THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOLUME 44 NUMBER 22
12 PAGES TODA Y SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA
DECEMBER 20, 1972
10 CENTS A COPY PUBLISHED E VER Y WEDNESDA Y
EXCAVATION FAR BELOW the water table at Caswell
Beach is underway as part of the CP&L nuclear power plant
project here. Cooling water will be channeled through the plant
r«ear Southport and through a discharge canal under the In
tracoastal Waterway to Caswell, where water will be pumped
approximately 2,000 feet out to sea for final discharge. This
construction is part of a pumping station and will utilize 15-foot
diameter pipes to convey the water.
River Road
House Fire
Fire destroyed the dwelling
situated on the corner ot the
old River Road and the
Jabbertown Road Friday
night.
: In another of their
miraculous displays of
firefighting skill, members of
the Southport Volunteer Fire
Department who answered
the midnight call managed to
confine the flames to the
building, the roof of which
never caved in and the walls
of which were left standing.
However, the structure was
rated a total loss.
The house recently was
purchased from Mrs. Helen
Rhodes by Donald Willetts. It
was unoccupied at the time of
the fire.
COG Water, Sewer Plan Okayed;
Southport, Shallotte To Get Help
Cape Fear Council of
Governments Chairman
Clyde Elliott of Chadbourn
has annnounced that the
Council’s Water and Sewer
Facilities Plan has been'
certified by the U.S.
Department of Housing and
Urban Development.
The certification means
that all municipal and county
governments in Brunswick,
Columbus, New Hanover, and
Pender counties are now
eligible for Water and Sewer
Facilities Construction
Grants from HUD,” said
Elliott. As of October 1, 1972,
no water and sewer facilities
grants from HUD are
possible unless a certified
regional water and sewer
plan exists.
TOWNS CERTIFIED
Of immediate interest in
the certification are the
towns of Southport and
Shallotte. These Brunswick
County communities had
submitted applications for
grants which could not be
funded until the regional plan
was certified.
“At a recent conference
with HUD officials in
Greensboro we were in
formed that the Southport
and Shallotte projects have
been approved in accordance
with our plan, and both may
Board Studies Plan For
Mental Health Services
The Brunswick County
Board of Commissioners is
studying a proposal that
would bring a comprehensive
mental health program to the
county at a local-share cost of
$12, 289 — about $2,000 more
than currently budgeted for
the program.
Brunswick County Health
Director Richard Walker and
John Wilson, director of the
Southeastern Mental Health
Center, presented the
proposed new mental health
plan.
“I think what we have is a
matter of providing essential
services only. We’re keeping
people out of Cherry Hospital
and that’s all,” Wilson told
the board.
He said he felt the new
program would keep people
from having to go to the
hospital at all. He told the
board he did not know the
exact mental health needs of
the county, but estimated
2,400 persons in the county
Knox Victory Upheld
Republican Arthur Knox has been declared
winner in the Brunswick County Register of Deeds
race, edging incumbent Durwood Clark by ten
votes — 4,247 to 4,237. Clark had appealed to the
county Board of Elections for a recount (1-1 vote,
no decision) and then to the State Board of Elec
tions, which last Wednesday denied the request.
Clark had alleged no fraud in connection with
Knox’s apparent win, rather basing his appeal on
the possibility of human error in counting the votes
on election night.
As of this (Tuesday) morning, county Board of
Elections Chairman Hubert Bellamy said, the
local board has not been notified by the State
Board of Elections concerning Knox’s win. Ac
cording to State Board Secretary Alex Brock, the
Republican cannot be certified by the local board
without the official notification.
may need help. Ap
proximately 80 persons are
receiving help through the
center now.
Total budget costs for the
new plan would be $37,281. Of
that total, Wilson proposed
the county share would be
$12,289.
Fees from services would
provide another $2,000 as
would Medicaid. State and
federal funds would be ex
pected to contribute $20,992.
The program would include
a part time administrator
from the Southeastern
Mental Health Center which
also serves New Hanover and
Pender counties.
Adult services would in
clude direct patient services
with treatment goals
determined to each in
dividual. People would be
directed to individual, group
or family therapy.
Consultation and education
services would be provided as
a preventive mental health
measure. Professional staff
would consult with law en
forcement, court officials,
Social Services Departments,
civic groups, etc. to assist
others in recognizing early
signs of emotional illness and
dealing with it effectively.
The program would also
(Continued On Page 2)
be funded this fiscal year,”
said Elliott.
Southport expects a
$252,000 HUD grant to assist
in a water and sewer system
expansion project costing
approximately $700,000.
The Shallotte grant would
be for $20,000 of a total cost of
$40,000 to develop new wells
to increase its water supply
capability.
■MOST IMPORTANT’
COG’s Environmental
Pollution Control Committee
Chairman, Robert W. Sawyer
of Wrightsville Beach, said of
(Continued On Page 8)
Towns Receive Checks
Brunswick County towns have received their
first revenue sharing checks, with the final 1972
installment expected about the middle of next
month. The county reported last week that its
$184,780 share has been placed in a 90-day savings
account at six percent interest.
Southport has received $18,826; Long Beach
$6,311; Yaupon Beach $4,275; Shallotte $3,180;
Bolivia $2,368; Boiling Spring Lakes $3,136; Holden
Beach $1,741; Sunset Beach $1,383; and Ocean Isle
Beach $998.
$58,000 In November
Tax Income Down
Slightly, Still High
Sales and use tax collections in
Brunswick County during
November totalled $58,202, the
lowest share since July but still
far above the collection of a year
ago.
The August collection fell short
of the $60,000 level by only $31,
while the September and October
figures topped $65,000. Collections
last December totalled only
$27,886.
The November collection of the
local-option tax will be added to
the October collection and the
December total yet to be collected
to be distributed sometime after
the first of February.
Distributions of the one-percent
tax are made on a quarterly basis
by the N.C. Department of
Revenue, which withholds a small
percentage of the collection as its
fee.
me locai-opuon tax, wmcn is
effective in 79 of the state’s 100
counties, was approved by the
board of commissioners last fall
without a vote of the people. It is
considered a major influence in
the reduction of the county
property tax rate from $1.90 to
$1.42 per hundred dollar
valuation.
The first collection — in Oc
tober, 1971 — was $20,630, but
after the first of this year the
totals began to increase steadily.
In January, the collection was
$35,750; then dropped slightly in
February to $34,532 before
climbing again to $36,965 in
March, $42,224 in April, $47,199 in
Cold Monday
For Southport
When it got time to get up
Monday morning in Southport it
was too cold.
This is not referring to the
weather, although the tem
perature stood in the low twenties.
The trouble was a power in
terruption which kept this area of
Brunswick County without the use
of electricity until just before
noon.
Many homes in the Southport
area are heated by electricity.
Many more are heated by oil-fired
furnaces that depend upon
electricity for ignition and for
power blowers to move the hot
(Continued On Page 2)
May and $55,737 in June, before
dropping in July to $47,724.
Major reason for the increase is
Brown & Root Construction,
builders of the CP&L nuclear
power plant near Southport. The
tax is designated “sales and use”,
sales being the materials and
goods sold here and use the
materials bought elsewhere and
brought here. The tax is ap
plicable to goods otherwise
subject to the state’s three
percent tax.
The collections are distributed
to the county and Brunswick’s
nine municipalities on the basis
the property tax rach pays. The
recent distribution of funds for
the quarter ending September 30
showed the county receiving
$146,793; with the municipalities
getting the balance of the $172,714
allotment. Long Beach received
the most ($9,562) while Bolivia got
only $98.65.
Offices, Banks To
Close For Holiday
n. lung um isLiuas noiiaay win
be observed by city, county and
state offices and financial in
stitutions this year, with some
employees leaving work on
Thursday and not returning until
next Wednesday.
In Southport, Waccamaw Bank
and Trust Company and Security
Savings and Loan Association will
be closed Monday (Christmas
Day) and Tuesday, while First
Citizens Bank will also be closed
on Friday.
City and county offices will be
closed for three days (Friday,
Monday and Tuesday) while state
offices will observe the shorter,
holiday, closing only on Monday
and Tuesday. The post office here
will be closed on Monday.
County schools already have
closed and won’t reopen until
Tuesday, Jan. 2. Brown & Root
Construction workers will be off
Thursday and won’t be expected
back on the job until next Wed
nesday.
The State Port Pilot, being
printed one day early this week,
will be published at the regular
time (Wednesday) next week. The
■staff of The Pilot wishes everyone
the happiest OF Christmases and a
safe prosperous New Year.
THE TALLEST, STRAIGHTEST Christmas "tree" in South
port is located on the waterfront and is not a living tree at ail. It
is the weather tower, the spire of which makes a perfect base
for the multi-colored lights. The "tree", shown here as part of a
waterfront scene by Boyce Spencer, is clearly visible to
passing ships and conveys to all a Merry Christmas from the
City of Southport.