_ The State Port Pilot _• OPINION District zoning Residents deserve action The watchword around the Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District seems to be "all in good time." That may be appropriate if the only thing you’re doing is waiting for federal money to roll in, but there is more work for the district board and they should get on with it. On July 1,1993, county zoning will take effect, which zoning will include the northern part of the sanitary district. That will leave the bottom half unzoned unless the district does it; and there "all in good time" seems to be the prevailing mood. The district was formed primarily to put in water and sewer and manage the systems, but its board is also charged with ordering the lives of constituents in ways that bring them up to contemporary standards. The contemporary standard these days is orderly growth through zoning. The board has been shown this by the county com missioners, told this by its advisers, and now it is up to these offi cials to act. Action on district zoning seems to be planned for January. We would suggest that it be promised, with an assurance of implementa tion concurrent with county zoning. The people of the district deserve this consideration, and the hard work it will take. Her 'Dream' is real We have not yet had time to read Joshua's Dream, Susan Sellers Carson's story of a town with two names, so this is not a book review. It simply affords us the pleasure of thanking her for something which had needed doing for a long time: Writing a history of Smithville/ Southport. There was a special focus on this need during the year-long celebra tion of our 200th anniversary. All of us were made aware of our interesting heritage and the men and women who helped create it. It was Susie alone who was willing to assume the responsibility to write a book about it. Actually, she was the most logical person we know to undertake this ambitious assignment. As a girl growing up in Southport she had a curiosity about the history of this area. Her first job was as legal secretary of C. Ed Taylor, who had a lifelong interest in local history. She also had an aunt, Mrs. Berlyn Lancaster, who made significant contributions to preservation of facts pertaining to Brunswick County history. * ' All of these factors helped lay the groundwork for her classes in Southport history conducted by Brunswick Community College on the Southport campus. She had to engage in continuous reading and research to stay ahead of her students, all of which helped provide material for her book. Local officials of Carolina Power & Light Co. recognized the need for a history and the resources to get it written. They approached Susie with the proposition that if she would write the history, they would under write its publication. On Monday evening a small gathering of her friends and neighbors attended a dinner in her honor at the CP&L visitors center, where first copies of her book were on display. She heard expressions of apprecia tion for her work and was gracious in acknowledgement of many sources of help and encouragement which made possible the successful completion of this assignment. Now we can’t wait to read the book, and we hope you will too. Mission of mercy Our military commitment to ensure delivery and distribution of food to millions of starving human beings in Somalia poses the possibility for serious complications, but we are proud to be a citizen of a country willing to accept these risks as part of a great humanitarian effort. The expense will be a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of our participation in the Persian Gulf War, and there is a great difference in staging a campaign of destruction and a mission of mercy. We cannot undertake the responsibility of being all things to all people on the face of this Earth who are in need, but this is a situation which begs for the compassionate intervention of a nation with a conscience and resources to help relieve a desperate need of starving human beings. If we are going to make a mistake, let it be in an effort to deliver the necessities of life to men, women and children who are dying by the thousands each day we delay. I 1] The State Port Pilot USPS 520-280 Published Every Wednesday James M. Harper, Jr..Publisher Ed Harper. .Editor Diane McKeithan.Business Manager Marybeth Bianchi.Feature Editor Holly Edwards..County Editor Amitabh Pal.Municipal Editor Kim Adams.Advertising Sales Cindy Leverette..Advertising Sales Debora McKellar..Graphic Artist Sue Parker.Classified Advertising . 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