u nder the sun B:
INSIDE THIS SECTION:
TV schedules, 4-5
Sports, Pages 7-72
Hand-Working Aibert
Hughes Vital To ShalloHe t
BY DOUG RU ITER have to divide it up and have a few more people out
1WT? man is indispensable. But it's hard to imagine there." he said.
j ?j wnai wouiu happen iu uiv. Tgv.t. of Shailotte !?? ????? meantime the 19-year-old Waccamaw Schix)l
X without employee Albert Hughes. graduate will continue to do his best in the limited
Would the city grind to a halt? Probably not. But town amount of time he has each day. And at the end of the
officials are plenty thankful they have Hughes on the day. he'll go home to his wife. Jill, and two sons, Kvle
payroll. and Keith.
"Nobody is indispensable." Mayor Sarah Tripp ad- The Hugheses live in downtown Shallotte. but
mits. "But if I could say that about anybody I would say Albert's roots are in the Longwood community. He grew
it about Albert Hughes. He is as close to being indis- up on a farm where he helped grow tobacco, corn and
pensable as anybody is." soybean and raise hogs.
Considering what Hughes has done for the town in Hughes tried his hand at farming shortly after he was
nearly 11 years on the job, the may- married, but it didn't work out
or's praise has been earned. "Nohfidv / V partly because he was farming on
Where else could Shallotte find ^ leased land. He also worked for a :
one man to oversee the water and indispensable. But if I small finance company, a milk
sewer systems while also serving as * ' J company and The Brunswick
public works director, building in- COllIcI SCIV that Ciboilt Hospital before coming to work
spector and zoning administrator? ^ for the town.
"I hate to even think what we anybody I would say It's hard to imagine, but the
would do without him." Mayor Tripp . same man who works around |
added. "I don't know how he does it aOOUt Albert construction materials, heavy j
all he does. We couldn't hire any- ? equipment and sewer pumps all
body to come in and do what Albert tl UgrieS. day is also one of the most ad
is already doing." . mired gospel singers in the area.
In a town without a town manager. ?Mayor Sarah Tripp "I probably love that as much
Hughes has everything but the title. as I love anything." said Hughes.
In short, he's the type of employee every town needs who started singing when he was 12 years old. He has
and very few have?someone who will do whatever been music director at Old Shallotte Baptist Church for 1
needs to be done and never complain. the last eight years.
A Brunswick County native. Hughes sums up his vast Hughes, Larry He ust ess and R.L. Hewett make up a
duties in four words: "Anything outside is mine." gospel group called "The Altarmen."
That's a far cry from what he was hired to do in July In those rare moments when Hughes isn't working fui
1983. His main responsibilities were coordinating opera- the town, involved with his church, on the road singing
tions of the town water system and the brand new sewer or helping raise his kids, there's nothing he'd rather do
system. than fish.
In the 10 years since, Hughes has taken over as head "I was raised to fish." he boasts. "I've always enjoyed
of the streets and maintenance department and the the challenge, and since I've been working for the town
town's enforcer of building codes and zoning regula- that has broadened to I enjoy getting away. It's one way
tions. I can relax."
"As time went along they had to have somebody to While it's not likely Hughes would ever turn down a
blame so I was chosen," Hughes said, half-joking. In re- saltwater fishing trip, he prefers freshwater. That's what
ality, the expanding job "nas pul liirn under a lot of pres- happens when you grow up on the Waccamaw River.
sure. Hughes says the Waccamaw would still be his fa
"I don't have time to plan and prepare for things as vorite place to fish if it weren't so crowded. "It's be
much as I'd like to." he says. "I just put out fires, come so overfished that's it's almost not worth going
Whatever comes up. I just try to handle. Half the time I any more," he says.
don't know whether I'm coming or going." His favorite fishing hole is a 60-acre lake in the
Hughes says the growth of the town over the last 10 Mollie community, about five miles from Nakina in
years has made his job more demanding. Now that Columbus County. To hear Hughes tell it, that lake has
Shallotte handles zoning and inspections in the extrater- some of the prettiest bass you've ever seen and plenty of
ritorial area, he'.; busier than ever. them.
"The regulations in every aspect, from water and sew- A colorful storyteller, Hughes is somewhat reluctant
er to building codes, have made it much more demand- to share his greatest fishing tale. "The only real story I
ing," he says. "Nothing's simple anymore. It requires a could tell you would sound so much like a lie I'd hate to
lot of education which I don't have a lot of time to ac- tell it."
quire." He tells it anyway.
Before long, Hughes says the town will need a few It happened a few years ago on the Fourth of July. He
more department heads. It's too much for one person to was trolling for red bream in Waccamaw River one
oversee streets, water and sewer, inspections and zoning. morning when he hooked one about the size of a man's
"In order to do justice to the town and the people, one hand.
person can't be on top of everything. They're going to He started reeling it in and got it up near the boat
TOWN OF
' . '*' ?;,})#?? f.iLVu-Vt" *?-Jfe.. ? S^jgS
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG RUTTER
ALBERT HUGHES does a little hit of everything for the Town of Shallotte. His duties include building
inspector, public works director, zoning administrator and water and sewer systems operator.
when it suddenly took off for the bottom of the river, ger mullet skipping along the water. The fish headed to
Puzzled, Hughes brought it toward the surface again on- ward Hughes like a guided missile.
ly to find a large black fish on the end of his line. "Before I knew it that mullet and me were nose to
The black fish wasn't hooked, but had apparently tak- nose." Hughes says. "I reached up and grabbed him with
en a liking to the bream. The black fish escaped, natural- both hands."
ly, leaving behind the bream and one confused fisher- "That was the most unusual thing related to fishing
man. that's ever happened to me and they both happened in
The story doesn't end there. Later in day, Hughes was the same day," he said. "Just like I was saying, it sounds
digging clams in Shallotte River when he spotted a fin- like a lie but it's the truth."
Volunteers Needed For New Brunswick Buddies Program
BY DOUG RUTTER serve as positive role models with children between the might not otherwise have an opportunity to do, like vis- in the program," Hayes said.
hen Bob Hayes is asked what difference he ages of 7 and 17 who have been involved with the it a museum or shopping mall or go on a fishing trip. Brunswick Buddies is part of the Governor's One
hopes to make by helping a handful of chil- court system or are otherwise at risk. Other options include taking children on a beach On-One Volunteer Program, which served 1,269 youths
dren in a county full of needy ones, he likes ' I think it's a great program. There's so much that cleanup, teaching them how to cook or taking litem to a statewide last fiscal year Brunswick and New Hanover
to tell a story about starfish. can be done with it," Hayes said. "What we're trying to sporting event and encouraging participation in sports. are the only counties in southeastern North Carolina
The story involves a man and lit- do is gel kids to emulate "It's limited only by with the program.
tie boy who are walking on a hot the behavior of a posi- << m 1 iwtiwt ,'le suggestions we In New Hanover County, the Family Services Big
beach covered with thousands of tive role model so ' COplE Hffc QlWUyS COtTipidlHlH? make and the imagina- Buddies program has had a positive affect on children
starfish. The tide is going out and they'll grow up to be nhnilt primp Slflfl tllP rtmhlprnv ,'on ,'le volunteer," in the Wilmington area, said director Jennifer Cooper,
the stranded fish will soon die. thinkers and positive llVUlll CllfflC ClflCl IflC prUUICfflb Hayes said. She said the program diverts kids from the criminal
The man questions the boy when doers." vnuncr nprtnJp fnpp in rtur ?nript\) Ninety percent of the justice system, which saves the state money. It costs
he starts throwing starfish back into The program is a yuurig ycVJLSlc JUL,tZ iri UUr duciciy. children involved in the $1,357 per year to serve a kid through Big Buddies and
the ocean, asking what difference it component of the non- "Thic je thpif nnn/lftljnitv t/1 ttinlcP program have been in $39,000 per year to send a child to training school.
will make since the child cannot profit Brunswick Coun- ii J some sort of trouble "There are statistics that prove a positive one-on-oiic
possible save all of them. Tossing ty Volunteer and Infor- st /jiffprptlpp " Bob Haves 'aw They 'n" relationship with a positive role model changes a
I1AYES one more into the water, the boy re- mation Center in Sup- JJ ' J elude kids who have child's life," Cooper said. "There's no doubt it has a
sponds, "It will make a difference to that starfish." ply. Brunswick Buddies run away from home, positive effect."
Hayes, director of the newly-created Brunswick is funded by VIC and the N.C. Division of Youth Ser- skipped school, shoplifted or been involved with drugs All Brunswick Buddies volunteers will be required
Buddies program, realizes he can't help all of the kids vices. or alcohol. to take a six-hour training session. The first session will
who need it. But he thinks he can help make a differ- After completing a six-hour training session, vol- "You do have some kids who have been involved in be Feb. 2 and 3 at the Public Assembly Building in
ence in the lives of a few. unteers are interviewed and asked to provide references more serious crimes like breaking and entering or car Bolivia. Hours are 6 p.m until 9 p.m. each night.
"People are nlwavs complaining about crime and the before they are matched up with children with similar theft," Hayes added. Other kids will be referred to Hayes said people who aren't sure if they want to
problems young people face in our society, Hayes interests. Brunswick Buddies hy the school system or Brunswick volunteer are welcome to sit in on the training sessions,
said. Haycr. said volunteers must commit to spending four County Department of Social Services. "We would like for people tc become familiar with
"This is their opportunity to make a difference. I hours per week with a child for one year. Hayes said parents and guardians of cniiureu in- the program," he said. "Even, if they aren't interested in
hope we find a lot of volunteers who don't just want to "The volunteer is basically just a friend." he ex- volved in similar programs do not feel threatened by volunteering or don't have the time, they may know
talk about it but will get out there and help a kid re-di- plained. "The volunteer is a role model. He's not sup- the volunteers. About half of the kids come from sin- someone who would make a good volunteer."
rect their life before someone else affects them nega- posed to be a probation officer or a parent or anything gle-parent families. "The parents seem to appreciate the Hayes said he is looking for "caring adults" age 18
tively." like that." program," he said. "They seem to be very appreciative or older who want to make a difference in a child's life.
Hayes, who served five years as director of the N.C. Volunteers are discouraged from spending a lot of of someone coming in and helping their child." Men and women are needed, because the program typi
Division of Crime Prevention, started working as coor- money on the children, but they are asked to get the Brunswick Buddies is starting out as a half-time pro- cal caters to an even number of boys and girls.
dinator of the Brunswick Buddies program last kids involved in meaningful activities that teach them gram, which means it can only work with 10 to 15 chil- People interested in taking the training session are
October. how to do something. dren per year. "I'm hopeful that our program will go asked to register in advance. For more information, call
The program matches adult volunteers willing to Hayes said volunteers should do things that the kids full-time in July so we can bring it up to about 30 kids Hayes at 754-3355.
William Temple Allen, CPA, P.A.
Income Tax Preparation/
Representation
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Services
Computerized Payroll
Tax and Estate Planning
Former IRS Assistant Director
Technical Division, Washington, D.C.
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579-3328
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(X mile (rom Wal-Mart) (500 ft. east of stoplight)
PO Box 384 P.O. Box 44023
Shallotte, NC 28459 Calabash, NC 28467
(910)754-8979 (910)579-8485