Sports, page IB
Classifieds, p. 1C
most coi
iroperties
Volume 63/ Number 2
Southport, N.C
September 1,1993/ 50 cents
INSIDE
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Nuclear
staff will
relocate
By Jim Harper
Staff Writer
Carolina Power and Light Co. will
transfer about 100 engineering per
sonnel to the Brunswick nuclear plant
in the next year as part of a change in
company philosophy placing work
ers nearer their work.
Brunswick vice-president Roy
Anderson said Friday that notifica
tions were just going out to affected
workers now assigned to company
headquarters in Raleigh.
"It's simply because this is where
the money is made, and the people
who support the station should be
here," Anderson said.
He said that a "comparable" num
ber of engineers is expected to be
transferred to the Robinson nuclear
plant at Hartsville, S. C., as well,
though transfers to the Harris plant -
the other CP&L nuclear facility -
was not so likely because Harris is
located near Raleigh anyway.
Anderson said the transfers, as well
as the assignment here of a nuclear
engineering manager, are part of the
reorganization which has been ongo
ing since William Cavanaugh III be
came company president a year ago.
Anderson, himself on the site for
just over a half-year, said that when
he interviewed for the job, "I told
them I needed training to report to me,
down here; and I needed engineering
down here so I can talk to the engi
neers - so we can go out and look at
what we're talking about."
Anderson said that a variety of en
gineering specialties are involved -
including electrical, mechanical, civil,
structural and nuclear - and that their
shift to the Brunswick site will be
"between now and the summer of
next year.”
"Realistically, kids get outof school
in May,” Anderson said. "That's when
moves occur."
Anderson said that incoming per
sonnel will work in the recently com
pleted administration building, and
space will be made for them by shift
ing certain plant operations "inside
the fence" at Brunswick.
He said that the engineers involved
See Staff, page 7
Marine band
The 2nd Marine Division Band
from Camp Lejeune is sched
uled to perform in an open air
concert beginning at 7 o'clock
tonight (Wednesday) on the Fort
Johnston lawn fronting Bay
Street.
Spectators should bring their
own blankets or lawn chairs. The
concert is free and open to the
public.
The container ship Saudi Dlriyah was something
to see as she passed upriver last Wednesday. In Au
Photo by Jim Harper
gust about 75 ships passed upriver, giving harbor
watchers 150 chances for a view like this.
It's the gypsy in tourists that
concerns growers, specialist
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Some persons spend their careers
wondering what's in a traveler's lug
gage, picnic basket or camping gear.
It’s not that they are curious or nosy.
A coastal tourist community, like
the Southport-Oak Island area, attracts
thousands of visitors. They bring with
them the kids, dog and sometimes a
pest that has hitched a ride to a new
home.
"I work with anything that's not
native to North Carolina," said Phil
Second in a series
Wilson, pest specialist with the N. C.
Department of Agriculture.
He and federal inspectors rushed
into action recently when a flying
variety of the Asian gypsy moth was
found fleeing ships at the Military
Ocean Terminal Sunny Point docks
near Southport.
"This was a totally new introduc
tion to the United States," he said.
Butkeeping an eye on ships isn't his
only job.
"I Hap two counties already for the
European gypsy moth," he added.
Because of its influx of visitors,
Brunswick County is one spot on his
list. Every four miles, a trap is placed
that monitors for outbreaks of the
leaf-eating pest.
Campers heading south may trans
port an egg mass hidden beneath a
bumper. House plants or dog houses
shipped from northern states to a new
home along the coast may have un
welcome pests attached. Retirees
ready to leave it all behind often don't
See Gypsy, page 6
Area prepared
for Emily, but
calm prevailed
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Blue skies greeted county residents
Tuesday afternoon as the eye of Hur
ricane Emily passed well to the east
about 100 miles offshore.
"We haven’t had any impact, other
than not having school for two days,"
said Cecil Logan, Brunswick County's
Emergency Management coordina
tor.
"I think we did the right thing there,”
he added, "because this storm was so
unpredictable."
Emily teased the North Carolina
coast with a slow, westward track
Monday but, as predicted, made a
turn to the north by Tuesday morning.
It was expected to come ashore late
Tuesday along the Outer Banks, cross
ing the barrier islands with an esti
mated 1 lOmph sustained winds, mak
ing it a moderate hurricane.
The storm intensified to Category
II strength and was expected to brush
the northern coast at around high tide
with a storm surge of six to eight feet.
Tides were already higher than nor
mal because of a full moon.
No evacuations were ordered for
Brunswick County and the Emergency
Operations Center was never acti
vated.
With the first day of school set for
Monday, officials decided to delay
start both days in case the buildings
were needed for emergency shelters
should the erratic storm head west
ward.
By 11 a.m. Tuesday, all hurricane
warnings and tropical storm watches
had been lifted for southeastern North
See Emily, page 6
Residents
prepared
for worst
By Holly Edwards
Municipal Editor
As Hurricane Emily hov
ered over the Atlantic Ocean
last weekend more titan 400
miles from shore, local resi
dents and officials took no
chances and immediately
began preparing for the
worst, ...
By Monday, managers at
Food lion, Wilson's and
Rose’s reported they had run
out of bottled water, batter
ies, flashlights, propane and
candies, and were running
See Residents, page 6
Schools delay
opening due to
threat of storm
By Marybeth Bianchi
Feature Editor
Brunswick County schools opened their doors this morning, two days later
than scheduled because of the threat posed by Hurricane Emily.
Even though sunny skies prevailed both Monday and Tuesday, the superin
tendent of schools heeded the weatherman's warning and delayed the opening
of school.
Ralph Johnston said he was in frequent contact with Cecil Logan, director
of emergency management for the county, as well as his staff and board
members as Hurricane Emily moved slowly toward the North Carolina coast.
"We tried to be very analytical about this," he said.
When the hurricane watch was issued Sunday night he participated in a
briefing to alert county officials of possible storm-related dangers.
Since classes had not yet started, Johnston decided just to postpone the
opening of school Monday. One reason was because there had not been a trial
run of buses, and with new drivers and students there was "no knowledge base”
See Schools, page 6
Body is identified
... '
Coroner's task a thankless one
By Terry Pope
County Editor
mmmm
fit
if!:; vary between counties.
Officials in Brunswick County tested their response last week.
Detectives were able to quickly identify a jogger who fell to Ida
death ?a$t Tuesday morning after the family reported him missing,
mP Bruce L. Smith Sr., 35, of Greensboro was visiting Ms parents,
IllMto live in Boiling Spring Lakes, when he accidentally fell from a
^railroad trestle north of Southport.
* Eyewitnesses reported Smith was startled by an approaching rail
. car when be turned to took, tripped and fell about 60 feet.
Whb no ideiMhcattonon Ida body, authorities had no idea who
fee was.
Recent controversy surrounding the case of lames Jordan, father
of basketball star Michael Jordan, may have given county coroners
a bad reputation,
Jordan's decomposing body was ordered cremated by a South
Carolina coroner just three days after it was discovered and could
not be identified.
state line.
Did the coroner deserve the criticism, some of which included
racial tones?
"I don't think so,- said Greg White, Brunswick County coroner.
"You dont know what you would do unless you were in that
See Coroner, page*
M
Forecast
The extended forecast
Thursday through Sat
urday cadis for partly
cloudy skies with
thunderstorms likely.
Highs will be near 90
degrees, lows in the
70s.
Tide table
HIGH low
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
9:25 am. 3:16 a.m.
9:46 p.m. 3:31 pm.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
959 a-m. 351a.m.
10:18 p.m. 409 pjn.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 ,
10:33 ajn. 407 a.m.
10:47 p.m. _ 4:46 pm.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
11:07am. 5:02 am.
11:18 pm. SOS pm.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
11:47 am. „ 558 a.m.
11:52 pm. 6.06 pm.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
-— am. 6:19 am.
12:29 pm. 652 pm.
WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 8
1257 am. 705 am.
101p.m. v-, 7:49 pm.
The folk) win* adjuitmaau ihould be made:
Bald Head bland, high -10, low >7; Caswell
Beach, high -5, low -1; Southport* high +7,
low -t-15; Yaupon Beach, high -32, low -45;
Lockwood Fouy Inlet, high -22, low -8.