THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
VOL UME 46 NUMBER 17 20 PAGES TO DA Y
SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA
NOVEMBER 13, 1974
10 CENTS A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
NEW SOUTHPORT CHIEF of Police is George
McCracken, here being sworn into office by
Magistrate Earnest Gore. Looking on is former
chief Herman Strong, who had taken a leave of
absence from the police department to campaign
for Sheriff of Brunswick County. He won, passing
the title of chief to McCracken, who was
unanimously approved last Thursday by the
Board of Aldermen.
Holiday House
Lists Chairman
Plans are progressing for
the annual Holiday House to
be sponsored on December 14
and 15 by the Southport
Woman’s Club, the Southport
Junior Woman’s Club, the
Woodbine Garden Club, the
Green Thumb Garden Club
and the Southport Garden
Club in the community
building.
Chairmen of the various
committees are house, Mrs.
Margaret Connoughton and
Mrs. Marty Dodd;
registration, Mrs. Jackie
Rowles; placement, Mrs.
Frances Burdette; publicity,
Mrs. Margaret Harper;
posters, Mrs. Marty Dodd;
hostesses, Mrs. Carolyn
Tanner; wassail bowl, Mrs.
Jean Fairley; and music,
Mrs. Sue Jones.
The committee chairmen
will be assisted by members
of the various clubs in
carrying out their duties.
Anyone interested in serving
in a particular area may
contact these chairman and
volunteer assistance.
The idea show is open to
everyone an not confined to
club members.
Beach’s Grant Success
Questioned By Member
By BILL ALLEN
Is Long Beach receiving its
share of grant money?
That was the question
asked by Councilman C.
Russell Morrison during the
regular monthly meeting of
the Long Beach town Council
Thursday night.
Town Manager Frank
Kivett told commissioners in
his report a LEEA grant to
hire an additional policeman
had been turned down. But he
expressed hope that the town
could receive a Manpower
grant to help pay the salary of
another policeman until
March.
In answer to a question
asked by Mayor Pro-Tern
Elus Dudley, Kivett said
Long Beach did not receive
the LEEA grant because the
agency is short of funds and
the request lacked priority.
Dudley said that at the
recent League of
Municipalities convention it
was pointed out that more
law enforcement funds are
being made available to rural
areas where crime is in
creasing the fastest. “Long
Beach is a rural area under
the guidelines,” he stated. “If
we can show we are crime
ridden, maybe we can get
more funds.”
Morrison said he was
“upset about not getting the
grant money.” He wanted to
know if Kivett was “100
percent sure” Long Beach
would receive the Manpower
funds.
The city manager said he
was not “100 percent sure”
the town would receive the
grant.
“Frank, I want you to fulfill
the promises you made,
promises you made,
promises to get grant money
for Long Beach,” Morrison
declared. “I have not seen
any grant money.”
Kivett said he was doing
everything he could to obtain
grant money for Long Beach.
He said the town has not
received any grant money, in
answer to another Morrison
question.
“It is a burden on Long
Beach citizens to pay taxes
without receiving grant
money,” Morrison stated. “I
can’t understand it (not
receiving grant money).”
The board voted
unanimously to apply for the
Manpower grant to hire an
additional policeman.
The board also voted
unanimously to apply for 50
percent state matching funds
to light the ball park. The
action was taken after Kivett
reported the town could apply
for the grant to light the field
and to “even build a swim
ming pool.”
The town manager said it
would cost about $5,700 to
light the field and tennis
courts, according to Brun
swick Electric officials.
The board took no action on
the suggestion to apply for
grant money for the swim
ming pool. It was one of
several decisions postponed,
at the suggestion of Dudley,
because Mayor Ed Morgan,
who was reportedly sick, did
not attend the meeting.
The board discussed
leasing land from National
Development Corporation to
establish an area for
motorcyclists, but postponed
action until more information
can be obtained.
Kivett reported that
National Development had
offered to lease the town land
in an undeveloped area east
of 58th street for the
motorcyclists area. The lease
(Continued on Page 20)
Mayor 6Optimistic9
I
i
Dosher Decision
Appears Imminent
Supporters of Dosher
Memorial Hospital returned
Monday from a meeting with
the Medical Care Com
mission executive committee
“optimistic” about the future
of the local facility.
The five executive com
mittee members present met
privately following the hour
and one-half meeting with
advocates of Dosher and the
proposed Brunswick County
Memorial Hospital. A
telephone conversation with
1.0 Wilkerson (Dept, of
Facility Services) Tuesday
afternoon indicated some
action was imminent;
however, he said it would be
improper for him to comment
until the Medical Care
Commission acts officially.
Wilkerson told The Pilot he
had been asked to draft a
“position paper” for the
Medical Care Commission.
The matter of medical care in
Brunswick County “is still
under study by the executive
committee,” he said.
Wilkerson, who said an
official report could be more
than a week away, said the
commission was interested in
“helping in whatever manner
they can” to improve local
medical care. “They have no
axe to grind,” he added.
He said the position of
Dosher advocates “was
vividly pointed out Monday.”
Southport Mayor Eugene
B. Tomlinson, stating the
Smithville Township
argument to keep Dosher,
was accompanied by at
torney E. J. Prevatte, city
counsel and a former trustee
of Baptist Hospital in Winston
Salem. The proposed new
hospital was represented by,
Hospital Authority members
Mason Anderson and Ramon
Babson.
Also present were A.
Gibson Howell, consultant for
the new county facility;
Larry Burwell of the Health
Planning Division, Dept, of
Human Resources; and
Brunswick County com
missioners - elect W.T. Russ,
Jr., and Willie Sloan. Russ
and Sloan did not paticipate
in the discussion, attending
only as “interested ob
servers.”
According to Mayor
Tomlinson, one member of
the executive committee said
he had been following the
deveopment of Brunswick
and believed that if the new
(Continued on Page 20)
Pledges Assistance
Sheriff Wants
Smooth Change j
By BILL ALLEN
After serving as sheriff of
Brunswick County for the
past eight years, Harold
Willetts said he had no
trouble accepting defeat.
“When you run for public
office, you accept both the
victories and the defeats,”
Willetts said in an interview
one week after the election.
“I believe in the wishes of the
people.”
Willetts was first elected
sheriff in 1966 and re - elected
in 1970. Seeking his third four
- year term in office, he was
defeated by Herman Strong
4,811 to 3,729 in the general
election last week.
Despite rumors to the
contrary, Willetts said he will
serve out his full term, which
ends December 3, rather than
resign early. “I would never
do such a thing as resign,”
the veteran sheriff declared.
“When I ran fcr re - election
four years ago, I made a
commitment to the people to
serve four years. I will stay
on the job and do the best I
can until my term of office
expires the first Monday in
(Continued on Page 17)
Bald Head Position
Not Hurt By Ruling
A hearing about the Bald
Head Island marina suit was
held Tuesday before U.S.
District Judge John D.
Larkins in Wilson, but no
action can be taken until
more information is received
from the higher court.
The U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals, after considering
appeals filed by en
vironmentalists for several
months, ruled Monday that
Was Tied With Varnam
Russ Heads Vote In Board Victory
Shallotte auto dealer W.T.
Russ, Jr., headed the
Democratic sweep of the five
seats on the board of com
missioners in the general
election last week, according
to official results.
Russ, of Shallotte Town
ship, topped the ticket with
4,722 votes and Steve Var
nam, Jr., of Lockwood Folly
finished second with 4,615
votes. The unofficial results
had shown the two men
deadlocked for first place on
the ticket.
The official results were
obtained after the Board of
Elections and precinct of
ficials spent almost nine
hours canvassing the vote
Thursday at the Courthouse
in Southport.
Although candidates
gained and lost votes during
the canvass, the only change
involved Russ beating out
Varnum for first place in the
race for the board of com
missioners.
Generally, the candidate
who heads the ticket for the
board is elected chairman at
the first organizational
meeting of the board after the
election.
Executive Secretary Linda
Babson of the Board of
Elections said that between
61 and 62 percent of the
registered voters in Brun
swick County went to the
polls Tuesday. Nationwide,
statistics show that only
about 38 percent of the voters
cast ballots.
Despite the fact a large
number of candidates were
running for county and state
offices and a write - in
campaign was being waged,
Mrs. Babson said only four or
five spoiled ballots had to be
thrown out. “We usually have
more spoiled ballots than
that,” Mrs. Babson said. “I
guess people knew what they
were doing when they voted.”
While Russ and Varnam
placed one - two in the race
for the board of com
missioners, Franky Thomas
of Northwest was third with
4,565 votes, Willie Sloan of
Towncreek fourth with 4,457
and Ira Butler, Jr., fifth with
4,455.
Incumbent William Kopp,
Jr. of Town Creek headed the
losing Republican slate for
the board with 3,216 votes
while incumbent Vardell
Hughes of Waccamaw had
2,824, appointed incumbent
James T. (Bubba) Smith of
Smithville 2,668, William
(Billy) Hickman of Shallotte
2,626 and John J. Child, Sr., of
Northwest 2,510.
Incumbent Republican J.T.
Clemmons, defeated for re -
nomination in the GOP
primary, received 462 write -
in votes for a seat on the
board.
Democrat Herman Strong
was elected sheriff of
Brunswick County with 4,811
votes while veteran in
cumbent Republican Harold
Willetts had 3,729.
Democratic Veteran Jack
Brown received more votes
than any other candidate
running in Brunswick County
when he rolled up a 5,822 to
2,276 victory over Republican
James Jeffreys in the race
for clerk of court.
Dowell Bennett, another
Democratic veteran in
cumbent, defeated Larry
Andrews, 5,276 votes to 2,623
in the race for coroner.
Democrat Allen. C. Ward
took both Brunswick and
Pender Counties to win the
11th district house seat in the
General Assembly. He polled
5,732 votes in Brunswick
County while Ronald Dunn,
the Republican, had 2.292.
Edd Nye, the Democrat
from Bladen County, gained
the 11th district Senate seat in
the General Assembly by
defeating Mitchell Mercer of
Columbus County in Brun
swick, Columbus and Bladen
counties. Nye received 5,158
votes in Brunswick and
Mercer 2,385.
Democrat J. Wilton Hunt,
Sr., of Columbus County was
elected judge of the 13th
Judicial District. He beat
Republican Ralph G.
Jorgensen of Columbus
County 4,990 to 2,384 in
Brunswick County.
Democrat Lee J. Greer,
running unopposed for
district solicitor, picked up
5,513 votes in Brunswick
County.
Democrat Robert Morgan
rolled up 5,603 votes in the
county to defeat Republican
William E. Stevens, who
polled only 2,278, in the race
for the U.S. Senate.
Democrat Rufus L. Ed
misten had no trouble beating
appointed Republican In
cumbent James Carson, Jr.,
5,284 to 2,866 for North
Carolina attorney general.
Susie Sharp, a Democrat,
smashed Republican James
Newcomb in the race for
chief judge of the Supreme
Court. Miss Sharp had 5,871
votes and Newcomb 2,044.
Democrat J. William
Copeland was elected
(Continued on Page 20)
further arguments must be
held on the suit seeking to ban
construction of the marina.
The first of the hearings to
receive more information
was held Tuesday.
After the Corps of
Engineers granted approval
of the marina, the Con
servation Council of North
Carolina and the Sierra Club
filed the suit early in the
summer.
Judge Larkins, the first
judge to hear the suit, turned
down the arguments of the
environmentalists July 24,
rejected their request for a
preliminary injunction and
dismissed the action.
But 4th Circuit Court Judge
J. Braxton Craven, hearing
an appeal two days after
Larkins’ ruling, granted a
limited injunction pending
appeal. He said the channel
between the river and the
marina could not be opened,
but said Carolina Cape Fear
Corporation could continue
construction of the marina.
Although the Appeals Court
ordered more argument in
the suit, the judges let stand
temporarily the limited in
junction barring the opening
of the channel to the marina,
which is under construction.
The 4th Circuit Court, in
remanding the case to
District Court, said Judge
Larkins could dissolve Judge
Craven’s injunction“at his
discretion.”
The court listed three
reasons why it said Judge
Larkins could not be
criticized for the denial of a
preliminary injunction.
The court said the en
vironmentalists have “yet to
demonstrate that the con
tinued construction of the
marina will injure them.”
If the corporation is en
joined from carrying out the
work under the permit, the
court said “delays in con
struction may result in in
creased construction costs
and postponed enjoyment by
property owners of water
access to the island.”
Third, and according to the
court “most significantly,
(the) plaintiffs have not
shown a great likelihood of
success on the (argument of
the case on its) merits.”
The 4th Circuit Court said it
could not resolve the en
vironmentalist’s claim as a
“matter of right” to use the
island area below the mean
high water mark “or at least
the right to travel through or
otherwise use the navigable
(Continued on Page 20)
False Bomb Threat
A false bomb threat was
received at the CP&L nuclear
power plant near Southport
Tuesday night.
According to Brunswick
County Sheriff Harold
Willetts, an unidentified
person called the CP&L
security office and said a
bomb was set to go off in the
No. 1 reactor at 8 p.m.
CP&L personnel conducted
a search following the
evacuation of Brown and
Root employees. Workers
returned about one hour later
after no bomb was found.