Grade 4 Writing
Scores Exceed State Average
ttr* ? 4i ? - j ??? I, , n.. ? 4 v
msuuum riwu* ? ?-m;
support of their argument and to explain those reasons.
Scores were on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 indicating the
composition exhibited "a lack of command" of the writ
ing form, 2, "exhibited a weakness." 3. "exhibited rea
sonable command," and 4. showed a "strong command".
A 2.5 Ls considered standard or average by the state
and the Brunswick County Schools, said Talley.
"If my child got a 2.5 I wouldn't worry about his writ
ing ability," said Tallev. "All of us want our children to
get d ?! ? student at that level is vcr? ?cl! c*juipped
The tests were scored by teams of trained readers who
read the compositions once using a method called "fo
cused holistic scoring." fheir focus was on how profi
ciently the student integrated composition elements such
as main idea, supporting details, organization and coher
ence. or logical flow, as they related to the composition
type. Readers did not know the identity of the student
writer or where the student went to school.
The readers also rated each student's proficiency in
conventions such as sentence formation, usage, and me
chanics such as spelling (errors in common one-syllable
words of six or fewer letters), punctuation and capital
ization. A plus sign means the composition showed evi
dence that the writer has a "reasonable and acceptable"
level of proficiency, a minus sign thai the writer dors not
have that.
In addition to the state-administered tests, this year,
for the second consecutive year, Brunswick County ad
ministered its own writing test to third, fifth and seventh
grades, using prompts from ok) state tests for the next
grade level.
This testing gives students experience taking the writ
ing test, and helps teachers identify weaknesses in their
language instruction.
Talley said the school system doesn't want its teach
ers focusing on bringing up the scores of just a handful
of students, which would be one way to bring up the
county's overall writing scores.
"Wr w?n! !o brif!C ?H r?f the students nn " chr ?i<i
V v * ? - - r *
"This year we gave the writings back to the teachers so
they could see what each child needs to work on in their
writing."
Those compositions will become part of the portfolio
passed on to the student's teacher next year.
This year local teachers learned to score the tests
themselves using the same technique the state employs.
The experience increased their respect for the process
and the accuracy of its results.
"We felt really good about it," said Talley. "We plan
to train a new group of teachers this coming year and
will expand it to include principals."
Talley said she is also pleased with the ways princi
pals and tcachcrs are "looking deeper" at their school's
rlata anrl a?lring mw questions. "The V 'rc using the
feedback in the right way, to improve instruction. They
arc trying to identify things that are happening in class
rooms that produce results."
Brunswick To Consider Power
Generating Garbage Disposal
BY ERIC CARLSON
Brunswick County will consider
joining three other area counties in a
regional high-tech garbage disposal
system that would eliminate the
need for a local landfill while sort
ing recvciabie materials and burning
most of what's left for fuel.
After hearing a presentation on
the waste disposal system, the coun
ty commissioners on Monday asked
representatives of the Vedco Energy
Corp. to return with a detailed esti
mate of what it would cost for
Brunswick County to join Bladen.
Cumberland and Hoke counties in
their "BCH Energy Project."
The waste -to-cnergy system un
der construction outside hayetteviiie
will remove plastics, aluminum and
other metals from garbage hauled to
the site from participating counties.
The combustible materials ? mostly
paper ? will be burned in a high-ef
ficiency boiler to generate electricity
for a nearby DuPont plant. Only 10
percent of the solid waste will have
to be buried in a Cumberland
County landfill. Vedco officials told
the board.
Brunswick County must find a
new place to dispose of its garbage
by 1998. It will also be required to
come up with a plan to reduce the
amount of landfill waste through re
cycling.
County Engineer Robert Tucker
on Monday presented a comparison
Brunswick County
must find a new
place to dispose of
its garbage by 1908.
study of three solid waste disposal
alternatives currently under consid
eration.
The first ? and least expensive ?
option would be to develop a re
placement landfill. Tucker said.
However, the county's efforts to find
a new dumping ground have already
raised concerns from people who
live near the proposed sites. More
intense poiiticai pressure is certain
to arise as the choices are narrowed
toward a final selection.
Option "B" would be to sign a
contract with ARS Waste Man
agement. Inc.. to dispose of county
garbage at a regional landfill pro
posed in Columbus County. Unfo
rtunately. a suitable location has yet
to be found for the operation and
public opposition has already scut
tled one proposed site.
The third possibility would be to
enter into an agreement with Vedco
to join in the BCH project. This op
tion "would get Brunswick County
out of the landfill business," Tucker
said. But it would also cost more
than the other two alternatives
The estimated fees that would be
required to pay for an in-county
landfill amount to about $38 per ton
for the first year, climbing to $48 af
ter 10 veais, Tucker said. Option
"B" is projected to require a $40 tip
ping fee the first year, increasing to
._i.- rn ?
tses?ly ^'/ VSii ;C?U3 MNCff.
Paying Vedco for waste disposal
would cost about $44 per ton the
first year and more than $62 per ton
after 10 years. Pucker said. But he
also noted that this option might
save the county money in long-term
recycling costs.
The state has established the goal
of a 40 percent reduction in waste
by the year 2001.
"Option 'C* provides for a simple
and ettective means to provide uni
form recycling opportunities to all
of Brunswick County citizens at a
reasonable cost." he said. "Use of
either Alternative 'A' or 'B' will
provide for disposal of wastes, but
will nut cuiuutcc the county's recy
cling system."
Vedco representatives said they
believe that the county might be un
derestimating its cost for construct
ing a new landfill and operating it in
compliance with new recycling re
quirements. They offered to return
and make a more detailed presenta
tion of the company's program at a
future meeting.
The commissioners voted unani
mously to meet with the company
and consider its proposal.
Assault Suspect Held Here Fits
Serial Rapist Profile, Police Say
(Continued From Page i-A)
leged method of attack.
"I believe this guy fits the profile
of a serial rapist," Mason said.
Acting on information provided
by the victim. Mason and Detective
Ken Messer obtained a warrant for
Kirk's arrest But when they went to
his trailer to pick him up, the offi
cers learned that Kirk had been ar
rested in Jacksonville on a charge of
first-degree rape.
Mason said Onslow County au
thorities told him that Kirk went to a
local massage parlor and raped one
of the employees. He was being held
there in lieu of a Si 00,000 bond.
In a search of Kirk's residence
and pickup truck. Mason said he and
Messer found evidence linking the
suspect to the Brunswick County
case, including a razor-blade type
box emitter Believed to be the weapon
used.
The victim was able to identify
Kirk and his pickup truck in photo
graphic line-ups. Masons said.
Photos for the line-up were provided
by authorities in New Hanover
County, where Kirk was released on
$5,000 bond after being arrested on
a charge of armed robbery for al
legedly holding up a convenience
store with a blue steel revolver.
Mason said.
The detectives brought Kirk back
to Brunswick County, where he
made a first *ppearwrt*** ift (iisuiCi
court Friday. Bond was set at $1
million.
Since then. Mason has learned
that another Brunswick County
mnman hat ainml If irlt nf vtalkino
her and raping her twice while chok
ing and threatening to kill her.
"She didn't come forward earlier
because she was scared She knew
him and was afraid that he would
hurt her," Mason said. "She said he
stalked her like she was prey."
The victim of the more recent as
sault says Kirk picked her up in
Wilmington at about 3 p.m. and of
fered to pay her for sex. Mason said.
Kirk drove to a secluded area of
Navassa. where things allegedly got
rough. Mason said Kirk allegedly
pulled out the razor knife, forced her
to perform numerous sex acts
against her will and then cut her.
"When she told him she needed to
go to the hospital, he said he would
end it for her right now," Mason
said. "She thought she was going to
be killed."
Kirk then told tuC ivcnisri he
wanted to mane a viaeotape ana
forced her into his pickup truck.
Mason said. He allegedly gave her a
shirt to stop her bleeding and threw
her clothes out the truck window on
the way to Leland.
After stopping the truck in a
cemetery on Lincoln School Road,
Kirk raped the woman and left her
there with nothing but her shoes and
a pair of stockings. Mason said. She
escaped on foot to a nearby church.
A woman there gave her clothing
and called 91 1 at about 7: 15 p.m.
The victifis W3S at New
Hanover Regional Medical Center,
where she was given tests for sexual
assault and was interviewed by a
rape counselor. Mason said.
After the 2s*2ui!, Kirk is believed
to have returned to his trailer in
Leland. The next night he drove to
Jacksonville, where he went to a
massage parior ana paid for "a 15
minute session" with a female em
ployee, Mason said. After his time
was up. Kirk allegedly raped the
woman twice before another em
ployee realized what was happening
and called police.
Investigators say Kirk walked
across the street to a bar, where he
was in the process of selling his
pickup to a man for $150 wtwn pry
licc arrived and arrested him.
Kirk is currently being held in
Onslow County Jail. If convicted on
all seven counts in Brunswick
County, he could face six life sen
tences plus 10 years in prison.
The two-day investigation leading
to Kirk's arrest was "the hardest 48
houn of my life," Mason said. "Ken
and I really busted our tails on this
If
one.
Mason is trying to identify other
potential viuinis aod asks thai any
one who might have had problems
with Kirk in the past to call him or
Detective Messer at the Brunswick
County Sheriff's Department by
calling (910) 253-4321 or 1-800
672-6379.
Kirk is described as a white male.
5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 185
pounds, with reddish-brown hair, a
mus ache and blue eyes. He has a
wwss iaiioocd wi his upper left
shoulder and a "Zig-Zag man" tat
tooed on his upper right shoulder.
Kirk also has a mole below his
navel. Mason said.
Testimony
BY ERIC CARLSON
As a first-degree murder trial
opened in Bolivia Tuesday, the pros
ecution set out to prove that David
Gillcy of Shailottc was looking for
trouble when he and two friends
went to the Junction l^ounge in Ash
on Jan. 30, 1993
Gillcy, 26, of Route 7, is accused
of fatally shooting Tabor City auto
mechanic Juan Perfecto Hernandez,
28, at the roadside bar on N.C. 130,
about two miles east of the
Columbus County line.
Witnesses to the shooting testified
Tuesday that Hernandez were at the
lounge with his wife and stepdaugh
ter when Gilley and two other men
came in at about 9:30 p.m.
The victim's wife, Sylvia
Hernandez, said her husband was
Begins In Murder Trial
playing pool when Gilley ap
proached him from behind and snick
a 380 caliber semi-automatic pistol
to his head. She said she reached for
the gun and was pushed to the side
moments before hearing a gunshot.
Hernandez told the court that she
and some other friends struggled
with Gilley as the group stumbled
out hack door _.k! removed the
gun from his hand.
Juan Hernandez was put in the
bed of a friend's pickup truck and
taken to the Brunswick Hospital,
where he was pronounced dead on
arrival from a single bullet wound to
the chcst
Gilley allegedly ran from the
scene and was later picked up by
Leonard Wayne Faircloth, 37, of
Shallotte, one of Gilley '% compan
ions at the bar that night. The two
were arrested four days later in
Baton Rouge, La., after they were
identified as fugitives during a rou
tine traffic check.
Faircloth was charged with being
an accessory after the fact to a
felony.
If convicted. Gilley faces a maxi
mum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Lee
Bollinger said Tuesday that the state
cannot seek the death penalty in the
case because there are no aggravat
ing factors on which to base such a
sentei^e.
Gilley has no record of previous
criminal convictions. Bollinger said.
Prosecution testimony was ex
pected to coaiinuc Wednesday
morning
jwf muiu it i
An Official Appearance
Interim County Manager Charles Donald McGinnis hears a presentation from Miss Brunswick
County, Ashley Summcriin, just minutes after he was officially hired as a temporary replacement for
County Manager Wyman YeUon at Monday night's county commissioners meeting.
Problem With Oceanfront Office
Is In Hands Of State Regulators
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Gus Ulrich to send a written re
sponse to the Division of Coastal
Management.
Commissioner David Sandifer
said he didn't think the town board
would be able to vote on an official
?own rcspoitac since the situation
posed a conflict of interest for at
least three commissioners.
Mayor Gay Atkins and Com
!!!!??!On?r Msfisint TKnmn* tunrjf j?J
Coastal Development, Carroll was
building inspector when the office
was constructed and Sandifer owns
a COiupciiiig TCdi cSitfic uiiSifiCSS.
Shallottc attorney William "Bud"
Powell, representing the Osborns,
said Monday that the couple filed
the complaint because water runoff
from Consul Development's proper
ty is damaging their home.
"Their wallpaper is coming off
the walls because of water. They
have mildew all over the house...,"
Pnur#l| cai/J MUL /v>n Afijy omuhm
the moisture is a direct result of
what has happened."
Coastal Development owner
Mark Saunders said there's no proof
that the water problems arc related
to the construction of his office. He
said previous owners of the home
have experienced similar problems.
Powell indicated that the Osborns
tried to get Saunders to do some
thing to correct the situation and on
ly complained to the state as a last
report out of frustration.
Saunders contends that he did
three different things in an effort to
Two- Cent
Proposed ,
Holder. Bcach Coamussioaeis
will meet Tuesday to start talking
about the town budget for next fiscal
year.
On Monday. Town Manager Gus
Ulrich presented his proposed 1994
95 budget that features a two-cent
decrease in the current tax rate of IS
cents per $ 100 of property.
wi!! hold the first
of what is expected to be a series of
workshops Tuesday from 8 a.m. un
til noon.
Ail budget workshops will be
open to the public, and commission
ers said Monday they want input
from residents. A copy of the pro
posed budget may be reviewed at
town hall.
Ulrich said in a budget memoran
dum to the mayor and board of com
missioners that the two-cent tax rate
cut is possible because of the recent
revaluation in Bruaswick County.
Combined with new construction,
the revaluation has added S60 mil
lion to the Island's tax base, which
now stands at S29S million.
Proposed general funds expenses
for next fiscal year include $224,184
for police. $190,731 for administra
control water runoff from his prop
erty.
"We have got a lot of violations
here...," Powell said of the business.
Mr. and Mrs. Osborn only want the
water situation as it affects their
house corrected."
In a written given to
The Brunswick Beacon following
Monday's special town meeting^
Saunders said:
regret these unwarranted alle
gations and unfavorable insinuations
were directed towards the honorable
business of Coastal Development
and Realty.
Ml ? - -??_ . J 4
i ucciiucu iu cunimcni at ihe on
set of the accusations because I
knew they were without substance
and unworthy of a reply.
My only response now is to say
that I appreciate the investigative
committee for doing a thorough and
intelligent job in exonerating Coas
tal Development and Realty of all
implications of willful wrongdoing."
O *!o!dcn Bsscfe iwucui Dun
Burke served with Fournier on the
committee, which also worked clo
sely with Building Inspector Claude
Spellman.
Commissioners did not address a
series of committee recommenda
tions aimed at preventing rules vio
lations from occurring in the future
They include the following:
? Ask the N.C. Division of
Coastal Management to improve its
training and certification of local
permit officers or allow Coastal
Management to handle all of its own
local permitting.
Tax Cut
At Holden
tion and Si3o,i70 for buiiaings and
grounds. The water fund totals
$405,800.
Major expenses in the $311,000
occupancy tax fund include
>100,000 for town hail renovations,
$65,000 for police salaries, 530,000
for sanitation, $25,000 for beach re
nourishment. $20,000 for adminis
tration salsris: aiul S! 7,000 for
street lights.
Ulrich said the budget includes
funds for 2.5-percent pay raises for
all employees. $6,000 to upgrade the
computer system and $28,520 for a
topographic map of the island.
The manager said the county is
expected to increase water rates 10
?o 15 cents per 1,000 gallons To ab
sorb the increase, he proposes a $1
hike in the monthly flat rate and a 5
cent increase for water in excess of
6,000 gallons.
Ulrich also has recommended re
serving $50,000 to improve water
pressure at the west end of the is
land.
* P^'ic hearing on the
WJ4-95 budget is scheduled June
? Ask Coastal Management to
"sign off" on all ocean front develop
ment.
? Ask Coastal Management to be
more timely in forwarding com
plaints that call for investigation by
the town.
S Ask i he county health depart
ment to advise the town of any de
partment investigations, especially
those that may cause a certificate of
completion to be revoked.
? ? ? -ii (L
privilege) of all firms operating on
Holden Beach.
? Set up a procedure involving
pcupie other than town Sum fur re
view of all permits issued by the
town.
Cooler, Dry
Days Ahead
Cooler and dry weather is expect
? m ?< r ill i ??? I CWail
VU VTWI UIV OV*V?a< tMMM
lotte Point meteorologist Jackson
Canady said Tuesday.
He anticipates below normal tem
peratures, averaging from the upper
50s at night to the upper 70s during
the daytime, with less than a half
inch of rainfall.
For the period May 10-16, he
recorded a high of 86 degrees on
May IS and 16, and a low of 49 de
grees the night of May 14.
A daily average high of 83 de
grees combined with an average
nightly low of 60 degrees, for a dai
ly average temperature of 71 de
grees, about 1 degree above average.
He recorded no rainfall for the pe
riod, as the local dry spell length
ened.
The Beacon Has The
Rfftf Frftirtf
You're Lookmg For!
IK NUNSMKKtUKM
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thurauay
At 4709 Main Street
Shal lotte, N C. 284S9
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year .$10.36
Six Months $5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.86
Six Months $7.90
ELSEWHERE IN U-Sj*.
One Year $15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at
Shallotte, N.C. 28459. USPS 777
780. Postmaster, send address
changes to:
P.O. Box 2558,
Sittiioae, N.C. 28459-2558