Picket Or Ticket?
It may be tempting to rip out your porch
pickets and improve your view, but to do so
violates state safety codes. Page 3- A.
Judicial Review Sought
A teacher's petition claims her firing was
discriminatory under the federal family
leave and disabilities acts. Page 8-B.
Angler's Lucky 13
An 8-foot lemon shark wins the 13th annual
Poor Boy Shark Tournament for Fred Walker
of Yaupon Beach. Page 4-D.
I Thirty- Second 'fear. Number
12/31 /SS **P0
HOAG & SONS BOOK BINDERY
PO BOX 162
SPRINGPORT MI 49284
Plus
New Information
Adding Focus
To Frink Murder
Investigation
ARLSON
:r the brutalized
body of Amy
Caroline Frink
was found on a
remote dirt road
in South Caro
lina, detectives
say they have
uncovered new
information that
could help them
identify a sus
pect in the mur
der of the Shallotte teenager.
"We're excited about some new
leads that suggest we may be start
ing to focus in the right direction,"
said Detective Tom Hunter, the
Brunswick County Sheriff's Depart
ment case officer for the multi
agency investigation.
Police say an arrest in the case is
not imminent and remain tight
lipped regarding details of their re
ccnt findings. But after conducting
more than 230 interviews on both
sides of the state line, they say the
investigation into Frink's brutal
slaying has not slowed.
"If anything, it has intensified,"
Hunter said. "We aren't closing our
eyes to anything. Several scenarios
arc being looked into. Nobody has
been eliminated from suspicion. In
this investigator's opinion, everyone
we've identified as a possible sus
pect remains a suspect."
Although the final results of an
autopsv on Frink's body have not
been received. Hunter said prelimi
nary Findings indicate that there was
"no trace of drugs" in her system.
Rumors that Frink's murder might
have been drug-related began to cir
culate after her body was found on a
hunting club road known as a hang
out for drug users.
(See MURDER, Page 2-A)
BY ERIC
One month a
FRINK
Church News 9A
Classified 1-12C
Crime Report 8D
District Court 5D
Golf 3D
Opinion .4-5 A
People In The News 4B
Plant
Superior Court 6A
Television 6-7D
STAFF PHOTO Vt BiC CAftLSON
Change Of Command
BMCS JD. Arndt, former chief of the US. Coast Guard Station at
Oak Island makes a final ere* wiywfiwi dmrmx change of com -
mand ceremonies Wednesday morning (July 20). After leading lo
cal USCG operations for more than four years, Arndt will become
officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Cortex, near Bradenton,
Fla. He turned over command to BMCS Bradley S. Steigleder
(right), whose most recent tour of duty was as executive petty offi
cer of the USCG Cutter Naushon in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Schools, Commissioners
Begin Arguments To Jury
In Battle Over Funding
BY ERIC CARLSON
This year's school spending plan is the first one ever
developed by the teachers and principals who see the ed
ucational needs of students every day, Brunswick
County Schools Superintendent Ralph Johnston told a
jury Tuesday.
Cutting the budget would mean firing teachers, in
creasing class size and forcing young people who want
to leam into classrooms with disruptive students who
won't get the special attention they need, he said.
Not so, argued attorney Michael Ramos on behalf of
the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners. He in
sisted that the county's share of the school system's $40
million budget "should be adequate" if the Board of
Education was financially prudent.
"Every one of these people has a distinct personal in
terest. if not a monetary interest, in the outcome of this
case," Ramos told the jury. "By the time they finish
they'll have you believing that our students have no pa
per to write on and no pencils to write with. That's just
not the case."
After five hours of jury selection, testimony began
Tuesday afternoon in the school board's lawsuit seeking
an increase in the amount of school spending approved
by the county commissioners. Brunswick education offi
cials say their S9.4 million allocation is not enough to
continue existing programs and falls far short of the
amount needed to improve Brunswick's notoriously bad
education rating.
First to take the stand Tuesday was Johnston, who be
gan by citing a study showing that Brunswick County
students were performing at a significantly lower level
than the state averages in nearly all subject areas.
Johnston said when he was hired in October 1992, the
school board directed him to come up with a systematic
plan to raise the expectations auu standards" of educa
tion in the county. After meeting with principals, teach
ers, parent groups, civic clubs, business leaders and oth
ers, Johnston said he presented the board with a mission
statement and a list of goals for the immediate future.
"When I arrived, I found that teachers and principals
were not involved in the budget process," Johnston testi
fied. "I told the board that improvement will not happen
in the superintendent's office. It's got to happen in the
schools, with the guidance of teachers and principals."
With that in mind, Johnston said he asked officials at
each county school to assess its needs for materials, sup
plies, staff development and other things directly related
to teaching. Spending plans for each school were devel
oped from these surveys.
"I told them this was not to be a want list, but a need
list," said Johnston. He testified that the school board's
budget request reflected those needs.
Not only is the amount of school funding approved by
the commissioners insufficient to meet basic require
ments, Johnston said. It's not even enough to maintain
current programs and pay for state-mandated salary in
creases and health-care costs. Cutting a requested
SI 87,000 teacher supplement will mean that the schools
"will not attract the best and brightest" teachers, while
compromising efforts to increase minority recruitment.
The superintendent said the most recent preliminary
test results show that "in some areas we have made
some progress and in some areas we have gone back
wards."
"I am confident that additional progress can be
made," Johnston said. "It is critical that there be ade
quate funding to do so."
Johnston was scheduled to be cross-examined
Wednesday morning. In his opening remarks to the jury,
Ramos set the stage for the county's defense by telling
the jury, "Their argument for increased funding is that
they need the money for educational services. Our evi
dence will show that the money we give them doesn't go
there."
Ramos told the jury of six women and six men that
since 1986, enrollment in county schools has increased
by only 5 percent ? from 8,300 to 8,900 ? while the
county's share of school funding has increased 100 per
cent, fiotu $43 million in 1986 to more than S9 million
this year. Of that amount, only S3 million goer, to in
struction, while the rest is spent on "support services,"
Ramos said.
"This ease is not about whether the board of commis
sioners wants children to have a good education or
whether they believe education is necessary," Ramos
(See JURY TRIAL, Page 2-A)
ALDERMEN UPSET WITH DEPARTMENT
Shallotte Fire Chief Carter Not Expecting Reappointment
DV nAITf m rnwn mm mam mmm mm rnmmm mm h ? ? ?????? ? ?????- ? ________
BY DOUG HOTTER
Recent tension between Shallotte Aldermen
and the town's volunteer fire department could
come to a head next Tuesday when aldermen
appoint a fire chief for the upcoming year.
Fire department members voted last week
to recommend re-appointment of Chief Tun
Carter, who has served in that capacity for
nearly seven years.
However, some town board members have
said in recent months that Carter is difficult to
work with and they want someone else to head
up the 15-member department.
Aldermen are expected to make the ap
pointment at their Aug. 2 meeting. They will
either select one of three names submitted by
"They're going to vote somebody else in as chief. It
doesn't matter. What ami going to lose? It's a lot of
responsibility."
? Shallotte Fire Chief Tim Garter
the fire department or choose someone else to
serve as chief.
As required by town policy, the fire depart
ment will submit a list of three names for con
sideration. In addition to Carter, members will
recommend David Moore and Tony Hewett as
possible appointees.
In an interview last Friday, Carter, a 10-year
?- V.
veteran of the department, said he doesn't ex
pect to be re-appointed.
They're going to vote somebody else in as
chief," Carter said. "It doesn't matter. What
am I going to lose? It's a lot of responsibility."
Alderman Bill Allen is among the town
board members who have indicated they want
to appoint a new fire chief.
"I'm hoping we'll get a new head of that
department who we can work with," Allen
said last week as the board discussed a $1,370
drop ceiling that was installed in the fire de
partment office without authorization.
"I think we need to stand up strong now
with that department because I'm very unhap
py with them. I disagree with everything they
did with us," Allen said at last Tuesday's
meeting.
Alderman Carson Durham also expressed
concern over the project, which was started
without town board approval. Town policy re
quires board authorization for any fire depart
ment expense greater than $500
(See SHALLOTTE, Page 2-A)
Police Cite 'Domestic Problem' In
Fatal Shooting Of Church Deacon
BY ERIC CARLSON
Police say a man enraged over the alleged extramari
tal activities of his wife confronted one of ber friends
and shot the man dead at his home in Shallotte shortly
after midnight Wednesday (July 20).
Oliver William "Dub" Gore was found dead after the
alleged killer called his minister and arranged to turn
himself in to the Brunswick County Sheriff's Depart
ment about an hour later. Detective Capt. Phil Perry said
Monday.
Charged with Gore's murder is Michael Dwayne
Miller, 33, of Cardinal Drive, Shal- I
lotte, who is well-known in the area I
as an employee of a local pest con- I
tro! company. He is being brkl with- I
out bond in the Brunswick County I
Jail, Perry said.
Miller had been "having ongoing I
problems" with his wife and believed I
that Gore, who was a deacon at her I
church, was "part of this domestic I
problem," Perry said. Police believe
Miller had been driving around for MILLE*
much of the night when he went to Gore's house at the
end of Northside Drive to confront him about the situa
tion.
There was no indication of a struggle. Perry said.
Gore was shot once in the head and once in the abdomen
and died at the scene. After the shooting. Miller drove
north on U.S. 17 toward Wilmington. He threw the five
shot .38-caiiber revolver out of the car window in
Winnabow area. Perry said.
A short time later. Miller called his minister and
asked him to arrange for Miller to surrender. Perry said.
The minister called the Brunswick County Emergency
Services (91 1) center, which dispatched police and a res
cue unit to Gore's home.
Sheriff's detectives processed the crime scene and are
conducting the investigation because the house, located
at the end of the paved portion of Norths ide Drive, off
Smith Avenue, was initially thought to be outside the
Shallotte city limits.
After giving a statement to detectives. Miller led in
vestigators to the spot in Winnabow where they recov
ered the handgun believed to be the murder weapon.
Perry said.
Standing just outside the yellow crime-scene tape
around Gore's home Thursday morning, his brother-in
law Frank Hewett of Ash said he was puzzled to I earn
about the violent death of the 57-year-old man who re
tired just two months earlier from his 30-year career as a
longshoreman at the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny
Point
"He was just a hard-working man who never had one
minute's trouble with the law," Hewett said. "He was
just starting to enjoy himself, spending more time with
his hobby ? buying antiques and things at flea markets,
fixing them up and selling them."
Gore was married to Hewett 's sister Annie Belle for
36 years before she died at their home of heart problems
in December 1991, he said. The two had no children to
gether-She stayed here and kept house while he worked
at Sunny Point," Hewett said "She kept it real nice."
A native of Shallotte, Gore was regarded as a peace
ful man who served as a deacon and Sunday school
?MtHter at the nearby Letties Grove Pentecostal Church,
Hewett said. Although Gore kept books and handled fi
nances for the church, police say there is no indication
that robbery might have been a motive for his killing.
A probable cause hearing was scheduled for Aug. 4.