Sunset Bcach and other local beaches by Tuesday morning. Logan indicated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency last week determined that only 1,700 feet of the South Brunswick Islands' 21-mile beachfront were el igible for slate- and federally-fund ed berm construction. According to Logan, eligible ar eas included 500 feet at Holden Beach and 1,200 feet at Ocean Isle. Also, 2,400 feet were found to be eligible for the FEMA berm at Long Beach. No sections of any other local beaches were deter mined to be eligible, he added. Beaches Building Emergency Berms BY DOUG RUTTER Three local beach towns planned to finish construction of emergency berms by Friday to protect beach front property from the astronomi cal high tides expected this week end. Miniature dunes were being built this week at Ocean Isle Beach, Hol den Beach and Long Beach in an at tempt to protect homes left vulnera ble when dunes were flattened in Hurricane Hugo. The towns are paying for the berm projects up front, but will be reimbursed later by the state and federal government. After surveying all of the coun ty's beaches last week, engineers with the Army Corps of Engineers and federal and state emergency management officials said the three towns qualified for a total of 3,100 feet of emergency berm. Other local beach towns won't receive any help with emergency oceanfront protec tion. The berms, described by some as a temporary pile of sand, will be built about three feet high and 35 feet across the top. They will be created in areas left most vulnerable following the hurricane as a result of damage to structures and previ ously existing dunes. Berry Williams, chief of recovery operations for the state, told offi cials during a public briefing Satur day that specific criteria were used in identifying areas that qualified. In order to be eligible, he said offi cials had to locate areas where five consecutive houses would be threat ened by a five-year storm. A five-year storm is one that has a 20 percent chance of occurring in any given year. Williams said struc tures less than 5 1/2 feet above mean sea level would be endan gered in a five-year storm. Based on elevation, he said most homes on the local beaches would not be threatened by a five-year storm. Williams also said the berm could not be authorized where bulk heads exist. He pointed out that the same cri teria were used in South Carolina, where only 8 1/2 miles of coastline qualified for assistance in building the berm. Funding for the program comes from the federal and state governments, with the federal gov ernment covering 75 pcrCciu of ihc cost Since the berm was authorized as an emergency measure to protect homes from the higher than normal tides expected this weekend, Willi ams said it must be built by Oct IS for a municipality to be reimbursed. Holden Beach officials voiced disappointment last Thursday after learning that only 500 feet of their eight-mile-long island qualified for federal aid in building the berm. The stretch extends from 653 to 671 Ocean Boulevard West only. "That's a shame because our citi zens have been sitting back waiting for help." said Mayor John Tandy. "It's pretty much of a shock, partic ularly when you've been declared a national disaster area." Town Manager Gus Ulrich said the town contracted with L.M. Mc Lamb & Son Construction of Hick man's Crossroads to build the berm. It will be completed this week, he said. Engineers found that Ocean Isle Beach qualified for 1,200 feet of emergency berm, from 390 to 434 East First Street. Building Inspector Druid Roberson said workers with MAC Construction began work on the berm Monday and will finish this week. Mayor Betty Williamson said Tuesday morning she was pleased Occan Isle qualified for 1,200 feet of berm. But she said officials had hoped for another 400 feet directly west of that designated area where more homes could be threatened by higher than normal tides. At Long Beach, officials deter mined that three areas totaling 2,400 feet qualified for a temporary protective berm. Town Manager Gary Britt said work on building the berm started Tuesday. The town leased two bulldozers and was granted use of another by the county. Britt said work on the term will be completed this week, even if the town has to contract with a private firm to get it done. The qualified areas at Long Beach include 2,000 feet between 3529 and 4311 East Beach Drive, 250 feet between 2915 and 2927 East Beach Drive and 150 feet in front of the Sea Horse condom ini um complex at 46th Street, said Briu. Although Long Beach qualified for more berm assistance than any other area town, Briu said officials realize the berm won't be enough. "It's better than nothing," he said. "But it's certainly not adequate in itself to protect the beach." Like officials at other beach towns, Briu said Long Beach Com missioners are looking at several options cor.ccrr.ing rebuilding the dune. He said approximately 350 beachfront homeowners have ap plied for permits allowing them to bulldoze dunes in front of their own property. ? 97 Seek Assistance |i At Local Disaster L Application Center BY RAHN ADAMS While the turnout wasn't over whelming, almost 100 applicants sought hurricane recovery assis tance at a three-day disaster appli cation center (DAQ last week in Shallotte. "That indicates that there was enough interest to have it down here," Brunswick County Emergency Management Coordinator Cecil Logan said of the DAC operation, which was set up last Thursday through Saturday in the N.C. National OiiarH Armory. However, Logan said the local center's total does not reflect the number of non-resident property owners who possibly were unable to apply for assistance in person be cause they live elsewhere. .Also, North Carolina victims were able to apply at any applica tion center in the state. In all, 23 counties were declared federal dis aster areas, with all of the other counties except Brunswick located in the Piedmont and mountains. Rowland Faust, spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, poointed out Monday that individuals who suf fered uninsured losses last month as a result of Hurricane Hugo can still apply for disaster relief by calling a Disaster Information Hotline al 1 800-458-5095. The hotline is open from 8 am. to 6 p.m., every day ex cept Sunday. Deadline for applica tion is Nov. 7.3. "We're urging anyone who has not applied to get on the telephone and call that number," Faust said. The hotline provides the same ser vices as the DACs. According to Faust, 97 applicants were registered last week at the Shallotte DAC. Some 37 applica tions were made for temporary housing, and 38 applications were made for individual family grants. Small Business Administration applications were issued to five in dividuals for home and personal property losses and to 26 "business es." which Faust said also included rental houses. Forty-one individuals asked for information on disaster unemploy ment assistance, which must be filed for at the local Employment Security Commission office in Bolivia. Officials S2id most of the affected individuals here were shell fishermen. Also, 25 persons sought emer gency assistance from the Red Cross, Social Services, and Brunswick County Volunteer and Information Center. "I think things went smoothly, with the assistance of the federal and state operators and volunteers," Faust said. Logan also said he thought the operation "went good," even though there was initial concern last Thursday morning that shellfisher men, in particular, would have diffi culty returning to the DAC alter (See 97 SEEK, Page 2-A) Robinson Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Conspiracy Charge BY RAHN ADAMS A Supply area man who also is chargcd on sex-related counts plea ded guilty Monday in Brunswick County Superior Court to one of two cocaine charges against him. James W. Robinson Jr., 38, of Oak Road, Supply, pleaded guilty as charged to conspiracy to traffic in more than 400 grams of cocaine, according to the Brunswick County Clerk of Court's office. He remained charged Monday with trafficking in more than 400 grams of cocaine, first-degree sexu al offense and taking indecent liber ties with a child. The defendant was not sentenced after his guilty plea on the single drug charge. Judge Giles R. Clark continued sentencing from term to term of Superior Court. Special Assistant District Attor ney William Wolak said Tuesday that the trafficking charge was "held open," bccause Robinson is needed to testify in other pending drug cases. Robinson, who is the brother of Brunswick County Register of De eds Robert Robinson, was among 13 individuals indicted in June by a Brunswick County investigative grand jury on drug trafficking char ges. District Attorney Michael Eas ley told the Beacon in June that the register of deeds was not involved in the drug activity of which James Robinson was accused. Court records show that James Robinson was indicted July 25, 1988, in connection with sex of fenses that allegedly occurred April 30, 1988, at his residence. Investi gators said the victim was a then 11 -year-old girl. The child's mother reported the matter 10 authorities. Easley said in June that Robin son's drug and sex cases would be prosecuted separately and that "there won't be any negotiations between the two charges." The mandatory minimum sen tence for each of the cocaine char ges is a 35-year prison term and $250,000 fine, unless a sentencing judge finds that the defendant has provided "substantial assistance" to authorities. The judge could then impose s lighter sentence. First-degree sexual offense car ries a mandatory life sentence. The possible maximum term of impris onment for taking indecent liberties is 10 years. Holden Beach Fair Rides Out Hugo BY DOUG RUTTER For Francine Foster, hurricanes are a breeze compared to the frequent bombings she endured as a teenager in Europe during World War II. That's why she didn't think twice about staying at her home on Holden Beach when Hurricane Hugo swept through the Carol inas three weeks ago. "I don't know if it was a feeling I had or what, but I wasn't really worried,*' she said in an interview last week. "I guess I was just lucky." Despite warnings from town officials, Mrs. Foster remained in her home at 217 Gerda Street with her 94-year-old mother, Yvonne Urban, and cat, Pooky, while Hugo's high tides ravaged the ocean front a few hundred yards away. Born and reared in Paris, France, the 63-year old Mrs. Foster said she grew very accustomed to nightly air raids during World War II and wasn't the least bit concerned about last month's storm. "Hurricanes aren't any worse than being bombed every night for four years," she said. "It's not any scarier." Her house, located four rows back from the ocean, sustained minimal damage as a result of the storm. Mrs. Foster said wind from the hurri cane bent a tree in her yard and blew a few pieces of shingle off the roof. When the northern edge of Hurricane Hugo passed over Holden Beach, Mrs. Foster said there was very little rain and no flooding at her house. "The wind was very strong," she added. "It was pretty noisy with the wind howling." Wind or no wind, she said she never had sec ond thoughts about staying on the island and has no regrets. "1 didn't think it was that big of a deal, but everyone else seems to think so." Before the storm hit, she said she emptied about eight inches of water out of her swim ming pool to avoid overflowing. As the hurri cane approached, she said she went outside sev eral times to see if there was any damage. It was after midnight before she lost electricity at the house. Mrs. Foster said she was asked to leave the island twice before the storm made landfall the night of Sept 21. An evacuation team stopped at the house early that afternoon, she said, and the police came by later to urge her to seek shel ter inland. Though she wasn't forced to leave, Mrs. Foster said she did have to provide information about her next of kin. She said officers did not hassle her about staying on the island. "This is a big difference. Back home we had to put up with the Gestapo and all. They didn't give you a choice then." If there is such a thing, Mrs. Foster could be considered a veteran when it comes to riding out storms. She also stayed on Holden Beach when Hurricane Gloria threatened the Brunswick County coast in 1985. In 1984, she willingly evacuated when Hurricane Diana was headed for the island. She was still living on the oceanfront at that time, but did not like the feeling of leaving her home behind. "To me, leaving was worse than staying. I was a nervous wreck wonying about the house and everything," she said. "I had a bigger fit then than I did this time." Mrs. Foster, a full-time resident of Holden Beach since 1982, moved to America in 1950 after marrying a United States Marine stationed in Europe during the war. She and her late hus band have one daughter who lives in Wilmington.
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 12, 1989, edition 1
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