Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Sept. 9, 1993, edition 1 / Page 8
Part of The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
STAFF PHOTO BY EKIC CARISON Marching Ahead Filing in for their first day of classes, a trio of Supply Elementary School students prepares to meet the challenges of another school year. Regional Rabies Epidemic Poses Threat To Brunswick Pets, People BY ERIC CARLSON There's a killer lurking in the woods. Our neighbor to the north has recorded more victims than any oth er county in the state. Only one South Carolina county reports more cases than our neigh bor to the south. The killer is rabies, and local health officials are frankly surprised that Brunswick County has not re ported its first case of an animal be ing identified with the disease. They feel certain that rabid wild animals are living within our bor ders and expect that it will only be a matter of time before the deadly dis ease is spread to a stray dog or cat, a household pet or a human. In what is being termed a multi state epidemic, a record 50 cases of rabies have been confirmed in North Carolina this year, more than double the number recorded by this time last year. South Carolina is running 20 cases ahead of last year, with 110 infected animals reported. Horry County, S.C., health offi cials have already identified 12 ani mals infected with rabies this year. Columbus County leads North Carolina in the number of rabies cases among animals with 13 report ed, while 10 people have had to un dergo treatment for rabies. Just two weeks ago, six residents of a trailer park near Whiteville were exposed to the disease through a stray cat. Three children and two adults were bitten or scratched while playing with the animal. One man was attacked in his home by the ani mal and had to shoot it to protect himself. As in all cases of suspected rabies Don't Wait... Vaccinate! The Brunswick County Health Department's Animal Control Division, in cooperation with local veterinarians, will offer low-cost ra bies vaccinations at four locations on Saturday, Sept. 25. Residents can have their dogs and cats vaccinated for $5 per shot. The vaccinations will be offered between 9 a.m. and noon at the Brunswick Animal Hospital on U.S. 17 in Supply; from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Companion Animal Hospital in East Gate Square. Shallotte; be tween 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Seaside Animal Care on Carter Drive, Calabash; and at the Leland Veterinarian Hospital in Clairmont Plaza from 8 a.m. to noon. infection, the cat's head was sent to a laboratory in Raleigh, which con firmed that the animal had contract ed the disease. The six people have had to undergo a painful and expen sive series of injections, which are the only known method of prevent ing death from rabies. In Pineville recently, a group of children were attacked by a rabid fox that bit two five-year-olds, then turned on a mother who tried to dri ve the animal away. The woman said the fox sank its teeth into her leg and refused to let go as she ran into her garage. Stories like these are typical of encounters with rabid animals, who frequently become fearless and highly aggressive under the influ ence of the disease, said Brunswick County Health Director Michael Rhodes. He is concerned that with reports the disease all around us, the next such incident could happen here. "We know it's here. We just haven't had a case yet," Rhodes said. "We need to assume that it's in our wild animal population now. Because if we don't, I'm afraid some human will contact the dis ease." The best way for people to keep from being infected with rabies is to avoid contact with wild animals, and to make sure that all pets are vacci nated against the disease. Unfortunately, Rhodes estimated that only about 30 percent of Brunswick County's pet dogs and cats have been vaccinated. Rhodes is particularly concerned that the coming of hunting season could bring more dogs in contact with wild animals as their owners take to the woods. A single bite by an infected animal could quickly spread rabies to a hunters entire pack of dogs, requiring that they all be euthanized. Animals carry rabies in their sali vary glands and can transfer the dis ease through bites and scratches. The virus is then carried to the brain, where it destroys the central nervous system and causes the animal to ex hibit strange and often vicious be havior. The vast majority of rabies cases have been reported among raccoons and foxes, although bats have also Push For Incorporation of Goretown Continues 1 Organizers of the proposed town of Goretown plan to seek support for its incorporation from the Black Leadership Caucus of the 7th Con gressional District. Robert Gore said Tuesday that he plans to follow up on the recom mendation, which he said was made Friday night during a meeting with a representative of Congressman Charlie Rose's office. "We're going to do that to make sure we get the type of legislative support we need for incorporation," he said. The proposed municipality of pre dominantly black residents would stretch from west of Grissettown to near Calabash with irregular bor ders. If approved, it would become Brunswick County's 19th town. Last year three communities were con sidering incorporation ? Northwest, Seaside and Sunset Harbor, with Rep. Thomas Wright introducing the legislation that incorporated North west. Support for incorporation is divided in the other two communi ties and local legislators took no ac tion on the requests. Goretown was one of several top ics addressed at a community meet ing held Friday night that drew a group of approximately 50 people, he said. Odell Williamson, who represents this area on the State Transportation Board, announced that 2.700 feet of Shingletree Road had been accepted earlier that day for state mainte nance. He said the group also asked questions about Goretown and heard comments from Rep. E. David The Swim *N* Hole & Game Room Hwy. 130 E. (Next to Jane's Seafood) Evening Reservations Available For a Special Birthday Party, Church Outing or Family Renuion. 7 Days a Week 6:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m. $50 for 50 or less, Over 50 people $75 Call 842-4300 or 842-4040 New Hours Saturday & Sunday 1 -6 pm ei9fca THE BRUNSWICK BOCQN Redwine, Sen. R.C. Soles Jr. Rep. Dewey Hill and a former state repre sentative Ron Taylor, as well as school board member Thurman Gause and Superintendent Ralph Johnston. "I thought the meeting went real well," said Gore. been known to carry the disease. Dogs and cats are the most common domestic carriers. If left untreated, rabies is always fatal. Persons infected (or suspected of being infected) with the disease must undergo a four-week series of shots that can cost between $500 and $900, depending on body weight. Health officials offer this advice in hopes of controlling the deadly disease: ?Have all pets vaccinated and make sure their shots are up-to-date. State law requires that dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies. ?Report any animals that exhibit strange or aggressive behavior to county animal control personnel. ?Leave wild animals alone and instruct children to do likewise. Putting food out for raccoons could attract rabies to your DacK yara. ?If any animal bites or scratches you, see a doctor immediately. Do not try to capture the animal your self. Call animal control. ?Keep a secure cover over trash or garbage that could attract ani mals. Put dog and cat food inside at night. ?If you are forced to shoot an an imal believed to be infected with ra bies, try to preserve the head. Turn the carcass over to animal control for examination and disposal. Bird Island Zoning Hearing Set Monday See related story. Page 1-A BY LYNN CARLSON Sunset Beach officials will host a public hearing Monday on a propos al which would limit development of Bird Island to an estimated 30 single-family homes and possibly a community center. After almost a year of drafting and refining, Sunset Beach's town council and planning board will hear public comment on the proposal Sept 13 at 7 p.m. at the Jones-Byrd Clubhouse. Sea Trail Plantation. The proposal would create a "conservation reserve zone" to in clude the undeveloped barrier island and all the unzoned area of the is land of Sunset Beach. The zone, according to the pro posal under scrutiny would provide "effective long-term management of significant, limited or irreplaceable areas" such as wetlands, undevel oped shorelines and the habitats of rare plants and animals. Low-density single-family devel opment would be allowed, but spe cial permission would be required by the town's board of adjustments for a community. As proposed, the zone could not include the restaurant, bed-and breakfast hostel and multi-family homes featured in an early proposal by the island's owner. The proposal seeks to limit devel opment density to one single-family dwelling per acre of "total net build able area" in the zone. A profession al planner's study of Bird Island in August 1992 estimated it has 32.9 acres of uplands which are outside existing city and state setbacks. Though one dwelling per acre is the total density objective, homes could be built on half-acre lots under the plan. Permitted uses would include sin gle-family residence, spoil sites, fences, accessory buildings, swim ming pools, private noncommercial piers and docks, coastal reserves and estuarine/wildlife sanctuaries. Special uses, permissible only with the consent of the board of ad justments, would include a commu nity center and recreational ameni ties such as a swimming pool, tennis courts and a boat dock. The commu nity center would have to be on at least one acre of land and would count as one of the total allowable units. Additional density requirements IN CALABASH BRING HOME THEftKACON On Sals At MIKE'S KWIK MARKET MINUTE-MAN MOORE'S GAS & GROCERY SEASHORE DRUGS SIMMONS' BEVERAGE MART COASTAL DISCOUNT BEVERAGES JIMMY'S PANTRY A public hearing on the proposed Conservation Reserve Zoning District, including Bird Island, will be held Monday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m., at the Jones-Byrd Clubhouse Sea Trail Plantation. include: ?maximum lot coverage of 30 per cent by buildings, accessory build ings and impervious surfaces such as driveways; ?minimum required front yard depth of 50 feet on all lots other than oceanfront. Oceanfront homes would be required to be built 65 feet from the established Coastal Area Management Act line; ?35-foot height limit; ?maximum six bedrooms per resi dence. Copies of the proposal are avail able for inspection at the town hall. Exclusive px nnp Featuring Prehistoric r AjV-,,~'**'Paul Sahlin Sharks SHELL Tiffany Te^ LAMPS F iooo's of J Shells vV Coral & Shark Jaws * Great Prices on* Plates ? Collectible Bubble Fairies Western Statues ? Golf Globes & Sea Bubbles Labor Day Specials ?Lawn Statues & Sculptures 40% Off ?Coral 40% Off ?Non-Special Items 25% Off Storewide pim ice cru MELLO BUTTERCUP Sugar Free Yogurt & Ice Cream Old Timey Sodas ? Coffee Lemonade Tea ? Taffy ? Banana Splits Kiddy Cones 99C 10% Sr. Citizen Discount GOLF PLAZA 10136 SW Beach Rd. (Hwy. 179) Calabash, North Carolina ADJACENT TO MINI GOLF COURSE r The 5th Annual Coasted TXTRAVAQ? vHla (50c Off ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW One Adult Admission With This Coupon I Limit One Discount Per Ticket) Sept. 11th & 12th, 1993 Trask Coliseum Sat. 10:00 - 6:00 p.m. Adults $2.00 UNC-Wilmington, NC Sun. 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. Senior Citizens $1.50 I03GM! mmm Southern Shores Promotions Booth Information (919) 362-0230 UCB TaxSaver Installment Loan: The Less Taxing Wfoy To Get A Loan. The Personal Touch. Easy As UCB. |C^?A Imagine a loan for just your existing car or boat loan, idea behind our UCB TaxSaver about anything you need. A Now imagine that 100% of the Installment Loan. Come talk new car. Boat. Home improve- interest is deductible on your to us today and enjoy deducting ment. Vacation. Or refinance income taxes and you'll see the 100% of the interest at tax time. Please s top by any UCB office or call 754-4301 . Consult your tax advisor about deductibility of interest. I qual Housing Lrndrr C 1993 Unitrd Carolina Bank
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 9, 1993, edition 1
8
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75