THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOL UME 45 NUMBER 21 16 PA GES TO DA Y
SOUTHPORT; NORTH CA RO L IN A
DECEMBER 12,1973
10 CENTS A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Maybe Next
Year, Santa
Every child must reject Santa Claus at least
once, and that rejection came Tuesday night for
this Southport young man. Meeting ol’ St. Nick
apparently was more than the youngster could
face.
Net Gain h Noted
Audit Shows Education
Board In Good Condition
The Brunswick County
Board of Education finished
fiscal 1972-73 with a net gain
of $167,915.
“Anytime you (the board)
can spend less than you
figured you’d have to, the job
has been accomplished from
the financial aspect,” auditor
Francis Smith of Fred A.
Turlington, Jr. and Co. of
Tarboro told the board
Monday. As of July 1, 1972,
balance on hand was
$527,031; on June 30 this year,
the balance was $694,046.
Smith recommended that
the bank account be recon
ciled by someone other than
those who write the checks,
and he also recommended
that travel allowance and
supplements be approved by
someone other than the usual
check writer.
These moves would act as a
“check and blance,”
Turlington said.
He also stated that the
present principal inventory
for “control of fixed
properties” is sufficient.
Smith said the lunchrooms'
financial situation is “not as
bright as other funds
governed by the Board of
Education,” and he related
that the program had a
$35,000 decrease in available
funds.
He said the main problem
is that more than half of the
lunchroom’s total operating
cost is spent on food.
Resturants cannot show a
profit when the food cost rises
above 30 percent of the total
operating cost, he said.
“Management at this point
is getting the maximum out
of it,” Turlington said of the
lunch program.
He said the lunch program
can only improve financially
if the state increases its
subsidy or the county in
creases the cost of meals.
On the ESEA financial
picture, he said, “funds are
being used according to
Trio Killed In
Road Mishaps
Three persons were killed
and seven injured in two
automobile mishaps near
Shallotte this weekend.
A 31-year-old Freeland
man was killed in a one-car
wreck on RP 1336 about 14
miles west of Shallotte
Friday. Furman Fulton Vann
died when the car he was
operating ran off the road at a
high rate of speed and struck
a tree, a State Highway
Patrol spokesman said.
Two men were killed and
seven persons injured in a
two-car collision about 7 p.m.
Saturday, south of Shallotte
on RP 1303.
Five of the seven injured
were children, and they were
all reportedly in serious or
critical condition.
Samuel McKinley Lance,
29, of North Myrtle Beach,
S.C., was dead on arrival at
New Hanover Memorial
Hospital late Saturday.
Willie L. Smith, 31, of Ash,
was declared dead at the site
of the accident, according to
Brunswick County Coroner
Lowell Bennett.
Patrolman Larry Canipe
said both men had to be
“jacked out” of the wrecked
cars, that they were pinned in
the vehicles.
He said the fronts of both
(Continued on page 12)
regulations governing the
project.”
Because of the amount of
time needed, the board set a
special meeting for Tuesday
at 7:30 p.m. to review a plan
for school facilities to be
financed with the $1.7 million
received from the 1973 State
School Bond.
Architect Jack Croft
reported that changes have
been made in the floor plans
for Southport Primary
School, and he said the school
will be placed in the middle of
a 19.54 acre tract.
The plan includes parking
space for 56 cars and 20
(Continued on page 12)
superior houri
Youth Receives
60-Year Ter
II
Israel E. Clemmons of
Southport was found guilty in
Superior Court last week of
assault with intent to commit
rape and second degree
burglary, and was sentenced
to 60 years in the state
penitentiary.
Clemmons was sentenced
to 50 years in prison on the
burglary count.
Six drunk driving cases
were also decided during the
term, presided over by Judge
Coy Brewer.
George Henry Hill, con
victed of driving under the
influence and no operator’s
license, was charged with
court costs and a $100 fine.
The state also took a nol pros
on a manslaughter charge
against Hill.
Graham Arliss Willetts was
convicted of driving under
the influence and given a four
- month sentence suspended
for two years. Paying a $150
fine and court cosls, Willetts
was given a limited driving
permit
Marion Maurice Stanley
forfeited his bond on a driving
under the influence charge.
David Charles Burdette
was convicted of driving
under the influence and
speeding 90 mph in a 45 mph
zone, and he was given a ou -
day sentence suspended tor
one year and charged with
the c<Bt of court and $75.
Bobby Lee Daniels was
found guilty of driving under
the influence, driving while
his license was revoked and
reckless operation. He was
given a six - month sentence
suspended for three years,
and the court levied a $250
fine and court costs against
him.
George Lemone Etheridge,
charged with drunk driving,
pleaded guilty to reckless
operation. He was charged
with a $75 fine and the cost of
court.
The jury did not find true
bills against Donnie Johnson
and Cleveland Bryant on
separate charges of rape.
Woody Poindexter filed
notice of appeal on his con
viction of distributing a
controlled substance.
Poindexter received a ten -
year sentence on the charge.
Frances Hill Cagle, lar
ceny, 12 months suspended
for 3 years on the conditions
that (1) $750 be paid to the
clerk’s office to be disbursed
to Southern Bell Telephone
Company, (2) pay costs of
(Continued on page 12)
According To Southport Mayor
Dosher Won’t ‘Play Dead’,
Renovation Group Asked
ByBOBBY HILL
In an effort to keep Dosher Memorial
Hospital open “regardless of new hospital
construction,” Southport Mayor Eugene
Tomlinson is expected to ask the Board of
Aldermen Thursday to appoint the begin
ning of a “renovation committee” for the
local facility.
Tomlinson said Tuesday, “We’re not
going to roll over and play dead,” in
response to a county commissioner vote last
week that Dosher be closed when the new
hospital opens.
The commissioners voted to only fund the
Brunswick County Memorial Hospital for
c , an “acute-care” hospital.
Tomlinson said the growth trend in
Smithville Township justifies a hospital to
serve the population.
“I think the county commissioners are not
looking realistically at the medical needs of
the county in light of the population growth
trends,” he said.
Tomlinson added that it would be “totally
unrealistic to give up operating medical
facilities” at Southport.
A local group recently travelled to
Raleigh to assure representatives of the
Comprehensive Health Planning Section of
the State Department of Administration
that “present plans are for Dosher to
remain in operation regardless of the new
hospital construction.” *
The group included Dosher trustee
chairman W.B. McDougle, Tomlinson, '
Dosher administrator W.F. Cupit and Vf
Charter Medical Services representative <1
Don Caldwell.
Tomlinson said members of ‘‘other "f
governing bodies in the township” will be 3
invited to join the renovation committee for
Dosher. v
The real question to Dosher’s survival,
Tomlinson admitted, will be whether or not
the facility remains authorized to accept
Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Approval of such “thirji-party medical .
payments’ ’ will have to come from the state ■ j
Comprehensive Health Planning Section,
Tomlinson said.
According to the Dosher delegation,
information from state officials “indicates ”,
that Brunswick County is only authorized 60 ? J
hospital beds.” iir
Plans are for the new county hospital to
operate with 60 beds.
However, Tomlinson reported he had
received no definite information prohibiting
continuing “acute-care” operations at ;
Dosher.
“Some of the lines being pursued” for
Dosher’s future, according to Tomlinson,
include a private hospital or a Smithville
Township hospital.
Beach Postal
Service Plans
Plans are underway for the
U.S. Postal Service to open an
expanded Long Beach Rural
Branch Post Office one year
from now.
According to a recent
advertisement for bids for the
enlarged office, the postal
service will require the office
to be open Monday through
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m.
Services to be offered at the
new facility will include lock
box service, window service,
stamp supplies, money or
ders and service for ordinary,
registered, certified, insured
and C.O.D. mail.
The avertisement states
that bids will be accepted
until 4:30 p.m. Monday by the
Postmaster at Southport.
Bid forms and further
information may be obtained
at the Southport Post Office.
The present post office,
contracted by Dan Shannon,
is located near Shannon’s
Texaco on Bepch Drive.
Switzer Replaces Greene
As Boiling Spring Mayor
Alfred J. Switzer has
replaced Arthur M. Greene
as mayor of Boiling Spring
Lakes.
The organizational meeting
held last Monday is required
by state law on the first
regular meeting date
following the municipal
elections.
Voting among themselves,
the commissioners also
elected Leslie P. Day as
Mayor Pro Tern.
Both Switzer and Day are
incumbents elected in 1971 for
four-year terms.
Greene is a reprsentative of
Reeves Telecom, Corp.,
developer of the community.
Switzer assigned each of
the commissioners to head
one of the city departments,
and he instructed them on t'ie
new organization.
Commissioner Altizer will
head Plans and Programs
and serve as Purchasing and
Contracting Officer.
John E. Handley was
named head of Personnel and
Financial Management.
Greene, charged as Parks
and Recreation Officer, will
also head the sanitation
department.
Day is responsible for
Public Works (streets and
buildings), and Switzer
named himself to oversee the
police and fire department.
The mayor emphasized
that each commissioner now
has a specific area of
responsibility.
He said tbs specialization
will encourage each com
missioner “to become better
versed in his own area.”
Switzer asked the officials
“stick to his own area of
responsibility.”
To prevent “Turning a deaf
ear” to problems outside
their assigned responsibility,
the mayor asked the com
missioners to refer problems
to the proper authority.
Switzer outlined a
procedure for citizens to
obtain information or
register a complaint.
He referred all
“emergency law en
forcement” matters to the
police department.
The city clerk was named
for citizens to bring com
plaints or problems, and
Switzer said, “the resident
will be notified of the specific
action that has been taken.”
The city clerk may have to
contact the responsible
commissioner on some
problems, he said.
On a list of matters for his
administration to resolve,
Switzer called for improved
streets and roads, creation of
a planning and zoning board
and a water and sewer
system.
He also cited the need for a
building inspection depart
ment and building and
construction ordinances.
Also on the list of
programs, Switzer included
the “need to develop and
provide funding for
recreational facilities.”
Finally, he called for a
public relations program to
inform citizens of city func
tions and problems.
Ferry Cited As Future
Access For Bald Head
Carolina Cape Fear Cor
poration Friday answered
several questions by the
federal government about
plans for the development of
Bald Head Island.
In a 29-page Corps of
Engineers public notice, the
island’s developers answered
in an “environmental
assessment’’ eight main
questions posed by the office
of the Under Secretary of the
Army about Bald Head’s
future.
The notice is part of the
procedure Carolina Cape
Fear is following in its ap
plication to construct a
channel and basin marina
facilities on the island.
The Corps notice states, “A
review of all information
available at the time of this
notice indicates that the
proposed work will not have a
significant effect on the
quality of the human en
vironment.”
The notice also says that
“the preparation of a detailed
environmental impact
statement .. will not be
required at this time.”
The eight questions of the
Under Secretary of the Army
include the request for
assurance that plans for
“proposed dredging of Bald
Head Creek” be
“eliminated.”
Cape Fear’s reply to this
request is that “some
dredging in Bald Head Creek
may be needed for future
submerged water and sewage
lines that may be necessary.”
“Appropriate applications”
would be filed for such work,
the report said.
In reply to other questions,
Carolina Cape Fear says
forests, dunes and marshes
will be preserved. Battery
Island will be set aside as a
rookery.
Water quality, pest control,
evacuation plans, and a
program to prevent harm to
“wetland resources and
sensitive dune ridge areas”
are other topics answered by
Caroiina Cape Fear’s en
vironmental assessment of
the island.
Plans submitted with the
application show a proposed
150-by-100-foot access
channel with an 8-foot depth
extending from the Cape
Fear River to the mouth of
the proposed 10.15 acre
marina.
Approximately 5,700 cubic
yards of material will be
removed from the channel
and placed on a 30-acre
disposal area adjacently
north and west of the marina,
according to plans. Plans
designate the disposal area to
be placed on high ground,
bordered by existing dunes
and proposed dikes.
An additional 217,300 cubic
yards of material will be
(Continued on page 12)
City Clean-Up
Effort Started
Southport city crews are
now engaged in a citywide
clean-up effort, and Mayor
Eugene Tomlinson urged
“everyone to do his part” to
aid the project.
“City crews cannot do it all,
nor should they be expected
to,” Tomlinson said.
“Each property owner
should take pride in the ap
pearance of his yard, fen
celine, etc.,” he said.
Tomlinson pointed out that
“streets and rights of way
have become littered to the
point of being unsightly.”