Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / June 3, 1993, edition 1 / Page 2
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Citizens Defend Agencies, Causes Against Proposed Cuts (Continued From Page 1-A) considering an appropriation that is 37 percent less than the RDC requested. "The fact that the county com missioners are faced with the possible task of raising taxes should be en- hughes ough proof to convince anyone that this is not the time to cut the recruit ing efforts that will attract jobs and increase the tax base for the county," Hughes said. He suggested said that "negative publicity" surrounding the budget proposal would hurt efforts to recruit new industry to Brunswick County and that several RDC clients "have already expressed this view." ?Gladys Wagcnseil of Supply, Teddy Altreuter of Calabash, Ann Brendgord of Calabash, John Cooper of Boiling Spring Lakes, Ethel Green of Sunset Beach and Sue McCann of Shallottc all spoke in support of the literacy council's efforts to improve reading skills. "If this county is going to prosper, we have to upgrade our literacy skills," said Wagcnseil. "The schools arc doing a fine job, but they arc overworked. They can use ou. volunteers. ?Friends of the Library member John Snyder took exception to a suggestion in Harvey's budget letter that the organization could take over some of the support functions of the Brunswick County Library Board of Trustees alter it was eliminated. "The Friends of the Library is a volunteer organization," Snyder said. "It is not a function of govern ment to tell it what to do." Snyder also praised Jones "and his marvelous staff for programs offered by the parks and recreation department. He said such activities provided cultural opportunities "pe culiar to this county." ?Fred Dillcy of Holden Beach said he had taken part in numerous day trips sponsored by the parks and recreation department. He also de fended department staff members who where described in uncompli mentary terms by Harvey during a recent interview. "I strongly resent what 1 read in the paper," Dillcy said. "The people we have met arc ladies of quality who help us senior citizens get around. If you are going to fire peo ple, at least learn their names." ?Alma Tolson of Shallottc Point spoke in support of the county's se nior citizen centers, praising "the former board of commissioners for being so nice to us." She said the programs allowed seniors to bccomc more independent. "I feel you as new commissioners ought to come and visit us and see the joy," she said. "We're not just there to eat lunch." ?Tri-Beach Volunteer Firefighter Danny Lieb! came to the mi crophone in his turnout gear to ask that the board consider increasing the county's annual contribution of SI4,500 for de partmental opcr mebl atjng expenses. He said the allocation "barely covers our insurance costs." Noting that 71 percent of Brunswick residents who voted in a non-binding referendum favored a district fire tax, Liebl said, "Apparently that idea has gone by the wayside." Liebl also questioned Harvey's decision to demote Emergency Man agement Coordinator Cecil Logan to the position of county fire marshal. "Cecil and the departments don't always see eye to eye," Liebl said. "But he's dedicated to this county and he's done an exemplary job." ?Shallottc Alderman Roncy Cheers spoke against the idea of a tax increase. He opposed a budget proposal to impose new fees for ser vices, saying it would make citizens "victims of double taxation." "Please loss the idea of tipping fees down the drain," Cheers said. ?Sunset Beach Town Council man Bud Scrantom spoke against proposed cuts in funding for the N.C. Coop erative Exten sion Service. He said the agency provides vital advisory ser vices for local farmers and the golf course in dustry. SCRANTOM ?Susan Gibblc of Holden Beach thanked the board for indicating that it would return funding of the Volunteer Information Center to the budget, noting that the agency had provided assistance to more than 5,000 people last year. Center Director Pete Barnctte also spoke on VIC's behalf. ?Miriam Speichcr of the Long Bay Artificial Reef Program re quested continued support for the group's efforts to create new habitats for fishing, which he said benefit both local residents and the tourist industry. ?Dale McDowell of Sunset Beach also spoke on behalf of the reef program and praised Barefoot for assisting the group with applica lions for funding. "If not for this lady here, we'd never have got it done," McDowell said. "I'm just an old country boy. She helped us with the paperwork. We could never have done it without her." ?Wayne Strickland, chairman of the Southport Maritime Museum's board of directors, thanked the com missioners for indicating their con tinued funding support and promised that "We'll sec you get your money's worth." ?Miss Brunswick County, Lamcicc McKoy described the benefits of the scholarship pag eant and asked the board to con tinue its appro priation. ?Bob Black of Shell Point asked the board to approve a McKOY capital improvement proposal to ex tend county waterlines to his area. ?Bumcst Hewctt of Mosquito re quested support for commercial fish ing and small business. ?Lynn Petch of Thomasboro asked for continued funding of pub lic radio station WHQR on behalf of herself "and the other 4,999 listen ers" in Brunswick County. ?Stephanie Hewctt said, "I can't imagine what Brunswick County would be like without Hope Harbor Home" and requested support for the shelter, as did Betty Buck of Holdcn Bcach ?Carmen Soles and Cindy Townscnd, both of Southport, voiced support for local 4-H pro grams while Eleanor Hoff spoke on behalf of the cooperative extension scrvicc. ?Beth Osick of Yaupon Beach said local school children "desper ately need your support" and asked the board to increase funding for ed ucation. ?School board member Bill Fairley said the school budget re quest was not extravagant and "seeks funding simply to avoid a de cline in education." ?Tom Simmons, assistant princi pal at South Brunswick Middle School, pledged to the board that "if you give us what we need, we're go ing to raise test scores." ?Parent Teacher Association member Glcnda Browning of Leland asked that the board "put children first" and support the school budget. ?Beth Zettlemoyer of Supply re minded the board that "anyone can be a victim of domestic violence" and asked support for Hope Harbor Home. ?Tom Ycaglc of Sunset Harbor advocated further cuts in spending, saying county government was growing too big and nefcded to be "lean and mean." ?Floyd Klutz of Leland also criti cized spending, saying that county government has bccomc a hole that you can put as much money as you want into and never fill ii up." ?Fayc Burkhalter of Leland de scribed to the board how her young son had benefited from parks and rccrcation programs, saying, "Because of what he learned from BJ., he can go right into school sports." ?Toby Levin of Long Beach also praised the department, which he called "very succcssful" and re marked, "Please don't eliminate it." ?Norman Home of Shallotte said the parks department "is recognized as one of the best in the state" and "offers something for almost every one in Brunswick County." He asked that the department be left "intact and fully funded." ?Parks and rccrcation advisory board member Maury Watkins of Leland called the department "a nec essary and vital part of Brunswick County's future" that should remain in "the very capable and expert hands of its director, B.J. Jones." He asked the commissioners to foster "stability, not turmoil." ?Several of the speakers elicited applause from the audience. The longest and loudest came after a comment from Helen Cashwell of Long Beach. "When you talked about change, we didn't expcct cataclysmic change," she said. "We're between managers now. So why not leave the budget alone and let the new county manager resolve the differences?" Educators Awaiting News On School System Funding (Continued From Page 1-A) lated benefits for teachers paid with local funds to match salary increases expected for teachers whose wages are paid by the state; and another S308.000 to cover a new salary schedule for classified clerical per sonnel adopted by the school board in May, retroactive to April. Worker's compensation premiums are expected to increase by 50 per cent and liability insurance premi ums will also increase. The school system's one-half cent share of state salts tax revenue will provide SI.3 million for capital out lay expenses, covering most items except the proposed construction projects, which were the top priority items of a 10-year program. "Construction is where we are re ally hurting," said Rudena (Rudi) Fallon, school system finance direc tor. However, Fallon won't begin re working the schools' budget until she gels the final word. "We're go ing to wait to heard what the com missioners plan to do, then we'll make whatever adjustments we need," she said. At Thursday's budget hearing, a board member, an assistant principal and three parents asked commis sioners to consider fully funding the schools' budget request Tom Simmons, assistant principal at South Brunswick Middle School, reminded the three new county com missioners of the "commitment to education" made during their elec tion campaign last fall. He also said the schools could guarantee increased test scores if the budget were funded as requested. School board member Bill Fairley of Southport told commissioners the budget is needed simply to prevent a decline in education, to keep county students from falling farther behind their peers. He stressed the need for THE BRUIMSWICir&VEACON Established Nov. 1, 1962 Telephone 754-6890 Published Every Thursday At 4709 Main Street Shallotte, N.C. 28459 SUBSCRIPTION RATES IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY One Year SI0.36 Six Months * S5.55 ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA One Year SI4.86 Six Months S7.90 ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A. One Year S15.95 Six Months S8.35 Second class postage paid at Shallotte, N.C. 28459. USPS 777 780. Postmaster, send address changes to: P.O. Box 2558, Shallotte, N.C. 28459-2558 the new computer technology and for school construction to relieve overcrowded classroom conditions. "The children of Brunswick County desperately need your sup port and the support of all the people of Brunswick County," Southport Elementary School PTA President Beth Osiak told commissioners. "Our schools are overcrowded and our children are not getting some of the skills they need to go out and lead successful and productive lives." That message was reiterated by Glenda Browning, president of the county's nine-school PTA Council, whose request was simple: "1 ask that you put our children first in Brunswick County," she said, taking away lack of county financial sup port as an "excuse" for low perfor mance. "If they were put first, for say the next three years, and we build all the buildings, we would improve the re port card. More specifically, we would improve the academic perfor mance of our children," she predict ed, with a boost in the county's economy as a result If a bond referendum is sought for school construction. Browning urged commissioners to include all items on the county's long-range construction plan, including a new central office. Letha Thomas of Leland, a Lincoln Primary School parent, re minded commissioners that the pro posed new elementary school at Leland is intended to relieve serious overcrowding at Lincoln, where 750 to 800 students arc served in space designed for 500. While 80 preschoolers qualified for a special pre-kindergarten program this year, only 10 could be served due to lack of space Warm Days, Rain Forecast Both normal rainfall and tempera tures are in the forecast for the com ing week. Shallottc Point meteorologist Jackson Canady said he expects temperatures to average from the mid-60s at night into the mid-80s during the daytime, with about a half-inch of rainfall. For the period May 25 through 31, he recorded no rainfall. Monday night rains will be included in the next reporting period. A high temperature of 86 degrees was recorded May 31 and the week's low temperature of 53 de grees the night of May 28. A daily average high of 84 de grees combined with an average nightly low of 63 degrees for a daily average temperature of 73 degrees, which Canady said is "about nor mal" for this time of year. STAFF photo by eric cajuson SRI INVESTIGATORS (from left) Rruce Kennedy and Mike Garrett and Rrunswick Sheriff's Deputy Richard Long look over the bullet riddled taxi in which a young man kidnapped two people and later held off police with gunfire for nearly three hours in Winnabow last week. Shootout Ends In Surrender After 3 Hours (Continued From Page 1-A) agreed to let the woman out of the taxi. Farther up the road, the driver suggested that Willoughby take the car and drive to Vermont himself. He agreed and let the driver out. By then the woman passenger had called 911 and reported the kidnap ping. Sheriff's deputies sealed off the north end of U.S. 17, but were unable to find the taxi on the high way between Bolivia and Wilmington. Shortly before 2 p.m., police re ports say Margie Wolfe had just re turned to her home in Winnabow and was carrying groceries into the house. Her husband Delbcrt was levelling his driveway with a tractor when he noticed a light blue taxi broken down in the middle of Cherry Tree Lane. He walked over to offer assistance. As he got to within 10 feet of the car, the driver pointed a gun at Delbert and told him to stay away. Moving quickly back to the house, Delbert told his wife to call 911 and went inside to get his pistol. A few minutes later the mail in the taxi came through the back door, pointed his gun at Delbert and de manded the keys to another car, the report said. Delbert fired his pistol at the man but missed, hilling the door jamb. But it was enough to send the intruder running back to the cab. According to a second incident report, another Winnabow couple was driving up Cherry Tree Lane when they slopped next to a stalled laxi that "appeared to be running hot." When they pulled up alongside the car, "a young white male got out, pointed a gun and fired." They quickly drove off unharmed. Deputy Sgt. Joseph Scoggins and Deputy Richard Duvall were the first law enforcement officers lo confront Willoughby lhat day. As he responded lo a call of shots being fired from the taxi, Scoggins said he told the driver to "throw oul all your weapons and exit with your hands up. Scoggins reported that Wil loughby cursed at the officers as he got out of the car with a revolver in his hand. He cursed again and point ed the gun at the deputies. Then he "put the barrel in his mouth and leaned against the vehicle," the re port said. As more officers began to arrive, Willoughby got back into the vehi cle and the three-hour standoff be gan. Brunswick Detective Tom Hunter, a former Maine State Police officer, established something of a rapport with Willoughby, who had recently moved here from the neighboring state of Vermont. Hunter talked with him over the taxi radio and even patched a telephone call from Willoughby to his father. Eventually, the taxi radio failed and Hunter said he kept the conver sation going with Willoughby over a loudspeaker. An expert hostage ne gotiator arrived from the Wilming ton Police Department. But instead of taking over, he asked Hunter to continue working with the suspect, since he already had Willoughby talking to him. Meanwhile, about 50 officers, in cluding a Wilmington SWAT team surrounded the stalled taxi and set up snipers at several locations. Throughout the encounter, Willou ghby continued to fire two ,22-cal ibcr pistols through the roof, out the side windows and through the wind shield toward police. "He tried to break out the wind shield with the gun," said Detective Captain Phil Perry. "If he had suc ceeded, I believe he might have done some damage to somebody." Distorted by their passage through the glass, the bullets whiz zed over police officers' heads in unpredictable trajectories. "I could see him through my scope aiming right at me," said Lu Carl Pearson, who kept a rifle trained on Willoughby throughout the standoff. At about 4:30, policc brought in the young man's mother to try and talk him out of the car. They outfit ted her with a bulletproof vest and let her speak to Willoughby through a loudspeaker. "That turned out to be a big mis take," said Hunter. "He popped up and started shooting at her." Finally, the SWAT team was giv en the go-ahead to fire three tear-gxs canisters into the car window. Police had hesitated using the weapons sooner because the projectiles can be lethal if they strike someone in a vital area. Perry said. Within seconds after the tear gas filled the car, Willoughby emerged with his hands in the air. He was taken to The Brunswick Hospital for treatment of a minor cut on this shoulder believed to have been caused by one of his own bullets ric ocheting through the car. Crime scene investigators from the Slate Bureau of Investigation re ported finding two revolvers and 81 spent shell casings in the taxi along with numerous bottles of wine. Willoughby has been charged with one count of armed robbery, one count ol attempted armed rob bery, two counts of second degree kidnapping, five counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a govern ment official, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, four counts of assault by pointing a gun and one count each of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling, felonious breaking and entering and injury to personal property. He is currently being held in lieu of 5155,000 bail under the protec tive custody of the N.C. Department of Corrections. At a first court ap pearance Friday, attorney Sheila McLamb was appointed to represent Willoughby at a June 9 probable cause hearing. Don't miss the July 4th issue coming July 1! Don't forget the advertising deadline is June 10! THE BRUNSWICK jlfEACON CALL AN ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE. 754-6890
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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June 3, 1993, edition 1
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