Sports
South Brunswick joins the
one-hit parade as the chase
for a playoff spot continues
| VOLUME 63/ NUMBER 37
Our Town
Boiling Spring Lakes will
assume control — and re
sponsibility - for areas
Neighbors
SOUTHPORT, N.C,
50 CENTS
Southport chief Bob Gray
spent much of his career
investigating murders
Cafeteria equipment
Improper sale
probe goes on
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Some personnel action has been recommended by an investigator
probing into the sale of surplus cafeteria equipment without the
school board’s authority.
But the probe will continue for at least another month, and school
superintendent Ralph Johnston said Tuesday he has made no per
sonnel decisions.
In executive session last week, attorney Brian Shaw, representing
the firm hired to conduct the investigation, presented some of the
findings to the Brunswick County Board of Education.
The investigation was ordered to find out how 46 pieces of used
cafeteria equipment from Southport Elementary School ended up in
the hands of Jarvis Jones, a Long Beach restaurant owner, for just
$350. Jones reportedly later sold 12 pieces of the equipment for
$7,800 to Ed’s Carolina Restaurant Equipment in Wilmington.
The board has filed a lawsuit in Brunswick County District Court
against Jones, seeking payment of at least $10,000 for the items.
School board attorney Glen Peterson said the report makes
"certain personnel recommendations directly to Dr. Johnston" and
are sensitive items relating to employees. Such information cannot
be released to the public, he said.
"At this point in time, because obviously it involves just in its
very nature the performance of workers employed by the school
system," said Peterson, "it would be very difficult to release any of
that information at this time. That’s just my feelings about it."
The information given to the board last week, said Johnston, was
a preliminary report. He said the attorneys had been asked to
prepare a written report which may be made public by next month.
"I’ve made no decisions on, anything at this point," satd,Iohnston.
Baxter to quit
reelection bid
Forecast
The extended forecast
calls for partly cloudy
skies Thursday, followed
by fair skies on Friday and
Saturday. Highs will be in
the 80s, with lows ranging
between 55 and 60.
The State Port Pilot
MJPilot Line
THE TALKING NEWSPAPER
Weather updates are
available on Pilot Line.
Dial 457-5084, then exten
sion 191.
Tide table
HIGH LOW
THURSDAY, MAY 12
9:48 a.m. 3:51 ».m.
10:03 p.m. 3:50 p.m.
FRIDAY, MAY 13
10:23 un. 4:29 im.
10:38 p.m. 4:28 p.m.
SATURDAY, MAY 14
10:59 ajn. 5:07 a.m.
11:16 p.m. 5:08 p.m.
SUNDAY,~MAY 15
11:41 un. 5:48 a.m.
11:59 p.m. 5:52 p.m.
MONDAY, MAY 16
-».m. 6:32 a.m.
12:30 p jn. 6:42 pjn.
TUESDAY, MAY 17
12:49 un. 7:22 a.m.
1 £8 p.m. 7:41 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
1:44 a.m. ' 8:17 a.m.
2:31p.m. ‘ 8:45 p.m.
be made:
; Caswell
The following adjustments should be made:
Bald Head Island, high -10, low -7;
“ “ h -5, low -1 ‘
faupon Beai
Lockwood Folly Inlet, high
Beach, high -5, low -1; Southport, high +7,
I; Yi ~ .
low +15;
-32, low -45;
low-8.
By Terry Pope
County Editor
How do you sum up six years of
service on the Brunswick County
Board of Education?
It’s not easy for Donna Baxter of
Boiling Spring Lakes, who studied
her accomplishments and failures
before she decided Friday it was
time for her to leave the board.
The chairman officially withdrew
from the November race and will
not seek re-election. Democrats
must choose another candidate at
least 90 days before the vote.
She will serve until her term ex
pires in December. The Republicans
have nominated Pat Purvis Brown of
Ash for the District 4 seat.
"I’ve been thinking about this for
the last nine months," said Ms. Bax
ter. "You have to ask yourself if you
are really accomplishing what you’d
like to do. You have to feel that you
are helping the cause.
"I ran for the children, and I am
not the issue. The issue is that we
are still third from the bottom as a
school system."
Another incumbent, Bill Fairley of
Southport, also officially withdrew
from the race on Friday. The Repub
lican faced no opposition in last
week’s primary while Ms. Baxter’s
opponent, Liston Hawes of Ash, had
died before his name could be
removed from the ballot.
Fairley announced his intention to
withdraw earlier this year, citing
dissatisfaction with the board over
its reversal on a differentiated
(bonus) teacher pay plan and with it
being too concerned with re-election
when faced with two-year terms.
At least four of the five members
will be replaced in the fall. Two
other incumbents, Democrats Polly
Russ of District 2 and Thurman
Gause of District 1, were defeated in
last Tuesday’s primary. The only in
cumbent still seeking her seat is
See Baxter, page 6
Schools request ‘conservative’
By Terry Pope
County Editor
School officials will ask for a 29
percent increase in local funds for
the 1994-95 fiscal year.
But first, they will hold a public
hearing on the proposed budget re
quest before sending it to county
commissioners.
This school board has never held a
public hearing on a proposed budget
- one is not required by law — but a
hearing is set for tonight (Wednes
day) at Supply Elementary School at
7 p.m.
The board will seek public support
for a 29-percent increase in local al-,
locations, from $8,730,000 last year
to $11,284,317.
Those figures can be tricky, for the
total local spending is projected at a
rate of 18.2 percent over last year.
The system applied $600,000 of its
remaining fund balance to last
year’s budget after commissioners
cut a requested 26.5-percent in
crease far short of what school offi
cials had hoped for. The county
awarded a total 17-percent increase
instead.
Approximately $1.1 million of the
increase is for additional salaries.
Also, the board is asking for $8.3
million in its capital outlay budget
for category I on-site improvements
and building repairs, category II
equipment and supply requests and
category III transportation needs.
The $5.4 million needed to com
plete funding for a new Leland area
elementary school is also included
in this figure.
The school board plans to distrib
ute a budget summary to parents and
educators prior to opening the floor
for comments. A special meeting is
set for Thursday, 1 p.m., for adop
tion.
By law, the school board must of
ficially submit its budget request to
commissioners by May 15. Super
intendent Ralph Johnston unveiled
the proposal last week and for
warded a preview copy to county fi
nance director Lithia Hahn at school
board member Bill Fairley’s request.
School board chairman Donna
Baxter of District 4 said a budget
See Schools, page 7
Don Gibson of Columbia, S. C., a frequent visitor to Oak Island,
took advantage of strong southerly winds and high surf Saturday to
Photo by Jim Harper'
practice his kayak maneuvers. More conventional surfers also enjoyed
the big waves and warm water temperatures.
Island seniors seek county aid
By Holly Edwards
Municipal Editor
The Brunswick County Board of
Commissioners has been asked to
purchase Bob’s Pawn Shop property
on Oak Island Drive, Long Beach,
for future use as a senior citizens
center.
The Senior Citizens Organization
of Oak Island reportedly has a $500
option to purchase the property.
Helen Cashwell’s proposal calls
for the county to purchase the pawn
shop for $300,000 and give the
group a 99-year lease on it for $1
per year. In exchange, the senior
citizens would deed their four
wooded lots with a current tax value
of $44,500 to the county.
The proposal also states that the
organization would pay all taxes, in
surance and maintenance for the
building from craft shop proceeds.
Any remaining funds would be
turned over to the county at the end
of the year.
"We have seen our members be
come disinterested and, in many
cases, isolated when faced with con
tinuous disappointment over our in
ability to provide this much-needed
center," said Cashwell.
Currently, the only facility avail
able to the group is the Long Beach
Recreation Center. Cashwell told
commissioners that many senior
citizens on Oak Island are lonely
and isolated simply because there’s
no place to go.
She said the Wilmington Depart
ment of Aging office advised the
group to seek assistance from the
county in obtaining the center.
The senior citizens organization
president, Tom Cameron, said the
plan was presented to the group at
See Seniors, page 8
Health Fair planned Sunday
By Cindy Aldridge
Feature Editor
The health community and area businesses will join this weekend
for the annual Health Fair.
The fair, sponsored by Dosher Memorial Hospital, will be held
Sunday, May IS, 1 to 4 p.m. on the grounds and inside the hospital
on Howe Street.
The public is encouraged to attend.
"Participation by the exhibitors is incredible this year,” said
Margaret Minuth, new director of marketing at Dosher. The Mr
will include 62 exhibits. Most hospital departments and 12
physicians will be represented.
Numerous screenings will be offered to the public free of charge,
including cholesterol, hearing, vision. Mood pressure, glucose and
body fat percentage. V
The Dosher lab will offer a comprehensive health profile which
includes 24 tests. There is a $20 fee. Participants will receive Mood
work and are asked not to eat eight to 12 hours beforehand if they
; plan to have the tests.
Several organizations will be in attendance.
The Long Beach and the Southport police departments will offer
identification cards for children. The card includes the child’s ten
fingerprints and a Polaroid picture.
Ronald E. Hewett, D.AJUL officer, will pass out information
about the drug abuse prevention program for school children.
The American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association
and the American Heart Association will be represented. Special
guests will include Larry and Vince, the crash dummies.
Tours of the operating and radiology departments will be offered.
"Our goal is to get residents to tour the hospital and see what we
offer," said Minuth.
Food will be available and musk: will be provided by WWQQ and
Joann Boies, who will be present organ muse in the dining room.
Maps of the hospital including the exhibit locations will be dis
tributed to participants. Also available will be a pamphlet, "Dosher
Direct", which includes a listing of services offered by Dosher and
the physicians who are associated with the hospital.
"We hope people will use it as they do a phone book," explained
Minuth.
There will be a dedication ceremony at 4 p.m. in the park across
from the hospital’s main entrance. The park will.be dedicated in
honor of Dr. Richard Corbett and a plaque at the Howe Street
entrance will be dedicated in memory of Inez Hanrelson Shannon,
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