See How They Run
Election Day is this Tuesday, Nov. 3. Sample
ballots and profiles of local candidates are
on Pages8A-1lA.
Welcome...
...to the N.C. Festival By The Sea at Holden
Beach. See section D for your guide to
the festivities and competitions.
THE
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Fright Night '92
Looking for safe, fun Halloween activities
for the kids? A rundown of carnivals and
other events is on Page 5-B
, 1992
4 Inserts
STAFF PHOTO BY EWC CARLSON
DEBBIE ALDRIDGE of Southport, speaking at a meeting in Bolivia Monday night, asks the
Brunswick County Planning Board and Board of Commissioners to expand a residential district
proposed in the draft county zoning ordinance. The area along Bethel Church Road borders land
that may be used for gravel mining.
Rural Residents Continue
Fight Against Zoning Plan
BY ERIC CARLSON
The proposed county zoning ordinance is being
forced on people living in rural areas ? who don'i
want to be told how to use their land ? by residents of
incorporated towns who won't be regulated by iL
That was the message delivered to the Brunswick
County Planning Board and the Board of Com
missioners by a majority of the 55 people who attend
ed a joint meeting of the two boards in Bolivia
Monday night.
Though it was not a public hearing, the boards
agreed to take comments from the audience. Twelve
people spoke at the meeting. A few asked for specific
changes. Most criticized the concept of zoning, often
to rousing applause.
"The people who will be affected are the people
who voted against it two-to-one, three-to-one, four-to
one," said V.D. Mintz of Leland. "Is that good gov
ernment, to force it on people who don't want it?"
Mintz was referring to the results of a Nov. 5, 1991
non-binding referendum that asked voters whether the
county should have zoning in unincorporated areas.
Zoning was supported by an overall margin of about
64 percent to 36 percent, according to figures supplied
by County Planner John Harvey.
County Commissioners Chairman Kelly Holden
and others have often cited those results in support of
their efforts to enact a zoning ordinance.
Mintz noted that zoning was opposed by a majority
of voters in many rural precincts, while more populat
ed areas ? where zoning already is in effect ? support
ed it
According to Brunswick County Board of Elections
results, 12 of the county's 22 precincts voted in favor
of zoning, while 10 opposed it
Zoning was supported by wide margins in the larg
er precincts of Boiling Spring Lakes, Oak Island,
Southport and Shingletree. The less populated
precincts of Longwood, Ash, Freeland, Bolivia,
Mosquito, Supply and Leland all voted against zon
ing.
Mintz said zoning was not needed in rural areas. He
said land-use conflicts could be avoided by enacting
nuisance ordinances.
Shallotte Accountant Melba Edwards said she op
posed the zoning law and warned that "there arc a lot
of traps in it." She said that although she has 300
acres of rural land, the zoning law would prohibit her
son from building a welding shop on the property.
"That's pretty restrictive," Edwards said.
She said the law unfairly targets mobile homes for
excessive regulation. A mobile-home owner herself,
she said such housing is "very practical" and an "eco
nomic necessity" for many people.
According to Harvey, the proposed ordinance is
"extremely lenient" and one of only a few in the coun
try that permits manufactured housing in all residen
tial districts.
Edwards also felt the ordinance was too strict in its
regulation of junkyards, which she called "the work
ing man's parts and equipment place."
Cindy Evans of Supply echoed Edwards' remark,
saying the ordinance would unfairly penalize "old car
buffs" who rely on junkyards as their only source for
parts.
"People ought to be able to use their land without
getting permits for everything," Evans said.
Also speaking in general opposition to the zoning
ordinance were Jeff Sellers of Supply, Lloyd Klutz of
Leland and Patty Young and Sandi Beasley of
Win na bow.
Bob Quinn of Southport repeated his request that
the boards re-think their support for allowing animal
slaughtering operations, incineration facilities for hu
man and animal forms, above- and below-ground stor
age tanks and hazardous material treatment facilities
in certain zones. Such uses could be allowed by spe
cial permission of the zoning board of adjustment.
Harvey has said the county cannot prohibit such us
es outright and must provide areas where such opera
tions could locate.
"My position was and is, we must seek to accom
modate at home, when man has a need to use land,
(See ZONING, Page 2-A)
Man Charged In Evans
Murder Was Paroled,
Had Weapons Charges
BY ERIC CARI .SON Tn annmin/?!ni* f?? 1JI 'f* ^ * *
BY ERIC CARLSON
One of the two men arrested last week in the abduc
tion and murder of Ronald Everett Evans was out on pa
role at the time of the killing and has twice been charged
wiiii fubdiius <mdulu> MIH.C ilia cuil/ idCaSC fium piiSGii
last spring.
William Earl Hill, 18, of Hale Swamp Road (formerly
Blueberry Farm Road) was arrested
by Brunswick County Sheriffs
Detectives Friday. He was charged
with first degree murder and kidnap
ping along with Bradley Tyrone
King, 17, who lives on U.S. 17,
Route 1, Shalloue.
King was arrested Thursday
evening, according to Sheriff John
Carr Davis. He said the two men
were arrested "at the south end of the
county." HILL
Both are being "neia without bond in liic 5iuiu>wiik."
County Jail.
Police say Hill and King have admitted their involve
ment in the shooting, with each one claiming that the
other pulled the trigger. The 9mm semi-automatic hand
gun used in the murder also has been recovered, accord
ing to Sheriff John Carr Davis.
The pistol, a hat worn by Evans when he was shot,
and other physical evidence has been sent to SBI labora
tories in Raleigh for analysis, Davis said. Detectives
continue to interview persons who might provide infor
mation regarding the events leading to Evans' death.
"We still don't have a motive and we are still looking
for witnesses," Davis said Monday.
Numerous theories have been advanced and several
motives suggested for why Evans might have been mur
dered. Each is being investigated, Davis said. He would
not confirm a report that another suspect may be charged
in the killing.
KING
In announcing the arrests Friday afternoon, Davis had
said there "might be other arrests" in the case.
So far there has been no evidence linking Evans with
illegal drugs sales or use, Davis said. Chemical analysis
J I _? ... I I ? ?
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Davis confirmed that Evans was acquainted with Hill
and King, but would not say how.
"I just don't want to give out any
information that would damage our
case or prevent them from getting a
fair trial. This thing is going to take
some time," the sheriff said.
He commended the efforts of de
tec lives 2nd deputies "who've
worked a lot of hours on this case."
Davis also praised the cooperation
and assistance of Shalloue Police
Chief Rodney Gause and agents of
the State Bureau of Investigation.
WdS repeated miSSifig by faintly mciuucis
when he failed to return to his home in Ash after driving
to a Shalloue fast-food restaurant on the night of Oct.
12.
His car was found the next day in a swampy area of
the Bricklanding Plantation property, not far from Hale
Swamp Road. The food he had purchased was still in the
car.
A passing horseback rider discovered Evans' body
Oct. 18 beside a dirt road off N.C. 130, north of
Shalloue. He had been shot at least once in the back and
once in the leg
Before the body was found, when the Evans case was
still being investigated as a missing person, a sheriffs
dctcclive received a lip that Hill and King mi&lit be in
volved in his disappearance.
Court records show that Detective Tom Hunter iiad a
(See SHALLOTTE MEN, Page 2-A)
41 Offices On Local Ballots
When Brunswick County polls
open Tuesday morning, 32,769 resi
dents will be eligible to cast votes in
the general election, the most to
date.
They will be voting in races for
47 scats at the county, state and na
tional level, including the president
of the United States and the gover
nor of North Carolina.
While some local and judiciary
candidates arc unopposed, in some
races candidates have more choices
than usual. This year the Dem
ocratic, Republican and Libertarian
panics have fielded candidates at the
state and national level. Independent
Ross Perot is also on the presidential
ballot in North Carolina.
The Brunswick County Board of
Elections will be displaying unoffi
cial results of the returns as they
come in Tuesday at the Public
Assembly Building at the
Government Center in Bolivia.
Official results won't be available
until Thursday, after the canvass.
Again this year both the
5i in 15 wick Cuuniy Democratic and
Republican parties are planning
election night events at their head
quarters buildings north of Supply
on U.S. 17 Business.
W.A. Stanley Jr., county chair
man of the Democratic Party, said a
46-inch wide screen television will
be set up at its headquarters for
viewing the state and national re
turns. At press time, arrangements
for posting local returns had not
been completed. Democratic women
will be providing refreshments.
Details of the Republican Party's
plans were not available at press
time.
Specifically, Brunswick County
voters will be voting for the follow
ing offices:
?County commissioners and
school board members from
Districts 1, 3 and 4;
?County register of deeds;
?County coroner (Greg White is
unopposed);
?Either two state representatives
(residents of District 14) or one state
representative (residents of District
98, where Thomas Wright of
Wilmington is unopposed);
?State senator (District 18);
?Governor and lieutenant gover
nor;
?Eight other members of the
r* ? of
11U1UI vxuwtlliu V/Wuiivii VI uuiiv.
secretary of state, auditor, treasurer,
superintendent of public instruction,
attorney general, and the commis
sioners of agriculture, labor and in
surance;
?23 state judges, including three
(all unopposed) 13th District Court
judges, three Supreme Court associ
ates justices, seven Court of Appeals
judges, and 10 Superior Court
judges;
?President and vice president of
the United States;
?A U.S. senator and a U.S. repre
sentative (7th District); and
?One Brunswick County Soil and
Water Conservation District super
visor, the only non-partisan race on
the ballot.
Inside. . .
Birthdays. ? 5B
Business News 9C
Calendar of Events xm
Church News 7B
Classified 1-8C
Court Docket
Crime Report 14A
Entertainment 5B
Fishing 10-11C
Golf
Obituaries
iiPP
Opinion
People In The News 4B
Plant Doctor ? ....... 3B
Sports ? 10-15B
Television Listings. ? 8-9jj|
Burroff Children Placed In N.C.;
Parents Waive Extradition
BY ERIC CARLSON
Accused child molester Robert Burroff Jr. and his
wife Gail have waived extradition from Nevada and will
be returned to Brunswick County within a week to face
trial. Sheriffs Detective Nancy Simpson said Tuesday.
The Supply couple is being held by the Reno Police
Department on felony warrants.
Their children Sarah, 12, Melody, 1 1, Michael, 8, and
Sammy, 2, are back in North Carolina and have been
placed in foster care with family members in another
county. They are living together and adjusting well,
Simpson said. The three older children have been en
rolled in school.
"They looked great, a little tired, but glad to be
home," Simpson said. "We all rode back together from
Charlotte Friday. They talked all the way home and we
stopped and ate pizza. They were tickled to death to see
me."
Department of Social Services workers had arranged
to pick up the children at Charlotte International Airport,
Simpson said. The four remembered Simpson from her
earlier investigation and asked if she could be there to
meet them.
Story To Air Friday
At 8 pjn. Friday, the Fox Television Network pro
gram "America's Most Wanted" will broadcast a sto
ry about the arrest of Robert and Gail BunrofPand the
recovery of their four children, according to Bruns
wick County Sheriffs Detective Nancy Simpson.
Acting on information received after an earlier seg
ment was broadcast about the Burroff case, Simpson
last week tracked the Supply family to a Reno, Nev.,
homeless shelter where they were apprehended Oct.
20.
The family disappeared from Brunswick County
Sept. 4 after Burroff was indicted on one charge of
first degree rape and two counts of indecent liberties
with minor children. '
NNNNHnhM
"I spent 17 hours on the road Friday between here and
Raleigh and Charlouc. But it was worth it to see them
back safe," Simpson said.
Simpson has learned that during their six-week disap
pearancc, the Burroffs had stayed in South Carolina,
Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and California before their
arrest in Reno. The Burroffs eventually planned to flee
to Alaska, she said.
Monday, Simpson spent three hours with a producer
and camera crew from the Fox Television Network pro
gram "America's Most Wanted," who were in
Brunswick County to film an update of the Oct. 16 story
the show ran about the Burroff case.
Calls responding to the first broadcast helped
Simpson track the family from a homeless shelter in
Houston, Texas, to another in Reno, Nev., where the
parents were arrested and the children recovered.
The new program is scheduled to air Friday at 8 p.m.,
Simpson said.
The Burroffs are believed to have left with their chil
dren Sept. 4 after Robert was indicted on one charge of
rape and two counts of taking indecent liberties with
children.
Simpson had no leads in the case until a story about
the Burroffs clipped from The Brunswick Beacon was
found on a gasoline pump in San Antonio, Texas, Oct.
6. The article asked anyone with information on the case
to contact the Brunswick County Sheriffs Department
The man who found the clipping contacted Simpson,
who feared the Burroffs might be headed for the
Mexican border.
Wednesday, Oct. 14, she contacted the producers of
"America's Most Wanted," who quickly put together a
segment on the case. They got the show on the Tkir in two
days, Simpson said.
By Monday she had answered scores of calls from all
over the country. Then she got a message to contact the
director of the Star of Hope shelter in Houston. He told
her the Burroffs had checked into the shelter Sept. 6 and
left Oct. 8.
Last Tuesday, working with a Houston Police detec
tive, Simpson found that the Burroffs had checked into
the Reno shelter after school officials there contacted
Houston schools to request the children's records. The
Burroffs were arrested that night.
Still, one mystery remains. Who left The Brunswick
Beacon clipping at that San Antonio gasoline station?
"I still don't know," Simpson said. "The kids say they
didn't do it But they may still be a little scared. Maybe
Gail did it. I'm sure it will come out eventually."